Chapter 44: Fever â “He gets anxious if he doesn’t see me”
The old man choked back a sob.
“I saved that young man, but you were swept away by the waves. Watching a life fade away right before my eyes… It has always been a sickness in my heart. Ever since then, every time I go out to sea, I steer the helm toward that area just to look.”
“After I brought that child back, I found he had hit his head. For a long time, he was dazed and couldn’t recognize anyone.”
“In the end, he was taken away by the big boss who invested in our island. I don’t know how he’s doing now.”
“Back then, our island was even more desolate than it is now. Thanks to Boss Jian, it developed into what it is today. Itâs a pity we lost contact a few years ago, otherwise, I would have loved to thank him properly in person.”
“You…” The old man recalled the past, and seeing Shen Yunqian’s lack of reaction, his voice lowered. “Child, do you blame me for failing to save you? You must have suffered a lot.”
Shen Yunqianâs tone was flat. “Youâve mistaken me for someone else.”
“Think about it carefully. You don’t look much different from eight years ago; I wouldn’t mistake you,” the old man insisted stubbornly.
The villagers around them, who had been watching the movie with gusto, turned their ears to listen to the commotion. Most of them had heard of this incident and had seen the young boy who was brought back.
After so many years, it was inevitable that their long-buried curiosity would be piqued again.
At first, Lu Xunye thought the old man had simply made a mistake. But the more he listened, the more familiar the story sounded.
Wasnât this the accident the Protagonist Gong and Shou experienced before their separation in the book? A shipwreck… It matched not only the book but also what the kidnapper had said.
This event eventually led to Si Jinyan reclaiming the Si family five years later and imprisoning Shen Yunqian.
Speaking of which, Si Jinyan wasn’t much older than Shen Yunqianâfour years? At the time of the fall… he was 17.
Fine, that is indeed the age of first awakenings.
But to do that to a 13-year-old… Ugh… thatâs just inhumane!
Lu Xunye stepped between the two. “Grandpa, he hit his head before and has amnesia. He can’t remember a lot of things clearly, please don’t take offense.”
“So you are the child I brought back, aren’t you?” The old man turned to look at him.
Lu Xunye hurriedly denied it. “I’m not.”
The old man stared at him closely. “But why do I feel you look a bit like that child too?”
Lu Xunye found it hard to argue. “You really have the wrong person. I’m really not him.”
A middle-aged man walked out from the crowd, supported the old man, and apologized to the two of them.
“I’m sorry, my dad has been a bit senile for the past few years.”
“Plus, a while ago, someone from off the island came to ask my dad some questions. Since then, whenever he sees a handsome male tourist, he pulls them over to ramble about what happened eight years ago. I hope he didn’t scare you.”
Lu Xunye glanced at the listless person beside him and shook his head. “It’s fine.”
The old man began to sigh mournfully. “As long as you’re alive, as long as you’re alive… Itâs just old history, if you can’t remember, then forget it. Seeing that you’re alive settles a burden in my heart.”
The old man was led away by his son. The onlookers, seeing the drama disperse, lost interest and turned their attention back to the movie.
Clang clang clang dong dong dongâ
On the projection screen, the armored soldiers sang in high-pitched, impassioned voices, drowning out all the noise.
Suddenly feeling a heavy weight on his shoulder, Lu Xunye froze. Subconsciously, he supported the crumbling body beside him and brushed against the back of a freezing cold hand.
He looked down at the person leaning on him and reached out to check his temperature. A scorching heat radiated through his palm. Shen Yunqian’s breathing was heavy, and his tightly closed eyelashes trembled.
Lu Xunye looked up at the sky in despair: No way… fainting again?!
Village Health Center
A muffled clap of thunder rolled outside the dark window. The person on the bed lay quietly.
Sister An pushed open the ward door with a food container in hand. She walked in lightly and gently patted the person dozing with his head propped up by the bed. “Little Lu, wake up.”
“Hmm?” Lu Xunye shook off his drowsiness, looking up and focusing his eyes to see who it was.
He was just about to stand up when he was pushed back down by someone who seemingly predicted his movement.
“No need to be so polite, just sit.”
She placed the food container on the table and opened the lid. “Eat something to line your stomach first, then go back to sleep in a bit.”
On the table were a bowl of eight-treasure porridge, a dish of vegetables, a few steamed buns, and a pot of chicken soup.
