Feeding Water

Song Xingzhou gritted his teeth and, step by step, sat back down at the desk, listening to the excited whispers of the classmates around him.

"Oh my god, it's actually Ying Huai coming to lecture us."

"The school could actually invite Ying Huai—that's amazing."

"I heard he's really good at arranging music. I wonder if it's true—kind of looking forward to it..."

Song Xingzhou listened to the praise around him, his fingers slowly tightening.

He said out of nowhere: "Probably got in through the back door."

"How do you know that, Xingzhou?" A classmate was stunned for a moment and asked curiously.

Song Xingzhou was only guessing wildly.

But anyway, he'd already offended Ying Huai, so this much didn't matter—at least he could vent a little.

Looking at the curious eyes of the classmates around him, he felt a little proud. His gaze darted around, and he opened his mouth mysteriously: "Of course it's because of those scandal rumors online."

"Don't you remember those scandals about Ying Huai that broke before—suppressing juniors, abandoning teammates."

Song Xingzhou lowered his voice and gave a cold laugh. "I don't know why the school would invite someone like this."

"Isn't he close with Professor Mu?" a classmate whispered. "Could it be that Professor Mu recommended him?"

"Impossible." Song Xingzhou seemed to have hit a nerve, and said impatiently.

The classmates beside him glanced at him with some surprise. Song Xingzhou took a deep breath and lowered his voice again.

"I saw him at Professor Mu's house last time."

"The school originally only invited Professor Mu to be a judge, but somehow in the end it was him. He must have used some method to beg Mu Heguang, that's how he got the judge position."

Song Xingzhou sneered: "Probably found some way to curry favor with Professor Mu."

The moment his words fell, he suddenly felt his desk being knocked heavily.

Song Xingzhou was startled.

He turned his head sharply and met Su Xin's slightly darkened expression.

"Teacher Su, you're here," Song Xingzhou breathed a sigh of relief and patted his chest. "You scared me."

Song Xingzhou had taken Su Xin's class before.

He had specifically investigated the backgrounds of every teacher he'd taken classes with, and would deliberately try to curry favor with those he thought were useful.

Song Xingzhou knew Su Xin had a decent relationship with Mu Heguang, and had previously tried to get close to Su Xin, but Su Xin had always treated him with mild indifference.

But Song Xingzhou wasn't panicking now.

He knew Su Xin had always held hostility toward Ying Huai. Song Xingzhou breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Su Xin.

"Teacher Su, do you know any inside information about Ying Huai?"

Familiar as ever, he leaned in close to Su Xin and deliberately said: "I remember Ying Huai is even younger than Teacher Su—how could he just become a judge..."

"Do you know this training also involves scoring?" Su Xin suddenly spoke, directly cutting him off.

Song Xingzhou was stunned.

"Training scores are divided into regular scores and final exam scores. I usually give full marks for regular scores, but usually doesn't mean definitely."

"If the score is too low, you can be directly disqualified from the competition."

Song Xingzhou listened as Su Xin said in a flat tone: "This is the last warning—if you keep gossiping about the judges—don't blame me for not holding back."

A flash of disbelief crossed Song Xingzhou's eyes. He had never expected Su Xin to speak up for Ying Huai.

But the next second, he still raised a smile. "Teacher Su, you misunderstood. Of course I know those are just online rumors—none of it can be trusted."

Song Xingzhou's fingertips on his leg dug into his palm, but he said to Su Xin in a joking tone: "What I was going to say next was that you can't just believe rumors. Teacher Su, you didn't hear the rest."

Su Xin glanced coldly at Song Xingzhou and left without a word.

The other classmates around, seeing the situation, instantly fell silent. One classmate leaned close to Song Xingzhou's ear and whispered.

"Better be careful, Xingzhou. Teacher Ying is a judge after all. If you offend him, bad scores will affect you."

Song Xingzhou was also feeling a little scared.

But having been put down twice by Ying Huai, he gritted his teeth and still talked tough.

"So what? He can't even let people talk about what he did? And besides, the school preliminary is double-blind judging between judges and contestants—he won't know which one is me."

