Give Me Another Smile

now.
Let's get you changed out of these soaked clothes first, okay? Look at all the sweat you're covered in.”

…

When Yin Zhao-an changed into a dry and warm set of clothes, her fear subsided a little.
Even so, she still felt a little insecure, so she quickly shrunk back into her quilt and revealed a pair of eyes that had reddened from sobbing.

“Mommy… Did a ghost come to find me because I did something bad…”

Wang Zhen, who was in the midst of portioning the cold medicine, paused.
Then, looking at her fragile daughter with a tender gaze, she said, “An-An wants to become someone who protects others, right?”

Yin Zhao-an nodded.

“That settles it, then.
How can someone who wants to protect others do bad things?” After saying so, Wang Zhen finished filling the measuring cup with the cold medicine.
Then, after testing the warmth of a cup of warm water, she handed the medicine and water to her daughter and said, “Here, drink this, and you'll get well in no time, An-An.
Then, you'll be able to protect others.”

Yin Zhao-an moved her body and got out from under her quilt.
Then, she obediently took the cold medicine and gulped it down, the medicine's bitterness causing her to nearly break out into tears again.

The cold medicine quickly started working, and Yin Zhao-an felt her mind growing drowsy.
However, just when she was about to snuggle back under her quilt, she heard her father's voice coming from downstairs:

“Ah Zhen, An-An's classmate is here to see her.”

Holding her daughter's soaked clothes in her arms, Wang Zhen responded to her husband, “Have that classmate wait downstairs for a bit.
I'll be down in a moment.'

“Don't!” Yin Zhao-an suddenly grabbed Wang Zhen's sleeve, her eyes carrying a hint of hope.
Then, in a slightly hoarse voice, she said, “Let her come up.”

Wang Zhen frowned at her daughter's request.
Revealing a worried look, she said, “You should be resting right now.
Not to mention, aren't you worried you'll pass your fever to your friend?”

Wang Zhen felt the hand grabbing onto her sleeve gradually loosening.
Then, she sighed helplessly as she watched Yin Zhao-an shrink back under the quilt.
Her daughter didn't even know which of her classmates was downstairs, so what was the girl getting all excited for?

As soon as the bedroom door closed, Yin Zhao-an's thoughts immediately started to wander.
In reality, she had no idea who was visiting her.
However, she deceived herself into believing that the person downstairs must be Tang-Tang.
Her mind could even picture Tang-Tang obediently standing downstairs and waiting for her.

Unfortunately…

…

“Auntie, here is the homework for today and tomorrow.
Our teacher asked me to deliver it here,” a girl wearing a ponytail said as she handed some papers and workbooks to Wang Zhen.

Wang Zhen thanked the little girl and briefly scrutinized the other party.
The girl had a pair of red and pretty cheeks, and she was quite a lovely sight.
However, Wang Zhen had never seen the little girl before, so she asked, “What is your name, little girl?”

“My name is Li Yiru.
I am the monitor of Yin Zhao-an's class,” the little girl politely answered Wang Zhen.
Then, after glancing at the children's watch on her wrist, she said to Wang Zhen, “I'll be going back first, then, Auntie.
Goodbye.”

…

Tang Yu, doing her homework, suddenly sneezed, causing the pencil in her hand to draw a rough curve on her notebook.
With physiological tears in her eyes, she wondered, Is someone cursing me?