33. Porcelain doll

<"TangTang...?">, her voiced tinged with a hint of confusion and worry, came from the other side of the phone.

YuTang couldn't help but feel warm.

It has only been two days and the time he had spent with her which was less even a thousandth time of what he gave to that other woman... but he felt that it was probably the best period of his life.

Now that he could finally see the world without the filters around, it was plain to the eyes that... what he had felt for that woman was close to what children saw in their parents...

He was too alone and all he wanted was someone to depend on and someone who could accept him as a whole, everything about him including his flaws... the feelings he had for her was just camouflaged as 'Love'... but it seems, it wasn't anything close to that pure feeling!

In this way, he couldn't get angry nor feel anything for that woman... she too was pitiful it seems... as she had used him, he too had used her for himself.... if he put the blame on her, it would be similar to a pot calling a kettle black.

But one thing that delighted him was that, his emotions didn't amount for anything as he had made them to be... with ChunHua around, he could finally feel and see that.

But, of course, he had learnt from the past and definitely wouldn't depend on her and make, whatever they built in this short period, into nothing...

So, he was wondering why he wanted to hear her voice, or for the reason, why he wanted to act like her when he was at that point a while ago... hearing her voice, made it clear.

ChunHua was nothing like the other woman, she wasn't hiding what she really felt for him under some pretence... unlike that woman, she was genuine in what she showed him and hence, he could feel that he also wanted to face her with his true self... just because she presented herself with sincerity, he would like to do the same with her as well.

He wondered if this is what it felt to be like to have someone 'genuinely' close...

Even though his head felt as heavy as a mountain and his body as light as cotton with his world spinning around, he replied back softly, "jiejie... I just...came back", his voice quite raspy because of the cold.

There was silence on the other side after his reply.

After a few moments, YuTang who had a bout of drowsiness forced himself to open his eyes and check the screen... 'she is still connected..?'

"jiejie...?", his whispered.

<"...hm?">, her voice sounded a bit weird.

"Did...um... something... happen?", even now, he was worried more about her.

<"..... nothing... You get some rest. I'll talk to you later.">, without waiting for his reply, she cut-off the connection.

YuTang couldn't say anything... but to be true, he felt a bit lonely. He wanted to talk with her, but it seems she must be really busy... but he really felt left out for no reasons, with his misted eyes and depressing aura, he really resembled an abandoned puppy.

But he couldn't even mope on that for a long time as the fatigue from both his work and his cold took over his senses and he fainted.

.....

The moment he woke up, he felt a little energetic.

Compared to when he fainted, he felt stronger.

He reflexively tried to touch his forehead only to see a drip attached to the hand, the light pain finally reached him and his eyes misted overall again... he won't ever say it out loud, but he was really afraid of needles!!

Wait!

This was his room... Didn't he faint on the sofa bed?

What---

CLACK

The door opened just then and-

"Ah! You finally woke up?", it was the slightly relieved voice of a person, who shouldn't be here.

"Dream...?", he dazedly whispered.

ChunHua who heard it finally sighed and came to pinch his cheeks, "What are you mumbling about? This is reality... but I don't mind if you dream about me.... I know, it's hard to not think about me even in dreams", her voice and tone were back to normal, as she joked.

"Jiejie!!!", hearing her joke around like that, he finally woke from the trance and his face warmed up...

"hahahahahahaha... what?", she was genuinely enjoying the situation before she called for the nurse.

The moment ChunHua heard him speak, she knew it was a cold and this brat will probably not take care of himself.

She had cut-off the line to finish her job early.

This was a job under the empire left by her parent's and not directly under her own venture, but she had to do it herself, with YuTang finally by her side now, she will start to take back what was hers from the start bit by bit and she had just started.

It was supposed to be a two-day conference, but she had enough power to make it into one... they had rested for half-day already so, she just called for a night meeting ASAP.

The moment she was done, she flew back only to see the man sprawled on the sofa bed... she was too shocked to speak, but because she had expected something like this, she had called for her family doctor before she even reached here.

The nurse that followed the doctor, helped him to his room before the doctor could check him and administer cure.

It was fairly late by the time she got here, over 6 hours to be exact and she has been a worrying mess and hadn't slept for a whole day now, but the moment she saw him regain consciousness and also his pale face gaining some colour... 'it was all worth it... he is fine now...', she sighed as she saw the nurse take out the drip.

....

His temperature was still a little high, but he just needed some good rest.

Meilin had called for some seafood porridge and a clear soup after consulting the doctor and after the assigned nurse helped him freshen up, she brought them in before asking the nurse to go back.

YuTang still kept looking at her without saying anything, but the moment the nurse left, he asked worriedly, "jiejie... your work?", his voice was a slightly husky but better than how it sounded over the phone.

"Your jiejie is too good. Of course, I finished my work and came over... but, Baby Yu... you indeed got a cold~", she gave her a look and exaggeratedly sighed... in a way, she was trying to end the topic, but on the other hand, it felt like she was looking at a porcelain doll.

YuTang who was jabbed at for the nth time, "....."