Jinshi and Maomao Short Stories Collection

You are really here, Part 4

I'm on vacation this week, so here comes the next chapter, a bit earlier!

"Are you kidding me?! I left for just a moment! For five minutes! Ten at most!" Maomao ranted mentally, still being trapped in Jinshi's embrace and barely able to move. "Just what did exactly happen during my absence?"

She could feel Jinshi's labored breathing against her neck and the heavy beating of his heart against her upper body. A faint smell of her ointment was emanating from him. Still crying, he was kneeling there, in the darkness of the night, in the middle of his residence's hallway, and just holding her tight with his eyes closed, burying his nose against the crook of her neck. It certainly didn't look like he was planning to let go of her very soon.

Maomao took a deep breath and grabbed him by the shoulders that were trembling from the force of his crying. Actually, his entire body was shaking so hard, Maomao could even feel it spread to her own. The young lord was in a truly terrible state. She wondered how he had even managed to make it from his bed all the way up to her in the first place, without falling down in the process. Probably only through sheer willpower.

The apothecary buried her nails into his shoulders, in an attempt to attract his attention and to make him snap out of his delirium and listen to her. Though she didn't have a lot of hope due to how high his fever was. But there just wasn't any other option, since they couldn't exactly stay like that until daybreak.

"You're burning up, sir! You have to return to bed at once, do you hear me? Master Jinshi!"

No reaction. Jinshi merely kept sobbing while stammering "Y-You're here... a-apothecary... Maomao..." He was actually crying so hard that Maomao was afraid that he wouldn't be able to breathe anymore if he continued that way. His nose was still stuffed, after all.

"Calm down, sir. You'll suffocate!"

But he didn't show any sign of calming down, instead continuing to cling to her, with such desperation as if he was drowning in the open sea.

Maomao didn't understand anything. What the hell was the matter with him?! She absolutely needed to give him more of her medicine.

But before she could do that, she had to somehow get him up on his feet. Or at least free herself from his arms in order to run and fetch Gaoshun, who was the only one in the residence with enough physical strength to carry Jinshi.

She tried with all her might to squirm free, to slacken his grip around her body, to place her hands on his chest and shove him away. But it was all for naught. Jinshi didn't budge. Even despite his fever and weakened state, he was still much stronger than her.

"Uh..."

Maomao grimaced a bit, for Jinshi's hug had become even tighter after her liberation attempts. So tight that her ribs were starting to hurt.

How could she get out of that mess? The young noble clearly wasn't his usual self, hence there was no use trying to reason with him, was it?

"Damn! If he collapses again right now, I won't be able to get him up by myself! Not to mention, catch him! Instead, I would probably fall down together with him!"

For the very first time, Maomao was cursing her small stature and physical weakness.

The apothecary closed her eyes for a moment and took another few deep breaths, trying to calm down and think of something else. It wouldn't help them at all, if she were to lose her composure now as well.

Finally, she opened her eyes again and let out a snort. Very well. As it looked like, she wouldn't achieve anything with mere words or mere actions in that situation, so there had to be another way. One that combined these two things.