Online Romance with an Iceberg Professor Backfired - Chapter 28.1

Chapter 28.1: Desire

Thinking of this, Ji Pei propped her chin on her hand, leaned toward Jiang Xianhan, and said, “There was a girl in our dorm named Ran Feifei. She got into your class.”

“Ran Feifei?” Jiang Xianhan thought for a moment and smiled. “That name sounds quite familiar.”

Ji Pei immediately sensed some gossip. She wrapped her arms around Jiang Xianhan’s waist, leaned against the sofa, and couldn’t help but ask, “Is there some scandal? Let me in on it!”

Seeing Ji Pei’s eager face, Jiang Xianhan thought for a moment and said, “She liked to talk in my class and always passed notes to others.” Jiang Xianhan tutted softly. “One time, I saw a crumpled note in class. When I opened it, it was…”

Ji Pei’s eyes lit up. “What was it?”

Jiang Xianhan pinched her chin and shook it twice, raising an eyebrow. “Adult content, unsuitable for minors.”

Ji Pei thought, No matter how ‘adult’ it was, it couldn’t be as… umm… as yours.

“I had a deep impression of her ever since, but she seemed to have dropped out later and never came to class again.”

“She dropped out because she was caught secretly using other people’s skincare products in the dorm.” Ji Pei bit her finger and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Do you know why she was caught?”

Jiang Xianhan leaned against Ji Pei’s chest and asked, “Why?”

“Because her roommate added fluorescent agent to it. When she applied it to her face and the lights were turned off, she became a glowing version of the Mask, hahaha!” Ji Pei lay on the sofa and tilted her head. “She also secretly used other people’s shampoo and shower gel, but she actually used a powerful depilatory cream that her roommate had swapped them with. She almost lost her hair.”

These stories were told to her by Ye Wenzhu, who was always on top of all the gossip. They had laughed for several days together then, and they would bring it up again when they were bored.

Jiang Xianhan also pursed her lips and sighed, seeing Ji Pei shaking with laughter.

Ji Pei held her aching lower abdomen, nearly unable to straighten up. She shared stories of her school days with Jiang Xianhan, dragging out every person she disliked for verbal punishment. Except for Xie Zhen, who gave her countless psychological shadows. Just the thought of that name gave Ji Pei goosebumps. The past was the past, and Ji Pei didn’t want to bring up old things anymore.

Jiang Xianhan leaned on her, listening quietly. She listened very carefully, as if she were personally reliving Ji Pei’s four years of college.

“Oh no, I forgot something very important!” Ji Pei slapped her forehead. She realized it was already past seven in the evening, and she had been talking to Jiang Xianhan for over two hours. “I haven’t bought groceries or meat yet!”

Ji Pei took out her tablet, opened Meituan, and found the supermarket she frequently used. “The meat and vegetables here are very fresh. I order from here often.”

“One box of beef. This marbled pattern is gorgeous.” “Do you want steak? I’m good at searing it.”

Jiang Xianhan held the released Snow Mochi (Xue Meiniang), gently stroking its fur with her left hand, and nodded. “Then let’s get some vegetables, and two boxes of cherry tomatoes. They’re sweet and delicious.”

Ji Pei scrolled through Meituan, tempted to buy all the beef and bring it home. If you don’t eat it all, the texture won’t be as good when it’s frozen. You really shouldn’t be greedy.

Ji Pei ordered over ten items of meat and vegetables, as well as some fresh fruit and snacks. She noticed that Jiang Xianhan had been silent, which was unusual for her, so she turned to the woman leaning on the sofa and asked what she wanted to eat.

What she saw was alarming. The woman’s entire face was unnaturally flushed. Her normally sharp phoenix eyes were now drooping and listless, with a blush like rouge at the corners. Ji Pei put down the tablet, leaned toward Jiang Xianhan, and gently called her name, sensing that something was seriously wrong. She placed the back of her hand on Jiang Xianhan’s forehead and was instantly startled by the heat.

“You have a fever.” As expected, the vaccine did cause some unpleasant side effects, such as dizziness and even a high fever.

“Jiang Xianhan?” Ji Pei quickly retrieved the medical kit from home and used the thermometer to measure Jiang Xianhan’s ear temperature.

$38.5°C$.

Seeing the red number, Ji Pei bit her lower lip and took a deep breath, remaining silent. “Are you cold?”

Jiang Xianhan nodded. “A little.”

