Chapter 45 [45]
Detention
Lu Mingxiao's tone left no room for argument, instantly freezing the atmosphere in the room.
Old Lu lost his confidence and naturally dared not confront him directly. When Lu Mingxiao borrowed a wheelchair, he was helped up and obediently sat down.
The medical station on Xinglan Island is not far from Lao Lu's residence, about a seven or eight-minute walk.
Lu Mingxiao pushed the wheelchair, and Luo Qingyue helped him carry the necessary documents. They turned right along the big banyan tree and walked down to the mountainside.
In Luo Qingyue's mind, medical stations were for emergency use.
The area wouldn't be too big, at most one or two hundred square meters, but this one has three floors, looks very new, and the environment must be quite good.
Luo Qingyue followed Lu Mingxiao and Lao Lu inside, where the warm air from the air conditioner dispelled the coldness of the metal.
The nurse at the reception desk saw them and immediately came over to greet them: "Uncle Lu, Brother Xiao!"
The nurse's affectionate address alerted Luo Qingyue.
Lu Mingxiao introduced her to him: "Uncle Song has two daughters, this is his younger daughter Yuanyuan."
Then, he took Luo Qingyue's hand and introduced her to Yuanyuan: "This is my girlfriend, Xiaoyue."
Yuanyuan looked Luo Qingyue up and down and said "Oh". Lu Mingxiao didn't linger there either and took Lao Lu to the emergency room.
As Luo Qingyue walked forward, she noticed that everyone who passed by them greeted Lu Mingxiao and Lao Lu.
Everyone knew them; they looked just like a celebrity father and son. Then Lu Mingxiao would tell everyone that she was his girlfriend.
This medical station offers more than just basic medical care.
It has outpatient, emergency, laboratory, and inpatient departments, making it a small hospital in itself.
While Lu Mingxiao accompanied Lao Lu during the filming, Luo Qingyue found a sofa near the floor-to-ceiling window in the rest area and sat down.
The hot spring guesthouse sent a text message reminding Luo Qingyue to check in, and only then did she remember that she hadn't canceled her reservation, so she immediately made a call.
After the call ended, a middle-aged woman wearing a white down jacket walked towards her.
If Luo Qingyue remembered correctly, when Lu Mingxiao introduced her, he should have called her "Aunt Fang".
Aunt Fang had just picked up her medicine from the pharmacy and sat down next to Luo Qingyue.
Then several unfamiliar faces appeared and surrounded her.
“We’ve known Ah Xiao for five or six years, and this is the first time he’s brought a girl back.”
"Xiaoyue is so pretty! She and Axiao are a perfect match. How did you two meet? Tell us about it."
"Xiaoyue, how about coming to our house for hot pot tonight? Tell me what you like to eat, and I'll go back and prepare it now."
Faced with a chattering but kind-looking elder, Luo Qingyue maintained her smile, unsure of whose question to answer first.
Fortunately, Lu Mingxiao brought Lao Lu over quickly after the examination. Luo Qingyue got up and hugged his arm as if she had seen a savior.
Lu Mingxiao came to her rescue: "Our Xiaoyue is shy. Your enthusiasm might scare her."
Everyone suddenly realized what was going on, restrained themselves somewhat, and asked about Lao Lu's situation.
Lu Mingxiao said that the X-ray showed no bone damage, it was an acute lumbar sprain, also known as a back strain. Next, he will take Lao Lu to the acupuncture and massage department for physiotherapy.
After listening to him, Aunt Fang said with emotion, "Thanks to you for building a medical station on the island, it's so convenient for us to see a doctor and get medicine now. Hurry up and take your dad there, don't delay."
So it turns out the medical station was built by Lu Mingxiao.
Luo Qingyue was slightly surprised and accompanied Lu Mingxiao to take Lao Lu to the acupuncture and massage department.
The massage therapist's surname was Di, and he was a strong and robust young man.
Lu Mingxiao and he helped Lao Lu onto the physiotherapy bed, saying, "Xiao Di, thank you for your help."
"Mr. Lu, what are you saying?"
Xiao Di replied, "Without you, Xinglan Island would still be a dilapidated fishing village. You have done countless good deeds for us, such as repairing roads, renovating the docks, building fitness parks, and painting houses. You are the greatest benefactor of the entire island. Please don't say it's troublesome or not."
