Qin Mingyuan was helped out of the elevator. Zhou Yang grabbed his hand and used his fingerprint to unlock the door. Together with the driver, they supported him into the apartment, fumbling to turn on the lights. Zhou Yang didn’t forget to check on Yun Pei, who was in a wheelchair, making sure he didn’t trip over the threshold.

The family doctor, who had arrived earlier, followed closely behind. Once they had placed Qin Mingyuan on the bed, the doctor moved forward to examine him.

Because Qin Mingyuan was still holding Yun Pei’s hand, his wheelchair was stuck by the bedside, which was a bit inconvenient.

The doctor didn’t seem to mind nor question the relationship between him and the boss. He stood in the space available and used a thermometer gun to measure Qin Mingyuan’s temperature.

After a beeping sound, the display showed 39.8 degrees Celsius. He was close to hitting 40 degrees.

After the general check-up, the doctor stood up and said, “He’s got a high fever, a severe cold, and some inflammation. With the added lack of rest from overworking recently, it’s no wonder he’s like this. He’ll need an IV drip today. I’ll prescribe some medicine, and after a few days of rest, he should be fine.”

After speaking, he glanced around the room and eventually fixed his gaze on Yun Pei. “Do you know how to remove an IV?”

Yun Pei was caught off guard but instinctively nodded. When he had been sick at home before, he often removed the IV himself. It wasn’t that difficult—anyone could do it.

The doctor nodded, “Watch over him. Once the IV is done, you can remove the needle. Make sure to wipe his body often tonight, and you can also use alcohol to rub his palms and the soles of his feet. Keep an eye on him and check if the fever returns during the second half of the night. If there’s any problem, feel free to call me.”

With that, the doctor took the medical kit and went outside to prepare the medication, leaving the two of them to exchange glances.

Only then did Yun Pei belatedly realize something. “Did he misunderstand?”

Zhou Yang gave an awkward chuckle and raised a hand to rub his nose. Given the situation, where even while sick they were still holding hands, it would be strange not to misunderstand. Besides, was it even a misunderstanding?

Though he thought this, Zhou Yang wasn’t about to say it out loud. “Young Master Yun Pei, are you… able to manage? The thing is, President Qin hasn’t let go of your hand, and it’s hard to tell when he’ll release it.”

Zhou Yang honestly wanted to leave the two of them to have some alone time. But Yun Pei was in a wheelchair, and Zhou Yang wasn’t sure if he could take care of someone properly.

Yun Pei lowered his gaze, looking at his hand still tightly gripped by Qin Mingyuan. The usual coolness of his skin had been replaced by the other’s burning heat. The ruby ring on his finger glimmered faintly, reminding him of the scene on the hotel balcony earlier.

Qin Mingyuan had broken out in quite a sweat, his bangs damp and his breathing labored as he lay on the bed. His face was flushed from the fever, giving him a rare vulnerable look.

Yun Pei sighed inwardly and looked up, “It’s fine. I can take care of him here.”

It seemed he really did care about the boss, Zhou Yang thought happily. Then he caught himself. Huh? Why was he so excited? It wasn’t like he was the one in love.

Clearing his throat, Zhou Yang said, “Then I’ll leave him to you, Young Master Yun Pei. If you need anything, you can call me anytime.”

The doctor soon returned, carrying the prepared IV bag. Zhou Yang fetched a hanger to use as a temporary IV stand, then helped take off Qin Mingyuan’s suit jacket, standing by while the doctor disinfected the area and inserted the needle.

After adjusting the flow rate of the IV, the doctor placed the oral medications on the bedside table and instructed Yun Pei on the dosage and frequency. He also reminded him to encourage Qin Mingyuan to drink more water.

Yun Pei carefully noted everything down, making sure both the doctor and Zhou Yang left their phone numbers in case of any emergencies.

Now that Qin Mingyuan had fallen asleep, there was no point in everyone lingering around. Seeing no immediate issues, Zhou Yang left with the others, all of them having to work tomorrow.

