Chapter 29 – Sudden Illness
Novel t.i.tle: 一生之计在于春 (Spring is the Plan of Life)
Author：御小凡 (Yu Xiaofan)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: 姚锦夕 (Yao Jinxi -MC), 吴洋 (Wu Yang -ML)
*Please read at knoxt.s.p.a.ce, the original site of translation. TQ*
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Is it because they’re friends?
Yao Jinxi understood that Wu Yang had a somewhat different style of handling things and interacting with people compared to others. He was formal during formal businesses but was always straightforward in his communication.
Yao Jinxi wondered if Wu Yang had become accustomed to expressing his feelings to others in a clear and complete manner. It must be beneficial for developing interpersonal relationships. After all, n.o.body enjoys conversing with a reserved person.
Yao Jinxi sighed inwardly. He thought to himself that dealing with such a person was indeed troublesome.
After finishing their meal, Wu Yang insisted on helping Yao Jinxi take his medicine before driving back to the hotel. Before going to sleep, Yao Jinxi checked his phone but surprisingly found no text messages or missed calls.
In the darkness, he stared at the phone screen. He turned it on and off repeatedly several times before finally letting out a long sigh and turned off the phone completely. He then went to sleep.
The next day, Yao Jinchen still did not send any messages.
Yao Jinxi somewhat antic.i.p.ated that. In that kid’s mind, his actions might seem heartless. He even called the police on him…
But perhaps it was for the best. He had always been too indecisive when it came to Yao Jinchen. It wasn’t good for either of them. Probably because of this worry, Yao Jinxi felt uneasy all day long. He was thinking about Wu Yang coming over for dinner in the afternoon so he mustered up some energy and went to the market in the morning before opening his shop’s door.
But he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss.
In the afternoon, his mental unease started to manifest physically. He felt discomfort in his stomach, despite not having eaten anything unusual.
Having lived alone for a long time, Yao Jinxi had developed a habit of downplaying physical discomforts. He chalked up to thinking that any discomfort would naturally disappear and that it was all because he was young.
In the morning under the scorching sun, Yao Jinxi went out to deliver tea. On his way back, he picked up half of a watermelon. When he returned to the tea shop, he felt even more uncomfortable. Eating anything at all would make him feel nauseous. He suspected it might be heatstroke but didn’t pay much attention to it. He took out the partially frozen watermelon and started biting into it.
On the internet, Xia Ruonan’s QQ profile picture was lit up. When Yao Jinxi opened the chat box to look, the questions she asked were the same as usual.
Xia Ruonan: Is that Yao Jinchen guy coming again today?
Even through the screen, he could feel this girl’s annoyance. Yao Jinxi sighed and replied: He probably won’t be coming today.
Xia Ruonan sent a surprised emoji. Naturally, Yao Jinxi didn’t dare to tell her what had actually happened that day. He could only summarise it as a simple argument between them due to family matters.
Xia Ruonan: Was it because of your mom? Well, your mom is just too stubborn and strong-willed. But she’s a good person. She used to cook delicious food for me when I was a kid.
Who can argue with that? Since the second marriage also had its problems, Yao Hong had worked tirelessly to stand tall and never show any signs of giving up or being looked down upon. She held herself to high standards. She expected the same from Yao Jinxi and Yao Jinchen. Both of them excelled in their studies when they were kids because of her strict demands.
It can be easily imagined that when Yao Hong saw her sons doing something so vulgar and inappropriate, she was almost disgusted to the point of vomiting blood.
Just thinking about these things made Yao Jinxi feel even more uncomfortable. It caused him to break out in a cold sweat. Unconsciously, he pressed his hand against the painful area on his abdomen.
Xia Ruonan: Unfortunately, I have plans tonight. If not, I would have come over for dinner with you guys.
Oh?
Yao Jinxi’s eyes lit up. What did that mean? Was there something going on? He quickly typed with his free hand.
Tea Seller: What? What’s the good news? You have to explain it clearly.
Xia Ruonan: What good news? Why are you jumping to conclusions?… It’s just that the other day, I took a taxi and found a briefcase. It seemed pretty high-end and I’m not sure if it contains any important doc.u.ments. Luckily, there were business cards inside. So I managed to find the owner.
It was indeed quite a clichéd story. The other person was a lawyer who had left behind an important doc.u.ment from the office. Xia Ruonan, being the kind-hearted person she was, immediately rushed over despite the scorching sun when she heard the person was in a hurry.
When she arrived, the person still couldn’t make time for her. So Xia Ruonan thought it would be best to personally hand the briefcase over to ensure it reached its rightful owner. She waited in the reception area, holding the briefcase, looking somewhat silly, for half an hour.
Finally, she met the person. Xia Ruonan even took the precaution of confirming their ident.i.ty on the spot with a phone call. When she verified that the person was indeed the owner, she breathed a sigh of relief and solemnly returned the item.
Tea Seller: Are you acting in an idol drama or something? A lawyer, huh? What’s his name? How old is he? Does he have a girlfriend? Is he taking you out for dinner today?
Xia Ruonan: This is beyond an idol drama. How would I know if he has a girlfriend? His name is Fu Hongyu. He doesn’t look like he’s over 30… He’s the head of that law firm. Oh, right, he said he wanted to make up for delaying my work by treating me to a meal this afternoon. You know, it’s really unlucky for him. He originally had a car. How many absent-minded lawyers are there? It just happened to break down that day and somehow he left his stuff in the taxi.
