The Sickly Girl Becomes a Scum Alpha - Chapter 40

Chu Ci opened her eyes helplessly and looked at Jiang Xun, who possessed zero emotional intelligence and a penchant for interrogating people.

“If I said I didn’t know how this illness came about either, would you believe me?”

She really couldn’t make it up. In her previous life, her physical weakness and symptoms were congenital. She was born that way, and despite gathering the world’s top medical experts and trying every possible method, no one could find a way to treat her.

However, the original host of this world was born healthy and vibrant. This sudden illness was entirely due to the fusion with her own constitution.

Unless she were crazy, she wouldn’t tell the truth.

Jiang Xun’s scrutinizing gaze landed on Chu Ci. After a long while, she unexpectedly nodded.

Taking out the medical history again, Jiang Xun pointed to two dates with a significant interval between them.

“You used to have physical check-ups basically twice a month. But starting from the first month of this year, after you went cave diving once, you never engaged in any more extreme sports. From that point on, there are no physical examination records for you.”

Flipping to the page below, Jiang Xun continued: “The next check-up was the one where your illness was discovered. Your various indices had plummeted continuously; it was like night and day compared to before.”

“And so?” Chu Ci didn’t quite understand Jiang Xun’s point. Actually, the long gap between check-ups was easy to explain—the original host had been spending all that time indulging in a life of pleasure.

“I suspect that your cave diving trip might have been affected by some unknown cause, which led to your current condition.”

Jiang Xun adhered to the scientific principle of “bold hypotheses and careful verification,” but this was perhaps a bit too bold.

“I think…” Chu Ci didn’t believe there was such a possibility.

But Jiang Xun didn’t give her a chance to speak at all. As if she had discovered a new continent, she was convinced she had found a new direction.

“I’m taking the carpet you vomited blood on with me for a new bio-test. Once you finish this IV bag, pull the needle yourself. I’m leaving first.”

After saying this to herself, Jiang Xun ignored Chu Ci’s lingering gaze and ran off clutching the medical history.

Chu Ci: …Crazy for medicine, indeed.

Downstairs, Jian Sui was startled by Jiang Xun running off in a blur. She hurriedly turned off the stove and came out of the kitchen. Seeing the receding taillights of Jiang Xun’s car, she rushed upstairs to check on Chu Ci.

Chu Ci was staring boredly at the ceiling. Hearing Jian Sui enter, she looked toward the door.

Jian Sui, who had run up in a hurry, was stunned for a moment seeing Chu Ci intact. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Why?”

“Doctor Jiang…”

“She remembered she didn’t turn off her stove at home.”

Chu Ci obviously couldn’t tell Jian Sui about Jiang Xun’s clearly incorrect hypothesis, so she made up an absurd excuse as a joke.

Jian Sui: …Does Jiang Xun even know where the kitchen door is?

However, seeing Chu Ci’s relaxed appearance, she felt relieved. “Will she be coming back for dinner then?”

“Probably not.” Chu Ci looked at the IV bag, which only had a bit left at the bottom. “Jian Sui, help me press my hand. I’m pulling the needle.”

“You’re pulling it yourself?” Jian Sui looked hesitantly at the needle in the back of Chu Ci’s hand. The act of pulling one’s own needle sounded enough to make one’s skin crawl.

“Yeah, you just need to help me press down.”

After saying that, Chu Ci began to act.

Jian Sui didn’t have time to hesitate. She quickly sat on the edge of the bed, watching Chu Ci easily peel off the medical tape with one hand and then pull the needle out cleanly…

While the cold needle dripped medicine, Jian Sui’s hand quickly pressed the cotton ball onto the back of Chu Ci’s hand. She cupped Chu Ci’s hand with both of hers, afraid to use too much force but also afraid that if she didn’t, blood would flow out. She bit her lip nervously, carefully controlling the pressure.

After setting the needle aside, Chu Ci used her free hand to prop herself up, while the other was held by Jian Sui.

“I can take it from here.” As the saying goes, a long illness makes one a doctor. This minor skill was nothing to Chu Ci.