Lu Mingxiao responded, and Xiao Di pulled the consultation curtain closed. Lu Mingxiao then led Luo Qingyue to sit down on a bench in the corridor.
Throughout the event, people continued to greet Lu Mingxiao. Luo Qingyue held his hand, her eyes sparkling with pride.
No wonder everyone likes Ah Xiao so much; it turns out he has made many real contributions.
It sounds impressive, but it's never been publicized; it's very low-key. Even she only found out about it today.
After Lao Lu finished his physiotherapy and left the medical station, it was nearly 5 p.m.
Lu Mingxiao pushed the wheelchair up the slope. Luo Qingyue asked Lu Mingxiao, "Uncle, do you feel much more comfortable now?"
Old Lu nodded and replied cheerfully, "It's like being reborn."
Luo Qingyue's steps became lighter: "That's good. You must follow the doctor's advice and rest for a few days. You can't do any physical work."
Old Lu agreed and replied with a "Okay": "Thank you for your hard work, Xiaoyue, spending the whole afternoon with us at the medical station."
Luo Qingyue shook her head: "I wasn't of much help, please don't say that."
"Of course there is."
Lao Lu emphasized, "With you here, it's like giving me peace of mind. I can be sure that even if A Xiao is angry, he won't dare to do anything to me."
Lu Mingxiao said irritably, "If you ever hide anything from me again, like when you're sweeping Mom's grave, I'll go to her and complain about you."
Old Lu hurriedly complained to Luo Qingyue, "Xiaoyue, look at him! This is how he treats his elderly father!"
"Uncle, Xiao is also worried about you."
Luo Qingyue comforted her, "As long as you behave well from now on, you'll live the life of a god. Otherwise... well, I can't save you."
Old Lu: "Okay, Xiaoyue is the boss, whatever she says goes."
In winter, it gets dark early, and the clouds first paint the sky in layers of color.
By the time they got home, the sky had darkened and turned inky black.
Little Black was jumping around in the yard, and Luo Qingyue hadn't seen it when she arrived.
Old Lu said that it was time for it to eat, and Luo Qingyue brought out dog food from the house and poured a full bowl of it.
Little Black was eating happily, and Luo Qingyue squatted down next to it watching, feeling hungry too.
Seeing this, Lao Lu said, "You guys have dinner before you go back. There's a lot of food in the fridge, so hurry up and use some up, otherwise it'll be full again soon."
Lu Mingxiao first helped Lao Lu to lie down on the sofa, and then went to the kitchen with Luo Qingyue.
He opened the refrigerator and said, "Every household on the island is self-sufficient. Every few days, they would send food to my dad. There was a wide variety of vegetables, seafood, pork, beef, and other seafood. My dad was often worried about what to do with all the food he couldn't finish."
Luo Qingyue praised, "The reason everyone is so enthusiastic is thanks to the solid foundation you laid."
Lu Mingxiao hugged Luo Qingyue from behind: "See what you want to eat, I'll make it."
"hot pot!"
Luo Qingyue blurted out, turning to look at him, "This afternoon at the medical station, someone invited me to their house for hot pot. I don't know him, but I was successfully tempted."
In winter, besides soaking in hot springs, eating hot pot is also a popular activity.
As Lu Mingxiao spoke, he turned around and opened the cabinet door: "I brought back an electric hot pot, let's see where it is."
Lu Mingxiao rummaged through three cabinets and took out the electric hot pot.
After washing, preparing the ingredients, and making the seasonings, a steaming hot pot was placed on the square dining table an hour later.
He moved a chair with a backrest, put on a cushion and a lumbar support, and helped Lao Lu sit down.
Luo Qingyue sat across the street from Lu Mingxiao, waiting for the pot to boil before opening the lid and adding the ingredients.
Lao Lu raised his glass: "I welcome Xiaoyue with tea instead of wine."
Luo Qingyue thanked him and said, "Then I wish you a speedy recovery, Uncle."
Lu Mingxiao clinked glasses with them, and Old Lu asked, "Aren't you going to say something? A great benefactor to the whole island?"
