Chapter 19: Don’t Trouble Yourself

Shen Xici was given a clean set of pajamas from the wardrobe to change into, and the person, burning up all over, limply lay back down in the bed.

By the bedside, Sheng Shaoyan’s hand hovered in mid-air. In the end, following his heart’s desire, he gently brushed away the sweat-dampened hair, revealing a clear forehead. He checked the temperature and asked in a low voice, “Shen Xici, you’re very hot right now. Which medicine should you take? I’ll go get it for you.”

But the person lying on their side didn’t answer. With eyes closed, he suddenly reached out, grabbed Sheng Shaoyan’s right wrist, pulled it down, and tucked it between his own face and the pillow, letting out a comfortable sigh.

The cheek pressed against his palm was hot, damp, and smooth. Sheng Shaoyan’s fingers remained motionless. After a long moment, he repeated the question.

Shen Xici seemed to have only just heard him speak, his voice hoarse as he said, “I’ll go to the hospital at dawn. I’ll take the medicine after I get the check-up results.”

Sheng Shaoyan didn’t know if this was the normal procedure for others when they were sick, but thinking that Shen Xici was more professional than him, he didn’t press further.

The only chair in the bedroom was by the desk. Sheng Shaoyan glanced at it and then looked away. Without moving his wrist, he sat down on the edge of the bed.

The air was filled with Shen Xici’s scent, a very clean smell. The table lamp was dimmed, and in the small bedroom, everything was submerged in the dim light.

He unconsciously counted Shen Xici’s breaths while thinking to himself that the edited video had already been uploaded. There were no scenes for Shen Xici tomorrow morning, but there was one in the afternoon. He wondered if Shen Xici would take sick leave.

He then thought aimlessly that in half a month, Shen Xici’s part in the film would be finished, and they would leave this place. Since Shen Xici had already taken a leave of absence from school, they would need to rent a place in Ningcheng. Even after paying off his debts, the profits from his stocks would be more than enough to cover this expense. They could rent a larger place.

He subconsciously felt that he should have property in Ningcheng, and more than one. Perhaps he had bought houses after making money from stock trading before, but after losing money, the properties would have certainly been used to pay off debts.

Everything had to start from scratch, but Sheng Shaoyan felt very calm in his heart, not feeling any worry or fear. Whether it was starting a business or anything else, he was more than capable.

So before the amnesia, had he not only failed in the stock market but also encountered some huge blow, which was why he had degenerated into a loafer who lived off a woman?

Rain began to fall outside, a light patter that gradually grew louder, as if enveloping the entire house and isolating it from the outside world.

Hot breaths fell one by one on the skin of his palm. Sheng Shaoyan looked down at the person lying in his palm. His skin was flushed red, his lips moved, and he called out “A’Shao,” in a questioning tone, his voice low and hoarse, like a dream-talk.

Sheng Shaoyan leaned against the headboard, one leg casually bent, his sharp profile hidden in the shadows. His voice was neither loud nor soft, “Mm.”

Even in a stupor, he had to confirm his presence.

Seeing that the person beside him had gone quiet and fallen back into a deep sleep, Sheng Shaoyan overturned some of his plans.

Shen Xici was clearly insecure, very possessive, and now it seemed, also very clingy.

If he started a business in Ningcheng while Shen Xici was filming elsewhere, they wouldn’t see each other for long periods, and Shen Xici might not be able to accept it. So, he had to reconsider the feasibility of remotely monitoring a new company’s operations, or, for now, maintain the current state and do something else after dispelling the insecurity caused by his pre-amnesia self.

The next day, just as it turned eight o’clock, the motorcycle pulled up at the hospital entrance.

Sheng Shaoyan supported Shen Xici’s arm. Even through a layer of clothing, he could feel the heat.

Seeing the other person looking at his face, as if about to say something, Sheng Shaoyan interrupted him first, “I know, I’ll keep my mask on properly.”

Shen Xici was dizzy with fever, only remembering that Sheng Shaoyan absolutely could not be discovered by his second uncle’s people. Seeing that he had already put on his hat and mask, he really had no energy to speak and just nodded.

Sitting in the consultation room with a mask on, Shen Xici proactively requested, “Doctor, I’d like to get a physical examination as well. Besides a complete blood count, CRP, and PCT, I also want to get liver and kidney function tests, a full-body ultrasound, a chest CT scan, an abdominal enhanced CT, and joint X-rays. Basically, just prescribe everything you can.”

Sheng Shaoyan, who was accompanying him, glanced at Shen Xici.

