Transmigrating to the Qi Family - Chapter 107

Sick people often crave special privileges.

Pei Che is lying on the bed, looking at the medicine in Jiang Miao’s hand, and says weakly, “Ah Miao, my hands and feet are sore and weak after this illness. I’m afraid I can’t even hold the bowl. What should I do?”

His eyes wander to Jiang Miao’s hands, the hint in his words very clear.

Jiang Miao doesn’t catch on and says, “Then I’ll help you hold the bowl, and you can drink it with a spoon.” With that, he really turns around, goes out to get a spoon, and hands it to Pei Che.

Clang! The brand-new porcelain spoon falls to the ground, instantly breaking into two pieces.

“Ah Miao,” Pei Che looks up innocently, “I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I can’t even hold a spoon.”

Jiang Miao frowns. He was also ill when he first arrived, but it wasn’t as severe as Pei Che’s condition, where he can’t even hold a spoon. Could it be that Pei Che has other issues besides the cold and fever? Thinking this, he quickly puts the bowl down and runs out.

This move leaves Pei Che baffled. Did Ah Miao realize he is faking it? That’s unlikely. If he had, with Ah Miao’s temper, he would have definitely scolded him outright. But if he didn’t notice, then why did he run out?

Just as Pei Che is struggling to understand what’s happening, Jiang Miao returns with someone. It’s their neighbor, Ji Qing. His family runs a medicine shop, and while he doesn’t manage the shop, he is quite skilled in medicine. He often enjoys having breakfast at Jiang’s small shop, and after a few visits, they become familiar with each other.

By this time, the curfew has already begun, and all the shops are closed. Jiang Miao has no choice but to ask Ji Qing for help to see what is really wrong with Pei Che.

“Greetings, Young Master Pei.” The marriage between Pei Che and Jiang Miao had been a grand affair, so Ji Qing naturally knew about it. As soon as he enters, he politely cups his hands in greeting toward Pei Che.

“And who are you?” Pei Che asks, but his gaze shifts to Jiang Miao, not understanding why he suddenly brings another man in.

Jiang Miao replies, “He’s our neighbor, Doctor Ji. You said you can’t hold anything with your hands, right? I’ve asked him to come take a look.” This casual statement strikes Pei Che like a thunderclap.

“No… there’s no need,” Pei Che forces a smile. “Doctor Yang from the Imperial College is highly skilled. He said I just caught a cold, and the wind entered my body. He must be right. Brother Ji, thank you for coming all this way. I’ll visit you another day to express my thanks.” His intention of closing the door to send the guest away is unmistakably clear.

“Don’t refuse treatment because of pride!” Jiang Miao firmly disagrees with Pei Che’s excuse. “Things are different now. You weren’t this serious before. Doctor Ji, don’t listen to him. Please go ahead and check his pulse.”

After speaking, he sits down by the bed and forcefully reaches into the covers, pulling out Pei Che’s hand, which was hidden underneath, and places it in front of Ji Qing.

Ji Qing smiles. In fact, even without taking the pulse, he can tell Pei Che isn’t that ill. How could someone so lively be seriously sick? At most, Pei Che has a cold and a slight fever. Still, he doesn’t see the need to expose the playful tricks between the couple.

Ji Qing sits on a stool, feeling Pei Che’s pulse, and after a long silence, his expression turns somewhat serious.

Jiang Miao grows extremely anxious, unsure what Ji Qing has discovered. He doesn’t dare speak, worried about disrupting his thoughts. Pei Che, who felt slightly guilty before, now starts to question things too. Can diagnosing a simple cold really be this difficult?

When Ji Qing finally withdraws his hand, Jiang Miao quickly tucks Pei Che’s hand back under the blankets, even adjusting the quilt to make sure he doesn’t catch a chill again.

“Manager Jiang, there’s no major issue with Young Master Pei’s health. He just caught a cold and has a slight fever,” Ji Qing explains.

“But how could a common cold make his hands and feet so sore and weak?” Jiang Miao presses.

“Well, it could be because…” Ji Qing glances at Pei Che with a smile.

Pei Che sighs silently, preparing to face Jiang Miao’s inevitable wrath. After all, he’s sick—Jiang Miao won’t ignore him no matter how angry he is.

“Each person reacts differently to illness. For some, their discomfort worsens. Once you give him the medicine, he should feel better and won’t be so weak,” Ji Qing says confidently.

