Chapter 34
Shan Yaxin pushed the door open and entered, only to see the person on the bed curled up in pain.
Her eyes flickered, and she immediately walked over quickly. Bending down, she asked softly, “Xiao Yuan, what’s wrong? Why is your face so pale?”
“Hurts…” Dai Shiyuan was curled up like a shrimp, her eyes tightly shut as she squeezed out one word through the gaps between her white teeth.
Just that one word nearly used up all her strength.
When she spoke, her abdomen hurt even more, as if it were being heavily struck by a hammer.
“I’ll go find a nurse to come take a look.” Shan Yaxin stood up worriedly, but the instant she turned around, her arm was grabbed by a hand.
Following that line of sight, she looked over. That childish face was already drenched in cold sweat from the pain, yet Dai Shiyuan kept biting her lip tightly, refusing to let out any cry of pain.
That endurance and strength instantly made Shan Yaxin think of her younger sister when she was tormented by illness. She had also been this brave and sensible.
Even when she was already in unbearable pain, she had not wanted to cry out and make Shan Yaxin worry.
In that instant, Shan Yaxin truly felt a trace of sympathy.
Dai Shiyuan gripped that hand tightly and raised her head slightly. Her round eyes were filled with tears caused by the pain.
She wanted to speak, but her abdomen hurt too badly. She had no way to make a sound at all.
After easing up for quite a while, she could only shake her head with faint strength.
After making this movement, her head leaned weakly against the headboard. The hair on her forehead had already been completely dampened by sweat.
Seeing this, Shan Yaxin immediately understood what she meant. She crouched down again, took out a tissue with one hand, and helped wipe the sweat from her forehead. Softly, she said, “I’ll pour you a cup of hot water first.”
Dai Shiyuan shook her head again. Her fingers unconsciously continued gripping that hand.
All her attention was focused on the pain in her body, and she did not know she had already grabbed the other person’s hand until it turned red.
Shan Yaxin felt the pain coming from her wrist, and her brows furrowed slightly. After thinking about it, she still endured it and made no sound.
After lying down and resting for about five minutes, that wave of pain inside Dai Shiyuan finally eased.
She opened her eyes and breathed hard twice. Only then did she feel as though she had finally come back to life.
Turning over and lying on the bed, Dai Shiyuan reached up to cover both eyes, her chest rising and falling heavily.
This period had come fiercely. The pain was even stronger than before. She could now be considered to have experienced the true meaning of “period cramps so painful you want to die.”
Just now, she had really hurt so much that she wanted to die…
Seeing that the person on the bed looked a little better, Shan Yaxin got up, poured a cup of hot tea, and placed it by the bedside. Softly, she said, “Xiao Yuan, drink some hot tea. Do you want me to go buy some things for you?”
From the female lead’s knowing tone, she had definitely already realized what was going on.
A rare blush flashed across Dai Shiyuan’s face. Fortunately, her arm was covering her face, so no one could see this embarrassment.
“Sorry to trouble you…” Dai Shiyuan’s lips moved, and she made a very soft sound.
Why did it have to be so badly timed? Why did the female lead have to see another embarrassing side of her again…
Dai Shiyuan screamed wildly inside.
Only after hearing the female lead’s footsteps leave did she let out a breath of relief and take down her hand.
Turning her head and seeing the hot tea by the bed, Dai Shiyuan froze, and a warm current flowed through her heart.
She looked at it for a while, sighed, then picked up the cup and slowly drank.
When she needed help, the person who appeared was always the female lead she was supposed to stay far away from…
Dai Shiyuan lowered her eyes and suppressed the complicated thoughts in her heart.
After drinking the tea, the pain improved a little.
Taking advantage of the fact that her stomach did not hurt as much, Dai Shiyuan got up and quickly changed the bedsheet and clothes, lest someone see them.
Otherwise, she really would be so embarrassed she would want to crawl into a crack in the ground.
She had just finished washing the sheet and hanging it up when the female lead came back. Inside the transparent bag in her hand, all kinds of sanitary pads could be seen plainly.
There were daytime pads, nighttime pads, liners—altogether, there had to be more than a dozen packs, filling an entire bag.
The corner of Dai Shiyuan’s mouth twitched, and doubt appeared in her eyes.
It was not as if the female lead knew nothing. Why had she bought so many packs of sanitary pads all at once?
“Xiao Yuan, I didn’t know which brand you liked using, so I bought a few more kinds.” Shan Yaxin said softly, placing the bag by the bedside. A trace of embarrassment appeared on her beautiful face.