The classmate beside him gave an awkward smile and said perfunctorily: "Well, if that's the case, his skills must not be good either. Let's just listen first, and if it doesn't work out, we'll go to the principal's mailbox to report him."

Even as he spoke, he leaned away from Song Xingzhou.

Song Xingzhou's face darkened.

He stared fixedly at the person on the podium, gritted his teeth, and exhaled.

This kind of training was mostly just a formality. Many judges were too lazy to prepare and would just pull out the same PPT they'd used for years and read through it verbatim.

So most contestants would find people who'd participated before and buy their old PPTs, just going through the motions of attending.

But Ying Huai hadn't prepared a PPT at all.

Instead, he started writing directly on the blackboard.

Instantly, a wave of discussion rose from below: "Oh my god, no PPT—how am I supposed to memorize this?"

"What is he doing? Not giving us a PPT—how are we supposed to take the exam later? Deliberately making things hard for us?"

"Honestly, since starting college I've never seen a teacher who still writes on the blackboard."

But to everyone's surprise, Ying Huai's class was actually quite good.

People who could participate in this competition had solid fundamentals in music theory and everything else. What they needed more was how to dig deeper into their own inspiration and train their vocal conditions.

And Ying Huai's class happened to address exactly that.

He would draw on his own experience, explaining each confusion point in arranging or singing through actual cases, making it easy to understand.

Some classmates who had come to watch the show unconsciously sat up straight and gradually started really listening.

It wasn't until the bell rang for the end of the first half of class that everyone came to their senses.

"Alright, let's take a break and continue next class," Ying Huai said, half-leaning on the podium, covering his mouth as he coughed lightly. "If anyone has questions, feel free to come find me anytime."

These training sessions were about twice as long as a normal class. Ying Huai had been standing and lecturing for so long that he was starting to have trouble catching his breath toward the end.

He closed his eyes, about to sit down behind the podium for a moment, but the next second, he saw a circle of people instantly gather beside the podium.

Ying Huai was startled.

He instinctively stepped back, his hand at his side clenching slightly. The next moment, he heard the students in front of him speak all at once.

"Teacher Xiao Huai, how should we usually train or develop our ability to dig out inspiration?"

"Teacher Xiao Huai, are there any ways to improve vocal conditions? I feel like my low notes are always a bit unstable..."

Not far away, Song Xingzhou's face darkened.

The classmate he'd argued with before class walked past him and said half-jokingly: "You guessed wrong, Xingzhou. Teacher Ying's lecture is so good—so many people like him—and you were spreading rumors about him."

"I wasn't spreading rumors!"

Before that classmate could finish, the next second, he suddenly felt his collar tighten.

He was startled and pushed Song Xingzhou away: "If you weren't spreading rumors then you weren't—why are you getting so worked up? Anyway, I can see everyone likes Teacher Ying. Why do you hate him so much?"

Song Xingzhou's face turned iron-blue.

He pushed the person in front of him away and strode toward the classroom door.

Song Xingzhou rushed all the way to the end of the hallway.

His face twisted as he pulled out his phone and quickly opened a chat window labeled [Song Fengyi].

Song Xingzhou: [Bro, I saw Ying Huai. He's really disgusting.]

Song Xingzhou: [Don't worry, I definitely won't let him off easy.]

He took a deep breath, put his phone back in his pocket, and just as he turned around, he suddenly heard a gentle and refined voice from behind.

"You're Song Fengyi's younger brother, aren't you?"

Song Xingzhou suddenly looked up.

·

Meanwhile, inside the classroom.

Ying Huai froze for a few seconds, then subtly exhaled.

He leaned against the blackboard behind him, covered his mouth and coughed lightly a few times, and began answering the questions in front of him with a light laugh.

Ying Huai had originally thought the students would disperse after asking for a while—after all, when he was a student himself, he hated teachers who took up break time.

He didn't expect that after lecturing for a while, the students around him not only didn't disperse, but gathered more and more.

Ying Huai laughed helplessly: "What are you doing? Don't you take breaks between classes?"

