Chapter 20: Yan Xiaoyue Ran Out of Breath

Yan Xiaoyue observed the crowd, noticing several young girls, but all were accompanied. Only she and the girl who had raised her hand were alone.

She blinked, “Director Zhang, you can send them yourselves. It’s getting late, and I need to get back and cook for Jin Chao.”

“Alright, I’ll arrange for someone to send them later.”

Zhang Haiyang took the people away. Even from a distance, Yan Xiaoyue could hear Gu Xingshan mentioning Jin Chao.

Yan Xiaoyue smiled. Turning around, she saw how far away they were, yet she could still hear them—it was quite amazing.

Pushing her cart, she returned home. The door was still closed. Curious, she checked the small room, finding the key still in its usual spot.

Disappointment washed over her. She unlocked the door and discovered the inner door ajar.

Alarm bells rang. She grabbed the broom by the door and kicked the half-open door open with her foot.

The room was empty.

She searched everywhere, still finding nothing.

The books on the table seemed to have been replaced with newspapers and several classic novels. The outward appearance was the same, but the thickness had changed.

“Might not be back tonight.”

A note with only that line, lacking even a signature, lay on the table—quite perfunctory.

She snorted, throwing herself onto the bed. With Jin Chao away, she could sleep in her space tonight.

“My beloved dog house, I’m coming!”

Yan Xiaoyue was ecstatic. Entering her space, she took out the herbs, only to be faced with a new problem.

Ancient people used heated water for herbal baths. In her past life, they used heated tubs. Now, would she need a large vat for heating?

She glanced at the large vat at home—a traditional item every household prepared for marriage, used for storing grain.

If she used that vat, she’d need to buy bricks and build a stove.

“Jin Chao wouldn’t get boiled, would he?” She had only watched it done once.

In TV dramas, it always seemed unbelievable, with the liquid constantly bubbling. Wouldn’t it be scalding?

Meanwhile, Jin Chao had just arrived at the hospital. The old Chinese doctor was off duty. He went to the police station to see Zhang Haiyang and Gu Xingshan, who were having dinner.

After hearing their account of the morning’s events, Jin Chao found it unbelievable.

The Yan Xiaoyue he knew was timid and cowardly, not the resourceful and brave woman they described.

“Brother Jin, you wouldn’t believe how quickly Sister-in-law reacted. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have noticed those people were human traffickers.”

“Exactly! Brother Jin, Sister-in-law said she’d cook dinner for you. Why did you suddenly come?”

They paused.

“It’s nothing. I came to see the old Chinese doctor about my leg.” Jin Chao lowered his head to eat, his eyes flickering with various emotions.

Yan Xiaoyue had surprised him far too many times.

“I’m dead tired.”

Yan Xiaoyue clapped her hands, looking at the makeshift stove she’d dug out of the basement. It was a popular style in her village, so she’d bought one.

Not wanting to build a shed, she’d stored this unused stove in the basement. It was surprisingly well-preserved.

She decided to boil the water in a pot first, then transfer it to the vat, which heated slowly.

Watching the pot bubble, she decided the vat would be better in the kitchen.

Luckily, it wasn’t too large; she could manage it. She wouldn’t be able to carry the larger vat in the west room.

She moved the smaller vat to the kitchen, measured the space, and brought in some leftover bricks from the house construction to build a small stove.

She placed the vat inside, adding spring water—regardless of whether it enhanced the effect, it was better than ordinary well water.

Once the vat was filled, Yan Xiaoyue laid out the herbs on the table, writing down the order in which to add them.

She planned to help Jin Chao prepare the herbal bath if she was home when he returned.

Otherwise, he would have to do it himself.

But for the first time, she wanted to be there to supervise, as she wasn’t entirely sure.

If the spring water truly had an effect, Jin Chao would likely suffer.

Rebuilding bones was painful.

By the time she finished, it was dark. Unable to boil water, she went into her space, showered, ate instant noodles, and fell asleep.

She was awakened in the middle of the night by a noise, realizing she had somehow left her space and was lying in bed.

“How did you get back?” Yan Xiaoyue was relieved she hadn’t turned off the light.

In the dim light, Jin Chao sat by the bed, staring intently at her, without blinking.

Fear caused her to shrink back, her neck aching again.

Jin Chao’s pupils constricted. He turned his head, “Thank you. Here, eat this.”

He had gone to the medical hall today, taking the prescription to buy medicine. Mr. Dai simply said, “So you’re that ox.”

Seeing his confusion, Mr. Dai explained today’s events using the prescription.

He learned that Yan Xiaoyue had already bought the herbs. Why did he need to prepare them as well?

“I… thank you!” Yan Xiaoyue disliked eating at night. If she brushed her teeth, Jin Chao might think she was disgusted by him. If she didn’t, her breath would be bad in the morning.

She took a bite of a sesame seed cake. “Thump!” Her head hit the wall.

Pain made her wince.

“Eat slower.” Jin Chao’s gentle tone startled her, causing her to move away.

Unexpectedly, the sesame seed cake got stuck in her throat, making it hard to breathe.

Jin Chao patted her back forcefully, causing her teeth to chatter in pain.

“Water…” Yan Xiaoyue struggled to speak, and Jin Chao finally reacted and went to get water.

While he was gone, Yan Xiaoyue drank a cup of spring water from her space, but the food felt like it was stuck in her trachea, itching unbearably.

She coughed until tears streamed down her face, eventually losing consciousness.

Jin Chao returned with a glass of water, only to find her motionless. The glass fell to the floor. His fingers trembled as he touched her neck.

A faint pulse indicated she was still alive.

He picked her up, placing her on his back, face down. Someone with a blocked throat shouldn’t be lying on their back.

Only a prone position offered a chance of survival.

At the hospital, she was rushed to the emergency room. Jin Chao waited outside. The doctor inquired about Yan Xiaoyue’s condition.

“Yan Xiaoyue’s family, there’s nothing in her throat. After examination, she’s out of danger. However, due to lack of oxygen to the brain, she needs oxygen therapy. Please complete the admission procedures.”

The doctor handed him a form to sign. The only medication prescribed was oxygen.

“Your wife needs to rest and gain weight. She’s too thin; it’s hard to examine her properly.”

The nurse’s sharp gaze fell upon him.