Chapter 10: Am I Dying?
The curtains in Chen Jianing’s room were drawn, making the entire room pitch black. Lu Li walked over and pulled the curtains open, only to hear Chen Jianing call out, “Don’t, it hurts my eyes…” He turned around and saw a pair of watery eyes blinking in the darkness, like fireflies on a starry night. Usually, only the sick, the poetic, or the foolish disliked light. Chen Jianing was definitely not a poet, so was she sick or foolish?
Lu Li sat on the edge of the bed, catching a faint scent, Chen Jianing’s scent.
“Tell me, what’s wrong now?” It was always Chen Jianing who caused the most trouble. This girl was either getting into trouble or on her way to get into trouble.
Chen Jianing sat cross-legged on the bed. In the dim light, Lu Li could see her toes wriggling restlessly. Chen Jianing had a habit of fidgeting her toes whenever she was hiding something in her heart.
“Shouldn’t you wear a mask first? I, I’m afraid I’ll infect you.” Chen Jianing said softly.
The transmission route of RSA hadn’t been confirmed yet, and if it was really contagious, Lu Li would have been infected yesterday. Wearing a mask now was like closing the barn door after the horse had bolted. Lu Li said impatiently, “I have a naturally strong constitution. I’ve never been sick in my life. Just tell me.”
Chen Jianing let out an “oh” and reluctantly explained, “Did you see the announcement this morning? It said… it said this disease is called Respiratory Syndrome A, and the initial symptoms are coughing, photophobia, and fever… And it’s only people who have lived in Mulan City for more than two months who are infected. I just started school two months ago…”
Two months ago, that was when Lu Li was reborn. Lu Li rubbed his chin. “So you think you’re infected too?”
“I, I’ve actually had a slight cough lately. When I woke up today, I found that I was very sensitive to light. My eyes hurt whenever I see light… Isn’t this exactly the symptoms of RSA?” Chen Jianing said with a sob in her voice. “The news says that this disease has a very high fatality rate, and the hospitals are full. Many people can only rely on self-treatment at home… I must have RSA, sob…”
Lu Li also became cautious. “Besides coughing and photophobia, do you have any other symptoms?” Coughing could just be a minor ailment, and photophobia could be psychological.
“Yes.” Chen Jianing answered with certainty. “My head has been hurting lately, my feet hurt, and my elbows are a bit sore. And my stomach has been rumbling… I must have RSA!”
Wasn’t her whole body aching? Yet she could still sit here and talk? What a strong will.
Lu Li wasn’t sure and decided to consult Chu Xiaodong.
“Lu Li…” Chen Jianing called out pitifully. “Am I dying? My head feels dizzy, like I’m going to pass out at any moment…”
Death. This word brought back some unpleasant memories for Lu Li. He thought of Sister Yameng’s funeral in his past life, the stray dog he adopted at the age of seven being kicked to death on the side of the road, and the small insect he accidentally crushed under his desk in middle school. Death didn’t seem that far away, at least not for Chen Jianing. Lu Li looked at Chen Jianing. The light was dim, and he couldn’t see her face clearly, only a delicate silhouette. She seemed to be trembling. Was she trembling with fear?
Lu Li admitted that he didn’t really like Chen Jianing’s personality, and being friends with her was more like a social inertia. But he didn’t want to see a young girl die in a merciless natural disaster.
“You won’t die.” Lu Li didn’t know how effective this comfort was. The fatality rate of RSA was 25%, but no one wanted to gamble on being part of the 75%.
“I, I don’t want to die.” Chen Jianing was already sobbing softly. “I haven’t earned enough money to buy my parents a big villa yet, I haven’t seen my game get all positive reviews, I haven’t even been in love, I, I don’t want to die… Lu Li, I don’t want to die… Sob…”
“Get some rest, I’ll be back soon.” At this moment, Lu Li realized how pale words were. No matter what he said, it couldn’t change reality. Eloquence might help you navigate the complexities of society, but in the face of indifferent nature, any words were as useless as burnt ashes.
Lu Li went to the balcony and called Chu Xiaodong back. A woman answered the phone. Her voice was magnetic and gentle. Upon hearing that he was looking for Chu Xiaodong, she transferred the call. When Lu Li heard a voice again, it was Chu Xiaodong.
“Xiao Lu, what’s up?”
“Uncle Chu, I have a friend.” Lu Li finally used this classic opening line. “I have a friend who studies at Mulan University. She just started two months ago. She messaged me saying she has a cough, is sensitive to light, and her head, feet, and stomach are all uncomfortable. Isn’t this RSA?”
Chu Xiaodong was silent for a moment. “This friend you’re talking about, isn’t it yourself?”
“No, no, I’m worried about her health, so I wanted to ask you for advice.” Lu Li wiped the sweat from his forehead. Sometimes, being too perceptive wasn’t a good thing, it could lead to misunderstandings.
“If her whole body is uncomfortable, it’s likely a severe case of RSA. You should spend some time with your friend.” Chu Xiaodong’s words were subtle, almost saying that his friend didn’t have long to live, so he should cherish the time he had with her.
Lu Li’s heart sank. He asked again in disbelief, “Is it really a severe case of RSA? Is there no cure?”
“There’s no effective treatment yet. The expert team is flying to Mulan City as quickly as possible. They can only come up with a treatment plan after collecting enough samples.”
“Is, is that so? Then I won’t bother you anymore…”
“It’s okay, Xiao Lu. If anything happens, call this number anytime. I’ll have the receptionist transfer the call to me directly.”
“Thank you…”
Hanging up the phone, Lu Li felt a strange mix of emotions. He looked out at the Mulan City skyline and saw that the streets were still jammed with traffic. Cordon lines were everywhere. Many people hadn’t slept all night and hadn’t gone home, hoping to leave the city as soon as possible. Some people even set up makeshift beds on the main roads, and the police couldn’t do anything about it. In short, Mulan City was in chaos, like a mini Gotham.
Lu Li returned to Chen Jianing’s room. The girl was wrapped in her blanket, as if she could isolate herself from the world this way. Blankets were magical things. They were always the strongest defense for those who refused to grow up, protecting them from ghosts at night, from frustrations at work during the day, and from…
“Lu Li, what did your friend say?” The girl’s voice came from under the blanket.
“You heard that?”
“I couldn’t hear clearly…” Her voice was muffled, as if she was still sniffling. She had been blowing her nose all night, and her poor nose was chafed. It hurt even with the slightest touch.
“How long did your friend say I have left?” The little tiger under the blanket asked.
Lu Li suddenly remembered an inappropriate joke. A patient asked the doctor how long he had left to live. The doctor held up five fingers. The patient was horrified. “I only have five months left?” Then the doctor retracted one finger. “Four.”
He smiled silently. “He said you can live for another thousand years.”
After all, good people don’t live long, while disasters last a thousand years. He hoped that Chen Jianing, this disaster, would live for a thousand years and not succumb to this inexplicable outbreak.
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