Such a delicate woman has come all the way to the backward and harsh Beiyu Island. Oh, I wonder how many days she can hold on.
When she is not used to the environment here, if she asks to go back, he will definitely not stop her.
This absurd child marriage was not his own will, and he refused to accept it.
But her parents suggested that she come over. Before he could agree, the elders at his place, who couldn't wait for his wedding, had already settled the matter and sent the person over in a hurry. With just a phone call, he was ready to pick her up.
Cheng Jiu was a heavy smoker. Now he wanted to smoke again. He pressed his tongue against the back of his tooth and thought of her coughing just now. So he put the cigarette away and put it in his coat pocket.
She rummaged through the box and found several thick clothes to change into in the bathroom. Cheng Jiu was very patient and waited for her to come out after changing her clothes.
Do you need my help? When Cheng Jiu opened the door, he said this.
What he meant by "help" was to hold her.
Xin Gan's face flushed and she refused, "No, thanks. I can leave by myself."
It's not that she can't walk; it's just a common fever.
She was resolute and said she wouldn't use it. Cheng Jiu didn't insist either and said, "There's a clinic nearby. Go and have your temperature taken."
The local clinic is not large either. It's just an outpatient department with only a few doctors and nurses, not many.
The doctor seemed to know Cheng Jiu and communicated with him in the local language. Xin Gan couldn't understand and just followed behind Cheng Jiu. In such an unfamiliar environment, she only recognized Cheng Jiu and could only follow behind him.
After taking the temperature, the doctor looked at it and said in not-so-standard Mandarin, "It's not serious. It's a low fever. I'll prescribe some medicine and take it with warm water. I'll be fine after a good sleep."
Cheng Jiu didn't speak the dialect this time. Instead, he spoke Mandarin: "You've worked hard. Thank you."
Xin Gan also said thanks and then asked, "How much is the medical expense?"
Cheng Jiu chuckled and said a few words to the doctor in the local dialect, then turned to her and said, "You can go now."
That laugh, Xin Gan didn't understand what he meant.
It followed in the clouds and fog.
On her way back, she asked him, "Did you pay for my medicine?" How much is it? I'll give it to you.
"Are you so clear about it from me?" Cheng Jiu said indifferently.
She was a bit out of breath when walking. She had been sleeping all day and hadn't eaten much. She had run out of energy long ago. "She should be more careful."
Hearing this, Cheng Jiu glanced at her.
He's not bad in appearance. His facial features are much more mature and steady than those in the photos that Xin Gan had seen before. Those photos were shown to her by Cheng Jiu's parents, who were afraid that she might not even know what her fiance looked like during this visit. But Cheng Jiu didn't have a recent photo, only a graduation photo taken when she was in college.
Fiance.
Xin Gan's heart was heavily burdened by these three words. She hadn't forgotten the purpose of coming here.
However, the timing was not right and I never managed to bring it up to him.
Cheng Jiu chuckled lightly. The shadow behind him was stretched very long by the street lamp. He raised his head and looked at the dark sky in the distance. A gust of wind blew by. He said, "It's going to rain tomorrow. It's not a good day."
Cheng Jiu didn't care about the medicine expenses, but Xin Gan didn't want to owe him. Back at the inn, she insisted on giving him two cash notes and said, "I don't want to owe you as soon as I come. Although we are in that relationship, we haven't reached that point yet. This money should still be given to you."
His expression is a little serious.
Xin Gan felt a hint of fear in her heart, as if repaying him was her fault. She insisted on repaying the money and even soured their relationship. She recalled what her cousin had said before: Cheng Jiu was rather individualistic, had been very opinionated since childhood, and had a bad temper. In short, she should not have a direct conflict with him. If she encountered one, she should endure it first and then have a heart-wrenching argument with his family when she got home.
She stood there motionless. Cheng Jiu raised his eyebrows and said, "Since you're here, it should be me taking care of you. Don't think too much about it. I just don't want to worry the two families."
It turns out it's just because of this.
Xin Gan was overthinking it herself. She silently put the money away.
Seeing her put the money away, Cheng Jiu's expression softened a little.