Chapter 281: Chapter 281: As Delicate as a Thread of Silk

The Undying Poison Doctor patted his shoulder reassuringly, sighed deeply, and shook his head as he walked out of the room.

Huangfu Jingchen felt his entire heart sink to the ground; it was so painfully bitter as if something was stuck, making it hard for him to even breathe.

He didn’t expect that even with the help of the Undying Poison Doctor, Wenjin would still end up in such a perilous situation.

Looking at Xia Wenjin’s face devoid of any color, lying motionlessly on the bed, her breath as fragile as a thread, panic surged in his heart—a heart-wrenching and piercing pain and sorrow. Was he about to lose her?

No, that won’t happen.

Didn’t the Undying Poison Doctor say that if she wakes up tomorrow morning, it will prove that the antidote is working, and everything will be fine?

He couldn’t let Xia Wenjin just drift away like this. He held her hand, his hoarse voice filled with uncontrollable sadness: “Wenjin, I’ve never seen you in women’s clothing, please don’t have anything happen to you! I want to see the real you!”

“Wenjin, you promised to be a servant for a year, and the time is not up yet. Your life is mine, I haven’t allowed you to die, so you cannot die!”

“Wenjin, I know you’re in pain, but you have to endure it. Just endure, and everything will be over. Tomorrow, when you wake up, you won’t suffer anymore, won’t be in pain anymore.”

“Wenjin, if you leave me, I don’t know how I’ll live in the future!”

“Wenjin, you promised you’d go with me to my hometown in Yunzhou, you can’t go back on your word!”

“Wenjin, you’ve worked so hard, almost risking your life, to save everyone in Wangshan Town, and now the antidote hasn’t been developed yet. Those people haven’t truly been saved, and every day more infected people are sent to the quarantine point. How can you just leave like this? You’re not someone irresponsible, who starts something without finishing it! So you must not fall asleep like this!”

“We’ve known each other for so long, yet you’ve never told me about yourself. I really want to know everything about you. When you wake up, will you tell me?”

“Wenjin, Wenjin…”

…

As he spoke further, his throat got so choked up that he couldn’t utter another word. Looking at Xia Wenjin with her eyes tightly shut and her face pale, there was nothing left but a heart full of pain and sorrow. Holding her hand, he placed it against his face, droplets of water falling onto the back of her hand.

All of a sudden, Xia Wenjin’s sleeve moved a little.

Huangfu Jingchen’s eyes widened with a rush of ecstasy. Did Wenjin move? Did she wake up?

Just as his eyes fixated tightly on the place where a movement had been, eagerly anticipating a surprise, a furry little creature crawled out from her sleeve.

It turned out to be that little Yan Mink.

Huangfu Jingchen’s excitement froze on his face. When the little Yan Mink had crawled into Xia Wenjin’s sleeve, it had gone to sleep and hadn’t come out since. As it was newborn and didn’t need to eat, they were busy developing the antidote and no one paid attention to this little creature.

They had forgotten that this little thing was still tucked away in Xia Wenjin’s sleeve.

After crawling out, the little Yan Mink hopped around by the bedside, its round black eyes occasionally glancing at Huangfu Jingchen before disappearing under the bed.

Remembering that the little Cold Bone Yan Mink had bitten Xia Wenjin once, Huangfu Jingchen worried that it might have bitten her while she was unconscious, and quickly lifted her sleeve to check.

Xia Wenjin’s arm was as pale as her face, but there were no wounds.

It seemed the little Yan Mink hadn’t harmed her.

Huangfu Jingchen put her sleeve down, feeling her hand cold and devoid of warmth, and his heart sank again.

This person lying silent on the bed wasn’t supposed to be like this at all. She should have the most brilliant, dazzling smile; she was lively, playful, sometimes even mischievous. She’d tease him, laugh at him, and even get angry.

Her eyes could carry a chill, making the very air around seem cold. She was just a young girl, yet her presence was powerful.

She disguised herself as a man and could make the women in the brothel laugh uncontrollably…

Such a vibrant and dazzling person, so unruly and carefree, how could she be lying here, no longer smiling, no longer moving, no longer speaking? Those eyes, as pure as clear springs, those eyes like the brightest stars, now tightly shut.

It shouldn’t be like this. Xia Wenjin shouldn’t be like this.

…

Huangfu Jingchen choked out: “Wenjin, will you open your eyes and look at me? I am Huang…”

“Wenjin, I’m sorry, I never told you my real name. I am from Yunzhou; my real name is Huangfu Jingchen. Huang Zheng is just my alias in Jianghu. I didn’t mean to hide it from you. When you wake up, I’ll tell you everything, is that okay?”

“Wenjin, nothing can happen to you. You must wake up. You promised not to bring shame to your master, not to ruin his reputation. If you don’t wake up, your master will be a laughingstock to the world, unable to save even his own apprentice despite being the pinnacle of Jianghu doctors.”

“Wenjin, whatever the reason, you must wake up. Is that okay?”

…

He had been rambling on unknowingly for who knows how long, and eventually, Huangfu Jingchen’s voice became so hoarse that he couldn’t speak anymore.

The door was knocked on gently; he mechanically turned his head to see Doctor Yan entering with a tray, carrying a bowl of porridge and a small dish of vegetables. He said, “Young Master Huang, Senior Lin said you’re here taking care of Doctor Xia, so I brought you something to eat.”

Huangfu Jingchen replied in a low voice, “Thank you.”

His voice was almost inaudible. Looking at Huangfu Jingchen’s bloodshot eyes and the deep sorrow that couldn’t be hidden in his expression, Doctor Yan also felt a sense of sadness.

Xia Wenjin’s medical skills were outstanding among all of them. Lord Shang Jingwang had put her in charge of the entire quarantine area, and none of the other doctors had any resentment towards her, partly because of her superior skills and partly because of her character.

Even though the severe epidemic area was dangerous, she stayed there the entire time.

Even those who didn’t understand medicine knew that where most epidemic patients were, the risk of infection was higher, as it was an infectious disease.

If she had even a bit of selfishness, she wouldn’t have put herself in such danger.

Initially, many people approached their duty with a perfunctory attitude, feeling as if the sky were falling when it was their turn to guard the severe epidemic area, only to breathe a sigh of relief when it was their turn at the light epidemic area. During their duties, they were constantly scared of contracting the disease, so they approached it with a lax attitude.

Eventually, they were moved by Doctor Xia’s actions and earnestly fulfilled their duties. Only then did the doctors of the entire quarantine area embody the essence of a doctor.

But unexpectedly, she truly did contract the disease.

Yet even after she contracted the disease, she showed no fear or panic, and instead did more than the other doctors.

Skilled in medicine, of good character, such a wonderful person—and yet…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep