The rain was torrential, and the wind shook the trees on both sides of the road, its howling sound reaching our ears.
Jiang Hexi's high fever persisted.
Yu Xiangwan took a coat and draped it over her shoulders, then wrapped her up tightly in a raincoat before helping her to lean against Yan Jie's broad back.
Yan Jie could feel the heat even through her thin short-sleeved shirt.
He put his arm around her knees and steadily lifted her up to her feet.
Her warm breath repeatedly pattered against his neck.
Yan Jie didn't want to waste a moment longer. "Help me put on my raincoat."
Shen Yingyu brought over a large raincoat, draped it over Jiang Hexi from back to front, and then buttoned it up for him one button at a time.
The hood of the raincoat just covered Jiang Hexi's head.
Yu Xiangwan was about to go outside to hold an umbrella for Yan Jie when Shen Yingyu reached out and asked her for the umbrella, saying:
"You and Gossip Girl stay at home and go over to take care of Xi Mei tomorrow morning, then we can come back and rest."
Yu Xiangwan didn't dare to delay any longer and immediately handed the umbrella to him.
Chu Yang had already put on his raincoat and was waiting outside the door with a flashlight.
Yan Jie glanced at Director Chen quickly, who was on the phone while giving him an OK sign.
He stepped into the rain, and a staff member next to him hurriedly called out to stop him:
"Wait a minute, the camera is still assembling its waterproof kit, it'll be done soon."
These words were like a thorn in the ears of the guests.
Yan Jie glanced at the man, his expression seemingly calm, before erupting into a furious roar:
"When will we get to that point?!"
The entire staff was terrified by the outburst, and no one dared to utter a sound.
Yan Jie carried Jiang Hexi on his back and waded into the rain, walking away with long strides.
Director Chen hung up the phone, gave the assistant director a look, and hurriedly followed them.
The assistant director immediately smacked the staff member on the head and gave him a good scolding:
"Are you brainless? How can you say something like that? Just because the camera can't keep up, does that mean the phone can't be used?"
The assistant director lifted his foot and walked out, turning back to point at the person as he went, saying, "I don't have time now, I'll teach you a lesson when we get back."
The torrential rain pounded down on the umbrella, the cacophony drowning out all other sounds.
Shen Yingyu held the large umbrella over Yan Jie's head and made a video call with the village chief on his phone to communicate the current road conditions in real time.
Yan Jie, carrying Jiang Hexi on his back, stopped in front of a deep pool of water. "Chu Yang, look in the water and see how deep this pool is."
Chu Yang shone his flashlight into the water, but the yellowish-brown water was too deep to tell. He then poked the water with his umbrella, and the dirty water reached up to the handle.
"Brother, the water is waist-deep."
Shen Yingyu pointed his phone at the alley ahead so that the village chief at the other end could identify the direction:
"Village chief, this alley is flooded. Is there any other way to go?"
"You need to go to Qijia Lane, this is the shortest path."
The village chief, watching the rainwater pouring down the slope through the screen, couldn't hide his worry as he said:
"If we take another route, we'll have to turn back and go around to the east end of the village, which will take at least an hour."
Jiang Hexi felt a continuous flow of heat emanating from her back.
Yan Jie lifted her up slightly and held her calves, saying:
"The rainwater flowing down from the alley means that the terrain ahead is high. Once you get past this flood, the road below will be easier."
He reassured everyone, stepped into the puddle, and slowly walked forward by the light of his flashlight.
The others followed.
The water in the alley was just up to Yan Jie's thighs.
He walked forward along the water, and his foot slipped on something, causing him to slide. He was about to fall, but he managed to stop himself by kneeling on one knee.
Chu Yang and Shen Yingyu were so frightened that they quickly reached out and supported him.
"Brother, you scared me so much I broke out in a cold sweat."
"Take the flashlight and light the way. If you can, help Xi-mei from behind. I don't need you to take care of me."
Yan Jie continued on his way.
Director Chen also reached out from behind, and the phone camera was shaking terribly, but he still managed to capture that thrilling moment.
On the other hand, the assistant director was so frightened that he dropped his phone into the puddle.
"Director, my phone fell into the water."
"Bending down to pick it up, your hands are shaking so much, what kind of photographer are you?"
The assistant director, watching the four people walk further and further away, fearing they would be abandoned in the rain-soaked alley, squatted down, picked up his phone, and chased after them.
Emerging from the flooded, dark alley, the road ahead became much smoother.
Yan Jie quickened his pace, but the person on his back stirred. He mistakenly thought she was uncomfortable and unconsciously slowed down.
Through the brim of her raincoat, Jiang Hexi saw that the area illuminated by the flashlight beam was filled with puddles of varying depths.
The sound of rain filled my ears, and all around me were low-rise houses swallowed by the night.
She asked in a voice scalded by the fire, "Where...are we going?"
Yan Jie heard her rough, raspy voice and replied, "I'll take you to the village doctor for treatment."
Jiang Hexi said with deep remorse, "I've dragged you all down."
He wouldn't allow her to continue like this:
"Xi-mei, do you know how my father-in-law describes you?"
"Well?"
He said that Ximei is a little sun, and she shines wherever she goes.
Yan Jie lifted her up forcefully, and he could feel the sob in her throat. He forcefully ordered her to say, "Hold back your tears."
Jiang Hexi was so angry with him that she dared not shed tears, biting her lip to choke back her sobs.
Amidst the howling wind and rain, Yan Jie offered her gentle yet firm comfort:
"When the little sun shrinks back, there is no light at night. Look at this gloomy sky. If you cry, the rain will keep falling. If you want the rain to stop, you can't cry anymore."
Jiang Hexi's mind was spinning from the heat.
She seemed to be hallucinating; these words didn't sound like something that sharp-tongued person would say.
After pondering the meaning of those words repeatedly, she burst into laughter through her tears.
She clung to his back, following him as he stumbled along, the bumpy ride eventually causing her to faint from the fever again.
After walking for more than forty minutes, the group finally arrived at the village doctor's clinic.
Yan Jie placed Jiang Hexi on the hospital bed.
The female village doctor brought over the IV drip, and when she touched Jiang Hexi's forehead, she found it was burning hot. She drew the curtain and immediately gave her an injection to reduce the fever.
Yan Jie listened through the curtain as the female village doctor examined Jiang Hexi and described her condition:
"The child has a fever of 40 degrees Celsius and is delirious from the fever."
The female village doctor pulled back the curtain and said:
“I heard from the village chief that she developed a high fever last night. This illness comes on suddenly and rapidly. My resources are limited. If her fever doesn’t break by tomorrow, you’ll have to send her to the city.”
Looking at the frail Jiang Hexi on the hospital bed, Yan Jie said with heartache, "I will send her to Yicheng first thing tomorrow morning."
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