Chapter 17 A Great Person
Bai Chenzhu pretended to be calm and slapped Jiang Ye's hand away, then crossed her arms and leaned against the wall.
Jiang Ye frowned and touched the tip of his nose.
After a moment, Bai Chenzhu broke the strange atmosphere by speaking, "I remember I had a fever for a long time, maybe half a month."
He looked at Jiang Ye, who understood and said, "I think the first time I had a fever, it lasted for a few days, I can't remember exactly. The second time it lasted for about ten days."
"So long." Bai Chenzhu pinched the bridge of his nose. During this time together, he knew that Jiang Ye valued Zhou Zhuohua.
Bai Chenzhu was somewhat discouraged. "So what do we do next? We can't go to the hospital now. Even if we find a doctor, the best we can do is bring her temperature down and make her feel a little better. Are we just going to stay in the hotel for ten days or half a month and wait around? Come to think of it, whether she lives or dies, everything will be clear in half a month."
“She might not make it,” Jiang Ye said rationally, rubbing his trembling fingertips. He had other plans. “I’m going to find someone.”
Looking for someone? Bai Chenzhu's eyes sharpened. Without even asking who he was looking for, he straightened up and said, "I'm going too!"
Bai Chenzhu's unwavering attitude clearly aroused Jiang Ye's suspicion. Jiang Ye relaxed the furrows between his brows, a half-smile on his face, his sharp features revealed, "Why are you following me now? Didn't you say you were going to run away?"
Bai Chenzhu choked up, "Since we're already here..."
He couldn't think of a reason, so he simply shrugged and leaned back against the wall. "Okay, I admit I'm afraid of dying. Of course, it's safer to be with you than with a sick person. Besides, Young Master Jiang himself said that meals would be provided."
The way he so openly spoke of being afraid of death was clearly a lie. At this moment, Jiang Ye had no interest in questioning him further and acquiesced to the arrangement.
Auntie came out, and Jiang Ye didn't say a word. He stared straight ahead, unfocused, as if lost in thought.
Bai Chenzhu stepped forward to express his gratitude and gave her a tip. During their conversation, he became familiar with the aunt surnamed Liang. "If I stay for a long time, I'll have to trouble you to come and help me out again."
After seeing Aunt Liang off, the two went into the room.
Thanks to this duplex family suite, with a large bed, chair, and bathroom on each floor, they could look after Zhou Zhuohua without feeling awkward.
Jiang Ye wearily raised his hand to press the bridge of his nose, went upstairs, and gave Zhou Zhuohua another dose of fever reducer. The fever reducer was only treating the symptoms, not the root cause, and her fever would recur after a while, rising and falling, a worrying sight.
I'm awake for very short periods, mostly without a clear mind, and I'm so confused that I don't even know what I'm saying.
Jiang Ye dragged a chair to the edge of the bed and sat down, looking at the unconscious Zhou Zhuohua: "Come with me, I'm afraid she'll starve to death if she stays alone."
Patients are always weak, especially those who are unconscious. Even if they can ensure the safety of the room, what about inside?
"What are you afraid of?" Bai Chenzhu leaned against the stair railing, looked up at him, and pointed to herself with her finger.
Jiang Ye was puzzled.
Bai Chenzhu said calmly, "I'm a prime example. When I'm really hungry, I'll get up and find food myself. I won't die."
Seeing that Jiang Ye was still unsure, Bai Chenzhu came up with a dirty trick, "You don't believe me? Then we'll stay for two days and see. Besides, you've been driving for so long, shouldn't you rest before you leave? It won't make a difference if you take a little longer."
So when Zhou Zhuohua, delirious with fever and starving, got up to look for food, she saw two people hurrying up from downstairs.
They were neatly dressed and had calm expressions, clearly having rested well. They stood and sat beside her, waiting for her to regain consciousness.
Upon seeing her clutching her rumbling stomach, the two people who had been drawn by the noise turned to look at her simultaneously.
Bai Chenzhu noticed the confusion in her eyes and kindly handed her glasses, pointing to the pile of bread and water on the bedside table. "You're awake? The food is all over there."
