49: Notes from a Paranoid Educated Youth 18

He tensed his jaw, silently wrung out the towel, avoided her gaze, and raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from her forehead.

No answer.

Again, no answer!

A flicker of annoyance crossed Wen Ci's eyes, but her face grew more delicate, "Otherwise… why are you so good to me?" Her voice trembled slightly, carrying the grievance of illness, "You clearly like me, don't you?"

The towel slapped into the washbasin, and the splashing water wet Zhou Linchuan's pants.

He suddenly stood up again, his back to her, his shoulder blades tensing into a sharp curve beneath the soaked fabric.

"Don't overthink it," his voice was hoarse, as if squeezed from deep within his throat, "Comrade Wen Ci."

He actually called her Comrade Wen Ci?!

And told her not to overthink it.

Wen Ci stared at his back, her teeth itching with anger.

Was this man made of stone?!

She was this sick, and he could still stubbornly refuse to give in?!

Wen Ci took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Zhou Linchuan…" She suddenly hummed softly, her voice sweet and gentle, "I'm so hot… could you… help me wipe my body?"

As Wen Ci breathed, her chest rose and fell, and the thin fabric barely concealed anything.

This was a blatant seduction.

The air instantly solidified.

Zhou Linchuan's back was stiff as iron, his knuckles cracking as he clenched them.

Wen Ci could almost hear the sound of his blood boiling.

Yes, just like that.

She wanted to see how long he could endure!

But the next second, he actually turned around and wrung out the towel again.

Then, through the quilt, he pressed it heavily onto her shoulder.

"Wipe yourself," his voice was low and hoarse, almost dangerous, "If you cause any more trouble, I won't bother with you anymore."

The room was filled with the damp smell of rain, the bitter scent of medicine, and…

Her sweet body heat.

Zhou Linchuan's temples throbbed.

Now, all the blood in his body was rushing to his lower abdomen, and his fingertips trembled slightly from excessive restraint.

Wen Ci stared at his tense profile and suddenly realized.

This small fever wasn't enough of a stimulus for him.

It couldn't make him bare his fangs, nor could it make him admit his true feelings.

This lone wolf was truly stubborn.

She needed to think of a greater stimulus.

Wen Ci lowered her eyes, thoughts flashing through them, and finally sighed softly, intending to make tonight's act more convincing.

"But I have no strength…" She looked up, the corners of her eyes red, "Zhou Linchuan, please help me, you're the best…"

The man's breathing suddenly grew heavy, and a dark swirl appeared in his eyes, as if he was about to grab her waist and press her into the kang the next second.

Finally, he closed his eyes, and with a resigned air, turned and strode towards the heated kang nearby.

"I'll go get a basin of hot water."

That night, Zhou Linchuan took very good care of Wen Ci.

He poured her water, wiped her body, fed her medicine, and didn't sleep a wink himself, staying by Wen Ci's side all night.

It wasn't until he saw her brows relax and her body settle comfortably into sleep that he finally sighed with relief.

Zhou Linchuan stared at Wen Ci's peaceful sleeping face, and his heart finally found peace.

These past few days, he hadn't had a good night's sleep.

When Wen Ci was here before, he thought he wasn't sleeping well, but it wasn't until she left that he realized he had actually slept best then.

Having her by his side.

It was what made him feel most at ease.

It was just that her allure was too great for him; even when she did nothing, it was enough to drive him wild.

Late at night, the man poured the third bucket of cold water over himself by the well.

He was burning hot all over.

His mind was filled with Wen Ci's image.

The pink tongue licking her lips, the slightly parted wet red lips, the hazy, dreamy eyes…

All of it made him unable to stop.

Recalling the question she had asked earlier, he couldn't help but sigh softly.

Love… her?

*

Early in the morning, when the sky was still dimly lit, Zhou Linchuan left, treading through the dew.

He walked twenty li of mountain road to the neighboring commune to find the old Chinese doctor rumored to be skilled in treating typhoid.

Wen Ci had a high fever last night, and ordinary pills probably wouldn't be enough.

He needed to get the best medicine, buy the sweetest candied fruit, and…

He clutched the warm cloth coupons in his pocket, which he had prepared to buy her new clothes.

After Zhou Linchuan left, Wen Ci slowly sat up; her body was still burning hot, but her mind was perfectly clear.

She was leaving today.

Right now.

This was the stimulus she had thought of.

*

Around noon, Zhou Linchuan entered the village carrying a packet of medicine, only to find small groups of people discussing something on the threshing ground.

"I heard that capitalist young lady was so sick she was almost dying, and her family sent a car to pick her up overnight!"

"Indeed, the doctor even said it was consumption!"

His world suddenly went silent.

The medicine packet fell to the ground with a thud, and dried scutellaria scattered along the path.

She… left?

When Zhou Linchuan rushed into Wen Ci's room like a madman, the kang was empty and desolate.

His heart sank sharply.

On the pillow, a thick stack of money notes was neatly arranged, with a thin piece of paper tucked underneath.

Rain started falling outside the window, and cold wind swept in with the moisture, dampening the edge of the letter.

He stood rooted to the spot, his breath caught, his blood seemingly frozen in an instant.

"Zhou Linchuan:

Thank you for your care.

What I said about liking you before was a lie.

These food coupons are compensation, and I won't bother you again.

— Wen Ci"

The handwriting on the letter was neat and beautiful, without even a trace of tremor, as calm as a farewell planned long ago.

The man's fingers trembled, and the thin paper fluttered down.

He stood for a long time, then slowly bent down to pick up the letter, his thumb caressing her name with such force it almost crushed the paper.

She lied to him?

Those dependent eyes, soft touches, whispered words in the night… all fake?

He let out a low laugh, a hoarse sound squeezed from his chest, but his eyes were icy cold.

The next second.

"Crash!"

The kang table was kicked over by him, the tea mug smashed against the wall, and hot water left gruesome marks on the mottled wall.

He grabbed the stack of food coupons, his knuckles white from the force.

Compensation?

What did she take him for?

A shelter to be used and discarded?

The food coupons were crumpled in his palm, but eventually, he slowly loosened his grip, smoothed them out one by one, and tucked them into his chest pocket.

Her things, even a piece of paper, he wouldn't let go of.

He obsessively pressed the letter to his nose, but only smelled the pungent odor of ink.

No scent of her.

None.

She really… left.

Discussions drifted in from outside the window: "If you ask me, Captain Zhou should be happy! Finally got rid of a burden…"

"Bang!"

The entire window was kicked out.

Zhou Linchuan stood amidst the flying wood splinters, his bloodshot eyes sweeping over the instantly silenced crowd, then suddenly he laughed.

He laughed with an eerie, terrifying sound.

This appearance startled everyone, and they scattered and fled.

And Zhou Linchuan stood by the window, letting the rain wet his forelock and drip down his sharp jawline.

He stared at the tire tracks on the muddy path, his gaze chillingly sinister.

"Wen Ci."

He softly uttered the name, like a beast's low growl before tearing into its prey.

She thought she could escape?

She thought… he would let go?

His prey, even if she fled to the ends of the earth, he would personally drag her back.

Wen Ci, you provoked me first.