The doctor was amused and joked while typing on the keyboard, “Oh, a colleague, are you? So proficient?”

Shen Xici unconsciously tilted his head, his throat dry and uncomfortable. He smiled and admitted, “Yes, I study medicine. Every time I read the textbooks, I always suspect I have these diseases too. I have a bit of health anxiety.”

Handing over a thick stack of test request forms, the doctor understood. “I get it, I get it. We all have a bit of this problem, more or less. Getting regular check-ups is a good habit. Nipping diseases in the bud!”

This hospital was not crowded, but paying the fees, going to different examination rooms, queuing, getting the tests, and waiting for the results still took a lot of time.

Around noon, the fever reducer had taken effect, and his temperature had dropped considerably. Shen Xici sat on a blue plastic chair, looking at the test results one by one, until he confirmed that there were no major abnormalities in any of the items.

“You’ve had a fracture before?”

A bottle of mineral water with the cap twisted open appeared before him. Shen Xici took the bottle, drank a couple of sips, and followed Sheng Shaoyan’s gaze to the X-ray film. “Yes, I broke my arm and lower leg before. They’ve all healed.”

Sheng Shaoyan sat down next to him, his fingers on the edge of the soda can. With a slight movement of his index finger, a “psst” sound was heard, and a faint white mist emerged. He asked again, “Have you ever injured your back?”

Shen Xici shook his head. “No.”

“When you had a fever in the early morning, why did you think you had an injury on your back?”

Avoiding Sheng Shaoyan’s eyes, Shen Xici explained in a natural tone, “I was probably delirious with fever. I thought about how you also had a bit of a fever after you injured your back, so I thought maybe I had an injury on my back too.”

After looking at Shen Xici for a while, Sheng Shaoyan said nothing. With one hand in his pocket, he stretched his long legs casually, took a sip of his cold drink, and suddenly changed the subject. “What’s wrong with your right ear?”

Shen Xici’s expression changed slightly. He subconsciously touched his ear, was silent for a moment, then said helplessly, “You really do have eagle eyes, don’t you? You can even notice that?” He explained simply, “I had a middle ear infection when I was a child. It wasn’t treated in time, and after it healed, there was a sequela. Every time I have a fever, my hearing decreases a little. It’s not a big deal.”

He recalled, “Is the way I tilt my head to the right when I’m listening to you very obvious?”

No one had ever noticed before.

“Not obvious, just a little different from usual.” For some reason, there was a blockage in his chest. Sheng Shaoyan’s lips tightened, and a sense of irritation welled up again. He swallowed the cold drink, but the coldness did not alleviate his frustration; instead, it intensified.

He didn’t know the source of this emotion. Was it Shen Xici’s nonchalant tone when he talked about it, his own lack of concern in the past, or the reason why it wasn’t treated in time, leading to a sequela?

The empty drink can was crushed with force.

Although he was sick, as long as he wasn’t so ill that he couldn’t get out of bed, he couldn’t possibly ask for leave. Changing the crew’s schedule was very troublesome and involved coordinating with various departments.

After a quick bite, Shen Xici took Sheng Shaoyan directly to the set.

On the outskirts of the set, Wen Yage was holding a script, pacing under the shade of a tree, smoking a cigarette while memorizing her lines.

Xu Lingjia saw her, walked over, and his eyes curved into a smile. “I was just telling Brother Zhong that the top trending topic is Sister Ya’s red carpet photo. Your presence is so strong, especially beautiful. The media’s cameras couldn’t bear to move away from you.”

Hearing this, Wen Yage looked up through the thin smoke. “I know I’m beautiful, you don’t need to come over and tell me.”

She was memorizing her lines and found Xu Lingjia, who was standing right in front of her, to be completely clueless. Her tone was not very friendly. “Sister Ya? Let’s stick to Teacher Wen. You’re not unaware of my reputation in the industry. Being so familiar, if the reporters outside hear it and some report comes out, it wouldn’t be good.”

Xu Lingjia had been having a smooth run these past two days and was in a good mood. Hearing Wen Yage say this, he said in a familiar tone, “It doesn’t matter if they hear. I don’t care.”

Wen Yage smiled. “But I do,” she said, looking Xu Lingjia up and down from head to toe, her voice becoming even more gentle. “I have very high standards, little brother.”

After walking a few steps, the smile on Xu Lingjia’s face immediately sank. This woman, she dared to mock him? Did she think she was all that just because she won the Golden Leaf for Best Actress? Heh, her career was already at its end.

After Xu Lingjia had walked away, Wen Yage’s concentration was broken. She simply called out to Shen Xici, who was passing by, and frowned. “Why do you look so pale?”