Lu Xunye glanced at it, a warm current flowing through his chest, wrapped in kindness. He asked, “Have you eaten?”
“Don’t worry, the guests have eaten, and the three at home are eating now.”
“Then, Sister, did you eat?” Lu Xunye picked up the bag of steamed buns and offered them. “If not, let’s eat together.”
Sister An pushed it back. “I tasted two buns when they were fresh out of the steamer to check the seasoning, I’m not hungry now.”
She shifted the topic to Shen Yunqian. “Has Little Shen’s fever gone down?”
Lu Xunye touched the hand of the young man on the bed, then picked up the thermometer gun to check: 37.8°C.
“A low fever. It’s gone down a bit. He should wake up soon.”
Lu Xunye put down the thermometer and tucked Shen Yunqian’s hand back under the quilt. “Sister An, you go back first. I can watch over him here.”
Sister An didn’t answer; she simply pointed to the door.
After she turned and walked out, Lu Xunye stood up. His gaze lingered on Shen Yunqian’s fragile face for a moment before following her.
Outside the door.
The overhead lights were dim. In the quiet, narrow corridor, only the hushed voices of the two could be heard.
“I heard from the two little ones that you stayed by the seaside for half the afternoon? The wind is strong there, and Little Shen hasn’t fully recovered yet, so a fever is normal. Don’t worry too much.”
Lu Xunye nodded. “Mhm, I know.”
Sister An sighed. “Luckily there was an empty bed here today, otherwise having IV drips at home and delivering medicine back and forth would have wasted too much time.”
She changed the subject and asked, “What about you? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Do you want some medicine?”
“I’m fine,” Lu Xunye said sincerely. “I’ve really troubled you guys these past two days. Thank you so much.”
“What are you saying?” Sister An pretended to scold him. “Everyone has difficulties. Help when you can. Today I help you, tomorrow you help me. It’s just a small favor, don’t take it to heart.”
“By the way, can I ask why you wanted to go to the seaside?” Sister An spoke carefully, afraid of touching on a sore spot. “Bad mood? Homesick?”
Lu Xunye casually made up a reason to stall. “Not a bad mood. I just thought the sea was beautiful and the air was good, so I wanted to appreciate the sunset. Don’t overthink it.”
The scenery in that area wasn’t good, and there were many reefs. Only naughty children who were afraid of being found would hide there, which was why it was slated for development and construction.
Since that was the place where Lu Xunye and his companion had drifted ashore, Sister An didn’t believe his excuse at all.
But since Lu Xunye put it that way, she couldn’t expose him. Instead, she told him the news she had gathered.
“Although the signal can’t get out, I’ve already asked your Big Brother to inquire. In three months, a batch of goods will be shipped from the island to the mainland. You can leave with the fleet.”
Lu Xunye was stunned, repeating muttering, “…Three months?”
“Yeah, what’s wrong? Do you think it’s too long? Just treat these three months as a vacation here.”
“If you’re worried about money, Iâ”
“Sister An,” Lu Xunye interrupted her timely. “You’ve been good enough to us. If it really takes three months, I really don’t want to, nor should I, trouble you anymore.”
“…” Sister An was silent for a moment before speaking. “Sigh, no wonder your Big Brother told me. You really are a stubborn child.”
As she spoke, she suddenly remembered something, her eyes lighting up. “We don’t have many teachers on the island. Because the wages are low and the location is isolated, the school can’t recruit teachers from outside. It’s mostly older teachers teaching. You two could stay at the school and teach.”
“But,” Sister An spoke first, cutting off his thoughts as if she expected them, “for accommodation, you should still stay at the homestay.”
Lu Xunye: “That’s not necessary.”
“Listen to me,” Sister An continued. “I also want you to tutor those two little guys. Plus, there are many guests usually, so you can help us out with things.”
“As for room and board, we’ll deduct it from your tutoring fees. I heard tutoring lessons in big cities are quite expensive.”
Sister An teased, “Little Lu, you wouldn’t refuse even this favor, would you?”
Lu Xunye knew she was saying this because she was afraid he wouldn’t agree. So, they each took a step back.
He agreed, “Okay, then I’ll trouble you.”
“Mom, Uncle, where is Big Brother?” Two small figures ran over from the end of the corridor.
Seeing it was her eldest and second son, Sister An asked in surprise, “Why did you come here? Aren’t you eating at home?”
