Chapter 814: Taking Care
The next two days blended into a comforting routine for Lily and Cai. He transformed into a living blanket, keeping her warm while she recovered. Occasionally, he would coax her to let go, slipping out of bed to prepare food, urging her to eat and take her medicine. But most of the time, he remained close, offering comfort when she felt chilled and retreating when her fever broke.
By the morning of the third day, Lily awoke feeling different—lighter, as if the heaviness had lifted. She opened her eyes slowly, only to realize she was hugging something exceptionally warm. Her heart raced as she snapped her eyes open and recognized Cai beside her. The memories of the last two days rushed back, flooding her with embarrassment and a sense of scandal at her own clingy behaviour.
In a quick motion, she rolled away from him, her cheeks burning with shame. The sudden movement stirred Cai, who blinked sleepily before focusing on her as his hand instinctively moved to her forehead. She leaned back and his eyes met hers then. Almost immediately, the soft expression he held shifted into indifference.
"It’s good that your fever has finally broken," he said, while pushing the blanket away and standing up and turning away, his back to her.
"Cai, I—" she started, trying to find the right words.
"You should freshen up. I’ll leave some freshly prepared soup outside That will make you feel much better. After all, you’ve been sick for two days." he replied, cutting her off.
With that, he walked out of the room, leaving her in stunned silence. The last two days had given her a glimpse of the real Cai. He had been so caring and patient with her, as if she meant the world to him. But the moment she had recovered a bit, he had coldly ordered her to freshen up and then walked out of there as if they were nothing but strangers.
After a moment of reflection, she took a deep breath, willing herself to shake off the lingering unease and weakness she felt. She knew she needed to freshen up and confront him again. She couldn’t let this chance slip away. At least he was pitying her at the moment, so she could probably get some forgiveness.
After a few minutes of gathering her thoughts, Lily splashed water on her face and brushed her hair, feeling a bit more like herself.
With a sense of resolve, she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. The scent of something savory wafted through the air, guiding her toward the kitchen. As she approached, she spotted Cai emerging from the pantry, a bowl of soup in one hand and a plate piled high with bread in the other.
"You can have some soup and bread," he said without looking up, his tone clipped as he moved past her.
Before he could walk away, something inside her propelled her to act. She reached out, catching the sleeve of his jacket and giving it a gentle tug. Cai paused and turned to face her, eyebrows raised in surprise.