Chapter 5
The midday sun was scorching. Lu Yin removed her jacket and began working on the student information forms she had started last night.
Yu Miao entered, greeting her and picking up a form to look at. “You finished already? You must not have slept much last night.”
Lu Yin hummed in agreement, sorting through the printed pages and setting aside the blank ones.
Yu Miao glanced at her. “Insomnia again? I told you to get an intern to do this. We could give them course credit. You didn’t have to do it yourself.”
“Couldn’t sleep, so I might as well do something productive.”
“You made up that excuse about picking someone up from the airport to skip the dinner last night. You should have come and had a few drinks. You might have slept better,” Yu Miao found a stapler and secured the forms together.
“It wasn’t an excuse,” Lu Yin smiled faintly. “I really did pick someone up.”
“No one can make you do anything you don’t want to do,” Yu Miao pressed, curious. “Tell me, who was it?”
“My sister,” Lu Yin replied. “The one I told you about.”
“The one who left? Why are you still taking care of her?” Yu Miao sounded indignant on her behalf. “If I were you, I’d make that mother and daughter pay back every penny.”
Lu Yin remained silent, going to refill her water, only to find the dispenser empty.
Yu Miao moved to replace the bottle, but Lu Yin had already finished before she could help.
While waiting for the water to heat, Lu Yin opened a drawer, rummaging through it before pulling out a small bottle of pills, the rattling sound indicating it was almost empty.
“Don’t treat those like meals,” Yu Miao warned.
“I didn’t sleep last night. I’m going to take a nap,” Lu Yin said, filling her cup halfway with hot water and swallowing the pills.
“I call you ‘sister’ and I’m older than you, so I’m telling you this out of concern. Taking too many pills is bad for your health, especially psychiatric medication. The damage to your brain is irreversible,” Yu Miao paused. “Dr. Zhong is coming back soon. Why don’t you go see her?”
“We’ll see. She’s quite busy,” Lu Yin picked up her jacket from the back of the chair and draped it over her arm. “I’m going to sleep. Call me if anything comes up.”
Yu Miao watched her with a sigh, swallowing the rest of her concerns.
The dorms were mainly occupied by instructors, and with lunchtime approaching, they were mostly empty.
Lu Yin lay down, replied to a few student messages, and then noticed Lin Qianqian’s chat window.
The message she sent last night had finally received a reply this morning: I just woke up…
Followed by a cutesy rabbit emoji.
From last night until now, Lin Qianqian had been carefully trying to mend their relationship. Lu Yin could see it.
She sighed, pulled a blanket over herself, and closed her eyes.
Just as she was drifting off, a shrill ringtone startled her awake. Frowning, she picked up her phone. It was an unknown landline number.
Working at the institution meant dealing with students, parents, and even extended family. Lu Yin had developed the habit of answering every call.
After a moment’s hesitation, she answered, her voice hoarse. “Hello?”
“Hello, are you a family member of Lin Qianqian? This is the City People’s Hospital.”
Lu Yin’s sleepiness vanished. She sat up and put on her shoes. “I’m her sister.”
“The patient has food poisoning and requires a family member to care for her. We could only reach the emergency contact. Would you be able to come to the hospital?”
Without hesitation, Lu Yin agreed. “I’ll be right there.”
The medication was starting to take effect, making her drowsy. She splashed cold water on her face and drove straight to the hospital.
Lin Qianqian was already in bed, hooked up to an IV. Lu Yin paid the fees before hurrying to the ward.
She had intended to scold Lin Qianqian, but the sight of her swollen face and neck, covered in small bumps, stopped her.
“Did you eat seafood?” Lu Yin asked, unable to suppress her annoyance.
Lin Qianqian, now awake, didn’t dare utter a word in response to Lu Yin’s question.
“You’re allergic to seafood, and you still ate it?” Lu Yin looked at the medical chart, her frustration growing. “It says food poisoning. What else did you eat besides seafood?”
“…I had some beer,” Lin Qianqian mumbled, flinching as Lu Yin placed the chart on the table.
She watched Lu Yin sway slightly, as if losing her balance.
Lin Qianqian bit her lip. Surely Lu Yin wasn’t going to faint from anger…
“Did I interrupt your class?” she asked.
“I don’t have any classes at the moment,” Lu Yin sat down, then stood up again to answer a call.
From her formal tone, Lin Qianqian guessed she was speaking to a student.
She latched onto the phrase “at the moment.”
Once the training courses began, Lu Yin would be busy, and she probably wouldn’t be able to reach her.
She had to use this free time to make progress in their relationship.
The allergic reaction was uncomfortable, but it was a small price to pay to get closer to Lu Yin.
Otherwise, Lu Yin would remain distant, and that was unbearable.
Lu Yin returned from the call looking upset. The medication was taking full effect, making her dizzy. She desperately wanted to lie down, but the lack of sleep combined with the drugs was causing a splitting headache.
