Third Aunt didn't know what he was feeling awkward about until her gaze suddenly swept over his lower abdomen. Because he had draped his coat loosely over his shoulders, she could now clearly see the unusual swell there.
Thinking back to how he had been inexplicably nauseated whenever he ate these past few days, she had originally assumed he was delicate and picky about food, and had even been annoyed with him. Now, however, she realized there really was more to it.
Bai Le noticed his gaze and coughed awkwardly, then pulled his coat together to cover the spot she was looking at.
Third Aunt caught on too. "Then hurry upstairs and lie down. I'll make you some ginger and brown sugar water. That won't have much effect."
Bai Le pulled a miserable face. "Does it taste good?"
Third Aunt said, "At a time like this, who cares whether it tastes good?"
After sending Bai Le back to his room upstairs, Third Aunt wiped her hands on her apron. She was just about to go into the kitchen to work when her husband returned.
Third Aunt hurried over to take the things from his hands. "Have you eaten?"
"I have." As Liu Dong entered the house, he asked, "Where's Nian Nian?"
"In the room doing homework."
Liu Dong paused, as if remembering something else. "What about that guest?"
"He's caught a cold. I'll go make him some ginger water in a little while."
Liu Dong nodded. As he added coal to the fire, he remarked casually, "When I was coming back today, I saw a lot of black cars on the road into the county town."
"What about them?" Third Aunt asked curiously, wondering why he had brought it up.
Liu Dong shook his head. "I don't know why either. It looked like they were searching for someone. They were blocking the way, but they hadn't closed the road."
It was as if they didn't want the person they were looking for to get away.
"Who cares? It's none of our business. I still have to make that ancestor some ginger and brown sugar water." Third Aunt paid it no mind and turned to go into the kitchen.
After Bai Le returned to his room and lay down on the bed, he played on his phone for only a little while before Third Aunt brought him the ginger and brown sugar water, just as she had said. With her watching him, Bai Le couldn't very well refuse, so he closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and drank it in one gulp.
"It tastes awful..." He scrunched up his face and moved the bowl away when he was done, voicing his disgust.
Third Aunt took the bowl as if she hadn't heard him. Then she said, "You still need to go to the hospital when you're sick. Get up a little earlier tomorrow, and I'll have my husband take you there on his way to work, all right?"
Bai Le nodded and watched her leave.
Because of his stuffy nose, Bai Le tossed and turned until the middle of the night before finally drifting off. Early the next morning, he woke up feeling utterly miserable.
His head hurt as though it were about to explode. Just shaking it made the pain unbearable, and his throat hurt terribly too. Worst of all, his temperature had clearly risen.
He was just about to push himself up and drink some water to soothe his sore throat when he suddenly heard voices coming from downstairs through the window.
"Fourth Master, this is the place."
"Mm. Go in."
Hearing the last person's indifferent voice, Bai Le froze on the spot as if struck by lightning. The glass in his hand fell to the floor and shattered with a crash.
Xi Yan?! How did he find this place?!
Before his mind could react, his body had already moved.
Bai Le forced himself out of bed. Before anyone came upstairs, he opened the door and went down the stairs on the other side. There were bound to be people guarding the front door, so he could only run out through the back.
Sure enough, just as he had expected, no one was guarding the back door. Bai Le stumbled outside, and only when he stepped onto the bluestone-paved alley did he realize he wasn't wearing shoes.
A light rain was falling outside, making Bai Le's head hurt even more. Fortunately, he knew the way around here. There was a roast duck shop if he turned left up ahead, and he and the owner had gotten to know each other over time. He could hide there until the people left, then come back.
But he didn't understand why Xi Yan had come looking for him. Could he have found out about the pregnancy?
As he pondered this, he suddenly noticed several burly men in black ahead of him.
Bai Le froze, then backed away repeatedly.
When he hurriedly turned to run back, he saw the figure behind him, and all the color drained from his face.
At some point, Xi Yan had appeared silently behind him. He was sitting in his wheelchair, and he hadn't had anyone hold an umbrella over him. Perhaps there hadn't been time.
Raindrops fell on his black hair, and the loose strands over his forehead were damp. His face was pale, and his eyes held a depth others found hard to understand.
His thin lips curved up slightly as he stared unblinkingly at Bai Le.
"I found you."
Author's note: He found him! Drag him back, hahaha! Now we're getting serious about the sweet romance. Silly Lele hasn't fallen for Fourth Master yet, so Fourth Master has a long road ahead of him in pursuing his wife. Oh, and Fourth Master still needs to regain the use of his legs. Otherwise, if his wife runs away again, how will he catch up? [doge]
Would you like a big long update tomorrow or a short one? I'm considering whether to post two updates tomorrow, hehe~
Thanks to the little angels who sent me gifts or irrigated me with nutrient solution between 2020-02-21 23:27:26 and 2020-02-22 23:48:36~
Thanks to the little angels who sent land mines: Badamu Mu, ≡ω≡., and No Cat, one each;
Thanks to the little angels who irrigated me with nutrient solution: Mo Yin, 40 bottles; Momo Ku and Watermelon-flavored Chocolate, 10 bottles each; Akihi, 4 bottles; Xixixi III, 3 bottles; Lu Xixi, 2 bottles; Queen fan, 1 bottle;
Thank you all so much for your support. I'll keep working hard!
Chapter 23
Bai Le looked at the person before him, his breathing slightly hurried from the strenuous exercise. He steadied his breathing, took a deep breath, and slowly said,
"...How did you find me?"
Although Bai Le already had a faint guess, he still didn't want to admit it.
Xi Yan tilted his head slightly. Instead of answering him directly, he lowered his gaze indifferently to Bai Le's bare feet.
"Go fetch his shoes for him."
Secretary Xing immediately acknowledged the order, then turned and left.
The words made Bai Le shift his feet uncomfortably. The gaze seemed utterly indifferent to him, but for some reason, when it fell on the tops of his feet, it always felt so scorching that it might burn him.