Lu Zhi turned on the car’s heater, cranking the temperature directly to thirty degrees.
But even so, she could still hear the teeth of the young lady next to her chattering.
The car continued on for a few minutes before quickly pulling over to the roadside again.
Lu Zhi turned around and peeled the soaking wet trench coat off the girl.
Right now, Rong Yin looked no different than if she’d just been fished out of the water. Her face was as pale as a sheet of paper, her dark hair plastered wetly against her face, water droplets clinging to her eyelashes. Her eyes were black and unnaturally bright. Her clothes were all stuck to her body, and she was shivering uncontrollably from the cold.
Unfortunately, Lu Zhi had no other clothes to offer her.
Frowning, Lu Zhi opened her phone and quickly found the nearest hotel. Ignoring the slippery roads from the rain, she sped there like the wind.
Luckily, she had her ID Card on her, so she quickly booked a twin room at the front desk. Lu Zhi specifically requested a suite with a bathtub.
“Take off the wet clothes.”
The moment they entered, Lu Zhi headed straight for the bathroom, first adjusting the temperature and starting to fill the bathtub.
When she came back out, Rong Yin was still standing dumbly by the door, unmoving. A small puddle of water had already collected at her feet. Her lips were turning purple from the cold. Her whole person was pitiable, like a helpless, bewildered little chick.
Lu Zhi had no choice but to lead her to the bathroom and directly turned on the showerhead, aiming it at her.
The moment the warm water touched her body, Rong Yin shuddered violently several times. Only after a long moment did a hint of life gradually return to her dark eyes.
“Your clothes…”
Lu Zhi hesitated slightly, glancing at Rong Yin, whose body was still trembling. Finally, she reached out and helped her unbutton the shirt, completely soaked through by the icy rain. Then came the knee-length mermaid skirt, and the black loafers—leaving only a body of dazzlingly white skin and a set of scant black underwear.
Steam gradually filled the narrow shower stall. Lu Zhi reached out and wrapped an arm around Rong Yin’s slender, bare shoulders to keep her from stumbling due to the sudden shift from cold to hot.
Her skin was shockingly cold, yet slick and smooth to the touch, like a length of high-grade silk at freezing temperature.
Lu Zhi’s palm rubbed Rong Yin’s shoulder. Then, not caring if the water soaked her own clothes, she took the showerhead and rinsed her hair, neck, back, chest…
Rong Yin was the classic cool-toned pale skin, the pure color of Ding kiln white porcelain. The originally frost-and-snow-like complexion was now slowly showing a beautiful watercolor pink under the slightly hot water.
She was very thin. Her limbs and waist were all incredibly slender and soft, her neck long and delicate. Her collarbone held a hollow where a small goldfish could swim.
But she was a female celebrity after all, presumably with a dedicated physical trainer. Despite being so slim, the feminine fullness wasn’t diminished. A string of playful water droplets rolled down between the peaks and valleys, carrying the beauty’s natural allure and charm.
Lu Zhi’s hand paused for two seconds. The hot water stream, passing through the fine holes of the showerhead, pounded densely against the undulating chest with a slight impact.
She clearly felt the soft body in her arms tremble slightly under these subtle stimuli. A pale hand reflexively grabbed Lu Zhi’s wrist.
Lu Zhi’s expression flickered, coming back to her senses. She then naturally, slowly moved the showerhead. The hot water, carrying some mist, gradually soaked Rong Yin’s entire body.
“Feeling better?”
After a long while, Lu Zhi hung the showerhead back on the wall, then touched Rong Yin’s fingertips. The ice-cold had faded; they were now soft and warm to the touch.
Rong Yin gave a low “Mm,” her expression looking as if she’d just thawed from the chill. She didn’t blame Lu Zhi for making her so wretched. Instead, she became somewhat silent, like the stunned daze after an emotional release.
“I’ve run a hot bath. Go soak for a bit.” Seeing her like this, Lu Zhi’s voice involuntarily softened.
Rong Yin nodded.
Lu Zhi opened the glass door of the shower stall. Rong Yin’s discarded wet clothes still lay messily on the floor by the entrance.
The water in the bathtub was nearly seventy percent full. Lu Zhi tested the water temperature first, then turned off the faucet. “Soak for a while. I’ll have the staff bring up some ginger soup.”
“Okay.”
Barefoot on the slippery floor, Rong Yin braced her hand on Lu Zhi’s arm, lifted her leg, and stepped into the bathtub.
The buoyancy instantly lifted her somewhat heavy body, making even her heart flutter slightly with the feeling of weightlessness.
“Your clothes are all wet.” Rong Yin looked at Lu Zhi and suddenly spoke.
“It’s fine.” Lu Zhi reached out and tucked a strand of soaked black hair clinging to Rong Yin’s face behind her ear before standing up and walking out.
She found the front desk number on the bedside table and called, also ordering laundry service.
Then she called Little Ma, saying the rain was too heavy, they couldn’t make it back to the hotel tonight and would stay out. She also notified Zhuang Jie.
After doing all this, the clothes dampened by the hot water had gradually turned cold against her body. Lu Zhi took them off and grabbed a bathrobe to wear.
The doorbell rang. The staff member brought the ginger soup.
“Thank you.”
Lu Zhi took the tray and placed it in the entryway, then came around and knocked on the bathroom door, reminding, “Don’t soak too long.”
There was no sound from inside.
Lu Zhi frowned, thought for a moment, then reached out and pushed open the frosted glass door.
Rong Yin was still soaking in the tub. Her head rested relaxedly on the built-in headrest, two slender, graceful arms resting lightly on the sides, fingertips still dripping water. Her snow-white skin was dazzlingly bright in the clear water.