Seeing that she could indeed get up on her own, Jiang Ye felt a great weight lifted from his heart. He stood up, patted her shoulder, and said, "Sister, we're going out for a while now. Take good care of yourself at the hotel."
"She must be seeing things," Zhou Zhuohua rubbed her eyes, put on her glasses, and looked at the two people in front of her again, still full of doubt.
She only took a nap, and these two not only have such a good relationship, but they also have to go out behind her back?
Zhou Zhuohua yawned, still not fully awake, and blurted out, "What, are you two eloping?"
Jiang Ye shrugged and chuckled, "No need for that."
"Ouch, wait..." Zhou Zhuohua covered her burning forehead, looked around, and said in a hoarse voice, "How long have I been asleep? Weren't you supposed to wake me up for lunch?"
Bai Chenzhu lowered his eyes, casually unscrewed a bottle of mineral water and handed it to Zhou Zhuohua, "I've already called you, but you took your medicine and went back to sleep."
Zhou Zhuohua exclaimed in shock, "I don't remember anything like this!"
“You’re delirious from the fever.” Jiang Ye tucked the blanket around her. “We arrived at the hotel last night. Getting back to the point, are you clear-headed now and can you remember anything? We’re planning to go out, are you sure you can manage on your own? You won’t starve to death, will you?”
"Me alone? You're leaving?" Zhou Zhuohua stared at Jiang Ye without blinking.
To be precise, she felt like her brain was a rusty machine, choppy and intermittent. It took her several minutes to process what Jiang Ye had said.
Fever, coma, death… Zhou Zhuohua smiled bitterly, her eyes filled with what seemed like moisture from the high fever or unformed tears, “Is it because I’m going to become a monster?”
So, in order to protect themselves, the two had no choice but to leave her here.
Leaving was a white lie, wasn't it? Zhou Zhuohua knew, of course, that it was the best choice, especially considering how many disgusting zombies they had eliminated along the way.
However, her rational understanding did not diminish her emotional bewilderment and distress at being abandoned.
"I'm going to turn into a disgusting, man-eating monster too," Zhou Zhuohua thought despondently. "I'll just go after they're far away, I'll just go..."
Her gaze passed over the clear glass window not far away. The building outside the window stood majestically as always, and the sky was filled with colorful clouds, making it magnificent and splendid.
The weather was beautiful, the time was beautiful, just like humans before they turned to dust. Zhou Zhuohua suddenly calmed down and smiled gently at the two of them. She had made up her mind.
She was about to kill a special zombie for the first and last time.
Jiang Ye's heart tightened at the sight of those bloodshot eyes, and the world before him flickered with white light.
He has lived too long, and many of his memories are unclear, just as it is difficult for a person to accurately recall a specific person on a specific day ten years ago.
However, in that instant, looking at Zhou Zhuohua's flushed face, Jiang Ye did indeed recall the last time he saw Zhou Zhuohua several years ago.
At that time, Zhou Zhuohua was also infected and had a high fever. It was the first time Jiang Ye had seen her cry so badly, having lost all her courage and confidence.
She clutched his sleeve in despair and said, "Jiang Ye, I don't want to die. I want to go home."
But later, it was this same guy who wanted to go home who comforted him, saying, "Anyway, I have a fever and don't have many days left to live. At least one of us can survive," and then turned around and led the zombies away for him.
This is what he owes Zhou Zhuohua, even if the other party knows nothing about it in this lifetime.
Seeing that she was on the verge of tears, Jiang Ye handed her a tissue and said in a low voice, without much confidence, "You'll be alright."
Zhou Zhuohua took a deep breath and gave Jiang Ye a smile that looked more like a grimace, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere with a joke, "Well, that's it. I used to laugh at you for being a strongman every day, but now I'm going to become a strong monster."
"Don't jump to conclusions so quickly." Seeing that the two of them looked increasingly grim, Bai Chenzhu interrupted Zhou Zhuohua's negative emotions. "Look at Jiang Ye and me, aren't we both fine right now?"
Zhou Zhuohua remained silent.
Bai Chenzhu guessed that the other party was having a hard time processing their emotions, "You're a doctor, you know more about this than we do, don't you?"
