Chapter 28 – Delivering Medicine to the Doo
It’s always hard to sleep when you’re anxious.
Ji Wei lay in bed, checking his phone over and over, but not a single reply came from Yin Sijue.
He sat up, slumped against the pillow, trying to clear his chaotic thoughts. But an old memory suddenly resurfaced.
…
Three years ago, while gaming, Ji Wei noticed Yin Sijue had suddenly stopped using his mic, typing throughout the match instead.
One of them was already off mic—if the other stayed silent too, it would feel like a random queue with strangers.
Back then, Ji Wei didn’t care. He spammed him with messages: [Why aren’t you using mic? Can you mic? Qiuqiu, you’re so hot! The game’s no fun without you.]
He didn’t think it was unreasonable to push someone else to mic up—even though he never did himself.
After being pestered, Yin Sijue finally turned on his mic to explain: he was sick, his voice hoarse, and the mic wasn’t working well. The male voice that came through was indeed hoarse, punctuated with low coughs.
[WEI]: [Oh my god, that sounds serious! If you’re sick, stop playing and take some medicine!]
[SJUE]: [I don’t like taking medicine. Just drink water—it’ll be fine in a few days.]
After Ji Wei pressed him repeatedly, he discovered a little secret.
Yin Sijue, who seemed flawless in everything, actually had one surprisingly cute problem—he couldn’t swallow pills.
No matter how much water he drank, swallowing them was a struggle. Sometimes they even got stuck in his throat.
Over time, he grew more and more unwilling to take medicine, forcing himself to push through every illness instead.
…
Pulled back from his memories, Ji Wei stared at the vacant Psyduck avatar and muttered, “They definitely don’t know you can’t swallow medicine.”
“Ah!” Ji Wei sank back into the quilt, his face scrunching up. After a moment, he suddenly sat up.
Open Baidu and search: What happens if I don’t take medicine for a fever?
[Barefoot Doctor: What happens if I don’t take medicine for a fever? Today, I’ll take you into the world of people with fevers. A fever is the body’s defense against infection. While it may resolve on its own without medication, a high fever can also cause brain damage, organ failure, and even permanent neurological dysfunction!]
Ji Wei: ?!
…
Weiwei Dounai: [Can I come over to check on you?]
The streetlights cast a dim halo through the mist. A few flying insects swirled in the glow, their tiny shadows flickering. The wind rushed through the treetops, carrying the faint sound of a distant fountain.
Ji Wei’s footsteps carried him all the way to the gate of AVG Team One’s base.
The consequence of his impulsiveness was that Yin Sijue was already standing at the entrance before Ji Wei had even gotten a reply.
Ji Wei didn’t go in right away. Instead, he stood there for a moment, phone in hand, glancing up at the upstairs window.
The curtains were drawn tight; he couldn’t see a thing.
He must have looked exactly like a thief!
And showing up to see Yin Sijue this late at night—wasn’t this just like some flower thief out of an old story?
Pfft, pfft, pfft. I’m just here to check on Yin Sijue’s health, and ideally help him take his medicine. Why would I be picking flowers?!
“Buzz.” His phone vibrated several times.
AVG_Solve: [I just didn’t read the message]
AVG_Solve: [Come over here]
Ji Wei stared at the two messages, a pink flush creeping up his neck.
Even though they were just words, it felt like someone had wrapped a hand around his throat.
Obediently, he pressed his finger to the door lock. Click. Unlock.
Thankfully, Brother Qiu had registered his fingerprint during the last livestream, which let him sneak into the villa without making a sound.
A thief always feels guilty—even a flower thief. Ji Wei definitely didn’t want anyone knowing he was here.
The living room was pitch-black, lit only by a small nightlight at the entrance for changing shoes. Using that faint glow, he slowly made his way upstairs.
As he leaned on the handrail, Ji Wei remembered sneaking into his parents’ room three years ago.
Looking back later, he realized if he had just waited until they went to work the next day to retrieve the phone, his chances of success would have been much higher.
But back then, he couldn’t rule out the possibility that his parents had taken it.
Ji Wei distracted himself with random thoughts. The night was so quiet he worried his pounding heartbeat might be overheard.
Climbing to the second floor, he quietly passed the members’ rooms. Both AVG bases had ID tags on their dorm doors, something Xu Shaoqiu euphemistically called a sense of team belonging.
Passing Da Shu’s room, Ji Wei heard him on the phone, seemingly checking in with his family.
They were all top-notch late-night champions. Most of the base wasn’t asleep at this hour. Whenever someone stepped out of their room, they would immediately notice if someone didn’t belong.
“It’s like a second offense,” Ji Wei thought.
Smoothly reaching the door of his target room, he held his breath and knocked gently.
There was no response from inside.
Could he have fallen asleep?
Ji Wei stood at the door, a little uncertain. He knocked twice more, only to discover the door wasn’t locked—it was merely ajar. His knocking pushed it open a crack.
He carefully pushed the door wider and stepped in. The room was pitch-dark, darker than the living room outside. Only a few rays of silvery moonlight filtered through the window, outlining the faint rise of the bed.
