Proofreader:Sandra

Chapter 163

The hotel door was flung open, and the cold wind mixed with raindrops surged in suddenly. The items on the table inside were immediately scattered, as this was the peak of the typhoon’s fury.

Song Wen and Lu Siyu rushed outside the guesthouse, with Teacher Su following them.

The surroundings were pitch-black, with the combined wind and rain almost blinding them. The typhoon instantly soaked their clothes, and every step forward required immense effort.

Perhaps due to the typhoon’s impact, the night seemed darker than usual. The swaying branches cast reflections, and combined with the nearby roaring flames, it felt as though the gates of hell had been opened.

They were now acutely feeling the typhoon’s power. The howling sea wind was like the wailing of ghosts, mixed with the roaring wind, crashing waves, and intense explosions, all assaulting their eardrums.

Song Wen gripped Lu Siyu’s hand tightly, pushing forward. After a few dozen seconds, they finally reached the cake shop, only five meters away from the burning building.

At that moment, another loud explosion came from the building, and flames shot up several meters high, followed by another deafening blast.

The burning flames rolled out like waves, with the high temperatures sweeping over them. The fire reached up to the sky, turning their world into a sea of orange-red.

Among the flames, there were strange sounds that seemed like eerie wails.

Standing so close, they could see clearly that the fire was spreading from the back of the cake shop, gradually moving forward. The restaurant section in the front had not yet been consumed by the fire.

“Teacher Su, stay outside to support us!” Song Wen shouted.

Teacher Su wanted to say something more, but Lu Siyu interrupted, “It’s dangerous inside; having more people just makes it more chaotic.”

Hearing this, Teacher Su stopped.

Song Wen smashed the glass window on the side of the cake shop with his elbow and jumped inside. The fire had not yet reached this part.

Lu Siyu followed him in, handing Song Wen a towel he had instinctively grabbed when leaving. It was completely soaked from the rain. He warned, “Watch out for toxic gases!”

Song Wen took the towel and asked, “What about you?”

“I’ll be careful…” Lu Siyu said, stretching out the wet sleeves of his coat to cover his nose and mouth.

Song Wen covered his nose and surveyed the surroundings, trying to find his bearings through the thick smoke. This place seemed to be a different shop from the one they had visited during the day. Relying only on memory, he said, “The fire is too big.”

The burnt smell on the scene was making Lu Siyu feel nauseous. He listened and said, “I think I hear crying…”

Song Wen also heard it amidst the wind and rain—the cry of a girl. At least the little girl was still alive.

They followed the sound of the crying. As they moved further in, the area burned by the fire grew larger, and there were more flames around them.

The thick smoke made it hard to tell the direction, and it grew denser as they went further.

The girl’s cries were getting fainter. They reached the doorway of the kitchen, which had been blown off its hinges and lay crooked to one side. Ahead was the raging fire.

Song Wen turned to Lu Siyu and said, “Wait here and don’t go further. I’ll check the situation!” He grasped Lu Siyu’s wrist and added, “Be obedient!”

Lu Siyu did not stubbornly follow and waited outside the door.

Song Wen kicked the door open and dashed inside.

Outside, the typhoon was fierce, with the wind and rain intensifying. The fire was massive, with continuous explosions and thick smoke billowing from the building. Lu Siyu could feel the flames licking his cheeks and the sharp pain on his skin.

He stood at the door of the fire scene, covering his mouth with his sleeve and holding his breath, counting the seconds from 1 to 90.

Under the scorching flames and smoke, his eyes could barely open, but he dared not close them for fear of missing anything.

This one and a half minutes was the most torturous wait for Lu Siyu, feeling as if his chest was being twisted by a saw. Then he shouted into the inferno, “Song Wen!”

His voice was quickly drowned out by the sounds of wind, rain, and explosions. The fire burned fiercely, with no response.

The burned building was swaying precariously, seemingly on the verge of collapsing.

Lu Siyu could no longer worry about toxic gases. He put down his hand from covering his nose and mouth, gritted his teeth, and placed his hand on the doorframe, feeling the intense heat in his palm.

