Lu Chuanbai slowly took off his clothes and went upstairs to take a bath.
Xu Qingqing found some casual clothes and underwear that Xu Yan had never worn for him, then brought them to the bathroom door. She knocked on the door to remind the person inside.
"I've put the clothes outside. You can get them by yourself."
However, there was no response from Lu Chuanbai inside for a long time.
Xu Qingqing knocked on the door again and pressed her ear against it. She heard a soft groan from inside.
"Um..."
Xu Qingqing was worried that something might have happened to Lu Chuanbai. Although she didn't want to go in, she still covered her eyes with her hand, gently pushed the door open and walked in, calling out softly.
"Lu Chuanbai, are you okay?"
Xu Qingqing slowly groped her way to the bathtub. Seeing that Lu Chuanbai's body was covered with a bath towel, she took her hand away from her eyes.
Lu Chuanbai was lying in the bathtub, the water in the tub reaching up to his neck, with his eyes tightly closed.
"Lu Chuanbai!" Xu Qingqing exclaimed and reached out to touch his arm.
"So hot!"
It was so hot that she quickly withdrew her hand. Then she put her hand on Lu Chuanbai's forehead. Although it hadn't been in the hot water, it was scalding.
Lu Chuanbai had a fever, and his wound was soaking in the water, with strands of fresh blood and yellow pus flowing out. It was already inflamed.
He couldn't keep soaking any longer!
Xu Qingqing put Lu Chuanbai's arm on her own body, wrapped the bath towel around his waist, and dragged him up, constantly calling out to him.
"Lu Chuanbai, can you hear me? Wake up!"
"Um, don't go..."
Feeling himself being helped up, Lu Chuanbai responded in a daze. He wrapped both hands around Xu Qingqing's neck, like a super clingy big dog.
Lu Chuanbai rested his chin in the crook of Xu Qingqing's neck and mumbled in a daze, "Qingqing... don't leave me, don't go..."
After saying that, Lu Chuanbai tilted his head and fell into a deep sleep again, leaving Xu Qingqing with a stiff body. A soft part deep in her heart was touched for the first time in a long while.
This guy... What on earth was he talking about!
Xu Qingqing managed to dry Lu Chuanbai's body, carried him to the bed and covered him with the quilt, then took a thermometer to take his temperature.
He had a fever of 39 degrees. Coupled with the inflamed wound, it was no wonder he had passed out.
It was still pouring rain outside, so it was not convenient to take him to the hospital. Xu Qingqing had no choice but to use physical methods to cool Lu Chuanbai down again and again and feed him cold medicine. Only then did his body temperature gradually stabilize.
By the time Lu Chuanbai's body temperature had stabilized, the heavy rain had turned into a light drizzle and it was already dark.
Xu's father and mother told Xu Qingqing that they were going to have a good get - together with their old friends and would not be coming back tonight.
Xu Yan also had to work overtime in the company and would stay there.
There was only them left at home. Xu Qingqing felt her growling stomach and guessed that the two kids and Lu Chuanbai must be hungry too.
Xu Qingqing said to Xu Yiyi and An An who were lying beside the bed, "You two stay here and watch over Uncle Lu. Don't make any noise. Mom is going to cook."
"Okay."
The two kids nodded obediently.
Xu Qingqing went to the kitchen. Thinking that Lu Chuanbai needed to avoid certain foods because of his wound, she made some reliable vegetable porridge.
While she was stir - frying the vegetables, Xu Yiyi ran over happily and said, "Mom, Uncle Lu is awake!"
Xu Qingqing calmly added some water to the pot, covered it with the lid, and went upstairs with Xu Yiyi to check on Lu Chuanbai.
Although Lu Chuanbai was still a bit weak, his complexion had improved a lot.
Xu Qingqing asked with concern, "Are you okay? Do you feel any discomfort in your body?"
Lu Chuanbai coughed violently. His voice was hoarse and he said weakly, "I feel sore all over. I don't feel well anywhere... I might not be able to leave tonight. I need a good rest..."
Hearing his words, Xu Qingqing's smile froze on her face. She knew this guy couldn't be serious for long.
Xu Qingqing didn't respond, but the two kids reacted enthusiastically.
"Uncle Lu, you can stay at our house for a few days. We'll take care of you together with Mom!"
"Really?" Lu Chuanbai's tone was full of joy. Then he coughed a few more times and pretended to be so weak that he couldn't take care of himself. He opened his arms to Xu An An.
"Can An An give Uncle a hug to encourage him? Uncle feels so uncomfortable!"
"Okay." Xu An An opened her small hands and hugged Lu Chuanbai.
Holding his daughter's soft little body, Lu Chuanbai felt that his whole life was worth it.
But in order not to scare his daughter, he just gave her a gentle hug and then let go. Then he said to Xu Yiyi who was standing beside the bed, with a longing look in his eyes but pretending to be nonchalant, "Yiyi, come and encourage Uncle Lu too!"
"Fine." Although Xu Yiyi opened his arms to hug Lu Chuanbai, he still said coquettishly, "It's you who asked me to hug you."
"With your encouragement, Uncle will get better faster!"
Lu Chuanbai's words made the two kids feel a great sense of achievement.
Xu An An promised solemnly, "From now on, as long as Uncle needs encouragement, An An and brother will always encourage you!"
Although Xu Yiyi was a bit embarrassed, he also answered seriously.
"I will encourage Uncle Lu too!"
"Then can you encourage Uncle for a lifetime?" Lu Chuanbai wasn't satisfied and pressed on.
"Yes!"
Hearing the two kids' unhesitating answers, Xu Qingqing blurted out subconsciously, "I don't agree!"
Encourage for a lifetime?
Lu Chuanbai was trying to tie the two kids down now!
Three pairs of eyes turned to look at Xu Qingqing, with pleading looks in them.
Lu Chuanbai sighed softly, with a touch of loneliness in his tone, "Since your mom doesn't want to, then forget it... My wound hurts so much. I feel so uncomfortable after getting caught in the rain and having a fever..."
His pitiful tone made the two kids with a strong sense of justice immediately speak up to defend him.
"Mom, you're wrong today. You shouldn't have locked Uncle Lu outside and let him get caught in the rain."
"Mom, Uncle Lu got hurt to protect you!"
Seeing the father and his two kids united against her, Xu Qingqing felt a bit jealous and also thought that her reaction might have been a bit over - the - top.
Xu Qingqing sighed softly, "Do as you like."
"Yeah!"
The two kids hugged Lu Chuanbai again.
Lu Chuanbai opened his arms expectantly and looked at Xu Qingqing, "Qingqing, do you want to give me some encouragement too?"
Xu Qingqing forced a smile and resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "Lu Chuanbai, that's enough! Since you're awake, get up and get ready for dinner."
Even she herself didn't notice that when she said this, her tone was relaxed, and she was actually happy that Lu Chuanbai had recovered.
By the time Lu Chuanbai and the two kids came downstairs, Xu Qingqing had already served the porridge on the table.
Except for adding a little sea salt to the side dishes for flavor, everything else was light.
Lu Chuanbai took a sip of the vegetable porridge and praised, "This porridge tastes really good."
Xu Qingqing gave him a sidelong glance.
She hadn't added anything to it at all!
After dinner, it was getting late. The two kids were yawning. It was time for them to go to bed.