Arrogant Man VS Unyielding Woman

Kim Village was a small and old town with few people. The scenery was pretty, however. Looking at the beautiful view outside the car window, Jean's mood started getting better.

'The view is really gorgeous. It's almost like the kind of town one sees on postcards. Perhaps this was one of reasons why Sonny asked me to take pictures of this small town.' Jean sighed as she took in the tall trees, the vast landscapes, and the rolling hills. Since scenic areas are usually ruined by human activities, Jean was secretly glad that small towns like Kim Village still existed. It made for an excellent spot for photography. Jean wanted to explore the nearby area with her camera. Zed pulled over on the side of the road. Once the car had stopped and Zed had turned the engine off, Jean bit her lip and looked out the window.

She didn't have a penny in her pockets and her cell phone was out of power, which put her in a very awkward situation. Her only option was to ask Zed to lend her some money. But, she didn't know how to start the conversation. Finally, only one sound came out, "Hmm......" Zed raised an eyebrow and watched Jean purse her lips and fidget. A while passed and she still hadn't been able to figure out how to approach the topic. She kept thinking, 'Zed helped me yesterday. Today as well I have to ask him for help. It is really not good manners to do so.

Why is it so hard for me to ask him? But I must ask, for what other choice do I have?'

"What's the matter?" Zed asked before Jean could say anything. He could tell from her expression that she wanted to say something.

Jean blinked her eyes rapidly and said, "May I ask you for a favor? Will you lend me some money? I will pay you back as soon as I return home."

Zed's lips curved into a smile as he teased, "What if I refuse?"

Jean was dazed for a second. Then she stared at him with all her might. Her face looked sullen.

'What? No! Zed Qi, is this your way of getting revenge? How could you refuse me at a time like this?'

Jean was too proud to ask a second time. So she frowned and said unhappily, "Take care on your way home." Without glancing at Zed, she opened the door in preparation to leave.

"Do you really want me to go?" Zed asked calmly. But his voice lacked its usual energy. Jean frowned when she realized that his voice was faint. 'He drove me all the way to Kim Village. Perhaps the exhaustion is catching up?' Jean thought.

Her attitude softened and Jean turned to face him. She had reason to be grateful albeit he had refused to loan her money. Jean was shocked to see that Zed's face was pale. 'He must be ill.' This was Jean's first thought. Instinctively, she reached out and placed her hand on his forehead. Her eyes widened when she felt how high his temperature was.

Considering how hot his forehead was, Zed was certainly not running a low-grade fever.

"Zed, you're running a fever!" She exclaimed. When at Tube Village, she had felt that Zed was behaving oddly. She was upset with him and scolded, "Why didn't you tell me? You have a high fever. We should have taken a detour to a hospital before coming here." Jean was distressed by his condition. 'Why didn't he see a doctor first? Was it because of me? He thought about driving me here first. Zed Qi, I have to admit that you are overbearing and insensitive sometimes. But then there are times when your generous acts of kindness deeply touch me.'

"It's not a big deal. I will be okay soon." Zed said. He really didn't think it was a big issue.

"What do you mean by, it's not a big deal? You're running a high fever. It is a big deal. You should see a doctor. Now that we're in the middle of nowhere, how will we find a doctor?" Just as Jean finished admonishing Zed, she cursed herself for forgetting to carry medicines with her in case of such emergencies. Jean waved her hands in frustration as she continued, "You should have told me when we were in Tube Village. If I had known that you were not feeling well, I wouldn't have allowed you to drive me all the way here. I know why you have a fever. It was probably because you didn't cover yourself up under your quilt last night."

"Stop blabbering, Jean Wen!" Zed shot Jean a sideways glance. She looked genuinely anxious and concerned.

"Why are you annoyed with me? I'm telling the truth!" Jean was upset, "You are a grown-up, not a kid. You have to learn how to take care of yourself. When you know you are not feeling well, the first thing you have to do is see a doctor."

Then Jean leaned forward and closed the car door. Zed was unwell and she had to stop working. She needed to make sure that he got the help he needed.