He suddenly regretted not rushing in with Song Wen… But he knew very well that the fire was too intense, making it easy to get lost inside, and his stamina couldn’t last long. He could become a burden. It was safer for Song Wen to go in alone rather than with both of them.

As time ticked away, his rationality was gradually consumed. Lu Siyu suddenly felt like he was back nineteen years ago, at that moment when his eyes were covered.

Though he was in the fire scene, a chilling terror surged within him. His whole being, his heart, was tormented between the extreme heat and cold.

Was he truly an ill-fated person? Even Song Wen could be affected by him?

If something really happened to Song Wen, how would he face the future?

The burning cake shop seemed to be engulfed in the flames of hell. Lu Siyu felt as though he was in the eighteenth level of hell, with flames devouring everything and the choking smoke scorching his throat.

He stared blankly, calling into the heart of the fire, “Song Wen!!” The heart-wrenching shout carried a hint of sobbing, and a tear slid down his pale cheek, cutting through the burn marks.

For a moment, the fire scene was silent. Finally, someone inside responded, “I’m here! Your husband is not dead yet!”

Then Lu Siyu saw Song Wen break through the flames and run out. Behind him, a burning beam crashed to the ground, life and death seemingly just a step apart.

Lu Siyu saw that Song Wen was carrying someone in one arm—the girl they had seen during dinner. The girl appeared unconscious, her eyes tightly shut, wearing only a thin nightgown, almost draped over Song Wen’s shoulder.

“Song Wen, are you… are you okay? Are you injured?” Lu Siyu asked anxiously.

The intense flames had burned Song Wen’s wrist, causing a searing pain, and the towel was lost in the fire. Song Wen coughed and shook his head, saying, “I’m fine, but I only managed to save this girl.”

The fire was too fierce, and the explosions were violent. Soon after he entered, he found the path completely blocked by the flames. It was impossible for anyone else to be alive inside, but fortunately, he found the girl hiding under a table.

They rushed towards the exit and reached the window they had come through. Song Wen handed the girl out to Teacher Su, who hurriedly received her.

Then Song Wen jumped out and pulled Lu Siyu out.

The fire behind them grew even fiercer, with another explosion sending waves of intense heat pushing them forward. Song Wen barely had time to shield Lu Siyu with his body, while the blast’s impact pushed him from behind.

Song Wen knew his back had likely caught fire. He rolled on the ground to extinguish the flames on his body. The sound of the explosion was so loud it made him doubt whether his eardrums would burst. For about ten seconds, he couldn’t hear anything clearly before Lu Siyu pulled him up.

Teacher Su had also protected the girl and, once the heat wave passed, continued to move forward.

The group finally reached a safe distance. In just a moment, the flames had devoured the room they had been in, fiercely tearing through it.

When they reached safety, Lu Siyu dared to breathe and looked back at the blazing inferno. They had fled far away, but the heat from the flames could still be felt as it was swept along by the wind.

Lu Siyu stared blankly at the firelight, the rain still pouring down. The cold raindrops slid down his face and into his clothes.

On this small island, on this stormy typhoon night, with the raging fire and violent explosions, the possibility of anyone else surviving inside the building was almost none.

After a moment, Lu Siyu seemed to snap out of his daze, blinking and pulling Song Wen into the villa.

The door closed, shutting out the raging wind and flames. The fire still crackled and burned outside.

Everyone gathered around, asking in a flurry.

“Are you all okay?”

“That was so dangerous… It scared me to death…”

Teacher Su was still holding the girl, adjusting her nightgown to cover her legs, and carefully laid her down on the sofa in the hall.

The two female students hurried over. The little girl coughed a few times, and her eyelashes fluttered.

Uncle Wang brought out towels and blankets from inside, wiping the water and marks off the girl’s face and body. Fortunately, aside from some burns on her lower legs, the girl had not suffered any other serious injuries.

Lu Siyu noticed some burn marks on Song Wen’s wrist and said urgently, “Your wrist is burned!”