Completely oblivious, Lin Qianqian felt like she had caused a major disaster. Lu Yin was definitely furious with her.
Even her worst childhood mishaps hadn’t elicited such coldness. Lu Yin radiated displeasure, refusing to even look at her.
In her memory, Lu Yin was the most even-tempered person. Or rather, she possessed every positive quality except anger.
As a child, Lu Yin would often praise her with a gentle smile, never too boisterous, just a slight upturn of her lips as she stroked her head. ‘Our Qianqian did a great job.’
When she made a mistake, Lu Yin would simply shake her head with a sigh. ‘Lin Qian, you can’t do that again. It’s not right.’
A few sweet words and a playful smile were all it took to bring back Lu Yin’s smile.
But now, had she gone too far…?
Lin Qianqian coughed, but Lu Yin didn’t react.
“Sister, I want some water…” she called out, still ignored.
After a few seconds, Lu Yin finally looked up. “What did you say?”
“Nothing,” Lin Qianqian shook her head, afraid to speak again.
Having heard the word “water,” Lu Yin poured her a glass, her hand trembling slightly as she set it on the table, spilling some of the water.
Lin Qianqian reached for the glass, then hesitated.
“Drink it,” Lu Yin pressed her lips together, massaging her temples.
She hadn’t slept all night and was now battling the effects of the medication. Her head throbbed, and her ears were ringing.
“I’m drinking, I’m drinking,” Lin Qianqian said, struggling to reach the glass on the table to her left with her right hand, her left arm occupied by the IV.
Lu Yin watched her through half-closed eyes. With Lin Qianqian attached to an IV, she couldn’t leave to rest. She felt trapped.
She stood up, splashed water on her face again, and sat on the other bed, leaning against the wall, trying to compose herself.
Lin Qianqian could only hear the ticking of the clock. She glanced at Lu Yin, who seemed to have closed her eyes.
Strands of hair fell across her cheek. She wasn’t sleeping peacefully, her brow furrowed, as if burdened by worries. Silent and withdrawn, she was like an unreadable iceberg in a vast ocean.
Lin Qianqian quietly got out of bed, maneuvering the IV stand towards the bathroom.
The stand clattered against a chair, startling Lu Yin awake.
Lu Yin quickly moved the chair and helped her with the stand.
“I’m going to the bathroom,” Lin Qianqian apologized. “I can manage.”
The first IV bag was almost empty. Lu Yin nodded and went to call a nurse.
Back in bed, Lin Qianqian stared at the IV drip.
Lu Yin had only closed her eyes for fifteen minutes, but she looked slightly better. Afraid of falling asleep again, she sat back on the chair.
“You told me to get more sleep last night, but it seems like you’re the one who needs it,” Lin Qianqian muttered under her breath, careful not to be too direct.
“I’ll take you home after the IV,” Lu Yin smoothed back her hair. “I have to go back to the institution.”
“What time will you be back tonight?”
Lu Yin glanced at her. “I don’t know yet.”
Lin Qianqian recognized the look. Lu Yin clearly found her question intrusive.
What did her work schedule have to do with her?
Silence filled the air again, making Lin Qianqian uncomfortable. She shifted in the bed.
Lu Yin tucked the blanket around her. “It’s hot,” Lin Qianqian complained.
Lu Yin immediately let go of the blanket.
Unable to bear the silence, Lin Qianqian asked, “Did I disrupt your work today?”
“No,” Lu Yin said impatiently. “Don’t overthink it.”
Her continued coldness made Lin Qianqian feel like all her efforts since last night had been in vain.
She had tried to be pleasant, she had even resorted to making herself sick for sympathy, despite the risk of annoying Lu Yin.
Yet, she couldn’t elicit any reaction other than indifference.
Her nose tingled, and she covered half her face with the blanket.
“If there’s anything you’re not comfortable with, just tell me. I’ll try my best to accommodate you,” Lu Yin said, her gaze fixed on the IV needle in Lin Qianqian’s hand. “I forgot to tell you where the spare key is this morning. Take it with you when we go back.”
Lu Yin had only set up the electronic lock on Lin Qianqian’s phone. A physical key would be more convenient.
The IV drip finished quickly. After confirming Lin Qianqian was okay, Lu Yin drove her home. “Did you eat breakfast or lunch?” she finally asked during the drive.
“I’m not hungry,” Lin Qianqian held the medication. “The IV was full of nutrients. I don’t need any more food.”
Lu Yin recommended a few good restaurants. Lin Qianqian simply nodded, saying she would try them sometime.
Their conversation remained superficial. Lu Yin dropped her off at the apartment.
The hospital had only prescribed ointment for the bumps and rashes.
Lu Yin searched her medicine cabinet. She remembered having allergy medication, though she wasn’t allergic to anything herself.
When she found it, she realized it was long expired.
The expiration date was several years old.
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