Allergen

Ji Chen drove straight to the hospital where Zhen Yu was staying and resolutely walked towards Zhen Yu's hospital room.

"You're finally here. I thought you didn't want me anymore!"

When Zhen Yu saw Ji Chen coming, he immediately straightened up and leaned against the headboard, sitting on the hospital bed.

Zhen Yu's wounds were wrapped in various sizes of gauze. Besides a few old wounds that had already scabbed over, there were only patches of intact skin, revealing a swath of white.

When Ji Chen saw him like this, she couldn't help but slow down her steps. When she reached Zhen Yu's side, Ji Chen took a deep breath, ready to confess.

"Do you remember when we were kids? I was the one lying in the hospital then. I lost a fight, and you came to visit me. As soon as you entered the room, you ran to my hospital bed and tried to take off my clothes. I was fine, but you scared me half to death. You asked me where I was hurt and said, 'Anyone who dares to touch my man is tired of living. Who is it? I'll go and deal with them!' That was the cutest you I had ever seen."

He paused and then continued, "What I want is the you who runs towards me, not the you who walks slowly over."

As Zhen Yu spoke, he let out a sigh and then looked out the window.

Ji Chen lowered her head, looking like a child who had made a mistake.

"If you want to say something, just say it. I've already told you, I like the you who doesn't hesitate."

Zhen Yu shifted his gaze from the window back to Ji Chen. Seeing her with her head drooping, he couldn't help but place his hand on Ji Chen's head.

"I miss you so much, so, so much."

Zhen Yu's voice was a bit hoarse. After saying that, he put down the hand that was resting on her head.

"I, I came here to make up for your birthday. It was your birthday a few days ago, wasn't it!" With red eyes and short of breath, Ji Chen didn't lift her head. Instead, she just dashed towards the hospital door.

She sat in the car and looked up at Zhen Yu's hospital room.

After looking at it twice, she buried her face in the steering wheel. Li Xuan was right. She hadn't thought it through yet. However, her not thinking it through meant she hadn't figured out how to say it...

She had been calling this brother the male lead in their pretend games since she was a child, and as the female lead, she had always been doted on by the male lead.

But now, she had to stop the play that she had been acting out for more than twenty years... and tell him that the male and female leads of this "play" wouldn't end up together.

She lay there for a long while, taking her time to calm down. Finally, she straightened up, drove to a cake shop, bought a durian mille-feuille cake, and then drove back to the hospital.

In the hospital, Zhen Yu had been waiting for Ji Chen to come back.

"Cake! Durian mille-feuille! Your favorite!" Ji Chen placed the cake she was holding on the nearby mobile table and then moved it next to Zhen Yu.

It was a whole durian mille-feuille cake.

As Ji Chen spoke, she cut a large piece of the mille-feuille and handed it to Zhen Yu.

"Eat up! Happy birthday!"

Zhen Yu looked at Ji Chen, smiled, stuck his fork into the durian mille-feuille, and scooped up a big spoonful to eat.

"Knock, knock... Time for rounds!" A woman dressed as a nurse walked in, wearing a mask.

"What are you doing! Eating something with such a strong smell in the hospital!"

The nurse walked over with a hint of annoyance.

"I'm so sorry. It's mainly because it's his birthday. But since we're in the hospital, we couldn't get a cake elsewhere. We'll finish it soon, right away!"

Ji Chen walked up to the nurse and explained.

"All right, all right. Hurry up!" As the nurse spoke, she walked over to Zhen Yu's IV drip and adjusted the drip rate.

"Hey, why do you have so many small red bumps on your body?" Ji Chen noticed the abnormality on Zhen Yu's body.

"Nurse, is he allergic to the medicine? Why is he getting a rash?"

Ji Chen looked at the female nurse who hadn't left yet.

The female nurse glanced at Zhen Yu. "How could it be an allergy to the medicine? We do a skin test before injecting the medicine! Could it be this durian mille-feuille?"

Ji Chen scooped up a spoonful of the cake and took a bite. "It's fine. I've bought durian mille-feuille from this place before. The taste and texture are the same. It doesn't seem like there are any other allergens added. Didn't you eat it before?"

Ji Chen turned to look at Zhen Yu.

The red rashes on Zhen Yu's body were spreading more and more.

"Let's go and draw some blood for a check-up."

The nurse was about to arrange for Zhen Yu to have his blood drawn.

"No need. Just putting some medicine on will be fine."

Zhen Yu stopped the nurse.

"How can that be? You don't even know what the allergen is. If you encounter it again in the future, you'll really suffer!"

As Ji Chen spoke, she made a move to help Zhen Yu carry the IV bottle.

"I'm allergic to durian." Seeing that Ji Chen was determined to take him for an examination, Zhen Yu said helplessly. "How is that possible? Every time you had a birthday since we were kids, you ate durian mille-feuille! How could you be allergic?"

Ji Chen looked at him in disbelief.

"Silly girl. It's just because you said you liked durian mille-feuille and that you wished you could eat it every day. But you were the only one in the family who liked the taste. Mom and Dad couldn't stand durian and would never buy it for you often. You could only have it on your birthday."

"Then, why did you eat it?" Ji Chen was a bit anxious and confused.

"Because if I said I liked durian, you could have durian mille-feuille twice a year!"

Ji Chen's eyes turned red again. Right! Why hadn't she thought of that? This brother of hers, after eating the cake on his birthday every year, would say he was going to stay at a classmate's house. He had never spent his birthday night at home even once.

And she had always forced Zhen Yu to take a big bite before letting him go.

Birthdays! Aren't they supposed to be celebrated? But had this brother been spending his birthdays every year while being allergic?

Where had he stayed every night on his birthdays all these years?

She didn't dare to think any further...

Seeing this scene, the nurse knew there was no point in staying any longer, so she turned and left.

"Why are you always so good to me? It's like this this time, and it was the same before. You never say anything. But do you think I don't know who took care of all those who wanted to bully me when we were kids? Do you think I don't know who cleaned up one mess after another for me? You always keep it from me. Have you ever thought about asking for my opinion? You always do these self-righteous stupid things. How on earth do you want me to repay you!"

Ji Chen pointed at Zhen Yu lying on the hospital bed. She was a bit angry, but mostly felt pity for him.

"Silly girl, you're my dearest sister! How could you ever owe me anything!"

The red spots on Zhen Yu's body were still spreading.

Ji Chen couldn't hold back anymore and burst into tears.

From childhood to adulthood, she had hardly suffered any harm. It was all because of this brother who had protected her so well. But the price he paid for protecting her so well was hurting himself!

"Silly thing, don't worry about that promise made so many years ago anymore. If it's just being your brother, then so be it. You'll always be my little Ji Chen!"

Ji Chen looked at Zhen Yu with teary eyes.