Chapter 143: The Hero Whom Kiana Is Being Taken Care of: This... this isn't right!
One day later.
"Wait, what's wrong with you, Hero? Why are you running a fever? And this temperature is way too high!" The Tarnished removed his hand from Xiling's forehead, waving it in the air, somewhat puzzled.
"Let me correct you," Xiling's voice was unusually weak, "This is called a physiological high-temperature reaction after energy overload, not a fever."
This time, the consumption was indeed quite great. The Cocoon of the Finality was even more powerful than Xiling had imagined. Its strength lay not in its direct combat power, but in its near-rule-like mechanism, its hierarchy, and its vast size connecting countless parallel worlds. As the controller of the imaginary numbers, it maintained all the laws related to Honkai energy.
And Xiling, with just one sword strike, severed its core mechanism.
This resulted in Xiling's period of weakness being longer and more severe than before.
"Alright, alright, whatever you say." The Tarnished looked at him, who seemed about to fall apart at any moment, a rare hint of worry in his voice.
"Are you really sure you're alright? This doesn't look like a minor issue."
"Relax, it's nothing," Xiling weakly raised his hand, gesturing feebly.
"Men, you know, there are always a few days when they're not feeling well…"
"Still being cheeky? Looks like you're not going to die anytime soon." The Tarnished rolled his eyes, half-relaxing.
Just then, the door was gently pushed open. Lemuen walked in carrying a bowl of steaming porridge.
"Alright, have something to eat first." Her voice was gentle as she went straight to Xiling's bedside.
"Okay, here comes the patient's meal. You rest well. I still have experiments to finish." Seeing this, the Tarnished immediately stood up.
"Let me know in the group chat if anything happens! Lemuen, I'll have you keep an eye on this guy." The Tarnished waved his hand and slipped out of the room.
Only the two of them remained in the room.
Xiling struggled to sit up. Lemuen immediately put down the bowl of porridge, reached out to steady him, and carefully adjusted his sitting position.
"This is the first time I've seen you so… well, so quiet." Having settled him, Lemuen couldn't help but chuckle, with a hint of curiosity in her voice.
"Thank you, I didn't expect it either." Xiling said weakly, his gaze falling on the bowl of porridge, instinctively reaching out his hand, "Give it to me…"
However, before his fingertips even touched the rim, Lemuen had already swiftly moved it away. She tilted her head slightly, a look of confusion on her face, as if silently asking: What are you trying to do?
"Uh?" Xiling was taken aback.
"Lemuen? What's wrong?"
"That's what I should be asking you, Xiling." Lemuen's voice was still gentle, but carried an undeniable air. "A patient should act like a patient. Just accept the care." She picked up the bowl again and placed it steadily in front of her.
"I already said it was just overexertion…" Xiling tried to put up a final resistance.
"It's all the same." Lemuen calmly tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of warm porridge, carefully brought it to her lips, and gently blew on it.
"Actually… you don't need to blow it so cold, I can…" Xiling was about to say that he was thick-skinned and wouldn't be bothered by the heat.
But before he could finish speaking, the spoonful of porridge, at just the right temperature, was already steadily placed to his lips.
"Come on, open your mouth, aaa..." Lemuen's voice was as soft as a feather, but her eyes were bright and sparkling, filled with a certain expectation.
"I'm not a child." Xiling turned his head to the side in protest.
Seeing Xiling's resistant expression, the corners of Lemuen's mouth subtly curved into a smile. She leaned forward slightly, and just like that—naturally—sat directly onto the blanket covering Xiling's legs! The distance between them instantly closed.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Xiling looked at Lemuen, who had climbed onto his blanket, with a bewildered expression.
The spoon, once again firmly placed, was brought to his lips.
"Who told you to be disobedient?" Lemuen's voice carried a hint of coaxing, and she even cooperated by slightly opening her mouth to demonstrate, "Come on, aaa."
