246. Cold
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“Bacterial cold.”
Upon hearing this answer, Chen Yao’s tense muscles instantly relaxed, and he almost crumpled to the floor like a wet noodle.
“Here’s the prescription. Take the meds for three days, and if you’re still not better, come see me again.”
“Uh, thanks, Doctor.”
Once he let his guard down, an avalanche of exhaustion crashed over Chen Yao like a mountain, and he took a few steps back to lean against the hospital wall, letting out a long sigh.
Thank goodness it was just a false alarm! It seemed Lin Nan had simply triggered a cold due to her immune system taking a vacation thanks to her monthly visitor.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he glanced at his trembling arms.
For the first time in his life, he felt the kind of dread that made it seem like the sky was about to fall.
Leaning against the wall, Chen Yao gasped for breath, feeling his heartbeat pound in his ears like a drum solo from a rock concert.
As he rested, images of his years with Lin Nan flashed through his mind.
The first time he met Lin Nan, that tiny little boy was cautiously scanning his surroundings, wide-eyed and intimidated by everything after moving from the countryside to the county for school.
Later, he witnessed some bullies in class intentionally toss Lin Nan’s backpack off the school building. The little guy burst into tears, and Chen Yao, in a heroic rush, punched one of the bullies and gave him a black eye. He gained Lin Nan’s admiration and a best friend—though Lin Nan wasn’t aware that his family ended up coughing up over a thousand bucks in medical bills because of that fight.
As time went on, hanging out with Lin Nan became like a vital organ in his life. Sneaking notes during class, and this little boy always flitting around him like a butterfly, they usually played outside until eight or nine before heading home.
He vaguely remembered one time he inexplicably blew up at Lin Nan, even though he knew it was totally his fault, and he made a scene about wanting to cut ties. Just that evening, he received a phone call, and Lin Nan was on the other end, crying and apologizing…
Back then, their friendship was pure: Chen Yao basked in Lin Nan’s admiration, and Lin Nan enjoyed Chen Yao’s protection.
They both grew up, their friendship deepening, but at some point, that friendship took a turn for the bizarre.
If it was after discovering Lin Nan turned into a girl, it would be one thing. If it was before…
“Am I not just a huge gay?!”
Chen Yao suddenly slapped his forehead, tossing that outrageous thought aside. Feeling mostly revived, he straightened up and walked toward Lin Nan, who was sitting on a nearby bench.
“What’s the situation?” Lin Nan stood up eagerly upon seeing him but then crumbled back down like a shaky Jenga tower.
“Bacterial cold. Nothing serious,” Chen Yao helped her up. “The doctor prescribed some meds; just take them and you’ll be fine.”
Finally calming down, Lin Nan shot him a disgruntled look. “So why were you in such a rush to carry me over here…?”
Her voice trailed off, and her face flushed. “I hope nobody saw that…”
“Relax, it was only a ten-minute jog, and the streets were pretty empty.” Chen Yao stretched. “Consider it some weight training. You really should lose some weight; you’re as heavy as a brick.”
Unlike the typical girl who wished to be as thin as a twig, Lin Nan pinched her slender arms and retorted, “I should actually gain another ten pounds! With my height, I should weigh fifty-five kilos!”
“Sounds like a guy’s standard you’re working off there.”
They headed out of the hospital, and Chen Yao glanced up at the dimming sky. After all the chaos, it was already eight o’clock at night.
It was late, and thanks to the pandemic, the streets were almost deserted. Occasionally, a few masked figures shuffled by, each keeping their distance, looking at strangers like they were ticking time bombs.
The city rarely felt this desolate; it was as if even the city itself had caught a cold and was in no mood to socialize.
Lin Nan still looked weak, leaning on Chen Yao, and occasionally coughed dryly, her raspy voice asking, “How much did it cost?”
“Check-ups are free, don’t worry.” Chen Yao said, even as his wallet screamed in agony.
Sure, the virus check was free, but more accurate tests like lung CT scans would set him back a good few hundred bucks. And to make matters worse, Lin Nan forgot her health insurance card, or they could’ve snagged a discount.
Upon hearing that, Lin Nan perked up considerably, coming to a halt and tugging Chen Yao to walk back. “Then you should get checked too. Why not take advantage of a good deal? We should also call your uncle and aunt!”
“Let’s not waste societal resources. I don’t need a check-up because I’m perfectly fine!” Chen Yao allowed her to tug him along, but even if she were fully healthy, she wouldn’t be able to pull him along, and now she stood like a telephone pole.
He chuckled, trying to reason with her. “Let’s just go home and rest. It’s cold outside, and you have relatives coming over. Do you really want to wake up tomorrow with a fever and stomachache, questioning all of life’s choices?”
Lin Nan pouted but finally relented, cheeks puffed.
She didn’t mind the childish pout anymore; this feminine behavior had become her default mode and was rooted deeply within her. Now that she had fully transformed into a girl, it didn’t matter.
After days cooped up, Lin Nan curiously looked around, observing the world’s changes.
The New Year was just days away, yet the streets were nearly devoid of open shops. A few supermarkets and pharmacies were still operating but had hardly any customers.
A van rolled slowly down the street, blaring pandemic announcements in a dialect Lin Nan barely understood.
“Stay indoors, ventilate, wash your hands regularly, and all that jazz,” Chen Yao said, nervously supporting Lin Nan.
Although they confirmed she didn’t have an infectious disease, with her temperature hitting thirty-nine degrees and her relatives visiting, Chen Yao knew he wouldn’t be sleeping well for the next few days.
“I’m checking if there’s any takeout available. We better eat dinner and take your meds, then you should hit the sack.”
Lin Nan’s voice was still hoarse, robbed of the pep she had at noon, but she stubbornly countered, “I took a nap this afternoon; I’m not tired.”
“What do you want to do tonight then?”
“Play games!”
Chen Yao shot her an incredulous look but didn’t argue further. At this rate, if Lin Nan attempted to game in her condition, she’d probably end up getting slaughtered mercilessly. If that happened, she wouldn’t want to continue, anyway.
With one arm slung around Lin Nan’s side, he pulled out his phone to check food delivery, only to discover several places were still operating in the county.
Even though on-site dining was a no-go, delivery services hadn’t yet shut down.
“Your family runs a restaurant, right? This must be hitting them hard.” Lin Nan looked worriedly at the shuttered stores.
“I think we should have some savings…right?” Chen Yao hadn’t paid much attention to his family’s business until Lin Nan brought it up, and unease crept in, “If we go bankrupt, I might not be able to afford lunch next semester.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you!” Lin Nan tilted her head up, full of confidence. “I can pull in nearly two hundred a day just handing out flyers! If I have fewer classes next semester, I’ll pick up another part-time job. Feeding a pig will be a piece of cake!”
