Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The Baby Kicked

The young man pleaded breathlessly, "Doctor Cen, please go take a look!"

Cen Lin pondered for a moment before turning back to Lian Sheng. "Stay put. I'll go have a look."

So Lian Sheng went back inside Granny Liu's house to wait. In the distance, the sky darkened. The rain had stopped, but there was still no sign of Cen Lin.

Occasionally, he saw villagers passing by and discussing something, but he couldn't make out what they were saying.

He was getting bored, so he left the room, intending to keep Granny Liu company.

The door to Granny Liu's room was half-open. As Lian Sheng approached, he heard low coughing sounds from inside. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly knocked on the door. "Granny Liu, are you okay? May I come in?"

Granny Liu coughed a couple more times. "Just feeling a bit tired, it's nothing... come on in."

Lian Sheng pushed the door open and entered. At a glance, he saw Granny Liu half-lying on the small bed, her chest rising and falling slightly, occasionally letting out low coughs. "Lian Sheng, could you pour me a glass of water? My throat is killing me..."

"Okay." Lian Sheng hurriedly poured water for her. "Are you really alright? Did you catch a chill these past couple of days?"

Granny Liu shook her head. "I've just been visiting neighbors these past few days, didn't stay out long. Must just be old age; I'm not good for anything anymore."

"Don't say that!" Lian Sheng said anxiously.

...

"What's the diagnosis, Doctor Cen?" The young man stared intently at Cen Lin, who had just finished taking the pulse, asking anxiously.

"It's probably a contagious flu. The symptoms all match. The best solution currently is isolation treatment combined with medication. They should recover quickly." Cen Lin rummaged through his backpack and pulled out two medicine boxes. "Buy this medicine by name as soon as you can. Also..."

Hearing this, the young man's expression fell for a moment. He looked at his siblings lying in bed, then slowly raised his eyes to Cen Lin, very slowly taking the medicine boxes from him. "Um... Doctor Cen, can I ask you for a favor?"

"Go ahead," Cen Lin said.

"My family's situation..." The young man glanced around, his gaze sweeping over several old water vats and stools with wobbly legs, then sighed again. "Could you lend me some money to buy the medicine? But I'll definitely pay you back! I've already found a job in town, I can pay you back soon!"

After hearing this, Cen Lin was silent for a moment, then retrieved a card from inside his backpack. "I only brought this on this trip. You don't need to pay it back. Take good care of your family."

After saying that, he wrote down the precautions. "Just be diligent, and they'll pull through."

Then he packed his things and got ready to leave.

"Doctor Cen, thank you! Really, thank you so much!" The young man wiped away a tear, then smiled, revealing his canine teeth. "My name is Zhou Jianmin. I'm a model youth in this village. Don't worry! I'll definitely take good care of them!"

Cen Lin didn't speak, only paused slightly before turning to look at the house once more, then turned and left.

By the time he navigated the winding village paths back to Granny Liu's small courtyard, it was nearly evening. Pushing open the gate, he didn't see any cooking smoke.

Lian Sheng was sitting at Granny Liu's doorway, watching an old-fashioned kettle boil water. He held two pieces of wood in his hand, staring at the flames underneath, absentmindedly tossing them in one by one.

The kettle began to whistle. Lian Sheng got up again to lift the large iron kettle off the fire.

But he was pregnant, his belly already showing a slight curve. Though not very pronounced, he was still being careful because of the baby. When lifting the heavy iron kettle, he always had to be careful not to bump his stomach, so it was a bit of a strain.

The tall, large iron kettle was heavy as he lifted it. Lian Sheng stumbled, nearly losing his grip. "Ah—"

At the critical moment, fortunately, a pair of strong hands steadied his shoulders, pulling him aside, and simultaneously took the large iron kettle from his hand, placing it steadily on the limestone ground nearby.

Lian Sheng instinctively protected his belly, thinking to himself, *Thank goodness I didn't scare the baby.* Before he could process what happened, the person who had put down the kettle turned around and suddenly spoke coldly, "What are you doing? Can't you assess danger yourself? How old are you? Don't you understand something so simple?"