"Just a moment, just a moment! I still have one more question to ask Teacher Xiao Huai!"

A girl holding a notebook looked up seriously: "Or will Teacher Xiao Huai be offering classes at the school later?"

Ying Huai choked for a moment, shook his head with a wry smile: "Currently... no such plans."

The moment his words fell, he saw the students in front of him instantly move forward a bit more.

"Then we have to seize the time to ask questions today," a boy said with a joking smile, "otherwise where would we catch you in the future?"

Ying Huai: ???

He didn't know what to say for a moment, and sighed with a mix of amusement and helplessness.

Not far away, Su Xin stood in place, his expression dark.

He looked at Ying Huai surrounded by the crowd in the center, his hand at his side slowly tightening.

He instinctively wanted to turn and leave, but the next second, he suddenly frowned.

——Ying Huai's condition seemed off.

Su Xin's expression darkened. He instinctively wanted to step forward, but then thought of something and his steps paused.

——What did Ying Huai's condition have to do with him? He wasn't just his own shidi anymore, but a star singer admired by everyone.

Su Xin closed his eyes, took a deep breath, turned and pushed open the classroom door. The next second, an inexplicable memory suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Su Xin's body trembled.

·

Ying Huai was truly feeling unwell at this moment.

The prolonged standing earlier combined with the surrounding crowd's attention made his breathing unconsciously quicken. The more Ying Huai tried to calm himself down, the more the surrounding noise seemed to amplify.

Ying Huai's face went a bit pale. He sat in the chair, half-propping his forehead, unable to stop his eyes from slightly closing.

A nearby student noticed something was wrong with Ying Huai: 'Teacher Ying, where do you feel uncomfortable?'

It took Ying Huai a few seconds to hear what he was asking clearly.

He didn't want others to notice his unusual state, and barely curved his lips: 'I'm fine..... cough cough cough.'

He wanted to say he was fine, but the moment he opened his mouth, he couldn't stop coughing rapidly.

He propped himself up, wanting to stand and leave, but the next second, he felt the scene before his eyes gradually becoming hazy.

——It's over.

Ying Huai pinched his palm hard, thinking with bitter amusement.

——If he fainted now, he wouldn't have to attend the next class either.

The next second, a hand suddenly gripped his arm, pulling him behind it.

'Once class is over, go rest. Any questions can wait until next class.'

Su Xin's slightly cold voice came from in front of him.

He half-embraced the person and walked outward directly.

Some students, not understanding what was happening, spoke reluctantly: 'Ah, where is Teacher Ying going? I've waited so long and still haven't gotten to ask my question. Isn't a teacher supposed to answer students' questions........'

The coughing of the person beside him had weakened, but his breathing was instead growing more rapid. Su Xin could feel most of Ying Huai's weight leaning against him.

A flash of irritation crossed Su Xin's mind. He suddenly turned his head: 'So what's your question?'

His voice went completely cold, 'He just stood for an entire class. Can't you see his physical condition—'

Before Su Xin could finish speaking, he felt his sleeve being pulled with not-light-not-heavy force.

Immediately after, a faint voice came from beside him: 'Shixiong........'

Su Xin's voice stopped abruptly.

He closed his eyes, then finally spoke again: 'I have business with Ying Huai. If you have any opinions, come tell me directly.'

Some people realized Ying Huai's condition was off and began quietly alerting the surrounding students.

Su Xin didn't say anything more, turned and helped the person walk out quickly.

He didn't notice that in the classroom behind him, several girls were watching their movements, a strange excitement glinting in their eyes.

·

'Shixiong was so imposing just now.' Ying Huai sat in a chair in the rest room, draped in a jacket, looked up with a half-smile and spoke.

Su Xin handed over a cup of hot water with a dark expression, his brows tightly furrowed.

'Why is Shixiong so nervous? Wasn't I fine just now?' Ying Huai raised his head with a smile.

Su Xin couldn't help but let out a cold laugh: 'You call this fine? If I'd been any later, you would have fainted.'

Ying Huai curved his eyes noncommittally.

