The 60s Island: The Daily Life of a Capitalist Young Lady with the Army - Chapter 68: That Would Be Too Embarrassing!

Chapter 68: That Would Be Too Embarrassing!

Her stomach was empty, yet she had no appetite at all. In the end, she simply put down her chopsticks, crawled back into bed, and wrapped herself up like a silkworm cocoon, lying flat with an attitude that seemed to say, “What does the destruction of the world have to do with me?”

In her dazed state, she didn’t know when she fell asleep, only feeling as if someone kept murmuring in her dreams.

“See? Not listening? Sleeping with wet hair is a sure way to get sick…”

At noon, familiar footsteps sounded outside the small courtyard—it was Long Peiye returning with a lunchbox.

He first glanced into the kitchen and quickly noticed that breakfast had barely been touched. The large white steamed bun only had a small corner missing, while the rest remained untouched.

His brow immediately furrowed into a deep crease: “Xu Xiangsi?”

There was no response from inside the room, quieter than ever before.

An inexplicable unease rose in his heart. He quickened his pace to the master bedroom and knocked on the door: “Xiangsi? Are you awake?”

Still, there was no sound from within.

Long Peiye grew even more uneasy. Disregarding propriety, he pushed the door open and saw the figure on the bed curled into a ball, the quilt pulled up to her neck, revealing only half of her face. That small face was now flushed bright red with fever, her thin lips dry, cracked, and slightly parted.

Her brows were tightly furrowed, clearly in great discomfort.

Long Peiye rushed over in three quick strides, sitting on the edge of the bed. He pressed his palm against her forehead, withdrawing it immediately—it was alarmingly hot!

He patted Xu Xiangsi’s shoulder, his tone urgent: “Wake up, Xiangsi. Are you feeling unwell? Where does it hurt the most?”

In her stupor, Xu Xiangsi struggled to open her eyes, but after just a flutter, they closed again.

He remembered how last time, when he had merely touched her lightly, she had kicked out like a startled rabbit.

But this time, she just lay there weakly, not even bothering to lift her eyelids.

His heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand—aching and bitter.

After what felt like a long while, Xu Xiangsi finally managed to crack open a sliver of her eyes.

In her blurred vision, she saw the man’s sharply defined face, filled with anxiety.

“…Long Peiye?” Her voice was hoarse, as if scraped by sandpaper, heavy with nasal congestion.

“Why are you back? Shouldn’t you still be in training?”

Her voice was weak and raspy, completely devoid of her usual sharp wit and playful scheming. Instead, it carried a pitiful, milky tone that tugged at the heartstrings—like a wronged little kitten, making it impossible for anyone to feel even a hint of reproach.

The anger Long Peiye had felt over her lack of self-care was instantly extinguished by that soft, pleading sound.

His brow furrowed even deeper as he reached out to check her forehead again—still frighteningly hot.

“It’s already noon.”

“You have a high fever. I’m taking you to the hospital right now.”

As he spoke, he bent down to help Xu Xiangsi out from under the covers.

Unexpectedly, the person in the bed didn’t move. Instead, she stretched out two pale hands toward him.

Those hands that usually waved about and teased him now lay weakly open, as if pleading for help.

“I… I have no strength…”

Her voice was soft and gentle, partly like coquettish pleading, partly as if she were truly at her limit.

“Carry me up.”

Long Peiye froze from head to toe, completely rigid.

His Adam’s apple bobbed, and the tips of his ears visibly reddened.

“Then… then I’ll carry you up.”

He stammered in response, as if carrying out some extremely complex task.

Taking a deep breath, he carefully slipped his hands under the blanket—one arm sliding beneath her neck while the other firmly supported the bend of her knees.

With one swift motion, he lifted her feather-light figure into his arms, cradling her horizontally against his chest.

The moment Xu Xiangsi made contact with his firm, warm chest, she nestled against him like a kitten finding its nest, emitting soft, contented murmurs as she instinctively adjusted to a more comfortable position in his embrace.

This complete trust and dependence made Long Peiye’s heart skip a beat.

Forcing calm into his voice, he asked, “In your current state, can you still sit on the bicycle’s rear rack?”

Xu Xiangsi buried her face against his chest, which carried the faint scent of soap, her voice muffled: “If I say I can’t, are you planning to carry me all the way to the hospital?”

Long Peiye looked down at her fever-flushed cheeks and answered without hesitation.

“Okay.”

Though just one word, it was resolute and firm.

“Then I’ll carry you there.”

Worried she might catch a chill from the wind, Long Peiye turned back to fetch her coat from the wardrobe, wrapping her up snugly until only her fluffy little head remained visible.

Then, holding her securely, he strode purposefully out of the courtyard.

The military family compound had been buzzing all morning.

Sister-in-law Yan, with her gossipy nature, had already spread an exaggerated version of how Xu Xiangsi rescued Song Xiaojun at the beach yesterday throughout the entire compound.

This instantly made half the military families view Xu Xiangsi in a new light.

“I always thought she was just a delicate city girl—never expected such courage!”

“Exactly! You truly can’t judge by appearances! This girl has a brave and compassionate heart!”

Everyone’s impression of Xu Xiangsi did a complete turnaround, and their gazes toward her changed accordingly.

Several people had even discussed paying her a visit that morning to chat with the “little heroine” and build some rapport.

But who would have guessed that Xu Xiangsi’s home remained tightly shut all morning, completely silent.

Everyone figured, ah, this girl always loved sleeping in—she was probably catching up on rest after yesterday’s exhaustion.

Thus, no one felt comfortable disturbing her.

Now, right at lunchtime, with people coming and going in the courtyard, they suddenly saw Long Peiye with a dark expression, carrying someone bundled tightly in a coat, rushing out like a gust of wind.

His demeanor was as if he were heading to the battlefield.

“Hey, Battalion Commander Long! What’s going on? Why the hurry?” shouted a sister-in-law washing vegetables in the courtyard, puzzled.

Others also turned their curious eyes toward him.

Long Peiye didn’t slow his pace. Glancing down at the person in his arms who had closed her eyes again, his voice betrayed barely suppressed urgency.

“My wife has a high fever—I’m taking her to the hospital!”

The moment these words left his mouth, the entire courtyard erupted.

High fever?

Everyone’s minds buzzed, immediately recalling what Sister-in-law Yan had shared.

“Oh no! This must be from getting chilled while rescuing someone in the sea yesterday afternoon!”

“Absolutely! That seawater is freezing—this child is so sincere!”

The vegetable-washing sister-in-law, being the most warmhearted and anxious, slapped her thigh and called after Long Peiye’s retreating figure:

“Battalion Commander Long! Then why aren’t you riding your bicycle? It’d be faster!”

Long Peiye held the person in his arms, not daring to pause his steps for even a moment as he replied without turning his head, “She’s burning up and has no strength left. I’m afraid she can’t hold onto me and might fall off the bike again.”

The Military Wife froze for a moment upon hearing this, then realized he made a valid point.

If she was so feverish she couldn’t even get out of bed, how could she possibly have the strength to sit on a bike?

Just then, another plump Military Wife hurriedly poked her head out from her doorway.

“Battalion Commander Long, we have a flatbed cart at home! Why don’t you put Xiangsi on the cart, and I’ll help push her to the hospital! That’d definitely be faster than you carrying her!”

Flatbed cart?!

Those two words struck Xu Xiangsi’s fever-addled mind like twin bolts of lightning.

For a brief moment, her entire consciousness cleared.

Her? The esteemed Miss of the Xu family, being laid out on a flatbed cart like some winter-stored cabbage and pushed through the streets?

That would be too humiliating!

Too shameful!

She refused!