Lian Sheng was stunned by the scolding, his fingers still holding his clothes protectively over his stomach. His eyes reddened slightly, his voice weak. "I... I wanted to boil some hot water for Granny Liu. Her throat is uncomfortable, she's listless, and has been lying in bed for a long time. I was worried..."

He looked up at Cen Lin, his eyes filled with grievance, but he didn't argue back.

Cen Lin's face remained stern. He reached out and grabbed Lian Sheng's wrist. His fingertips touched the slightly cool skin, but his grip softened somewhat. His gaze swept over Lian Sheng's still-not-obvious belly. "Any pain? Stand steady."

His tone was still hard, but his eyes couldn't help but linger on Lian Sheng's waist and abdomen.

Hearing this, Lian Sheng shook his head, pursing his lips. "It's fine... the kettle was just too heavy."

As soon as he finished speaking, a violent fit of coughing suddenly erupted from inside the room, much more urgent than before.

Cen Lin's expression changed. He didn't bother scolding Lian Sheng further and turned to stride into the room, his steps much faster than when he had returned. Lian Sheng hurriedly followed, but his heart suddenly sank.

*Granny wasn't this bad just now. Why is she coughing so violently all of a sudden?*

Pushing the door open, they saw Granny Liu curled up on the bed, her chest heaving violently. A faint, barely noticeable trace of red seemed to be at the corner of her mouth.

Cen Lin quickly stepped forward and pressed his fingers to her pulse. His brows instantly furrowed into a knot. He said in a low voice, "This isn't ordinary fatigue. It's the precursor to flu symptoms. Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

Granny Liu gasped for breath, waving her hand weakly. "Didn't want to trouble you... Doctor Cen, with this old body of mine, is it..."

"No," Cen Lin interrupted her, turning to Lian Sheng. "Go get the first aid kit from my backpack. It's in the side pocket."

His voice was still calm, but Lian Sheng saw the fingers holding her pulse tighten slightly.

"Oh, Doctor Cen, there's one more thing," Lian Sheng suddenly said. "Xiao Ying seems to have the same symptoms."

Cen Lin frowned. "What?"

This remote, poorly connected mountain village saw numerous cases of infection erupt overnight. Lights were on in every household. The medicine Zhou Jianmin bought with the card Cen Lin provided was already used up, and many more villagers were coming down with it.

Cen Lin immediately prepared to go find the village chief. Isolation was now the top priority. How could they be allowed to just take medicine without isolation?

How could they ever be cured if things continued like this?

Before leaving, he turned to look at Lian Sheng once more, handing him a medical mask. "Put this on. Stay in your room and don't come out."

"But I still need to take care of Granny Liu..." Lian Sheng said hastily.

"Don't make me repeat myself," Cen Lin's tone held no softness. "Lian Sheng, don't forget your physical condition. Treatment would be very complicated if you got infected. Think it through."

Lian Sheng was jolted awake as if from a dream. His hand instinctively pressed against his belly. "I... I..."

"Go back and stay put." Cen Lin turned and left.

...

"Isolation?" The village chief took a sip of tea, frowning deeply. He turned to look at Cen Lin standing across the table. "Where would we get so many rooms for isolation? I know you're an educated person, but this matter can't be solved by your methods."

"Our village has had this kind of thing before. That Zhou Jianmin's family only moved here in recent years. They don't know, so they rashly came to you. Actually, it's evil spirits entering the body. Exorcism is needed to relieve the pain. You..." The village chief put down his teacup, tapping his fingers on the old-fashioned wooden table.

"Absurd!" Cen Lin said coldly. "Can a few sorceresses dancing around cure illness? Village Chief, have you gone mad, or has someone lost their mind? This is the era of the Republic, not a feudal dynasty!"

"Evil spirits?" Cen Lin stared at the teacup the village chief had placed on the table, his knuckles turning white from clenching. "What kind of evil spirit is contagious? Tell me, three more people just developed fevers. If we delay any longer, the elderly and children won't be able to hold on!"

