It was really impossible to use any formal means of transportation with this huge sum of money. Their boat was already destroyed, so the only way to return was to take a ferryboat to Hong Kong City.

The smuggling business was thriving in the wake of the Vietnam War. In addition, the Azhi family also used to smuggle to Hong Kong in the early years. In recent years, they have often traveled between Vietnam and Hong Kong to make money, so they are very familiar with this business.

So under the lead of Azhi, they took a boat to the nearest seaport. Within half a day, they found out a ferry boat was setting off to Hong Kong tonight and successfully bought four places.

In the evening, the four people mingled among the refugees and boarded the boat.

Although it was said to be a cargo ship, from look of it, it could barely sail the sea. There was only one cabin in it, which was loaded with 70 or 80 stowaways of various colors, and the remaining vacant areas were used for passengers, which was filled with people ranging from elderly in their 50s to 60s, down to young children waiting to be fed.

It was purely first come first serve, if you entered the ship early you could get the best place in this limited compartment, as for the later ones they could only make it through with the bits and spaces.

As the old saying goes, gold nests and silver nests were not as good as one’s own doghouse. If life isn’t really difficult no one would abandon their homeland and bet their life to sail on this ship to the unknown foreign land for their future.

For these smuggled refugees, Hong Kong City was a bustling city without war and famine. As for the four Qiao Wen groups, it was purely to go home.

This short half-month experience of life and death really made them exhausted. Even Qiao Wen, at this time, was incomparably nostalgic for the humble and narrow little house in Kowloon Walled City, missing his grandmother and her breakfast.

Of course, more than that he missed the peaceful times he used to live in.

Soon it was filled with people and finally set off to Hong Kong.

Inside the cargo. As much as the cabin had windows, it was huddled with people, making the temperature hot and humid, while intertwined with odors and sweat, making one want to puke. It was not easy to float for several days in such an environment.

Thanks to Anan and Azhi they found a better ventilation place and now the group of four relaxed. 

For these past few days, Qiao Wen’s nerves were like taut strings, afraid that his body would fall off the chain and drag everyone to the back, so he held his breath and moved on with bits of strength with determination.

Now as the ship drifted away from the war-torn place of right and wrong, the whole person gradually relaxed, and all sorts of discomfort ensued.

Fearing that others would be worried, he tried very hard to bring up his righteousness again to endure it, at least until he reached Hong Kong City before falling down. However, this body foundation was too poor, it was already a miracle for him to survive until now. At this moment, he reached the limit and couldn’t hold it any longer and started to feel dizzy on the first night itself, and gradually black dots appeared in front of his eyes.

“Xiao Qiao! Xiao Qiao!”

The shaking of the body and urgent voice in his ears awakened Qiao Wen who had been in a daze for an unknown period of time. He slowly opened his eyes and saw the gleam of dawn outside the window, and asked dumbly: “What time is it? Do you want me to get up?”

“You have a fever! Are you uncomfortable?” Chen Jianan’s firm palm was pressed against his forehead, his face was full of anxiety.

After finally escaping from that land let alone Qiao Wen, even others were so tired, so despite the cramped cabin and the hard deck, Chen Jianan slept through the night.

But all of sudden he felt so hot from the side, like an iron pan was sticking to him so he woke up in a daze, and found it was Qiao Wen, who was burning hot, scared out of his wits, he jolted awake.

Qiao Wen replied weakly, “Maybe I’m too tired.”

Jiang Yufeng on the side rested with one eye open remembering the banknotes. So as soon as he heard the movement, he naturally woke up, stretched his head, and asked: “Awen has a fever?”

Chen Jianan nodded and said anxiously: “Yes, it’s hot! Xiao Qiao, is there any medicine in your bag?”

Earlier when he was shot, he remembered that Qiao Wen had given him anti-fever medicine.

However, Qiao Wen shook his head: “No more.”

Jiang Yufeng said, “Anan, help him up to drink some water first.”

Chen Jianan carefully helped the limp man up to lean on his lap and opened the water bottle and placed it to his mouth: “Xiao Qiao, you drink some water.”

Qiao Wen really wanted to look normal, but at this moment, he really couldn’t use any strength. He opened his mouth with difficulty, and could barely swallow.

A few smuggled refugees were already awakened nearby, and a mother with two children suddenly took out a small white bottle and handed it to Chen Jianan.

Chen Jianan readily accepted it and read the letters, but since it was written in English, he didn’t know what medicine it was for, so he could only shake Qiao Wen up and asked: “Xiao Qiao, do you think this medicine can be taken?”

Qiao Wen barely opened his eyes, saw the English words on the medicine bottle, nodded his head, and said in a flustered voice : “It’s an aspirin, just one pill.”

Chen Jianan naturally knew what Aspirin was for, in fact, it could be regarded as a miracle drug in this era, he immediately rejoiced, emptied a pill, and delivered it to Qiao Wen’s mouth, then turned his head and returned the medicine bottle to the woman, thanking her again and again.

After giving the medicine, he laid Qiao Wen flat on the surface to let him rest. It just so happened that two snakeheads came in to check the situation in the cabin.

Chen Jianan thought that there must be a kerosene stove on the boat. So he thought of boiling some hot water for Qiao Wen, so he asked in a conciliatory manner, “Brother, can I borrow your kerosene stove to boil some water?”

One of the men glanced at him, and said exasperatedly: “No!”

Chen Jianan suddenly burst into flames, ready to roll up his sleeves to beat them up, but the half-awake Qiao Wen grabbed his arm and said weakly: “Forget it, I’ll be fine after getting some sleep, don’t cause trouble. Just bear it  for two days and we’ll be at home.”

Chen Jianan also knew that now was not the time to cause trouble, so he reluctantly gave up.