Chapter 53: I’m Not Being Good

After Tan Qingya finished speaking, she closed her eyes again, her condition looking quite poor.

Zhou Jianghao instinctively turned to the doctor. “Is she really okay?”

The doctor had lost track of how many times the young woman had asked that question. She glanced at the sleeping Second Miss and replied conservatively, “She’ll be fine once the fever breaks. Just make sure she drinks plenty of hot water and gets lots of rest.”

It was standard medical advice, but carrying it out with this patient seemed like a tall order.

The doctor sighed. Having treated the Second Miss once as a child, she didn’t hold out much hope for strict adherence. Instead, she turned to the other Miss Zhou. “Let me take your temperature too.”

Indigestion-induced fevers were common in children, but overeating adults could suffer from it too. Without treatment, the fever might linger for days.

Zhou Jianghao cooperated obediently, answering every question.

“You’re over your fever. I’ll prescribe some medicine to settle your stomach. Get some light exercise these next few days, watch your diet, stick to easy-to-digest foods—but in moderation.”

“Okay.” Zhou Jianghao kept her head lowered, gazing at Tan Qingya’s flushed face. She couldn’t help asking, “What about her? What does she need to watch out for?”

It was just a regular fever—the kind where someone who rarely gets sick ends up seriously ill when they do. But Zhou Jianghao asked so earnestly that the doctor went into detail about precautions. Seeing the young woman actually pull out a notebook to jot it all down, the doctor couldn’t resist adding, “It’s really just a cold. No need to worry too much.”

“Mm, I know.”

Zhou Jianghao acknowledged it.

Colds were commonplace; she’d had plenty herself and never thought much of them. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what she was feeling now, but this cold on Tan Qingya felt utterly extraordinary. She simply couldn’t relax.

The top priority was getting Tan Qingya’s fever down.

When Tan Qingya woke, it was already noon.

After a full night’s sleep, the discomfort had eased a bit. Her head no longer felt like it was about to explode, though her whole body still ached with weakness. Her mind was foggy, her throat parched, and she had no energy to muster.

The sensation was utterly foreign to her.

She wasn’t one to tolerate pain well. In front of others, she’d held back for the sake of appearances, but now alone in the room, her expression slipped out of control.

Her mood plummeted, tinged with a vague restlessness.

She was about to get out of bed when noise came from the doorway.

“Second Miss, you’re awake?!”

Auntie Chen’s face lit up with delight.

Tan Qingya pressed her lips together without a word and reached for the clothes hanging nearby.

“Hey?” Auntie Chen hurried to say, “You’re still sick. You should rest properly.”

Seeing Tan Qingya continue undeterred, she quickly added, “Miss Zhou is making you some porridge. If she comes back and sees you trying to leave, she’ll definitely be upset.”

Tan Qingya’s movements halted.

She checked the time again: past noon. By rights, Zhou Jianghao should have been at the hospital by now.

She looked at Auntie Chen.

“Miss Zhou was too worried to leave and took the whole day off,” Auntie Chen said with a beaming smile. Seizing the moment, she tacked on, “If she sees you not taking care of yourself like this, she’ll really get upset.”

“Where am I not taking care of myself?” Tan Qingya kept a straight face, suppressing the flicker of secret joy in her heart. She spoke righteously, “I’m just bundling up to use the bathroom. Very much taking care of myself.”

Auntie Chen saw through it but said nothing, leaving with peace of mind.

In the kitchen, Zhou Jianghao was still bustling about.

Auntie Chen stepped forward, taking the items from her hands with a grin. “The Second Miss is awake. You go watch over her—I’ll handle the cooking.”

Hearing that Tan Qingya was up, a subtle light flickered in Zhou Jianghao’s eyes. She nodded. “Okay.”

When Zhou Jianghao entered the room, Tan Qingya was just shrugging off the outer coat she’d put on. Her expression changed in an instant. “Tan Qingya.”

Tan Qingya paused, glancing up at her with a touch of awkwardness. This was the second time the girl had called her by her full name. When the little one got stubborn, she actually had some presence.

She explained patiently, “I just got up to use the bathroom.”

With that, she hung the coat back up, the picture of innocence. “Now I’m planning to follow Little Doctor Zhou’s orders and get back in bed for some proper rest.”

