Chapter 44

Sang Ning knew that from the moment Shen Tingwan walked in, her gaze had already given an affirmative answer, so she didn’t struggle or make excuses.

Shen Tingwan waited for her to speak.

Sang Ning’s heart softened under her stare. She nodded awkwardly. Because of Shen Tingwan’s thoughtfulness and tolerance, she was becoming less reserved. She wanted her by her side.

“You’re feeling aggrieved?” Shen Tingwan teased gently, rubbing the top of her head lightly. It was the first time she had seen Sang Ning show such grievance in front of her.

Sang Ning curved her lips into a smile, admitting her selfish thoughts. She had guessed that Shen Tingwan would coax her like this once they met.

Shen Tingwan watched as her dimples appeared, sweet and coquettish.

Sang Ning thought of how Shen Tingwan had dropped her work to come over and felt a bit guilty. “I delayed your work.”

Shen Tingwan said, “No, it’s fine.”

Sang Ning pursed her lips listlessly.

“Feeling like you’re troubling me again?” Shen Tingwan smiled softly and spoke slowly. “You’re not troubling me.”

Shen Tingwan was patiently guiding her to correct this misconception. She really was too afraid of bothering others, sometimes overly cautious, habitually bottling up all her negative emotions.

Shen Tingwan was truly worried. “Let’s go to the hospital and get checked.”

Sang Ning had no appetite, so the two simply ate sandwiches for dinner to avoid an empty stomach.

The nearest fever clinic was less than two kilometers from the studio. They drove there quickly. With the recent flu outbreak, the fever clinic was crowded.

Sang Ning took her temperature again at the triage desk. It was nearly 39 degrees. The on-duty nurse told her to get registered and wait.

After waiting about ten minutes, Shen Tingwan accompanied her into the consultation room. The doctor on duty was a middle-aged man wearing a mask. His voice was muffled as he spoke. “What are your symptoms? How long has the fever been going on?”

Sang Ning always found hospitals troublesome. They were crowded, and medical staff wore masks, making communication difficult—like now. She politely and skillfully asked, “Sorry, I didn’t hear clearly. Could you say that again?”

The doctor raised his voice and repeated the question. He had probably had a tiring day and was in a bad mood, his tone carrying a hint of impatience. Sang Ning was used to this; it was understandable even if he was annoyed.

Shen Tingwan watched her respond with her usual mild, unflappable smile and felt heartbroken. She couldn’t help but recall the first time she had met Sang Ning—her eyes red-rimmed, yet still smiling as she asked for directions.

After Sang Ning briefly described her symptoms, the doctor mumbled a few more words. She still didn’t catch them and was feeling awkward when Shen Tingwan leaned close to her right ear and repeated them. “He wants us to get some tests first…”

Sang Ning turned to look.

Shen Tingwan gave her a warm, reassuring smile.

She couldn’t count how many times Shen Tingwan had made her heart flutter like this.

From the consultation to the tests, whenever Sang Ning missed something, Shen Tingwan would promptly tell her. Shen Tingwan was gentle and soft, serving as her “ears” for the entire evening.

The test results showed nothing serious, and Sang Ning felt relieved.

After more than an hour of back and forth, they finally returned to the apartment. Sang Ning took the fever-reducing medicine prescribed at the hospital—a particularly drowsy kind.

Standing in the entryway, Shen Tingwan touched her forehead again.

Sang Ning stood still, letting her. She loved this kind of contact. Perhaps one’s willpower weakened when sick; she didn’t shy away from Shen Tingwan’s closeness. Taking advantage of her feverish daze, her gaze greedily lingered on Shen Tingwan’s cheek.

At such close range, face-to-face, her cheeks and breath were both hot. Fortunately, the fever masked it.

Shen Tingwan felt her gaze was unusually clingy tonight and teased, “Fever making you delirious?”

Sang Ning stayed silent.

Shen Tingwan murmured softly, “Still a bit hot.”

Sang Ning blinked and whispered, “It might take a while to take effect.”

Shen Tingwan: “Does the fever medicine make you sleepy?”

Sang Ning hummed. “Mm…”

Shen Tingwan suddenly smiled.

Sang Ning asked, “What are you smiling about?”

Shen Tingwan: “Why are you being so coquettish tonight?”

Sang Ning felt embarrassed. “I’m not.”

Shen Tingwan still smiled. “Go take a shower and get to bed.”

