Visiting the Sick after Being a Patient

Zhao Xing was right, once she recovered she returned to her world. Having spent a week and five days away from home, she felt like she had been on a long trip. She woke up and it was morning. She had expected the headache of a few days ago, oh, it was yesterday. She expected it to resurface, but she felt well, she even felt better than when she was in the other world.

She quickly got up and went to see her mother and Zhao Yun. Mrs. Zhao was busy in the kitchen making breakfast, and Zhao Yun was obediently checking his school bag, making sure everything was inside.

"Ma!" She called out to her mother, as she entered the kitchen.

"Xing Xing? You're up early, did you have a nightmare?"

Zhao Xing grimaced, was her mother mocking her that she couldn't wake up on time?

Mrs. Zhao laughed it off as she was only joking. "Go get ready, breakfast will be done soon."

After getting ready she sat next to her brother at the dining table, and ruffled his hair. She hadn't seen him in a while but she refused to admit that she missed him, so she only justified her actions by saying she had only wanted to annoy him on impulse.

And if that was what she wanted to do she had achieved it successfully.

"Jie!" The little boy shouted.

Zhao Xing stuck out her tongue and dared him to say another word with a threatening glare.

Mrs. Zhao saw everything, and only shook her head, she stretched her hand to rearrange her son's hair for him. "Don't mind her, she can only show her love this way, bear with her, ok?"

"Humph, what love? I just thought his head looked funny."

Zhao Yun heard this and puffed his little cheeks. Zhao Xing thought it was extremely cute, and laughed at him. But only made the little boy angrier.

Well after the warm 'family' reunion, at least to Zhao Xing, it was time to go to school.

"Xing Xing!" Shan Shan was the first to meet her on her way to school, she was normally really early, but today, she somehow left her house about the same time as she did.

"Shan Shan? Did you sleep in?" Zhao Xing said surprised.

"Who slept in? My elder sister was sick, so I had to make breakfast before I left…" Her voice trailed as she remembered the mess she made in the kitchen, and how she was late because she had to clean it up. At least the food she made was edible, if not all her painstaking effort would have been for naught.

Zhao Xing heard her and suddenly imagined the scene. "Shan Shan, you could've ordered food…" How could you let your sick sister die from poison?

Shan Shan knew what Zhao Xing meant, and glared at her, then justified herself. "I…I have been practicing, alright? I tried my best and my sister even praised me! Besides neither me or my sister know how to cook, we used to only eat take out, but she's sick, and has already taken sick leave, I can't let her have takeout now that she's unwell."

Zhao Xing thought of the kind beautiful sister that was sick at home, and her heart suddenly hurt for her. Shan Shan's sister had the beauty of a goddess. She had been sick for some time now and knew how it felt to not eat what you want to eat, how could she not feel hurt? The last time they came to visit Shan Shan's elder sister, they had seen the way she always indulged Shan Shan, she spoilt her little sister. Shan Shan used to live with their parents, but they were almost never around so she moved in with her sister.

"Shan Shan, after school we're definitely coming to pay your sister a visit."

"Huh?"

They soon arrived school. Shan Shan had a lot of admires either girls or boys, she also belonged to the class committee, so she was soon dragged away from her side.

Like yesterday, some boys sat with Jiang Chen and they were busy chatting. Zhao Xing nodded when she saw this. Jiang Chen spotted her and waved. She returned the wave.

Then she turned to her hopeless friend Lu Yang, who sat hiding a book in the locker to read. Alone, like always.

She sat by him, "Hey, Loner." She teased.

"Hum?" He replied, there wasn't a fluctuation on his expression.

'He even replied. You really are hopeless.'

"Let's go to Shan Shan house after school."

His hands that raised to flip the book paused in the air. "Ah?"

Zhao Xing rolled her eyes. "It's time to please the in-laws."

Lu Yang face turned a few shades red when he heard her. But Zhao Xing didn't seem to notice, and went on, "Shan Shan's sister's unwell, Shan Shan doesn't know you are an excellent cook, it's time to show your skills!"

"…." Lu Yang kept silent. It didn't seem like a bad idea.

Zhao Xing saw that he didn't oppose. And she knew once Lu Yang doesn't out rightly oppose an idea, then he was close to agreeing.

During break, Lu Yang was pulled again to discuss the matter by Zhao Xing. In the end he agreed under the condition that they had another boy follow them.

"Xing Xing, what are you guys talking about?" Zhao Xing turned in the direction of the voice. It was Jiang Chen.

"Heh" Zhao Xing smiled at her savior. Then turned to Lu Yang, "Of course, of course."

She then rushed and grabbed Jiang Chen, by the arm, whispering, "Did the bullies come to find trouble with you?" She asked.

Jaing Chen's face turned a bit gloomy when the topic was brought up, but he nodded. It was strange that since the last time they had beaten him so hard, he hadn't seen them again.

Zhao Xing nodded. She really had to reward those good friends of hers.

"That's good, you watch out, don't be careless, when school closes, you go straight home alright?"

Jiang Chen felt like a child whose mother was being concerned about. He nodded at everything she said, with a smile.

'Right, down to business'

"Jiang Chen, are you free after school?" She asked.

Jiang Chen was puzzled but shook his head, "No…"

Zhao Xing was happy, and smiled. "Good, we're visiting Shan Shan's elder sister today, come with us." She was clearly asking him if he could come, but the words came out more like a command.

Jiang Chen saw her serious expression and nodded blankly. "…Ok?"

"Good." She then turned to Lu Yang who was far behind them and raised a hand to make and 'ok' sign.

To which Lu Yang responded with a…well at least he saw her, and understood what she meant, even if he just straight out ignored her. Or was it just her who felt like that was the case?

Jiang Chen on the other hand had a feeling he was being used, but he didn't mind.

