I Might Have Fallen in Love With My Childhood Sweetheart
Chapter 230 - 222: Competing for Favor

Chapter 230: Chapter 222: Competing for Favor

The weather at the end of August is still fiercely hot.

Qingran got up early and sat alone at the dining table for breakfast. Halfway through, she hadn’t seen the familiar figure come in from outside.

Normally, Xie Ying’an would go out to exercise punctually, especially since today he was going to compete in the finals.

Ever since he stayed over at her house one rainy night, Xie Ying’an had simply moved his stuff over and lived here again.

After waiting a while longer without seeing Xie Ying’an, Qingran felt puzzled and turned to ask Aunt Liu who was busy in the kitchen: "Aunt Liu, did you see Xie Ying’an this morning?"

Aunt Liu came out of the kitchen, wiping her wet hands with her apron, "Xiao Xie? No, I haven’t seen him. I was wondering why he didn’t go out for his morning run today."

Qingran had a bad feeling. She put down the half-eaten porridge in her hand and headed upstairs.

Aunt Liu called out from behind, "Hey—Xiao Ran, why don’t you finish your breakfast before going up?"

Qingran didn’t turn back but just replied, "Aunt Liu, I’ll come down to eat later."

No sooner had she finished speaking than she reached the upstairs. The first room on the right was Xie Ying’an’s current room.

Qingran approached the door, raised her hand, and gently knocked twice.

She didn’t hear any response and called out again, "Xie Ying’an?"

Right after she spoke, the door opened from the inside. Xie Ying’an, still in pajamas, appeared unusually pale. He forced a weak smile at Qingran and said, "Good morning!"

He looked like he had just woken up, his hair even sticking up, which would have been funny if it wasn’t clear he was very ill.

"Are you sick?" Qingran observed him for a moment, then asked.

Xie Ying’an pinched the bridge of his nose, his tone slightly pitiful, "I have a headache."

He was usually quite enduring, so for him to speak of pain meant it was beyond what he could bear.

Qingran looked at him for another moment, then tiptoed to feel his forehead with her slender fingers moving aside his thin bangs.

The temperature under her palm was a bit high. Xie Ying’an half-closed his eyes, his expression unusually submissive.

But at this moment, Qingran had no time to care whether he was submissive or not.

All she knew was that on the day of the finals, the normally strong and healthy Xie Ying’an, was down with a cold!!!

Damn, this is such crap.

Isn’t Xie Ying’an the male protagonist? Where’s the protagonist’s halo?

At that thought, Qingran wondered if the author, to highlight how awesome the male protagonist Xie Ying’an was, intentionally wrote him as sick and then winning first place in the finals.

If that was indeed the case, Qingran wasn’t worried anymore. After all, true success for a protagonist comes through overcoming setbacks.

Qingran withdrew her hand and took a step back, distancing herself from Xie Ying’an, "You have a fever. I’ll get some—"

Her words were cut off by a roar from the neighboring room—

"Sun Ningzhi, how many times do I have to tell you? Do not disturb my sleep! Do not disturb my sleep!! Do not disturb my sleep!!! You can’t understand that?"

Then there was a loud crash of something being thrown.

No need to guess, Li Qingmo had probably smashed his phone again.

He really had a bad temper upon waking up.

Given that Li Qingmo slept with his door not fully closed, Qingran was just thinking of walking towards her brother’s room when the previously sick-looking Xie Ying’an swiftly moved two steps in front of her, blocking her way.

That speed didn’t seem like someone who was sick at all.

Qingran looked at Xie Ying’an with surprise, raising her eyebrows jokingly, "Are you cured?"

Xie Ying’an quickly leaned against the wall, covering his head and muttered, "No, still have a headache..."

"I’ll get you some medicine. There’s not much time left, you and my brother should get ready soon."

With that said, she turned and went downstairs.

5:32, we’re really cutting it close on time.

A couple of days ago, Old Wu notified them that they would leave at six o’clock sharp, an hour later than last time, because the number of people entering the finals was more than half less than before, and so there was no such time pressure.

However, the boys got out of bed and washed up much faster than Qingran had anticipated.

5:40, Xie Ying’an and Li Qingmo both came downstairs, neatly dressed.

It took less than ten minutes, and Qingran’s medicine wasn’t even steeped yet.

Aunt Liu saw them coming down and quickly served two bowls of hot porridge.

In the kitchen, Qingran could hear Aunt Liu rambling on: "Xiao Xie, how did you suddenly fall sick? You should eat something before taking your medicine; taking medicine on an empty stomach is not good for it..."

Li Qingmo, with a piece of toast in his mouth, spoke somewhat unclearly: "Aunt Liu, you must be mistaken. He’s as strong as a bull, how could he possibly be sick?"

The medicine granules dissolved one by one in the hot water, Qingran walked out of the kitchen, placing the prepared medicine in front of Xie Ying’an, reminding him: "Eat your meal before taking the medicine, okay?"

Xie Ying’an first looked at Qingran, then lowered his eyes to the medicine, his mouth curving into a very pleased smile: "Okay."

Li Qingmo, staring at Xie Ying’an: "..."

Damn! Why is this guy smiling at his sister like he’s infatuated?

Seeing his sister caring for another guy, Li Qingmo felt somewhat annoyed. He gulped down the milk in his cup, and with a ’pah’ sound, he slapped the empty cup in front of Qingran: "Fill it up!"

With an air of entitlement.

With a helpless look at her brother, who had his arms crossed over his chest, chin tilted upward arrogantly, glaring with his nostrils flared as if daring her not to refill his milk today or he’d cut off their sibling relationship!

Sigh~

Since she had already eaten breakfast, Qingran stood up to fill a glass of milk for the mighty Li Qingmo.

Li Qingmo took the milk, sipped it as if savoring a delicacy, then cockily raised an eyebrow at Xie Ying’an.

It was as though he was saying: Look! My sister is my sister, did you think you could steal her away?

As for childishness, what good was Xie Ying’an?

He sipped the medicine bit by bit, frowning slightly, then sipped again, his frown deepening. He didn’t look at Qingran but just stared at the empty cup in front of him, very much like a baby who finds the medicine bitter but won’t complain.

Qingran forced herself to be tough, but after only two glances, she couldn’t help but melt.

The young man’s handsomeness was off the charts, and now with his eyes drooping, he looked so pitiful, like a small abandoned puppy.

Who the heck could withstand this?

Qingran sighed silently again, reached for the cup in front of Xie Ying’an: "You have a cold now, you shouldn’t drink milk. If the medicine is too bitter, shall I get you a cup of water?"

Xie Ying’an drank a few more sips of medicine before nodding: "Thank you!"

After Qingran got a cup of water, Xie Ying’an’s act became even sassier; he placed both cups in front of him, pushing the bowl of porridge aside.

Every time he took a sip of medicine, he followed it with a cup of water, not forgetting to subtly challenge Li Qingmo.

Li Qingmo looked at the single cup of milk in his hand and then at the two cups in front of Xie Ying’an.

He wasn’t pleased, and so he began to act up.

He cleared his throat a few times, then coughed loudly twice before slowly saying to Qingran: "Li Qingran, didn’t you see your brother is also sick?"

Qingran: "..."

Sorry, I’m blind!

"Hurry up," Li Qingmo tilted his chin towards Xie Ying’an, urging her: "Go make me some of that medicine too."

Xie Ying’an: "..."

Qingran: "..."

Please, you two, act like adults!