'If you weren't feeling well, why didn't you leave earlier?' Su Xin looked at the person in front of him, his tone slightly cold.

'I couldn't walk.' Ying Huai said innocently.

He thought for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed again: 'But if I fainted, I wouldn't have to attend the next class either. I could slack off.'

Su Xin was momentarily speechless.

He couldn't help but blurt out: 'Why didn't you call me?'

Ying Huai took a sip of water, raised his head with some curiosity: 'What would I call Shixiong for?'

'Call me to help you leave that place........'

Before Su Xin could finish, he saw the person in front of him suddenly prop his chin and slightly raise his head: 'But how would I know if Shixiong would really help me?'

Su Xin was momentarily stunned.

He listened to Ying Huai speak with a half-smile: 'Clearly at first, Shixiong was planning to just push the door and leave.'

Su Xin's expression paused.

The inexplicable memory that had surfaced in his mind a moment ago appeared before his eyes again.

It seemed to be an awards ceremony at a music gala. Despite thorough security measures, a group of reporters inexplicably surged into the venue when Ying Huai entered.

'Teacher Ying, do you have any expectations for the results of this music gala?'

'There are online rumors that you accepted bribes and influenced the awards. Do you have any explanation for this?'

Su Xin was passing by, hearing the reporters' urgent questions, frowning and wanting to avoid them.

The next second, through the chaotic crowd, he saw Ying Huai surrounded in the center.

Su Xin remembered that Ying Huai's complexion hadn't been good that day, even his lip color was pale, like a piece of fragile porcelain.

He watched Ying Huai surrounded in the center, painfully frowning and clutching his chest. The next second, his gaze suddenly fell on him.

Ying Huai was momentarily stunned, instinctively lowering his hand.

He smiled at Su Xin: 'Why is Shixiong here?'

His body swayed, his complexion worsened a bit more, but his expression was still smiling: 'I'm feeling a bit unwell. Shixiong, could you....... take me away?'

Su Xin instinctively wanted to agree, but the self in the memory just stood quietly in place.

He stared coldly at Ying Huai for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled too: 'No.'

He watched a flash of disappointment pass through Ying Huai's eyes.

Su Xin wasn't sure what he was feeling. He instinctively turned and walked quickly inward, but after a few steps, couldn't help but look back.

The next second, he heard waves of exclamations from the crowd.

'How did he faint? Is he sick?'

'Should we call an ambulance?'

'He's not faking it, is he? I didn't do anything, I just asked a few questions........'

'Alright, stop talking, let's go........'

The crowd suddenly dispersed. Su Xin stood stunned in place.

He instinctively stepped forward, but watched staff members run up and help the person curled up on the ground.

The crowd gathered again, blocking Su Xin on the outside.

At the last moment, Su Xin only saw an unusual bluish-purple on Ying Huai's lips.

The hand covering his chest slowly loosened, and crashed heavily to the ground.

Su Xin's body trembled uncontrollably.

He instinctively turned to walk back, when suddenly reporters surrounded him.

'Teacher Su, I remember you were once teammates with Ying Huai. What's your view on what just happened?'

'Do you think Ying Huai was faking faint, or really sick?'

The reporters had barely finished speaking when an angry voice came from in front: 'Are you crazy? Didn't you see what he looked like just now, and you're still saying he's faking illness........'

Before Su Xin could finish, he saw a flash of surprise in the reporters' expressions.

Su Xin suddenly came back to himself.

He frowned and directly pushed away the person in front: 'Sorry, I don't know.'

'I don't know, don't ask me—go see for yourselves.'

But that evening, the internet was flooded with news: 'Ying Huai's teammate questions whether Ying Huai faked illness to evade reporters.'

·

'Shixiong?'

Su Xin suddenly came back to himself.

'What?'

He raised his head and saw Ying Huai looking at him with a strange expression.

Su Xin was stunned for a few seconds, '.......What's wrong?'

'Why is Shixiong holding my hand?' Ying Huai's hand gently struggled.

Su Xin was momentarily stunned, then suddenly withdrew his hand, 'Nothing.'