Lu Mingxiao put down his glass: "I'm afraid you'll find me long-winded if I tell you, so never mind, I'll let you get a good night's sleep tonight."
Old Lu looked at him differently: "He's quite self-aware."
Hot pot is a symbol of liveliness, bringing a lively atmosphere and endless topics of conversation.
During the meal, Luo Qingyue asked Lao Lu with curiosity, "I heard that Xinglan Island used to be a small fishing village with conditions far worse than they are now. Why did you choose to come here?"
Lao Lu ate a piece of fatty beef: "There's actually a bit of metaphysics involved."
Hearing this, Luo Qingyue became even more curious. She put down her chopsticks and listened as Lao Lu continued, "Xiao's mother and I made a promise that when we got old, we would find an island to spend the rest of our lives together. After his mother passed away, I had a dream one night in which an island appeared, with specific coordinates. His mother said she would wait for me on the island. The next day, Xiao accompanied me to find it, and we actually found it. This is it."
“That was five years ago, and then he just stayed here and refused to leave.”
Lu Mingxiao added, "It was indeed very desolate at the time. I happened to have some money on hand, and in order to make him live more comfortable, and also hoping that the neighbors could help him out when I was not around, I started to renovate and build the island. It was also a way of fulfilling my parents' dream in another way."
Lao Lu opened up: "My mother and Xiao's mother are both craftspeople. I study paper cutting, and his mother makes hairpins. We met at an intangible cultural heritage exchange conference. I fell in love with her at first sight. We dated for two years and got married for three years before we had Xiao."
Lu Mingxiao: "They originally planned to remain childless."
Luo Qingyue understood: "Oh, you're an accident."
"More or less."
Lu Mingxiao glanced at Lao Lu, "My parents have a good relationship, which means I've been fed a lot of PDA since I was a child."
Boom——
Just as they were getting into the conversation, thunder roared across the sky, followed by lightning tearing through the deep night and a torrential downpour.
Waves surged and crashed against the rocks on the sea surface, and the tossed boats rushed to the shore. Although the house was filled with joy and laughter, the area around the island was dark and terrifying.
Even after we finished our hot pot meal, the heavy rain still hadn't stopped.
Lao Lu sat on the sofa scrolling through short videos, where someone posted real-time weather updates.
Luo Qingyue sat down next to Lao Lu and looked at the phone he handed her.
The wind and waves outside are fierce, threatening to swallow the entire island whole. Going out to sea would be extremely dangerous.
"This is terrifying."
Luo Qingyue exclaimed as she watched the video, "If we were to go back on a yacht now, it would definitely capsize, and the King of Hell would be the one to benefit."
"For safety's sake, you and Ah Xiao should stay here and leave tomorrow."
Old Lu said, "But the environment here is definitely not as good as your home in the city. I'll have to trouble Xiaoyue to make do for one night."
The house wasn't new, but it was very clean inside and out.
For Luo Qingyue, cleanliness was acceptable, but she had another concern.
"Just answer me, will I encounter rats, cockroaches, or snakes? I'm most afraid of those."
"Well..."
Old Lu hesitated, just as Lu Mingxiao finished clearing the table and came over. He pointed and said, "Let Xiao sleep in the same room as you. You sleep on the bed and he sleeps on the floor. If anything happens, he will help you solve it."
Lu Mingxiao didn't understand what he meant, so he looked into the situation again and comforted Luo Qingyue: "Don't listen to my dad's nonsense, you won't run into that."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Hei caught a cockroach and ran to Luo Qingyue's feet.
It jumped around excitedly, as if trying to curry favor with her. Luo Qingyue was stunned for two seconds before letting out a loud scream.
She lifted her leg and hugged it tightly with both hands, and Lu Mingxiao quickly grabbed a broom and got rid of the cockroach.
Luo Qingyue was terrified and looked at Lu Mingxiao pleadingly: "You have to listen to your father, sleep with me tonight, and don't go anywhere."
Lu Mingxiao agreed and patted her head: "Okay, I'll sleep with you."
He suddenly realized that he had been very prescient, as he didn't know when he would leave the island, and had brought along the luggage he had prepared for the hot spring inn, namely that black backpack.
Old Lu shouldn't sit for too long, so Lu Mingxiao first took him back to his room and settled him in.
