"Ono, you're finally awake!"
Li Weidong was both surprised and delighted, his face still showing lingering fear: "You fell into the water and lost your soul, and then you had a fever. I told you to change your clothes and you fainted. You scared me to death!"
"Thank goodness you're alright!"
His words were full of joy at having something lost and then found again.
Zhao Xiulian said irritably, "Get out of here, we haven't finished retrieving the soul yet!"
According to the rules, you have to shout three times in a row to be considered completely finished.
Li Weidong nodded quickly: "Okay, okay, Mom, you can continue!"
Zhao Xiulian then waved the fishing net above Zhou Xiaoye's head again and continued shouting.
Zhou Xiaoye lay on the bed in a daze, looking at the identical tense and worried expressions of Li Weidong's family of three, and suddenly felt a lump in his throat.
The practice of "soul retrieval" is something that most rural children have experienced to some extent.
If a child is sick or frightened, the elders in the family will perform a soul-searching ritual. It is said that if the soul is not searched, the child will not get better and will not grow up.
The children were mischievous and often got frightened, so the village elders would often shout to retrieve their children's souls.
But Zhou Xiaoye had never experienced this before.
Let alone retrieving a soul, even if someone is dying, as long as they can still get up, they can't neglect the chores at home.
She will remember it for the rest of her life: when she was ten years old, she went to the river to wash clothes and was chased by a mad dog from the village, and eventually fell into the river.
If the villagers hadn't pulled her out, she probably would have drowned then.
That evening, she developed a high fever, but all she got in return was a scolding and a fever reducer.
Perhaps because the fever was too high, she lay in bed for five or six days before she could get up. The villagers said she had been so frightened that she lost her soul, and that Zhou's mother should call back her soul.
But Zhou's mother didn't care at all, and even said that she was dead and that it was no big deal.
From then on, Zhou Xiaoye never looked forward to family affection again.
But now...
"Alright, get up and take your medicine!"
After calling out to Sanlunhun, Zhao Xiulian smiled and reached out to touch her forehead: "Your fever isn't so high anymore. Take your medicine and lie down for a while. I'll go kill a chicken later and make you chicken soup tonight!"
Li Xiuli added, "I'll give you both chicken drumsticks tonight, get well soon!"
Zhou Xiaoye stared blankly at the two of them, her eyes suddenly reddening.
"Why are you crying, child?"
Zhao Xiulian was anxious: "Is she feeling unwell? Weidong, quick, get the cart and take her to the town hospital!"
Li Weidong was about to leave immediately.
Zhou Xiaoye snapped out of her daze and grabbed him: "Brother Weidong, there's no need to go to town. I'm fine now. I'm just... just so happy. Thank you all."
"Silly child!"
Zhao Xiulian realized what was happening and felt both sorry for her and amused. She shook her head and said, "It's alright, just lie down for now. If you feel uncomfortable anywhere, don't hold it in."
Then he pulled Li Xiaoli and said, "Alright, go out and heat up the ginger soup."
After the mother and daughter left, only Li Weidong and Zhou Xiaoye remained in the room.
"Ono, are you sure we don't need to go to the town hospital?"
Li Weidong was somewhat worried.
Zhou Xiaoye nodded: "No need, didn't I get the medicine from the clinic? I'll be fine after taking it."
Li Weidong then remembered the medicine and quickly took it out, saying mysteriously, "Take it later."
Zhou Xiaoye watched him walk out, completely bewildered.
When she returned, she was carrying a glass of water: "Get up and take your medicine!"
Zhou Xiaoye nodded and struggled to sit up, but he was too weak and almost fell.
Li Weidong caught her in his arms: "Are you alright?"
Zhou Xiaoye's pretty face instantly turned bright red. She wanted to push him away, but she couldn't bear to part with that warmth.
"Never mind, I'll help you up!"
Li Weidong sighed, put one arm around her, and took the pills with the other, gently coaxing, "Open your mouth."
Zhou Xiaoye stared at him blankly, meeting his gentle eyes, her face flushed as she opened her mouth.
His slender fingers twirled the pill and placed it into her mouth; the slight touch made both of them blush.
Li Weidong silently repeated "she's not an adult yet" countless times in his mind before he finally calmed down and brought the water to Zhou Xiaoye's lips.
"Drink some water and swallow the medicine."
Zhou Xiaoye was already too embarrassed to look at him, and hurriedly took the medicine with her eyes down.
The next second, something was suddenly stuffed into my mouth.
It's sweet! It's actually a piece of candy!
"The bitterness will be gone once you eat the sugar."
Li Weidong said with a smile, "Lie down and sleep a little longer! When you wake up, you'll have chicken soup. I've been eyeing the chickens at home for a while now, and today I'm really lucky to have them!"
He carefully helped her lie down and covered her with a blanket: "Go to sleep!"
With a candy in her mouth, Zhou Xiaoye felt a complex mix of bitterness and happiness in her heart.
What's bittersweet is that I've never experienced such care in the past sixteen years.
Let alone the fact that medicine can be sweet, sometimes even when you're sick and take medicine, you get scolded for wasting money.
I am naturally happy that I have the opportunity to be cared for in this way.
She couldn't help but reach out and tug at Li Weidong's sleeve.
"What's wrong?"
Li Weidong was taken aback: "Is there anything else that's bothering you?"
Zhou Xiaoye hesitated before speaking, "Brother Weidong, I...I'm scared. Can you wait until I fall asleep before you leave?"
Normally, she would never say something so bold and willful.
But today she felt so much love that she had never felt before, and coupled with her fever, she became bolder.
Li Weidong was startled for a moment, then laughed: "Okay!"
He turned and sat back on the edge of the bed, took Zhou Xiaoye's hand, and whispered, "Go to sleep, I'll stay here and watch over you."
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