Qin Du also froze for a moment. He cleared his throat awkwardly, "Then let's take it back and eat it."
He had originally suggested letting the rabbit go because he was afraid Ji Zhaoxi would think he was cruel.
After all, she had never seen him hunt before. Normally, there was no way he would have let it go.
Ji Zhaoxi was also a bit embarrassed. So Brother Qin Du just wanted to bring her along to experience the fun of hunting?
Would what she just said make her seem like a glutton?
The two held hands, but both were preoccupied with their own thoughts.
A few days later, Qin Du went up the mountain to hunt again. This time, he made sure to tell Ji Zhaoxi beforehand.
Seeing that she couldn't stop him, Mother Qin sighed and told him to be careful.
He went to the deep mountain area to hunt as usual. With the experience from the first time, the second time went much faster. However, while holding his gun, his back was accidentally rammed by a wild boar. The wound this time was quite deep and needed to be treated as soon as possible.
Qin Du dragged the wild boar back to a cave, then went home to apply medicine to his wound. Once he was bandaged up, he prepared to head back up the mountain.
The signs of the dead wild boar were obvious, and he was worried someone might steal it from the cave.
Just as he was about to leave, he sensed that something was wrong.
Usually, he could hear sounds coming from Ji Zhaoxi next door, but right now it was dead quiet. The door wasn't latched, so it didn't look like no one was home.
Qin Du's brows furrowed instantly. He stood at the door and knocked, "Zhaoxi?"
After calling out several times, he finally heard a faint response.
As soon as Qin Du entered the room, he found Ji Zhaoxi curled up on the bed, her forehead covered in cold sweat.
Qin Du's expression changed. He quickly touched her forehead; she didn't have a fever.
"I'll go get a doctor."
Ji Zhaoxi grabbed his sleeve. Burying her face in the pillow, she said weakly, "No need for a doctor."
"How can you not see a doctor when you're this sick?" Qin Du's brows knitted tightly. "It's okay, Zhaoxi, I'll stay with you."
Ji Zhaoxi choked up for a second; she didn't need him to stay with her.
Seeing that Ji Zhaoxi wasn't speaking, Qin Du grew so anxious that his eyes turned red. "What exactly is wrong, Zhaoxi? If the local clinic can't cure it, we'll go to the county hospital. It can definitely be cured. Don't worry about the money."
"You still have to go to college later. I've already saved up your tuition. You've worked hard for so long, do you want to just throw it all away so easily?"
"It's going to be fine. I'll call the doctor over first to give you a quick checkup..."
Ji Zhaoxi had never heard Qin Du speak so much. If her stomach wasn't hurting so badly right now, she definitely would have laughed out loud, but she was in too much agony.
Looking at Ji Zhaoxi, whose eyes had suddenly turned red and who looked completely drained, Qin Du was suddenly at a loss for what to do.
"Brother Qin Du, just go do what you need to do. I'm fine..."
"I just got my period."
Qin Du froze upon hearing this, his mind going blank for a second.
He stood awkwardly to the side and asked hesitantly, "Zhaoxi, do you know how to handle it?"
What kind of question was that? Ji Zhaoxi buried herself in the blankets, not wanting to pay attention to him.
Qin Du's ears turned red, realizing he had said the wrong thing. Not daring to ask any further, he turned and walked toward the door.
A little while later, Ji Zhaoxi felt a corner of the blanket being lifted, and then several hot water bottles were stuffed inside.
Ji Zhaoxi groggily opened her eyes and grabbed his hand under the covers. His hand was incredibly hot.
"Brother Qin Du..." her voice carried a hint of a sob.
Qin Du sighed. He crouched by the bed, using one hand to wipe her tears and placing the other over her stomach, gently rubbing it for her.
After he rubbed it for a long time, Ji Zhaoxi's tense body finally relaxed. Soon, her breathing gradually steadied.
Qin Du touched the hot water bottles. They were still hot, but not hot enough. He took out a few of the bottles and walked toward the door.
Ji Zhuxin had just returned and was taken aback when she saw him. "What's wrong, Qin Du?"
Qin Du nodded politely. "Sister Zhuxin, Zhaoxi isn't feeling well. I'm filling some hot water for her."
Ji Zhuxin looked at the metal hot water bottles he was holding and choked on her words. Could these two really talk about such things with each other?
Or was she just too old-fashioned?
Ji Zhuxin had known since early morning that Ji Zhaoxi wasn't feeling well. She was always like this for the first few days. They had gone to the local clinic before, but the doctor only said the pain would stop after she had a baby in the future.
She took off her military overcoat, returned to the room, and touched Ji Zhaoxi's face with heartache. "Do you want to go see that old woman again?"
Ji Zhaoxi was instantly jolted awake by fear and quickly shook her head.
The old woman Ji Zhuxin mentioned was the village's old witch doctor, who specialized in treating women's ailments. She was very eccentric, and Ji Zhaoxi was absolutely terrified of her.
The last time Ji Zhuxin took Ji Zhaoxi to see her, it cost quite a bit of money.
That old witch doctor had killed a large rooster right in front of them, then told Ji Zhaoxi to press the freshly killed, still warm and bleeding chicken against her stomach, claiming this would draw the cold energy into the chicken.
It scared Ji Zhaoxi so much that she immediately started crying and absolutely refused to let the chicken near her stomach. Although Ji Zhuxin was used to seeing such things, even she felt a bit repulsed. The chicken was so dirty.
After that, Ji Zhuxin just took Ji Zhaoxi and left.
Qin Du caught two sparrows and simmered them slowly over a low fire, waiting patiently.
Ji Zhuxin walked over and took a look. "Qin Du, you're making soup."
Qin Du nodded. "Sparrow soup. Zhaoxi should feel a bit better after drinking it."
Ji Zhuxin completely didn't know what to say about the two of them anymore.
How should she put it? She didn't even know if these two truly understood what was going on. If she brought it up directly, she was afraid of ruining the pure feelings between the two youngsters.
Once the soup was ready, Qin Du helped Ji Zhaoxi sit up from the bed and let her lean against him. Qin Du fed her small sips at a time, and her complexion finally improved a bit.
"Let's go to the hospital to get it checked once you feel better. There has to be a way to treat it."
Ji Zhaoxi said listlessly, "The doctor said it won't stop hurting until after I have a baby."
Qin Du's brows knitted tightly. "Then we'll go to the county hospital to have it checked."
It wouldn't hurt after having a baby? Why did that sound so strange?
Feeling unwell, Ji Zhaoxi was much clingier than usual. Qin Du knew she was uncomfortable but didn't know how to help her, so he could only do his best to ease her pain.
He gently rubbed her lower back. "Here?"
Ji Zhaoxi gave a muffled hum of agreement, leaning into his embrace.
Qin Du sighed with heartache and held her hand.
When he was studying for his exams before, he had read in a book that it was best to use absorbent cotton and gauze. He hesitated over whether he should go to the county town to buy some for her to keep at home.
But would that be too intrusive...
"Brother Qin Du, will you treat me this well for the rest of my life?"
Ji Zhaoxi asked in a small voice.
Qin Du's body stiffened for a moment. "If you don't mind having me."
Ji Zhaoxi fell asleep again. Her breathing was very light, and the corners of her eyes were slightly damp. She looked nothing like her usual self, appearing incredibly fragile.
Qin Du carefully laid her down on the bed and pressed a kiss to her hair.
He absolutely had to take her to the county hospital to get checked.