Dai Shiyuan: “…”
She really did not know what to say.
If Shan Yaxin did not know, she could have called and asked her. Why did she have to buy so many? And even say such a shameful, domineering-president-like line?
But the female lead had done it out of kindness, so naturally, Dai Shiyuan could not blame her. She could only complain inwardly.
Casually taking a pack of nighttime pads, Dai Shiyuan held her stomach and went to the bathroom.
Shan Yaxin stood in the room, looking at the bedsheet that had already been hung up, thoughtful.
After military training, her younger sister-in-law seemed to have matured a little.
In the past, she had never touched housework. Now, she had even learned to wash bedsheets by herself. It seemed she had become much more sensible.
This change actually made Shan Yaxin feel a trace of joy.
The current younger sister-in-law was very different from before. What she showed in front of Shan Yaxin was strength and courage.
She just was not certain whether these were illusions this person was acting out for her to see.
After all, in her previous life, she had been deceived by this person’s superb acting skills and had paid a huge price for it.
Dai Shiyuan stayed in the bathroom for a full half hour before coming out.
She leaned against the door with the strength of her back, one hand covering her stomach. Her pale face showed a pained expression.
The distance from here to the bed was not far, but she really did not have the strength to walk over.
Pain came from her abdomen from time to time. Being able to stand was already very difficult.
Seeing this, Shan Yaxin immediately walked over, held Dai Shiyuan’s arm with one hand, and asked with concern, “Xiao Yuan, are you all right? I’ll help you to the bed.”
Dai Shiyuan had no strength to refuse and nodded.
She had just taken one step when her abdomen suddenly cramped. It hurt so badly she nearly fell.
Fortunately, a pair of hands hugged her waist in time, preventing her from falling.
“Ah…” Dai Shiyuan cried out softly, both hands instinctively gripping the person beside her. The weight of her entire body leaned against the other person.
Her legs were weak now. They could only bend and hang down. She could not walk at all.
And the moment she moved, her abdomen hurt even more.
Dai Shiyuan had never hurt this much before. Tears were gradually forced into her eyes by the surging pain.
She pressed her lips together tightly, only then preventing those embarrassing sobs from escaping.
Shan Yaxin held that thin figure and saw the head pressed against her chest. She had originally wanted to remind her younger sister-in-law, but suddenly felt a damp sensation against her chest.
Realizing what it was, the words that had reached her mouth were immediately withdrawn.
She had never seen her younger sister-in-law this fragile before. It actually made her feel a slight ache in her heart…
Even when faced with school violence, even when wrongfully accused by others, that pure and childish face of her younger sister-in-law’s had been full of confidence and arrogance, resolving the problem easily.
But at this very moment, she was biting down on her cries in Shan Yaxin’s arms, like a helpless and pitiful little cat.
Shan Yaxin lowered her eyes and reached out, gently stroking Dai Shiyuan’s back in comfort.
Feeling that the person in her arms had stopped crying, she said gently, “I’ll carry you to the bed.”
Hearing this, Dai Shiyuan had just wanted to refute the word “carry” when her whole body suddenly rose into the air. She was so startled that both hands instinctively wrapped around the female lead’s neck.
In this instant, she inexplicably thought of Zuo Jia saying that many students envied her for being princess-carried by the female lead.
At that time, she had been unconscious. Even when Zuo Jia described it with stars nearly bursting from her eyes, Dai Shiyuan had only felt embarrassed.
Unlike now. Now, she truly felt herself being carried by a woman, and the other person’s warm breath even spilled onto her face.
The pair of hands holding her were long, slender, and strong. Their scorching temperature passed through her clothes and burned straight into her heart, making her heart beat uncontrollably.
Having grown up this much, she had always kept a distance from others outside. She had never been this intimate with anyone before.
Many people said she was aloof and hard to approach, but in truth, she was only used to coming and going alone.
Sometimes, late at night, when she looked at the empty apartment, she would feel a little lonely too.
But if she really had to take the initiative to make friends, she would feel uncomfortable again.
Otherwise, she would not feel so at a loss in the face of the female lead’s proactive and intimate behavior.
Dai Shiyuan’s face quickly turned red, and the tears in her eyes became bright and sparkling under the light.
She really wanted to faint. That way, she would not have to face this embarrassing situation.
“Xiao Yuan, rest well. If anything happens, call Sister-in-law.” Shan Yaxin gently placed her on the bed, covered her with the blanket, then straightened up.
