Chapter 46: Unwilling to Take Responsibility for Me?

Finally, Ji Zhenshi’s fever broke. She had kept Li Yunli tossing and turning all night long, and only as dawn broke did Li Yunli sink into a deep sleep.

Ji Zhenshi had slept restlessly through the entire night, yet she hadn’t suffered any nightmares.

She nuzzled toward the source of warmth. Her hand brushed against a body that radiated heat. Her eyes still closed, Ji Zhenshi gave it a pinch.

A person! And warm!

Ji Zhenshi’s eyes flew open without warning. A throbbing pain chased through her temples, hitting her all at once. Before she could even register the ache, her gaze landed on Li Yunli, who was wearing her clothes and lying right there on her bed.

She clutched the blanket tight around herself and scrambled backward a full step, staring at Li Yunli in horror. Her mind raced to dredge up memories from the night before.

How could she only remember having a dream—one where she drank milk all night long?

And then… Li Yunli had appeared on her bed.

“Damn, did I black out again?” Fever combined with drunkenness had wiped Ji Zhenshi’s memory clean of everything before the dream.

Last night, after drinking, she’d been exhausted and had planned to take a bath before bed.

But how had Li Yunli ended up here? And she herself was completely naked!

She yanked every last bit of the blanket around her. In the momentary short-circuit of her brain, Ji Zhenshi wondered if maybe she’d woken up in the wrong position—or if she should just slip out before Li Yunli fully woke.

Before she could act on the absurd impulse, Li Yunli stirred awake in a daze, chilled without the covers. “Xiao Zhen, you’re up? Let me check if your fever’s gone.”

“Wait!” Ji Zhenshi scooted back farther, dodging Li Yunli’s reaching hand. “I… I’m sorry. I must’ve gotten drunk last night. Xia Siyuan probably called you over. Sister A-Yun, sorry for dragging you into this all night again.”

No matter what had happened, apologizing first was the safe bet.

The situation felt precarious to Ji Zhenshi—especially since she was buck naked while Li Yunli wore her clothes.

She knew exactly what she was like when drunk. What if she’d done something to offend Li Yunli last night?

Li Yunli’s gentle gaze faltered, her drowsiness evaporating in an instant.

But she said nothing, merely beckoning Ji Zhenshi closer. “Come here. Let me see if you’re still burning up.”

Last night, after feeding her the medicine, Li Yunli had fretted that a prolonged fever might damage her body. So she’d wiped her down with rubbing alcohol to cool her physically, not daring to close her eyes for fear something would go wrong with Ji Zhenshi.

Only in the small hours of the morning had Ji Zhenshi’s temperature finally dropped. Exhausted beyond measure, Li Yunli had leaned against her and drifted off.

She’d fallen too deeply asleep all at once; otherwise, she’d have sensed Ji Zhenshi stirring awake.

“No… my head just hurts a little.” A chill prickled down Ji Zhenshi’s spine. The pounding in her skull was unbearable, so she pressed her temples, her brows drooping in a heartbreakingly pitiful expression.

Li Yunli’s heart ached at the sight of her looking so wretched—it melted her on the spot.

She leaned in to feel Ji Zhenshi’s forehead, relief washing over her only once she confirmed the fever was truly gone.

A mildly reproachful look settled in her eyes. “Treating baijiu like soda and then soaking in a cold bath—your body’s not built for that kind of abuse. If you’d been alone last night, it could’ve been dangerous, you know? A mere headache is already getting off easy. How could you drink that much by yourself? Have you forgotten what you said last time after getting wasted?”

Ji Zhenshi had sworn she’d never touch alcohol again, mortified that Li Yunli had seen her in such a state.

And then? Scar healed, pain forgotten.

Last night, she wouldn’t budge when asked to get up, clinging fiercely to Li Yunli’s arm and planting two kisses on her before reluctantly allowing the bath to be finished.

Ji Zhenshi stared at her in a daze, taking a long moment to process. “Sister A-Yun… did I call you last night while I was drunk?”

Otherwise, why was Li Yunli here? Why was she being so gentle? Why did her head hurt like this? Why couldn’t she remember a thing? A whirlwind of flashing stars and unanswered questions swirled in Ji Zhenshi’s mind. She furrowed her brows and rubbed her temples.

It hurt too much—no wonder she’d mysteriously blacked out again.

“No, Siyuan told me. But you did seem to have that intention.” Li Yunli’s chest tightened at the sight of her discomfort. She inched closer, intending to massage the tension away.

Startled like a bird from a bowstring, Ji Zhenshi mumbled incoherently, “Wait.”

They’d argued so fiercely before, storming off in anger more than once. So why did Li Yunli act like nothing had happened?

Li Yunli seized her hand, drawing them abruptly close.

Her gaze, warm and soft as a summer breeze, washed over Ji Zhenshi. “Xiao Zhen, will you stop pretending to be all grown up? I don’t need you proving your maturity this way, taking on those so-called responsibilities. Just grow at your own pace. You don’t have to put on an act around me.”

Last night, when she’d tearfully confessed to faking maturity, Li Yunli had realized no one in the world could love her more.

Secretly learning sign language for her sake, pretending to be mature for her—the girl who charged fearlessly ahead always halted time and again for her. Li Yunli truly couldn’t bear to wound Ji Zhenshi’s heart again.

Perhaps it was the sheer tenderness in Li Yunli’s eyes, but Ji Zhenshi unconsciously…