Yin Sijue is lying there, Ji Wei thought, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
If he’s really asleep, it’d be better to leave. Waking him wouldn’t be nice.
Even so, Ji Wei’s feet refused to move, as if glued to the floor.
Two villains battled inside him.
One urged him on: “Since we’re here, why not take a peek?”
The other pinched his ear and shouted: “Spying on someone sleeping is way too perverted!”
It didn’t take long for the first villain to kick the second one aside.
Ji Wei took a step forward, heading toward the head of the bed.
Before he even arrived, a muffled voice sounded from beneath the covers:
“Do you know what people used to do in ancient times when someone broke into their room in the middle of the night?”
Ji Wei froze on the spot.
In the moonlight, he saw Yin Sijue reach out and flick on the bedside lamp.
…
The warm yellow glow illuminated Yin Sijue’s face, the shadow of his nose stretching across his cheek. In that light, Ji Wei could even make out the curl of his distinct lashes, his deep brows and eyes almost swallowed by the night.
The man sat up, his face slightly pale. “Sorry, I accidentally fell asleep just now.”
He took a sip from the water cup on the bedside table, then lifted the covers as if to get out of bed.
Ji Wei quickly stopped him. “No, no, just sit on the bed. Stay under the covers so you don’t catch a cold.”
Yin Sijue looked at Ji Wei’s anxious expression with amusement.
“I thought you were joking. Why did you really come to see me?”
Ji Wei stammered, “Yes, of course I came. Brother Qiu said your condition was serious.”
Yin Sijue’s lips curved faintly. “He just took my temperature. Thirty-eight point five. The team doctor prescribed medicine and left. He wouldn’t have told you that, would he?”
Ji Wei: “Uh.” 0.0
The nightlight by the bedside glowed faintly, and the boy in front of him stood stiff as a slate. Even in the dim outline, one could see his flushed face.
Yin Sijue tilted his head with a smile, deciding not to press him further. “I’m fine. Just a low-grade fever. I should be better after a night’s sleep. You didn’t have to make the trip.”
Ji Wei was about to say it was okay, but when his eyes fell on the untouched tablets on the bedside table, he immediately changed his tune.
“You haven’t taken your medicine yet.”
Yin Sijue followed his gaze. “It’s not serious. You don’t need to worry.”
With rare firmness, Ji Wei insisted, “You still have to take it. What if you don’t feel better tomorrow?”
He stepped closer to the bed, moving into the light.
Then he squatted by the bedside table, rested his hands on the edge of the bed, and looked up into the man’s eyes.
“Let me crush the pills for you.”
…
Ji Wei pulled out the spoon and paper he’d brought, spread the paper across the table, and picked up the medicine box to read the instructions.
Yin Sijue looked down at him, his eyes unreadable.
“Two pills a day.”
“Okay.”
Ji Wei pressed two pills from the blister pack and ground them with the spoon. The white tablets slowly turned to fine powder under the iron spoon.
Head lowered, he worked carefully, unaware that the gaze above him grew more and more complex.
“All done.” Ji Wei folded the paper into a funnel for easy pouring.
“Just drink it with water.”
Yin Sijue hesitated a moment, then reached out to take it. He tilted his head back, poured the powder into his mouth, and swallowed it down with water without a change in expression.
“Is it bitter?”
“Not bad.” Yin Sijue tilted his head, studying him. “If I said it was bitter, would you have any candy?”
Silently, Ji Wei pulled a White Rabbit candy from his pocket.
Huh? Really. Yin Sijue arched a brow. “You came prepared.”
“I stole it from the tea room at noon,” Ji Wei admitted obediently.
Yin Sijue chuckled. “Didn’t the coach say we’re not supposed to steal snacks from the tea room?”
Ji Wei froze. “Huh? He said that? What should I do… I’ll buy a bag online tomorrow and replace it, okay?”
“No need, I was just teasing.”
Ji Wei: …
Seeing Yin Sijue had taken his medicine, Ji Wei felt relieved enough to leave.
He pushed himself up, bracing on the cabinet. But the numbness in his legs from squatting too long made him stumble, falling straight forward.
Yin Sijue quickly reached out, his palm catching Ji Wei’s forearm. The distance between them shrank instantly—so close they could feel each other’s breath.
The silent, charged moment lingered until Yin Sijue let go first.
“You said your birthday’s at the end of the month. Is it the 31st?”
“Yes.”
“Eighteen?” Yin Sijue asked.
Ji Wei nodded.
“Mm, that’s just right—the playoffs will be over by then.”
Just right? What did that mean? Ji Wei didn’t understand, but he didn’t ask. The part of his forearm that Yin Sijue had touched was burning, and he clutched his pant leg tightly, trying to suppress his wildly pounding heart.
“It’s getting late, so I’ll head back. You should rest early.”
Yin Sijue looked at him and said, “Alright.”
Ji Wei turned, walked toward the door, and reached out to open it.
“Oh, by the way—there’s something I want to ask you.”
The man’s voice suddenly stopped him from behind.
“How did you know I need to crush my pills before I can take them?”