When she came down, Luo Qingyue was still sitting on the sofa with her knees drawn up to her chest, but she had her eyes closed and her head buried between her legs, dozing off.
She didn't complain at all about the promised hot spring trip; instead, she accompanied him around the island.
How could he possibly give up on his feelings for such a wonderful girl? Lu Mingxiao leaned down and kissed Luo Qingyue's forehead. Luo Qingyue opened her eyes, slightly sleepy, and asked, "Is Uncle already asleep?"
Lu Mingxiao gave a soft "Mmm," picked her up from the sofa, and said, "Let's go upstairs, take a shower, and then go to sleep."
As I climbed the stairs, another clap of thunder rang in my ears.
Compared to cockroaches, thunder had absolutely no effect on Luo Qingyue.
She wrapped her arms around Lu Mingxiao's neck, quiet and obedient, showing no negative emotions.
The room Lao Lu sleeps in is the master bedroom, and there's a second bedroom next to it. Lu Mingxiao always sleeps here whenever he returns to Xinglan Island.
The room was about 15 square meters, with a 1.5-meter bed against three walls. Lu Mingxiao had already made the bed before coming downstairs; it was very soft and warm, and Luo Qingyue should sleep very comfortably.
Lu Mingxiao put Luo Qingyue on the bed. Perhaps because she had just rested, she was no longer sleepy.
Luo Qingyue stretched out her legs and supported herself with her hands behind her back, watching Lu Mingxiao sit on the edge of the bed and open his black backpack.
It turns out that after all the twists and turns, she and Lu Mingxiao still had to stay overnight outside.
Even if she didn't get to soak in the hot spring, she would still end up in the same situation, so her plan could continue.
Their changes of clothes were packed in different colored duffel bags; hers was pink, and Lu Mingxiao's was light blue.
Luo Qingyue took her own dress, took out a wine-red silk nightgown, and pretended to examine it by the straps before getting out of bed.
Lu Mingxiao led Luo Qingyue to the bathroom and explained to her how to adjust the water temperature with the showerhead.
Worried about any unexpected situations, Lu Mingxiao closed the bathroom door and stood at the door without leaving.
Water cascaded down from above, and after rinsing for a while, a faint smile appeared on Luo Qingyue's lips.
After she finished showering, she opened the door. Lu Mingxiao was surprised for two seconds. Her burgundy silk nightgown was draped around her wrist. She was still wearing her daytime clothes, a sweater and jeans.
Lu Mingxiao admitted that in that short period of time, he had imagined Luo Qingyue looking like this nightgown countless times.
She was so beautiful and captivating that a flame of desire surged within him. But now, it would be a lie to say he felt no loss. So much so that while showering, he oscillated between wanting to live a life of pleasure and despair, until the water finally washed away his delusions, forcing him to calm down.
Lu Mingxiao put on his pajamas, walked out of the bathroom, pressed the doorknob, and opened the door to the second bedroom.
At the far end of the line of sight, Luo Qingyue was huddled in the corner, wrapped in a blanket, with only her head sticking out.
Lu Mingxiao looked around but did not see any snakes, insects, rats, ants, or cockroaches.
The next second, he looked at Luo Qingyue and heard her say softly, "Ah Xiao, I'm so cold, can you help me warm up?"
The room was heated by the air conditioner. Lu Mingxiao turned up the temperature and brightness and walked straight toward Luo Qingyue.
He had just sat down on the bed when Luo Qingyue immediately reached out and hugged him. The blanket slipped off her, revealing her fair arms and legs in a burgundy silk nightgown.
My gaze had nowhere to rest, yet I couldn't look away.
Lu Mingxiao quickly looked her up and down in the shortest amount of time.
He felt as if he were holding a piece of uncut jade, so flawless that he dared not make any rash moves, and he stopped, supporting her waist with both hands.
Luo Qingyue's hair gently brushed against his cheek, sending a slight electric current through Lu Mingxiao's blood.
She hugged him, getting closer and closer, feeling his softness against her skin. Lu Mingxiao's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his gaze became intense.
[Author's Note]
Moon: I don't really want to be human. [Let me see][Let me see][Let me see]
Xiao: I don't really want to be human. [winking emoji][winking emoji][winking emoji]
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