Chapter 158: Ouch, It Hurts!
It had been a while since she last tasted Yu Linna’s cooking, the familiar flavors bringing a sense of comfort. Ye Zhiyun had always enjoyed her cooking, coming home to a warm meal every evening, a taste she had grown accustomed to, a taste she had come to love.
Though only a short time had passed, living with Yu Linna felt like a distant memory.
Ye Zhiyun could cook; she had learned out of necessity during her early years of independence. But Yu Linna’s culinary skills far surpassed hers. During their time together, Yu Linna had spoiled her, making her own cooking seem bland and unappetizing.
Yu Linna’s cooking was simply the best.
“Seeing you enjoy your meal puts my mind at ease. It seems my cooking hasn’t deteriorated. You always liked these vegetables.”
“You remembered.”
“Of course. We lived together for a while.”
Ye Zhiyun’s voice trailed off, a question lingering unspoken. Why did you move out? Why couldn’t you stay? She didn’t want Yu Linna to leave, not at all.
She wanted to continue living with her, always.
But it was impossible. Yu Linna had her own dreams, her own aspirations. She couldn’t stay forever, destined to pursue her own path, to reach for greater heights. She couldn’t be her cook forever.
“Zhiyun?”
“It’s nothing. I was just thinking… you should rest. You look tired.”
Yu Linna, realizing she was indeed exhausted from working on the illustrations, agreed. Though not writing, the work was still demanding. And as a senior student, with the hundred-day pledge approaching, her time was limited.
“Yes, I’ll go to bed soon.”
“I’ll stay with you for a while.”
“You don’t have to. Don’t you have work?”
“I’m not that busy lately. Just classes and homework, no other commitments.”
Ye Zhiyun had ulterior motives; she simply wanted to spend more time with Yu Linna. Though they saw each other often, she craved her company, her presence a constant source of comfort.
Yu Linna didn’t protest, washing the dishes after their meal. She had slept at 3 AM and woken up at 6 AM to work on the illustrations; she was exhausted. With her work done, she could finally take a nap.
As she washed the dishes, she thought about her schedule for the next few days. If the illustrations were approved, she would have to start on the color versions, another demanding task. Fortunately, unlike some Japanese novels with full-color inserts, Wenqing novels only had color covers, making the task less daunting.
“Ugh…”
A sudden, sharp pain in her abdomen made her double over, her face paling, cold sweat beading on her forehead. She gritted her teeth, the pain intensifying, a wave of cramps washing over her.
Her stomach churned, the pain almost unbearable, her legs unsteady. She grabbed the counter, preventing herself from falling, but the cold sweat continued to pour down her face, a gasp escaping her lips.
“Nana!”
Ye Zhiyun, rushing into the kitchen, was horrified by Yu Linna’s condition, quickly supporting her.
“What’s wrong?!”
“It hurts… my stomach… it hurts…”
Ye Zhiyun helped her to the sofa in the living room, her face pale with concern. Seeing Yu Linna in such distress, she panicked, forgetting everything else.
“I’ll take you to the hospital! Right now!”
She reached for her phone.
“No… no hospital…”
“What are you talking about?! We have to go to the hospital!”
“No, I… I just…”
“Don’t say anything! We’ll talk after we get to the hospital! I’ll make sure you’re okay!”
“No! It’s just… period cramps.”
“…”
Ye Zhiyun’s hand froze mid-air, the phone still in her grasp, the situation incredibly awkward.
She should have realized, seeing Yu Linna’s symptoms, but she had panicked, her concern overriding all logical thought.
“It’s… that time of the month…” Yu Linna mumbled, her face burning, unable to look at her.
Ye Zhiyun had lived with her for months; she should have remembered. How could she be so clueless? She mentally facepalmed, wanting to kick herself.
“Let’s get you to bed. Do you have any sanitary pads?”
“Yes, in my room. I’m not that unprepared…”
Ye Zhiyun wanted to hide her face. Why was she acting like a clueless boy? She was a girl herself! Yu Linna always seemed to make her lose her composure.
