Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 385 Surprises in Life

“You are a very special psychologist,” Chen Xi said.

Li Jingyi laughed, sunlight dancing on her eyelashes: "Is it because I'm not wearing a white coat, or because I would bring a patient to a place like this?"

“Because of the way you look at things.” Chen Xi couldn’t help but laugh: “In my mind, a psychologist is the kind of person who prescribes medication or makes me lie on the sofa and recall my childhood trauma.”

“Oh, we’ll do that too.” Li Jingyi winked mischievously. “It’s just not the right time yet.”

She stood up, shook the water droplets off her feet, and put her shoes and socks back on.

"Are you hungry? I brought lunch." Li Jingyi patted the backpack beside her, a gentle smile curving her lips.

She deftly took out two insulated boxes, and the moment she opened the lid, the aroma of coconut mixed with the sweetness of glutinous rice wafted out.

"This is coconut rice, a Hainan specialty, along with a few home-style dishes. I hope you like it." With that, Li Jingyi handed a thermos to Chen Xi.

When Chen Xi took the insulated box, his fingertips accidentally touched the back of her hand.

The touch made him pause slightly, but Li Jingyi simply withdrew her hand naturally and took out two more pairs of bamboo chopsticks from her bag: "Try it, I added extra coconut milk on purpose."

The two sat down on a flat rock beside the waterfall, the rushing water splashing up tiny droplets at their feet.

Li Jingyi placed the lunchbox on her lap, picked up a piece of pickled bamboo shoot, and said, "This is soaked in spring water, it's very appetizing."

As he spoke, he naturally placed it into Chen Xi's lunchbox.

Chen Xi looked down at the golden pickled bamboo shoot, hesitated for a moment, and then put it in her mouth.

Unexpectedly, the sweet, sour, and crisp flavor burst on his tongue, making him unconsciously pick up another piece.

Seeing this, Li Jingyi's eyes curved into crescents. "Is it delicious? It's a secret recipe my mother taught me."

Amidst the roaring water and the chirping of birds, the simple picnic tasted exceptionally delicious.

Chen Xi realized that he had finished the entire box of food, which was the first time since returning from the 40k world.

During this period, affected by Khorne, he almost lost the ability to taste food.

Every meal was merely to maintain vital signs; the taste buds seemed to be shrouded in a layer of blood mist, making even the most delicious food taste bland.

"Would you like some more?" Li Jingyi shook the lunchbox, which was still half full.

Seeing Chen Xi shake her head, she smiled and started clearing away the tableware: "Looks like my cooking skills are pretty good."

After lunch, Li Jingyi winked mysteriously and said, "I'll take you somewhere."

She led Chen Xi around to the back of the waterfall, where there was a secluded path that was constantly moistened by the water mist.

The air was filled with the scent of moss, and various ferns climbed the rock walls on both sides. The ground was covered with fuzzy moss, which felt like a thick carpet when you stepped on it.

"Be careful, it's slippery here." Li Jingyi suddenly turned around and naturally grabbed Chen Xi's wrist.

Her fingers were warm and strong, and the warmth of her palms emanated through her sleeves.

Chen Xi instinctively reached out and grabbed her hand, and the two walked one after the other on the slippery path.

Li Jingyi's hair was damp with moisture, shimmering in the sunlight.

“Look over there!” she pointed to a cluster of wildflowers blooming in a crevice in the rocks: “These flowers only grow near waterfalls, and I call them ‘water sprites’.”

As she spoke, she held Chen Xi's hand firmly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

When they emerged from behind the waterfall, the sky was already overcast.

A distant rumble of thunder echoed, yet Li Jingyi hesitated to let go of her hand.

Only when the first raindrop landed on their clasped hands did she seem to wake from a dream and gently pull her hand away, but her fingertips lingered on Chen Xi's palm for a fleeting second. "It's going to rain." Li Jingyi looked up at the sky. "The weather in the rainforest changes in an instant. We need to hurry down the mountain."

No sooner had he finished speaking than large raindrops began to fall, starting as just a few scattered drops, but quickly forming a dense, impenetrable curtain of rain.

The world was instantly shrouded in white, the roar of the waterfall was swallowed up by the torrential rain, leaving only the sound of raindrops hitting the rocks and leaves.

"Hurry up!" Li Jingyi grabbed her backpack and pulled Chen Xi back.

Rainwater streamed down her hair, and her eyelashes were covered with fine water droplets.

Chen Xi followed closely behind, the soil beneath his feet quickly turning muddy, each step splashing up murky water.

The path was quickly submerged by the rain, turning into a rushing stream.

Li Jingyi's sneakers were already soaked, and she almost slipped on the wet stones. Chen Xi quickly caught her arm, and the warmth from his palm was particularly noticeable in the cold rain.

"This way!" She suddenly turned and pulled Chen Xi into a crevice in the rock that was half-hidden by vines.

The entrance was narrow, requiring one to duck slightly to enter, but the interior was surprisingly spacious and dry.

The rocks on the cave walls radiated a faint warmth, as if they had been baked by geothermal heat for many years, creating a stark contrast with the damp cold outside.

Li Jingyi let out a long sigh, shook her wet hair, and water droplets splashed everywhere. She turned to look at Chen Xi and suddenly laughed: "You look like a drowned rat."

Chen Xi looked down at her soaked clothes, then at her equally disheveled state, and a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips: "Same here."

The rain outside the cave was still noisy, but in this small haven, time seemed to slow down and become peaceful.

"Sorry, I didn't expect the weather to change so quickly." Li Jingyi wrung out the water from her hair. Her sportswear was soaked and clung to her body, outlining her slender figure.

"It's okay." Chen Xi took off his coat and handed it to her: "At least we saw the waterfall."

Li Jingyi took the coat and draped it over her shoulders, then suddenly laughed: "You know, when I first brought a patient to an outdoor treatment, my mentor warned me that I might encounter all sorts of unexpected situations."

But the unexpected thing I imagined was the patient having an emotional breakdown or physical discomfort, not being trapped in the cave by the rain.

Chen Xi smiled and said, "Life is always full of surprises."

“Yes!” Li Jingyi looked at the rain curtain outside the cave and said softly, “Just like I didn’t expect to receive a call from Liu Yi, and I didn’t expect to meet a special patient like you.”

The sound of rain filled the silence between the two.

Chen Xi found that she didn't mind the quiet; in fact, she felt a strange sense of comfort.

When he was with Li Jingyi, he didn't need to explain those inexplicable experiences or hide his abnormality, because she always seemed to understand the unspoken words.

"The rain has lessened." About half an hour later, Li Jingyi peeked outside and said, "Let's go down the mountain now. We should be able to get back to the hotel before dark."

The return journey was muddy and difficult to walk on due to the rain, but the two supported each other and were even more in sync than when they came.

As we finally saw the sign for the forest exit, the setting sun pierced through the clouds, gilding the wet rainforest with a golden hue.

"What are your plans for tomorrow?" Chen Xi asked before parting.

He was surprised to find himself looking forward to the next meeting.

Li Jingyi tilted her head and thought for a moment, water droplets dripping from the ends of her hair: "I'll take you to an even more interesting place tomorrow."

She smiled mysteriously: "But it's a secret for now! Get some rest, you did a great job today."

As Chen Xi watched her departing figure, he suddenly realized that none of his violent thoughts about beheading had crossed his mind even once today.

Perhaps Li Jingyi's treatment was indeed effective, or perhaps her mere presence was enough for him to temporarily forget those dark memories.

(End of this chapter)