Chapter 22 Ups and Downs
Chen Yuanchuan was able to detect the difference between Xi Qing and the original owner simply by comparing him to the current Xi Qing in the photo. Even Xi Qian, who had been living with the original owner, hadn't noticed the flaw.
Xi Qing was a little surprised that Chen Yuanchuan had such a profound understanding of me... However, the truth was so bizarre that it was impossible for Chen Yuanchuan, as an indigenous person, to know it.
Xi Qing stood beside Chen Yuanchuan, watching him flipping through the photo album page by page. Suddenly, his chest felt as if pressed by a huge rock, a rusty smell surged in his throat, and the surrounding scenery seemed to be spinning.
His legs were weak and he stumbled a few steps, using his hands to hold on to the table to prevent himself from falling.
When Chen Yuanchuan heard the voice, he quickly turned his head, put down the photo album in his hand in horror, stepped forward, supported Xi Qing, and took him to a chair nearby.
"Xi Qing, what's wrong with you?" Chen Yuanchuan half-knelt in front of Xi Qing and asked anxiously.
Xi Qing's face tightened, a fine layer of cold sweat seeping out of his forehead. He shook his head breathlessly and calmly declined Chen Yuanchuan's pulse check. "It's nothing, just low blood sugar, an old problem."
Hearing Xi Qing's words, Chen Yuanchuan quickly took off his backpack, took out a piece of chocolate from it, quickly tore open the wrapper, and handed the high-calorie sweet to Xi Qing, "Then you eat this first."
Xi Qing's fingers paled as he took the chocolate. He thanked him softly and bit off the chocolate, one bite at a time. Seeing Xi Qing's difficulty swallowing, Chen Yuanchuan took another bottle of mineral water, unscrewed the cap, and offered it to him to moisten his throat.
Xi Qing drank some water and calmed down. The abnormality in his body gradually subsided. Only the dull pain in his chest that had tormented him for a long time was still there, reminding him that this body was strong on the outside but weak on the inside, indicating that the countdown to his life had quietly started.
It seems like I can’t hold on any longer… Xi Qing thought to himself and sighed helplessly.
Xi Qing cast his gaze on Chen Yuanchuan's panicked face, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. "I'm fine."
"Really?" Chen Yuanchuan's eyes showed deep worry.
Xi Qing raised his hand and rubbed Chen Yuanchuan's frown with his thumb, "Okay, I just forgot to eat breakfast."
Seeing the color return to Xi Qing's face, Chen Yuanchuan breathed a sigh of relief and stopped pursuing the matter. "Then let's go have lunch now!"
After dining at a local specialty restaurant, Xi Qing took Chen Yuanchuan to visit the nationally famous Yuyao Mountain.
The peak of Yuyao Mountain towers into the clouds, looming in the distance. Trees clump along the mountainside, birds soar in the sky. At the foot of the mountain, a winding street extends to the plain, brimming with the bustling life of everyday life.
Street vendors are busy selling all kinds of specialties, and the aroma of steaming snacks is mouth-watering.
With the arrival of summer vacation, this place will be crowded with people, and at this time, the number of people coming to visit is just right, lively but not crowded.
Chen Yuanchuan and Xi Qing chatted as they crossed the street and walked onto a moss-covered stone path that led directly to the top of the mountain. On a huge rock beside the path, the words "Yuyao Mountain" were engraved in vigorous handwriting, as if welcoming every visitor.
As they walked, Xi Qing suddenly realized that Chen Yuanchuan seemed to have fallen behind on purpose. He turned his head and saw Chen Yuanchuan with his hands behind his back, smiling cunningly.
Xi Qing narrowed his eyes slightly, and his laser-like gaze swept over Chen Yuanchuan's body, discovering a piece of Bidens pilosa stuck to one of his trouser legs. The head of the Bidens pilosa was covered with densely packed small thorns, and once it touched clothes, it would stick to them.
Xi Qing glanced at him speechlessly, knowing what kind of prank Chen Yuanchuan was playing. He slapped the back of his clothes, and more than a dozen grass thorns fell to the ground like rain.
"Are you childish?"
"It's fun." Chen Yuanchuan laughed and walked forward to remove the three or two remaining particles on Xi Qing's clothes. The two walked side by side, breathing the fresh mountain air, feeling a rare sense of relaxation in their hearts.
Chen Yuanchuan's gaze was drawn to a temple with soaring eaves and pointed corners in front of him. It seemed to exude a mysterious charm, as if an invisible force was calling him. He turned to Xi Qing and said, "Let's go over there and take a look."