Since his hand was still held, Yun Pei didn’t get up to send them off. After the sound of the door closing, the room fell into complete silence, and he turned his gaze back to the man lying on the bed.

Looking at Qin Mingyuan’s sweat-soaked collar, Yun Pei figured it must be uncomfortable to sleep in a suit. He tried to move his right hand, but it was still gripped tightly.

Using his other hand, he tried prying it loose, but it didn’t budge. Sighing, Yun Pei muttered to himself, How is he still so strong even when unconscious?

Since he couldn’t use force, Yun Pei had no choice but to lean in closer and softly say, “Qin Mingyuan, loosen your grip. We’re already home.”

The man furrowed his brows but didn’t move.

Yun Pei touched his neck, feeling how hot and damp it was. He couldn’t just leave him like this. Pressing his lips together, Yun Pei whispered, “Qin Mingyuan, my hand hurts.”

As soon as he said this, the grip on his hand loosened slightly. Seeing an opportunity, Yun Pei added, “You’re holding on too tight. It really hurts.”

The grip relaxed even more. Seizing the chance, Yun Pei quickly pulled his hand free. As soon as Qin Mingyuan’s hand was empty, it clenched instinctively, grasping at nothing.

Qin Mingyuan’s brow furrowed more deeply, his breathing growing more erratic, as if he were troubled. Even the hand with the IV moved a little. Yun Pei immediately pressed it back down. “It’s alright, don’t move. I’m still here.”

At his touch, Qin Mingyuan seemed to calm down, his restlessness easing, though he muttered something under his breath.

Yun Pei, thinking he might be asking for something, leaned in closer to listen. “What?”

“Why…”

The sick man’s voice was hoarse, and it was unclear who he was speaking to. Yun Pei leaned down further, almost pressing his ear against Qin Mingyuan’s lips.

“Why… don’t you want me… I’m also… also your child…”

Yun Pei was surprised. He remembered meeting Qin Mingyuan’s mother before. She had seemed like a very warm and loving person, so why would he say something like that?

Don’t want him? Yun Pei frowned slightly. Was it because his parents had spent so much time abroad?

People who, even in unconsciousness, cling to something and refuse to let go are often in need of reassurance, their lack of security stemming from a lack of love.

It was the same as when Yun Pei felt unwell and longed for his mother.

Yun Pei looked at Qin Mingyuan for a while, then gently patted him on the chest, trying to soothe him into a deeper sleep. In a soft voice, he said, “No one doesn’t want you. I’m here with you. Go to sleep.”

As if comforted by his tender words and actions, Qin Mingyuan’s breathing steadied, and he finally fell into a deep sleep.

Yun Pei quietly patted him for another ten minutes, breaking out into a sweat himself. Finally, he withdrew his hand and took off his jacket, leaving him in just a shirt.

He loosened his collar and placed his jacket on a chair nearby.

The room was quite hot since the air conditioning hadn’t been turned on. Worried that Qin Mingyuan’s fever would worsen and he might even get heatstroke, Yun Pei found the remote and set the temperature to 26 degrees, adjusting the airflow so it wouldn’t blow directly on the bed.

As he placed the remote down, his gaze fell on the ring on his finger. Yun Pei gently rubbed it before taking it off and setting it on the bedside table. He then turned towards the bathroom to get some water.

He filled a basin halfway with warm water and grabbed a gray towel from the rack. When he rolled back out of the bathroom, Qin Mingyuan was still sleeping soundly.

Setting the water on the nightstand, Yun Pei soaked the towel, wrung it out, and gently wiped Qin Mingyuan’s face, moving carefully.

The loosened tie was still hanging around Qin Mingyuan’s neck, so Yun Pei removed it for him, then undid the top two buttons of his shirt, revealing his collarbones, slick with sweat.

Yun Pei washed the towel again and gently wiped Qin Mingyuan’s neck. After a moment’s hesitation, he glanced at the sleeping man and decided to unbutton the rest of his shirt.

The high-quality fabric slid smoothly to the sides as he undid the buttons, revealing the toned muscles of Qin Mingyuan’s chest and his firm abs, damp with sweat and rising and falling with his breath.