Shen Xici perked up. “I had a fever in the early morning. I’ve taken medicine, and it’s already gone down.”

“A cold?”

“Probably not,” Shen Xici was already pale, and under the sunlight, he looked as fragile as porcelain. “I went to the hospital for a check-up. Nothing’s wrong. It’s probably just exhaustion and a weakened immune system.”

“The acting profession is indeed stressful. Try to get as much rest as you can.” Wen Yage was wearing a long white silk dress, wrapped in a large shawl. “Did you watch the awards ceremony?”

A faint dimple appeared at the corner of Shen Xici’s lips. “I watched the edited clips. The jewelry Teacher Wen wore when you accepted the award was so dazzling.”

This hit Wen Yage right in her proud spot. “A necklace worth over a hundred million, how could it not be dazzling?” She walked with Shen Xici towards the dressing room. “All those newcomers are putting out press releases, saying they borrowed high jewelry from this brand or that, and their dresses are from some famous house. Some fans even came to my page to gloat, saying that if I couldn’t borrow jewelry, I could just wear a high-necked gown to the red carpet. It’s hilarious. So young, and already trying to step on me to get ahead?”

Shen Xici deliberately recalled. “Did anyone else really wear high jewelry? How come I don’t have any impression of it?”

Wen Yage was very satisfied. “You’re quite the smooth talker. You can say more of that next time.”

Seeing Shen Xici enter the dressing room, Wen Yage called out to Sheng Shaoyan, who was a few steps behind. “Hey, handsome masked man, a word?”

Sheng Shaoyan turned around. “What is it?”

“Alright, tone down your aura. It’s not like I’m asking you to play an overbearing CEO.” Wen Yage adjusted her magnificent shawl. “I know you two are close. I’m not trying to break you up. I also need to apologize to you. That time I struck up a conversation with you, I shouldn’t have judged you by my own standards, thinking you were like the foolish me back then.”

Only then did Sheng Shaoyan walk over.

There was no one around. Wen Yage extinguished her finished cigarette. “In the acting profession, the pressure during filming is immense. Shen Xici’s acting is so good, and repeatedly getting into character and then pulling out of it is very mentally draining. He’s young and doesn’t know how to refuse. You should look after him more, don’t be so harsh, you’ve even made him run a fever.”

Sheng Shaoyan: “What did I do?”

Wen Yage saw his candid expression and was surprised. “You’re not going to tell me you’re still in a Platonic relationship, just holding hands, are you? Is there something wrong with you or with him?”

In fact, although they lived together, they had always slept separately.

Sheng Shaoyan had thought about this. He didn’t know how far his pre-amnesia self and Shen Xici had progressed, but it was clear that in their relationship, he was the dominant and controlling one. If his pre-amnesia self had only been using Shen Xici and spending his money without much affection, then he would have only given him a little sweetness, like hugs, and there would have been no deeper contact.

“Food and sex are human nature. There’s nothing to be ashamed of admitting.” Wen Yage turned to leave, but before she did, she looked back and said, “Shen Xici is so good-looking. If you don’t cherish him, I will.”

As expected, Sheng Shaoyan’s eyes darkened, and he said defensively, “Don’t trouble yourself.”

She really knew how to hit the mark. Wen Yage curled her lips. “Then keep a good watch on him.”

Shen Xici didn’t have many scenes. Sheng Shaoyan watched from a distance, over the various machines and staff, as the person in the coarse white robe stood under the camera, portraying another person’s joys and sorrows.

He watched him smile and tell the staff they had worked hard, go behind the monitor to check the filming results, and proactively discuss with the director where there were shortcomings and how to act.

He watched him remove his makeup, the tips of his hair still slightly damp, his earlobes flushed red after taking off his earrings.

He watched in the motorcycle’s rearview mirror as he leaned limply against his back, quiet and tired, like a butterfly drenched in rain, beautiful and fragile.

Forcing himself to stay awake, he ate a bowl of congee at the restaurant downstairs. As soon as he got home, Shen Xici lay down on the bed again, drowsy. He felt someone cover him with a blanket and, with his eyes closed, whispered, “Thank you, A’Shao.”

Sheng Shaoyan sat by the bed and touched Shen Xici’s forehead again. He remembered what Wen Yage had said when she stood next to him on the set, wrapped in her shawl, reminding him.

“When I first met you, I even said that Shen Xici keeps a very close eye on you. I didn’t expect that I was wrong. You’re the one who’s keeping a close eye. The way you look at Shen Xici, you should cover it up a bit.”