“We saw you delivering food to Uncle, so we followed. Is Big Brother better?”
Lu Xunye rubbed their heads twice. “Almost.”
The two stood on tiptoes trying to see inside through the glass on the door. Not tall enough, they tried to push the door open. “We want to see Big Brother.”
Sister An stopped them immediately, scolding, “Big Brother is sleeping, don’t disturb his rest.”
She looked up at Lu Xunye. “Little Lu, take them back. I’ll take the night shift tonight.”
“I’ll do it.” Brother Zhang’s voice came from afar, inserting himself into the group and drawing everyone’s attention.
The man approached unhurriedly, hooking two dry umbrellas in one hand and holding a half-open umbrella in the other. There were water droplets on the umbrella fabric.
Sister An hurried forward to take the umbrellas from him. “It’s raining outside?”
“Mhm,” Brother Zhang said. “You all go back and rest tonight. I’ll watch over Little Shen here.”
This, this, this is too enthusiastic.
Lu Xunye was going crazy: Think, broken brain, think!
“Isn’t it Sunday tomorrow? The homestay should be quite busy. Brother, you go back and help Sister An.”
Saying that, Lu Xunye turned to Sister An. “Sister, you go back too. I still want to eat the steamed fish you make tomorrow.”
Sister An hesitated. “Butâ”
Lu Xunye stammered, “And… Ah-Ah-Ah-Qian gets anxious if he doesn’t see me when he wakes up. I also want to see with my own eyes that he’s okay to feel at ease.”
Sister An burst out laughing, her teasing gaze meeting Brother Zhang’s.
Pretending not to see Lu Xunye’s awkwardness and bright red ears, she agreed profusely. “Okay, okay, okay, I’ll make it for you. Then we’ll head back first. There’s an empty bed in the ward, get some sleep.”
The two children were dragged away by their parents, very dissatisfied. “We haven’t seen Big Brother yet! Don’t want to go back!”
What they got in return was a ruthless slap on the back. “I’ll bring you to see him tomorrow. You played like crazy for half the day, did you finish your homework? You know final exams are coming soon.”
Before leaving, Brother Zhang also reminded Lu Xunye, “Little Lu, remember to eat the food your sister brought while it’s hot.”
Lu Xunye hurriedly replied, “Okay.”
Once they disappeared at the end of the corridor, Lu Xunye let out a long sigh of relief, relaxed, pushed open the door, and sat back down on the stool by the bed.
He gazed at the young man, reached out to tuck the corners of the quilt tightly, and unconsciously stroked the small, scabbing red marks on the young man’s pale side profile.
The scene of Shen Yunqian being held at knifepoint by Si Jinyan in the darkroom suddenly flashed before his eyes.
The pitiful way those watery red eyes looked at him, and the expressionless face on the deck with a knife against his jaw.
That day, if the one who answered the phone was Si Jinyan, and the one who entered the hospital room was also Si Jinyan, would you have trusted him so wholeheartedly too?
It seems… the original plot was supposed to develop that way.
Shen Yunqian… is it your own subjective mistake of recognizing the first person you saw as your boyfriend, or are you being controlled by the plot to make that mistake?
Just like how I am bound by the mission to deceive you… in the name of a boyfriend.
Lu Xunye’s heart felt as if it had been pricked by a thorn, throbbing with pain.
Is this a lie I wove for you alone, or a “coincidence” where both of us are involuntary participants?
His fingertips lightly touched the faint trace, rubbing the area around it, and he whispered softly, “Don’t like him anymore.”
After a long while, Lu Xunye stuffed two mouthfuls of bun into his mouth, went out to fill some hot water, and came back.
He placed the thermos under the bed. When he looked up, he saw Shen Yunqian slowly opening his eyes.
Lu Xunye was startled. Realizing his intention, he quickly leaned over to help him up and placed a pillow behind his back. “Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?”
Shen Yunqian let him touch his forehead and test him with the thermometer gun. “I’m awake.”
Lu Xunye didn’t understand the meaning behind his words for a moment, his mouth slightly open. “Hmm?”
Shen Yunqian moved the hand from his forehead, held it in his own, looked up at Lu Xunye without obstruction, and said slowly, “I’m not anxious anymore. So…”
He paused, his tone serious. “Are you relieved?”
Lu Xunye suddenly remembered his excuse at the door.
Only now, being stared at so intently by the person involved, his face instantly burned.
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