Twist of Fate (GL) - Chapter 14

Back at the dorm, Xie Jing collapsed into bed and fell asleep instantly.

The next morning, she woke up from an unbearable itch. Half-asleep, she scratched at her arm, but a wave of tingling pain and prickly discomfort shot up her back. Her eyes flew open, and her expression turned to horror.

What the hell is this?

Hugging her blanket, Xie Jing sat there, stunned. Then she blurted out instinctively, “Qin Ning…”

“You’re awake?” Qin Ning looked up from her bed. “What’s wrong?”

“I think I’m having an allergic reaction.” Xie Jing flung open the curtain and jumped down from her bed. She held out a slender arm in front of Qin Ning, face full of panic. “Am I going to die?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.” Qin Ning grabbed her arm to examine it, then lifted her pant leg for a look.

Aside from her arms, Xie Jing had red rashes on her thighs and lower back. Some patches had even swollen into hives—it was a shocking sight.

“Don’t scratch, even if it itches. You’ll scar,” Qin Ning said seriously. “Wash up and change out of your pajamas. We’re going to the infirmary in a bit.”

“Okay…” Xie Jing held back the itch and headed off to wash. When she returned from the bathroom, Qin Ning had already taken down the clothes she’d hung up to dry yesterday.

Xie Jing took the clean clothes into the bathroom and changed quickly. Then she stepped out the door.

Without another word, Qin Ning grabbed her hand and led her out of the dorm.

Downstairs, Qin Ning rented a shared electric scooter. Xie Jing sat on the back, fidgeting with the seat cushion, clearly nervous.

Qin Ning caught her wrist and placed it around her waist. “Hold on tight.”

Xie Jing hesitated. “But… what if I infect you?”

“If it were contagious, I’d already have it.” Qin Ning’s voice left no room for doubt. “Hold on. I’m starting the scooter.”

“Oh…” Xie Jing figured she had a point—Qin Ning had touched her arm earlier. If it was contagious, it would’ve already spread. Keeping distance now was pointless.

She wrapped both arms tightly around Qin Ning’s waist, her upper body pressed flush against her back.

Qin Ning stiffened, and the scooter veered slightly to the right. “Cold?”

“Yeah,” Xie Jing sniffled. “The wind’s making me chilly.”

“But it’s okay. Hugging you like this keeps me warm.”

Qin Ning hesitated for a moment, then sped up. They arrived at the infirmary quicker than usual.

Xie Jing’s face was pale from the wind. Qin Ning reached to take off her jacket and drape it over her, but Xie Jing stopped her with a raised hand.

“There’s no wind in the infirmary—I’ll be fine. You wear it, or you’ll catch a cold.” She looked up at Qin Ning and said sincerely, “Thank you, Qin Ning.”

Qin Ning zipped up her jacket. “Don’t mention it.”

“Have you eaten anything strange lately, or come into contact with pollen or anything?” the doctor asked, approaching with some instruments and beginning the examination.

“Doctor jie,” Xie Jing said, counting off on her fingers, then listed everything she’d eaten in the past few days. She went on for several minutes before finishing.

As for pollen—almost none. Jinghai City was in the north, and with winter setting in, wildflowers weren’t really blooming.

The doctor stared blankly at her after hearing such a long list, thinking, She looks so slim, but she really eats a lot.

“Have some water first,” the doctor said, handing her a cup.

Then she laid out Xie Jing’s other arm. “We’ll do a skin test.”

While Xie Jing was being tested, Qin Ning ran back to the dorm to get her a jacket and then headed to the canteen to get a bowl of plain pork congee with preserved egg.

Xie Jing, looking drained, only managed a few spoonsful of her favorite dish.

Qin Ning frowned slightly, worry flashing in her eyes. How had Xie Jing become so fragile after just three years? It felt like she’d been sick constantly since the semester started—she was practically a regular at the infirmary.

“What do you want to eat?” Qin Ning asked. “I’ll go get it for you.”

Xie Jing was about to say she didn’t feel like eating, but when she saw Qin Ning’s concerned expression, she hesitated, then finally asked for red bean paste soup.

The campus canteen didn’t sell it, and ordering delivery risked spills. So, Qin Ning decided to go buy it herself.

Xie Jing felt a bit guilty and was about to tell her to forget it, but Qin Ning had already left.

Fifteen minutes later—

“Did you eat sesame paste recently?” The doctor examined her arm and asked.

“Mahjong?” Xie Jing looked completely baffled.

