Hello, Comrade. I'm Here to Marry You!

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: She Has a Fever

Su Zhaozhao was still groggy, but Xie Huaizheng’s words snapped her awake.

"Of course. The more we go through together, the more I want to marry you."

’Isn’t this just the sunk cost fallacy?’

’The more you invest, the harder it is to let go.’

’Seriously, after all the hardships I’ve been through, it would be such a shame if I couldn’t win the handsome guy over.’

At that moment, Su Zhaozhao’s head started to feel a little fuzzy. ’I must be too tired.’

Xie Huaizheng was still talking to her. "But you said before that you ran away to escape a marriage. Aren’t you worried your parents will object?"

"I’m already an adult. I can marry whoever I want. This is a new era; how dare they try to pull that arranged marriage stuff. Camp Commander Xie, you can help me deal with them."

Driving, Xie Huaizheng’s lips curled into a smile. ’She’s pretty sharp, knowing how to use me to her advantage.’

Soon, the car arrived at the guesthouse.

Su Zhaozhao’s consciousness was already fading.

Xie Huaizheng got out of the car and immediately opened the back door. The girl was lying on the back seat, her eyes tightly shut. Her long eyelashes cast a shadow beneath her eyelids.

A faint blush had appeared on her usually fair cheeks.

He touched her forehead, and his expression instantly darkened.

’She’s running a fever after all.’

Even though he had tried to tease her to keep her awake, it hadn’t worked.

Xie Huaizheng’s thin lips pressed into a tight line, his face grim. He turned and drove the car to the nearby military hospital.

After getting out, he scooped Su Zhaozhao into his arms.

The girl’s body was cold, soaked through from the heavy rain. She was in a wretched state.

She seemed very cold. Feeling the warmth of his embrace, she instinctively wrapped her arms around him and snuggled deeper into his chest.

The scent of jasmine grew stronger.

Xie Huaizheng looked down at the girl in his arms, but his eyes unintentionally fell upon her. The wet clothes clung tightly to her body, making the once-loose fabric skintight. Her collar had even slipped down slightly, revealing the curve of...

The next moment, Xie Huaizheng averted his gaze as if he’d been shocked. He then wrapped the bath towel he had originally given Su Zhaozhao to dry herself with around her body.

He quickly carried Su Zhaozhao into the hospital and called for a doctor to examine her.

The doctors recognized Xie Huaizheng. They just never imagined that one day he would come to the hospital carrying a young woman, his expression chillingly severe.

Normally, he wouldn’t spare a glance for even the most serious injuries he himself sustained.

But right now, his face was completely solemn.

It was as if he were the one who was gravely injured.

"It’s nothing serious, just a high fever," the doctor said. "We’ll give her a shot, and it should come down quickly."

’A high fever is nothing serious?’

Xie Huaizheng shot the doctor a sidelong glance, and the doctor felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.

Su Zhaozhao felt her mind drifting in a fog; she didn’t even know when she had fallen asleep.

She only felt her body alternating between cold and hot.

Things in front of her seemed to shift, sometimes far, sometimes near, sometimes small, sometimes large.

In short, her head was spinning.

’When I wake up from this, will I be back in the real world?’

She didn’t know how much time had passed before she opened her eyes.

She found herself lying in a hospital bed with an IV drip in her hand, which rested by her side.

’So I’m in the hospital?’

’Did I have a fever?’

Su Zhaozhao recalled her last moments of consciousness and couldn’t help but sigh.

’I guess people really are the last to know when something’s wrong with their own bodies.’

Before, Su Zhaozhao had always thought she was in great physical condition, and she’d even helped treat so many people.

But when it came to herself, she hadn’t even realized when the fever had started.

Just then, footsteps sounded nearby.

"You’re awake?" a man’s deep voice asked.

Su Zhaozhao turned her head and saw Xie Huaizheng.

Xie Huaizheng had changed into a fresh set of clothes. He was holding a thermos.

He walked in and placed the thermos on the table beside Su Zhaozhao’s bed.

He asked her, "Would you like some water?"

Su Zhaozhao nodded.

Then a thought struck her. She immediately looked down at the hospital gown she was wearing, and her eyes widened.

She then looked up at Xie Huaizheng.

’No way! Did Xie Huaizheng change my clothes?’

Xie Huaizheng poured Su Zhaozhao a cup of water. Noticing her stunned gaze, he let out a snort of laughter. "You guessed right. I’m the one who changed your clothes."

"You!" Su Zhaozhao was shocked. Although she was usually forward and bold, that was limited to just flirting. When it came to the real deal, how could she—a girl who had been single since birth—possibly know what to do?

She couldn’t accept a man changing her clothes!

Seeing Su Zhaozhao’s frustrated expression, Xie Huaizheng’s mood inexplicably brightened.

"Why so surprised? Aren’t you my fiancée? It’s perfectly normal for me to help you change, isn’t it?"

"But... we’re not married yet!" Su Zhaozhao’s eyes flew open.

Seeing her once-pale face now flush with color, Xie Huaizheng felt an itch in his fingers and couldn’t resist reaching out to pinch Su Zhaozhao’s cheek.

It was still just as smooth and soft. It felt nice.

Looking at Su Zhaozhao’s frightened expression, Xie Huaizheng scoffed, "So you’re allowed to tease me all the time, but I’m not allowed to tease you back? Relax, I had a nurse change you."

’So Xie Huaizheng was lying!’

Su Zhaozhao let out a sigh of relief. Then she said, "Even though we’re engaged, we’re not a real married couple. What if you saw my body and then refused to take responsibility? A girl’s reputation is very important."

’At least, it is in this era.’

Forget about dating couples; even married couples didn’t dare hold hands in public for fear of starting gossip.

"Yes, Miss Su, you’re right." After checking that the water in his hand was at a suitable temperature, Xie Huaizheng handed it to Su Zhaozhao. "Here, drink."

Su Zhaozhao was already dying of thirst.

After Xie Huaizheng handed her the water, she drank it all in one go. "More, please."

Xie Huaizheng poured her another glass.

When Su Zhaozhao had first woken up, her mind was still a bit fuzzy.

But after being teased by Xie Huaizheng, she was now wide awake.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Not long. Only about ten hours."

Ten hours! Su Zhaozhao’s eyes widened. That meant she had slept the whole time in one go.

"What about the others? Are the other people from the bus okay?" Su Zhaozhao asked.

"They’re fine."

As Xie Huaizheng said this, his gaze swept over Su Zhaozhao’s arm. "You, on the other hand... you’re really something. You disregarded your own safety to save people. You had so many cuts on your arm from the glass, and you didn’t even make a sound?"

Su Zhaozhao had been wearing a loose, long-sleeved, dark brown shirt.

So even if it was bleeding, it wasn’t obvious.

That’s why Xie Huaizheng hadn’t noticed at first.

Now, Su Zhaozhao pushed up her sleeve.

Her arm was already bandaged, wrapped in gauze.

She had been cut by the window glass while pulling people out of the vehicle.

She must have been too focused at the time, because she hadn’t felt any pain at all.

"If you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have even known," Su Zhaozhao said, looking at the injury but smiling at him.

’What is this girl thinking?’ Xie Huaizheng wondered. ’Other girls would cry if they got hurt, but she’s actually smiling!’

He couldn’t help but press his fingers to her lips, his voice cold. "Stop smiling."