Yu Linna had already taken care of it, having learned to manage her periods after her first terrifying experience, a far cry from her previous life. She always tracked her cycle, buying sanitary pads in advance. Even during her years of poverty, she had always prioritized sanitary pads, considering a stained pair of pants far more embarrassing than an empty stomach.
“You’ve been pulling all-nighters, eating instant noodles, and your lifestyle is completely irregular. It’s no wonder you’re in pain.”
She helped Yu Linna to bed, tucking her in, her anger mixed with concern at her pale face.
Yu Linna, like a child caught doing something wrong, didn’t argue. The pain was excruciating, her lower abdomen cramping, a wave of nausea washing over her.
“I told you to eat properly, to get enough sleep, to avoid cold and spicy food! You didn’t listen to a single word I said!”
“I’m sorry…”
“Hmph.”
Ye Zhiyun was angry, angry at Yu Linna’s recklessness. She remembered when they lived together, Yu Linna, defying her warnings, had eaten ice cream during her period, resulting in agonizing cramps. Ye Zhiyun had scolded her and explicitly instructed her to take care of herself.
But Yu Linna had clearly forgotten.
Now, pale and weak, lying in bed, Yu Linna knew periods were a monthly occurrence, but this time, the pain was far worse, exacerbated by her recent all-nighters, her poor diet, and years of neglecting her health, the irregular meals and sleep deprivation taking their toll.
Ye Zhiyun went out and bought heating pads and brown sugar water. As a girl, she understood what another girl needed. A boy, in this situation, would probably offer the useless advice of “drink more hot water,” a guaranteed explosion.
“Here’s a heating pad. Apply it yourself. And I made you some brown sugar water. Drink it while it’s hot.”
“No, it’s too hot. I don’t want it.”
Yu Linna applied the heating pad but refused the brown sugar water; she didn’t like the taste. And it was too hot.
“Be obedient. Drink it.”
“No.”
This girl was being difficult.
Ye Zhiyun looked at the steaming brown sugar water, then at the stubborn girl. She was hard to please.
Girls during their periods were often moody and irritable. Many boys failed to understand this, their cluelessness often leading to arguments.
Ye Zhiyun, being a girl herself, understood what Yu Linna was going through.
“Come on, drink it so you can sleep. I’ll cool it down for you. Drink slowly.”
She picked up the bowl, gently blowing on the liquid, then offered it to Yu Linna, who finally relented, turning over, opening her mouth, and taking a sip.
If Ye Zhiyun’s mother saw her daughter caring for another girl like this, she would be shocked. Was this her proud, aloof daughter? So gentle and considerate?
It was true. She wouldn’t have been so patient with anyone else. When Dai Wenqian had complained about her cramps, Ye Zhiyun had simply told her, “Serves you right for eating everything in sight.”
But with Yu Linna, it was different.
The domineering CEO had become a gentle caregiver, patiently feeding Yu Linna the brown sugar water, spoonful by spoonful.
“Want more?”
“Come on, you don’t want to sleep in pain, do you?”
“…Fine.”
Though she didn’t want it, she couldn’t refuse Ye Zhiyun’s gentle persuasion.
The pain hadn’t subsided completely, but her heart felt warmer, her mood improving. She was actually… happy.
Ye Zhiyun wanted to scold her for being so reckless with her health, to confiscate all her snacks, ice cream, and spicy strips. Candy was fine, but instant noodles were forbidden.
But for now, she would just comfort her.
Every girl wanted to be pampered during their period, treated like a princess.
And Yu Linna was indeed enjoying the attention.
“I’m done.”
“Good girl. Now, go to sleep. I should be going.”
Ye Zhiyun put away the bowl, thinking it was time to leave, to let Yu Linna rest.
“Can’t you… stay a little longer?”
Yu Linna looked at her with wide, pleading eyes.
Staying a little longer wouldn’t hurt, would it? She wasn’t in a hurry. Ye Zhiyun adjusted her collar, feeling unusually warm, despite the winter chill.
