Chapter 967: Chapter 968: Getting Up at Night
"Cold! Cold! Iâm freezing!" Wu Xiaoya curled up her body tightly, her teeth chattering uncontrollably, upper and lower teeth clacking together, making a rapid sound.
Miao Qingqing anxiously said, "Honey, what should we do now?"
Song Xiaodong responded, "Thereâs nothing else we can do for now. You two should hold her on either side; it might make her feel better."
Miao Qingqing and Miao Xuanxuan didnât hesitate and immediately moved to embrace Wu Xiaoya.
Wu Xiaoya seemed to feel a bit better, but she kept trembling.
The entire day, Wu Xiaoya alternated between being cold and hot, leaving Song Xiaodong, Miao Qingqing, and Miao Xuanxuan utterly exhausted.
As darkness fell, Miao Qingqing suggested, "Honey, you should take a break for a bit, then come back to relieve us. None of us will manage to stay awake all night without resting."
Song Xiaodong didnât resist. The second half of the night would undoubtedly be harder than the first. Letting Miao Qingqing and Miao Xuanxuan take over for a while while he caught a little sleep to preserve his strength was a good idea. Plus, he had to stay alert in case Li Fangding and his people dared to approach; he needed enough mental willpower to deal with them.
After sleeping for about three hours, Song Xiaodong woke up and called Miao Qingqing and Miao Xuanxuan to rest.
The two women were already thoroughly worn out, muttered a few words, and then huddled together to sleep.
Song Xiaodong sat beside Wu Xiaoya, touched her forehead, and noticed she didnât seem as weak as before. The shivering had also subsided somewhat. These signs indicated she might be improving.
Song Xiaodong stayed beside her to ensure she didnât face any sudden issues.
"Cold..." After a while, Wu Xiaoya began trembling again.
Song Xiaodong hesitated for a moment before lying down next to her to hold her. Waking up Miao Qingqing and Miao Xuanxuan would be reasonable, but he couldnât bear to see them struggle after all their effort and needed to let them rest properly. Besides, Wu Xiaoya was a patient, so matters of gender differences werenât as important now.
Perhaps it was due to his masculine warmth; after being embraced by Song Xiaodong for a while, Wu Xiaoyaâs chills decreased noticeably, her breathing became steadier, and she clung closely to Song Xiaodong, refusing to let go.
Song Xiaodong continued holding her. Although he couldnât sleep, at least he could rest with his eyes closed. Holding a beautiful woman, he maintained a serene composure.
After another hour or so, Wu Xiaoya murmured, "Thirsty... Iâm so thirsty..."
Song Xiaodong quickly sat up, found some water from above, and helped Wu Xiaoya sit up and take a few sips.
"You... youâre Song Xiaodong?" Wu Xiaoyaâs voice was soft but unmistakably clear.
"Yes, Qingqing and Xuanxuan are exhausted. Iâm taking over for the second half of the night to care for you."
"Thank you all so much..." Wu Xiaoyaâs voice quivered with emotion.
"Itâs nothing; weâre in this together. Rest well; based on your condition, you should be fine by tomorrow."
"Yes. If it werenât for your care, I might... I might have died here."
"Itâs just a fever and cold, nothing to fear. Get some sleep." Song Xiaodong gently laid Wu Xiaoya down again.
Wu Xiaoya lay flat on the straw bedding, no longer clinging to Song Xiaodong.
Song Xiaodong kept his eyes closed to rest, but he noticed Wu Xiaoya tossed and turned five or six times within less than twenty minutes. He turned toward her and asked softly, "Whatâs wrong? Are you uncomfortable somewhere?"
"I... I... itâs nothing." Wu Xiaoya replied softly.
"Oh, do you need to use the bathroom?" Song Xiaodong asked in a hushed voice.
"I... do..." Wu Xiaoyaâs response was barely audible, caught in her throat. She hadnât expected him to guess so quickly and ask so directly, leaving her feeling deeply embarrassed.
Song Xiaodong said, "Iâll carry you there. Itâs too dark to let Qingqing or Xuanxuan go with youâit wouldnât be safe."
"Ah... this..." Wu Xiaoya was speechless for a moment. Everyone had been supplementing their fluid intake mostly with fruit over the past few days, so there hadnât been frequent bathroom trips. The routine had been to go before sleeping and again in the morning. She had only gone with either Miao Qingqing or Miao Xuanxuan and had never been out with Song Xiaodong.
Song Xiaodong smiled and said, "Letâs go. I promise I wonât look or take advantage of you. You forgetâI have two wives here. If I dared do anything, wouldnât they punish me?"
"I... I didnât mean it like that, itâs just... so awkward." Wu Xiaoya felt even more embarrassed after he spoke.
"Thereâs nothing awkward about it. Youâre sick, and I happen to be a doctor. Between doctors and patients, there are no gender distinctions." As he spoke, Song Xiaodong gently scooped Wu Xiaoya up.
Wu Xiaoya gasped softly, before biting her lip to avoid waking up Miao Qingqing and Miao Xuanxuan, which would only make things even more uncomfortable.
Song Xiaodong carried Wu Xiaoya out of the cave. Under the moonlight, he took her to a spot farther away from their camp. After all, even if they were living outdoors, women wouldnât relieve themselves too close to their sleeping areaâthey always chose spots farther away.
He carefully set Wu Xiaoya down and softly remarked, "Can you manage by yourself?"
"I... I think so." Wu Xiaoya steadied herself against a tree and replied softly.
"Alright, Iâll stand behind the tree. Call me when youâre done." Saying this, Song Xiaodong moved behind the tree.
Wu Xiaoya listened to his footsteps and confirmed he was behind the tree. Instinctively glancing at the thick trunk, she judged it would block his view. It was completely dark under the tree; she couldnât see anything, and knew he wouldnât be able to see her either.
But the surrounding darkness made her feel an inexplicable fear. She hurriedly lowered her pants and relieved herself.
Song Xiaodong stood behind the tree, listening to the sound of running water. His thoughts wandered momentarily before shaking his head and smiling bitterly to himself. His True Qi hadnât recovered, and his self-control wasnât strong enough. Maintaining a clear state of mind like he had with Sun Yiyi was far more challenging now.
The sound of water ceased, immediately followed by a startled cry from Wu Xiaoya.
Song Xiaodong jumped in alarm, quickly turning and rushing over to her. Wu Xiaoya threw herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist.
"What happened?" Song Xiaodong asked hurriedly, instinctively holding her up.
"Something... something soft and fleshy, ahhh..." Wu Xiaoya clung tightly to Song Xiaodongâs neck, trembling all over.
Song Xiaodong was momentarily stunned because his hand inadvertently ended up touching something soft and fleshyâit was Wu Xiaoyaâs behind. And under that skirt, apparently, there was nothing.