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes: 'What exactly happened to you just now?'

Ying Huai took a sip of hot water and shook his head slightly: 'Nothing.......Maybe the classroom was just a bit stuffy earlier, couldn't quite catch my breath.'

Su Xin thought of the memory that had just surfaced in his mind and didn't believe Ying Huai at all.

Looking at Ying Huai, he thought of the previous times they'd participated in the Variety Show, and a guess suddenly surfaced in his mind: 'Do you have a stress response to dense crowds?'

He didn't notice that the moment his words fell, Ying Huai's expression gradually cooled.

Su Xin was still thinking about the images in his mind and asked anxiously: 'Is there anywhere else that feels uncomfortable? Do you feel short of breath........'

'Does Shixiong have evidence?'

Su Xin hadn't finished speaking when he suddenly heard Ying Huai speak softly.

Su Xin was stunned: 'What?'

'Shixiong says I have a stress response—do you have evidence?'

Ying Huai raised his head and curved his eyes silently: 'Spreading rumors is illegal, you know, Shixiong.'

Su Xin finally realized something, and his voice cooled.

'What do you mean? I wasn't going to tell anyone else about this, I was just worried.....'

'Is that so?' Ying Huai looked up and smiled.

'But Shixiong has.......done this kind of thing before.'

Su Xin was stunned.

He instinctively wanted to refute it, but the final fragment of the memory from earlier suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Su Xin's face went white instantly.

Watching Ying Huai stand up to leave, he couldn't help reaching out and pulling him back.

'I didn't.'

Su Xin instinctively explained: 'That time it was that reporter........'

Before Su Xin finished speaking, he saw the person in front of him frown: 'What reporter?'

Su Xin's voice stopped abruptly.

He opened his mouth silently, but for a moment didn't know how to explain.

There was no such scene in his original memory. Su Xin wanted to say something, but for the moment had no way to begin.

Ying Huai only assumed Su Xin was making excuses again.

He closed his eyes and sighed silently.

'Never mind, just pretend Shixiong didn't see anything earlier.'

Ying Huai checked the time, coughed twice behind his hand, and stood up to walk toward the lounge door: 'It's time for class, I'll head back first. Thanks for earlier, Shixiong........'

Su Xin stood in place.

He watched the person in front of him sway again as he stood, and couldn't help reaching out to steady him once more.

'No.'

Ying Huai frowned through the wave of dizziness and raised his head, somewhat confused: 'What?'

The image of Ying Huai fainting at the end of the memory still floated before Su Xin's eyes. He closed his eyes and pushed the person back into the chair.

'You can't teach in this state. I'll go talk to the next class's teacher for you. Go back and rest, come back in the afternoon.'

Ying Huai was stunned for a moment, 'No........'

'If you refuse, I'll call Liang Shining right now.'

Su Xin stood expressionlessly at the door: 'Then Ying-shidi's afternoon classes probably won't happen.'

Ying Huai: ???

Neither of them noticed that a post had been pushed to the top of the forum.

·

[Nobody thinks the TA Shixiong x judge shidi from the Singer Competition training is kind of shippable?]

1L OP: Is there anyone who was in the classroom just now! Did you see the scene where the TA pulled Teacher Ying away!

2L: !! Me me, I saw it! Oh my god it's really kind of sweet!

3L: Although I'm a firm 'Shihuai' shipper, ahem, occasionally shipping another pairing isn't impossible, after all Teacher Xiao Huai belongs to all of us! (Teacher Liang don't hit me (hides under pot lid))

4L: How many peanuts has the person above eaten? Drunk like this? Teacher Xiao Huai is clearly in my arms (?) right now

5L Xiaohanmiao: Fat Bouquet raises paw · looking around blankly.gif

6L: What happened what happened? Can anyone tell me, I feel like a melon-field raccoon dog (bushi)

7L OP: Just after class ended, a lot of people crowded around Teacher Xiao Huai asking questions. But Teacher Xiao Huai probably wasn't feeling well to begin with, and the classroom wasn't ventilated, so probably a bit of oxygen deprivation and dizziness. The pauses in his speech got longer and longer, and sometimes he'd frown and close his eyes for a moment, like he was a bit out of it.

