I Don’t Want to Be the Heroine Anymore - Chapter 15

When Xun Fangyun pushed the door open, she could still hear Mang Ke coughing.

On the bed, Mang Ke was bundled up in thick blankets with her eyes open. Seeing that it was Xun Fangyun instead of Aunt Liu bringing her food, she couldn’t help showing a puzzled expression.

“Why is it you?” Mang Ke asked curiously. “Where’s Aunt Liu?”

“She’s busy with other things downstairs.”

Xun Fangyun closed the door and sat down on the chair by the bed, placing the tray on her lap. She tested the temperature of the bowl with the back of her hand.

“How… are you feeling?” Xun Fangyun stared at Mang Ke, feeling somewhat guilty seeing her listless appearance.

She had been drinking and exposed to cold wind last night without any problems, so how did this person suddenly catch a fever?

Mang Ke shook her head and sighed after a moment of thought. “It’s been so long since I last fell sick. This feeling is really uncomfortable…”

Despite her body burning up alarmingly, Mang Ke felt extremely cold—as if even ten layers of blankets wouldn’t help.

Xun Fangyun looked at Mang Ke. Her usually vibrant chestnut hair now hung limply by her sides, just as dispirited as its owner, making her look thoroughly sickly.

“Everyone feels terrible when they’re sick.” Xun Fangyun stirred the porridge with a spoon, then scooped up a spoonful and blew on it. “Have something to eat.”

Mang Ke was indeed hungry and propped herself up against the edge of the bed.

She inhaled the aroma of the plain porridge—the rich fragrance of freshly cooked rice. Normally, she would have been drooling with hunger, but today, Mang Ke had no appetite at all.

Xun Fangyun held the spoon to Mang Ke’s lips, watching as her pink lips closed around the edge of the spoon before slowly feeding her the porridge.

After swallowing a mouthful, Mang Ke smacked her lips and commented, “It has no taste at all.”

Xun Fangyun couldn’t help chuckling lightly. “You’re sick, of course nothing tastes good.”

Mang Ke watched as Xun Fangyun offered another spoonful and reluctantly took a few more bites. She really disliked this tasteless porridge, but being sick left her no choice. She forced herself to finish about half the bowl.

In the end, Mang Ke couldn’t eat any more. Her mouth felt unbearably bland, unable to detect any flavor at all. Continuing to eat would be pointless without any appetite, so she shook her head, wrapped herself in the blankets, and lay back down.

Xun Fangyun held the warm bowl of porridge, looking at Mang Ke’s pitiful state with some helplessness.

Why was she acting so childish?

Though it was rather cute.

She set the bowl and spoon aside and said to Mang Ke, “Stretch out your arm. I’ll take your temperature.”

“Didn’t we just do that?” Mang Ke asked, puzzled.

“That was the doctor.” Xun Fangyun replied calmly. “Now I need to check if your fever has gone down.”

“Mmm… alright then.”

Mang Ke extended her arm to Xun Fangyun, who placed the thermometer in the crook of her elbow.

37.9°C.

Xun Fangyun’s dark eyes fixed on the number. It was indeed much lower than this morning, but she was still running a fever.

“Don’t go anywhere today. Stay at home and rest.” Xun Fangyun said. “I’ll stay with you today.”

Even with a fever, Mang Ke’s mind was still sharp enough to sprout little question marks.

“Why?” Mang Ke asked in confusion. “If I have a fever, I can just sleep it off at home. You should still go to work as usual.”

Besides, if you don’t work, how can I happily live my life as a wealthy housewife?

Though the thought felt somewhat inappropriate, Mang Ke quite enjoyed this feeling of idling around at home.

Xun Fangyun’s gaze turned icy as she stared at her. “You have objections to me accompanying you?”

Mang Ke shrank back. “Well, yes. You usually can’t be bothered with me, so why suddenly want to stay today? Is there… something wrong with you?”

The room instantly fell into terrifying silence.

Mang Ke was actually quite afraid when Xun Fangyun went quiet like this. It felt exactly like when her homeroom teacher used to stand before her in school, face cold and silent—Xun Fangyun looked just the same.

The only difference was that Xun Fangyun was far more beautiful than any teacher Mang Ke had ever known.

But beauty couldn’t put food on the table, and a fierce woman was even scarier.

Perhaps it was just her imagination, but Mang Ke thought she saw Xun Fangyun’s ears turn slightly red. Her originally fair, rounded earlobes now took on a rosy pink hue, making the silver diamond studs adorning them appear even more delicate.

“You caught a chill because of me last night. Is there a problem with me taking care of you?” Xun Fangyun crossed her arms and lifted her chin haughtily. “I’ve always wondered—they say fools don’t catch colds, so how did you get sick so quickly?”

Mang Ke: “????”

One moment she thought Xun Fangyun was being kind, the next she was calling her a fool!

What’s wrong with this woman?!

This isn’t how tsundere behavior works!!

“Who are you calling a fool?!” Mang Ke scrambled up from bed, still wrapped in blankets. “Are you serious? I got sick because of you, and this is how you treat me? After you were so sweet feeding me just now, I actually thought you’d changed!”

Xun Fangyun pressed her lips together, smiling. “What? I’m prepared to take care of you all day—what more could you possibly complain about?”

Mang Ke clicked her tongue. “My dear ancestor, please just go to work. I’ll be perfectly fine recovering at home alone.”

At least she wouldn’t develop new ailments from anger.

Xun Fangyun snorted. “No, I need to see you recover properly.”

Mang Ke frowned. “Why?”

“Because…” Xun Fangyun chuckled softly. “You promised to stay with me for a lifetime. How could I leave you alone, sick in bed?”

Mang Ke: “…”

Huh???

What’s up with this woman?

I’m the one with fever, not you—why are you being so presumptuous???

Mang Ke stared at her with a troubled expression before finally asking, “What did you say?”

Xun Fangyun’s earlobes seemed to redden again. She coughed lightly. “You promised me yesterday—to stay with me forever.”

Mang Ke vaguely remembered something like that. She’d assumed Xun Fangyun was too drunk to recall, never expecting her to come collecting now.

“I only said that because you were crying so pitifully,” Mang Ke explained. “It was just to comfort you.”

Xun Fangyun fell silent.

After a long pause, she asked quietly, “So… you’re taking it back?”

“Of course not!” Mang Ke hurried to say. “I keep my promises. If I said forever, then it’s forever.”

After all, when the story reaches its conclusion, they’ll go their separate ways without complications. A few sweet words now would only make future interactions easier.

Xun Fangyun seemed to be in a good mood. Mang Ke could even see the black tips of hair at her temples bouncing with joyful notes.

“I’m not someone who dwells on emotional entanglements.”

Xun Fangyun reached out, lifted Mang Ke’s chin, and planted a kiss by her lips: “Let’s get along harmoniously from now on, Mrs. Xun.”