Born in the 1980s, she was remarried and became a stepmother; a cold, rough man doted on her, pinchi

Chapter 71 Fever
Jiang Man decisively resigned from her stable and enviable job in the eyes of others in order to prepare for the college entrance examination.

Upon hearing Jiang Man's decision, Chef Lin of the state-run restaurant couldn't help but sigh repeatedly, feeling deeply regretful.

In his view, Jiang Man is a chef with great talent and potential, and given time, he will surely make a name for himself in the culinary world.

"Jiang Man, your departure is a great loss to the restaurant. It's such a pity that you're giving up your culinary skills."

Chef Lin frowned as he spoke. Jiang Man smiled slightly, but her eyes revealed unwavering determination: "Chef Lin, I know you mean well. But I've always longed to go to university, to learn more, and to see the wider world. Being a university student means a lot to me, and I don't want to miss this opportunity."

Chef Lin listened to Jiang Man's words, feeling a pang of reluctance, but also understanding her pursuit of her goals. He gently patted Jiang Man's shoulder: "Alright, since you've made up your mind, then prepare well. I believe in your abilities, and no matter what difficulties you encounter in the future, don't give up."

Jiang Man nodded gratefully, turned and left the state-run restaurant, and from then on devoted herself entirely to preparing for the college entrance examination.

She gets up early every day, sits at that old but hopeful desk, memorizes various key points of knowledge, and does one exercise after another.

Her room was filled with review materials and books, and the walls were covered with notes filled with key points and encouraging words.

Days passed by like this, and Jiang Man diligently explored the ocean of knowledge.

That day, she was immersed in her studies when suddenly there was a knock on the door.

Jiang Man got up and opened the door. It turned out to be Aunt Zhang from next door.

Aunt Zhang wore a warm smile, and a young girl was beside her. "Jiang Man, are you busy? This is my sister-in-law, Zhang Qianqian. She's attending night school, but there are still many things she can't learn. I thought you're so good at studying, you could definitely help, so I brought her along. Do you think you could spare some time to teach her?"

Aunt Zhang said with a face full of anticipation. Jiang Man looked at Zhang Qianqian; the girl was pretty with delicate features, and her eyes held a hint of shyness and a thirst for knowledge.

Jiang Man's heart skipped a beat, and she readily agreed without hesitation: "Sister Zhang, no problem, don't worry. We're all neighbors, it's only right to help each other out."

Aunt Zhang thanked her repeatedly with joy, and then said to Zhang Qianqian, "Qianqian, you must learn from Sister Jiang Man. Sister Jiang Man is amazing."

Zhang Qianqian nodded obediently: "Sister Jiang Man, then I'll trouble you."

From then on, Zhang Qianqian frequently came to Jiang Man's house to study.

Jiang Man was also very conscientious and responsible. She developed a detailed study plan based on Zhang Qianqian's learning situation.

She patiently explained mathematical formulas, Chinese texts, historical events, and so on to Zhang Qianqian, leaving no knowledge point unexamined.

"Qianqian, look at this math problem. First, we need to find a solution. Based on the given conditions, we can use this formula..."

As Jiang Man spoke, she gestured on the paper. Zhang Qianqian listened intently, her eyes fixed on the pen in Jiang Man's hand, nodding occasionally.

Sometimes, Zhang Qianqian would feel frustrated because she didn't understand a certain concept thoroughly, and Jiang Man would always gently encourage her: "Qianqian, don't be discouraged. Everyone encounters difficulties when they first start learning. Let's do it a few more times, and you'll get it. Look, you've already made a lot of progress compared to before."

Under Jiang Man's careful guidance, Zhang Qianqian's academic performance gradually improved.

During this process, Jiang Man and Zhang Qianqian developed a deep friendship. They were not only teacher and student, but also like sisters.

However, as the college entrance examination approached, Jiang Man's academic pressure increased.

She needs to spend a lot of time reviewing her own lessons every day, and also needs to take time to teach Zhang Qianqian. She is gradually feeling physically and mentally exhausted.

But she never thought of giving up. She knew she couldn't let down her dreams, nor could she betray the trust of Aunt Zhang and Zhang Qianqian. One day, after explaining a difficult problem to Zhang Qianqian, Jiang Man couldn't help but sigh softly.

Zhang Qianqian noticed Jiang Man's exhaustion and felt a little guilty: "Sister Jiang Man, am I too stupid? I've taken up too much of your time. You still have the college entrance exam to take, so why don't you just leave me alone?"

Jiang Man quickly shook her head: "Qianqian, don't say that. I'm not sighing because of you, it's just that I've been under a lot of pressure lately. Don't worry, I'll adjust, let's work together."

In order to better balance her own studies and tutoring Zhang Qianqian, Jiang Man began to arrange her time more rationally.

She gets up early and goes to bed late every day, making use of fragmented time to review, such as memorizing words while cooking and thinking about math problems while doing laundry.

When tutoring Zhang Qianqian, she focused more on efficiency, striving to help Zhang Qianqian master the most knowledge in the shortest amount of time.

The days flew by in a busy and fulfilling atmosphere, and the college entrance examination was finally drawing ever closer.

Jiang Man's heart was filled with both nervousness and anticipation.

She knew that this was an important challenge in her life and a key step in realizing her dream.

Meanwhile, Zhang Qianqian was also working hard for her night school exam. With Jiang Man's help, she became more confident and determined. She secretly vowed to do well in the exam and not let Jiang Man down.

That night, while Jiang Man was asleep, her body was quietly attacked by illness. The high fever caused by the cold was like a surging tide, pulling her from her sleep into the painful reality.

At first, Jiang Man only felt cold all over, her head was dizzy and painful, and her throat felt dry and painful, as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper.

She tossed and turned in a half-dreaming, half-awake state, trying to find a moment of comfort, but to no avail.

Gradually, her consciousness began to blur, and her physical discomfort became increasingly intense.

Qin Yishen, who shared a room with Jiang Man, was a light sleeper, and Jiang Man's movements quickly woke her up.

Qin Yishen raised her hand and touched Jiang Man's forehead; the burning sensation made her heart clench.

Ignoring the cold and drowsiness, she quickly got up and hurriedly lit the oil lamp beside her bed.

The dim yellow light flickered in the darkness, illuminating Qin Yishen's anxious face.

Qin Yishen first poured Jiang Man a glass of warm water, carefully helped her up, and said softly, "Jiang Man, drink some water, it will make you feel better."

Jiang Man drank a few mouthfuls in a daze, and his chapped lips were slightly moisturized.

Afterwards, Qin Yishen found antipyretics in the room and fed them to Jiang Man according to the dosage.

She then took a damp towel and gently wiped Jiang Man's forehead, cheeks, and neck, trying to relieve her high fever through physical cooling.

Under Qin Yishen's meticulous care, Jiang Man's condition gradually improved.

Her breathing slowed, and her furrowed brows relaxed slightly. Qin Yishen remained by her bedside, closely monitoring her temperature changes, not daring to relax his vigilance in the slightest.

The night remained deep and silent. Qin Yishen sat by the bed, gazing at Jiang Man's gradually calming sleeping face, silently praying that she would recover soon.