8L OP: At the time I noticed something was off with Teacher Xiao Huai and wanted to go over and let him rest first, but before I could start pushing through the crowd, I saw Su-shixiong rush over with a cold face and block him behind him.

9L OP: I've taken Su-shixiong's class. Although he looks cold by nature, his personality is actually pretty good, he basically never gets angry normally, but at that moment I felt Su-shixiong was really a bit angry.

10L OP: Then! The best shipping moment came! Before Su-shixiong could get angry, Teacher Xiao Huai beside him suddenly called out softly 'Shixiong.'

11L OP: Does anyone get it! Teacher Xiao Huai's normal voice is the kind of smiling and casual one, but just now probably because he was feeling unwell, his voice suddenly went soft, with a bit of fuzziness, and Su-shixiong immediately backed down completely.

12L OP: And Teacher Xiao Huai probably didn't feel secure. Su-shixiong supported him out the whole way, holding onto his sleeve ahhhh!

13L: It's clearly the same class, why is the gap in our class experience so huge, why didn't I see anything just now ahhhh.

14L OP: Don't spread this around, don't spread this around, I was just too bored in class and shipping a bit, keeping it to ourselves family, I don't want to be assassinated by Teacher Liang.

15L Y: Ying Huai is sick?

16L Y: Where does he feel uncomfortable?

17L OP: Yes, seems like he's not feeling well, probably a bit tired, short of breath but not too serious. But our next class schedule has been adjusted, Su-shixiong said earlier that Teacher Xiao Huai should come back in the afternoon........ Speaking of which, why does this ID upstairs look a bit familiar?

18L Y: He's home, right. Good.

19L: Isn't this ID....... the rumored alt account of Teacher Liang (horrified)

20L OP: ?? Help, Teacher Liang I didn't say anything, you didn't see anything!

21L: Help Teacher Liang's 'good' makes me feel like Teacher Xiao Huai is done for (hides under pot lid)

21L OP: Help I won't be directly assassinated right, family you won't not see me this afternoon right.

22L Xiaohanmiao: Hands over Fat Bouquet pat pat.jpg

23L OP: (blankly accepts) (switches out pot lid) (puts Fat Bouquet on top) (gets swatted away by paw)

Ying Huai was completely unaware of the posts on the school forum.

He had originally tried to resist Su Xin a bit, but the next class's teacher was an old friend of Mu Heguang's and had long been tipped off by Mu Heguang.

The old professor, hearing that Ying Huai wasn't feeling well, pushed him straight out of the classroom without a second word.

Ying Huai was driven home by Su Xin in a daze the whole way.

'Is Liang Shining home? Want me to come in and keep you company?' Su Xin asked, frowning.

'He's home. Shixiong should hurry back to class.' Ying Huai said with a smile.

Su Xin looked suspicious.

But he really couldn't stay away from the school for too long. Su Xin gave him a few more reminders and could only drive away first.

Ying Huai watched Su Xin's car disappear around the corner and silently breathed a sigh of relief.

Liang Shining had gone to find Song Si Lan today for some unknown reason, but had agreed to pick him up from school in the afternoon.

Ying Huai rubbed his aching temples, swayed, and coughed into his hand.

—Yu Wu's desensitization therapy was indeed effective, but the aftereffects were really too intense.

Ying Huai felt his whole body trembling nonstop.

Since Liang Shining wasn't home, he couldn't be bothered to keep pushing himself. He stumbled into the room, his body went soft, and he dropped directly onto the sofa.

A faint 'meow' came from beside him, followed by a warm touch at his hand.

Ying Huai got dizzy just keeping his eyes open, so he simply closed them and absentmindedly rubbed Fat Bouquet's head.

'Here to pick me up?'

Ying Huai laughed softly, his voice a bit hoarse: '.......But I'm dizzy right now, can't play with you. How about you nap with me for a while?'

