Chapter 28

As the days passed, the weather in Kyoto grew colder, with a week of continuous rain and overcast skies.

Today, finally, the sun emerged, and Yun Yin could finally go outside to bask in its warmth. If she didn’t get out soon, she felt like she’d start to mold.

Perhaps due to years of sun deprivation, Yun Yin’s skin was remarkably pale, almost translucent in the sunlight.

The swing in the garden was Yun Yin’s favorite spot.

Basking in the sun with her eyes closed, she could drift into blissful oblivion.

As evening fell, the temperature plummeted.

During dinner, Aunt Lin noticed Yun Yin’s pallor and asked, “Miss Yun, are you feeling unwell?”

Yun Yin didn’t feel particularly ill, just a bit dizzy and sluggish.

Aunt Lin guessed she might have caught a chill from the wind earlier in the day.

Without hesitation, she urged Yun Yin to rest in bed and immediately called the doctor.

Ever since the previous incident, Aunt Lin had been vigilant about Yun Yin’s health.

As soon as Yun Yin lay down, she burrowed under the covers and mumbled to Aunt Lin, “I’m fine. Don’t call Pei Yu.”

Aunt Lin told her to rest well, without mentioning that she had already contacted Mr. Pei.

Yun Yin didn’t feel seriously ill, just dizzy, lethargic, and slow to react. It felt like she could drift off to sleep at any moment.

Maybe a good night’s rest will do the trick, she thought.

As the year drew to a close, the workload intensified, and Pei Yu, as the group’s president, found himself even busier. Several major investment projects required his final approval.

By the time he returned home, Yun Yin was already asleep.

Tonight was no exception. It was past 8 PM, and Pei Yu was still working late in his office, along with the rest of the president’s staff.

Pei Yu sat behind his computer, listening to Lu Lin’s work report, when his phone vibrated on the desk.

He glanced at the caller ID and frowned slightly.

He raised a hand to signal Lu Lin to pause, then picked up the phone.

“Aunt Lin.”

Lu Lin watched as Pei Yu’s expression grew increasingly grave.

“She has a fever?”

Aunt Lin’s anxious voice came through the receiver: “Yes, Miss Yun looked unwell during dinner. When I checked, she seemed to have a fever.”

“Have you called a doctor?” Pei Yu asked.

“Already done,” Aunt Lin replied. “The doctor said he’s on his way.”

“Keep an eye on her. I’m heading back immediately.”

Aunt Lin’s voice brightened with relief. “Understood, Mr. Pei.”

From the brief exchange, Lu Lin could roughly piece together what had happened.

Miss Yun probably has a fever.

Pei Yu didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he asked, “When will Dr. Yue be back?”

He had asked this question several times already.

Lu Lin patiently replied, “We’ve already contacted Dr. Yue. He’ll be back by the end of next month at the latest.”

Pei Yu paused, silent for a moment.

After a few seconds, Lu Lin added, “Jing Yi said he’s already contacting Dr. Wilson’s team. We should have results soon.”

“Reschedule all my business trips for next month to this month.”

“Understood, President Pei.”

With these brief instructions, Pei Yu left, leaving Lu Lin to continue working overtime.

Lu Lin watched Pei Yu’s retreating figure and shook his head inwardly.

When Yun Yin first fell ill, Pei Yu had shown no reaction whatsoever. He had ignored the doctor’s recommendations for tests.

Even when Miss Yun was hospitalized for a week, he hadn’t visited her once.

Now, a mere fever had him in such a state of anxiety.

But Miss Yun’s condition…

Lu Lin’s expression darkened momentarily. He pushed the thought aside, picked up his documents, and resumed working.

Seeing Pei Yu return, Aunt Lin immediately greeted him and briefly explained Yun Yin’s condition.

The doctor had already examined her and assured them it was just a mild fever, nothing to worry about. Yun Yin’s weak immune system had caught a chill from the afternoon breeze.

In her panic, Aunt Lin hadn’t thought twice before calling Pei Yu.

Instead of scolding her for overreacting, Pei Yu said, “From now on, call me immediately if she has any problems.”

Relieved that Pei Yu wasn’t angry, Aunt Lin sighed in relief. “Understood, Mr. Pei.”

“How is she now?”

“She just took fever-reducing medicine,” Aunt Lin replied. “The doctor said it’s not serious enough for injections or an IV.”

“I’ll go check on her.” Pei Yu headed upstairs.

He pushed open the door, intending to glance at her and leave, but as he approached, he noticed Yun Yin’s breathing was heavy and rapid.

Bending down, he pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. She was still burning up.

Prolonged fever could lead to arrhythmia and trigger heart complications.

Pei Yu frowned, sitting on the edge of the bed and pulling Yun Yin into his arms, half-lifting her. He gently shook her awake and whispered, “A-Yin.”

Yun Yin was a light sleeper. When roused, her face showed clear displeasure.

Pei Yu asked again, “Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

“I feel awful,” she murmured, her voice hoarse and unusually soft, tinged with a hint of grievance.

Her feverish mind sluggish, Yun Yin answered instinctively.

When Pei Yu asked further questions, she remained in a dazed state.

Pei Yu retrieved a thermometer, lifted her again, and tucked it under her arm.

Through her haze, Yun Yin recognized his familiar scent. She clung tightly to his shirt, refusing to let go, and squirmed uncomfortably.

Pei Yu’s arm settled across her slender back, drawing her completely into his embrace. He lowered his head and whispered soothing words into her ear.