"If there are no empty rooms, then fence off the abandoned threshing ground at the village entrance. Use plastic sheeting to set up a temporary isolation area. Once stabilized, send them to the hospital for treatment. I'll take the lead. Young, strong people who can help—"

"No!" The village chief immediately cut him off. "You don't know how severe the punishment from our local deity can be. It happens every few years. We take some medicine to sweat it out, then invite the spirit medium to exorcise the evil spirits. We've always managed to get through it. How can it be as serious as you say?"

As the two were at an impasse, Zhou Jianmin's frantic shout suddenly came from outside the door: "Chief! Doctor Cen! It's an emergency! Aunt Li's kid out west is burning up—he's passed out!"

Cen Lin's expression darkened. He wheeled around and headed for the door, throwing back a sentence: "If you won't authorize it, I'll act on my own! If people die, no one can take that responsibility!"

The village chief was fuming, but Zhou Jianmin caught him by the arm. "Chief, that child's life is on the line! Doctor Cen genuinely wants to save us. Just listen to him this once!"

Cen Lin, with Zhou Jianmin's help, was running around everywhere. He went to the town to buy more medicine and arranged for its distribution. Meanwhile, Zhou Jianmin wore himself out trying to persuade a few young people to go with him to the threshing ground to set up a temporary isolation zone.

Finally, they scattered some quicklime at the village entrance and doorways. They even put on a half-serious, half-fake act for some stubborn older villagers, pretending it was a message from the gods, to get them to accept these methods.

After several hours, all the young people, including Cen Lin, were covered in dust.

Cen Lin patted the dust off his clothes, watched a young man carrying freshly drawn water to distribute to the villagers, then looked away. "Keep an eye on things tonight. If it stabilizes, we can send them to the hospital."

"Where is the village's water source?" Cen Lin suddenly asked.

A young man helping nearby was about to speak when he was interrupted by a voice.

"It's bad!" Zhou Jianmin suddenly ran over from a distance, leaning over with his hands on his knees, panting urgently. "It's bad, Doctor Cen! Lian Sheng suddenly has a fever!"

"What?"

"I just went to deliver medicine and saw Lian Sheng leaning by the window, his face flushed. I felt his forehead—it was scary hot. But he's holding his stomach and absolutely refuses to take the medicine. What should we do? He's so stubborn!" Zhou Jianmin said anxiously.

Cen Lin immediately turned and left, picking up his pace. "You watch things here!"

As he wound through the twisting alleys, the corners of his clothes snapped in the wind.

Returning to the courtyard, the moment he pushed open the door, a wave of heat hit him. Lian Sheng was huddled at the head of the bed, his back against the wall, both hands tightly clutching his belly. His cheeks were flushed red, and his eyelashes were still wet with tears. Seeing Cen Lin enter, his lips moved, his voice hoarse beyond recognition. "You're back..."

"What's his temperature? Did you take it?" Cen Lin strode forward, reaching out to feel his forehead. The scalding heat made his fingers twitch. He took out a thermometer and tucked it under Lian Sheng's arm. "Why didn't you call me?"

"You were busy saving people..."

Cen Lin took out a box of medicine from a hidden compartment in his backpack; it was tucked away so discreetly you wouldn't find it without careful searching. "Sit up. Take the medicine."

Unexpectedly, upon hearing about taking medicine, Lian Sheng immediately waved his hands and shrank back. "No... I can't take medicine. The baby... the baby will be affected..."

"Don't be foolish." Cen Lin pushed the medicine forward again. "Take the medicine."

The pill was held right before Lian Sheng's eyes. The hand holding the water cup was already extended to his lips. Lian Sheng's heart hammered. He looked up at Cen Lin, only to find himself staring into an exceptionally cold gaze.

Lian Sheng's back was against the wall with nowhere left to go. He clutched the hem of his shirt tightly.

"Take the medicine."

Tears fell from Lian Sheng's eyes again, landing on the back of his hand protecting his stomach, warm and wet.

He looked at the pill so close at hand, his Adam's apple bobbed, his voice thick with tears. "I really can't take it... what if... what if something happens to the baby..."

His fingers were clenched so tightly he was crumpling the fabric.