Ji Pei stroked Jiang Xianhan’s smooth hair, stood up from the sofa, moved next to her, gently scooped up the back of her legs, and lifted her horizontally. Ji Pei’s movements were very light. She went to the master bedroom, slowly placed Jiang Xianhan on the bed, and positioned her to the side slightly, using a pillow to prop up her body. Since both of Jiang Xianhan’s arms were inconvenient, and she was afraid of putting pressure on the recently vaccinated left arm, she could only use this method for now.

The doctor who administered the vaccine had mentioned that a fever not exceeding $38.5°C$ was considered normal. Jiang Xianhan was right at this critical value and only needed cooling treatment. People with thin skin, even when having a fever, looked more alarming.

Jiang Xianhan’s face was flushed. She slightly narrowed her eyes, her lips slowly parting, her breathing a little rapid, and her chest constantly rising and falling. Ji Pei ran to the bathroom, dampened a towel with warm water, wiped Jiang Xianhan’s forehead, and then took out a fever-reducing patch, tearing off the packaging and sticking it on her forehead.

Jiang Xianhan, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly said, “It’s so cold.”

Seeing that Jiang Xianhan still had the strength to speak, Ji Pei finally breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ll try the fever-reducing patch first to see if the temperature drops. If not, I’ll have to give you medicine.”

Jiang Xianhan’s face was half-buried in the soft, fluffy pillow. She didn’t have much strength to nod, so she just hummed softly through her nose. This was her first time entering Ji Pei’s bedroom, and she hadn’t expected it to be for something other than illicit activities. She thought her constitution was pretty good, and a vaccine shouldn’t cause a fever. A few days of arm pain would be the worst of it.

But… The pillow was soft and fragrant, carrying Ji Pei’s unique scent. Jiang Xianhan’s headache, which had been severe, actually lessened considerably after smelling the scent. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Ji Pei frowning, rummaging through the medical kit, and taking out another box of fever-reducing patches.

Ji Pei rarely took medicine when she was sick, and she didn’t go to the hospital for shots or IVs. She would naturally recover once the sickness ran its course. But now, the sick person was Jiang Xianhan, and she desperately wanted to see her temperature drop immediately, or she wouldn’t feel at ease.

“Does your head hurt?” Jiang Xianhan hummed softly through her nose. She moved her lips. “A little pain, very dizzy.”

Ji Pei held Jiang Xianhan and continuously fed her water. “Drink more water. If you sweat it out later, you won’t feel so uncomfortable.”

After about half an hour, the fever-reducing patch on her forehead was already warm. Ji Pei peeled it off and measured Jiang Xianhan’s temperature again. It had risen to $38.6°C$. Her brow furrowed into a “V.” “Why is it going up?”

Jiang Xianhan moved her dry lips. “How high is it?”

“$38.6°C$.”

Ji Pei opened a new bottle of ibuprofen, poured the appropriate dose into a small measuring cup, and placed it on the bedside table. She took out two more pillows, gently helped the weak and listless Jiang Xianhan sit up, and let her lean on the soft pillows. “Darling, time to take your medicine.”

The phrase sounded strange, somehow familiar. Ji Pei poured the pink medicine from the measuring cup into a small bowl, diluted it slightly with warm water, and a faint, sweet aroma wafted out, like a mixed syrup of strawberry and citrus.

Jiang Xianhan’s mouth was dry from the fever. She looked at the small bowl of light pink syrup and couldn’t help but ask, “What is this?”

“Fever-reducing ibuprofen. It’s for children, but adults can drink it too.”

Jiang Xianhan frowned. Ji Pei smiled. “This medicine is sweet. It has a strawberry flavor and tastes very good.”

“How can medicine taste good?” Ji Pei held the small spoon to Jiang Xianhan’s lips. “Just try it. It’s really sweet. I’m a liar if it’s not.”

Jiang Xianhan actually had an unknown side to her: she was afraid of bitterness. She avoided anything bitter, especially Chinese medicine and herbal teas. Jiang Xianhan smelled a sweet fragrance, then slowly opened her lips and tasted the sweet medicine for children that Ji Pei mentioned. It had a faint strawberry flavor upon entry, and when her tongue touched the pink liquid, she actually tasted a hint of sweetness. It was actually quite palatable.

Seeing Jiang Xianhan’s brows gradually relax, Ji Pei fed her one spoonful after another. “See? I didn’t lie, did I? This is very effective for reducing fever.”

