The moment the soft, damp towel fell, the person perched high above held his breath, his eyes locked unblinkingly on the handsome face below.
In the pale blue sunlight streaming through the window, only at such close range did Yu Bai realize that Xie Wufang’s expression wasn’t as serene as usual. His brows were slightly furrowed, as if he were immersed in some subtle torment that others could scarcely detect.
After the cool, wet towel was draped over him, the faint tension in the man’s face seemed to ease a little.
Cooling him down appeared to be working?
Relieved yet wary that it might be his imagination, Yu Bai considered fetching something colder to test it further.
But he only had the one towel on hand. Besides, he was in the middle of the vast bed now, like someone stranded in the heart of a lake. It had taken him ages of slow, deliberate shifting to get this far, and climbing on and off would be a real hassle.
Right!
Only then did Yu Bai glance down at his own fingertips, reddened from the cold.
His hands, which had been soaked in ice water for a good while, were probably even chillier than the towel.
…What if he tried using his hands?
Before putting the idea into action, Yu Bai instinctively glanced back, scanning the surroundings.
And that’s when he spotted Yan Jing peeking curiously through the bedroom doorway.
Their gazes collided abruptly in midair, and both froze for a beat.
Before Yu Bai, kneeling beside the man on the bed, could say a word, Yan Jing—his face a mask of shock and bewilderment—dropped his head in a panic, quietly shut the door, and bolted from the threshold.
As if he’d stumbled upon something he absolutely shouldn’t have seen.
What the hell? Why run?
Why close the door?!
Yu Bai had been about to ask him to grab another wet towel. Stunned by the sight, he swallowed his words.
Fine. Hands it was, then.
Xie Wufang couldn’t see anyway.
As this thought crossed his mind, a mischievous thrill bubbled up in Yu Bai’s chest, like he was pulling off some playful prank.
He leaned in again, took a deep breath, and pressed his icy palm gently against the man’s face.
…
So hot!
His own temperature was already lower than that of Xie Wufang, who was burning with fever, and after the cold water soak, the contrast was even starker.
It felt just like reaching into someone’s thick winter collar on a freezing day with hands numb from the cold—a rush of indescribable comfort and warmth.
He almost didn’t want to pull away.
This was nothing like the cold cheek he’d touched before.
While warming his hands on the slumbering god’s face, Yu Bai closely observed any changes in his expression.
The furrowed brows relaxed a fraction more.
Cooling really did seem effective.
For a god carrying the essence of winter, high heat was unnatural and perilous; chill was what brought him comfort.
At last, the knot of anxiety in Yu Bai’s heart began to loosen.
At least he could do something for Xie Wufang in his uncertain state, rather than stand by helplessly.
But his relief was short-lived. A sudden pressure nudged against his knee, right where it pressed into the mattress.
His palm, resting on that profound profile, slipped downward unexpectedly.
The man, who had been lying quietly on his side, stirred abruptly.
…!!!
Yu Bai, who had been sneakily using Little Xie as a personal heater, felt his heart skip a full beat.
His mind went blank; he even forgot to withdraw his errant hand. He could only watch, wide-eyed, as that lock of raven-black hair shifted lightly against the white pillow. The strikingly beautiful face, with its hint of mixed heritage, came fully into view.
Shifting from his side to lie on his back, the man’s slightly curled locks tumbled messily across his forehead. His closed lashes caught the sunlight’s glow, but there was no sign of him waking.
Just rolling over, like any ordinary person deep in sleep.
Yu Bai, who had nearly died on the spot from embarrassment, let out a long breath.
Staring at the man so close their faces almost touched, he zoned out for a moment. Then it hit him: he might be a bit of a face-connoisseur after all.
Gently, oh so gently, he lifted his now-warmed hand away.
Then he strained to support the man’s back.
He’d been kneeling too close earlier, and with the sudden shift in position, half of Xie Wufang’s back now weighed on his knee. The scorching heat seeped through the thin fabric, leaving Yu Bai flustered.
So heavy.
And his back was broader than his own.
Muttering to himself inwardly, Yu Bai took great care not to disturb the sleeping man. It took forever, but he finally extricated himself from that silent, searing embrace. He inched toward the bed’s edge, glancing back now and then to check on Xie Wufang.
The cloud-soft mattress dipped deeply, rippling with wave-like creases.
When his foot finally touched solid ground at the bedside—ground he’d missed sorely—Yu Bai’s legs nearly gave out; he wobbled, barely staying upright.
…His knees were numb from kneeling.
Supporting his unsteady legs, he left the bedroom and shut the door behind him. Just then, Yan Jing—who had been sitting obediently on the sofa, phone in hand, waiting—shot him a glance brimming with curiosity.
