Chapter 19.1

“Not that serious,” he rasped, his voice coarse like gravel grinding.

Lin Jinshen knew his own body well. He rarely fell ill, maybe once a year, and even then, it was fleeting discomfort caused by irregular routines. A little rest was all he needed.

Lu Yi hadn’t planned to intervene.

They were adults, and he should know his own health. Besides, with his entourage of assistants, if his condition worsened, someone would definitely take him to the hospital.

Yet, seeing his tall frame slumped in the single-seater sofa, face unusually flushed, and the usually cold, emotionless eyes misted as if by steam—he was clearly unwell, fragile even.

She reconsidered. After all, he was her husband. His health could be considered their “shared marital asset.”

“Go to the hospital,” she suggested.

“No need.”

Ignoring him, Lu Yi pulled out her phone. “Which hospital do you usually visit? If you don’t tell me, I’ll contact a doctor I know and make an appointment for you.”

“Lu Yi,” Lin Jinshen frowned. His workload was overwhelming, and he didn’t have time for a hospital visit. “Don’t make a fuss over nothing. Even if it’s a fever, it doesn’t warrant a trip to the hospital.”

“Medications shouldn’t be taken casually.”

“I know my own limits.”

Lu Yi paused. Why did it feel like she was negotiating with a child? She said, “If your fever persists, you could die. I just got married—I’m not ready to become a widow.”

“…”

Lin Jinshen’s expression stiffened. Under normal circumstances, his glare might have been intimidating, but now, with the illness dampening his aura, he resembled a deflated balloon.

Touching his own forehead, he conceded. The fever was abnormal, and medication alone could take days to work, which would only delay his work further. Intravenous treatment at the hospital would be quicker.

After a moment of silence, he said, “I’ll ask Jiang Xun to arrange it.”

In other words, she didn’t need to trouble herself.

The Lin family had shares in Changxin Private Hospital, where they always received care. Jiang Xun promptly scheduled an appointment and apologized profusely during his report. He hadn’t noticed his boss’s condition earlier and felt guilty for missing the signs.

“It’s not your fault,” Lin Jinshen said as he reached for his coat.

While Lu Yi was tidying up the insulated food containers, Jiang Xun helped her. He handed her Lin Jinshen’s medical documents in a folder and said, “Thank you for your hard work, ma’am.”

“…”

She hadn’t planned to accompany him.

But since the folder was handed to her, leaving him to go to the hospital alone seemed unreasonable. She accepted it. “It’s no trouble.”

At the hospital, where staff had been notified in advance, they quickly performed routine checks.

His fever was 38°C (100.4°F). Any higher, and it could become critical.

It was diagnosed as a wind-heat cold, likely caused by his erratic schedule weakening his immune system, compounded by exposure to cold.

“Did you catch a chill last night?” Lu Yi asked, unsure if she was to blame.

Lin Jinshen turned his face away, responding curtly, “No.”

Good, then it had nothing to do with her.

“Dr. Zhao, IV treatment,” Lin Jinshen instructed.

“Understood, Mr. Lin.”

A private room was arranged, and the IV drip would take about three hours to finish.

Lu Yi couldn’t just leave him there, so she reluctantly stayed. Watching the nurse insert the needle into his hand, she settled into the opposite side of the room.

“You should rest. I’ll call the nurse when the drip finishes.”

“Alright, thank you.”

His voice was hoarse, and he clearly didn’t feel like talking.

Lin Jinshen leaned back, closing his eyes. The sofa was slightly too small for his tall frame, and though she suggested he rest on the hospital bed, he stubbornly refused.

Since he insisted, she respected his choice.

But moments later, his phone started buzzing non-stop.

Opening his eyes, he checked the messages, all work-related. Struggling to type with one hand due to the IV in the other, he eventually gave up.

“Do you want me to help?” Lu Yi offered after observing his awkward movements. “Unless it’s confidential.”

Without hesitation, Lin Jinshen handed her the phone.

Typing one-handed was too cumbersome, and his throat hurt too much to make calls.

Lu Yi took the phone. It was sleek and unadorned, matching his minimalist style. As he slowly dictated, she typed and sent the messages.

Their collaboration wasn’t bad.

Exiting the chat, her gaze inadvertently landed on the top of his contact list, where her profile picture was pinned. The label read: Wife.

The plain word struck her like a sudden wave. She hadn’t expected him to use such a label or give her top priority among his contacts, even above his family.

“You saved my name as ‘Wife’?” she asked casually while returning the phone. Pretending not to notice would’ve been too obvious.

Lin Jinshen took the phone calmly. “What else would I label it?”

Since she was his wife, the label was self-explanatory. That was just how his world worked.

“And what’s your label in my phone?” he asked abruptly, his piercing gaze locking onto hers.

…Uh.

In her contacts, he was just Pioneer, his WeChat username.

But after seeing how he treated her, she felt a bit guilty about her answer. She hesitated, regretting she had brought it up.

His gaze seemed to pierce right through her, easily detecting her unease. He raised a brow. “No label?”

“!”

“I’ll add one now,” Lu Yi said, pulling out her phone.

“And what will it be?” he asked, watching her.

Following his lead, she labeled him Husband and even pinned the contact for good measure.

Looking up, she said softly, “Husband.”

Lin Jinshen responded with a faint snort through his nose, offering no further comment.

He turned his face away, leaning back again. His exhaustion deepened, his head heavy as if filled with lead.

While he rested, Lu Yi scrolled through her phone.

A message popped up from Yu Yin: [What’s your plan for the weekend?]

Lu Yi: [I can’t make it. Lin Jinshen has a fever.]

Yu Yin: [The guy who jogs every day and is built like a tank caught a cold in summer?]

[Or… did your nightly escapades drain him dry, you seductive little devil?]

Lu Yi: […]

[It’s from overwork. He’s been busy recently.]

Yu Yin: [Isn’t that always the case for him? Workaholic is his normal mode.]

[Remember the controlled variable method from experiments, babe? You’re the variable here.]

Lu Yi stared at the last line for several seconds, trying to refute it.

It couldn’t be, could it?

Half an hour later, she called the nurse to change the IV drip.

Lin Jinshen half-opened his eyes, his blurry gaze falling on her. “You should go back. This will take a while.”

“It’s fine, there are still two more bottles,” Lu Yi replied. She couldn’t just leave him here alone for the infusion. After all, “You look a bit frail.”

“You think I look frail?”

Was he frail?

Lin Jinshen fully opened his eyes, his deep black gaze fixed on her. With a raspy voice, he asked, “Do you really not know if I’m frail or not?”

“…”

The nurse, who had just finished changing the IV, hadn’t yet left when she unexpectedly heard this. She pressed her lips together, struggling to suppress her laughter, nodded politely, and said they could call her if needed.

As she walked out, her mind was already racing with how to share the gossip with her colleagues.