"Drive! Let's find a hotel, then you can rest there." She ordered.

Zed's reply was to start the car. They drove along the streets of Kim Village in search of a hotel.

'Though he is bothersome, I cannot leave him when he is ill. Anyway, he helped me yesterday. If he had not showed up, I would probably have had nowhere to sleep.' Jean thought as she looked at Zed. Her heart ached when she saw that he was suffering. "How about we stop here? That hotel looks nice." Jean pointed to a building ahead.

She pretended to be calm but her stomach was turning with the anxiety she felt. She looked at the passing buildings hoping to spot a pharmacy. But she did not find one nearby.

When she learned that Zed had only booked one room, Jean was about to ask whether he could get two. But then she thought of his illness and gave up that idea. He was sick and she felt responsible. It would be convenient for her to care for Zed if they shared one room. Then, she supported Zed as they walked toward their room. By the time she walked him to the bed and then returned to close the door, Zed looked awful.

At least the room was spacious. It was more comfortable than the room they had stayed at the night before. By the time she walked him to the bed, Zed looked awful.

Before she could get him lie down, Zed sprang to his feet, and covered his mouth, rushed into the restroom, and started throwing up.

"What should I do..." Jean whispered as she watched Zed. She had no experience of taking care of sick people. She didn't know what she could do to make him feel better. She was really bummed. There was no doctor around. If Zed became worse, what would she do? 'Well, there is always an alternative. I will find a pharmacy and get some medicine for him.'

When Zed came out of the restroom, he looked extremely weak. Jean supported him as he made his way to the bed. Then she put a warm, wet towel on his forehead to ease his fever. After she had settled Zed, Jean took some cash from his wallet and left the room. Driven by the anxiety she felt, Jean rushed down the stairs and asked the hotel owner where she could find the nearest pharmacy. The owner gave her directions but shared that it was about a kilometer away. Since Jean couldn't drive, she began walking as quickly as she could.

Unfortunately, she got lost despite the fact that the hotel owner had told her how to find the pharmacy. With the help of local people, she finally reached the pharmacy she was looking for. She entered it and asked the pharmacist for advice. According to the symptoms she described, the pharmacist recommended some medicine for her. Jean quickly paid for the medicine and rushed back to the hotel.

While returning, Jean tried to figure out what caused his illness. 'Zed started feeling unwell at noon. Could it be the breakfast we had this morning?' She shook her head.

'But I'm okay and I ate the same food. So what made him so ill?'

She kept thinking about the circumstances that led to Zed's unexplained illness. Finally, Jean blamed herself. Had it not been for her mistake, Zed wouldn't be rushing to her rescue. He was exposed to this illness because he had tried to help her. Jean felt extremely guilty. Zed had been born into and raised by a wealthy family. He must be accustomed to better quality food. She thought that the breakfast they had at Tube Village might have caused the illness. She blamed herself for not being considerate of him.

Once back at the hotel, she offered the medicine to Zed. But he stubbornly refused. No matter how hard she tried, he shook his head and resisted. His temperature was rising and he was becoming increasingly listless. She was really worried about his childish behavior. With no other alternative, Jean had to come up with a devious way to administer the medicine to Zed.

And so, she put the medicine into her mouth before placing her hands on both sides of Zed's face. She pressed her lips against his before nudging them open. Then Jean delivered the medicine by running the tip of her tongue into his mouth. Her actions woke Zed, but he pretended to be asleep. After giving Zed the medicine, she took a sip of water, and delivered it to him the same way as she had the medicine.

All of sudden, Jean felt as though someone was watching her. When she looked up, she saw that Zed was gazing at her. In his eyes danced an emotion she was unfamiliar with. Startled, she pushed herself away, but Zed scooped her into his arms and rolled her under him. "Did the pharmacist tell you that physical exercise helps a medicine take effect quickly?" Zed's voice was so husky that Jean was entranced.

Her face turned crimson

'Goodness me! That was a quick recovery.'

Before Jean could figure out what Zed meant, he leaned down and kissed her. ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