"This medicine is safe for pregnancy. Your fever is too severe; we can't delay. If something happens to you, the child won't survive either. Take the medicine." Cen Lin's gaze softened for an instant, so fleeting it was hard to catch. But the hand holding the water cup didn't move. His tone remained heavy, yet carried an indescribable complexity. "I've calculated the dose."

These words hit Lian Sheng hard. He finally looked up, stunned. Tears were still falling, his eye sockets slightly red, like a wronged little fawn.

Yes, if something happened to him, what would happen to the baby?

After thinking it over, taking the medicine seemed better. Lian Sheng wanted to reach out for the water cup but found he had no strength in his hands. He could only lift his eyelids, his watery green eyes gazing at Cen Lin. "I..."

Cen Lin didn't speak. He just took out a clean handkerchief, tucked one end into Lian Sheng's collar as if making a makeshift bib for a child, then brought the pill to his lips. He waited for Lian Sheng to open his mouth, placed it inside, and then offered water to wash it down.

After the warm water and pill went down, Lian Sheng still felt terrifyingly hot all over, his body weak and sore, as if his bones were creaking.

His consciousness began to blur. He could only feel a pair of strong hands helping him lie down properly, then pulling the quilt up higher. A warm, cozy heat slowly circulated under the covers, easing his soreness.

But his forehead was still burning. When he closed his eyes and unconsciously moved them, even that slight motion seemed to tug at pain nerves.

It hurts... it's so uncomfortable...

Will the baby be okay?

A cool, damp towel was suddenly placed on his forehead. Lian Sheng drowsily half-opened his eyes and saw the man frowning, staring at the thermometer in his hand, lost in thought.

"Doctor Cen..."

The man said, "What is it?"

"You..." Lian Sheng was somewhat muddled, but his hand under the quilt still rested on his swollen belly. "Is the baby okay?"

"It's fine. You're both fine," Cen Lin said.

Hearing this, Lian Sheng finally relaxed and fell asleep.

Lian Sheng, burning with fever and confused, unconsciously grabbed Cen Lin's sleeve while turning over, as if afraid he would leave. His fingertips were even scalding hot, and he mumbled incoherently, "Don't leave... the baby is scared."

Cen Lin froze in place. He wanted to pull his hand back but was afraid of waking him. He could only remain still, looking down at the hand clutching his sleeve. His Adam's apple bobbed. Finally, he used his other hand to gently pat the back of Lian Sheng's hand.

His movements were awkward, as if comforting a confused little animal, his voice extremely low. "I'm not leaving."

...

Lian Sheng's illness lasted another two days.

He drifted in and out of consciousness, unaware of what was happening outside. He only knew that every day when Cen Lin returned to give him medicine, he smelled of medicine, and the hem of his clothes was stained with dust and mud.

Doctor Cen was someone who loved cleanliness; he would never have tolerated wearing such clothes before. But even without anyone telling him, Lian Sheng could guess the general situation. The village's circumstances were likely still far from optimistic, so busy that even Cen Lin had dark circles under his eyes and looked utterly exhausted.

"Doctor Cen, how is everyone? They..." Lian Sheng suddenly asked.

"Those who stabilized have been sent to the hospital. There's still a stubborn group refusing to go. The younger ones are still trying to persuade them. But the disinfection work has been fairly thorough," Cen Lin said.

Naturally, over these past few days, Cen Lin had led people in boiling water to wash utensils, isolating patients by zone, brewing honeysuckle and isatis root tea for distribution, and intercepting several spirit mediums invited by the village elders for prayers. A few clear-headed young people ran around everywhere. Finally, together with Cen Lin, this outsider, they managed to bring the outbreak under control.

They had worked almost non-stop, day and night. The work had indeed been done quite thoroughly.

However, after these villagers were sent to the hospital, it quickly attracted a small wave of social attention. Discussions online were incessant.

Conspiracy theories, accident theories... all sorts of voices emerged one after another.

Cen Lin only learned about these things the next day, after his phone was fully charged. But by the time he opened the trending topic push, the heat of this news had already slowly declined, sinking to the bottom.