"Okay." Xi Qing followed Chen Yuanchuan's gaze. Since Chen Yuanchuan was interested, he was happy to be casual. After all, this trip was just to relax.
Arriving at the magnificent temple gate, the solemn and majestic aura made people hold their breath. Chen Yuanchuan was the first to enter the temple. Although he knew little about Buddhism, he could tell that the statue before him was a wrathful Vajra.
This bronze Buddha statue seemed to exude a strange attraction, pushing Chen Yuanchuan forward step by step. When he was only ten feet away, the angry Vajra's eyes shot out two rays of light, accompanied by penetrating and ethereal Sanskrit sounds, which echoed in his mind.
"All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows. Suffering, accumulation, extinction, and the path to enlightenment—the five aggregates are all empty. Your current behavior may be deviant. Those outside the heavens are not your good karma. Please think twice before you act."
As the words fell, the light vanished, and the Buddha's eyes returned to their original dimness, as if nothing had happened. Chen Yuanchuan pulled himself out of his trance, feeling bewildered. What the hell was this? Had I been transported to a fantasy theater?
He screamed in his head: "Who are you? What do you mean?" The mysterious voice dissipated like morning mist, but Chen Yuanchuan couldn't understand the twists and turns. He asked again and again but got no response.
Seeing Chen Yuanchuan staring blankly in front of the Buddha statue, unable to recover for a long time, Xi Qing couldn't help but wave his hand in front of him, with a hint of joking in his tone: "Yuanchuan, what are you daydreaming about?"
"Hey hey." Chen Yuanchuan shook his head like a man awakened from a dream and asked hesitantly, "Xi Qing, did you see the eyes of this Buddha statue glowing just now?"
"It's the reflection. It's normal with so much light around."
Although he seemed unconcerned, Xi Qing's eyes suddenly became sharp. Although he hadn't witnessed the so-called miracle, he had a vague feeling that this temple was indeed extraordinary... Now, accompanying Chen Yuanchuan, was not the best time to explore further.
Chen Yuanchuan nodded in bewilderment, his heart still perplexed by the incredible scene. He decided not to tell Xi Qing until he could figure it out, lest he be mistaken for a psychopath.
"Let's go out, there's nothing to see here." Chen Yuanchuan said nonchalantly.
Xi Qing naturally agreed without hesitation. The moment he walked out of the temple, he suddenly turned around and stared at the lifeless eyes of the angry Vajra for a second, with an inexplicable expression on his face.
Faintly, they could hear the gurgling sound of flowing water. Chen Yuanchuan, holding Xi Qing's hand, followed the sound and was pleasantly surprised to discover a stream winding behind the temple. The water was shimmering and crystal clear, and fish at the bottom of the stream were chasing and playing among the water plants.
After climbing a short distance, Chen Yuanchuan and Xi Qing were tired. They set their shoes aside, rolled up their trouser legs, and sat by the pebbled stream, letting the clear water gently brush against their feet, a refreshing feeling.
Chen Yuanchuan couldn't help paddling the water with his feet, causing waves of water to splash. In an instant, the water droplets sparkled with crystal brilliance in the sunlight and hit Xi Qing's legs one after another.
"You dare!" Xi Qing protested loudly and then fought back, splashing water everywhere. The playfulness between the two caused panic among the fish in the stream, and they swam away in an instant, leaving behind rippling water.
As time passed, the sky gradually darkened, and dark clouds gathered quietly, as if foreshadowing the coming storm. Xi Qing and Chen Yuanchuan, two grown men who hadn't even thought to bring an umbrella, had no choice but to return home disappointed. On their way down the mountain, a drizzle fell, hitting their hair and bringing a chill.
At the foot of the mountain, they hurriedly hailed a taxi and drove to the hotel they had booked in advance. Xi Qing had booked a double room. When he told Chen Yuanchuan about it, Chen Yuanchuan looked perplexed, but he didn't say much. His heart was filled with anxiety—Xi Qing had booked a room, could it be...
"Xi Qing, go take a hot bath first." Chen Yuanchuan wiped his wet hair with a towel, looking calm and composed.
Xi Qing leaned against the bathroom door frame, her elegant fingers making teasing gestures, "Yuanchuan, do you want to join us?"
That's true. Hearing Xi Qing's invitation, Chen Yuanchuan felt a sense of relief. He looked up at Xi Qing's face, whose every frown and smile made his heart flutter. A surge of courage surged in his heart. If that was the case, then it might be okay.