Jiang Miao suddenly realizes: “So that’s the case. I was wondering how I could go see a doctor by myself and still work when I was sick. Thank you, Doctor Ji. Next time you visit our shop, I’ll ask Tang Lin to give you a free meal.”

“A free meal?” Ji Qing asks, confused.

“It means you don’t have to pay,” Jiang Miao explains quickly. “Thank you for coming out so late to help.”

“Haha, it’s just a trivial matter. What’s a small matter like this?” Ji Qing replies, “Not to mention that we are neighbors, we should take care of each other.”

Jiang Miao smiles, about to say more, when suddenly Pei Che starts coughing violently, startling him into quickly patting Pei Che’s back to help.

“Since that’s the case, I’ll take my leave now. Manager Jiang, take good care of Young Master Pei,” Ji Qing says as he prepares to leave.

After Ji Qing leaves, Pei Che’s coughing gradually subsides. His face flushes, and he looks at Jiang Miao and says, “Ah Miao, I’ll trouble you to feed me the medicine.”

“What’s so troublesome about that?” Jiang Miao picks up the bowl of medicine, only to find it has cooled. “It’s cold. I’ll get you a fresh bowl. Wait a moment.”

Pei Che watches him leave and can’t help but smile. It seems that Doctor Ji is a good person, though he talks a bit too much.

Jiang Miao returns with a fresh bowl of medicine from the pot on the stove and puts a spoon in the bowl.

“Drink up,” Jiang Miao says, as he scoops up a spoonful of the bitter medicine and brings it to Pei Che’s lips.

Pei Che opens his mouth and drinks it, showing no reaction to the bitterness, as if he can’t taste it at all. To Jiang Miao, the smell alone is unbearable, let alone drinking it.

Another spoonful follows, and again, Pei Che drinks without flinching. Jiang Miao, unwilling to believe it, dips his own tongue into the third spoonful. The instant the sour bitterness hits his taste buds, it makes him want to gag.

Seeing Pei Che’s surprised expression, Jiang Miao awkwardly smiles and says, “I just wanted to see how bitter it really is.”

Before Pei Che can show any sign of being touched by this gesture, Jiang Miao asks with concern, “This medicine is so bitter, yet you didn’t react at all. Is your sense of taste not working?”

Pei Che remains silent. What can he say when the other just doesn’t get it?

After helping Pei Che finish the medicine, Jiang Miao collects the bowl and picks up the spoon that had fallen earlier, to make sure no one steps on it and gets hurt.

The medicine’s effect kicks in quickly. Pei Che plans to chat with Jiang Miao a bit more, but he can’t resist the pull of sleep. His eyes close, and he drifts off.

Before dawn the next day, Pei Che wakes up. A full night of sleep, along with the medicine, has banished his lingering illness, leaving him feeling wonderfully refreshed. He looks over to the side of the bed but doesn’t see Jiang Miao.

Of course, sleeping beside him might risk passing the illness to Jiang Miao, which would be even worse. Though he understands this, Pei Che can’t help but feel a little disappointed.

He isn’t sure when exactly he started placing Jiang Miao in such a special place in his heart. Was it the moment when Jiang Miao puts the carved radish flower in his hand? Or when he smiles and offers him the flower lantern? Perhaps it is when Jiang Miao resolutely decides to help him cover up his lie?

He doesn’t know what kind of feelings he has for Jiang Miao. Is he a friend he can talk to? A brother who is loyal to him? Or a confidant who appreciates him?

The mix of emotions intertwines, making him avoid thinking too deeply about their meaning. All he knows is that he likes being with Jiang Miao. As long as they are together, even if they do nothing at all, life seems so interesting. There is a sense of stability about Jiang Miao, and being close to him brings a feeling of comfort.

“Hmm…”

A soft murmur interrupts Pei Che’s thoughts. He turns towards the sound and sees that Jiang Miao, whom he thought wasn’t in the room, is actually lying on a small couch nearby. Perhaps unaccustomed to the unfamiliar spot, even in his sleep, his brow is furrowed, and he looks restless.

Pei Che quietly gets out of bed, gently leans down, and picks Jiang Miao up, carrying him over to the bed.

As soon as Jiang Miao is in a familiar place, he immediately rolls over, instinctively moving to the inner side of the bed and unconsciously leaving the outer space free. Pei Che lies down on the outside, watching Jiang Miao’s peaceful sleeping face and listening to the soft sound of his breathing. Gradually, sleep creeps up on him again.