“Mm.” Dai Shiyuan directly pulled the blanket over her head, covering her already reddened face.
Right now, she really felt a little too embarrassed to face the female lead.
Listening to the muffled voice coming from under the blanket, Shan Yaxin felt puzzled, but did not ask further. She turned around and went to the side to handle the work she had not finished at school.
The room quickly quieted down, carrying a peaceful kind of beauty.
Dai Shiyuan pricked up her ears and listened to the movements for a while. After confirming that the female lead was busy again, she quietly lifted a corner of the blanket, revealing a pair of dark, round eyes staring outside.
Even now, she could still feel the faint, elegant fragrance on the female lead when she had held her. It had a slightly sweet scent, as if it had eased the pain in Dai Shiyuan’s abdomen.
Dai Shiyuan blinked, and a thought appeared in her mind.
Right now, the pain in her abdomen was still bearable. She would wait until she really could not endure it anymore.
Dai Shiyuan closed her eyes and slept, counting sheep over and over in her heart, doing her utmost to ignore the pain in her body.
Before long, that intense pain struck again, and for a moment, she could not hold back. She cried out.
Although she very quickly bit her lip and swallowed the rest of the sound, in the silent room, even the tiniest noise would be magnified infinitely.
Shan Yaxin naturally heard it. The pen in her hand paused, but very quickly, she began writing again.
Since her younger sister-in-law did not want her help, there was no need for her to meddle.
Seeing that the female lead did not turn around, Dai Shiyuan let out a slight breath of relief and slowed her breathing to try to reduce the pain.
This method was indeed effective. Before long, the pain in her abdomen lightened.
Dai Shiyuan quietly let out a breath and reached up to wipe away the fine sweat on her forehead.
But before she could relax, an even more intense wave of pain traveled from her abdomen through her whole body.
“Wu…” Dai Shiyuan could no longer hold back and cried out. Her whole body twitched and instantly curled into a ball.
Shan Yaxin heard it, and the tip of her pen stopped again, this time for longer than before.
However, she still did not turn back.
Dai Shiyuan held her abdomen. Her eyes were filled with crystalline tears as she endured the pain and asked quietly, “Sister-in-law, what smell is on you?”
Hearing this question, Shan Yaxin frowned.
Asking this question was somewhat impolite, and it was also inexplicable.
Shan Yaxin suppressed the trace of displeasure in her heart, turned back, and said, “It should be the smell of laundry detergent.”
“Laundry… detergent?” Dai Shiyuan frowned and repeated, somewhat not believing it. The pain made her words come out broken and intermittent.
She could not think of what brand of laundry detergent could have such a fresh, sweet scent.
“Mm.” Shan Yaxin nodded firmly and asked gently, “Xiao Yuan, why did you suddenly ask about this?”
“I want to buy this brand of laundry detergent…” Dai Shiyuan gritted her teeth and answered. A thin layer of sweat appeared on her fair face.
Hearing this, a strange look flashed through Shan Yaxin’s eyes. She stood up and said, “I’ll go buy it for you now.”
“No need…” Dai Shiyuan hurriedly stopped her. With eyes full of tears, she looked at that tall figure. After hesitating for a while, she said, “Sister-in-law, can you come over and let me smell it…”
She said the last two words very quietly, and her head also lowered.
After all, this request sounded a little perverted. If not because she was truly hurting too badly to endure it, she would not have thrown away her dignity and said something like this.
Shan Yaxin’s pretty brows gathered slightly, and a trace of anger flashed through her eyes. Fortunately, her younger sister-in-law could not see it.
She used several seconds to suppress this anger, then revealed a puzzled expression and asked, “Xiao Yuan, what did you say?”
“I want to smell your scent…” Dai Shiyuan quickly answered. Her voice was soft and weak. The latter half of her sentence, “to ease the pain,” was so light it was almost as if she had not said it at all.
A strange look flashed through Shan Yaxin’s eyes, but she still stood there without moving.
It was not that she did not know there were people in this world who liked the same sex, but she had never expected her younger sister-in-law to be this kind of person, and to even openly make such a request of her.
“Xiao Yuan, Sister-in-law is married.” Shan Yaxin deliberately emphasized her tone as a reminder.
“Mm.” Dai Shiyuan lowered her head. She was hurting so badly she had no strength to answer, and could only make an “mm” sound.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to work. If something really happens, call me.” Shan Yaxin finished speaking while holding back anger, then sat down and began working again.
Dai Shiyuan was using all her strength to deal with the pain and had no extra energy to listen to this sentence.
