We ordinary people also need to fall in love.

Three days later, Lin Xinle returned wearing a mask.

Her eyes, beneath her bangs, still carried the weariness of illness, and her eye sockets were deeper than before she left.

"Xinle, how are you feeling?" Mao Zhouzhou put down his pen and leaned over to ask.

"I'm almost better, but I still have a bit of a cough. I'll be fine after some rest," Lin Xinle said, putting her schoolbag on her seat, her movements a little slower than usual.

"Does he have a fever?" Mao Zhouzhou asked again.

"I had a cold, but it was a bit serious. The doctor said I was lucky it didn't turn into pneumonia, otherwise I might not have been able to come back for a week or two." Lin Xinle's tone was tinged with relief.

"Pneumonia?" Mao Zhouzhou's voice softened.

"Yes, it's the overseas epidemic that was mentioned in the news in the first half of the year. Although it's much better now, some people still get infected when the seasons change."

"Should I wear a mask too?" Mao Zhouzhou subconsciously touched his face.

"No need... right?" Lin Xinle's tone was somewhat hesitant. "Pneumonia shouldn't be that easy to get. Just make sure the room is well-ventilated and avoid catching a cold."

"That's good." Mao Zhouzhou nodded in relief.

"Cough cough."

Lin Xinle and Mao Zhouzhou looked up at the same time. Li Mubai stood up, holding a water cup, to get some hot water.

I felt much better after drinking some hot water, but it was probably just a placebo effect.

"Let's look at the last question. Raise your hand if you got both sub-questions right." Teacher Chen leaned against the podium, holding the weekly test paper.

He glanced around and saw that only two people had gotten everything right: Mao Zhouzhou in the back and Li Mubai in the front.

Teacher Chen could understand why Mao Zhouzhou got it right, after all, he had been teaching Mao Zhouzhou since the first year of high school. But he couldn't understand why Li Mubai got it right, since Mao Zhouzhou's score was only around 100 at the beginning of the second year of high school.

Teacher Chen suppressed her curiosity and gestured for them to put their hands down.

"Raise your hand if you only answer one question correctly."

There were a few more than before, but you could count them on one hand.

"This question is a bit difficult," said Teacher Chen, "but it can still be solved if you use the right method."

He paused, his gaze falling on Li Mubai: "Li Mubai, explain your problem-solving approach."

Li Mubai glanced at the clock; it was almost eight o'clock. He said somewhat awkwardly, "Teacher, I need to go to the library at eight o'clock."

Upon hearing this, Teacher Chen stared at him with a cold glint in his glasses, and Li Mubai became slightly nervous.

There was no way around it; he had been beaten by his math teacher in elementary school, so much so that he still harbored a subconscious fear of math teachers, especially someone like Mr. Chen who seemed quite strong.

"Did you come to school to study or to work?" Teacher Chen asked in return.

Hmm... I'll go to my workplace to study.

Unfortunately, saying such things would probably be seen as arguing, so Li Mubai had no choice but to stand up, walk to the podium, and take a piece of chalk from the chalk box...

"Sorry, Xie Shu—I made you wait for ten minutes." After finishing the question, Li Mubai practically ran downstairs, still panting when he reached Xie Shu.

"What's wrong?" Xie Shu looked at him with concern.

"It's all because of Teacher Chen; she insisted I go over the last big question from last week's test!"

"Did you get both questions right?"

"Mm." Li Mubai nodded.

"Impressive, your math is getting better and better, Xiaobai." Xie Shu's lips twitched.

"I got it right by luck. Teacher Chen said my problem-solving approach was rather complicated, and it was a lucky accident. At that moment..."

"Ahem." Xie Shu turned his head away and coughed lightly twice, the sound was very short.

Li Mubai stopped and looked at Xie Shu, noticing that her face seemed paler than usual.

"Xie Shu, are you feeling unwell?"

"No, let's go to the library to study." She smiled gently.

Li Mubai thought for a moment, then nodded and followed in her footsteps.

When he arrived at the third floor of the library, he put down his bag but did not rush to take out his homework. Instead, he walked around the table to Xie Shu's side.

Thank you for your letter.

"What's wrong?" Xie Shu looked up at him, her eyes filled with a hint of confusion.

"Don't move, let me see." He reached out and touched her forehead with the back of his hand. After a few seconds, he pulled his hand back and touched his own forehead. The temperature difference was not significant.

"He doesn't seem to have a fever," he said.

"I'm not sick."

"You look a little pale, and I'm a bit worried."

"It's probably because I stood outside for too long and the wind blew on me," Xie Shu said.

Li Mubai looked at her face again; it seemed to have gained a bit more color under the warm yellow light of the office.

"If you feel unwell, remember to tell me." He was still a little worried.

"Okay, hurry up and do your homework. Class 3 also has a lot of homework today." Xie Shu pushed him back to his seat and then sat down in his own seat.

Hopefully, Xie Shu is right; he just looks a bit pale because he was exposed to the cold wind outside.

Thinking about it, Li Mubai decided that he should carry some medicine to prevent colds with him. He decided to bring Banlangen (a traditional Chinese medicine) next week and make a packet for Xie Shu as well.

The air conditioner blew warm air gently, gradually dispelling the chill in the office. Li Mubai looked up at Xie Shu, who had already lowered her head to do her homework.

He lowered his head and opened his workbook...

The air conditioner's warm air blew gently, dispelling the early winter chill in the office.

Li Mubai did his homework for nearly an hour, put down his pen, stretched his wrists and neck, and looked up at the person opposite him.

Xie Shu was lying face down on his open notebook, his pen rolled to the side, as if he couldn't hold on any longer after writing halfway through.

When did she fall asleep?

"Li Mubai..." Her voice was very soft, as if she were talking in her sleep. If it weren't for the quiet office, he might not have heard her.

He stood up, walked around to her side, and gently patted her shoulder: "Xie Shu."

No response.

"Xie Shu, it's almost nine o'clock." He patted it again, his voice a little louder.

"Xiaobai..." Her voice was low, and even her tone sounded weak.

Li Mubai frowned slightly, vaguely sensing that something was wrong.

"Xie Shu, are you feeling unwell?" he asked anxiously.

"Um……"

Xie Shu was still lying on the table, her face buried in her arms, and her voice came from there, carrying a limp and powerless feeling.

Li Mubai bent down, put his arm around her shoulder, and let her lean on him. Only then did he see that her face, which was originally pale, was now almost bloodless, her lips were pale, and there was a fine layer of cold sweat on her forehead.

He reached out and touched her forehead; it was burning hot.

"You have a fever!" His voice suddenly rose. "You need to go to the school clinic."

"I have no strength..." she squinted, her voice so soft it seemed a gust of wind could blow it away.

"I'll carry you there."

Li Mubai squatted down and let Xie Shu climb onto his back. Once she loosely wrapped her arms around his neck, he supported her legs to make sure she wouldn't slip down, then quickly got up and rushed out the door...