Chapter 47: High Fever

Lucian woke up in his hotel bed and checked the memo on his phone. Today he had to finalize the handover for the new shop and submit the makeup assignments from the previous semester.

He suddenly realized his laptop was still at Sebastian’s villa. It contained all his university coursework; he absolutely had to go get it.

Despite the surge of irritation at the thought of seeing Sebastian again, he had to make the trip for the sake of his grades.

He picked up his phone and sent several brief, direct messages to Sebastian: "I left my computer at your place. I'm coming over to get it."

However, long after the messages were sent, the chat window never showed them as "read," let alone received a reply.

Lucian frowned and tried calling.

The receiver met him with a cold busy tone—once, twice, three times... the other party never picked up.

"Not answering? Playing missing person?"

Lucian threw the phone onto the bed in annoyance, his temper flaring up.

He decided not to hesitate further and hailed a taxi directly to Sebastian’s villa district.

Upon arrival, the taxi was stopped at the main gate.

Lucian didn't have a pass, and the security guard refused to let him through.

He explained patiently several times that he was there to see Sebastian and had left his computer inside.

Fortunately, the guard on duty was sharp-eyed; he recognized Lucian’s face and verified in the system that Sebastian had indeed entered the villa the previous night. Only then did he reluctantly press the button to open the gate.

Lucian walked briskly toward Sebastian’s villa.

The morning in the villa district was eerily quiet, save for the rustle of wind through the leaves.

As he reached the entrance, he caught a blurry glimpse of a figure lying on the steps.

Walking closer, Lucian’s pupils constricted, followed by a sharp curse: "Sebastian! What the hell are you doing!"

The man was indeed Sebastian.

His clothes were disheveled, his expensive shirt was a mess, several buttons had been popped off, and his exposed skin was covered in red marks.

Lucian didn't have time to overthink it. He quickly knelt down to check Sebastian's forehead. The moment his fingertips touched the skin, he jerked his hand back, startled by the heat.

"How is he this hot?"

Lucian’s heart tightened, his previous aversion forgotten. He quickly gathered the man into his arms to help him up.

Sebastian was completely limp and unconscious, letting out senseless groans from his throat.

With one hand supporting Sebastian, Lucian expertly entered the passcode with the other, pushed the door open, and stumbled his way into the house with the man in tow.

He placed Sebastian on the sofa and used the thermometer from the coffee table to check his temperature.

"40 degrees!" (104°F)

Lucian looked at the number on the display and his heart skipped a beat... this was no joke; his brain would fry if the fever stayed this high.

Has this man been burning up all night?!

He quickly called Chen, his voice frantic: "Something happened, get over here now! Sebastian has a 40-degree fever, he’s in a bad way!"

Before long, Chen arrived in a hurry with Xavier.

Xavier, being a medical student, went straight to work the moment he entered. He checked Sebastian’s condition, his brow furrowing: "High fever. We need to get him to the hospital immediately."

Hearing this, Lucian grew even more panicked.

He looked at Sebastian’s pale face with a mixture of complicated feelings. While he disliked the man, he didn't want anything fatal to happen to him.

"I'll carry him to the car," Lucian said, bending over to lift him.

"...Not going." Sebastian suddenly opened his eyes, his voice weak but firm.

"You’re nearly delirious and you’re still acting tough!" Lucian snapped, but he stopped his movements and looked at Xavier.

Xavier examined Sebastian’s physical state, asked a few questions, and finally said: "It’s okay if he won't go. I'll put him on an IV drip; you two just need to take good care of him."

While Chen helped Xavier prepare the medicine, Lucian watched Sebastian with a look of utter speechlessness.

Sebastian leaned against the sofa, his breathing heavy and his gaze drifting.

"Put some effort in yourself, we're going to the bedroom," Lucian said harshly, though his movements in supporting him were very gentle.

As he was half-carried and half-hauled by Lucian, Sebastian’s body felt like a furnace, but his consciousness gradually returned amidst the jostling.

He struggled to open his eyes, and what met his sight was Lucian’s profile, written all over with impatience.

"Get... out..." Sebastian’s voice was raspy and broken. "Let go of me."

"Let go my ass! You're burning up like this and you still want me to get out? Are you planning to report to the King of Hell?" Lucian barked back. He kicked open the bedroom door and threw Sebastian heavily onto the bed.

This man is truly asking for it—burning like this and still being so stubborn!

