She Is Seriously Ill - Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Are you happy that I came? (Flashback Chapter)
Snowstorms combined with icy roads left the town’s streets almost devoid of moving vehicles.
Snow continued to fall intermittently. These days, even going out to buy groceries had become difficult for residents, let alone traveling from other areas.
Jiang Chen went downstairs with some skepticism.
It wasn’t until she saw Chen Guo that she understood why the staff member had reacted so strongly earlier.
Chen Guo was wearing a black down jacket, holding a cup of hot water, sitting on the sofa in the lobby.
Her hat remained on, covering most of her face. She carried a biting chill around her, and whether it was an illusion or not, her slightly hunched back seemed to be trembling uncontrollably.
Tang Jing sat beside her, glancing repeatedly at the girl with a particularly complicated expression, somewhat at a loss for words.
Seeing Jiang Chen come down, she quickly stood up and eagerly approached to inform her: The roads are closed. This child walked here from the county town, saying she was looking for you.
Jiang Chen’s brow twitched involuntarily, but she maintained her composure and slowly walked to the sofa.
The person on the sofa moved her eyelids, glanced at her briefly, then quickly lowered her gaze again. Like a child who had done something wrong, she pursed her lips lightly while staring at the water in her cup, remaining silent.
The indoor heating was turned up high. The snow particles that had frozen on her eyelashes and eyebrows began to melt, sliding down her reddened nose tip and merging with the water droplets falling from her hair into tiny streams.
Her frozen fingers gradually regained sensation, feeling somewhat swollen and itchy. Chen Guo’s knuckles curled unconsciously as she raised her hand and wiped the water dripping to her chin with her knuckles.
Running around recklessly in such heavy snow. Jiang Chen regretted her words immediately after speaking them. She really was a buzzkill of a guardian.
In the current situation, this shouldn’t have been her opening line.
Chen Guo’s hand paused as she looked over at her. Her gaze neither avoided nor hardened, but simply looked at Jiang Chen calmly.
The news said this area was severely affected by the disaster, and supply trucks can’t get through. I was afraid you might not have food.
Jiang Chen froze, while Tang Jing beside her also looked quite surprised, turning to stare at Chen Guo.
Although she had seen this child a few times before, they had never really spoken much during those encounters. Chen Guo wasn’t the affectionate type, as Tang Jing could tell, so she had naturally assumed that Chen Guo and Jiang Chen usually maintained this same lukewarm relationship.
After all, the two shared no blood relation, and calling Jiang Chen a step-aunt didn’t quite fit either. Even though Chen Guo had been staying at Jiang Chen’s place recently, with one being busy with work and the other not particularly responsive, they probably hadn’t developed much closeness.
But now, it seemed that might not be the case.
Tang Jing glanced at the bulging backpack standing beside Chen Guo’s right leg and said incredulously, So you came all this way to bring food to your aunt?
Chen Guo nodded very slightly.
Tang Jing’s expression immediately softened with emotion as she pulled out two tissues and handed them over. You silly child, no matter how worried you are about your aunt, you should have called first to ask about the situation here. Even if supplies can’t get through, this hotel has everything. But you just rushed over like this – if something had happened to you on the way, your aunt would have been worried sick.
Chen Guo took the tissues without speaking, instead raising her head to look at Jiang Chen.
Would she?
Would she be worried about her, or—would she consider her coming here a bother?
Jiang Chen instantly understood the meaning in Chen Guo’s eyes. After pausing for a few seconds, he slightly turned his face away. Come upstairs with me to change clothes.
Yes, yes! Quickly take her back to the room for a hot shower and change of clothes so she doesn’t catch a cold. Tang Jing seemed to have just reacted and hurriedly chimed in, urging Jiang Chen to take Chen Guo upstairs.
The entire film crew was staying at the hotel, and rooms were already tight. Jiang Chen didn’t bother asking the front desk to open another room for Chen Guo, instead taking her directly to his own room.
The accommodation conditions in this town couldn’t compare to the city – a single bed and a TV cabinet almost filled the entire room.
With two more people entering, the space immediately felt more cramped, as if turning around or looking back would make them bump into each other.
Chen Guo’s clothes were completely soaked through, and her face was in an unsightly state. Jiang Chen found her a clean set of pajamas and urged her to put down her bag and take a shower.
Chen Guo stood in the aisle between the bed and the TV cabinet, glanced at the pajamas Jiang Chen handed her, hesitated for a moment, then reached out to take them.
But instead of going to shower, she looked up at Jiang Chen.
The aisle was so narrow that if Chen Guo didn’t move, Jiang Chen couldn’t get past.
The two silently locked eyes for a moment. Jiang Chen pressed his lips together, then slowly lowered his gaze. Go take a shower first.
The wet footprints on the floor constantly reminded him that the most urgent matter now was to get Chen Guo to take a hot shower and change into dry clothes, otherwise she would really catch a cold.
But Chen Guo remained standing still, staring unblinkingly at him across from her. Nearly half a minute passed.
Her lips moved slightly, and she spoke in a somewhat hoarse voice: Are you happy that I came?