Chapter 34: Treating the Illness

She slapped Pei Jiayin on the head without mercy.

"Pei Jiayin! Wake up, I can't drag you, wake up!"

Pei Jiayin’s eyes remained tightly shut.

Yu Youchu simply left him on the floor and ran to turn on the lights. She couldn't take it anymore if she didn't have some light. Fearing that he might catch a cold lying on the floor, she ran to his bedroom to fetch his blanket, spread it out beneath him, and used all her strength to flip him over like a salted fish.

After completing this task, Yu Youchu took a very satisfying photo of Pei Jiayin looking disheveled and saved it. She considered it payment for him taking liberties with her earlier; it was a bargain for him, really.

Yu Youchu went to the kitchen. There was a little honey left, but besides that, only drinks, alcohol, and some fruit remained. She shook her head; she would have to make do with honey water to help him sober up.

But why did Pei Jiayin drink so much? She didn't know his tolerance, but it should have been decent. Was he forced to drink by someone? Yu Youchu immediately conjured up a scenario of a female boss forcibly taking advantage of him, with salacious images flashing through her mind.

Yu Youchu tsked, resigned herself to the task, and spooned the honey water into Pei Jiayin's mouth bit by bit. She turned on the central air conditioning and thoughtfully placed water by his side before returning to her own room. She had to go to the hospital tomorrow morning, so she couldn't afford to stay up late.

When Yu Youchu woke up the next day, Pei Jiayin was already sitting upright at the dining table, looking neat and clean, back to his meticulous self. He raised an eyebrow, as if he hadn't expected her to be up so early.

Yu Youchu tensed up instantly; she had assumed a hungover Pei Jiayin wouldn't be up this early.

"You're acting strangely today."

Pei Jiayin’s expression was normal, as if he weren't the man who had been sleeping on the living room floor just hours ago. Now it was Yu Youchu’s turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Don't you remember what happened last night?"

Pei Jiayin's face darkened. His memory of last night stopped at getting into Tang Qingli’s car; everything after that was a complete blank. "What happened last night? I... didn't say anything strange, did I?"

Yu Youchu’s eyes darted around, and she smiled enigmatically. Not only had he said strange things, but he had done strange things too.

"No."

She didn't want to bring up something so embarrassing.

"So, you took care of me last night?" Pei Jiayin rubbed his temples; the aftermath of a hangover clearly wasn't pleasant for him.

"That's right. No need for payment or thanks. Your roommate here is beautiful and kind-hearted."

Knowing that Pei Jiayin had a blackout, Yu Youchu felt a wave of relief. She was in a good mood regardless of what he said now.

"Do you still need hangover soup? I can have the housekeeper send over the ingredients."

Pei Jiayin picked up a glass of water and took a sip. It seemed she must have fed him honey water last night; otherwise, his lips wouldn't feel so sticky and cloyingly sweet this morning.

"You just let me sleep on the floor last night." Pei Jiayin stared fixedly at Yu Youchu, his eyes holding a hint of grievance and accusation.

Yu Youchu suddenly recalled the drunk Pei Jiayin from last night—those eyes had been pure emotion, dark and shining, terrifyingly bright. Her breathing grew uneven, and the memories of last night came rushing back like a mountain, making her face flush.

"I couldn't move someone of your size. You wouldn't wake up no matter how much I shook you, so I had no choice but to let you make do on the floor for the night."

Pei Jiayin nodded in understanding. After a moment, he asked with a strange expression, "I really didn't do anything weird?"

Yu Youchu had to reluctantly describe last night's events, trimming away the embarrassing parts and embellishing the rest, highlighting her own attentiveness and Pei Jiayin's normalcy. As she spoke, she watched his expression; his brow relaxed, and he clearly felt relieved.

"The housekeeper came this morning and already made some hangover soup. There's breakfast in the warmer; help yourself."

Pei Jiayin stood up and headed toward the study, but suddenly stopped, remembering something. "Are you going out again today?"

Yu Youchu was choosing her breakfast. "Yes, I have some things to do."

"Where to?"

She pulled out a bowl of century egg and lean meat congee. "Taking my parents to the hospital. I might be back late and won't be home for lunch."

Pei Jiayin walked over. "Are your parents sick?"

Yu Youchu took out a plate of rose-flavored soft cakes. Ever since the housekeeper learned she liked traditional pastries, she had been making all sorts of varieties for her, leaving Yu Youchu grinning from ear to ear. Since this wasn't something she needed to hide, she said while grabbing cutlery, "My father injured his spine at a construction site years ago, and it left a chronic condition. It hasn't been great lately, and since there’s a specialist in the capital, I’m taking him to get it checked out."

Pei Jiayin had wandered over to her side at some point and was staring at the food she had taken out. "Why aren't you eating more?" He reached past her and placed a small bowl of sweet rice balls in front of her.

His familiar scent lingered behind her; the posture made it seem almost as if he were embracing her from behind. Before Yu Youchu could fully stiffen, he stepped back, creating distance.

"I see. Do you still need the car?" He turned back to the study to retrieve the keys she had returned the night before.

"No, I can just take the subway."

Before she could finish, Pei Jiayin had already tucked the keys into her pocket. "Be safe on the road. Don't forget our plans for tonight."

"Don't worry! Even if I forgot everything else, I wouldn't forget to treat the handsome Mr. Pei to dinner."

Yu Youchu replied absentmindedly. Once she relaxed, her true nature came out, and she didn't even realize what she had said.

Pei Jiayin froze. Seeing her expression remained unchanged, he composed himself, walked back to the study with a slightly stiff gait, and slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

Yu Youchu jumped, nearly spilling her congee. *Strong as an ox,* she muttered to herself.

After finishing her meal, Yu Youchu drove to the hospital.

"The doctor says it's fine, it just needs careful maintenance." Yu Youchu flipped through the reports in her hand. The values were all normal, and the scans showed nothing unusual, but for some reason, her father's leg just wouldn't get better.

"Chu Chu, don't worry. We've done what we can; the rest is up to fate," her father comforted her.

"Why are you comforting me instead? I just..." Yu Youchu pursed her lips, her brow furrowed.

"Alright, the fact that there's nothing major is the best news. Let's have a nice lunch as a family, and you can focus on your work from now on." Li Guifang pushed Yu Jiancheng slowly forward.

Listening to these words, Yu Youchu felt a wave of sourness in her heart.