Transmigrated as the Villainess’s Vicious Fake Stepmother - Chapter 15

Chu Qian’s heart gave a jolt. She touched Zhan Se’s forehead again, then compared it with her own. The heat radiating from the girl’s head was alarming.

From the kitchen behind them came the hiss and rattle of a pot lid. Chu Qian walked over and saw instant noodles boiling in the pot, the spicy variety.

Her eyes moved to the trash bin, where the takeout congee lay discarded. In an instant, she understood. The girl must have been too hungry to endure, so she had risen in the middle of the night to cook instant noodles.

A faint trace of guilt stirred in Chu Qian. If she had not deliberately provoked her, Zhan Se would not have been too nauseated to eat and throw away the congee, which left her with gastritis on top of a fever.

Cough, cough… Of course, the guilt was only slight.

She quickly switched off the stove. When she turned back, the girl in the chair was already slumped over the table, her forehead resting on her arms. The pale nape showing through her dark hair was covered in tiny beads of sweat. Her hand pressed tightly against her stomach.

Chu Qian could not see her face, yet she could imagine how much pain she felt.

She ran upstairs for a coat for herself and another for Zhan Se, then returned to help her up.

Zhan Se was too weak to resist. The pull made the stabbing pain in her stomach even sharper, and she suspected Chu Qian was doing it on purpose. “What are you doing?” she asked coldly.

Chu Qian gave a short snort. “You have a fever again. Unless you want to die at home and bring bad luck to me, I will do you the favor of taking you to the hospital. Get up.”

At this, the anger on Zhan Se’s face eased slightly, though her voice was still impatient. “I am not going.”

Her tone remained unfriendly, but it made no difference. She had no strength, and her attempt to push Chu Qian away was as weak as that of a child.

Chu Qian gripped her hand firmly, helped her into the coat, and half supported, half dragged her toward the hospital.

Zhan Se could barely walk, leaning her full weight against Chu Qian. She did not look heavy, yet her limp body was tiring to hold. Chu Qian, shorter and not particularly strong, forced herself to keep the girl from falling as they made their way forward.

Fortunately, the hospital was close; otherwise, she feared she might have collapsed before they arrived.

At the hospital entrance, Chu Qian waved urgently. The night-shift nurse on duty, Nurse Cao, recognized them at once. She hurried over and took Zhan Se from Chu Qian’s arms.

Relieved of the weight, Chu Qian’s legs nearly gave way. She sank into a chair by the entrance, drenched in sweat and breathing hard, and pointed toward Zhan Se. “She has a fever in the middle of the night and her gastritis is acting up. Call the doctor quickly.”

Nurse Cao touched Zhan Se’s forehead and felt the alarming heat. She called for assistance, and Zhan Se was placed on a stretcher and taken to the treatment room.

Chu Qian slumped into the chair, drained of strength. After a short rest, she gathered herself and went to the fifth floor.

Because Zhan Se had only been discharged the previous day, the doctor returned her to the same ward. After the examination, Nurse Cao set up an IV. Before leaving, she glanced at Chu Qian with puzzlement. “How did this child get a fever again? Did she not take her medicine and rest well at home?”

Chu Qian felt a pang of guilt. She did not know whether Zhan Se had taken her medicine, but she was sure she had not rested properly. She had been tormenting her all afternoon.

“Did she eat anything? Acute gastritis requires proper care. She should not eat unsuitable foods or skip meals. If she does, it will keep returning and cause more trouble.”

Chu Qian’s guilt deepened. She knew Zhan Se could not eat spicy food, yet she had eaten hotpot in front of her, deliberately making her nauseous. Even the takeout congee had gone untouched.

Cough, cough… She scratched her cheek, nodding repeatedly and making vague sounds of agreement.

Nurse Cao gave her a curious look. When they had been here yesterday, this Miss Chu had seemed caring and attentive. Now she appeared to know nothing.

Still uneasy, Nurse Cao gave a few more instructions before leaving.

It was the middle of the night, and Chu Qian did not want to trouble her further. She pulled a chair up to the bed and sat beside Zhan Se, watching her and keeping an eye on the IV.

…

Perhaps because of the medicine, Zhan Se at last slept soundly. When she woke, she saw the familiar hospital ceiling. Turning her head, she saw Chu Qian by her bed, chin resting on her hand and eyes closed.

She looked away at the clock. Seeing it was already past nine thirty, her eyelid twitched and she tried to get up.

The movement made Chu Qian open her eyes. She had not slept all night and was still groggy, yet when she saw Zhan Se lifting the blanket to get out of bed, she woke fully and stood up. “What are you doing?!”

“Go away.”

“No. You cannot be discharged now unless you no longer care about your health.” Chu Qian’s tone was firm.

She had always been careful with her health, eating regularly and taking good care of herself. She could not bear to watch others harm their own bodies, and Zhan Se was the most reckless person she had ever encountered.

Zhan Se became more irritated at being stopped. “I will say it again. Move.”

“No.” Chu Qian pushed her gently but firmly back onto the bed.

They were face to face, their noses no more than a fist apart. Out of strength, Zhan Se said helplessly, “I am not leaving. I just want my phone.”

“…Ah, so that is it. I will get it for you.” Chu Qian forced an awkward smile, took the phone from the bedside table, and handed it to her.

When Zhan Se unlocked it, she saw the alarm had been turned off. Her expression cooled instantly.

“You turned off my alarm?”

“I thought you were too sick to go to school, so I turned it off,” Chu Qian replied, sounding a little defensive.

For some reason, Zhan Se’s gaze became even colder, making Chu Qian uneasy. A chill crept along her back. Still, she told herself that turning off the alarm had been the right choice. How could Zhan Se attend school in her condition? Missing a single day would not harm her.

Zhan Se ignored her and was about to set the phone down when it rang. Seeing the homeroom teacher’s name, she pinched the bridge of her nose and answered. “Teacher Li.”

“Zhan Se, you did not come to school today? Did something happen?”

“My health is not good. I will take a day off,” Zhan Se replied.

Teacher Li Hongfang sighed loudly, the sound clear enough for Chu Qian to hear. “That is a pity. I thought you had decided not to enter the competition, but when I saw your name on the registration list this morning, I was glad. Yet you did not come. The qualification review is already over; it is nine thirty. What will you do?”

Zhan Se’s brows moved slightly, her gaze dimming. “It is fine. I had not planned on entering. Next year will be the same.”

There was another heavy sigh before Teacher Li asked after her health and ended the call.

Expressionless, Zhan Se put her phone away. Chu Qian twisted her fingers, her guilt returning.

From what she had just heard, Zhan Se’s alarm had not been set for school but for submitting documents and completing the competition qualification review. By turning it off, she had caused her to miss it. From Teacher Li’s words, winning the national competition could have added twenty points to her college entrance exam score.

Guilt washed over her. “I am sorry…”

Zhan Se turned her head. The arrogant woman from before now sat with her head lowered, looking genuinely remorseful. Images of her supporting her to the hospital last night and keeping watch through the night rose in her mind.

Zhan Se narrowed her eyes slightly. “I cost you your job before and owed you an apology. Now we are even.”