Sang Ning’s face heated up even more. She really felt like the fever had addled her brain. When Shen Tingwan said that, it sounded like she was coaxing a girlfriend.

After that improper thought surfaced, she hurried to the bathroom to shower.

Shen Tingwan sat on the sofa with practiced ease. The room was tidied up nicely this time; no photos were out in the open.

Sang Ning emerged from the shower still feeling woozy. Shen Tingwan urged her to bed. Lying there, she looked at Shen Tingwan. “Senior, you don’t need to watch over me.”

Shen Tingwan simply said, “You sleep first. I’ll leave soon.”

Sang Ning felt bad about keeping Shen Tingwan overnight. Her place was a small studio apartment with a tiny bed—cramped everywhere.

The apartment was a single-room layout, so Shen Tingwan could see the bed from the sofa. She had a few work messages and handled them.

Soon, Wei Xue called.

Shen Tingwan answered, keeping her voice low to avoid disturbing the person sleeping on the bed. “What’s up?”

Wei Xue sighed first. “I’m in a really bad mood lately. Come drink with me.”

Shen Tingwan: “I’m not free tonight.”

Wei Xue’s first reaction: “You still at work?”

Shen Tingwan: “No…”

“Then what are you busy with?” Wei Xue knew Shen Tingwan well. Whenever she was in a bad mood, Shen Tingwan would keep her company. No work tonight, yet not free? Something was fishy.

Shen Tingwan explained, “A friend is sick. I’m with her.”

“Who?” Wei Xue asked curiously. “What’s wrong? Serious?”

Shen Tingwan: “Not serious.”

“Not serious and you’re still with her…” Wei Xue grew more puzzled, then guessed boldly on instinct. “Your precious junior?”

Shen Tingwan smiled faintly at the nickname, then fell silent for a moment.

“Shen Tingwan, I’m a bit surprised.” Wei Xue sighed over the phone. “Don’t tell me it’s just purely taking care of a junior sister with no other thoughts.”

Shen Tingwan interrupted, “That’s enough. Hanging up.”

Wei Xue didn’t get to say more before the call ended. She cursed at her phone and found someone else to drink with.

Sang Ning tossed and turned on the bed, having a nightmare. She dreamed of a persistent high fever that didn’t break. When she woke, her ears couldn’t hear anything. At the hospital, the doctor just sighed and shook his head.

Shen Tingwan heard the movement and got up to walk to the bedside.

Sang Ning’s brows were furrowed. She broke free from the dream and sat up in bed. Seeing Shen Tingwan, she paused. “Senior.”

Shen Tingwan asked tensely, “What’s wrong?”

Sang Ning: “Had a nightmare.”

“It’s okay now.” Shen Tingwan patted her back. Seeing Sang Ning’s lips dry, she got up to pour a glass of water.

The fever had mostly subsided by then. Sang Ning felt clearer and more comfortable. She took the water from Shen Tingwan, drank a few sips, and asked, “Why haven’t you left?”

Shen Tingwan knew she might not hear clearly without her hearing aid and spoke toward her right ear. “Chasing me away?”

“No…” Sang Ning thought of everything that night, and her eyes grew warm. Was it because she had endured so much unkindness that she met Shen Tingwan?

Shen Tingwan’s gaze fell on her cheek. “What are you spacing out about?”

Sang Ning hid her bitterness with a smile. “Senior, you’re too good to me.”

Shen Tingwan’s lips curved up. She paused, then casually smiled and asked, “Better than your white moonlight?”

Sang Ning froze, thinking she had misheard.

The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.

Shen Tingwan brushed it off with a smile and handed her a thermometer to check her temperature again. It had returned to normal. She stared at it. “Fever’s gone.”

Sang Ning: “Mm.”

Shen Tingwan: “Then I’ll go?”

Sang Ning nodded. “Okay.”

Shen Tingwan looked at her and asked warmly, “Want me to stay?”

Sang Ning didn’t want her to leave, but she wasn’t greedy enough to ask her to stay the whole night. She was better now anyway, no reason for it. She smiled faintly and shook her head. “No need. Go back and rest early.”

Shen Tingwan chuckled lightly. So clingy and coquettish when sick, but “no need” the moment she improved.

The next day, Sang Ning woke up drenched in sweat, sticky all over. She showered in the bathroom, thinking about the night before while rinsing off.

Better than your white moonlight?

She recalled Shen Tingwan’s words. It seemed like she cared…

Just a joke.

She thought no more of it.