“All done?”
“Yeah, cooling him down works,” Yu Bai replied on reflex, then caught himself. “What do you mean ‘all done’? Done with what?”
What was he even doing?!
And why had this guy bolted like that earlier, slamming the door for no reason?!
It had turned the bedroom into a stifling sauna.
“You know…” Yan Jing mumbled sheepishly, “like… mouth-to-mouth?”
Yu Bai gaped at him in disbelief. “What are you talking about? Mouth-to-mouth?!”
“I saw you climb onto Brother Xie’s bed, get all up close, cupping his face and everything. I just thought… Ah, my bad! I got it wrong! Haha.”
Sensing his friend’s expression darkening ominously, Yan Jing backpedaled smartly.
He noticed Little Bai’s face was flushed again, but it probably had nothing to do with the still-unconscious Brother Xie, right?
Global warming might have taken a backseat for now, but the room was plenty toasty—especially that bedroom with the door shut. It had to be sweltering in there.
So, the blush made total sense.
Utterly reasonable.
With that in mind, Yan Jing steered the conversation elsewhere. “Cooling works? Awesome. Need more cold towels?”
“If you hadn’t run off, I’d have sent you for them ages ago!”
Yu Bai grumbled, then added, “I’ve turned on the AC in the room already. Now I’m thinking of grabbing some ice to pile in there.”
Wet towels needed constant swapping—messy and a pain. Not ideal.
Outside, it was winter-cold; opening a window would cool things fastest. But Yu Bai worried about passersby spotting the unnatural heat from outside and lingering to peer in.
People instinctively glanced through uncurtained windows, after all.
So… he hadn’t been some creep peeking into Xie Wufang’s bedroom window earlier.
“Ice? Where from—the kitchen?”
“Not sure. Check the kitchen, or ask Uncle Zhang first.”
“Makes sense. Head out now?”
Yan Jing started for the door, but Yu Bai called him back.
“Hold up! You trying to freeze solid?”
Moments later, the white-haired old man—hurrying down the corridor with a servant, arms full of thick winter clothes—spotted the two… no, two blobs? emerging from the room.
He paused, then called out to the white figures. “Little Doctor Yu? Over here!”
The chubby snowman that was Yu Bai—swaddled head to toe in bedsheets—turned at the sound.
Beside him, the sumo wrestler layered in four bathrobes—Yan’s generous donation of the bedding—turned too.
“I was just about to bring you clothes…”
Seeing their getups, Zhang Yunjiang chuckled. “Come on, come on—inside and change!”
The group crashing at his place on this impromptu summer-night sleepover hadn’t packed changes of clothes, let alone winter gear.
After the sudden chill hit, the quick-thinking Zhang Yunjiang had already delivered winter clothes to his two young guests. Now he was fetching for the other three.
But spotting the multi-robed figure turning back—not Little Teacher Xie—surprised him a touch.
He’d assumed the two young men were inseparable.
Zhang Yunjiang followed Yu Bai and Yan Jing inside, only to blink in astonishment. “Your AC cranks up fast! It’s downright cozy in here!”
…Not the hot AC, though.
The two exchanged a subtle look, coughed awkwardly, and changed the subject in unison.
Yan Jing began shedding bathrobes layer by layer. “Finally, normal clothes. Thanks, Uncle Zhang!”
Yu Bai dropped the bedding, took the thick garments from the old man’s arms, and thanked him too. “Uncle Zhang, I was just about to look for you.”
“Look for me?” Zhang Yunjiang was caught off guard, hefting the third set of winter clothes still in his hands. Casually, he asked, “Oh, right—where’s Little Teacher Xie? Still napping?”
“…Yeah.” Yu Bai hesitated, then explained, “That’s actually why I wanted to find you.”
“He’s running a high fever. He’s uncomfortable from the heat in the bedroom, so I want to find some ice to cool him down, but I don’t know where any is.”
“Running a high fever?!”
The old man was startled and immediately lowered his voice, afraid of disturbing the patient in the bedroom. “We need to call a doctor! If it’s serious, we have to take him to the hospital. I’ll call right now!”
Yu Bai hurriedly refused. “No, no, no—no need to call a doctor—”
He didn’t want to scare some ordinary human doctor, after all.
But how could he reasonably stop this enthusiastic old man from calling one…
Hearing this, Zhang Yunjiang paused for a moment, then stared at Yu Bai as realization dawned on him. “Oh! I almost forgot—you’re a doctor!”
“Ah?” Yu Bai was bewildered for an instant. Once he caught on, he replied guiltily, “Right, so there’s no need to trouble anyone else. I’ll take care of him.”
…He had almost forgotten that detail himself.