Most importantly, the two black pieces of cloth she hadn’t taken off earlier were now casually tossed aside. Rong Yin lay in the water completely bare, her form stretched out casually, unguardedly spreading out all the beautiful spring flowers and quiet, hidden orchids that had lain dormant all winter, laid bare with complete honesty before one’s eyes.
She was like a goddess generous with her beauty, expression serene, thick eyelashes slightly closed.
But the sound of Lu Zhi opening the door still startled her awake. Rong Yin lifted her head slightly. Her black hair was twisted up at the back of her head. Her clean face displayed distinct colors: black for her brows and eyes, pinkish-white for her cheeks and lips. Two droplets of water still clung to her face. She was clean and pure, like a natural lotus flower just emerging from the water.
The moment their eyes met, both of them paused. Then Lu Zhi quickly closed the door, only remembering a moment later to say, “Sorry.”
Two minutes later, Rong Yin came out barefoot, wrapped in a bath towel. Crescent-shaped footprints were left wherever she passed.
Lu Zhi was sitting on the sofa by the window, checking the flight details for her trip out of town with Zhou Mingming the next day. Unsurprisingly, it had been delayed by an hour due to the rainstorm. When she turned her head back, she saw Rong Yin bending over to get disposable slippers from under the wardrobe. The white bath towel barely covered the top of her thighs.
“What about the wet clothes?” Rong Yin picked up another bathrobe from the wardrobe, went into the bathroom to change, then came out holding the still-dripping clothes between two fingers.
“Put them in the laundry basket. I called for laundry service. The staff will come pick them up soon.”
“Okay.” Rong Yin paused, then asked, “What about the underwear?”
“Wash the underwear yourself. When I have time, I’ll help you dry them with a hairdryer.”
Rong Yin gave a quiet ‘oh’, stayed in the bathroom a bit longer, then used a wooden drying rack to hang her underwear inside the wardrobe.
Lu Zhi called the front desk again, asking for a phone charger and urging the staff to come collect the dirty laundry.
“Drink the ginger soup.” Lu Zhi put down the phone, gesturing with her chin towards the bowl on the table.
Rong Yin answered ‘oh’ again, walked over, and lifted the ceramic lid. The pungent, distinctive smell of ginger slices quickly filled the room. She picked it up and first took a small sip. It was still quite hot, but not scalding.
“Do I have to drink it?” Rong Yin frowned, turning back to ask Lu Zhi.
Lu Zhi made an ‘mm’ sound, saying, “You definitely have to.”
“Then why aren’t you drinking any?” Rong Yin tried to bargain.
“I wasn’t the one who got rained on.” Lu Zhi raised her eyes to look at Rong Yin, asking sincerely, “Do you need me to force you?”
“…” Rong Yin pressed her lips together and stiffly turned her head. “N-No.”
But a single bowl of ginger soup couldn’t ward off the chill from being soaked in the rain that night.
After Lu Zhi finished her shower and tidied up Rong Yin’s things, it was almost four in the morning. Before getting into bed, she went to check on Rong Yin, who had climbed under the covers first.
It wasn’t entirely unexpected: Rong Yin had a fever.
Lu Zhi touched her forehead. It was burning hot, probably over thirty-eight degrees.
Lu Zhi pinched the bridge of her nose and called the staff again, asking for a thermometer and basic antipyretics.
Rong Yin’s small face was unconsciously scrunched up as she slept fitfully. Lu Zhi didn’t wake her. She shook the thermometer down and placed it directly under Rong Yin’s armpit, then boiled a kettle of water.
Five minutes later, the thermometer showed a temperature of thirty-eight point seven degrees.
“Rong Yin, take your medicine.” Lu Zhi patted Rong Yin’s fever-flushed little face.
Rong Yin whimpered softly, struggling to open her misty eyes. The corners of her eyes were red from the high fever, and her slightly upturned eyelids unexpectedly showed a touch of alluring charm at that moment.
Lu Zhi couldn’t resist; her fingers gently rubbed the beauty’s eye corner.
“Wha… is it?” Rong Yin asked her fuzzily, her voice carrying an obvious hoarse burn.
“You have a fever.” Lu Zhi lowered her hand, slightly propping her upper body against the headboard with her arm. “Take the antipyretics first. If the fever doesn’t go down by morning, I’ll take you to the hospital for an injection.”
Rong Yin’s eyelids fluttered lightly, regaining a few threads of clarity. She murmured, “I don’t want an injection.”
Lu Zhi couldn’t help but laugh a little. She patiently coaxed her, “Then take your medicine first.”
Rong Yin nodded, accepted the two pills, and swallowed them down with warm water.
Although she took the medicine, the temperature wouldn’t drop immediately. Lu Zhi made her drink a lot of hot water. The girl didn’t get up once to use the bathroom; it all seemed to burn away inside her body.
Near five o’clock, her temperature almost spiked to thirty-nine point five.
Frowning, Lu Zhi used a towel soaked in cold water to wipe her palms and neck. Fortunately, the temperature soon dropped again, gradually falling back to thirty-eight degrees.
Once Rong Yin passed that peak, her body’s immune system kicked in. She slowly started sweating under the covers, her hair damp and sticking to her forehead.
Lu Zhi hadn’t slept all night. Only now did she breathe a sigh of relief. She placed her palm on Rong Yin’s forehead again, and as expected, it wasn’t as hot.
Rong Yin hadn’t slept well either. The touch made her open her eyes—watery, bright, dark pupils staring fixedly at Lu Zhi.
Lu Zhi soothingly stroked her eyelids.
Like a kitten, Rong Yin nuzzled against her. Her feathered lashes fluttered like darting butterflies. Suddenly, she opened her mouth to call her, her voice thin, soft, and weak, still carrying a trace of sickly hoarseness.
“Sister Chen… Sister…”
“Sister, take me.”
