Chapter 54 I'm glad everything's okay.
A brief silence stretched between the two of them, with only the sound of each other's unsettled breathing and the subtle sounds in the mountains and forests.
Zhou Ai's thumb still lingered on Chu Yi's slightly swollen lips. The touch was soft and warm, with the wetness from the intimate contact.
The sea in his heart, which had just experienced a storm, was once again experiencing turbulent waves.
Looking at Chu Yi's evasive eyes and his still blushing cheeks, the uneasiness and desire in my heart rose again.
Zhou Ai half-knelt in front of Chu Yi in the same position as before, staring directly into his eyes and asking stubbornly, "You haven't agreed to me yet? Huh?"
The ending tone of "hmm" was dragged out a little, rising slightly, revealing a sense of grievance that was almost like a spoiled child, which was completely different from his embarrassed and tough image at the moment.
Chu Yi looked at Zhou Ai, who was squatting obediently in front of him, as if...
A large dog that is obviously huge in size but domineering and unreasonable, knocks its owner to the ground, then licks the owner's face without hesitation, but still droops its ears pitifully to beg for petting, afraid of being abandoned.
Chu Yi's heart seemed to be gently scratched by the tone, feeling sore and soft.
He found that he had almost no resistance to Zhou Ai like this.
Those cold rejections and rational analyses seem pale and powerless in the face of the other party's undisguised vulnerability and straightforward pleading.
Chu Yi turned his head slightly, avoiding Zhou Ai's burning gaze and the fingers lingering on his lips. His voice was a little tense, and he tried to use a calm tone to stabilize the situation: "We'll discuss this in the long run."
"How do you want to discuss this?" Zhou Ai did not give him a chance to escape. He pressed his shoulders with both hands, forcing him to look at himself again.
His peach blossom eyes were startlingly bright, surging with unprecedented sincerity and an almost desperate urgency, as if he had to get a definite answer from Chu Yi right now. "Tell me? Chu Yi, I want a definite answer."
Chu Yi was so burned by the heat in his eyes that he could barely hide. He opened his mouth, but found his throat was extremely dry.
It’s not that he didn’t understand what Zhou Ai wanted, nor was it that he felt nothing about the kiss just now.
On the contrary, it was precisely because the impact it brought was so great that he was even more afraid.
He was afraid that all this was just the adrenaline of desperation, an illusion caused by the suspension bridge effect.
He was afraid that once he left the mountains and returned to the real world, Zhou Ai would regret his impulsiveness, and he himself...
He was even more afraid that he would fall into the cycle of expectation followed by disappointment again, and that this brief intersection would ultimately be just a "temporary relationship."
His deep-seated sense of emotional security is as lacking as a desert, and he cannot withstand any uncertainty.
Therefore, Chu Yi could not give Zhou Ai the kind of firm promise that he wanted at this moment.
Chu Yi took a deep breath and finally raised his eyes to meet Zhou Ai's eyes full of expectation and anxiety, almost pleadingly:
"Zhou Ai," he called his name, his voice was soft but very clear, "Give me some time."
Chu Yi paused, as if weighing his words, "If... I ever have the chance to give you an answer, I will definitely tell you as soon as possible."
As soon as Zhou Ai lowered his head, he could clearly see the honesty in Chu Yi's eyes at that moment, which was something he had never seen in all the time he had known Chu Yi.
Therefore, all the answers are not important at this moment. Zhou Ai curled the corners of his mouth in a good mood. This is the second he wants.
What he wanted was the second when Chu Yi wavered for him.
What he wanted was for Chu Yi to reveal some of his true hesitations and concerns in front of him.
Zhou Ai did not answer, his eyes still fixed on Chu Yi's slightly red eyes, and then he heard the next sentence Chu Yi said.
"So...I ask you...to be patient with me for a moment, okay?"
This is not a rejection, but it is not an acceptance either.
This was an unresolved postponement, a temporary withdrawal of the pressure of choice, and also a difficult attempt by Chu Yi to pry open a crack in his strong defenses, revealing a little bit of consideration and possibility.
He asked Zhou Ai to give him some time and space to digest all this suddenness and to distinguish whether this was an illusion in desperation or a feeling that was truly worth his courage to touch.
The anxiety and arrogance of wanting an answer immediately slowly faded from Zhou Ai.
His tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and the strength of his hand pressing on Chu Yi's shoulder also eased a little, and finally slowly released.
He was silent for a few seconds, then he let out a very soft breath, as if to compromise, but also as if to encourage himself, "Okay."
Zhou Ai's voice regained some stability, though still with a hint of hoarseness. "I'll wait."
He stretched out his hand, and finally quickly brushed the corner of Chu Yi's lips with his fingertips. Then he stood up, put on the heavy backpack again, and stretched out his hand to Chu Yi.
"Let's go. The sun is coming out soon and the road should be easier to walk on."
————
Zhou Ai continued to walk up the mountain with Chu Yi on his back. The rain had completely stopped, and the thick fog covering the mountains and forests gradually dissipated as the sunlight penetrated, greatly improving visibility.
