Chapter 148: The Water Dispenser

“An Qing?”

Smack.

An Yu blinked expressionlessly after swatting the hand away again.

Was she already trying to drag her into the basement?

What was she doing, reaching out like that…?

“…Cough, cough—cough, cough, cough.”

After being slapped away, An Qing began coughing violently, looking even more uncomfortable.

That made An Yu pause.

From earlier, she had already felt that something about An Qing was off.

Her face was flushed, she couldn’t stand steadily, and she kept trying to reach toward her.

This is really strange… Was An Qing always like this?

Usually, she wore a bitter expression, either smiling like she wanted to kill someone or staring with those red eyes like some kind of crimson-eyed monster.

So why was she acting so strange today?

An Yu silently pondered, but An Qing was already becoming restless.

Her throat felt like it was on fire from dryness, and in her dazed state, she kept feeling like the water dispenser wouldn’t let her drink.

How strange… Why do weird things keep happening lately?

There couldn’t be anyone else here.

She even had the illusion that An Yu was right in front of her.

But she knew—she had simply mistaken the blue-and-white water dispenser for An Yu.

In this house, the “An Yu” she saw right now… was just that blue-and-white water dispenser.

Once again, An Qing reached out toward the “water dispenser,” but unsurprisingly, she was blocked again.

“An Qing, what are you doing? You’re so annoying.” An Yu raised her hand and grabbed An Qing’s wrist.

But… why did this hand feel so hot?

An Yu frowned slightly and squeezed it, then immediately looked up at An Qing’s face.

She realized that not only did An Qing not react, she still looked dazed.

If this were any other time, the moment she realized it was An Yu touching her, wouldn’t she have shaken her off like she had an allergic reaction and run away?

At some point, An Yu’s impression of An Qing had already turned into this.

Sick?

An Yu’s brows furrowed slightly as she spoke coldly, “An Qing, you—”

Hearing An Yu’s voice, An Qing showed a faint trace of confusion.

But unfortunately, she treated it as a hallucination.

“An Yu?”

An Yu nodded expressionlessly. “Mm. I’m here.”

But after waiting for a long time, there was no follow-up from An Qing.

Of course.

The reborn heroine is just purely bad—she won’t even bother responding.

Forget it. I can figure it out myself.

An Yu tiptoed slightly, raised a finger, and gently touched An Qing’s forehead.

“Mm… so hot.”

The moment she made contact, she felt something was wrong.

Even without comparing, she could easily tell—An Qing definitely had a fever.

“An Qing, you’re sick. Go back.”

Even if she was an enemy, An Yu wouldn’t just ignore it!

Well… since it was just saying a few words, it took no effort anyway.

Of course, An Yu wouldn’t do anything unnecessary.

From the very beginning, she had already decided—whatever happened to An Qing had nothing to do with her.

That included the current situation.

Saying a word or two of reminder was already the most she could do as a stranger.

And now, the reminder was done.

She was going back.

An Yu withdrew her hand, took two steps back, and prepared to return to her room.

Unfortunately, An Qing didn’t respond at all.

“Water… water…”

She just kept mumbling about wanting water.

Her consciousness seemed to be slipping further and further.

If she was left standing here alone… who knew if something would happen?

An Yu shook her head, then softly said to An Qing, “An Qing, the water dispenser is over there. If you’re thirsty, go drink from there.”

Something she had already reminded her about yesterday—now she had to say it again.

Is An Qing an idiot or something?

An Qing stood there blankly, feeling as if the entire world was spinning.

The water dispenser in front of her had disappeared.

Or rather, it hadn’t disappeared—it had run away.

Why… won’t it let me drink water?

In her hazy state, she seemed to hear An Yu’s voice again.

But she still treated it as a hallucination.

An Yu had never liked her.

So how could she possibly remind her where the water dispenser was?

That’s right.

An Yu had always hated her.

Even if she simply existed, simply breathed, An Yu would hate her.

But An Qing knew—at least that hatred had reasons.

Qinghe feared she would take Chen Guang.

Feared she would take An Yunfan.

Feared she would take Jiang—

So many reasons.

So wasn’t it natural for An Yu to hate her too?

But… what if…

What if An Yu didn’t care about those people at all?

Wouldn’t that make her hatred… purely directed at An Qing?

An Yu… was just like her.

Someone who needed the love of those useless people.

She wanted to prove to them—

Prove what?

No.

That’s not right.

She didn’t need to prove anything.

She just hated An Yu.

She wanted revenge.

Revenge…

But… An Yu, where are you?

Unconsciously, An Qing reached forward, as if An Yu was right there in front of her.

But unfortunately—there was nothing there.

The world spun violently.

With the high fever, An Qing had completely lost her sense of direction.

She fell straight to the ground.

Closing her eyes, she waited for the impact.

She still hoped it wouldn’t hurt too much.

She was afraid of pain.

But—

The expected pain never came.

Instead, she felt something soft and comfortable.

And… there was a faint, pleasant fragrance.

So nostalgic…

“An Qing, what are you doing?”

She seemed to hear An Yu’s voice again.

Another hallucination.

“Haa… you’re so heavy.”

An Yu frowned, her usually expressionless little face showing rare change.

That voice was not a hallucination.

It was truly An Yu—she had come back.

Because she suddenly felt that An Qing was so dumb, she might not even be able to find the water dispenser.

It was just leading the way.

That much, she could do.

That way, An Qing wouldn’t come asking her for directions again.

Tch. I’m a genius.

Less interaction, less awkwardness.

But just as she opened her door, she saw An Qing swaying and about to collapse.

Instinctively, An Yu ran over and caught her.

After all, An Yu was kind.

If someone was about to fall in front of her, she couldn’t just stand there and enjoy it.

“An Qing, you’re so annoying. Don’t move.”

An Qing seemed like she was trying to lean into her.

Seriously… her body was burning hot—completely uncomfortable.

And she wasn’t even soft.

Not even close to Ning Wanciu.

Expressionless, An Yu pushed An Qing along as she guided her toward the water dispenser.

“Remember this well. This is the water dispenser.” An Yu gave her final reminder. “The water dispenser is not at the doorway!”