Because a celebrity had an affair, and suddenly public opinion swept over like a tidal wave, crushing all other news underfoot, covering everything up completely.

All sorts of gossip accounts and marketing blogs seized the moment to unleash a wave of exposés, dazzling to the eye.

"What a mess." Cen Lin turned off his phone and looked up at the last villager being carried onto a vehicle for the hospital. He asked Zhou Jianmin beside him in a low voice, "Haven't those few elders relented yet?"

"Most have relented. You know how it is with the elderly—they hold deep convictions, and it's hard to change their minds quickly. But thankfully, their children are persuading them, so it should be resolved soon," Zhou Jianmin said.

"Mm." Cen Lin continued, "About your village..."

Zhou Jianmin looked up, puzzled. "Huh? What is it, Doctor Cen?"

"It's nothing," Cen Lin replied. "It's just that I rarely see outbreaks on this scale. Also, the village chief said earlier that outbreaks like this happen here every few years."

"Are you asking about..." Zhou Jianmin scratched his head, his expression troubled, and lowered his voice. "The old folks in the village say the mountain god is angry. Our village used to have no water—we had to fetch it from a river far away. Later, I heard the older generation risked their lives to dig two large wells in the back mountains, which made things easier for a few years. But driving nails into the mountain god's domain would surely anger him, so..."

"Though I don't believe it myself, and I haven't seen it with my own eyes, but this whole business is just too weird..." Zhou Jianmin added.

Cen Lin remained silent, a glint of coldness passing through his eyes.

There was no mountain god—it was clearly an undiscovered source of pollution.

"Where is it?" Cen Lin asked.

"...Huh?"

**

Zhou Jianmin stopped in front of an ancient well, glanced at the lush old trees around, and looked back at Cen Lin. "Doctor Cen, this is it."

Cen Lin leaned on the edge of the well, peered inside, then bent down to pick up some soil, his brow gradually furrowing.

He quickly took two small sealed bags from his pocket, collected soil samples from different spots, and sealed them away.

Zhou Jianmin watched, completely baffled.

What was he doing?

Lost in thought, he suddenly heard Cen Lin speak again. "Help me out."

Cen Lin lowered the bucket by the well into the water and gestured for Zhou Jianmin to help him turn the wooden crank. After several efforts, they finally drew up a bucket of water.

They set the bucket on the ground, and Cen Lin crouched to examine the water closely. He took out two more sealed bags, filled them with water samples, and then returned the bucket to the well as if it were no longer needed.

Zhou Jianmin couldn't hold back any longer. "Doctor Cen, what are you doing?"

"There's likely an undiscovered source of pollution. It doesn't hurt to check," Cen Lin said, carefully storing the sealed bags before glancing up at the sky. "Time to head back."

Zhou Jianmin immediately understood and smiled. "Going back to look after Lian Sheng? You're really good to your brother. I wish I had an older brother like you."

Cen Lin's steps paused slightly. "He's not my brother."

His tone was neither light nor heavy, but just enough for Zhou Jianmin to hear clearly. Scratching his head, Zhou Jianmin was even more confused.

Not his brother? But that kid Lian Sheng doesn't look like Doctor Cen's older brother either!

Cen Lin remained silent the whole way back. When they arrived at Granny Liu's small courtyard, he saw Lian Sheng sitting on a chair, gazing at the sky outside. Seeing Cen Lin return, Lian Sheng quickly stood up. "Cen—"

Cen Lin strode over and supported Lian Sheng, his fingertips brushing against Lian Sheng's slightly cool wrist. His brow furrowed even tighter. "You're not well yet—why are you overexerting yourself? Go back and lie down."

As he was being helped, Lian Sheng instinctively clutched Cen Lin's sleeve, his voice slightly breathless from standing up. "I took my medicine like I was supposed to. I don't have a fever anymore, and the baby is fine too..."

"Even so, you can't let your guard down," Cen Lin said. "Since you're feeling a bit better now, we need to head back tomorrow. There are some things I need to investigate as soon as possible."

"What things?" Lian Sheng asked curiously.

"You don't need to know."