“She did.” Qin Ning had just returned and overheard. She set the red bean soup beside Xie Jing and said calmly, “Last night, you sneaked a bite of Gu Shiwei’s noodle bowl. It had sesame paste.”

Xie Jing’s face turned sheepish. So, Qin Ning had seen that…

“I’m allergic to sesame?” Xie Jing muttered. “But I’ve had it before…”

“Sudden allergies can be triggered by hormonal or environmental changes. There are many possibilities,” the doctor explained while setting up an IV.

Three full IV bags. Xie Jing lay down in defeat.

“Don’t lie down just yet,” Qin Ning said as she opened the soup. “Eat while it’s still hot.”

It was clearly still steaming, but when Xie Jing reached for it, Qin Ning stopped her with a look.

“Your hands are in no condition,” Qin Ning said. “I’ll do it.”

Xie Jing glanced at her battered hands—one hooked to the IV, the other full of pinpricks from the skin test. Yeah, not ideal.

So, she leaned against the headboard like a helpless patient and let Qin Ning feed her.

Her skin itched and burned, but the red bean paste was sweet, and so was her heart.

Qin Ning was so thoughtful and caring. Xie Jing felt she had to repay her somehow. Once she recovered, she’d help Qin Ning chase her crush so she could have a happy, love-filled life.

“Open up,” Qin Ning said, spoon in hand, after a pause.

“Oh—” Xie Jing snapped out of her daze and opened her mouth. “Ahh—”

Qin Ning looked at her with a neutral expression.

“Don’t be so serious, Qin Ning.” Xie Jing pouted. Qin Ning was usually reserved, but today she seemed especially cold—expressionless and curt.

Was she annoyed? Maybe Xie Jing had caused too much trouble. After all, it was the weekend. Qin Ning probably had her own plans.

“You don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to. You can go back to the dorm,” Xie Jing said, taking the soup. “I can manage alone.”

Suddenly, Qin Ning said, “I’m sorry.”

“Huh?” Xie Jing blinked. “Why are you apologizing?”

What for? If anything, she should apologize for being such a bother all the time.

“I shouldn’t have taken you to the night market yesterday,” Qin Ning said. “And I shouldn’t have let you eat that bite of noodles.”

“My legs work just fine—it was my choice,” Xie Jing replied. “And that bite? I was the one who insisted. I can’t blame anyone but myself for being greedy.”

She paused. “If anything, I should thank you. Without you, I’d be getting an IV on an empty stomach.”

Qin Ning was like her guardian angel, a savior.

Xie Jing spoke while studying Qin Ning’s face.

It was the first time she’d looked at her so closely. Her eyelashes were long—not curled, but straight and neat, casting shadows that hid her expression. Her skin was fair and smooth. Her lips were full and soft-looking… very kissable.

Wait. Kissable?

Xie Jing shook her head, startled by her own thought. What was wrong with her?

How could she think that about Qin Ning? Qin Ning had a crush.

“Are you full?” Qin Ning asked, placing the soup aside and gently putting a down jacket on her, zipping it up to her chin.

“Yeah, super full. That red bean soup tastes just like the one from that shop near Second High. Have you had it before?” Xie Jing asked. Shen Xinghe once said Qin Ning was her classmate, but she didn’t know from when.

Qin Ning nodded. “I remember it.”

“You went to Jiangcheng No. 2 High too?” Xie Jing looked surprised. “You never told me! Maybe we even met in middle school.”

“I was in Class 4 in seventh grade. Same class as your… crush.”

“No way! I was in Class 3—we were neighbors!” Xie Jing lit up like she’d just found a long-lost sibling.

“But I didn’t stay there for high school.”

“Oh, where did you go for high school?” she asked.

Qin Ning named a school Xie Jing had never heard of.

“That’s a shame,” Xie Jing said. “If we’d known each other back then, we’d already be besties by now. Distant hometown girls, reunited under one roof!”

“If you want,” Qin Ning said, “It’s not too late now. Didn’t you say the best time to plant a tree was ten years ago? The second-best is now.”

“For real!” Xie Jing beamed. “Alright, I hereby declare—you’ve been upgraded from ‘girlfriend’ to ‘bestie.’ From now on, we share fortune and hardship!”

“Alright,” Qin Ning replied.

“Let’s skip the ‘hardship’ part,” the campus doctor teased as she walked over to change the IV. “Your body’s way too fragile. You’re in here practically every month. Wait until you’re all patched up before sharing my burdens.”

Xie Jing, now officially “Fragile Patient Xie,” shut her mouth obediently.