Fever

Edith glanced at the time as she walked along the street with a cup of milk tea in her hand. As she got to leave kindergarten on time, she decided to walk around the city to get her dinner before she took the bus and head over her home.

At this time, the phone in her bag started to ring. Edith took out her phone and a smile curved on her lips as she saw the caller ID. She swiped her finger on the screen and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Grandpa." Her voice contained her joy as she called his name. "You came back from your fishing trip?"

"Hmm, just came back with Old George and your uncle Li," Mike Qian answered.

"How was it? Did you caught a lot of fish this time?" She found an empty seat and sat down.

Mike Qian let out a scoff. "Of course. The place that they took us this time is quite good. I caught a lot of fish this time. If you don't believe me, later, I will send you some pictures."

Edith laughed upon hearing his words. "Alright. Alright. I will believe you."

There was a happy laugh on the other line.

"But Grandpa, just in case, you should send me the pictures."

"Edith, you!" Mike Qian paused and let out a helpless sigh. His lips curled into a happy smile as he listened to his granddaughter's laugh. "Where are you? Are you still at school?"

"I'm off work," Edith said. "Since it was still early, I walked around the city to get some stuff and had my dinner. Grandpa, have you eaten yet?"

"Hmm, your Uncle Li pulled me to the B&B and won't let me go until I ate something earlier," Mike Qian said. "His wife packed some leftover food for me to eat. You don't have to worry about me. Just worry about yourself."

A small smile appeared on her lips as Edith continued to listen to her grandfather's nagging. Gradually, his voice turned soft and Edith could only nod and answered him with an occasional 'hmm'.

"According to the weather forecast, the area you live in will be having rain. Edith, you don't forget to bring along an umbrella with you," Mike Qian continued.

"Grandpa, I always carry an umbrella with me."

"Don't forget to take your medicine if you get sick and tell me if you're not feeling well."

"Grandpa, did you just call to nag me?" Edith laughed. Her grandfather would always give her a call whenever the rainy season started to remind her to be careful. Though she was touched by his gesture, Edith could not help but to tease her grandfather a little bit.

"I raised you for years and knew that you are someone who would not tell me anything when you were having your difficulties." Mike Qian sighed as a memory came to his mind. "Back then, when you started to live with me, you did not want to say a word whenever you were feeling unwell. At one time, you were determined not to say anything to me because I was busy with a case. In the end, I found you unconscious with your body hot all over. If I did not take you to hospital in time, perhaps we won't be having this conversation right now."

The grandfather and granddaughter went silent for a while as they thought of that incident. At that time, her temperature was really hot that the doctor had scolded her grandfather for neglecting a child.

She had walked in the rain from school and when she was feeling unwell, Edith had not said anything to her grandfather as she was worried that she would irritate him. But because of that, her condition got worse.

Fortunately, she had recovered. If something bad happened to her back then, Edith was sure that her grandfather would not stop blaming himself. He had lost his daughter, and to lose his granddaughter soon after would break him.

However, she soon found out that her grandfather hated the rainy season. His daughter passed away in the rain, and his granddaughter almost gone in the same weather.

The two of them continued to chat for a few minutes.

Just as she was about to stand out, a droplet of water drop on her hand. Edith lifted her head and saw that it was raining lightly. She took out her umbrella from her bag and suddenly, a face came to her mind.

The conversation with her grandfather just now had reminded her of Hazel. Just then, when Hazel left the school with the driver, Edith was sure that the little girl's face did not look so good.

Edith was suddenly reminded of her younger self and started to worry.

The last time when Neil Mo had forgotten to pick up Hazel from the kindergarten again, she had saved his contact number to her phone. After going through her contact list, Edith pressed the phone to her ear again.

…

Neil Mo had just come out from the meeting room with the people from the Accounting Department and spoke with his assistant briefly. After giving him some instructions, he then walked into his office.

His niece, Hazel was still sleeping on the sofa. Her body was covered with a blanket up to her shoulder, Neil peeked at her face and let out a sigh before he walked over to his desk.

The phone in his pocket vibrated and a frown appeared on his face upon seeing an unknown number. He slid his finger on the green button and spoke, "Hello, Neil Mo speaking."

"President Mo!" An anxious voice came through. "This is Hazel Mo's classroom teacher, Edith Qian."

Neil Mo was startled upon hearing the name. "Teacher Qian, what can I do for you?"

"President Mo, is Hazel with you?"

"She is. But right now, she's sleeping." He recalled her anxious tone and glanced at his niece who was still sleeping on the sofa. "Do you need to talk to her?" He walked over to the sofa and touched at Hazel's shoulder, but unlike the usual, Hazel did not wake up.

"President Mo, did Hazel said anything to you earlier? For example. she was feeling unwell?"

The crease between his brow deepened. "No." Suddenly, his heartbeat escalated.

Neil Mo moved his hand to touch the little girl's forehead and was shocked upon feeling her hot skin. Swiftly, he moved to crouch down beside her and pulled at the blanket that was covering her body.

His eyes widened upon seeing Hazel's flushed cheek and her heavy breathing. His hand reached to her forehead again and he started to panic. "Hazel!"

"President Mo, what happened?"

"Teacher Qian, Hazel is having a fever."