...

Zhou Jianmin went door-to-door distributing the medicinal pancakes made at home. When it was the village chief's turn, he saw the chief frowning as if on a phone call with someone. He was about to leave when the chief called out to him, "Jianmin, do you need something?"

Hearing this, Zhou Jianmin turned and handed over the basket. "These are the pancakes made from Doctor Cen's prescription—they help clear heat and detoxify. He asked me to deliver some to every household."

"Oh, it's him..." The village chief stroked his beard. "What's he up to now?"

"Not much. Doctor Cen is a really good person—he helped us with a lot of things. The outbreak is almost under control now. But today was a bit strange... even though it was already evening, he insisted I take him to the back mountains..."

"The back mountains?" the village chief suddenly asked. "What did he go there for?"

"Well... he just collected some soil and water samples. Nothing else. It was just odd. I mean, you can't eat soil or water—why take that stuff..." Zhou Jianmin said, puzzled.

"Oh, right! I still have to deliver pancakes to the next house. I won't keep you, Chief. Goodbye!" Zhou Jianmin waved and ran off.

Only silence remained in that small space.

**

They left in the afternoon. Several young villagers who had worked alongside them came to see them off. Lian Sheng sat in the car, watching through the window as Cen Lin spoke with the others outside. Though he couldn't hear what they were saying, he could see Zhou Jianmin smiling.

Then, after a few waves, Cen Lin turned and walked toward the car. "Let's go. Time to go home."

Lian Sheng didn't reply. He touched his rounded belly and yawned. "I'm so sleepy, Doctor Cen. I'll take a nap first. Wake me when we—"

Before he could finish, Cen Lin glanced over to see Lian Sheng already asleep, his head tilted to the side.

Cen Lin reached into the back seat, pulled out a thin blanket, and draped it over Lian Sheng before starting the car.

The car drove steadily along, turning through several mountain roads. Occasionally, they passed villagers gathering firewood on their way home in the evening.

Suddenly, a group of young men in leather jackets walked by. As Cen Lin drove past, they exchanged glances. Cen Lin watched them through the rearview mirror.

He gradually pressed down on the accelerator, slowly picking up speed.

The villagers here wouldn't wear such expensive clothes. Besides, the village was mostly filled with the elderly, weak, women, and children. Among the young people who stayed behind, most did so to care for their families and had meager incomes—how could they afford such costly attire...

The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. He dialed the village chief's landline. "Hello, this is Cen Lin. I apologize for disturbing your rest..."

The elderly voice on the other end replied, "I understand. The village won't have any problems. They're probably just some troublemakers. If there are issues, I'll call the police to handle it. You don't need to worry."

After the call ended, Cen Lin glanced at the rearview mirror again. Though a vague sense of unease lingered, there was nothing more he could do.

Beside him, Lian Sheng stirred awake in the passenger seat. "I'm so hungry, Doctor Cen. Aren't we there yet?"

"We just left the mountains. It'll be a while longer," Cen Lin said. "Hold on a little longer. I'll take you to a restaurant for some meat."

Hearing there would be meat, Lian Sheng's eyes immediately lit up. "Okay! Then drive faster!"

The car had just turned onto a brick-paved road when someone suddenly rushed into the middle of the street. Startled, Cen Lin instinctively slammed on the brakes. The car jolted to a halt, and he lurched forward from the momentum, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

Beside him, Lian Sheng was caught off guard. As he pitched forward, he instinctively wrapped his arms around his belly. The baby inside shifted slightly, causing Lian Sheng's body to stiffen instantly. Everything happened too fast for him to process. "What happened?"

Then, a strong hand gripped his wrist. Cen Lin's serious, intense eyes locked onto his. "Listen carefully. Stay right here and don't move. This is my matter—don't get involved."

Lian Sheng: "?"

Cen Lin's hand felt cool yet carried a warm, comforting touch. As he spoke, the rhythm of his breathing shifted, and Lian Sheng could even feel a faint, steady pulse. Staring into his eyes, Lian Sheng pushed aside all other thoughts and, almost as if compelled, nodded. "Okay..."