I Turned a Competitive Variety Show into a Dating Show - Chapter 23

Jian Zhi’s somatization symptoms hadn’t recurred in ages. Why now?

She withdrew her hand and clenched it with the other, but the effort proved futile.

Gradually, she felt a bone-deep chill, and black spots danced before her eyes in waves. The ground seemed to spin beneath her feet.

Just as she was about to collapse, a pair of hands caught her.

First, she recognized the familiar scent of perfume, similar to her own. Then came the warmth of the other person’s body, easing the stiffness in her limbs.

An anxious voice called out beside her, but she lacked the strength to respond. With her last reserves of energy, she gripped the hand encircling her waist.

Seeing Jian Zhi unconscious, Shi Xu froze, utterly helpless. After a dazed ten seconds, she scooped Jian Zhi into her arms and hurried toward the garage.

Thank goodness she’d borrowed a car from her Second Sister earlier for convenience. Taking a taxi to the hospital would undoubtedly spark another viral frenzy.

Given the current online backlash against her, conspiracy theories claiming she’d harmed Jian Zhi wouldn’t be far-fetched.

Ugh! How did things spiral so out of control? I clearly…

Shi Xu glanced down at the person in her arms and recoiled in shock at the sweat-drenched face. Her feet flew across the ground as she desperately wished she could slam Jian Zhi into the car and race to the hospital.

Oh, right. Speeding is out of the question.

Being caught would be another damning offense, nailing her to the pillory of public shame for life.

Only after getting into the car did Shi Xu realize she was drenched in sweat. She reached to turn on the air conditioning but stopped, remembering Jian Zhi’s fever. She endured the stifling heat all the way to the hospital.

After checking into the emergency room and getting Jian Zhi into an examination room, Shi Xu finally felt lightheaded, unsure if it was from the heat or the stress.

Her back was completely soaked, the damp clothes clinging uncomfortably to her skin. But she had no time to worry about herself, her mind consumed by the hope that Jian Zhi would be alright.

If she hadn’t turned back, Jian Zhi would have collapsed on the ground. Even if she hadn’t been injured in the fall, the road was so deserted that who knew when she would have been found?

Shi Xu leaned back in her chair, exhaling heavily.

Thank goodness I stuck to her like a piece of taffy. Otherwise…

She couldn’t bear to imagine the alternative.

The examination didn’t take long. The doctor drew back the curtain and emerged, and Shi Xu rushed forward.

“Miss Jian fainted due to low bl00d sugar. There’s nothing seriously wrong with her physically, but…”

Shi Xu’s heart skipped a beat, her fists clenching.

Everyone knew doctors had a way of speaking. The first part was always to reassure the family, but the real concern came after the “but.”

“She has severe somatization symptoms related to anxiety. This episode may have been triggered by her weakened state, leading to other complications and causing her to lose consciousness.”

“Anxiety disorder?” Shi Xu asked, surprised.

The doctor nodded. “The rest is the patient’s private medical information, which I’m not at liberty to disclose. Please pay close attention to her mental state and help her maintain emotional well-being and peace.”

Shi Xu gleaned a great deal from the doctor’s words, leaving her stunned and her mind racing.

Though Jian Zhi usually appeared aloof, she seemed perfectly healthy. How could she have such a severe anxiety disorder?

Or had she been concealing her true emotions all along?

Shi Xu suddenly recalled the time Jian Zhi had been in low spirits and secretly cried in their dormitory. At that moment, she had looked as if she were about to shatter.

Was that her true self?

If so, how much pain must she have been enduring all this time, suppressing herself and forcing herself to fit in?

Shi Xu nodded absently, paid the hospital bill, and contacted the production team to request a day off for herself and Jian Zhi.

That night, she stayed by Jian Zhi’s bedside.

Jian Zhi was plagued by nightmares, her brow furrowed as she whimpered and mumbled incoherently in her sleep. Shi Xu’s heart ached as she climbed into bed and pulled Jian Zhi into her arms.

Jian Zhi’s body remained icy cold, and she pressed closer to Shi Xu, seeking warmth. Shi Xu had no choice but to hold her even tighter.

Perhaps feeling secure, Jian Zhi’s delirious murmurs soon ceased, and her breathing gradually evened out.

Shi Xu sighed in relief, burying her face in the nape of Jian Zhi’s neck as her heart finally settled.

Thank goodness this worked, she thought. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known how to ease Jian Zhi’s pain.

Having never encountered such an illness before, she naturally had no effective methods for healing it.

Jian Zhi nestled deeper into her arms, seemingly fast asleep.

Shi Xu nuzzled her neck and whispered, “Sister, please get better soon. I’ll listen to whatever you say from now on.”

She thought Jian Zhi was asleep, but her eyelids fluttered slightly, tears wetting her lashes.

The next morning, Shi Xu was awakened by a pinch. Opening her eyes, she found Jian Zhi’s magnified face looming over her, the sheer beauty of it nearly knocking her off the bed.

Jian Zhi stared at her and demanded, “Why are you in my bed?”

Shi Xu rubbed her pinched cheek and obediently climbed out of bed, changing the subject. “Sister, are you hungry? I’ll go get breakfast for you.”

Jian Zhi sat up, crossing her arms. “It’s already this late—breakfast? Get ready and go practice. The performance is right around the corner.”

It was indeed late, but Shi Xu had taken the day off and could afford to indulge. Her eyes lit up with an idea.

“The hospital’s so stuffy. How about we go out and have some fun?”

Jian Zhi shot her a glare, snapping, “Did the doctor say you could just take patients out whenever you want?”

She didn’t hesitate to call herself a patient, seemingly unbothered by the label. Normally, Shi Xu would have admired her carefree attitude, but now it only made her heart ache.

On the surface, everything seemed calm, but only she knew the wounds hidden within.

You don’t have to pretend to be strong, Shi Xu wanted to tell Jian Zhi. No one expects you to be brave all the time. But she felt unworthy to say such words.

After much deliberation, she decided to play along, pretending not to notice anything amiss.

“Come on, you’re not even that sick! Besides, I already took the day off. We can’t waste this beautiful weather, can we?”

With that, she dashed out to handle the discharge paperwork. When she returned, she had a hat and mask in hand, fully prepared to disguise herself. She sat down to wait for Jian Zhi to change and leave.

Jian Zhi remained seated on the hospital bed, watching her with amusement.

Shi Xu pulled down her mask, pouted, and squatted down in front of Jian Zhi, putting on a pitiful act. “Sister, come play with me! My friends are all overseas, and there’s no one to go out with. I’m so lonely and pathetic.”

Jian Zhi barely lifted her eyelids. She didn’t want to get too entangled with Shi Xu; it wouldn’t be good for either of them.

To be more precise, she would only drag Shi Xu down.

She didn’t want to become overly dependent on anyone, and judging by last night’s events, she seemed to be already leaning on Shi Xu.

Now, before the bond deepened, a swift severing was the only solution.

After all, the path ahead was one she had to walk alone.

Seeing Jian Zhi’s silence, Shi Xu’s pout deepened. “Come on, just think of it as a thank-you for bringing you to the hospital, okay?”

Before Jian Zhi could reply, Shi Xu leaned closer, grabbed Jian Zhi’s hand, and pressed it against her cheeks, shaping her lips into an “O.”

“Pretty please, Sister~”