Chapter 57: This Home Is Yours Now, Little Man

On the other side, when Ruan Xiaotian found Zhang Jun, the fellow was snoring away in the dormitory. In his dream, Zhang Jun was just about to kiss Xia Yan’s sweet lips when he was suddenly shaken awake. Roused from a lovely dream, Zhang Jun’s temper flared instantly. “Who’s got no eyes? Can’t you see I’m sleeping?”

But as soon as he opened his eyes and saw it was Ruan Xiaotian, he immediately shut his mouth. Ruan Xiaotian stared at him with a grim expression. “Doctor Zhang, Captain Lin is injured. You need to come with me now.”

“Alright, alright…” Zhang Jun had no courage to resist and quickly got up to run with Ruan Xiaotian to the infirmary. When he saw Lin You lying on the hospital bed, he couldn’t help a secret thrill, though his face remained carefully surprised. “What happened to Captain Lin?”

“Poisoned. The same as Liu Xiuying’s family last time,” Zhu Yan replied, glancing up at him. If the situation weren’t so urgent, she would certainly have questioned Zhang Jun about where he had disappeared to.

“That’s trouble. I can’t treat this poison…” Zhang Jun put on a helpless expression.

“Didn’t you save Liu Xiuying’s family last time?”

“They only had a mild case then. Look at Captain Lin—his lips are turning purple. I think you’d better prepare for the worst,” Zhang Jun said, pointing at Lin You’s faintly purpling lips.

Hearing this, Xia Yan grew flustered. She knew nothing about medicine and could only pin her hopes on Zhu Yan. “Zhu Yan, what should we do?”

“Don’t panic. I’ll start him on an IV first, then go make a phone call.”

She had helped out last time when Liu Xiuying’s family was treated and remembered the medicines used. For now, all she could do was try to stabilize Lin You. “Brother Ruan, please go borrow a car from Captain Jiang. Xia Yan, go home and pack some clothes. We can’t wait for the car from the foot of the mountain.”

Xia Yan acknowledged and ran home, flinging open the wardrobe to pack a few sets of clothes and stuffing all the family valuables into her pockets. The commotion was loud, and her neighbors—the Lin Hongzhe brothers—heard the noise and thought there was a thief. They crept to the kitchen and grabbed a kitchen knife. “Don’t move!”

Xia Yan was startled by the shout and hurriedly put down the clothes in her hands. When the two boys saw it was her, they were clearly taken aback.

Lin Hongzhuo looked at the clothes in the case and asked, “Aunt Xia? What are you doing here? Where’s my dad? Didn’t you say you were going back to your hometown?”

Suddenly, a terrible suspicion flashed through his mind. “And why are you packing clothes? Did you and my dad have a falling out? Are you not going to marry my dad anymore?”

At any other time, Xia Yan would have admired this boy’s wild imagination, but she had no mood for it now. Still, she couldn’t let the children know about Lin You’s condition—that would only complicate things.

“Come here, you two. Aunt Xia has something good to tell you.”

She took their hands. “Your dad has already gone back to our hometown, and I just forgot something and came back to get it.”

“Xia Yan, do you really think we’re easy to fool?” Lin Hongzhe immediately saw through the lie. “First, my dad would never let you come back here alone. Second, you’re not the kind of person to forget things.”

Realizing she couldn’t hide it, Xia Yan came clean. “Ahem, alright, I’ll tell you the truth. Your dad and I pretended to go home to catch the person poisoning the pigs, but we’ve already caught him. Your dad just got a little hurt in the process, so now we’re taking him to the hospital down the mountain.”

“What happened to my dad?” Lin Hongzhe immediately grew anxious.

Xia Yan hesitated. “It’s nothing serious, just a little stab in the stomach. A minor injury. Xiao Zhe, Auntie needs you to do her a favor and take care of your brother and sister for a while.”

“I will,” Lin Hongzhe promised, though he knew it was not as simple as a little stab—otherwise they wouldn’t need to go to the hospital down the mountain.

“My little Zhe is a real man now.” Xia Yan patted his head, took out a few large-denomination bills, and stuffed them into Lin Hongzhe’s hand. “Keep this. While Auntie and your dad are away, you’re in charge of the house.”

“Auntie, I’m a man too. I’ll help my brother take care of our sister,” Lin Hongzhuo said earnestly, clearly not overthinking things, and believing Xia Yan’s words completely.

“Yes, my little Zhuo is a man too.” Xia Yan stood up, finished packing, and took the suitcase out. When she reached the courtyard gate, she saw the two boys still standing there. She forced a smile and waved to them before turning and walking into the pitch-black night.

“Brother… Dad will be okay, right?”

“He’ll be fine. Didn’t you hear Xia Yan? Just a little stab. Go to bed—we have school tomorrow.”

After sending his brother back inside, Lin Hongzhe looked for a long moment in the direction Xia Yan had gone before finally returning to the house himself.

When Xia Yan returned to the infirmary, a jeep was already parked outside. Ruan Xiaotian was carrying Lin You to the back seat while Zhu Yan held up an IV bottle.

“Brother Ruan, I’ll have to trouble you and your wife to look after the three children at home,” Xia Yan said, pulling out another handful of large bills and stuffing them into Ruan Xiaotian’s hand.

“Girl, what are you doing? I can’t take this money. Lin You will need it for the hospital—what kind of person would I be if I took it now?” Ruan Xiaotian quickly pushed the money back.

Xia Yan started to say something, but Ruan Xiaotian interrupted, “We don’t need to stand on ceremony at a time like this. Let’s get moving. Get in the car! Xiao Li, drive as fast as you can, but be careful.”

Li Guoxiang was driving. He was on duty today, and when he heard Lin You was hurt, he immediately volunteered to drive. He patted his chest. “Don’t worry, Captain Ruan. I know this road like the back of my hand. Everything will be fine.”

The mountain road was even harder to drive on in the rain at night. In a jeep like this old model, you’d be jolted so much your backside left the seat every couple of seconds.

“Xiao Li, can’t you go any faster?” Zhu Yan urged from the front passenger seat.

“Doctor Zhu, this is as fast as it goes—the car’s already skidding…” Li Guoxiang barely touched the brakes the whole way.

Xia Yan felt Lin You’s forehead. “Zhu Yan, I think Lin You is starting to run a fever.”

Hearing this, Zhu Yan urged again, “Xiao Li, didn’t you eat today? Can’t you press the accelerator?”

“Doctor Zhu, it’s already floored…” Li Guoxiang said helplessly. It truly wasn’t that he didn’t want to go faster.

Normally, the trip took over an hour, but tonight, they made it in forty minutes.

When they reached the hospital, a group of doctors was already waiting at the entrance. The man at the front bore a striking resemblance to Zhu Yan.

“Brother, come help!”