Thinking about how often she had left the child with Zhou Jinbei when they went out.
It wasn't easy being an aunt, constantly being scolded by Zhan Beijue, Jiang Nanfang sighed.
"I'll make you some lunch too. How about winter melon and pork rib soup?"
"It's nourishing and won't make you gain weight, perfect for winter."
"That would be wonderful, thank you, dear sister."
Jiang Nanfang busied herself in the kitchen for over an hour, then took a taxi to the supermarket. By the time she arrived at the hospital, it was past eleven in the morning.
The ward had heating, the temperature just right for someone who couldn't move.
She, however, felt so warm that she took off her coat as soon as she entered.
She casually tied her hair up with a clip, a familiar, capable, at-home look that Zhan Beijue knew well.
After waiting for so long, Zhan Beijue was a bit sleepy and dozed off. Hearing her arrival, he subtly opened an eye.
He saw the slender Jiang Nanfang handing a thermos container filled with food to Zhou Jinbei, quietly taking off her clothes.
Then she walked to Lu Mingzhe's bedside and gently touched his forehead.
A warm current immediately surged through him.
"Lu Mingzhe is really something, to have hurt himself so badly. Has he not woken up at all?"
Zhou Jinbei spoke to her in a low voice, "He woke up, but he wouldn't speak. He was groggy and fell asleep again. The nurse said he still has a fever and will be given an IV drip later."
"His mouth is so dry, his lips are about to crack. Is there a cotton swab here? Wet his mouth with it a little to moisten it."
Zhou Jinbei went to borrow a cotton swab from the nurse. The two of them fussed around Lu Mingzhe for a few minutes before remembering him.
Zhan Beijue closed his eyes. He felt her gaze fall upon him, but her hand didn't reach out to check his temperature.
After watching him for a moment, she whispered to Zhou Jinbei in a breathy voice.
"I just bought this thermos container, it keeps things very warm. Since he's asleep, let's just leave it here for now. You eat yours first."
"I've been busy all morning and I'm sweating. I need to go back and take a shower to rest. I'm leaving now."
Zhou Jinbei looked at the feigning Zhan Beijue and thought: You useless man, you waited so long, and she's finally here, but you don't even dare to open your eyes?
Just as she was thinking of a way to keep Jiang Nanfang there, Zhan Beijue opened his eyes with a bout of coughing.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
His lungs ached terribly, and every cough sent pain through his entire chest.
Jiang Nanfang instinctively looked over. He frowned, clutching his chest.
"..."
Despite his discomfort, Zhan Beijue dared not put on airs.
His gaze met Jiang Nanfang's, and he spoke first.
"You're here. Zhou Jinbei said you brought me lunch. Thank you for your trouble."
Finally, he said something human.
Seeing him looking so pitifully ill, and considering he had helped her a few days ago, Jiang Nanfang couldn't be too harsh.
"It's no trouble. Don't push yourself so hard at work in the future. You're all grown up, yet you end up like this. If the child finds out, won't it be a bad example?"
"I understand. You've worked hard all morning. Zhou Jinbei, why didn't you get her a stool?"
Zhou Jinbei: "..."
Jiang Nanfang refused his offer, "Since you're awake, you should eat quickly. There's nothing for me to do here, so I'll be going back."
Zhou Jinbei quickly stopped her, "How can there be nothing? You can't leave, there are many things to do."
"What do you mean?"
Zhou Jinbei asked her to sit down and explain, "We came straight to the hospital from the bidding site yesterday, so we didn't prepare any spare clothes, toiletries, or anything like that."
"You have no idea, I haven't showered, washed my face, changed clothes, brushed my teeth, or removed my makeup since yesterday. I'm still like this. Isn't it miserable?"
Jiang Nanfang: "..."
"I'm not forcing you to take my shift here, I'm just saying, can we delay things a little?"
"Could you feed my second brother first, and I'll take the opportunity to go back, shower, change, and bring him some things? Otherwise, if you leave, I really can't manage alone."
What she said made sense, and Jiang Nanfang, feeling sympathetic, sat down.
"I'm not working today anyway. Eat your food and go back to sleep. Come back before nine tonight."
Zhou Jinbei was overjoyed.
"Really? But won't nine o'clock be too late for the children..."
"I'll call Acheng and let him know. The children are used to it. Alright, people need to sleep. Stop talking nonsense and eat quickly, then go back."
"You're the one who's good to me. You're truly my sister, Nanfang Jie."
Zhou Jinbei hugged her and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony!"
Thinking about how she hadn't washed her face or brushed her teeth for so long and then kissed her, Jiang Nanfang disgustedly wiped her face.
"You're not even disgusted by yourself."
Zhan Beijue felt rather embarrassed by that comment.
He hadn't washed his face or brushed his teeth either. Would he look sloppy and disgusting in Jiang Nanfang's eyes right now?
Jiang Nanfang was just joking. She raised the bed for Zhan Beijue, asking him.
"Is this okay?"
Zhan Beijue nodded. He tried to push himself up with his arms, but a wave of pain shot through his chest again.
Seeing his brows furrowed, Jiang Nanfang stepped forward, cradled his neck, and propped up his pillow.
"You've already gotten rid of the fever, right? It must just be inflammation left. You have good hands and feet, so you can eat without me feeding you, right?"
It was a rare moment of tenderness; it would be best if you could feed me.
However, Zhan Beijue dared not say it: "I'll do it myself."
Jiang Nanfang brought a bowl and ladled out a bowl of soup for him. It smelled faintly of traditional Chinese medicine.
Zhan Beijue frowned, and she saw it clearly.
"I spent over an hour painstakingly brewing this. Don't tell me you don't want to drink it."
"If a grown man can't even endure this bit of hardship, he's worse than a child."
Who said I can't endure hardship?
Zhan Beijue took the bowl, blew on it, and without using a spoon, gulped it down in a few mouthfuls.
He even put on a brave face: "Another bowl."
Zhou Jinbei, watching him look so pitiful, let out a snort and almost sprayed out the pork ribs.
The couple, Nanbei, both threw him amused glances. Zhou Jinbei quickly explained.
"I just feel my second brother is too pitiful, he's starved to this extent. Ah, Nanfang Jie, thank goodness for you."
After drinking three bowls of soup, his mouth was bitter, and even his breath smelled of medicine.
Jiang Nanfang took out his rock sugar stewed pears.
"Drink some of this to neutralize it."
After a few mouthfuls of the sweet soup, he felt much better.
Zhan Beijue, being fed by her, ate slowly for a few bites, then couldn't bear to eat more.
"I can't eat anymore, let's save it. We'll eat the rest tonight."
"If you like it, finish it all at once. What's there to save? There will be dinner tonight."
Zhou Jinbei was confused, "Didn't you promise to watch over me at the hospital? I can't go back to cook dinner either..."
"It's simmering in the pot. Just have Acheng make a trip, it'll be fine."
"Nanfang Jie, I knew it, it has to be you!"