Chapter 14: Frail as Xi Shi

Before, when she had helped change him while he was still asleep, Ye Qinghe hadn't had to face it directly — even if the thought crossed his mind and filled him with shame. But now he was fully awake, able to witness every single thing Zhou Wan'er was doing.

It made Ye Qinghe genuinely wish he could just die.

"You're actually embarrassed? Hahaha!"

Seeing Ye Qinghe squeeze his eyes shut, Zhou Wan burst out laughing.

When this had first started, she'd been mortified too. But that was three years ago — she'd long since gotten used to it.

In the past, Ye Qinghe would mostly stay quiet and turn his head away, but he had never looked quite like this before — face flushed crimson with embarrassment. She found it rather amusing.

Listening to this tomboy's laughter, Ye Qinghe truly didn't know what to say.

All he could do was play dead.

Even though he couldn't feel anything she was doing to his body, just the thought of it — his pants being pulled down, her cleaning and wiping him, then putting a fresh diaper on him — was genuinely more than Ye Qinghe could bear.

This damn System!!!

Why couldn't it just let him recover all at once?!

Other systems let people reincarnate after death — was it really that hard for this one to just restore his body directly?

And the Lottery Draw!!!

What a joke of a Lottery Draw — every time, there was only one body-recovery option, and everything else was skills completely useless to a paralyzed person. Absolutely worthless!!!

Ye Qinghe spent a good while mentally cursing out his own System.

But what had to happen still happened.

"Alright, open your eyes. It's all done. It's not like it's the first time — what do you even have to be embarrassed about?"

After quite a while, Ye Qinghe finally opened his eyes when he heard Zhou Wan's voice.

He didn't respond to Zhou Wan'er, and instead went back to translating his documents.

Seeing him like that, Zhou Wan'er didn't press further, though she did give him a few meaningful glances.

"Not bad — your English is actually good enough to take on translation jobs. Want me to ask some of my classmates? If they need anything translated, you'd be way more professional than those people charging four hundred yuan. I think you could charge six hundred to eight hundred!"

Zhou Wan'er genuinely thought Ye Qinghe's translations were excellent — better than the ones she'd seen senior students receive before.

Those had cost seven hundred yuan. If Ye Qinghe charged a little less — six hundred — that should be no problem at all.

"Sure, but I'd need someone to proofread for me. I can do the translating, but voice input has its issues, and making edits is a bit inconvenient."

Ye Qinghe wasn't about to turn this down. He desperately needed money right now. If he could take on a few jobs — even just one a day — that would be great.

"That's not a problem at all. I'll help you proofread when the time comes!"

Zhou Wan'er said it without a second thought.

At noon, Ye Dali didn't cook at home — he went to a restaurant and brought back a few dishes instead.

After they ate, Ye Dali left again right away.

Zhou Wan'er stayed until past three in the afternoon, helping Ye Qinghe with another round of cleaning before she finally left.

This time, Ye Qinghe was still mortified, but it was a little easier than the last time.

Zhou Wan'er didn't come on Sunday — she had other things to take care of — and Ye Qinghe breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

Even though having Zhou Wan'er around meant someone to talk to and someone to help him with timely cleanups, he still preferred being home alone.

Because Ye Qinghe's condition had shown signs of improvement, Ye Dali pushed himself even harder. On Sunday, aside from coming home to take care of Ye Qinghe's meals and help with cleaning, he was out almost the entire day — leaving before five in the morning and not returning until past midnight.

This meant Ye Qinghe had no way to go outside for his five-kilometre run that day.

"Fifty kilometres is still way too far for me!!!"

Inside the Consciousness Space, Ye Qinghe gritted his teeth and pushed himself forward.

He had already run thirty-six kilometres, with fourteen still to go, but his legs no longer felt like his own. His clothes were soaked through with sweat, and every breath he drew felt like it carried sparks of fire.

If it weren't for the possibility of recovering his body, Ye Qinghe doubted he could keep this up in real life. Even if he somehow managed, he'd probably be bedridden the next day — legs aching, back aching — and it might take days to recover.

There was one thing he appreciated about the Consciousness Space, though.

As long as he completed the task and returned to reality, all the negative physical effects vanished completely. Without that, he truly couldn't have kept going.

Forty kilometres!

Forty-five kilometres!

Fifty kilometres!

The moment one foot crossed the fifty-kilometre mark, Ye Qinghe collapsed flat on the ground.

He was utterly exhausted.

He didn't want to move a single finger.

"Lottery Draw!!!"

Back in reality, Ye Qinghe immediately triggered the Lottery Draw.

"Seems like there are quite a few more body-recovery options on the wheel this time?"

When the spinning wheel appeared, Ye Qinghe's eyes lit up.

There were options to restore finger movement, options to restore toe movement, options to restore bladder and bowel control…

No matter which one it was, Ye Qinghe felt like he wanted all of them.

Well — the bladder and bowel control one he figured could wait a little longer.

Since his body still couldn't move, even if that function were restored, he'd just have to suffer through it consciously. It might actually be better not to recover that one yet. At least right now he couldn't feel anything. Otherwise…

Just imagining that scenario made Ye Qinghe wince.

The pointer spun rapidly, then gradually slowed, finally landing on an option Ye Qinghe had never even considered wanting.

[Aura: Frail as Xi Shi!]

[Those who possess this aura will instinctively inspire tenderness in others, making them unable to resist the urge to protect and cherish you!]

[You've troubled yourself on my behalf again… If only I were a little healthier… that would be enough…]

…

System!!!

Get out here!!!

Have you taken a good look at me?

I'm a man!

A man brimming with masculine energy!

And you're giving me an aura like THIS?!

Is this appropriate?!

Is it?!

Ye Qinghe was genuinely on the verge of a breakdown. Even though he was paralyzed in bed, he had never once considered playing the weak card to earn people's pity — because in the eyes of a straight man like him, that kind of behavior was something only someone who'd been… converted… would ever do!

But no matter how much he raged internally, the idiotic System gave no response whatsoever, and simply planted this aura squarely on his head.

[Ye Qinghe]

[Age: 19]

[Physical Condition: Above the neck, right index finger — healthy]

[Skills: Photographic Memory, Math Prodigy, English Mastery]

[Aura: Frail as Xi Shi]

Ye Qinghe stared at the information displayed by the System, utterly speechless. But there was nothing he could do — he'd drawn it, and now he had no choice but to accept it.

Ye Dali came home very late. Just like before, he didn't turn on the lights, navigating by the faint glow of his phone screen as he washed up in the dark. He was about to go clean up Ye Qinghe when he walked to the bedside and caught sight of him — and for reasons he couldn't explain, his heart suddenly clenched.

"My poor Qinghe…"