Qin Ke caught Lu Youqing as she collapsed into his arms, only then realizing how icy her hands were. There was a faint bluish tinge beneath her eyes. Aside from the first time he had seen her after transmigrating, her complexion had never looked this bad.
He bent down and scooped her up in one swift motion, heading straight for the carriage.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cui Yuanyuan emerging at roughly the same time, already met by her family. Qin Ke nodded to them in greeting.
Cui Yuanyuan looked far better than Lu Youqing—at the very least, she could still walk home on her own.
Once inside the carriage, Qin Ke no longer held back. He wrapped Lu Youqing tightly in his arms, using his own body heat to warm her.
Half-conscious, Lu Youqing buried her face in the hollow of his shoulder. Her burning forehead brushed against the fabric of his inner robe, pressing close to the skin at his collarbone.
"Nanqiao, faster!" Qin Ke urged anxiously.
Li Nanqiao snapped the reins, urging the horses on.
Upon reaching Lixiang Courtyard, Qin Ke carried Lu Youqing straight inside. After laying her gently on the bed, he carefully removed her shoes and socks, then tucked her beneath the blankets.
"Nanqiao, bring a basin of water. Then go to the front courtyard and have Gu Zhong fetch a physician."
Li Nanqiao didn't delay.
Qin Ke soaked a cloth in warm water and gently wiped her face and hands. Lu Youqing hadn't washed for three days—if she woke up, she would certainly be displeased with herself.
Before long, Qin Ke felt her forehead growing alarmingly hot. Her cheeks were flushed red, like a steamed lobster.
It was clearly a fever brought on by exposure to cold—at least thirty-eight degrees Celsius.
Still, to be safe, he decided to wait for the physician's diagnosis.
Gu Zhong returned swiftly, bringing with him an elderly doctor.
"This is Physician Fang from the Gu residence. His medical skills are excellent. When the family head heard that Madam Qin was ill, she sent him immediately."
No wonder he came so quickly—it was Gu Lanxi's personal physician.
Physician Fang set down his medical case and took Lu Youqing's pulse.
"The pulse is floating and tight. Madam Qin has been invaded by external cold, accompanied by chills, fever, and aches in the head and body. The cold is severe," Physician Fang said after a moment with his eyes closed. "I will prescribe medicine to dispel the cold. For now, the most urgent matter is to reduce her fever—use a cool, damp cloth to help dissipate the heat."
"Thank you, Doctor," Qin Ke said with a nod. The diagnosis matched his own suspicions.
After Physician Fang finished writing the prescription, Gu Zhong escorted him out to fetch the medicine.
Once they were alone, Qin Ke opened the system marketplace and redeemed a box of fever-reducing medicine.
The system had once said that tasks and items would change according to his circumstances. When he noticed medicine appearing in the marketplace the night before, he had already felt uneasy.
Traditional herbal medicine would work too slowly. A prolonged fever would only harm her further.
"Youqing… Youqing?" Qin Ke called softly several times. When she didn't respond, he gently lifted her up.
Sitting against the bed, he supported her in his arms so she leaned against his chest. He placed the capsule in her mouth, took a sip of warm water, and carefully fed it to her. The sensation was soft and warm, but his mind held no trace of impropriety—only worry.
After several sips, she finally swallowed the capsule, and only then did Qin Ke feel some relief.
Tucking her in carefully, he returned the remaining medicine to his storage space. Such items, far beyond the era, could not be seen by others.
He went to check the kitchen. Lixiang Courtyard had a small private kitchen that was rarely used. Seeing Li Nanqiao brewing the herbal medicine, he went to the front courtyard to ask Gu Zhong to have some nourishing soup and porridge sent over later.
There was no reason not to make use of free labor and resources.
Western medicine worked quickly. Wrapped in thick quilts, Lu Youqing began sweating after about half an hour.
Qin Ke stayed by her bedside, wiping her gently with a cloth to keep her from feeling uncomfortable.
Li Nanqiao came in occasionally to change the hot water. Each time she entered, she saw Qin Ke watching over the bed with anxious devotion. She offered to take over so he could rest, but he refused every time and instead urged her to go rest herself.
Lu Youqing broke into a sweat several times. When Qin Ke touched her forehead again, the temperature had finally come down.
"Qin Ke…"
A hoarse, weak voice sounded in the quiet room.
"You're awake, my dear!" Qin Ke quickly withdrew his hand, his eyes lighting up at once.
Lu Youqing's lashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes. Turning to look at him, she saw that his eyes were rimmed with red from exhaustion. "Am I sick?"
"Yes, but the doctor has already seen you. It's just a cold—rest for a few days and you'll be fine." Remembering she hadn't eaten, Qin Ke hurried to bring over the nourishing soup Gu Zhong had sent.
The soup and the herbal medicine had been kept warm on the brazier, ready for whenever she woke.
He propped her up with pillows so she could lean back comfortably and fed her the soup.
"You haven't eaten since you came back. Drinking medicine on an empty stomach isn't good—have the soup first, then take the medicine."
"Have you eaten?" Lu Youqing asked after swallowing a spoonful.
"…Of course."
"Liar." Lu Youqing glanced at him, her lashes drooping lazily.
Though she had been unconscious, her awareness hadn't completely faded. She could sense that he had stayed by her side the entire time, never leaving to eat.
Qin Ke wiped away a trace of medicine from the corner of her lips with a cloth. "Alright. I'm a liar."
After she finished the medicine, Lu Youqing urged him to go eat.
Seeing her insistence, Qin Ke had no choice but to fetch dinner from the kitchen. He brought it back to the bedroom—he didn't want to leave her sight—but he had little appetite and only ate a few bites.
Lu Youqing shifted inward on the bed, signaling for him to lie down.
Qin Ke removed his outer robe and lay beside her, one hand resting in her hair at the back of her head. He pulled her closer, holding her gently, and turned to kiss her cheek.
"…I have a cold. It's contagious," Lu Youqing said softly, turning her face away.
"It's fine. I'm strong," Qin Ke replied.
"Why didn't you ask how my academy exam went?" Lu Youqing asked, gripping his arm with both hands.
Qin Ke smiled calmly. "I trust you completely."
Lu Youqing secretly curved her lips into a faint smile. But she was still ill and weak, and the medicine contained something to aid sleep. After only a few words, she closed her eyes again and drifted off.
When Physician Fang returned the next day to check on her, he stroked his beard and smiled. "It seems Madam Qin has a strong constitution. The fever has subsided—what remains is simply to rest and recuperate."
---
Currently at chapter 246 for advance chapters
https:// ko-fi.com/rabi08