“Alright, alright—we’ll do as you say!” Zhang Yunjiang followed the doctor’s instructions to the letter. “I’ll have someone prepare some ice right away. Just wait a moment. Do you need anything else? We have plenty of medicine at home!”
Yu Bai thought for a moment before replying, “No medicine needed, but until he starts recovering, we might really have to impose on you for a few more days.”
They couldn’t leave this place for the time being—at least not until Xie Wufang woke up.
“Sure, no problem!” Zhang Yunjiang laughed. “I was hoping you’d stay a few more days anyway! Of course, it’d be even better if Teacher Xie’s fever breaks soon.”
The old man spoke with complete sincerity, and some of the embarrassment in Yu Bai’s heart eased away.
At the same time, he found it a little strange.
Amid this extreme shift in the weather—enough to put everyone on edge—Zhang Yunjiang’s mood seemed even better than it had been earlier in the chess room when answering his questions. There was even an unwitting smile nestled in the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.
Yu Bai couldn’t help asking, “Uncle Zhang, aren’t you worried?”
“Worried?” The cheerful old man was mildly surprised. “Oh—you mean the weather outside?”
“This is a genuine catastrophe, but what can an old man like me do about it?”
As he spoke, a deep joy welled up in his aged eyes. Like a gleeful child, he added eagerly, “You know, this cold wave hasn’t even been around long, but my kids have been calling one after another to check how I’m doing at home. It’s a first!”
“They even said they’d come visit and have dinner together. How rare is that!”
Still basking in his delight, Zhang Yunjiang thought of something and asked tentatively, “Would you two mind joining us for a casual dinner? I’d like to introduce you to each other. They heard we have guests staying here and want to meet you.”
“But if you’d rather not, or if you don’t have time, that’s fine too! I know a lot of young people these days have… what’s it called? Social… social phobia?”
The old man racked his brains for the trendy term, his tone utterly earnest. “Anyway, we have more than one dining room, and the chefs can manage. It’s entirely up to you—just be honest with me!”
Once Yu Bai heard him out, he quickly schooled his surprise and replied, “Sure.”
He had seen this bunch of family members at the funeral parlor, clustered around the cremation furnace as they argued red-faced over the inheritance.
How could a cold wave of unknown consequences suddenly make them so concerned about an old man safe at home?
It felt like there was some other agenda at play.
In a situation like this, Yu Bai certainly wouldn’t feel right letting a thrilled Zhang Yunjiang face his children alone.
What if those turtle bastards pissed him off so much he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage?
Though he still had no idea how Xie Wufang would get them back to the real world—or what the endgame would be for this anomalous timespace—
After spending time with Zhang Yunjiang, Yu Bai genuinely didn’t want to see this kind and amiable old man pass away suddenly.
Even if it was only in this timespace that didn’t belong to the real world.
He had never met his own mother, much less his maternal grandparents.
But now that he had a vivid model, he imagined his grandfather might be an old man just like Zhang Yunjiang.
In the same way, the mother who had left home early and never raised him suddenly seemed like she ought to resemble the gentle and kind Doctor Chen.
When a train chugged steadily forward and colorful scenery began flashing past the window, the passenger’s once pale and barren imagination quietly filled up, bit by bit.
Even if that scenery didn’t truly belong to the passenger.
Hearing the young man beside him agree, the old man’s smile broadened even further. “That’s wonderful—truly wonderful!”
Before the cold wave descended and the calls from his children came in, Zhang Yunjiang—when asked about his regrets—had said he hoped days like these would last a little longer.
If it hadn’t felt a touch untimely, Yu Bai suspected the old man might have blurted out, just like the frank Tian Ge, “This damn weather has its upsides after all!”
The naturally reserved and genteel old man didn’t voice that inner thought, of course.
But he did say something very much like what Sun Tiantian had.
“I just noticed, Little Doctor Yu—you’re not wearing your glasses.”
Zhang Yunjiang asked belatedly, “Is it because the fog was bothering you? Can you see clearly now? Is it inconvenient?”
“I can see clearly.”
The young man with refined features ducked his head uncomfortably. After a moment’s hesitation, he explained with some embarrassment, “Actually, I’m not nearsighted… Those were just non-prescription glasses.”
Zhang Yunjiang was a little baffled. “Huh? Non-prescription glasses?”
If you weren’t nearsighted, why wear glasses at all?
He reflected that at his age, he really couldn’t keep up with young people and their ever-changing trendy whims.
But he didn’t press the matter. Instead, he said proactively, “It’s good not to wear them. They won’t get in the way when it’s cold, and it makes you look more lively.”
“Besides,” the old man—with eyes as gentle as a grandfather’s—“you look even better this way!”
