The Fallen Prince

⋇- 4: Feverish -⋇

"My Lady, careful," warned Hui Yin.

En's grandmother glanced over her shoulder. "You'll go gray if you keep worrying like that, Hui Yin. I've told you before, I may be eighty-four years old but I'm still strong."

En covered his mouth, trying not to laugh at his grandmother's cheerfulness. She really was an interesting individual.

His heart sped as his grandmother's dark eyes met his and she smiled. He broke eye contact as nervousness spread within him. He really didn't have any memory of their interaction. Last time they saw each other was at his mother's funeral when he was only four years old. He didn't know how to interact with her as he felt as if she was a total stranger.

Cold hands touched his forehead as his grandmother examined him.

"The fever seems to have lowered," she said, her tone calm. "But it's better if the doctor examines you again to be sure."

Speechless, En gazed at his grandmother, who glanced over her shoulder.

"Hui Yin, may you please call Dr. Tseng?" she asked. "His patient is already awake."

"Uh, sure," said Hui Yin. "Please excuse me."

En heard sounds of footsteps as Hui Yin walked away from the room. As soon as the door closed, a sudden silence fell. For a moment, En tried to avoid eye contact with his grandmother as he thought of a way to break the ice. But nothing came into his mind and as only the sound of birds filled the atmosphere, he prayed for Hui Yin to return to save him from this awkward moment.

"How are you feeling?" his grandmother asked.

En gained the courage to look back at her. "Uh...I'm fine...I guess. Just a little headache that is bothering me and...I think I'm developing a cold."

"Hm, it's to be expected to develop a cold," said his grandmother, folding her arms. "Anyone who's brave enough to sleep under the rain with chilly weather would develop one."

En blinked two times. He tried to say something, but nothing left his lips. He looked away, not believing he slept under the rain.

"I'm so glad that you're alive, though," said his grandmother, exhaling. "I was really scared when I found you laying on your mother's grave."

En's brows raised. "You found me there?"

"Yes." His grandmother nodded. "You don't remember?"

En touched his forehead. He really didn't have any memory after he left that bar. He concluded that drinking too much played a role in the loss of that part of his memory. A quick chuckle escaped his lips, realizing that it was indeed true that those types of drinks were good to forget problems. Too bad they only made him forget a part he didn't care about.

"Thankfully today I had planned to visit your grandfather's grave," said his grandmother, washing away his thoughts. "I don't want to imagine what would have happened to you if someone else found you."

It would have been better that way.

As he felt that he had nothing, he thought that if he was found by someone with ill intentions would have been great. His suffering would have ended.

"When I found you, I didn't think twice to ask for help to bring you here," his grandmother said. "Even though I didn't recognize you at first, I wanted to help. You didn't really look well and it seemed you had developed a fever. 

"After changing your clothes, we immediately called Dr. Tseng. It was then I saw a resemblance. You look like your father, though I can see traces of Yueli, especially in your eyes."