When the pain finally eased a little, she discovered that the female lead still had not come over.
Dai Shiyuan weakly panted twice. She reached toward the bedside cabinet and felt around until she found her phone. It took her a while before she finally aimed at one number and pressed it.
A phone ringtone suddenly sounded in the quiet room. When Shan Yaxin saw that familiar string of numbers, her brows immediately furrowed.
She glanced back at the person on the bed and immediately met a pair of tear-filled eyes. They looked somewhat pitiful.
Shan Yaxin hesitated for a few seconds before answering and softly asking, “What is it?”
She did not even want to use any form of address now. Her younger sister-in-law’s series of actions was truly too strange.
“Come here for a moment…” Dai Shiyuan’s mouth let out a weak voice. After saying this, she closed her eyes, as if the pain was unbearable.
If not for the phone transmitting her voice, Shan Yaxin would not have been able to hear her from that distance.
Seeing her younger sister-in-law’s face so pale from pain, the situation even more serious than before, Shan Yaxin put away her phone and slowly walked over.
When she was still a few steps away, she stopped and asked softly, “You’re hurting this badly. Should I ask the doctor to prescribe some painkillers for you?”
Hearing this, Dai Shiyuan immediately opened her eyes and blinked twice to express agreement.
She really had been muddled by the pain. She had actually forgotten this was a hospital, and that painkillers could be prescribed.
Shan Yaxin immediately went out. Before long, she returned with painkillers.
Thinking of her younger sister-in-law’s strange words and actions just now, she originally did not want to feed her the medicine.
But seeing her younger sister-in-law looking half-dead from pain, she still walked over, helped the person on the bed sit up, and restrained the repulsion in her heart as she said, “Xiao Yuan, take some medicine.”
Dai Shiyuan obediently opened her mouth, placed the pills inside, and swallowed them directly without needing water at all.
The speed at which she took medicine was so fast that Shan Yaxin was somewhat surprised.
In the past, her younger sister-in-law had not been good at swallowing medicine. For capsule-type cold medicine, she would even open the capsules and mix the powder with sugar water to drink.
Shan Yaxin stared at the person on the bed and could not help looking for a few more seconds.
Whether because the painkillers had taken effect or not, Dai Shiyuan felt that the pain had improved. At the very least, she could speak now.
“Thank you. I’ve troubled you tonight.” Dai Shiyuan leaned against the headboard. Her face was still somewhat deathly pale, and the gaze she looked at the female lead with was full of sincerity.
If not for the female lead’s help tonight, she probably could only have helplessly endured all the pain alone.
Emotionally and logically, she had to say this thank you.
“Xiao Yuan, you don’t need to be so polite. Seeing you hurt this badly, Sister-in-law also feels heartache.” Shan Yaxin revealed a gentle smile, concern in her eyes. “Rest properly. Sleep until morning.”
Dai Shiyuan did not detect the deeper meaning in the female lead’s words. She simply thought the other party was blessing her, so she nodded and closed her eyes to sleep.
Dealing with her period had already left her exhausted in body and mind. She truly did not have the energy now to worry about whether the female lead would hurt her.
Before long, Dai Shiyuan fell asleep. Only her brows remained slightly furrowed, as if she were still fighting against the pain even in her dreams.
Shan Yaxin waited for a while. After confirming that the person on the bed was deeply asleep, she finally got up and left the room.
Finding a remote corner, she called Zuo Fan.
During the dozen or so seconds waiting for the call to connect, her expression was very serious, and a trace of disgust flashed through her eyes.
“Xiaoxin, why are you calling me so late? Did something happen?” Zuo Fan asked quietly, her voice carrying the hoarseness of someone who had just woken up.
Only then did Shan Yaxin realize that it was already very late and that she had disturbed the other person’s sleep.
After quickly saying “sorry,” Shan Yaxin paused again.
Sensing the hesitation on the other end, Zuo Fan glanced at the person sleeping beside her. She got up quietly, closed the door, and went to the living room.
“Xiaoxin, just say what it is,” Zuo Fan glanced toward the bedroom and said in a lowered voice.
Shan Yaxin’s eyes flickered. After hesitating for a while, she still decided to tell the truth. Solemnly, she said, “Xiao Fan, tell Jiajia to stay farther away from this younger sister-in-law of mine. I suspect she’s… abnormal.”
For the last three words, Shan Yaxin chose them only after considering for a while.
“Abnormal?” Zuo Fan repeated in confusion. After a pause, she said, “Last time, you told me that she wasn’t as innocent as she looked and asked me to remind Zuo Jia to guard against her. Now you’re saying she’s abnormal. What exactly is going on?”