For some reason, Yun Pei felt his face heat up as he looked. Hastily, he covered Qin Mingyuan’s chest with the towel. In his rush, he must have used too much force, because Qin Mingyuan let out a soft groan. Yun Pei froze, looking up.

Qin Mingyuan’s eyes were still closed, his tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed. He seemed to be sleeping soundly, so Yun Pei breathed a sigh of relief. Worried that Qin Mingyuan might catch a chill, he quickly pulled the nearby summer blanket over him.

Yun Pei had considered helping him change into more comfortable clothes, but he really didn’t have the ability to do so. He sometimes struggled just changing himself, let alone someone else, especially with the IV still in place.

He realized he should have asked Zhou Yang and the others to help change Qin Mingyuan’s clothes earlier. Sleeping in these could be uncomfortable.

After putting the items back in the bathroom, Yun Pei turned off the main lights in the room, leaving only the two small bedside lamps on. Their soft, warm glow made the room more conducive to rest.

When he returned to the bedside, he noticed that Qin Mingyuan’s lips were starting to look dry again. He turned around and went to pour some water for him. Having sweated so much, it wouldn’t be good for Qin Mingyuan to get dehydrated.

The door to the bedroom was half-closed, and the lights in the living room, which had been left on earlier, conveniently illuminated the space.

Yun Pei wheeled himself to the open-plan kitchen and found the kettle on the counter. He grabbed a bottle of purified water from the fridge, poured it in, and turned on the kettle.

As the water heated up, he recalled where Qin Mingyuan had placed the cups when he’d poured him milk last time. Opening the cupboard, he found the clean cups inside, just as expected.

Just as he had taken one out, his phone, which was in the side pocket of his wheelchair, began to ring. Glancing at the screen, he saw that it was his father calling.

After a moment’s hesitation, he answered. He likely wouldn’t be returning home tonight, so it was better to let his father know.

“Xiao Pei, where have you been? The banquet’s already over, but you’re nowhere to be seen.”

For some reason, his father’s tone carried a softness that made Yun Pei uncomfortable. Before he could respond, his father lowered his voice and asked, “Are you with President Qin?”

Yun Pei’s face grew cold, and his tone became emotionless. “No, I’ve got something to take care of. I won’t be coming back tonight.”

Without waiting for a reply, he hung up the phone. Not wanting to disturb the sleeping Qin Mingyuan, he set his phone to silent.

Yun Pei didn’t need to guess what his father was thinking. This was exactly why he hadn’t wanted them to know he was getting close to Qin Mingyuan in the first place.

But tonight… he sighed. Now the entire elite circle of A City would probably know that he had ties with the Qin Corporation’s president, leading to all sorts of speculation.

At least Qin Mingyuan had shown restraint by not giving him the ring in front of everyone. That would have been a much bigger mess to explain.

Thinking back on what Qin Mingyuan had said about angering Yun Yuexian, Yun Pei lowered his eyes. Remembering the twisted expression on his so-called brother’s face did bring a certain satisfaction.

The kettle finished boiling, and Yun Pei poured a cup of water, mixing in some cool water until it reached a drinkable temperature. Holding the cup, he returned to the bedroom.

Back by the bed, he first checked the IV, making sure it was still in place and nothing had gone wrong. Then, he gently patted Qin Mingyuan’s face, “Qin Mingyuan?”

The man, deeply asleep showed no response. After thinking for a moment, Yun Pei slid one hand behind his neck to lift his head slightly and brought the cup to his lips.

Though asleep, Qin Mingyuan still had the instinct to swallow. Perhaps due to the fever making him thirsty, he drank quite a bit of water as Yun Pei carefully fed him.

Once the cup was empty, Yun Pei laid him back down and used a tissue to wipe the water from his lips. Then, he touched his forehead to check the temperature again.

It was still hot, but slightly better than before. Yun Pei let out a small sigh of relief, finally noticing that his shoulder, which had been supporting Qin Mingyuan for so long, was starting to ache.

“Mighty and tall…” he muttered softly, as if complaining, but his gaze on the man in bed was gentle.