Song Wen used his other hand to support his wrist and replied, “It’s nothing serious. Just help me apply some medicine later.”

Uncle Wang quickly said, “I have some burn ointment, as well as bandages and alcohol…”

At this moment, the little girl finally woke up, crying as she lifted her soot-stained, darkened face and asked, “My mom… and Uncle Yang…”

Everyone fell silent for a moment.

Given the intensity of the fire and explosions, it was already fortunate that she was saved. The others, unfortunately, were likely to be reduced to ashes. Fortunately, during the recent holiday, only the landlady and the cake maker were there, which avoided even greater casualties.

Teacher Su sighed, looking at the girl with sympathy, and gently reached out to smooth her hair, saying, “What a poor child.”

The girl sat up, hugging her knees, and began to cry again.

Song Wen silently watched. The girl had already lost her father, and now her mother had been burned to death. The family’s cake shop was destroyed, leaving her uncertain about what to rely on in the future.

Qiu Lan wiped the marks on the girl’s face with her hand and gently asked, “What should we do now?”

Chen Zui asked nervously, “Will the fire spread here?”

Uncle Wang frowned and said, “Right now… the island’s communications are down, so we can’t call for help, and there’s no fire station on the island…” On such a stormy night, there was no way to fight the fire.

Lu Siyu, having examined Song Wen’s injury and finding it not too severe, finally calmed down. “The fire in the cake shop is intense, likely due to a lot of flammable materials and some explosives inside. Since this is on a cliff with little surrounding vegetation, it shouldn’t spread too far. The fire should die down by itself in a few hours.”

He had already observed the surrounding situation from outside the fire. The fire wouldn’t spread further.

As the others looked back, the fire indeed seemed to have diminished significantly, just as he had said.

Lu Siyu then asked the girl, “What exactly happened last night?”

The girl continued to cry and said, “Last night… around eight, the hotel’s power went out, and then we all went to bed early. I… I suddenly heard a loud bang in my sleep, and then the fire started…”

Lu Siyu asked again, “Did you not sleep with your mother?”

The girl wiped her tears and said, “I’ve been sleeping in a separate room from my parents since I was six… My room is close to the hall in the cake shop. I heard the explosion, so I ran out and hid under a table. I called for help, crying from fear, and then Uncle came to rescue me…”

Song Wen took out his phone with his uninjured hand, checked the time, and noted that it was just past three in the morning. They and the girl were all in a very disheveled state. He pulled Lu Siyu aside and said, “Let’s leave things as they are tonight. We should go rest for a while and keep an eye on the fire at the cake shop. We’ll handle the rest in the morning.”

Uncle Wang looked at the girl and said, “Our female workers have already gone home. What about this child…”

As a man, he felt it wasn’t quite appropriate for him to take care of her.

Qiu Lan proactively offered, “Let the child stay with us for now and get some rest. I have some clothes she can change into.” She felt deep sympathy for the child who had suddenly become an orphan. Jiang Jiang nodded in agreement with Qiu Lan’s decision.

After confirming that the fire was gradually decreasing and wouldn’t affect them, the shaken group finally went upstairs.

Once they entered the room, Song Wen sighed and said, “Tonight has really been eventful… Your stomach problems haven’t flared up again, have they?”

Lu Siyu shook his head and, concerned about the injury, said, “I’ll take care of your wound and apply some medicine…”

Song Wen covered his wrist to keep him from examining it further and said, “No need to worry, I’m fine. Just change your clothes quickly.”

Lu Siyu had no choice but to obediently change out of his wet clothes first. Song Wen also managed to tidy up with one hand and turned on the air conditioning in the room.

Once Lu Siyu had changed, he hurried over and took Song Wen’s hand, inspecting the burn on his wrist.

When Song Wen entered the fire scene, the flames were intense. He had used his hand to shield his head and face, which had resulted in blisters forming around his sleeve, turning black and red. Fortunately, he had been wearing a thick denim jacket that had provided some protection, so the rest of his body was not burned.

Worried that Song Wen’s wound might be painful, Lu Siyu carefully cleaned and disinfected the area around the injury before gently applying ointment, blowing on it as he worked.