Only then did Zhou Jianghao’s expression soften a little. She helped Tan Qingya sit on the bed, her cautious manner so amusing that Tan Qingya chuckled. “I’m not that fragile.”

Her legs felt a bit wobbly, but she didn’t need help to walk.

Once settled on the bed, she reached out and pinched Zhou Jianghao’s cheek, teasing her further. “Why is Little Doctor Zhou so fierce?”

“I’m not.” Zhou Jianghao, now calmer, rebutted flatly.

“Aren’t you?” Tan Qingya raised a brow. “You scared me half to death. For a second, I thought I was a kid again getting called out by the teacher.”

Unfortunately, Zhou Jianghao wasn’t fooled. She looked up at her. “You were always top of the class as a kid. Teachers didn’t dare mess with you.”

“…”

Busted again, Tan Qingya eyed her suspiciously. “How do you know so much about my childhood?”

Zhou Jianghao fell silent for a moment before speaking. “Anywhere else you’re uncomfortable? Does your head still hurt?”

“A little.” Tan Qingya pulled her into an embrace as she spoke. “Did you have the doctor check you?”

“She prescribed some stomach-settling medicine.” Zhou Jianghao wriggled free from the hug. “Let me take your temperature again.”

Her arms suddenly empty, Tan Qingya let out a wistful sigh but cooperated anyway—to avoid the little one putting on that stern face and calling her full name again.

So fierce.

Once the temperature was taken, Zhou Jianghao’s expression remained serious. Tan Qingya didn’t need to ask; she knew the verdict and reassured her. “It’s normal. I’ll drink more hot water later.”

“Mm.”

Seeing Tan Qingya comforting her instead, Zhou Jianghao pressed her lips together, her heart twisting further. In the end, Tan Qingya had gotten sick because of her—likely from staying up too late last night and catching a chill.

“I made preserved egg and lean pork congee,” she said clumsily, searching for a topic. “I don’t know if you like it.”

“I do.” Tan Qingya nodded.

But recalling the girl’s indigestion, she grew concerned. “You can’t eat too much.”

“Okay.”

After all the fuss with this illness, both of them had become much more obedient. Watching the two quietly sipping their porridge at the table, Auntie Chen couldn’t help but sigh softly.

The married Second Miss was different indeed.

The Old Madam would probably feel relieved seeing this.

As she thought that, the doorbell rang. She glanced outside. “Must be the doctor here for a follow-up.”

She hurried to answer the door.

“Oh! Old Madam! What brings you here?!”

Auntie Chen’s surprised voice carried clearly to the pair at the table. Zhou Jianghao instinctively stood, tensing up in an instant.

The next second, she was tugged back down by the hand.

“It’s the Old Madam, not a tiger,” Tan Qingya sighed. How could she get so scared? Look at that pale little face—it was impossible to ignore.

Zhou Jianghao stayed quiet.

It had been fine before, but with Tan Qingya’s illness partly her fault, and the Old Madam who cherished Tan Qingya like the apple of her eye now arriving, of course she felt guilty.

Sure enough, the moment the Old Madam entered, her gaze fixed on Zhou Jianghao.

“Little Hao’s here too.”

The Old Madam’s expression softened slightly.

“It’s her home—where else would she be?” Tan Qingya set down her spoon leisurely. “What brings you here?”

After a quick scan of her daughter, the Old Madam put on a kindly smile—but directed it at Zhou Jianghao. “Mom just assumed you’d gone to work at the hospital. No other meaning, Little Hao. Don’t overthink it.”

“Mm.” Zhou Jianghao responded, but couldn’t quite hold back. She stood again, speaking stiffly, “Have you eaten?”

“Old Madam, Miss Zhou made the porridge herself today. Why don’t you try some?” Auntie Chen chimed in.

“Little Hao made it?” The Old Madam perked up. “Then I have to give it a proper taste.”

She gestured for Zhou Jianghao to sit, then claimed a seat herself with easy familiarity.

She turned to her daughter, who was still slowly eating. “Your health’s always been robust, but falling sick like this out of nowhere shows you’ve been burning the candle at both ends like a workaholic. Spend more time with Little Hao these days—no more burying yourself in work all day.”

At her words, both at the table paused subtly.