But Fat Bouquet seemed to have seen something, kept circling around his hand, trying to nudge Ying Huai's fingertips with a wet nose.

Ying Huai found it a bit strange.

Fat Bouquet seemed to know he wasn't feeling well—normally when staying beside him, it was quiet and still, only when next to Liang Shining did it wander around trying to act cute.

Ying Huai wanted to open his eyes to look, but he was really too tired. Once he relaxed, his consciousness began to blur.

In the haze, he felt a warm touch land at his waist.

Ying Huai just assumed Fat Bouquet had settled beside him. He breathed lightly a few times and mumbled: '......Be good, stop fussing, I'm going to nap for a bit, mm......'

He felt himself being gently pulled into someone's arms, then a low voice came from beside him: '.......Does it hurt a lot?'

Ying Huai didn't immediately register whose voice this was.

He instinctively wanted to hide it, but the next second belatedly realized he was probably dreaming.

—If I'm already dreaming, why can't I tell the truth?

Ying Huai breathed a few times in a daze.

Liang Shining watched the person in his arms shift uncomfortably, then said softly: "...Uncomfortable."

"Where does it hurt?"

Ying Huai's brow furrowed instantly, and he instinctively reached to grip the fabric at his chest: "Chest feels tight, can't catch my breath..."

The moment his words fell, he felt someone gently block his hand and slowly begin to rub his chest.

The tightness in his chest gradually eased. Ying Huai sighed in comfort and curled deeper into himself.

He felt himself being lifted up and slowly carried upstairs.

"Wait—"

Ying Huai suddenly realized something and instinctively struggled: "I still have class later, just let me sleep a bit..."

"It's still early. I'll keep an eye on the time." That slightly deep voice came from beside him.

"Sleep."

Ying Huai inexplicably felt this voice was especially familiar in his dream, and his body relaxed involuntarily.

Almost the instant the last word fell, Ying Huai plunged straight into a dark, unconscious sleep.

·

Probably because he was still worried about something on his mind, Ying Huai hadn't slept long before he suddenly jolted awake.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

The room was empty. Ying Huai reached for his phone—the time had just passed noon, still early before his class, and Liang Shining probably hadn't returned yet.

Ying Huai didn't bother holding back his cough. Covering his chest, he coughed softly and reached for the water cup beside him.

The next second, a hand suddenly reached over from the side, offering a cup of warm water: "Drink this warm water. It was just cooled."

"Ah, thanks." Ying Huai, still groggy, didn't react properly, thinking he was still in a dream.

He instinctively reached to take the cup, took a small sip, couldn't help but choke on the water, and started coughing again.

That hand settled on his back again, patting gently.

"Why are you still coughing so badly? Didn't you almost recover before?"

"No, Song Si Lan probably meant the heart caused some issues with the lungs. It can only be treated slowly, can't get better all at once." Ying Huai replied casually.

"Every time I fall asleep and can't breathe, I wake up coughing. But if I hold on a bit, it passes."

The moment he finished speaking, he heard the voice beside him subtly change: "What did you say?"

"Hm? What?"

Ying Huai also belatedly realized something was off.

He instinctively looked up and was instantly startled by Liang Shining beside him.

"When did you get back?" Ying Huai asked tentatively.

"How long have you been enduring this?" Liang Shining gritted his teeth.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds. Finally, the one who knew he was in the wrong spoke first: "Just...not that long—when exactly did you get back?"

Liang Shining frowned and stared at him without speaking. Ying Huai's eyes flickered, and he finally added: "Probably just...half a month. But it's not a big deal. I get short of breath pretty often anyway—did you just get home?"

"No," Liang Shining said expressionlessly. "I got home just as you collapsed at the door."

Ying Huai: ?

He instinctively rebutted: "I didn't collapse. I was just a bit tired and went to sleep on the sofa for a bit..."

"Then do you know I was calling you?" Liang Shining directly cut him off.

Ying Huai's expression went blank for a moment: "What?"

Liang Shining didn't answer, continuing to calmly narrate what had just happened.