Her posture clearly showed she wouldn't give up until she got what she wanted.
"Sigh... I really give up..." Xiling muttered resignedly, finally opening his mouth helplessly.
The warm food slid into his mouth. Watching him frown but obediently swallow, Lemuen's smile softened and brightened. She fed him spoonful by spoonful, patiently and attentively, watching this usually energetic guy now only able to frown, unwilling yet helplessly accept her service.
A strange sense of satisfaction quietly spread through Lemuen's heart, like ripples spreading across a lake after a pebble has been thrown in.
Seeing Xiling's unusually limp state, and that expression of clear resistance coupled with his resigned acceptance…
Lemuen suddenly remembered something, her smile deepening:
"Xiling like this… really does resemble Lemuel when she's sick. Usually so energetic and causing trouble everywhere, but once she collapses, she becomes so weak, and even if she's unwilling, she can only puff out her cheeks and accept care…"
—That's really… kind of cute.
The Tarnished hadn't been out long when a hurried figure came running from afar.
"Hmm, isn't that Sirin? Why is she back so soon?" The Tarnished was puzzled. He hadn't informed her of anything, so why was she in such a hurry? As if she knew what had happened.
Just as the Tarnished was filled with suspicion, Kiana rushed in front of him, grabbing his arms tightly with both hands, her eyes filled with anxiety:
"Tarnished! Where's Xiling? How is he? Is he alright?!" Her voice was fast and urgent, her breath unsteady.
"Uh…it's nothing serious, just a little weak from overexertion…" The Tarnished was a bit dazed by her shaking, then realized an even bigger question, "Wait! How did you know…he's 'sick'? We didn't tell you!"
"I'll explain later! I'm going to check on Xiling first." Kiana left those words and hurriedly ran into the house.
Just then, Fu Hua appeared beside the Tarnished.
"Kiana, what's wrong with her? Why are you in such a hurry?"
The Tarnished shrugged, equally confused: "Looks like she found out somewhere that Xiling wasn't doing well and rushed back." He shook his head with satisfaction, sighing like an old father, "Sigh, I haven't spoiled this child for nothing."
However, Fu Hua felt something was off.
"The last time Kiana was this anxious, it was when Mei had a problem." A clear thought instantly flashed through Fu Hua's mind. She paused for a few seconds, then muttered to herself, a hint of disbelief in her voice, "It can't... be like that, can it?"
"Is the food finished? Is it alright now? You can get off me now." Xiling mumbled, finishing the last bite of food.
Lemuen didn't move. Instead, she leaned forward slightly, her delicate face slowly approaching Xiling's.
"I need to take your temperature."
"Hey! I told you I'm not really sick! Why are you taking my temperature?!" Xiling's voice struggled in vain, clearly lacking confidence.
"Hmph, stubborn patients need even more care." Lemuen chuckled softly, then reached out and gently cupped Xiling's burning cheeks, holding his head steady as he tried to turn away. The distance between them closed; Xiling could even clearly feel Lemuen's breath brushing against his skin.
But just then, the door was forcefully pushed open, followed by hurried footsteps approaching rapidly, rushing into the bedroom!
Hearing the urgent footsteps, Lemuen felt a pang of regret. "...Never mind, that's enough."
She released her hands from Xiling's cheeks, but didn't immediately move away, remaining seated on his lap, only slightly apart.
Just as Lemuen adjusted her position, Kiana suddenly appeared in the bedroom doorway, her anxious voice rang out: "Xiling! How are you?! Are you..."
Her voice trailed off, as if paused.
Kiana froze in the doorway, her brain seemingly unable to process the images before her: Xiling... weakly leaning against the headboard. Lemuen... sitting on his lap through the blanket!
Kiana's lips parted slightly, the unfinished question, "Are you alright?" stuck in the air, leaving only an incredulous gaze shifting between Xiling and Lemuen.
"This...this isn't right!"