If the outwardly cold and unsmiling Jiang Xianhan was an iceberg on weekdays, then the sick and weak woman at this moment was like an extremely fragile porcelain doll. Jiang Xianhan drank the medicine slowly and gently. She would take two sips to finish one spoonful. Ji Pei was not in a hurry. She was afraid Jiang Xianhan would choke while drinking.

“Slowly, don’t rush.” Ji Pei rarely took care of people. She thought she would be clumsy when taking care of the sick Jiang Xianhan. Seeing Jiang Xianhan finish the medicine spoon by spoon, Ji Pei smiled and asked, “Does it taste good? I didn’t lie, did I? It’s really sweet.”

Jiang Xianhan regained a little strength. Her left arm seemed to hurt more, and it was now difficult to lift. “Mhm.”

“Are you hungry now? I’ll get you something to eat to line your stomach.”

Jiang Xianhan didn’t have much of an appetite. She shook her head. “I don’t want to eat.”

Ji Pei touched Jiang Xianhan’s forehead and said softly, “Then don’t eat.”

After taking the medicine, Ji Pei removed the pillows and let Jiang Xianhan lie down to rest. She turned off the overhead light, leaving only the warm yellow nightlight on the bedside table. It was a warm yellow glowing mushroom, plugged into the bedside outlet, that lit up with the touch of a button.

Seeing that Jiang Xianhan seemed curious about the small mushroom, Ji Pei smiled and said, “This was given to me by a child at the orphanage when I was volunteering.”

Jiang Xianhan was shocked. “You even volunteered at an orphanage?”

Ji Pei rested her face on her hands, propping up her chin, and said, “Yes. I volunteered as a cook for two months, making delicious food for them. The director and the children were very sad to see me go.”

Jiang Xianhan couldn’t lift her left arm, so she used her bandaged right hand to gently stroke Ji Pei’s cool cheek. “That’s wonderful.” She wanted to kiss Ji Pei’s forehead but belatedly remembered she had a fever. It would be bad if she infected Ji Pei.

Her soft fingertips traced Ji Pei’s excellent brow bone, slowly resting on her straight nose bridge. Ji Pei gently held Jiang Xianhan’s fingertips, stroking from the tip of her nose to her lips. She parted her pale red lips and lightly bit Jiang Xianhan’s fingertips. Her two pointed canine teeth grazed the flesh of the fingertip.

The continuous tingling sensation instantly spread throughout Jiang Xianhan’s body. She took a deep breath, and all she exhaled was hot air. Her body was burning with fever, and her soul was burning with it. In an instant, she felt herself soaring into the air, exploding like fireworks.

Seeing Jiang Xianhan’s face turning redder and redder, Ji Pei looked confused. She released the other woman’s finger and reached out to touch her forehead. “Your face is so red. That shouldn’t be right. Why does it feel hotter?”

Jiang Xianhan pursed her lips, thinking, That’s not the flush from the fever. She said something to cover her embarrassment, “I’m a little dizzy.”

Ji Pei thought the medicine wouldn’t take effect that quickly, so she leaned next to Jiang Xianhan’s ear and whispered, “If you’re dizzy, sleep for a while. I’ll secretly take your temperature later. I promise I won’t wake you up.”

Jiang Xianhan closed her eyes, but she wasn’t sleepy. Her eyes gradually brightened under the nightlight. Ji Pei intently read the instructions for the fever reducer, missing the flash of obscure emotion in Jiang Xianhan’s eyes. Ji Pei’s profile was perfectly beautiful. Every angle was like a masterpiece from a top sculptor. Her slightly furrowed brow, indicating worry, made Jiang Xianhan’s heart flutter. Her eyes revealed an infinite expression of desire. She wanted to be closer to her, hold her, and achieve the complete union of spirit and body with her, becoming the most intimate partner in the world.

Why… Why did she only meet Ji Pei when she was over thirty?

Jiang Xianhan tightly closed her eyes, regretful and sad. Her entire heart felt like it was soaking in an old vat of vinegar, both sour and swollen. Sick people tend to overthink. Jiang Xianhan felt like the fever had made her delusional. Her mind was filled with vague fantasies. She imagined eighteen-year-old Ji Pei, her face youthful, even her speech carrying a hint of shyness.

It was only in the second before she lost consciousness that Jiang Xianhan realized her brain might have been damaged by the fever.

About an hour after taking the fever reducer, Jiang Xianhan began to sweat. She had a chaotic, hazy dream where she held Ji Pei and did the things she wanted to do the first time they met.

