Chapter 46: Torrential Rain

“Sisi! Sisi! Sisi!”

Everyone called out anxiously, pinching Jiang Si’s philtrum, but they still couldn’t wake her.

Jiang Chengwu touched her forehead—she wasn’t feverish; in fact, her temperature was slightly low.

Even though she was unconscious, the pain on her face showed no signs of easing.

Jiang Chengwu flipped through several medical books. With no real experience, he wasn’t even at the level of a village doctor. Hating his own helplessness, and under the desperate gazes of the others, he clenched his teeth and said:

“Should we… call Qin Shen over to try?”

No one had any better ideas. Qin Shen was the only doctor they could rely on—their last lifeline.

Even if the supplies in the house might arouse his suspicion, they had no choice but to take the risk.

Jiang Linhai immediately stood up.

“I’ll go get him!”

Shen Baoying was extremely worried, but she still retained some rationality:

“You’d better check if he’s even willing to come!”

Qin Shen was a good person, but outside were ferocious alligator gars, and even with a lifeboat, just reaching Qin Shen’s home—and returning—would be extremely dangerous.

Qin Shen and Sisi weren’t even dating. With a risk that high, who would be willing?

Her words sobered Jiang Linhai. He frowned and said:

“Then I’ll try to contact him from Sisi’s room.”

“Good.”

The torrential rain between the two houses fell like a thick curtain, and the roaring sound of the rain was like nature’s own soundproof wall.

Jiang Linhai cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted:

“Qin Shen! Qin Shen—can you hear me?!”

The only reply was the cold patter of rain.

Everyone joined in, shouting together:

“Qin Shen! Qin Shen! Sisi is sick—can we trouble you to take a look? Qin Shen—!!”

Still, there was no response.

Jiang Linhai slumped in defeat.

“Maybe he heard us… and just doesn’t want to come.”

Shen Baoying held back tears:

“It’d be understandable if he didn’t.”

THUNK—

Something suddenly slammed against their outer wall.

Everyone froze—and then immediately burst into joy.

It seemed to have been thrown from Qin Shen’s house!

Jiang Linhai picked up the rock wrapped in plastic and retrieved a note from inside.

Everyone crowded around. On the slip of paper were a few crisp, clear characters:

“Don’t worry. I’m coming.”

Shen Baoying clutched the note, crying with joy:

“Qin Shen is truly such a good person!”

Jiang Linhai was worried:

“It’s too dangerous for him to wade across. I’ll row over to pick him up instead!”

Jiang Chengwu shook his head:

“The rain is too heavy, and there are alligator gars in the water. You can’t row alone—we’ll go together. Let’s lower the lifeboat now!”

Then he turned to Zhang Qingzhi and said:

“If we don’t come back… take good care of yourselves!”

Zhang Qingzhi’s eyes filled with tears. She choked back emotion and nodded.

Jiang Linhai had just placed Jiang Si on the steel-framed bed in her room when—

Knock knock—

The window was being knocked on.

Everyone turned in unison, eyes wide in shock.

Qin Shen was somehow hanging outside the window, suspended in the middle of the raging storm!

SPLASH—

A massive alligator gar leapt up, jaws wide, aiming straight for Qin Shen.

Everyone froze in terror.

But Qin Shen, with legs like reinforced steel, kicked out hard.

The alligator gar never expected its prey to strike back—and certainly didn’t expect a kick as fierce as a martial arts master’s.

In an instant, the gar was dazed, its snout twisted, and it even lost a few teeth.

With a splash, it plunged back into the water and fled in fear.

Jiang Linhai was the first to react. He rushed to open the window and pulled Qin Shen inside, excitedly asking:

“How did you get here?”

There hadn’t been any sign of a boat—it was incredible.

Qin Shen calmly replied:

“I swam from the back.”

He was soaked to the bone from the rain, so no one questioned it. They hurried to hand him a towel, hot water, and dry clothes.

While Qin Shen examined Jiang Si, Shen Baoying discreetly shut the room where they’d been preparing to lower the lifeboat.

Qin Shen reached out to feel Jiang Si’s pulse.

Her lashes fluttered slightly, and her tightly furrowed brows began to relax a little.

Jiang Chengwu’s eyes lit up. Could it be that Qin Shen also knew traditional Chinese medicine?

Jiang Linhai asked urgently:

“Xiao Shen, what’s wrong with Sisi? Can you tell?”

Qin Shen pressed Jiang Si’s wrist, his gaze lingering on her face. After a long pause, he replied:

“It might be a rare case of sudden cardiac syncope. I’ve read about it in foreign medical journals.”

No one understood. They quickly asked:

“Is there a way to treat it?”

Qin Shen spoke with full seriousness:

“We can try a conservative approach—traditional Chinese acupressure massage.”

Everyone was stunned. Acupressure? To treat sudden cardiac syncope?

Something felt… off.

But looking at Qin Shen’s earnest expression, they swallowed their doubts.

Jiang Linhai asked:

“Xiao Shen, can you teach us the massage technique?”

Qin Shen nodded:

“I’ll demonstrate once—watch carefully.”

Everyone nodded intently.

Qin Shen reached out and, starting from Jiang Si’s arm, began applying pressure with subtle adjustments.

He even answered questions about how much force to use.

The session lasted over two hours without pause.

When Jiang Linhai offered to take over so Qin Shen’s hands wouldn’t get sore, something unexpected happened.

Just as Qin Shen’s fingers left, Jiang Si instinctively grabbed his hand and pressed it against her chest.

“…”

The Jiang family turned to stone.

Qin Shen tried to pull away, but she held on tighter. He frowned as she murmured:

“Run again and I’ll bite you…”

“…”

Jiang Linhai met Qin Shen’s dark eyes and felt like Jiang Si had taken advantage of him, blushing furiously and unsure what to say.

Shen Baoying hurriedly nudged Jiang Si:

“Sisi, wake up! Let go—let go!”

In her dream, Jiang Si felt like she was lying on a luxury mattress, with a soft, chubby tiger using its belly as her pillow—unbelievably cozy.

The constant buzzing in her ears annoyed her until she reluctantly opened her eyes.

And the first thing she saw—was Qin Shen’s cold, handsome face.

She jolted awake. Her gaze darted between his hand and her chest, and she froze.

What the hell?!

Why was she holding Qin Shen’s hand there?

Everyone was relieved she woke up, but afraid she’d accuse Qin Shen of being a pervert. Shen Baoying quickly explained:

“Sisi, you fainted, and Qin Shen braved the rain to swim over and save you!”

Suddenly, her palm felt empty—like a part of her was missing.

Jiang Si felt strangely irritable and curtly said:

“Thank you!”

Seeing her frown, Qin Shen said in his deep voice:

“It might happen again.”

Shen Baoying quickly asked:

“If we use the massage technique you taught us, will we be able to wake Sisi too?”

Qin Shen looked at her and replied:

“Depends on your skill level.”

Jiang Si was thoroughly confused.

What kind of illness was this, that only Qin Shen’s massage could cure?

His technique was extremely complex, each motion with varying force. Shen Baoying wasn’t sure they’d memorized it correctly.

She exchanged glances with the others and said:

“Xiao Shen, the rain’s so heavy, and there are alligator gars in the water—why don’t you wait until it stops before heading back?”