The outline of the surrounding environment became clearer. The tragedy of the mudslide damage was still shocking, but at least it was much easier to determine the direction.
Chu Yi leaned on Zhou Ai's back, carefully observing his surroundings. Suddenly, he patted Zhou Ai's shoulder, his voice filled with disbelief and surprise: "Zhou Ai! Look over there! That stone! And that crooked pine tree!"
Zhou Ai looked in the direction he pointed, and saw a large stone with a strange shape slanting into the soil not far away. Next to it was an old pine tree that was severely tilted to one side due to being damaged by wind and rain, but still tenaciously survived.
"This road... seems to be the place where we rested when we went up the mountain yesterday."
This discovery meant that they were not lost too far in the landslide, and even accidentally returned to a relatively familiar path.
Zhou Ai's nerves, which had been tense all night, could finally relax a little, and a huge sense of joy and power surged through his body.
He weighed the person on his back and lifted Chu Yi up more firmly. "It seems... we won't die."
Just after Zhou Ai carried Chu Yi on his back and walked arduously along the vaguely discernible path for about half an hour, he faintly heard voices, noisy footsteps, and dog barking from the front.
"Someone." Chu Yi was the first to hear the noise. His heart skipped a beat and he immediately grabbed Zhou Ai's shoulders.
Zhou Ai also stopped suddenly and listened carefully.
That’s right, it was the sound of many people marching and shouting!
"Here! We are here!" Chu Yi shouted with all his might, his voice a little hoarse with excitement.
Zhou Ai immediately followed up with a loud call: "Over here! The person is over here!"
Their cries were quickly answered. The trees ahead shook, and several figures in orange rescue suits and professional gear burst through the brush and appeared in their sight. More personnel followed, including a team with a search and rescue dog.
"Found it! The person is here!!" The leading rescue team member saw them and immediately shouted excitedly into the walkie-talkie while running towards them quickly.
Seeing the clear figures of the rescuers and their familiar uniforms, Zhou Ai's string, which had been stretched to the limit, finally broke with a bang.
The willpower, physical strength, and mental energy that he had endured for a whole night and half a day, at the moment he was sure it was safe, they all instantly left his body like the receding tide.
Zhou Ai almost relied on his last instinct to slowly put Chu Yi down from his back and handed it to the rescuer who rushed to his side to support him. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't utter a word.
However, before Chu Yi could fully stand, or even see his expression clearly—
Zhou Ai closed his eyes, and his tall body fell straight backward without warning. He fell heavily on the muddy ground, splashing mud and water, and completely lost consciousness.
"Zhou Ai!!"
Chu Yi suddenly broke free from the support of the rescuers, and regardless of the severe pain in his ankle, he almost fell to his knees beside Zhou Ai.
Zhou Ai's eyes were closed, his face was as pale as paper, his lips were an abnormal bluish-gray color, his forehead was covered with cold sweat, his breathing was weak and rapid, and he had completely lost consciousness.
The doctor in the rescue team immediately rushed over with a first aid kit and quickly checked Zhou Ai's vital signs.
"He's severely exhausted! Dehydrated! He might also have hypoglycemia!" The doctor made a quick assessment while directing the team members to prepare a stretcher and administer an IV.
Chu Yi was helped aside by other team members, but his eyes were still fixed on the silent person on the stretcher. His heart seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible hand, and the pain was so severe that he could hardly breathe.
He watched Zhou Ai being plugged into an oxygen tube, watched as a needle pierced a vein in his arm to administer fluids, and watched his pale face show no reaction...
It was not until this moment that Chu Yi realized with great clarity how Zhou Ai had been pushing himself to the limit with every step he took on the road to death, carrying him and the heavy backpack.
This man used such an almost crazy willpower to hold up a sky of life for himself, and did not allow himself to fall until the last second when rescue arrived.
The rescue workers around were busy, the good news of finding someone and the call for follow-up support came from the walkie-talkie, and the search and rescue dogs were wandering nearby...all the sounds seemed to become distant and blurred.
In Chu Yi's world, it seemed that the only thing left was the person sleeping quietly on the stretcher, the drum-like heartbeat in his chest, and the huge, belated fear and heartache.
————
Zhou Ai's consciousness seemed to be slowly rising from the bottomless abyss, heavy and slow.
His eyelids seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, and he struggled to open them a little. His blurry vision gradually focused, and what came into view was the familiar wooden lattice beams with Miao characteristics, as well as the faint scent of herbs and wood in the air.
It took him more than ten seconds to slowly realize that he had returned to the stilt house in Yuntou Village.
It's safe.
This realization finally relaxed his nerves, which had been tense for who knows how long. What followed was a feeling of soreness and weakness all over his body, as if it were falling apart, especially his back and shoulders, which were burning with pain.
Then, a person struck his mind like lightning—
Store intention!
He suddenly wanted to sit up and ask where Chu Yi was, how he was, and whether his foot injury had been treated.
However, as soon as he moved, his throat felt dry and painful as if it was burning, and he could not make any sound, only a hoarse breath.
The violent movement also affected the injury on his back, causing him to gasp and fall back onto the pillow, feeling dizzy.
