Chapter 296: The Moon over Qingxiao

Chapter 296: The Moon over Qingxiao

Thump, thump, thump—

He Qingxiao heard his own heart pounding like a drum.

He thought, she must have heard it too.

As soon as he realized this, his breath caught, and his mind went blank.

Yet, the soft, cool touch of her lips was a stark reminder of the situation.

This was wrong; Miss Xin was teaching him how to save a drowning person.

But her lips were so soft, he could hardly control the urge to respond.

He Qingxiao was at a loss and felt helpless, realizing for the first time that his self-control was no match against the girl he liked.

Beneath all these emotions, it was the sprouting buds breaking through the heart that bloomed into flowers, the spring water flowing through a river that had endured a long winter, and the lonely, forlorn youth finally walking into the spring light after a long journey.

As the man’s breathing began to falter, Xin You let him go.

"For a drowning person who has fallen into a coma, or due to other accidents leading to coma, the most effective method is mouth-to-mouth resuscitation combined with chest compressions," Xin You said, her tone serious and formal, the darkness hiding her flushed cheeks.

She admitted, just now she had wanted to get close to him, to touch him.

Growing up, her eyes had seen so much, and she should have known that many accidents happen in an instant, with no time for goodbyes.

If she hadn’t kissed the person she loved, if she didn’t know what a kiss felt like, how tragic that would be.

Now, that’s done—with these thoughts flashing through her mind, Xin You closed her eyes and fell into a coma again.

"What should the interval be for chest compressions?" He Qingxiao asked, then realizing something was wrong, "Miss Xin!"

The girl’s head softly rested on his shoulder, remaining unresponsive.

"Miss Xin!"

His heart tightened. When he gently pushed her, she still didn’t respond. His mind quickly recalled the steps to save her, laying her down flat, his lips pressing firmly against hers.

This time, there was no space for romance, only tension.

Feeling the pressure on her own chest, Xin You didn’t have the strength to raise her hand, her voice faint and nearly inaudible, "I'm just too tired."

He froze in place. After a moment, he placed his hand under her nose, feeling her faint breath, and finally, his fear began to subside.

But the worry wouldn’t go away.

Such extreme exhaustion could easily lead to illness.

They needed to return to the city as soon as possible, where there were doctors, comfortable lodging, and ample medicine.

He scooped up Xin You and groped his way through the darkness.

The cave was narrow and eerily quiet, each step had to be taken with care to avoid any accidents. After about fifteen minutes of cautious walking, the front suddenly brightened.

He Qingxiao quickened his pace and walked out.

Outside the cave, the water flowed gently, the vegetation was lush, and a few startled deer fled at the noise.

The coldness he had caught in the cave dissipated, with the warm sunlight after the rain now falling on him.

He Qingxiao glanced around, his brows furrowing.

All he could see were endless mountain ranges, and it would take some time to find a way out.

He looked down at the girl he was holding.

Her hair was loose, dripping wet, and her wet clothes clung to her slender body. Her makeup had smeared, making her resemble a tabby cat.

He Qingxiao searched around and carefully laid Xin You on a large, flat stone beside the stream. He took out a handkerchief which was already damp and cleaned her face bit by bit, revealing her true appearance.

The girl's face was bloodless, pale and fragile, like fleeting clouds in the sky.

He Qingxiao checked her breathing again.

It was light, but still steady.

"Miss Xin, we need to find a way out," he said, carrying the unconscious girl on his back and carefully determining the direction before moving forward.

As it slowly grew dark, the endless mountains were still visible, with faint roars of wild beasts echoing in the distance.

He Qingxiao knew they couldn't continue walking. He found a nearby cave, and luckily, the fire starter in his pocket hadn't been lost. He gathered some dry branches and started a bonfire.

The warmth of the fire dispelled the coldness in the cave, but that night, Xin You fell into a fever.

"Cold," she murmured weakly, her hand aimlessly grabbing at something.

He Qingxiao grasped her hand and felt her forehead.

The scorching heat on his fingertips alarmed him.

The handkerchief, dipped in the cold stream, was placed on her forehead to lower the temperature. In the firelight, he could see her flushed cheeks.

"Miss Xin, just hold on a little longer. We'll be out of here tomorrow."

As long as they could get out of the deep mountains, it would be much better. Even if they didn't encounter anyone searching for them, it would still be better than the current situation.

Xin You wasn't completely unconscious at this point and even felt quite awake, somewhat like when she had been drunk. She was talkative, daring to say anything.

"Lord He, aren't you cold?"

He Qingxiao wasn't sure if the feverish girl was merely rambling or if she was really asking him.

But he still replied patiently, "I'm not cold."

Xin You forced her eyes open, full of confusion and righteous indignation, "If you're not cold, why don't you hold me? Then I wouldn't be cold."

He Qingxiao was certain now, Miss Xin was talking nonsense.

It reminded him of the time she got drunk, seemingly awake as usual, but once she opened her mouth, it left him at a loss, fearing she might say something earth-shattering at any moment.

"Lord He?" Not receiving an answer, the girl called him and closed her eyes again.

"I'm here."

"Your name sounds very nice."

He Qingxiao paused for a moment, then said gently, "Then from now on, you can call me by my name."

"That wouldn't be right."

"Why?"

"Just like you wouldn’t call me Ayou."

He fell silent for a moment.

Seeing the drowsy girl under the firelight, he realized she didn’t fully understand what she was saying.

If that’s the case, why not humor her?

A low voice, clear in the quiet cave, called out, "Ayou."

The girl’s eyelids fluttered slightly, clearly hearing it.

"My mother used to call me that," she said softly.

His heart softened, and he called her name again, Ayou.

Xin You wanted to open her eyes to see the second person in the world to call her 'Ayou,' but her eyelids felt impossibly heavy.

She gave up the struggle and moved her lips, "Then I still can't call you 'Qingxiao.'"

"Why?" He couldn't help but ask.

The half-conscious girl murmured a line of poetry: "How regretful, the clear night moon, with no one to lean on the tower with," unsure which collection it was from.

He was slightly startled, "Do you think the meaning is bad?"

He had no memory of his parents and had never considered the meaning behind a name they might have given him. Having never experienced a stern father or a loving mother, names like Qingxiao or Yuanyuan held no special meaning for him.

So, Xin You found the name unfavorable.

A bitter feeling rose in He Qingxiao’s heart as he forced a smile.

"No," Xin You denied, her feverish discomfort causing her to frown. Her voice was light and unanchored, "Someone as clever as you, if I called you Qingxiao, you’d realize I like you."

And that would be a problem.