"You kept saying over and over that you couldn't breathe. I gave you medicine twice and you threw it up both times. Only later did you finally fall into a dazed sleep..."

"I was wrong, Mr. Liang." Ying Huai couldn't hold back anymore and reached to cover his mouth.

—How did he know what he said while in a daze?

But the next second, Liang Shining directly grabbed his wrist.

"What did you do wrong? Wrong for not knowing I was home?"

Ying Huai was stunned for a few seconds, silently opening his mouth.

—He belatedly realized Liang Shining seemed truly angry.

Ying Huai's eyes flickered, and he silently sighed.

"So when you're uncomfortable normally, you just endure it and don't tell me?" Liang Shining gritted his teeth. "Ying Huai, you..."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly saw the person in front of him tremble and then abruptly collapse forward.

Liang Shining was startled.

He quickly reached out to catch him, frowning: "Ying Huai?"

"I'm dizzy, Liang Shining..." Ying Huai buried his head in the crook of his neck and breathed shallowly a few times.

Liang Shining reached for the Medicine Bottle beside him, but Ying Huai directly pressed his hand down: "It's fine. I'll lean on you for a bit and I'll be okay."

Liang Shining's movement paused.

He realized something, paused, and silently sighed.

The person in his arms lay there for a few seconds. Seeing Liang Shining had gone quiet, he couldn't help but sneak a peek up.

The next second, he met Liang Shining's slightly darkened gaze.

Ying Huai's body trembled and he suddenly turned his head away.

"Shifu?"

Liang Shining said softly: "Where else does Shifu feel uncomfortable?"

Ying Huai shook his head: "I'm fine. Are you...still angry?"

Liang Shining's brow twitched. He gritted his teeth: "What does Shifu think?"

—That meant he was still angry.

Ying Huai sighed somewhat desperately and buried his head back.

Ying Huai had originally planned to lie there a while longer before asking, but he hadn't slept well earlier, and Liang Shining's arms were too comfortable.

Liang Shining waited a while and felt the person beside him go still.

He frowned, somewhat worried, and turned his head: "Shifu..."

Soft breathing sounds came from beside him. Liang Shining's voice cut off abruptly.

—The person in his arms hadn't put much effort into faking illness, and had fallen asleep in his arms instead.

Liang Shining's brow twitched.

He took a deep breath and finally picked up his phone again, sending Su Xin a message to reschedule the class.

·

Ying Huai slept straight through until the sky grew dark.

When he woke, he was still lying in Liang Shining's arms.

"Awake?" Liang Shining's slightly hoarse voice came from in front of him.

Ying Huai had some low blood pressure; his vision was swimming, and he didn't notice something off in Liang Shining's expression.

Ying Huai frowned, gave a soft "mm," and fumbled to reach for the water cup beside him.

His coughing and shortness of breath always worsened just after waking. When drinking water, he couldn't control the coughing and would drench himself.

Ying Huai had been dizzy from sleep already, and after repeating this a few times, he himself grew a bit impatient.

"Forget it, I won't drink."

He reached to put the cup down, but suddenly felt a hand gently take the cup from his.

Liang Shining took the cup, glanced at the person in his arms, and said softly: "Let me feed Shifu."

Ying Huai slowly blinked.

He was still groggy and didn't catch the hoarse emotion in Liang Shining's voice.

He shook his head: "No need. I don't want to choke again. It feels awful..."

"You won't choke," Liang Shining said softly. "I promise."

Ying Huai nestled closer in his arms, somewhat blankly raising his head: "Mm?"

The next second, a warm sensation came from his lips. Ying Huai's eyes suddenly widened.

Then, he felt a mouthful of warm water being passed into him bit by bit from Liang Shining's mouth.

Ying Huai's whole body instantly flushed hot.

"You—"

His body suddenly leaned back, and in his panic he fell straight backward, only to be caught at the waist by Liang Shining.

Ying Huai's mind was a mess. He instinctively wanted to struggle, but his body was inexplicably weak.

Through a wave of dizziness, Ying Huai heard Liang Shining speak softly.

"I told you."

"I wouldn't let Shifu choke."