Even now, her mouth parched, her body trembling uncontrollably, plagued by all sorts of discomfort, Chi Qingya didn’t move at all.
She simply stared blankly at the quilt before her, lost in thought.
She couldn’t understand why everything had turned out like this…
Where, exactly, had things started to go wrong?
Clearly, ever since she was young, she was the well-behaved child in the eyes of her parents and teachers.
Clearly, she always listened to her teachers and parents, working hard at her studies.
Clearly, she was the only child from the Village to get into this Big City.
Why did things become like this?
Chi Qingya felt so wronged she wanted to cry, her mind buzzing with activity, yet her body remained motionless.
She felt her body was just too sluggish now, unable to keep up with her racing thoughts.
Water…
It wasn’t until the dryness in her mouth assaulted her again that Chi Qingya finally noticed the Cup that had fallen to the floor at some point and wanted to pick it up.
She needed to pour herself a cup of water, and then change into a quilt that wasn’t soaked.
After that…
After that, she needed to…
Ask the Teacher for leave.
She really couldn’t go to class now.
Even leaving the house felt like an impossible task.
She wondered…
What was Su Li doing right now…
In a daze, Chi Qingya thought this, but she couldn’t imagine it.
She couldn’t imagine what Su Li might be doing.
Right now was…
Class time.
Su Li…
She was probably in class, right?
With that thought, Chi Qingya dragged her exhausted body, wanting to go pour herself a cup of water.
But as soon as she lifted the quilt, a cold wind swept over her.
Only then did she remember she wasn’t even wearing Clothes.
She had to put on her Clothes…
Put on her Clothes…
Thinking this, Chi Qingya scanned the Bed and slowly found her Clothes.
Right now, she felt so lonely, she desperately wished someone would come and keep her company.
After thinking for a long, long time, Chi Qingya finally remembered that besides Su Li, she also had a group of good friends.
Friends…
That word suddenly felt a little unfamiliar.
But the faces of her girlfriends still surfaced in her mind.
She pulled out her Cell Phone and looked hopefully at the usual Group Chat.
The Group Chat, with not a single message, felt unreal to her.
Clearly, she was sick.
Shouldn’t the others be talking about her being ill?
That should be…
What friends do, right?
Chi Qingya wondered uncertainly, and in the end, stared at her Cell Phone for a long time, unable to figure out why.
Clumsily, she put on her Clothes, puzzling over this question she just couldn’t figure out as she dressed.
They were all supposed to be friends—why had no one come to see her?
After dressing, Chi Qingya wandered to the Living Room, dazedly holding her Cup.
She remembered.
She’d sent a message in the Group Chat.
The last message was from her.
But after all this time, still no one had replied.
Chi Qingya just couldn’t figure out why.
The old her might have been able to come up with a suitable reason.
But now, even though her mind was fast, her awareness was muddled—she just couldn’t understand.
And she didn’t get it.
Had it already been a long time since she sent that message?
Chi Qingya wondered in her heart, but as for how long, her foggy mind couldn’t recall.
She filled the Hot Water Kettle with water, then slumped, drowsy, onto the Sofa.
Her throat felt hoarse and unbearably sore.
She seemed to see someone’s shadow pass in front of her, handing her Medicine, and then offering her a cup of warm water and Medicine.
“Tha… thank you.”
Chi Qingya’s hands trembled as she reached for the Cup, but grasped only empty air.
The figure in front of her vanished.
She stared coldly at the empty room, shaking her head.
Just now, she must have been hallucinating.
Chi Qingya touched her forehead—even though she’d already taken Medicine, it hadn’t helped at all.
Her head felt as hot as a branding iron. The moment her palm touched her forehead, she quickly pulled it away.
What was she supposed to do?
Water…
Half-conscious, Chi Qingya heard the sound of water boiling.
Dragging her exhausted body, she clutched the Hot Water Kettle tightly in her hands, terrified that in her muddled state, she might spill boiling water all over herself.
After all, she hadn’t managed to avoid that just after waking up.
“So… so hot.”
Chi Qingya let out a breath.
She couldn’t understand why the water spilled on her feet was still so hot. Something that should hurt so much, yet she only felt numb.
She wondered if she’d already been burned senseless.
Hot Water trickled down the edge of the table to the floor, and no matter how she tried to pour water into her Cup, it never seemed to fill.
She didn’t know why things were like this.
Just as Chi Qingya was pondering this, the Cell Phone ringtone pulled her out of her thoughts.
She felt her heart pound violently, full of nervousness.
Whoever it was, at least someone was paying attention to her now.
Just seeing her would be enough…
With that in mind, Chi Qingya clutched her Cell Phone like it was a lifeline.
Her thoughts raced, and she recalled many people.
Dad, mom, Younger Sister, her close girlfriends, and… Su Li…
She sat dazed for a long time before she came to herself and answered the call.
But all she heard on the other end was a game advertisement, and a wave of sour emotion surged up in her heart.
At some point, her little foot stepped into the Hot Water trickling on the floor, making her jerk her foot back on instinct.
She…
What did she do wrong?
Why did the world have to treat her like this?
She just couldn’t understand, completely at a loss.
If it had been when Su Li first left home—after celebrating with her girlfriends, coming home…
Even if the house was a mess, she’d have felt uncomfortable, but she could still get things done.
But now, she couldn’t do anything at all.
Clearly, she…
Clearly, she’d already tried so hard to change herself.
So why had it come to this?
Why…
Why…
Why didn’t Su Li like her cooking?
Why did no one bring her an umbrella?
Why was she the one who fell sick?
Why did all the bad things in this world have to happen to her alone?
She didn’t understand…
Now, even wanting to drink a cup of water was such a difficult thing.
Tears slid from the corners of Chi Qingya’s eyes. Like a traveler struggling through the desert, she quickly licked her own tears.
She was just too thirsty…
But tears didn’t quench thirst.
They even tasted salty…
Right now, she didn’t want anything at all.
She just wanted to get better, just wanted a cup of Hot Water.
She didn’t even ask for much.
Why had even such a simple wish become a luxury for her?