He tiptoed forward like a cooked goose. Xi Qing's arm gently wrapped around his waist and walked towards the bathroom.
Half an hour later, the two of them were wrapped in bath towels, their ambiguous breathing echoing in the soft warm light. Xi Qing kissed Chen Yuanchuan passionately, and the two of them stumbled and finally fell on the big bed in the moisture, and the mattress made a slight rebound sound.
Xi Qing placed his hands on either side of Chen Yuanchuan's head, his breathing becoming slightly rapid, his eyes blazing, "Is this ok?"
Her Adam's apple trembled slightly, and drops of water quietly slid down from Xi Qing's temples, gathering behind her chin and dripping onto Chen Yuanchuan's fair chest. The light soapy scent mixed with the scent of hormones filled Chen Yuanchuan's nostrils, and his blood seemed to be boiling.
At this moment, the scene of their first meeting flashed through Chen Yuanchuan's mind, and the first scene reappeared - Xi Qing was looking at him in the same posture that night.
Chen Yuanchuan made his decision. He hooked his arm around Xi Qing's neck, tensed his abdominal muscles, and twisted his body to the side. He wanted to catch Xi Qing off guard and turn the tide. Unexpectedly, Xi Qing easily swapped places with him.
Seeing Xi Qing give in, Chen Yuanchuan secretly rejoiced and slightly squeezed his thighs together, trying to use this posture to exert pressure and declare his dominance.
Xi Qing seemed indifferent to this. She opened her hazy eyes and touched Chen Yuanchuan's cheek with her slender fingers. Her fingertips slid across and finally stopped at the red and swollen lips, rubbing them slowly. Chen Yuanchuan's breathing gradually became heavy.
Chen Yuanchuan's heart was filled with both stubborn resistance and an irrepressible desire. He took the initiative to kiss Xi Qing on the lips, as if pouring out all his emotions. The only sound in the room was the sound of their heartbeats, like a single beacon in the storm, guiding them closer.
Chen Yuanchuan clearly felt the changes Xi Qing's touch brought to him. His consciousness gradually blurred, and he snuggled in Xi Qing's arms, as if being swept away by a warm tide, unable to resist any longer.
Reaching the crucial step, Xi Qing panted and opened Chen Yuanchuan's hand, which was clenched tightly due to nervousness, and pressed it against his hot palm, interlocking their fingers.
Chen Yuanchuan sighed silently in his heart, knowing that the confrontation was over and only endless attachment remained.
…
The night was as dark as ink. In the hotel room, the curtains fluttered slightly, reflecting a hazy light. On the bed, two people slept with their feet touching.
In the middle of the night, Chen Yuanchuan was suddenly awakened by a dull gasp. He opened his eyes and found Xi Qing curled up in the quilt, with beads of sweat on his forehead and an unnatural flush on his cheeks.
Chen Yuanchuan, completely awake, sat up hastily and placed his fingertips on Xi Qing's wrist to feel her pulse. The pulse was like an undercurrent beneath the sea, sometimes rapid, sometimes weak.
Feeling the pulse beneath his fingertips, Chen Yuanchuan's pupils constricted. How could Xi Qing's body functions be on the verge of collapse? Countless ominous thoughts flashed through his mind, as if foreshadowing something.
"Xi Qing! Wake up!" Chen Yuanchuan called out softly. Seeing that he was still unconscious, Chen Yuanchuan lifted the quilt and without hesitation carried the burning Xi Qing on his back.
A taxi sped through the city night, and the street lights flashed like meteors, illuminating Chen Yuanchuan's anxious face.
Chen Yuanchuan held Xi Qing's hand, feeling the increasingly weak pulse. Uneasy thoughts rushed towards him like a raging storm. At this critical moment, his memory became surprisingly active, and he suddenly found the clues of Xi Qing's previous abnormality -
Coughing from time to time, having a high body temperature and loss of appetite, Chen Yuanchuan suddenly realized that Xi Qing had actually been sick all along, but he had been disguising it very well on a daily basis.
What illness had Xi Qing suffered from? Why was he so weak? And why had he concealed it from me? A thousand questions filled Chen Yuanchuan's mind, but the most important thing now was to save Xi Qing's life.
The thought of losing Xi Qing made Chen Yuanchuan's eyes suddenly sore and his heart ached. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner turmoil. His hands, trying to comfort Xi Qing, couldn't help but tremble.
The scenery outside the car rapidly receded, and Chen Yuanchuan's mood gradually sank into the abyss.
The author has something to say:
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It's not a death escape! Every small world will be happy!
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