The ointment was cool, but applying it still caused some sting despite Lu Siyu’s extreme caution. Song Wen winced in pain.

After applying the ointment, Lu Siyu wrapped the bandage around Song Wen’s wrist, carefully securing it with several layers.

Once everything was done, Lu Siyu still felt a pang of unease in his heart and wasn’t sure how to express his feelings. He held Song Wen’s hand, lowered his eyelashes, and gently rubbed his cheek against the back of his hand.

The chaos from earlier had turned into a quiet room, with the storm outside having lessened considerably.

“It’s really not serious,” Song Wen said, looking at Lu Siyu. The touch was making his hand itch and his heart feel even more stirred.

Lu Siyu lifted his gaze to meet Song Wen’s eyes, which were sparkling with concern.

Unable to resist, Song Wen reached out with his other hand, using his fingertips to wipe away the soot on Lu Siyu’s face. He then voiced his thoughts, “You look like a little kitten right now.”

Seeing the kitten’s obedient appearance, Song Wen reached out to ruffle Lu Siyu’s hair and then pulled him into an embrace, giving him a kiss.

“I was really scared earlier…” Lu Siyu, remembering the danger in the fire scene, felt a lingering fear and said softly, “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

After speaking, Lu Siyu went to wash up and also brought a damp towel for Song Wen to clean himself with.

Once everything was taken care of, Lu Siyu turned his head to look out the window. The flames that had been raging were now reduced to a faint, flickering glow. He could see clearly now that the center of the fire seemed to be at the back of the cake shop, in the kitchen and storage room.

Seeing Lu Siyu lost in thought, Song Wen came over to look at the scene outside and said, “It’s possible that a typhoon caused a short circuit in the electrical wiring, igniting the stored nitrous oxide or gas canisters.”

On such a cliff, there was no gas supply; instead, they relied on ovens and gas canisters for heating. The nitrous oxide was also flammable, which likely caused the chain explosions.

Lu Siyu lowered his head and said, “I have a strange feeling… I think this might not be an accident…”

Song Wen, observing the diminishing flames, said to Lu Siyu, “Regardless of whether it’s an accident or not, your priority now is to rest well. We’ll deal with the rest in the morning.”

Lu Siyu then went back to bed. Next to him, Song Wen, feeling a bit exhausted, soon fell asleep.

At this time, Lu Siyu, however, found himself unable to sleep. He tossed and turned, reflecting on the details of their visit to the island.

He felt as if he was holding that white bone in his hand and, in a daze, saw Yang Ling smiling, serving them a huge birthday cake. At times, he was facing the crying Li Ting’er, and at other times, he felt as if he was looking at the shop owner Yan Min. Suddenly, the sky was ablaze with fire, illuminating the world.

Then he felt as though he was opening Wu Hongyou’s notebook, turning to the last page…

Countless scenes overlapped in his mind, pressing down on him and making it hard to breathe. He didn’t know when, but he eventually fell asleep.

He wasn’t sure how long he had slept, but when he opened his eyes, he felt like he had been awakened by hunger. Song Wen had just gotten up and was already dressed.

Lu Siyu, waking up, asked Song Wen, “Does your wrist still hurt?”

Song Wen glanced at the bandage on his wrist and shook his head, saying, “At least it doesn’t affect normal movement.”

Lu Siyu got up from bed, dressed, and admired Song Wen’s recovery ability. Then Lu Siyu checked his phone; it was nearing seven o’clock.

Seeing him awake, Song Wen drew back the curtains and asked, “Are you hungry? There are tea eggs here. Should I heat up a couple for you?”

Lu Siyu nodded, reflecting on Song Wen’s earlier wisdom.

The typhoon had passed outside, the sky was clearing up, and only a light rain pattered against the window.

Looking out the window, he saw the vast expanse of the sea. The turbulent black waves from yesterday had calmed down completely, appearing serene and gentle.

The typhoon had passed, and nearby, the cake shop was a blackened ruin, a stark reminder that everything from last night was not a dream.