Chapter 692: Chapter 692: Shen Chi, Wake Up
The air was thick with the smell of something burnt, an acrid and unpleasant odor.
Standing at the entrance of the cave and watching the flames, she felt dazed, transported back to when she was ten years old.
That year, she had also been this far away as she watched the fire devour everything.
Back then, Uncle Mo had held her, preventing her from going in as she cried and fussed, desperate for one last glimpse of her mother.
There was a slight twinge in her heart. Although these events had happened thirteen whole years ago, they felt as fresh as yesterday—especially the flames, which awakened her memories.
She brushed aside the wisps of hair by her ears and quietly observed everything before her.
Rocks were still sliding down the mountain, but it was much better than before. She tried her best to control herself, not thinking about the past.
She really loved Shen Chi, so very much.
Bending down, she picked up some branches from the ground, lit one, and brought it into the cave.
She threw the branches onto the ground, and soon, as they caught fire, the cave warmed up instantly.
“Didn’t find anything to eat?” Shen Chi glanced at her.
Xu Chaomu, stirring the branches to keep warm, didn’t answer his question but simply said, “It seems like it’s going to rain outside.”
“Then gather more branches.”
“These are enough for the night,” Xu Chaomu said.
“Are you sure we’re only going to be here for one night?”
Xu Chaomu was at a loss for words. Right, the roads below the mountain had been blocked. It would take a long time to clear them.
“Shen Chi… will we starve to death?” Worry shone in her eyes.
“If you can find food, we won’t,” he replied.
“Nonsense,” Xu Chaomu retorted irritably.
After she spoke, she went back to the mouth of the cave. She wanted to pick up some more branches and look for food.
She managed to find some branches after a while, but food… there was none in sight.
She was anxious. They couldn’t really starve to death in a cave, could they?
She had imagined many ways to die, but starving to death in a cave, and with Shen Chi at that, had not been one of them.
And crucially, she’d have to bring along a steamed bun to starve with them in the cave.
As she looked around outside, the little bun inside her kicked in protest.
Xu Chaomu immediately stopped and supported herself against a tree.
“Baby, there’s nothing I can do, Mommy can’t find food,” she soothed the little bun in her belly gently.
But it seemed to work, as the little guy stopped kicking her.
Once he had settled down, Xu Chaomu looked around again, but eventually returned to the cave, defeated.
The branches were burning in the cave, and Shen Chi was leaning against the back, his eyes closed.
With her empty stomach, Xu Chaomu sat down next to Shen Chi and wrapped her arms around his.
“I’m so hungry…” Xu Chaomu rested her head on his arm.
“Sleep awhile, we’ll look again tomorrow.”
Shen Chi reached out and touched her hair.
Her hair was soft, pleasant to the touch, a gesture that had long become a habit for him, one he hadn’t changed in years.
Xu Chaomu really felt there was nothing she could do and just laid her head on his arm to sleep.
His hand gently stroked her hair, and it felt so tender that drowsiness swept over her…
After a night of turmoil, full of shocks, dismay, and panic, everything was okay now.
She lay on him, and he gently lulled her to sleep.
She snuggled up close to him like a kitten, which was how Shen Chi liked Xu Chaomu best—obedient and sweet.
But then, when had he ever not liked Xu Chaomu?
The branches burned, bringing bursts of warmth, and the cave felt not too cold at that moment.
Sometime later, Xu Chaomu fell asleep, and so did Shen Chi, nestled together in quiet harmony.
While sleeping, Xu Chaomu always snuggled up into Shen Chi’s embrace, apparently considering him her pillow.
His chest was warm, she felt comfortable holding onto him.
The branches burned slowly, crackling with sparks. Other than that, the cave was filled with the sound of running water and their breathing.
The downpour began around four in the morning, starting with a few muffled rumbles of thunder that wouldn’t stop, followed by large raindrops hammering down from the sky.
The raindrops struck the ground, the river, the foliage, making a loud noise—the rain was fierce.
Soon, the rain intensified, pouring down as if the sky were emptying itself.
Then, a mist rose mid-air, hazy and dreamlike.
The shower put out the lingering fire, preventing it from spreading further. However, the air was still heavily laden with the smell of smoke.
Xu Chaomu was awoken by the sound of the rain—it was simply too loud.
Rubbing her eyes, she realized she was lying in Shen Chi’s arms.
She grabbed his arm and suddenly felt that his body was burning hot!
Xu Chaomu was so scared that she was jolted awake. Touching his forehead, it was hot to the touch!
Shen Chi’s whole body was scalding; he had a fever!
Xu Chaomu shook his arm, “Shen Chi, Shen Chi, wake up.”
Shen Chi wrinkled his brow, trying to open his eyes, but they wouldn’t budge. He just felt Xu Chaomu calling his name next to his ear.
“Shen Chi, wake up, don’t sleep,” Xu Chaomu said frantically.
Now, he was truly burning up!
She checked his wound, relieved to see all the bleeding had stopped and the wound had not reopened.
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He just had a fever.
Shen Chi heard Xu Chaomu calling his name by his ear, but he was weak all over.
In a daze, he lifted his hand, trying to touch her cheek.
“Why so hot…” Xu Chaomu was on the verge of tears.
Outside, the heavy rain continued, the mountain roads were blocked, and in the cave, there were only her and Shen Chi.
No food, no change of clothes, no medicine—Xu Chaomu felt waves of despair washing over her.
“Shen Chi, hold on, wake up,” Xu Chaomu pinched his arm.
Feeling a tinge of pain, Shen Chi strained to open his eyes, and he saw her tears…
He managed a weak smile, his lips pale and feeble, his complexion like a sheet of white paper.
Xu Chaomu had never seen Shen Chi like this before. She regretted deeply that he must not fall ill…
If something happened to him, if he was hurt or worse, she… she would definitely not go on living.
“Foolish girl,” he said, reaching out to wipe the tears from her face.
Xu Chaomu grasped his hand. He was awake, thank goodness, still able to speak with her.
“Hang in there,” Xu Chaomu said, choking back sobs.
Shen Chi nodded but said nothing more; he no longer had the strength.
Xu Chaomu picked up a washcloth and ran to the stream to wet it.
The water from the mountain was cold, and she knew the colder, the better, as she needed to bring down his fever.
After wetting the washcloth and wringing out the excess water, she propped Shen Chi up to rest on her legs.
She placed the cold washcloth on his forehead, hoping it would make him feel a bit more comfortable.