After a moment, Yun Yin seemed to calm down, her restless movements ceasing as she drifted back into a deep sleep.

Three minutes later, Pei Yu removed the thermometer and glanced at it.

38.5 degrees Celsius.

The temperature wasn’t excessively high, but Pei Yu’s brow remained tightly furrowed.

Why is her fever still so high after taking the medicine?

His anxiety clouded his judgment, forgetting Aunt Lin’s warning that the medication needed time to take effect.

Throughout the night, Pei Yu stayed by Yun Yin’s side in the room. Although Dr. Wilson had assured him her condition was currently stable, he dared not let his guard down.

For most people, this would be a minor fever, but Yun Yin’s heart condition meant no one could guarantee her condition wouldn’t suddenly worsen in the early hours.

Yun Yin remained in a deep slumber. Only in the latter half of the night did her temperature gradually begin to fall.

After taking her temperature again, it finally returned to normal.

Pei Yu’s heart finally eased.

Seeing her sleeping peacefully, he gently closed the door and quietly left the room.

The thick curtains completely blocked out the outside light, plunging the room into near-total darkness.

—

When Yun Yin awoke, she felt weak, uncomfortable, and utterly drained. Staring into the gloom, she couldn’t tell what time it was. With no energy to move, she closed her eyes again.

After an unknown amount of time, Yun Yin drifted in and out of sleep when she suddenly heard the click of the door lock.

The bedroom door slowly creaked open, and someone entered.

The footsteps grew clearer as they approached the bed and then stopped.

Most of Yun Yin’s face was buried in the soft quilt, leaving only her misty peach blossom eyes visible as she stared blankly at the figure before her.

“Pei Yu,” Yun Yin’s hoarse voice rasped.

The next moment, the room’s light flooded on.

“Awake,” Pei Yu strode to the bedside. “Are you feeling unwell?”

“Just a bit dizzy,” she mumbled, her voice muffled by the quilt.

Pei Yu regarded her coldly, his voice equally icy. “Why didn’t you listen?”

“Huh?” Yun Yin looked up at him, bewildered.

“Don’t you know your constitution is weak?” Pei Yu’s tone remained frigid. “And you still went out in the wind.”

Yun Yin froze.

She fell silent, and something seemed to dawn on her. Her eyes suddenly reddened, and she turned away, burying her face in the quilt to avoid Pei Yu’s gaze and his words.

Pei Yu’s stern expression faltered slightly as he watched her. A flicker of panic crossed his eyes.

After a moment, he leaned closer, his low voice tinged with gentle coaxing. “I was so worried about you.”

Yun Yin’s shoulders trembled, but she still didn’t turn around.

Pei Yu continued to speak, but Yun Yin remained unresponsive, as if asleep.

Finally, at his wit’s end, he simply scooped her up, blanket and all, into his arms.

Weak and unable to resist, Yun Yin had no choice but to face him.

Pei Yu lowered his gaze to meet hers. “Are you angry?”

Yun Yin remained silent, trying to turn her head away, but Pei Yu gently held her chin.

“No,” she snapped petulantly.

“It was my fault earlier. I was wrong,” Pei Yu said, his thin lips pressed into a tight line.

She tilted her head back, her eyes reddened and her peach-blossom eyes shimmering with tears.

After a long silence, Yun Yin finally spoke in a hoarse whisper. “You were so fierce earlier.”

“I was just so worried about you,” Pei Yu replied.

“Do you think I’m a burden?” Yun Yin’s voice grew softer. “I don’t want to be.”

She didn’t want to be sick, didn’t want to worry anyone, but she couldn’t seem to help it.

“A-Yin, be good. Don’t worry your parents.”
“This illness is difficult to cure completely. Your family needs to be prepared.”
“A-Yin, focus on getting better. Your parents will visit whenever they can.”

Those words echoed endlessly in her mind.

“Why me?” Her voice was barely a whisper, unsure whether she was asking Pei Yu or herself.

Why did she have to get this illness? Why did she have to relive this life after dying? Why did she have to endure all of this?

She didn’t want this, but she was powerless to change it.

Yun Yin lowered her gaze, staring absently at the watch on Pei Yu’s wrist.

It was a gift she had given him.

Beneath the blanket, her fingers curled tightly together, her nails digging deep into her palm. Yet she felt no pain. A bitter ache rose in her throat, making it impossible to speak.

Who would want to be with someone who was constantly ill? It meant living in constant fear, always at risk of tears.

In the end, even her parents had given up.

Those thoughts resurfaced, overwhelming her mind and stealing her courage to look up at him.

Yun Yin raised her hand to cover her eyes, as if that could shield her from the humiliation churning within.

Pei Yu stared at her, his eyes reddening.

A misty haze blurred Yun Yin’s vision. She couldn’t make out his features, but she stubbornly fought back the stinging in her nose, refusing to let tears fall.

Pei Yu gently pulled her hands away from her eyes, tenderly stroking her reddened corners. His voice was hoarse. “I’ve never found you a burden.”

Never.

His greatest fear had always been losing her.

His throat tightened, as if the last thread of reason in his mind had snapped.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“I…” Yun Yin stared at him blankly, her eyes crimson. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, the sob in her voice was unmistakable.

After a few seconds, her vision blurred further. Tears began to trickle down her cheeks, each drop landing on the back of Pei Yu’s hand—and striking a painful chord in his heart.