*

A few days later, Shen Tingwan went to the hospital again.

Jiang Yunchun had been hospitalized. Shen Tingwan was in a meeting at the company when she received Auntie Zeng’s call. She dropped the half-finished meeting and drove straight to the hospital.

It was a transient ischemic attack. Auntie Zeng knew some nursing and got her to the hospital in time.

By the time Shen Tingwan arrived at the ward, her face was pale.

The old lady lay in the hospital bed, her weary face lit with an optimistic smile, looking nonchalant. “Don’t worry. Teacher Jiang is fine.”

“You’re still smiling.” Shen Tingwan’s nose stung. Jiang Yunchun had heart and brain vessel issues in her old age. TIA was a precursor to stroke—high risk. Fortunately, she had been rushed to the hospital immediately.

Jiang Yunchun had been fine at first, but seeing her granddaughter so tense made her own eyes well up. She took Shen Tingwan’s hand and cooed like a child. “Don’t be sad. Just treat the illness properly. It’s no big deal.”

Shen Tingwan forced a smile, knowing the old lady was always carefree and couldn’t stand seeing her down.

The cause wasn’t clear yet. They spent the whole day on various tests. Only in the evening did Shen Tingwan breathe a little easier. No acute danger, and further checks needed for the exact cause, but timely treatment had greatly reduced the stroke risk.

Jiang Yunchun complained of boredom. “Gotta stay in the hospital again.”

Shen Tingwan coaxed the old child. “I’ll keep you company.”

Jiang Yunchun: “No work?”

Shen Tingwan: “Already took leave.”

Jiang Yunchun had wanted to say it wasn’t necessary, but at her age, more time together was better.

…

Sang Ning was restless all day, not seeing any replies from Shen Tingwan to her messages. At eight in the evening, just as she wondered if she should call, Shen Tingwan called her.

“Senior.”

“Busy today, couldn’t reply…” Shen Tingwan’s voice was subdued. “Grandma’s sick and hospitalized.”

Sang Ning could tell from her tone that something was wrong, and her heart tightened. “How did she end up hospitalized?”

Shen Tingwan briefly explained the condition. “…She has heart and vessel issues. This time she’ll need to stay longer for thorough checks.”

“Good as long as it’s not serious.” Sang Ning exhaled in relief and asked, “Are you at the hospital alone with Grandma?”

“No, plenty of people.”

“Mm.” Though Shen Tingwan sounded calm, Sang Ning knew she must be hurting inside. She was so close to Jiang Yunchun. “Senior, it’ll be okay…”

Shen Tingwan: “Mm.”

Sang Ning wanted to visit Jiang Yunchun at the hospital, but the first few days were critical for treatment and rest. She didn’t want to disturb the elderly lady. Once Shen Tingwan said Jiang Yunchun was stable, she mentioned wanting to visit.

That evening, Sang Ning bought a bouquet and a small gift and went to the hospital.

Downstairs in the inpatient building, she saw Shen Tingwan coming to pick her up. In just over a week without seeing her, she looked noticeably thinner.

Sang Ning walked up to her, full of heartache. “Senior…”

Shen Tingwan smiled. “Let’s go. Teacher Jiang’s been asking about you.”

As soon as they entered the ward, Sang Ning smiled and called out, “Grandma, I’m here to see you.”

“Teacher Xiao Sang is here.” Jiang Yunchun set down her Rubik’s Cube. “Such pretty flowers.”

Seeing Jiang Yunchun in decent spirits, still like her usual happy old self, Sang Ning relaxed. “Grandma, I brought you a little gift.”

Jiang Yunchun eagerly asked with a grin, “What gift?”

Sang Ning let her open it herself.

Jiang Yunchun got a Polaroid camera and was thrilled, praising nonstop. “Oh my, Teacher Xiao Sang is too good at gifts. Grandma loves it. How does this work again? I forgot.”

Sang Ning stepped forward to patiently teach her.

Shen Tingwan watched from the side with a smile, figuring Jiang Yunchun would try to keep her from leaving. She sat on the resting sofa, quietly watching them fiddle with the Polaroid.

Jiang Yunchun snapped a few photos with it. “Xiao Ning, do Grandma a favor, okay?”

Sang Ning happily agreed with the old lady. “Sure.”

Shen Tingwan looked up curiously, wondering what Jiang Yunchun was up to.

Jiang Yunchun smiled and said, “Take Wanwan home and make her rest properly.”