Zhou Zhuohua sighed, "A normal person would be in serious trouble if they had a high fever for two days, and a normal person wouldn't turn into a monster if they had a fever for half a month. How can this world still follow normalcy? If I lose my mind, I won't be Zhou Zhuohua anymore. You guys should leave as soon as possible, in case I hurt you..."
She stopped talking, gripping the blanket tightly until her fingertips turned white.
Jiang Ye, who hadn't said a word, suddenly slapped her on the head. "Are you delirious from the fever? What nonsense are you thinking? We're not leaving, we're going to pick up your sister."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhuohua was stunned for a long time before she remembered her family member's name, "My sister? Mengmeng?"
“Yes,” Jiang Ye said, “I’ll go and bring that girl to you.”
A glimmer of hope flashed in Zhou Zhuohua's eyes.
But soon, the light in her eyes dimmed as she thought of the ubiquitous virus outside.
Zhou Zhuohua waved her hand, relieved, and said, "I haven't been in contact with her for almost half a month, and I don't even know where she is now. Even if she's still at home, that's the bustling city center, a strictly controlled residential area with lots and lots of people living there... Maybe she's already a little monster. You don't need to risk your life for me."
“Furthermore,” Zhou Zhuohua smiled bitterly, “even if she were alive and well, if what she saw was an incredibly ugly, man-eating corpse, I would rather she never see me.”
“She won’t turn into a monster. She’s been waiting at home for you and Uncle Zhou to pick her up.” Jiang Ye had a strange sense of certainty, but when he realized where that certainty came from, his mood sank.
After all, if Zhou Mengmeng continues on her original path, Zhou Zhuohua will most likely not survive.
Jiang Ye clenched his fist, his expression unchanged, and said, "In short, since I've come to Fuyun City with you, I have to let you meet. All you need to do is take good care of yourself while we're away and wait for us to come back."
Zhou Zhuohua was completely unable to persuade the two of them, nor could she stop them. After relieving herself, she fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, oblivious to everything else.
It was already dark, and the night was not conducive to travel. The two decided to wait until the next morning to go out.
After settling Zhou Zhuohua in, the two, heavy-hearted, went downstairs one after the other.
The suite only had two beds, and Zhou Zhuohua undoubtedly took the one on the upper floor.
Bai Chenzhu and Jiang Ye almost got into a fight over who got the other bed. Neither of them wanted to sleep on the sofa, so they compromised and each took one side, sharing the same bed but not the same pillow.
Jiang Ye had just finished showering and was drying his hair, enjoying the hot air from the hairdryer.
Bai Chenzhu was chewing on bread on the sofa, his cheeks slightly puffed out. He tilted his head to look at Jiang Ye and suddenly asked in Jiang Ye's previous tone, "How do you know she's at home and won't turn into a monster?"
This wasn't a big problem, but along the way, Bai Chenzhu had accumulated enough doubts in his heart. He wasn't someone who could sit still, and it was already quite patient of him to wait until now to ask.
The hairdryer was making a loud whooshing sound. Jiang Ye squinted at himself in the mirror and tidied his hair.
Bai Chenzhu thought he hadn't heard her, so she raised her voice and asked again.
Jiang Ye switched hands and used the hairdryer to blow-dry the ends of his hair.
Did he not hear? He was pretending to be deaf. Bai Chenzhu didn't say anything, eating his bread bite by bite. When Jiang Ye put down the hairdryer, Bai Chenzhu crumpled the wrapper loudly and threw it accurately into the trash can.
"Jiang Ye, I'm talking to you," Bai Chenzhu said coldly.
Jiang Ye glanced at him. "Huh? You don't know?"
Bai Chenzhu asked in confusion, "Should I know?"
Jiang Ye couldn't tell whether he was disappointed or happy. After tidying up, he sat on another single chair, crossed his legs, and sighed deeply, "I thought you were the same as me."
Jiang Ye's unusually serious demeanor intrigued Bai Chenzhu. Especially when Jiang Ye sat upright in his chair without uttering a word, even an ordinary chair exuded the domineering presence of a leader.
But when Bai Chenzhu looked again, Jiang Ye's summer beach outfit was still just as garish.