“I discovered that she likes women.” Shan Yaxin lowered her voice, her brows tightly furrowed.
Hearing this, Zuo Fan’s heart tightened, and she instinctively touched the hickey on her neck. Somewhat hesitantly, she asked, “Xiaoxin, do you think liking the same sex is abnormal?”
“Mm.” Shan Yaxin nodded affirmatively, without the slightest hesitation.
The feeling of being liked by her younger sister-in-law truly made her feel very uncomfortable.
Zuo Fan’s heart went cold, and she rubbed her forehead in irritation. She attempted to explain a few things, but thinking of her friend’s strict and serious personality, she still stopped.
She did not want to lose this precious friendship. It was better to keep this matter hidden.
“How did you discover this?” Zuo Fan asked carefully, the sleepiness in her eyes completely gone.
Hearing this, Shan Yaxin froze. Thinking of her younger sister-in-law’s words and actions just now, anger surged up in her heart again. Avoiding the main point, she said, “I discovered it by accident.”
Hearing this perfunctory answer, Zuo Fan no longer tangled with this question. In a low voice, she said, “I’ll remind Zuo Jia. You should rest properly.”
“All right.” Shan Yaxin’s expression relaxed. Just as she was about to hang up, a voice came from the other side again.
“Actually, you don’t need to be this nervous. Even people who like the same sex don’t fall for every person of the same sex they see. Besides, with Zuo Jia’s silly and timid personality, ordinary boys don’t even like her. How could the Dai family’s young lady possibly take a fancy to her?”
Hearing this, Shan Yaxin froze for a moment, as if somewhat persuaded.
But very quickly, her eyes cleared, and she refuted in disapproval, “Don’t say that. Jiajia is still very cute. It’s precisely because of your discouraging way of educating her that Jiajia is somewhat timid and introverted.”
Hearing this, Zuo Fan’s expression did not change at all, and she did not argue over this problem.
Her strictness toward Zuo Jia was less than one-tenth of what their parents had been toward her.
The topic ended there.
Shan Yaxin hung up the phone and stood outside for a while, dispelling the frustration in her heart before returning to the hospital room.
Looking at her younger sister-in-law’s sleeping face on the bed and the blanket on the floor, she no longer had the same warmheartedness as yesterday. After tidying up a little, she slept on the small bed.
Dai Shiyuan woke up from the cold in the middle of the night. Half-asleep, she picked up the blanket from the floor and continued sleeping.
That night, she did not sleep well. She kept feeling as though pain surrounded her entire body, and from time to time, cold air seeped into her bones.
Fortunately, she did not catch a cold.
Dai Shiyuan opened her eyes and turned her head, immediately seeing the porridge on the bedside cabinet.
She reached out and touched it. It was already cold.
It seemed the female lead had left a while ago.
This cold porridge definitely could not be eaten. Besides, her stomach still hurt, so she did not have much appetite.
Dai Shiyuan got up and first took painkillers. After simply washing up, she lay back down on the bed.
Pain came from her abdomen from time to time. She closed her eyes and worked hard to endure it, finally managing to get through the morning.
Around noon, the door was pushed open.
Dai Shiyuan opened her eyes and saw a stern and cold face. She immediately asked in surprise, “Teacher Zuo, why are you here?”
“Xiaoxin is a little busy. She asked me to come bring you lunch,” Zuo Fan answered coldly.
Her face had always had no extra expression. The way she spoke and did things was cold, like an emotionless robot.
Dai Shiyuan understood this character setting, so she revealed a polite smile. “Thank you, Teacher Zuo.”
The food Zuo Fan bought was much worse than what Shan Yaxin bought. At the very least, the smell alone was unable to stir anyone’s appetite.
Dai Shiyuan was rather hungry. After eating a couple bites to relieve the hunger, her eating speed visibly slowed.
She did not know whether it was her illusion, but she kept feeling that there was a gaze fixed on her body, as if examining her.
Dai Shiyuan disliked it somewhat. She put the food aside, curved her lips, and asked, “Teacher Zuo, is there something on my face?”
“Nothing.” Zuo Fan still responded coldly. She swept a glance over Dai Shiyuan and said, “Rest well. This afternoon, Xiaoxin will come over to help you handle the discharge procedures.”
“All right, thank you.” Dai Shiyuan nodded lightly, the corners of her mouth rising.
She could finally go back. She really did miss the dormitory a little.
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