After school, the group of four gathered together at the gate, and from there they split into two, one pair went to Shan Shan's house, while the other to the…market. Well, yes, because according to Shan Shan, there wasn't much ingredients left at home to cook.

Well how were the pairs divided?

"Shan Shan, Jiang Chen, you two go take care of Sister Jinghua, Lu Yang and I will go to the market."

"Ha?" Shan Shan looked at Jiang Chen, then at Zhao Xing, were the two quarreling? Why did she pair them like this?

The oblivious Shan Shan shrugged, if her friend wanted time away from Jiang Chen then she would help. "Ok." She agreed.

But Lu Yang didn't seem ok with the idea. Zhao Xing had anticipated this so she quickly dragged him away before he could protest.

Lu Yang: "…"

"Aiya, she can't come with us because she has to take care of her sister, neither can only you and Jiang Chen go to the market because he'd feel awkward around you. It's the best I could do, just bear with it alright?"

Lu Yang still felt there was some loopholes but could only agree with her in the end.

When they both returned, they had their hands full of grocery bags.

"Sister Jinghua." They both greeted, as they entered the house.

Xue Jinghua was sitting in the living room having a chat with Jiang Chen, keeping him company, while Shan Shan was in the kitchen, probably making tea.

"Eh? Xing Xing, Xiao Lu, you both came." She said with a bright smile, which brightened the whole house. They all sighed. 'She really is a beauty!'

She looked pale and frail from her ailment, but how could this hide her beauty? Her paleness in itself alone outshone bright beautiful flowers.

Lu Yang spotted Shan Shan in the kitchen and went to help her out.

Xue Jinghua watched him, smiling knowingly. How wouldn't she know? Since the last time the boy came here, she could tell at a glance something was up. She then turned to the spell bound Zhao Xing., who still looked for more words in her vocabulary to describe the beauty before her eyes.

"Zhao Xing, don't just stand there, come sit."

Lu Yang had entered the kitchen, Shan Shan looked at him weirdly.

"What do you want to do? Call Zhao Xing to help, you can go wait in the living room." She said, trying to shoo him away.

"I…" He began, adjusting his glasses. "Zhao Xing can't cook, I'll be doing it today."

"Ha?" Shan Shan said trying not to laugh. In short she didn't believe him. "Xiao Lu, you know how to cook?"

Lu Yang nodded, it was only two of them in the kitchen, and she called him 'Xiao Lu', at the thought…

He turned his head away, taking out the groceries and arranged them, he tried to hide his face, that must have already turned red by now.

Shan Shan shrugged. "Ok, then I'll help you, just tell me what I need to do."

To Lu Yang today was the best day of his life, he was even happier than the times Shan Shan had dragged him to have fun alone together. (During the time she had misunderstood Zhao Xing relationship with Jiang Chen.) He was thankful to his dear mother for forcing him to learn how to cook. He was thankful to Zhao Xing for her silly ideas.

He was so happy he didn't know what to do.

Those in the living room craned their heads to sneak peeks at the couple in the kitchen, everyone with their own thoughts in their head.

Xue Jinghua: 'Heh, this Lu Yang is really something, it's unfortunate my baby sister is too dense…'

Zhao Xing: 'Ahh! This is so cute, so cute! Lu Yang you must thank me well after this.'

Jiang Chen: 'I wonder if Zhao Xing knows how to cook…'

Well after all was said and done lunch was ready and it was soon time to taste the fruit of both Lu Yang and Shan Shan's labor. Well it was mostly Lu Yang's doing.

"Lu Yang..?" Xue Jinghua tasted the food and couldn't help but exclaim. "Where did you learn how to cook?"

"I…" But before Lu Yang could hesitatingly say a word, Zhao Xing cut in and began rambling.

"It was his mother that taught him, he's very hardworking and studies hard at school, would make a perfect life partner."

For the first time in a long time Lu Yang felt like kicking Zhao Xing.

Xue Jinghua laughed heartily.

Shan Shan had also been surprised, she saw how skillfully he had cut the vegetables, applied ingredients. He knew what to put at the right time, something she didn't know when she'd achieve.

She also nodded. "Lu Yang is really great, it would be good if I could marry someone like you." She sighed and shook her head, feeling pity for herself.

Unbeknownst to her everyone at the table had suddenly gone quiet.

It was Xue Jinghua who coughed trying to dispel the awkwardness, "Let's eat, let's eat." She nudged her sister in the process.

But Shan Shan had other thoughts as she heard her sister cough. "Jie, are you alright, should I get your medicine?"

"It's alright, it's alright, I'm fine." She really had no words to describe her baby sister at this moment.

Well lunch continued like that, the awkwardness had been dispelled, and they got into discussing some interesting subjects. They had fun and managed to make Shan Shan's elder sister laugh a few times.

They stayed for a while, Zhao Xing helped with the dishes and dragged Jiang Chen along with her.

"The two of them cooked, it's our turn to shine right Xiao Chen Chen?" Jiang Chen had absolutely no complaints.

Before they knew it, it was already getting late. Lu Yang had already prepared something light for Jinghua to take for supper, of course he didn't forget Shan Shan.

"Lu Yang you should visit more in the future." Xue Jinghua said as the group readied to leave. "That way, we won't have to eat take out, at least, to teach our dear Shan Shan how to cook."

Lu Yang didn't know how to respond. At least his friend who never let him answer anything alone was always there for him and quickly responded, "Don't worry Jinghua Jie, we'll pay you visit more often in the future." Yes, it was Zhao Xing.

The two sisters waved them goodbye.

And that was the end of a very long day.

.......................

Zhao Xing: Today I killed two birds with one stone, am I not the coolest?

Lu Yang: (Ignores her completely) Childish

Zhao Xing: .... Ungrateful brat!