Li Erqin twisted her hair up before heading out of the bathroom. She suddenly thought of a phrase that perfectly suited her: “Last to know, last to realise.”
Suddenly a question popped into her mind – Why did Rong Si appear at the tracks? Does he run daily? Is that why he is built so splendidly and so tall?
(Minodayz: stop dreaming LEQ and go for it girl – even I’m wanting to meet RS!!! Bod and all!)
Does the running have to be accompanied by drinking milk?
“Li Erqin.” Su Zi’s grudging voice called forth from ahead.
“Yes?”
“If you keep dawdling, we won’t have enough time to grab breakfast.”
Li Erqin recalled in horror that she had arranged to have breakfast with Rong Si. In a rush, she hurriedly dried her hair before grabbing Su Zi and making a dash down.
Rong Si was waiting below the stairs, no different from any other day. Peng Zige was also his usual fidgety self, bouncing here and there.
Today, Rong Si had on a dark blue cap, and a few tendrils of black hair had escaped from the edge of the hat. His face seemed so pale that it almost looked as if he were sickly.
Too fair.
Li Erqin quickened her pace and ran to him. She was in such a rush to speak that she choked on a gulp of cold air and ended up coughing until she was red in the face.
Rong Si sighed, “Don’t rush.”
Peng Zige and Su Zi had a look of worry as they looked at her. With her coughing like that, there really wasn’t anything anyone could do except look on.
When Li Erqin had finished coughing, she explained, “I came down a little slow.”
(Minodayz: Oh myyyyy LEQ say WHAT??? Gahahaahahaha (*≧▽≦) ROFL!!!)
Rong Si smiled and Li Erqin caught a whiff of his after shower scent.
Lowering her head, she buried her face into her collar.
She smiled too!
(Minodayz: awwwww – so cute! ♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ))
(MissBookie: I know right!)
It was rather late by the time they arrived at the cafeteria, and all the hot food had already been taken, leaving behind only a few cold plain buns (aka Mantou).
Peng Zige poured himself a cup of hot water and looked at the bun. He began to eat the bun miserably, and with his mouth full, he grumbled, “Erqin, why were you so slow today? I’d asked Rong Si to give you a call to hurry up, but he was too lazy to make it.”
Su Zi couldn’t resist raising her eyes and sent him a look, declaring him an idiot.
He thought that was laziness?
Li Erqin slowly swallowed her food and took a sip of water. “Why didn’t you call then?”
Peng Zige was stumped.
“You were the one who was lazy. Why did you blame it on Rong Si?”
Peng Zige refuted, “It’s not being lazy! The weather was so cold that I didn’t want to take my hands out of my pocket!”
(Minodayz: I knew why I love you PZG – you’ve got that knack of digging holes and jumping in with your foot in your mouth!!! hahahaha!)
Li Erqin uttered, “Oh.”
Su Zi made a “pfft” sound.
Peng Zige: “……”
Rong Si gave her a sideways glance.
Li Erqin bizarrely avoided making eye contact as her rapid heartbeat resulted in a heat spreading from the base of her neck to the roots of her ear.
She coughed to cover up the awkwardness.
During the third period that morning, Peng Zige abruptly raised his hand. His whole face was covered with cold sweat. He hadn’t even managed to utter a single word when, suddenly, his whole 1.8m frame fell backwards and onto the ground.
What a fright it had given the group of them! In a melee, they carried him to the infirmary.
Stomach cramps. (Gastric Spasm?)
He awoke when he arrived at the infirmary but immediately began to get nausea and vomited.
Li Erqin and Su Zi were anxiously hoping to give him some help and relief, only to realise that all they could do was watch him suffer on his own.
They waited diligently, and by the time Peng Zige’s condition had finally stabilized, it was already lunch time. Su Zi went back to class to report his status to the teacher.
However, for Rong Si who had been caring for Peng Zige since morning, his pallor was starting to look serious.
Li Erqin was rather concerned as she watched him. Offering him some cool water, she said, “Here, drink some water.”
Rong Si sat resting at the end of Peng Zige’s bed. His right sleeve was stained with Peng Zige’s vomit. Peng Zige’s vomit had come on so suddenly and quickly that he had thrown up all over Rong Si’s arm. Rong Si had very nonchalantly patted Peng Zige’s back as he instructed Li Erqin to bring the nearby rubbish bin over.
Li Erqin was drawing near with the water when he immediately shifted backwards a bit.
Earlier when he was vomited on, he did not mind the stench at all, so what was he minding now?
Li Erqin raised her eyebrows in confusion but proceeded to hand him that cup of water. “Drink.”
(Minodayz: LEQ babydoll are you trying to drown him! More water – really!?!)
Surprisingly, Rong Si obediently took it from her.
Li Erqin glanced at the soundly sleeping Peng Zige and said to Rong Si, “I don’t think Peng Zige will be getting up anytime soon. Why don’t you head back, wash up and change into some fresh clothes?”
Rong Si shot a glance at his sleeve.
The urgency from earlier had decreased.
(T/N : no idea what pressure – so I’ve gone literal here. Might be ~the tension from earlier eased.)
“Go on now.” Li Erqin sat by Peng Zige’s bed. “I promise I’ll take good care of him while you’re gone.”
Rong Si gave Peng Zige a quick check before standing. “I’ll come back as soon as possible.”
“Have some lunch before returning.”
Rong Si looked at her.
“How about you go change and I’ll have something to eat after, and then later, we can switch.”
Rong Si nodded.
Rong Si went back to the hostel to shower and change his clothes before heading straight back to the infirmary. Upon his return, he found only Li Erqin sitting there. With both her hands tucked into her jacket pocket, she was nodding in her sleep like a little chick pecking.
He softened his steps and was taken by surprise when she woke up anyway.
She turned her head across and rubbed her eyes. “Peng Zige’s parents came a while ago and took him home.”
Rong Si nodded. “Why didn’t you send me a text then?”
“My phone was in the classroom.”
Rong Si didn’t pursue the matter further.
“Are you hungry?”
Li Erqin nodded.
“How about we go and grab ourselves something to eat?”
“Haven’t you eaten?”
Rong Si answered, “I had a quick bite, but I’m still hungry.”
Li Erqin suggested, “Instant noodles?”
Rong Si said, “……maybe we can still find some food at the cafeteria.”
In the end, they were too late, and there was nothing left at the cafeteria except the empty food trays and even those had been washed and kept away. By then, they didn’t even have enough time to grab any instant noodles. Li Erqin was due to make the afternoon broadcast, so she randomly bought a bun and hurriedly dashed off to the broadcasting studio.
Rong Si had his bread dangling off his mouth as he headed back to class as well.
It was so cold that he followed Peng Zige’s habit of stuffing his hands into his pockets for warmth.
When he had turned the corner from the second level to the third level, out of habit, he inclined his head to look towards the broadcasting studio.
A familiar figure wearing a black jacket was heading towards the broadcasting studio.
Rong Si furrowed his brows.
Minodayz: Ooooo dark figures….would that spell trouble??? Poor PZG – I feel for you! I was with a few kids at the doctors from sick as a dog vomiting and diarrhea. No fun at all. Somehow the black jacket guy is like the calm before the storm. Hold that thought, have a great weekend and til next week, be safe and well!