Bai Bai: [crying.gif]
Bai Bai: But since Xiao Yi said so, I guess I won’t come over.
Human-Dragon Unity: Nuoya and I are both sick. Shishi, your health is a bit weaker, and I’m worried about passing it on to you.
Human-Dragon Unity: I don’t mean to exclude you or anything.
Bai Bai: Hmm, everything Xiao Yi and Nuoya say always makes so much sense.
Su Mengyao had just brought Bai Shishi to the studio when she saw this message. She instinctively glanced at Bai Shishi’s expression.
Sure enough, Bai Shishi’s cute little face fell into a pout.
Su Mengyao found it both amusing and a little heartbreaking. She turned to Su Mengli and whispered, “Xiangwen and Nuoya are both resting. We still need to go buy groceries and head back. We can’t just leave Shishi here alone.”
Su Mengli’s delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly as she pondered the situation.
After a moment, she looked down at Bai Shishi and saw the girl’s pouty expression. She shook her head with a helpless smile.
“What time does your mom get off work today?” Su Mengli asked softly.
Bai Shishi replied in a small voice, “Mom said something about six or seven in the evening?”
Six or seven in the evening? Yeah, there was no way they could leave Bai Shishi alone that long.
“Should we check with your mom?” Su Mengli asked uncertainly. “If she says it’s okay, how about I take you over there?”
Bai Shishi’s eyes lit up, a spark of excitement flickering in them.
But just as quickly, she deflated.
“Um… but Xiao Yi said he doesn’t want me to come,” Bai Shishi said glumly.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Just ask your mom first,” Su Mengli reassured her. “If she agrees, I’ll figure something out with Xiao Yi.”
Bai Shishi hesitated for a moment, but in the end, her desire to visit her friends won out over her instinct to be obedient.
She nodded slowly and dialed the number.
The call connected almost immediately. After a brief exchange, Bai Shishi hung up.
She hadn’t even announced the result yet, but Su Mengyao and Su Mengli could already tell from her beaming expression.
“Mom said it’s no problem. Visiting friends is important,” Bai Shishi said happily. “But for safety, I should wear a mask.”
Su Mengli nodded slightly. That was exactly what she had been thinking.
There wasn’t any flu going around right now, so they were probably just dealing with regular colds and fevers. No need to be overly cautious.
Still, given how much he cared about Bai Shishi—and considering her health—it made sense for him to worry.
With a mask, even he shouldn’t have any objections.
After all, he and Nuoya were the most reasonable people around.
“Oh, and Mom said to remind Xiao Yi and Nuoya not to forget to call or message her to take a sick day,” Bai Shishi added.
Su Mengli paused at that.
They had both decided to rest but hadn’t called in yet? What were they thinking?
Pushing the thought aside, Su Mengli smiled lightly. “Then when we see Xiangwen later, you can tell him yourself.”
“Mm-hmm!” Bai Shishi nodded vigorously, then looked at her with eager anticipation. “That means it’s up to Sister Mengli to convince Xiao Yi!”
Su Mengli nodded and pulled out her phone to send a message.
Don’t Play Holy Slash: We can’t just leave Shishi alone at the studio.
Don’t Play Holy Slash: And if you’re worried, we can stop at the pharmacy on the way and get some masks. She can wear one.
She called it convincing him, but really, just laying out the facts should be enough. With Mo Xiangwen’s personality, he’d agree without issue.
Sure enough, the expected response came right away.
Human-Dragon Unity: You’re right. That was an oversight on my part.
Human-Dragon Unity: Bring Shishi over then. Just make sure she wears a mask, and I’ll keep my distance from her.
“He agreed,” Su Mengli said with a light laugh. “Let’s head back together.”
—
Su Mengli and the others returned from school, stopping at the supermarket for groceries and the pharmacy for masks.
It would probably take at least an hour before they got home.
Should he go back to his room and nap for a bit during that time?
Truth be told, Mo Xiangwen was still pretty sleepy.
But he worried that when they got back, they might not wake him right away.
Besides, an hour was too short.
Mo Xiangwen hesitated, then decided to just lean back on the sofa for a while.
He had just closed his eyes when a thought popped into his head: “Oh right, set an alarm.”
Eh, whatever. He’d just catnap until he heard the door open.
…
When Su Mengli and the others finally arrived home, they found him slumped on the sofa, dead to the world.
Su Mengli quickly held a finger to her lips in a “shh” gesture to the two behind her. Su Mengyao and Bai Shishi nodded in understanding.
Even though it was their own home, Su Mengli and Su Mengyao moved like thieves, tiptoeing up to the sofa.
Of course, Bai Shishi followed right behind.
Su Mengyao was about to wake him with a surprise, but Su Mengli swiftly grabbed her arm to stop her.
Su Mengyao looked at her sister questioningly, only to receive a shake of the head in response.
A cold? And he specifically told Shishi not to come because of that? He even forgot to call in sick? Su Mengli wasn’t quite buying it.
After a moment’s hesitation, she reached out to touch his forehead.
Sure enough, the moment her fingers made contact with Mo Xiangwen’s skin, she felt an unnaturally high temperature.
Nuoya wasn’t in the living room either, so she must be resting in her room.
Which meant Nuoya was probably in even worse shape.
These two… really.
Su Mengli sighed inwardly and turned back to the others.
Bai Shishi, masked up, and Su Mengyao were watching her with wide, expectant eyes.
“Xiangwen’s got a fever,” Su Mengli whispered. “Nuoya’s not in the living room. I’m guessing she’s the same.”
“Huh? I thought it was a stomachache?” Su Mengyao said in surprise.
A stomachache? Su Mengli shot her a puzzled look.
Whether it was because Su Mengli had touched him or they’d made some noise, Mo Xiangwen slowly stirred from his deep sleep.
Rubbing his bleary eyes, he spotted Bai Shishi—wearing a mask—gently tugging at Su Mengli and Su Mengyao’s arms. She pointed toward him and whispered something.
They’d brought Bai Shishi over?
Mo Xiangwen struggled to pry open his heavy eyelids. He was about to say something when he noticed Su Mengli and Su Mengyao glaring at him with sour expressions.
Even Bai Shishi’s gaze held a hint of unhappiness.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, confused.
“Holy crap, Xiangwen’s such a jerk,” Su Mengyao grumbled.
“Holy crap, Xiao Yi’s so bad,” Bai Shishi echoed.
Mo Xiangwen turned to the only one who hadn’t cursed him yet: Su Mengli, his face full of bewilderment.
