“He hasn’t returned yet. Why don’t you come in first?”
Ruan Shujin’s voice carried no trace of jealousy; she just looked at the woman’s anxious face, and somehow it even seemed unusually gentle.
Seeing the woman holding her child, Ruan Shujin immediately became tense. She ran over, checked the child, and felt the child’s head—it was scalding hot.
The woman had fled here in hardship, and at this moment, feeling the concern of a stranger, she couldn’t hold back her tears—they flowed as if the thread had snapped.
Ruan Shujin glanced back at Ruan Dong.
“Uncle, you hold the child. You know this place better than I do. Let’s go to the clinic.”
Ruan Dong, being a father, naturally understood. Holding the child, they set off, with the woman hurrying to follow. Ruan Shujin bent down to whisper a few words to Ruan Yu and then went ahead.
The courtyard was well-appointed, which was fortunate.
Once at the clinic, Ruan Shujin barely had a moment to catch her breath before Ruan Dong pulled her over.
“You…”
“Uncle, treat the illness first. Everything else can wait.”
Ruan Dong thought it over and held back his words. Ruan Shujin listened to the doctor explain the child’s condition.
The child looked around five or six years old but appeared malnourished. His facial features didn’t resemble Xie Zheng at all.
The woman looked at Ruan Shujin, bewildered.
Ruan Shujin translated the doctor’s words.
“Elder sister, the doctor says the child is fine. He was brought in just in time; he’s just caught a chill. Young children have weak constitutions and can develop high fevers easily. Luckily, you arrived when you did.”
After hearing this, the woman collapsed onto the cold chair. Ruan Shujin acted quickly to support her.
Once she confirmed the child was safe, Ruan Shujin could finally relax.
Ruan Feng and Ruan Yu handed over money and some daily supplies and curiously peeked into the ward.
Ruan Shujin clicked her tongue. The two little ones found a spot to sit obediently.
Ruan Dong came in and sat beside Ruan Shujin.
“How did that brat explain things to you? I should have stopped him at the start… no, I should have kept an eye on you.”
Ruan Shujin patted her uncle on the shoulder.
“Uncle, don’t be angry. We still don’t even know the cause yet!”
Ruan Dong said nothing more and decided to take the children home—it was already evening.
Ruan Shujin nodded and continued to sit. After a while, the ward door clicked open, and the woman emerged, intending to kneel before Ruan Shujin. Ruan Shujin stopped her in time and helped her sit beside her.
After thinking for a moment, Ruan Shujin asked,
“How did you meet Xie Zheng?”
“I…”
The woman thought for a moment and handed a letter to Ruan Shujin.
“My name is Li Yinglan. I’m from the mountains. My husband passed away recently, and we were driven out. I only managed to grab this letter.”
Ruan Shujin looked at the markings on the envelope and then focused on Li Yinglan.
Speaking hurriedly, she said, “I brought food. Eat first—you must be starving, having traveled so far with this child.”
Li Yinglan didn’t hesitate—she was too hungry.
Ruan Shujin opened the letter, glanced at it a few times, and carefully put it away.
“Take care of the child first. I’ll figure out a way to help you.”
The letter was just a normal family letter, but Ruan Shujin didn’t understand why the envelope had Xie Zheng’s information while inside it mentioned the name Cheng Xinfeng.
Ruan Shujin stayed at the hospital all night, unwilling to leave.
The next morning, when she woke up, she found the child awake, looking at her curiously.
“What’s your name?”
“Minwa.”
Ruan Shujin made a shushing gesture, then motioned for the child to look at Li Yinglan, who immediately understood.
Ruan Shujin felt a headache coming on. Up until now, Xie Zheng had always contacted her, and she didn’t even know how to reach him herself. After asking the doctor, she took the mother and child to a place to stay.
Ruan Dong only glanced at them and then relaxed.
Li Yinglan cautiously stepped into the well-appointed house, looking around a little stiffly, unsure where to put her feet.
Ruan Shujin glanced at Ruan Feng and Ruan Yu. The slightly older children understood their sister’s intentions and helped Li Yinglan and Minwa sit down.
Li Yinglan held her child, clutching him tightly, looking this way and that, gazing at Ruan Shujin.
“Sister, thank you for saving my child.”
“It’s nothing, it’s nothing.”
Ruan Shujin checked the time.
“I’ll find a way to contact Xie Zheng for you, but I want to ask—who is Cheng Xinfeng?”
“He’s my younger brother-in-law. Before my husband passed, he asked me to find him here. But when I got here, I couldn’t get in using his name, so I had the soldier at the gate check my letter. Only then were they able to let me in.”
Ruan Shujin nodded, pointing to a room behind her.
“I’ll contact them as soon as I get home. You must be tired from traveling so far. Rest if you need to. Anything you need, just tell my uncle—he knows this place better than you. The child’s illness isn’t serious, just keep him warm and give him his medicine.”
Li Yinglan nodded.
When Ruan Dong saw Ruan Shujin out the door, he didn’t forget to remind her.
“Be careful. Outside this courtyard is more dangerous. If you can’t find Xie Zheng, come back immediately.”
Ruan Shujin replied and stepped out.
The city of Hushi was quite large. As for the military area, she dared not approach—she had no idea where to even call Xie Zheng.
Ruan Shujin wandered around outside for a while, picking up a few items along the way, then headed back to the courtyard.
Outside the courtyard, she saw a familiar car.
She rushed over, hands full of things, looking a little comical.
Calling out Xie Zheng’s name, she noticed a man sitting in the passenger seat. She looked again and heard Xie Zheng’s slightly cold voice:
“Why are you out here?”
Ruan Shujin pointed at the man in the passenger seat, staring at Xie Zheng.
“Is he Cheng Xinfeng?”