Chapter 403
Looking from above, the river didn’t seem that wide, and they thought they could swim to the shore in no time. But in reality, getting ashore wasn’t easy; it took them a while to scramble up from the water, and once on shore, they collapsed onto the ground, most of their strength spent.
“We’ve struggled so long to get up here; there’s no way Ariel got up immediately. After she fell, I didn’t see her at all. What if something happened to her? If something really happened, I’d never be at peace for the rest of my life,” Lin Mengyao said, holding Xu Ke’s fingers.
“She’ll be fine. Remember, she’s the little witch of East District; if anyone’s going to be okay, it’s her,” Xu Ke reassured, though in truth, he wasn’t so sure himself.
They rested on the shore for a while before heading into the dense forest to search for Ariel. Not finding any sign of her, they followed the water downstream.
By the time they found Ariel, it was almost dark. She was half-leaning against a tree, her eyes closed, with a hint of blush on her cheeks. Her sleeping face looked serene and adorable, and it was only then that Lin Mengyao finally relaxed.
Letting out the breath she’d been holding, Lin Mengyao plopped down on the ground, not caring if it was dirty.
Xu Ke also breathed a sigh of relief but he didn’t sit down. The tension in his body released, making him appear much more at ease, but he remained vigilant, eyes scanning the surroundings. No one knew what might appear in this place, especially at night when the forest was perilous.
“Let’s wake her up and leave. We should try to find some habitation nearby before it gets completely dark. It’s too dangerous with just the three of us here,” Xu Ke said.
“Okay.” Lin Mengyao knew this wasn’t the time for frailty, so even though the soles of her feet were burning with pain, she didn’t voice a need for rest. She didn’t want to hold Xu Ke back.
“Ariel, wake up, we need to get going,” Lin Mengyao whispered softly.
Ariel gave no response to Lin Mengyao.
Lin Mengyao reached out to shake Ariel, saying, “Stop sleeping, wake up.” But unexpectedly, Ariel slumped down in the direction of the push.
“Ariel!” Lin Mengyao cried out in surprise and hurriedly cradled her in her arms.
Lin Mengyao patted Ariel’s cheeks and realized they were burning hot; even her breath was scorching. The redness on her face was not from sleep but from a fever.
In a deserted forest like this, a fever signified danger.
Lin Mengyao urgently called to Xu Ke, “Xu Ke, Ariel has a fever, what should we do?”
A fever in such circumstances was perilous, especially when they had no communication devices.
Xu Ke furrowed his brows, then quickly relaxed them.
“I’ll carry her; we should walk as much as we can before it’s fully dark and try to find people. Meanwhile, wait here. Take this for protection while I get something to eat and return shortly,” Xu Ke said, handing Lin Mengyao a sharpened stick he had prepared.
“What about you?” Lin Mengyao asked worriedly, taking the stick from Xu Ke.
“I’ve got this; I’ll make another one later. I’m just going to the river to catch some fish, won’t go far. If anything happens, shout and I’ll surely hear you.” As Xu Ke spoke, he handed Lin Mengyao a sharp piece of stone he found on the way, to comfort her anxious heart.
“Okay, I’ll wait here for you, but hurry back,” Lin Mengyao urged, gripping the stick tightly.
Xu Ke looked at the sky and nodded in agreement.
Though he was worried about Lin Mengyao, now wasn’t the time for them to linger.
Xu Ke glanced at the trees by the roadside, choosing one that seemed straight enough. He broke off a branch and whittled it with a stone to a sharp point, rolled up his pant legs, and waded into the river, preparing to spear fish.
Xu Ke had never speared fish before. Even at his lowest, he bought fish at the market; this was his first time, so his attempts went awry, soaking him instead. Fortunately, he’d watched similar shows and had a knack for it. After a few tries, he managed to spear two fish.
Lin Mengyao remained in the position she’d been when he left, visibly tense, while Ariel was still unconscious.
At the sound of rustling branches, Lin Mengyao immediately raised her stick, pointing the sharp end toward the noise. Only after seeing it was Xu Ke did she relax, dropping the stick and throwing herself into his arms.
She didn’t cry or make a fuss; she simply buried her head in his chest, her arms around his waist tightening. Xu Ke said nothing either; though quiet, the moment between them was particularly heartwarming.
“I was so scared,” Lin Mengyao finally said after a while.
Those words seemed like a trigger, releasing the flood of tears that soaked his clothes like scalding hot water.
“It’s my fault; next time, I won’t leave you alone here,” Xu Ke said solemnly.
“Look what I brought back?” Xu Ke’s voice carried a hint of excitement, prompting Lin Mengyao to wipe her tears and ask, “What did you bring back?”
“Fish. I brought two, big enough for us to eat,” Xu Ke said, showing her the contents wrapped in leaves, revealing the prepared fish inside.
The gutted fish carried an unavoidable fishy and bloody smell that hit Lin Mengyao, making her stomach, once hungry, feel suddenly full.
“Do we eat it raw?” Lin Mengyao asked, pointing at the fish in Xu Ke’s hands, somewhat hesitant.
Xu Ke nodded, “We don’t have a way to make fire, so you’ll have to bear with eating it raw. As soon as morning comes, we’ll find people and get Ariel treated. I’ll cook you a proper meal then, how about that?” Xu Ke’s expression was tinged with guilt and remorse, melting Lin Mengyao’s heart.
“I don’t mind. Anywhere with you isn’t a burden, everything tastes good.” To prove her words true, Lin Mengyao grabbed a fish and took a big bite in front of Xu Ke, stifling her urge to gag, chewing quickly and swallowing it down.
“See, I’ve finished it,” Lin Mengyao said, opening her mouth for Xu Ke to check, then smiled.
Xu Ke knew Lin Mengyao as well as he knew himself, and he could tell she didn’t enjoy the fish. Watching her force herself to eat raw fish and put on a happy front so he wouldn’t feel bad, Xu Ke felt a bittersweet mix in his heart, guilt and affection intertwining and clutching his throat, making it hard to breathe.