Cooperation

"Hey! Sorry to trouble you." Lin Gongshang hurriedly took the keys, then pulled out a bank card and stuffed it into his hand. His eyes reddened as he said, "I'll give you the money first. If you need to spend anything later, just use the money on the card. I'll text you the password. Use as much as you need. As long as they're alive, that's all that matters."

Lu Ao did not refuse. "All right."

Yan Zhengning squeezed forward and shouted over the helicopter's roaring blades, "I'm going too! I'm their friend!"

Lu Ao looked at the person in charge on the helicopter. "Is there still room?"

The other person said, "Yes, but you'll need to pay for an additional family member's seat."

Yan Zhengning squeezed onto the helicopter with a bag on his back. "No problem. I'll transfer the money to you right now."

The helicopter came and went.

The people of Lin Family Village watched the little black dot vanish into the sky, their hearts filled with shock.

Lin Gongshang still had not fully come back to his senses and stood there blankly.

Lin Manzhang came over, patted his shoulder, and said, "Don't worry. Didn't Lu Ao say it wasn't too serious? Go home and wait for news first."

"Yeah, all right." Lin Gongshang wiped his face hard, pressing a hand to his chest. Pale-faced, he said, "Tonight really scared me to death. Good thing Lu Ao was here."

Lin Manzhang patted him again.

With such a huge commotion today, they were bound to lose money, but fortunately, no one had died.

After Shi Chen and Liu Qiming were sent to First Affiliated Hospital, the emergency doctors took over and treated them.

Their conditions were not too severe, and the doctors at First Affiliated Hospital were highly experienced. Their conditions quickly stabilized.

By then, both their families had rushed over, drenched in sweat and red-eyed. Without asking many questions, they hurried to the emergency doctors to sign the resuscitation documents.

After a whole night of turmoil, the emergency doctor finally came out in the latter half of the night and told them that both men's conditions had stabilized for the time being.

Only then did the two families breathe a sigh of relief and ask what had happened.

The incident had been caused by the two men's recklessness. Ignoring Lin Gongshang's warning, they had tried to catch Black Seabream with their bare hands. They were stabbed by its dorsal spines, which led to the infection.

Ordinary people would not easily get infected from such injuries either, but because the two men had been drinking and attending social engagements, both had some liver problems and ended up in the hospital.

The matter really could not be blamed on Lin Gongshang.

After hearing Lu Ao's account, both families were reasonable and had no intention of holding anyone accountable.

Lu Ao did not want to get too involved either. He said, "Lin Gongshang will take the early bus over at dawn. You can hand things over to him then. I'll be leaving first."

"All right, all right. Be careful on your way."

The two families were busy worrying about their sick relatives and had no time to entertain him. After thanking him again, they let him leave.

Yan Zhengning was free now as well. He walked out with Lu Ao and asked, "Did you bring your ID and things like that? How are you getting back?"

After being busy all night, Lu Ao finally remembered that he had come in too much of a rush. Aside from his phone and bank card, he had brought nothing at all.

Yan Zhengning could tell from his expression that he had not brought them. He hurriedly said, "I own a place in the provincial capital. Why not stay at my place for the night? Tomorrow, I'll have my driver take you back."

Lu Ao said, "No need. I'll just call a rideshare or take a taxi back."

"Hey, after all that trouble, aren't you going to sleep first?"

Lu Ao waved a hand. "No. The people in the village are probably waiting for news too. I'll go back and let them know."

Yan Zhengning could not find an excuse to keep him. Watching Lu Ao's back disappear beyond the hospital, he felt an inexplicable regret.

Perhaps that young man's presence was simply too reassuring. Once he left, Yan Zhengning felt strangely empty and uneasy.

Cooperation

It was already the latter half of the night. A bright moon hung amid sparse stars, and the night breeze made him feel much more refreshed.

After being busy for so long, Lu Ao was already starving.

He left the hospital and found a roadside stall serving late-night food.

There were quite a few people at the stall despite the late hour. Judging by their clothes, they came from all walks of life. The noise and the smell of food rushed toward him, brimming with the warmth of everyday life.

Feeling thoroughly relaxed, Lu Ao found a seat near the edge and sat down.

The woman taking orders came over, smiling as she poured him some tea and handed him the menu. "Handsome, what would you like?"

Lu Ao flipped open the menu and ordered rapidly as he read. "One chicken leg, one chicken wing, one stir-fried razor clam, one shredded squid, one stir-fried duck with sour ginger, one shredded chicken, a dozen oysters, one stir-fried beef rice noodle, one eight-treasure rice, and an iced mung bean dessert."

The woman acknowledged him and deftly handed over a set of sterilized dishes and chopsticks. "How many people?"

"One."

"Huh, one?!" The woman's eyes widened, and her voice rose involuntarily. "Just you?"

Lu Ao gave a faint hum.

Looking at him, the woman asked tentatively, "You're taking it to go, right?"

"No, I'm eating it all here."

This time, the woman could not hide the look in her eyes. She secretly sized Lu Ao up, unable to understand how such a tall, slender, handsome young man could eat so much.

Lu Ao paid no attention to her gaze and handed the menu back. "Please bring the food quickly."

"Sure." The woman hurriedly took the menu and turned to get busy.

Lu Ao took a sip of the coarse tea provided by the stall and lowered his head to reply to the messages on his phone.

Lin Gongshang and the others had not come along, but they were extremely worried and had not slept all night either.

Lu Ao told them that Shi Chen and Liu Qiming were all right for now, but Lin Gongshang needed to come early in the morning to coordinate with the two families.

Lin Gongshang had been on edge all night and finally relaxed a little. He sent several messages in a row.

All right, I'll go to the county to catch the 5:30 bus. I'll be there first thing in the morning!

—Lu Ao, thank you so much this time. Without you, I wouldn't have known how to handle this.

—Crying JPG

Lu Ao briefly reassured him, then suddenly sensed something off. When he looked up again, a figure in white was already sitting across from him.

It was Song Zhou again.

Lu Ao looked up at him, his movements stopping. "Mr. Song, why are you here?"