The door was gently pushed open, and Zhou Jiashu looked in curiously, meeting Zhou Ai's eyes.
"Brother Zhou! You're awake!" Zhou Jiashu's eyes suddenly lit up, and he practically jumped in, his face showing undisguised surprise and fear. "Oh my God! You're finally awake! You've been sleeping for a whole day and night! You scared us to death!"
At this time, Zhou Ai was half leaning against the head of the bed with a messy head of silver hair. Although his face looked better than when he was unconscious, it was still pale. His lips were chapped and his eyes seemed a little dazed and unfocused because he had just woken up. He exuded a sense of weakness as if he had survived a disaster and... inexplicably pitiful.
Zhou Ai didn't have the strength to respond to his shouting. She just raised her finger with difficulty and pointed at her throat, her brows tightly furrowed in discomfort.
"Water! Oh, yes, yes! Water!" Zhou Jiashu reacted immediately. He hurriedly rushed to the table and poured a glass of warm water. He hurriedly brought it back and carefully handed it to Zhou Ai's mouth. "Drink slowly, drink slowly. The doctor said you are very dehydrated."
Zhou Ai took two long gulps of warm water from his hand. The cool liquid slid down his burning throat, bringing indescribable relief. He drank a full cup before the burning thirst subsided and he could finally make a sound.
His first words were so hoarse that they almost changed their tone. "Where's Chu Yi?"
Although the voice was hoarse, it echoed clearly in the room.
Zhou Jiashu was stunned for a moment, as if he didn't expect that the first thing he would do after waking up would be to ask this.
"Teacher Chu is fine! He sprained his ankle and had a minor fracture, but it's been fixed and fixed. The doctor told him to rest. He also has some minor skin injuries and a slight cold, but otherwise he's fine! Don't worry!"
Upon hearing the news that Chu Yi was safe, Zhou Ai finally relaxed the breath that had been held in his chest. It was as if all his strength had been drained away from him. He sank deeper into the pillow, closed his eyes, and let out a long, silent breath.
I'm glad you're okay.
I hope he's okay.
That thrilling escape, that lingering moment in the cave on a rainy night, that desperate kiss...
And the heart-wrenching cry Chu Yi let out before he lost consciousness...
Countless fragments of images flooded into his mind, causing his heart to palpitate intensely and complexly.
Chu Yi was reclining on his bed in his cabin when he learned Zhou Ai had woken up. His right ankle had been re-examined by the doctor accompanying the support team and a more secure plaster cast had been applied, which was now securely placed on a raised cushion.
He held his phone, a chat screen with Cheng Yingzhi on the screen. The signal in the mountains was still intermittent, making sending a simple message to report safety incredibly difficult. The cursor would spin around and around, often requiring ten minutes or more for the message to show as having been sent successfully.
Cheng Yingzhi's messages popped up one after another, and the words were full of anxiety about not being able to arrive at the scene in time and concern about his injuries. He even suggested arranging a private medical team to come in immediately.
Chu Yi was carefully considering his words to reply, telling him that there was no need to mobilize a large force as he was only slightly injured.
At this moment, a loud shout suddenly exploded from upstairs, penetrating the already poorly soundproofed wooden floor and striking Chu Yi's ears with incredible clarity.
"Brother Zhou is awake!!"
It was Zhou Jiashu's highly recognizable voice, with undisguised ecstasy and excitement.
This voice instantly broke the originally dull atmosphere in the stilt house.
Chu Yi's fingers gripping the phone tightened slightly, almost imperceptibly.
Then, he heard the executive director's voice in the corridor outside, which was obviously relieved and even a little choked with sobs: "Awake?! Great! Thank God! Quick, go check it out! Oh, my heart can finally settle down halfway..."
Obviously, Zhou Ai's awakening is great news for the program team. At least it can provide a preliminary explanation to the Zhou family.
Immediately, the sound of chaotic and hurried footsteps was heard on the floor, rushing towards Zhou Ai's room.
It sounded like there were at least six or seven people, mixed with concerned inquiries, Zhou Jiashu's noisy explanations, and the voice of the executive director directing people to call a doctor.
But miraculously, Chu Yi suddenly realized that his hearing was automatically filtered and focused. Amidst the cacophony of background noise, he clearly caught the extremely hoarse and weak, yet strangely familiar, voice that was mixed in.
It’s Zhou Ai.
He seemed to be answering someone's question, his voice so low and hoarse that it was almost broken, but he was indeed awake and speaking.
Chu Yi had been worried for the entire day, but it wasn't until this moment that he finally felt at ease.
He lowered his head and looked at the new message sent by Cheng Yingzhi on the mobile phone screen asking about his injury. His fingertips paused above the screen for a moment.
Then he slowly turned off the screen and placed the phone on the bedside table.
A complex and indescribable emotion spread in his heart, because at this moment everyone could gather around Zhou Ai, while he could only be trapped in this bed.
Chu Yi still maintained his original posture. He leaned back slightly into the soft pillow, closed his eyes, and listened to the faint but real voice of Zhou Ai coming faintly from upstairs. He curled his lips unconsciously and gently repeated the news in his heart.
I'm glad you're okay.
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