Oh my goodness, Fu Hongyu! That name sounds so elite. And he’s the head of a law firm.
Yao Jinxi felt that this matter required in-depth exploration. With great interest, he temporarily forgot about his discomfort and pestered Xia Ruonan with questions until she finished work.
Tea Seller: Dress up nicely in the evening. Darling, and go for it! Just imagine, if you snag a lawyer as your husband, we’ll never have to fear lawsuits ever again!
Xia Ruonan: When have we ever gotten into something that requires some lawsuits…? I don’t even want to talk to you anymore… I’m off work now. Goodbye.
After bidding farewell to Xia Ruonan online, Yao Jinxi suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He couldn’t help but press his hand tightly against the painful area. He was wondering what was causing this pain when, unexpectedly, the pain grew increasingly intense. It became so unbearable that he couldn’t endure it any longer.
Bending over in pain, Yao Jinxi used his other hand to apply pressure as well. He was covered in cold sweat. His face turned pale and he took a small gasp of air, immediately wincing from the pain.
Resting his forehead on the table for a moment, he realised that something was seriously wrong. Yao Jinxi felt that he couldn’t continue like this and needed to get some pain relievers. He placed his hands on the table and slowly attempted to stand up. But as he took a step, his knee got caught on a chair. Already struggling with the intense pain, his sense of balance completely deserted him. Yao Jinxi lost control and tumbled to the side. To make matters worse, the corner of the table hit his abdomen heavily.
At that moment, the pain was so excruciating that Yao Jinxi couldn’t even cry out.
It was too much. The sharp, piercing pain that felt like his stomach had been pierced left him with no strength to get up. He curled up tightly behind the tea table, losing consciousness several times.
It felt like a long time had pa.s.sed. Yao Jinxi then felt as if there were a hole in his stomach. He vaguely sensed someone nearby. But at this point, apart from the pain, he had no other sensations.
He remained in a semi-conscious state, varying in degrees of awareness. Eventually, he drifted into a deep sleep.
When he woke up again, he was greeted by a bright white ceiling. It made it almost impossible for him to open his eyes completely.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over his vision. Yao Jinxi slowly blinked. Before he could discern anything, he heard someone softly asking, “Are you awake?”
He had no strength to move his neck. So he slowly moved his eyes to look at Wu Yang. He tried to move his lips. But his voice came out so weak that he couldn’t even hear it himself. However, miraculously, Wu Yang understood what he was trying to convey.
“You had acute appendicitis with perforation, which led to peritonitis,” sighed Wu Yang as he leaned on the bed rail and continued, “You really scared me.”
Having just woken up from general anaesthesia, Yao Jinxi’s reactions were quite sluggish. It took him a long time to process what was happening and the words that had been spoken. It was only then that he noticed Wu Yang’s unusual state. He was lacking his usual composure and poise. Even his usually well-groomed appearance was a bit dishevelled and he had some bruising on his chin.
How long had he been unconscious? He wondered.
“Why are you so careless with your own body?” Wu Yang gently brushed aside Yao Jinxi’s hair from his forehead and asked, “Does the wound hurt now?”
Yao Jinxi shaped his mouth to indicate that it didn’t really hurt at the moment. He didn’t feel pain. He just felt a sense of powerlessness over his own body.
“The effects of the anaesthesia haven’t worn off completely, so it might be a bit painful later,” Wu Yang sighed as he picked up a cup of water and a cotton swab from nearby. “Are you thirsty?”
Yao Jinxi pursed his lips. Wu Yang dipped the cotton swab in water and gently moistened his lips, saying, “If the pain gets too much later, just let me know. The doctor said we can use a pain pump.”
While speaking, Wu Yang’s phone rang. He set the cup down and talked on the phone, “Hmm? Yes, 4th floor, room 4015… If it’s convenient, could you bring some tissues with you?”
After hanging up the phone, Wu Yang noticed Yao Jinxi’s inquisitive look. He continued, “It’s Xia Ruonan. She called you last night and then called me. But I missed answering her calls too.”
Yao Jinxi smirked.
Wu Yang went on, “I noticed her messages too late last night. So I only talked to her this morning. She said she wants to come over.”
Last night…
Yao Jinxi was puzzled. Had he been out of it for so long?
“I’ll go wash my face,” Wu Yang said, aware of his dishevelled appearance. He went to the bathroom outside on the balcony. He entered the bathroom with one foot while holding the ward room door open with the other.
Xia Ruonan carried a bag of tissues and hurriedly burst in. When she saw Yao Jinxi with multiple IV bags hanging around and unable to move in the hospital bed, her eyes instantly welled up with tears. “Jin…”
Before she could finish her sentence, tears were already streaming down her face.
Yao Jinxi helplessly looked at her. Seeing the way she was, someone might think he was on his deathbed. However, he knew that this was just Xia Ruonan’s way of expressing concern. He moved his lips and weakly said, “I’m okay.”
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*Author’s Note: Thank you, Mandy, for the dominating vote【Hugs and kisses】=w=! Also, thank you to Black Disk, Baby, and 13590903. Thank you >3< -YXF
Next update: 2023.11.08
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