In the darkness, Jiang Xianhan coughed twice. Ji Pei saw she was awake and turned on another lamp. “What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable somewhere?”

Jiang Xianhan’s voice was slightly hoarse. She lowered her eyes, worried that Ji Pei would see the intense lust in her eyes. “My throat is so dry.”

“I’ll go get you some water.” Her hair was tucked behind her ear by Ji Pei. The fringe on her forehead was dampened by sweat and stuck to her snow-white, slightly pink cheek.

Ji Pei wanted to give her some saline solution to drink. The quickest way was to add a pinch of salt to it. She went to the kitchen, mixed a pinch of salt into a large glass of warm water, and added a straw.

Looking at Ji Pei’s back, Jiang Xianhan let out a deep breath. She was completely soaked in sweat, feeling sticky and uncomfortable against her body. When Ji Pei returned with the water, Jiang Xianhan quickly withdrew her gaze, shifting her body uncomfortably, her thighs clamped tightly together under the blanket. Her abnormality would have been noticed by Ji Pei if it were normal times, but Ji Pei simply thought it was caused by the fever.

Jiang Xianhan’s dizziness had lessened considerably. She leaned against Ji Pei’s arm, seemingly weak and listless, but her strength had actually recovered quite a bit. If I could be taken care of by Ji Pei like this forever, it wouldn’t be so bad. Jiang Xianhan never considered herself a generous or selfless person. Nor was she as desireless as others claimed. Right now, all she wanted was Ji Pei.

A transparent straw was placed near her lips. Jiang Xianhan opened her mouth to take it in, drinking two sips of warm water before realizing it was slightly salty. “Why is it salty? Aren’t you giving me something sweet anymore?”

Although she was only running a fever of $38.5°C$, Jiang Xianhan’s current hazy state made her seem like she had a fever of $40°C$. How could she be so confused and unable to take care of herself? It seems everyone’s constitution is different. Jiang Xianhan must be quite frail. No wonder she needed to practice Sanda to exercise.

“It’s saline solution to replenish electrolytes. You’ve been sweating a lot.”

“Oh.” Jiang Xianhan leaned against Ji Pei, the back of her head resting on the other woman’s soft chest. Holding Ji Pei’s hand, she slowly drank the entire cup of slightly salted water. Ji Pei looked at Jiang Xianhan’s soft appearance and couldn’t help but inwardly praise her for being so obedient.

After drinking the saline water, Jiang Xianhan lowered her eyes, looking meek and submissive. She had never shown such a vulnerable, pitiful expression in front of Ji Pei. Ji Pei felt that Jiang Xianhan was inwardly dominant. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have forcefully kissed her, nor would she have so actively tried to control her.

Does Jiang Xianhan have multiple personalities? Ji Pei thought of her cool and aloof image in front of outsiders. In private, facing her, she turned into an unruly bad woman. Now that she was sick, she was weak and listless, like a broken white porcelain doll that could shatter if not handled carefully, relying on Ji Pei to feed her water and medicine.

A morbid delusion suddenly arose in Ji Pei’s mind: It turns out she can completely control Jiang Xianhan too. Her heart thumped uncontrollably in her chest. Ji Pei took two deep breaths, held her breath, and leaned down to kiss Jiang Xianhan’s forehead. Ji Pei’s lips touched the cooling patch on Jiang Xianhan’s forehead. It was cool and had a faint minty scent.

She leaned into Jiang Xianhan’s ear and whispered, “Rest assured and sleep after drinking the water. I’m here. You need to catch up on your sleep.”

Jiang Xianhan blinked gently, her voice still husky. “I can’t sleep.”

Ji Pei turned off the lamp on the bedside table. In the dim light of the nightlight, she grabbed Jiang Xianhan’s left hand and said, “Then I’ll turn off all the lights.”

Jiang Xianhan pursed her lips and lowered her eyelids, looking somewhat aggrieved. She curled up her body and coughed twice. “I’m a little cold.”

“Cold?” Ji Pei instantly became serious. She touched the side of Jiang Xianhan’s face, feeling a trace of heat, and asked softly, “Does your head hurt? Do you feel nauseous? Or is your arm hurting?”

Jiang Xianhan shook her head. “I don’t feel very uncomfortable. It’s just… a little cold.”

Her eyes stared straight at Ji Pei. The tear mole at the corner of her eye seemed clearer than ever. The next second, Ji Pei heard Jiang Xianhan say in a husky voice.

“Can you come up and sleep holding me?”