Chapter 35

It turned out that when living at the Lu family’s house, Lu Baiwei’s room didn’t have a mosquito net.

She had always used the mosquito-repelling herbs she found herself, lighting them in the room to drive the mosquitoes away.

He Ting, the young master from the capital, had everything he needed. When he moved from the sent-down youth dormitory, he brought a mosquito net with him.

However, since the windows in the clinic’s room faced the backyard, He Ting worried about Lu Baiwei being bitten by mosquitoes, so he hung his own mosquito net for her.

In his room, he always burned some mosquito-repelling herbs each day.

Today, he bought a new mosquito net from the county supply store. After hanging it up, Lu Baiwei didn’t burn any mosquito-repelling herbs for him, and the mosquitoes found their way into the net, biting him awake.

“It’s my fault. I forgot to give you some mosquito-repellent sachets.”

“Even with the mosquito net, it can’t stop the mosquitoes. You’re too attractive to them.”

Lu Baiwei, half asleep, opened the drawer to grab the mosquito-repellent herbs to light them, but He Ting turned on the flashlight.

“WeiWei, it’s so itchy.”

“I’ve been bitten by several mosquitoes.”

He Ting’s voice was low, carrying a hoarse, sensual quality.

If Lu Baiwei weren’t so sleepy, she might have noticed a different tone in his words.

But after going to the county and waking up in the middle of the night, she was too exhausted to realize that the usually strong He Ting was complaining about being bitten by little mosquitoes.

With the flashlight shining, she saw that He Ting’s bare arms were covered in red, swollen bumps. Lu Baiwei took out some mentholated oil and rubbed it on him.

“WeiWei, it’s not so itchy now.”

Lu Baiwei, too tired to keep her eyes open, was almost falling asleep. He Ting almost gave up.

She was starting her internship at the county hospital tomorrow, and it would last half a month.

When Lu Baiwei tried to go back to her room, He Ting gritted his teeth and called out to her, “WeiWei, there are still mosquitoes in the net.”

A wild boar can have its brain smashed out with a shovel.

And yet, he was afraid of a tiny mosquito?

But who told the young master to be so attractive to mosquitoes?

Lu Baiwei found it amusing and, feeling loyal, replied, “Alright, I’ll chase the mosquitoes away for you.”

“Mm, okay.”

Lu Baiwei, drowsy, lifted the mosquito net and crawled towards He Ting to help him.

Lu Baiwei groggily lifted the mosquito net and crawled towards He Ting.

He Ting held the flashlight behind her.

“WeiWei, can you see?”

“Should I light a candle?”

“No need!”

Lu Baiwei stretched out her hand and quickly slapped a mosquito that was full of blood, trapping it in her palm.

She opened her hand to show He Ting. “Look, I got it.”

He Ting held the flashlight while pressing his body against Lu Baiwei’s back. She raised her hand, and in her palm was the mosquito corpse, full of blood, with blood splattering all over her hand.

“There’s no mosquito biting you anymore, He Ting.”

“I’m so tired. I’m going to sleep.”

He Ting: “…”

She was really exhausted. Lu Baiwei yawned continuously as she felt her way back to the room and lay down on the bed.

Suddenly, she jolted awake.

Wait a minute!

He Ting wasn’t really afraid of mosquitoes.

Even though he burned mosquito-repellent herbs in his room every night, some mosquitoes always managed to get in through the door and window cracks.

Twice, when they went up the mountain, the mosquitoes were so vicious, and despite having mosquito-repellent herbs on them, they were still covered in bites.

She never heard He Ting complain about being itchy.

So, what was going on with the new mosquito net he hung up? Why was he bitten all night?

Was he trying to get her to chase away the mosquitoes so he could sleep next to her?

When she was killing the mosquito on his bed earlier, He Ting had held the flashlight against her back, and now, looking back, she realized she could feel the warmth of his abs against her.

What had she missed earlier? Lu Baiwei covered her face.

The thought that He Ting might have meant something else made her heart race, like a rabbit jumping around in her chest.

In the stillness of the night, she could hear her own heartbeat.

Oh no, what was she thinking?

Oh no, what was I thinking?

What if she couldn’t sleep?

Would it still be okay if she got up again to help him swat the mosquitoes?

She listened carefully, but there was no sound coming from outside.

Lu Baiwei’s mind wandered, tossing and turning all night. In her dreams, He Ting’s face kept appearing, and her sleep was restless…

At the county cadre compound, Director Shen was pushing his bicycle to work when he bumped into his eldest grandson, who was returning from outside.

“Where have you been?”

Director Shen stopped him and scolded, “The saying ‘a dragon’s head but no tail’ applies to you—always out and about, never at home.”

“I’ll find you a job at the hospital, stop hanging out with those unreliable people.”

Standing there listening to his grandfather’s lecture, the young man had his shirt buttons crooked and a rebellious look on his face.

He yawned lazily and responded to Director Shen.

“Grandpa, you’re late for work.”

Seeing his grandson with no discipline, Director Shen nearly lost his temper.

When he saw him yawning and heading back inside to sleep, a sudden thought flashed through his mind.

“Stop right there, take me to the hospital on your bike.”

Shen Junqian raised an eyebrow. “It’s just two steps away.”

“Are you sure?”

Director Shen gave him a disapproving look, as if to say, “You’re being unfilial,” and walked two steps pushing his bike.

Only then did Shen Junqian realize his grandfather was limping, as if his legs were hurt.

“What happened to your foot?”

Director Shen stubbornly replied, “I sprained it yesterday. No need for you to worry.”

Shen Junqian, now serious, took the bike from Director Shen and signaled for him to get on the back seat.

Director Shen finally limped to the back and happily hopped onto the bike.

“Is it a serious injury?”

“Just a sprain. Won’t kill me!”

“Dislocated, but it won’t kill me!”

Despite Director Shen’s blunt manner, Shen Junqian came up with an idea for him. “Find someone to help set the bone.”

“I can’t find anyone. My foot’s misaligned, and it’s so bad that if it’s not set properly, I’ll be limping.”

“Actually, there’s the granddaughter of an acquaintance of mine who passed the barefoot doctor exam. She’ll be interning with me for the next half month. I’ll have that girl take a look at my foot.”

“Her grandpa is an expert in bone-setting. Let her straighten out these old bones of mine.”

“When you were little, you broke your leg climbing trees, and it was your grandpa who set the bone for you.”

Shen Junqian vaguely remembered that when he was a child and broke his leg, Old Shen had taken him to the countryside to get it set by a doctor.

There had been a little girl around the old doctor, always crying and scared of bugs.

He had once thrown a caterpillar down her neck to scare her, making her cry.

“I broke my leg climbing a tree? Is that true?”

“Yes!”

It was a five-minute bike ride from the staff compound to the hospital.

When they arrived at the hospital, Director Shen used his leg injury as an excuse, insisting that Shen Junqian help him inside.

Upon entering the examination room and seeing Lu Baiwei waiting, Shen Junqian instantly recognized her as the same little girl he remembered, the one who had cried so much back then.

Lu Baiwei was also stunned!

Wasn’t this Shen Junqian?

In her past life, she had made her first fortune in the black market by relying on Shen Junqian, who had seemed like a carefree troublemaker but was actually the one in charge of the local black market.

Shen Junqian and Lu Baiwei locked eyes, both seemingly recognizing each other. Director Shen was pleased.

His unruly grandson needed someone to keep him in check.

And it had to be someone who could make him listen—a crying little girl, just like when he was young.