It's all an illusion. Bai Chenzhu covered his eyes, which were stinging from the spiciness, and remained silent for a while. "What do you mean by 'same'? Do you mean they both have superpowers?"
"If foresight can be considered a superpower," Jiang Ye said, giving him a deep look.
Precognition? Knowing the 'plot'? Isn't Jiang Ye just like him?
With a soft hum, like the long, drawn-out sound of a copper bell ringing in his mind, Bai Chenzhu gasped. He sat up abruptly, his hands braced on the table, leaning forward, staring intently at Jiang Ye, his fingertips turning white from the pressure.
Bai Chenzhu stared intently at Jiang Ye, who seemed to be of the same kind, and recited the words as if in code: "The God of Creation?"
To his disappointment, Jiang Ye showed no reaction to the book title, and even looked puzzled.
Undeterred, Bai Chenzhu continued, "Have you ever read a book called 'The God of Creation'?"
The topic jumped around so fast. Jiang Ye mocked Bai Chenzhu, "I never would have guessed that you, who look so refined, would actually enjoy reading such childish books."
Bai Chenzhu pressed on, "You really haven't heard of this book?"
Jiang Ye touched the carvings on the armrest without looking up. "It's very popular?"
Not from another time? Bai Chenzhu carefully observed his expression, but Jiang Ye's face only showed open and honest doubt.
“It’s not a matter of whether it’s a bestseller or not…” Bai Chenzhu suddenly thought of another possibility, and he probed abruptly, “Bai Tao also likes this book, and you didn’t even know that?”
Bai Tao, one of the female characters who appears later in the novel, received the highest support rate in discussions about the female protagonist at the time.
If the male protagonist has an entire harem, then 'Bai Tao' is undoubtedly the empress. She has a deep relationship with Jiang Ye and possesses all the qualities of an ideal 'empress'. She is capable in public, in the kitchen, guards the base, and keeps the harem stable.
Jiang Ye's eyes flickered slightly, but the unusual expression vanished in an instant and was not noticed by Bai Chenzhu.
Jiang Ye chuckled softly, "Who is Bai Tao?"
It wasn't time travel, nor did it seem like rebirth. Now Bai Chenzhu was genuinely puzzled. He rested his chin on his hand and thought for a while, but couldn't come up with an answer.
Was Jiang Ye just putting on an act, or was he overthinking things? Bai Chenzhu gave up the search. He lazily crossed his arms and leaned back, looking up at the dusty ceiling.
That makes sense. There are many extraordinary encounters in the world, but not so many that they can be encountered casually.
The unanswered questions only fueled Jiang Ye's curiosity.
He had assumed that Bai Chenzhu had been 'reborn' like him, but the 'little butterfly' fluttering its wings in front of him gave him a huge surprise. Where did this person come from?
He tapped the table with one hand, signaling Bai Chenzhu to continue, "Don't just say half of what you mean. So, who is the author of that novel? What is it about?"
Bai Chenzhu glanced at him lightly, and slowly said as if telling a bedtime story, "The story is quite simple. It's about a world facing its apocalypse, and then a man about your age awakens a powerful superpower, leading people to build a base, clear out the zombies, and ushering in a new era in human history. It's that simple, but later..."
Bai Chenzhu looked into Jiang Ye's eyes, raised the corners of her lips, and beckoned Jiang Ye with her index finger. "Later, it had a terrible ending. The male protagonist was watching the apocalypse end, but he personally destroyed the antiviral drug for the zombie virus. The zombie virus returned, and humanity faced extinction in despair."
"It's over?" Jiang Ye's heartbeat went off track after hearing his few words, and his thoughts were thrown into chaos.
Bai Chenzhu hummed a nasal sound of affirmation.
After a moment, Jiang Ye closed his eyes, regained his composure, and commented detachedly, "The protagonist sounds like a big bad guy."
"But why are you looking at me like that?" Jiang Ye put his legs down, then half-reclined and half-sat on the sofa, crossing his legs and lazily putting them on the table, sitting sloppily like a hooligan.
He wore a half-smile, "Do I look like the kind of person capable of doing something this big? Heaven knows, I'm a really good person!"
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