Jian Sui carefully let go, watching Chu Ci press down quite roughly herself, so hard the skin turned white. Jian Sui felt her own hand start to ache in sympathy.

“Let’s go eat.” Chu Ci slid her feet into her slippers and tried to stand up. But she rose too quickly, and her vision went black.

Jian Sui pulled her close, encircling Chu Ci’s waist and letting her rest her head on her shoulder. She rubbed Chu Ci’s forehead gently. “Slow down, there’s no rush.”

“Mmm…” That familiar, cursed feeling—absolutely no strength at all.

Pulling a self-deprecating smile, Chu Ci felt she was really getting ahead of herself. After two days of feeling okay, she had forgotten herself. She had actually dared to stand up right after an IV drip.

From her vantage point, Jian Sui could see Chu Ci’s head resting in the crook of her neck, her eyes closed and a smile playing on her lips. Her heart couldn’t help but skip a beat.

Perhaps because of their proximity, Jian Sui could even feel Chu Ci’s breath on her collarbone, which, combined with that smile…

Although she told herself she was overthinking, Jian Sui couldn’t help but play it back in her mind.

Fortunately, Chu Ci’s dizziness didn’t last long. After resting against Jian Sui for a bit, she recovered somewhat and stood up on her own.

Jian Sui breathed a nearly imperceptible sigh of relief, but she still didn’t dare let go of Chu Ci’s arm. They remained very close. Chu Ci had some self-awareness this time and didn’t refuse the support. They took the elevator down.

Normally, for such a short distance, they would take the stairs, but given Chu Ci’s state, the elevator was safer.

Once seated in the dining room, looking at the table of clearly meticulously prepared nutritional meals, Chu Ci actually had little appetite. It would surely have that same taste she had grown sick of in her previous life.

But eat she must.

Tiredly picking up her chopsticks, Chu Ci didn’t notice Jian Sui’s expectant gaze as she put a small bite into her mouth.

Wait?

The taste seemed a bit different.

Looking at the dishes, Chu Ci couldn’t help but take another bite. This time she was sure it wasn’t her sense of taste playing tricks; this nutritional meal was surprisingly delicious.

“Did the chef…” Chu Ci began to speak, but stopped when she saw the apron Jian Sui hadn’t had time to take off. “You made this?”

Jian Sui removed the apron. “It’s my first time trying it this way. Does it suit your taste?”

“It’s exceptionally good.”

Even though it was the same ingredients and a light flavor profile, the experience of eating it was completely different. Hearing Chu Ci’s praise, Jian Sui felt her efforts hadn’t been in vain.

“I noticed before that you didn’t really like the nutritional meals at the hospital, but you quite liked the vegetarian dishes at Mr. Li’s house. Both are light styles, but nutritional meals actually have more varied ingredients. I wondered if I could apply the vegetarian cooking methods to the nutritional meals.”

To learn how to make those vegetarian dishes, Jian Sui had specifically asked Li Sinan for his chef’s contact info and consulted him humbly. Fortunately, the effort paid off.

Chu Ci hadn’t realized Jian Sui had considered so much for her without her knowing. To say she wasn’t moved would be a lie. Chu Ci happily ate the rare, delicious meal. “If you spoil my appetite like this, what will I do if I can’t stand other nutritional meals in the future?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll take care of all your meals from now on.”

Jian Sui had prepared to take over all three of Chu Ci’s meals the moment she began researching the recipes.

Chu Ci swallowed her food. “No, you’ll be too tired.” Although she was a foodie, she didn’t want Jian Sui to be exhausted.

But Jian Sui didn’t see it that way. Chu Ci rarely complained; even if a meal didn’t suit her, she would just say nothing and eat less. How could her already weak body handle that? Since Chu Ci actually liked her cooking, she would take over the task of feeding her—it would also allow her to monitor Chu Ci and make sure she ate more.

Faced with Jian Sui’s persistence, Chu Ci also remained firm. Having experienced a kitchen disaster once, she knew how much effort went into a table of beautiful and delicious food.