Tan Qingya looked up. “You’ve been out of the company loop too long. Lately, I’ve been clocking in and out on time every day—barely any overtime.”

Overtime?

Not a chance. Nothing was more important than time with her wife.

“Really?” The Old Madam blinked in surprise.

“The Second Miss has indeed been picking up Miss Zhou and heading straight home each day,” Auntie Chen put in helpfully, her face wreathed in smiles. “The two of them get along so well.”

The Old Madam broke into a wide grin. “Good, that’s how it should be.”

Her gaze toward Zhou Jianghao grew even warmer. “I heard you weren’t feeling well last night either? Caught a cold too? You girls—eat more usually. Whatever you want, whatever you crave, just say the word. We’re family; no need for politeness.”

Hearing the Old Madam bring up last night made Zhou Jianghao’s hard-won calm shatter again.

From the sound of it, she still didn’t know the illness stemmed from overeating.

Her pleading gaze landed on Tan Qingya.

Seeing this, Tan Qingya curved her lips and smoothly took over. “I’ll take good care of her. You can rest easy.”

“That’s exactly why I can’t rest easy—with you around,” the Old Madam shot back, glaring at her. “Grown woman that you are, I tell you to look after her, and now you’ve gone and worn yourself out.”

Tan Qingya looked up expressionlessly.

Unfortunately, her icy stare only worked on outsiders. In front of her own mother, it lost all its edge.

Emboldened by Zhou Jianghao’s presence, the Old Madam grew even bolder. She turned to Zhou Jianghao with earnest advice. “Little Hao, Qingya here is just too willful. I can’t handle her anymore, so I’ll have to trouble you to keep an eye on her.”

But unexpectedly, Zhou Jianghao frowned and countered, “She’s fine.”

The Old Madam’s eyes flickered slightly.

Zhou Jianghao knew she shouldn’t contradict her elder at a time like this, but she was certain that Tan Qingya had nothing to do with willfulness.

In her eyes, Tan Qingya was mature and steady, gentle and beautiful, powerful yet humble—a truly, truly wonderful person.

Unable to hold back, she defended Tan Qingya. “This whole time, it’s been her taking care of me. She even fell ill suddenly because she was looking after me. She’s a really, really good person—not willful at all.”

“Is that so?” The Old Madam paused, a deeper smile in her eyes. “Then I must have misunderstood her.”

The Old Madam shifted topics swiftly, leaving Zhou Jianghao feeling awkward and embarrassed in hindsight.

Seeing this, Tan Qingya lowered her gaze to hide the emotions in her eyes, though she couldn’t stop her lips from curving upward.

This girl had always been timid, shrinking like a mouse before a cat whenever she saw the Old Madam. Yet now, for her sake, she had mustered such courage. Tan Qingya looked up at Auntie Chen to bail Zhou Jianghao out. “Didn’t you say you wanted to try Little Hao’s porridge?”

Auntie Chen caught on and hurriedly ladled a bowl for the Old Madam.

The Old Madam could naturally see Zhou Jianghao’s discomfort. She glanced at her obviously secretly pleased youngest daughter and chuckled to herself.

Marriage really changes things.

That was good. She could finally rest easy.

The Old Madam didn’t linger long in the apartment. After finishing her porridge, she soon took her leave.

The moment she was gone, Tan Qingya couldn’t hold back any longer. She pulled Zhou Jianghao into her arms and instinctively leaned down, smiling. “Am I that good in your heart?”

But as soon as her lips touched Zhou Jianghao’s cool ones, the smile on Tan Qingya’s face froze.

She jerked her head up, frowning deeply. “Why did I kiss you again?”

She quickly released Zhou Jianghao, too worried to tease her now. Grabbing a wet wipe from nearby, she lifted her hand to gently wipe Zhou Jianghao’s lips. “Next time you see me leaning in to kiss you, remember to push me away. Don’t be so obedient every time.”

Too obedient.

Every time Tan Qingya leaned in for a kiss, Zhou Jianghao would tilt her face up, letting her kiss it so sweetly.

She looked so easy to bully, and Tan Qingya wasn’t exactly a good person. Every time she saw Zhou Jianghao like this, the urge to tease and ravish her burned hotter.

“I’m not obedient,” Zhou Jianghao said, looking up with a serious expression. “I wanted to kiss you.”