The mattress bounced, making Sebastian let out a muffled groan as the nauseating waves of dizziness hit him again.

Gritting his teeth, he tried to force himself upright, only for Lucian to pin his shoulders down.

"Don't move! Dr. Xavier is coming to start the IV," Lucian roared, propping the man up against his own shoulder.

"I don't need it..." Sebastian clutched the bedsheets so hard his knuckles turned white, his gaze as stubborn as a mule. "Get out... don't touch me."

Lucian laughed out of sheer anger. "Sebastian, has the fever fried your brain? You don't want your life anymore?"

"My business... has nothing to do with you."

Sebastian panted heavily, his eyes bloodshot, yet he still radiated a stubbornness that was infuriating. "Get out..."

Xavier came in, quickly set up the IV, and gave Lucian some alcohol-soaked towels to wipe Sebastian down.

Sebastian was so dizzy he couldn't keep his eyes open, and could only grip the sheets.

Lucian, seeing him in this state, truly couldn't bear to be cruel. He stopped arguing and simply lightened his movements, helping to wipe his body.

Sebastian resisted instinctively; he was in distress, feeling both freezing and scorching, and he began to cough violently from the movement.

"Cough... cough..." Sebastian coughed as if his lungs were tearing, and a few physiological tears were forced from the corners of his eyes. His face turned a deep, flushed red.

"Are you a freaking adult? Is it fun to be spiteful to yourself?!"

Sebastian leaned against Lucian’s shoulder, gasping for air. The red rash on his body became more pronounced due to the fever and the struggle, spreading densely up to his neck.

"Cough... cough..." Sebastian’s body began to shiver uncontrollably—the chills brought on by the high fever.

He tried to pull the duvet over himself but found his limbs as weak as noodles. Seeing this, Lucian quickly helped stabilize the hand with the IV and pulled the covers over him, tucking him in.

"So annoying," Lucian muttered. But as he was tucking the duvet, his finger accidentally brushed against Sebastian’s burning neck.

Sebastian flinched as if he had been scalded, his gaze full of panic and resistance: "Don't touch..."

Sebastian started moving again.

Lucian completely lost his patience. He reached out and forcefully pinned Sebastian’s shoulders down, preventing him from moving. "If you keep moving, I’m going to tie you up!"

Pinned down and unable to move, Sebastian could only stare at him with those bloodshot eyes. The two of them glared at each other, neither standing the sight of the other.

"It seems Counselor Sebastian hasn't fared much better without me, has he? If I hadn't come today, then what? Were you really prepared to burn your brain into idiocy?"

Lucian regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, but he couldn't help himself.

Cradled in the man's arms with both hands restrained, Sebastian’s breathing was heavy. Hearing Lucian's words, his eyes were full of loathing: "You can leave right now."

"Oh, you still have the strength to scold people?" Lucian sneered. "I guess you aren't going to die yet."

"Let go..." Sebastian gritted his teeth, the veins on his forehead bulging.

"Endure it," Lucian’s voice was cold and hard, leaving no room for negotiation.

...

As the medicine began to take effect, Sebastian’s tremors gradually subsided, but his stubborn edge didn't diminish at all.

His breath fanned against Lucian’s neck, scorching and heavy.

Lucian felt incredibly unsettled—especially that ghost of a breath from Sebastian, which felt like a feather teasing his nerves.

Xavier finished packing the medical bag and looked at the two of them, shaking his head helplessly. "Lucian, don't provoke him. Help him massage his limbs to promote circulation; don't let him stay in one position for too long."

"I'm not massaging him."

Xavier looked at him speechlessly and walked out.

Once again, only the two of them remained in the room.

The air felt as if it had solidified, leaving only the sound of Sebastian’s heavy breathing.

Lucian looked at the "hot potato" in his arms and cursed Sebastian’s ancestors for eighteen generations in his head.

Yet, he still reluctantly raised his hand, placed it on Sebastian’s shoulder, and began to massage clumsily.

His movements were stiff, even a bit rough, like he was kneading dough.

Sebastian winced at the pressure.

"Softer..." Sebastian finally couldn't help but voice a protest.

"You think it hurts? You deserve it!" Lucian snapped, though the strength in his hands instinctively lightened a little.

Sebastian didn't speak again. He simply closed his eyes, his hand unconsciously clutching Lucian’s arm.

"Truly unbelievable," Lucian muttered under his breath, yet he instinctively adjusted his posture to make Sebastian lean more comfortably.