“How about this—we both compromise,” Chu Ci thought for a moment. “You teach the recipe to the chef and let him do it from now on. You won’t be exhausted. Isn’t that a win-win?”

Jian Sui thought about it. “Alright. When I don’t have time, the chef will cook for you. When I do have time, I’ll do it. How about that?”

Chu Ci, truly believing Jian Sui meant it, nodded happily. “That works.”

Looking at the easily coaxed Chu Ci, a hint of a smile flashed in Jian Sui’s eyes. She would always have time.

After finishing the meal, Chu Ci felt satisfied and eighty-percent full for once. She rubbed her stomach contentedly. “Bliss.”

Beside her, Jian Sui was noting down improvements for next time. Looking at Chu Ci’s lazy, sated appearance, she suddenly felt the joy of feeding a small animal—especially such a beautiful one.

Actually, Chu Ci wasn’t particularly picky, nor was it that the five-star chef lacked skill; it was just a matter of preference. Chu Ci liked extremely light flavors, yet she couldn’t stand blandness. Mastering that balance was the key.

Furthermore, Chu Ci didn’t like eating the same dish repeatedly. No matter how good the previous meal was, if the same dish appeared for the next, she wouldn’t touch a bite.

And…

Jian Sui looked at the notes in her book. Mmm… she’s actually quite difficult to serve.

The two sat in the living room for a while to digest before slowly heading upstairs.

Jian Sui was picking out outfits for tomorrow. Since it was the Shengyun Investment shareholders’ meeting, it had to be formal. Tomorrow’s temperature was set to be sunny and a bit hot, but the conference room would have air conditioning, so she had to prepare a jacket for Chu Ci.

While Jian Sui was contemplating in the massive walk-in closet, Chu Ci was at the computer looking for information on the original host. Jiang Xun’s words today had reminded her that the difference between the original host and herself was too great. Initially, relying on her knowledge of the “script” and having a poor impression of the original host, she hadn’t bothered to learn about her. But now that the novel was unreliable, understanding the original host was a necessary step to continuing in this world.

The computer was the one the original host always used—top-tier specs, but with very little inside. There were only a few encrypted files; the rest were commemorative photos and videos of her extreme sports.

Watching a first-person video of a jump from ten thousand meters, Chu Ci’s eyes flickered. She had to admit, her heart was racing. That thrill of hanging between life and death is something many people long for.

Similarly, Chu Ci had once dreamed of it too.

Seeing this, Chu Ci’s opinion of the original host shifted slightly. If those later events hadn’t happened, she really would have been a cool extreme sports adventurer… the matter of morals was another thing, as you couldn’t see them here.

Scanning the videos quickly and finding nothing of value, she turned her attention back to those encrypted files.

What could be inside?

Fingerprint ID wouldn’t work, and they weren’t the common passwords the host used. Chu Ci was at a loss. She wanted to call the system, but the system seemed to have glitched after checking too many people and reporting too many times; there was no response at all.

She had to give up for now. Fortunately, she could still learn a lot from the host’s adventure journal.

By the time Jian Sui had picked out the clothes, Chu Ci had shut down the computer.

After both had washed up, Chu Ci saw the ointment on the table. It had to be applied to Jian Sui twice a day. Thinking of Jian Sui’s injuries, Chu Ci waited for her with the ointment.

When Jian Sui came out in a moon-white nightgown, she saw Chu Ci, who usually lay down and closed her eyes early, sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for her in high spirits.

Seeing Jian Sui emerge, Chu Ci thought about her hard work cooking today and wanted to show some favor. She smiled and beckoned. “Come over here.”

Jian Sui’s heart skipped a beat, then began to race. Her mind inevitably strayed.

Is Chu Ci’s health even up for this?

Due to nervousness, her heart beat faster and faster. Jian Sui felt as if she could only hear the sound of her own heartbeat in her ears.

She walked slowly to the bedside. “You…”

“I’m going to apply your medicine.” Chu Ci took out the small bottle she was holding.

Jian Sui: …Oh.