Hong Kong Nights of Passion

Chapter 138 Stress-Induced High Fever, Triggered by Nightmares

She looked at Wen Jinian with a sob in her eyes, barely able to speak a complete sentence.

As Chi Yige gazed at Wen Jinnian's calm profile, his unease grew.

The calmer and more uneventful things are, the more worrying they become.

He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "I will make proper arrangements for my aunt's funeral."

Wen Jinnian suddenly spoke, her voice as soft as the wind: "I want my aunt to be buried next to my parents; they must want to be reunited too..."

Chi Yige reached out and pulled her into his arms, gently kissing the top of her head: "Don't worry, I'll listen to you and make all the arrangements."

After the news of his death spread, the entire hillside villa area was shrouded in gloom.

Because it was an unnatural death, doctors and police intervened to investigate, and Chi Yige handled all the follow-up matters.

During this period, Wen Jinnian appeared too calm.

She gets up early to go to work as usual, patiently teaches children to draw, and then quietly eats, draws comics, and goes to bed on time.

Looking at her methodical demeanor, Chi Yige even wondered if she had forgotten about Wen Jin's passing.

But every night, when he held the person beside him and his fingertips touched her cold skin, he knew she was suppressing her emotions.

"Niannian." Chi Yige hugged her tighter, his voice full of heartache, "You could at least cry. Your aunt certainly wouldn't want you to bottle it up like this."

In the darkness, Wen Jinian remained silent for a long time before saying, "You also think I should cry, don't you?"

She paused, her voice growing increasingly hoarse, "But I really... can't cry."

Wen Jin Nian rolled over and snuggled closer to him, like a wounded little animal.

Chi Yige patted her back repeatedly with his palm, his voice very soft: "Sleep, I'm here."

Three days later, Wen Jin's burial plot had been purchased.

Jiang Shu handed the investigation report to Chi Yige, the corners of which were crumpled from his grip.

He looked at Jiang Shu with a serious expression: "Are you really going to tell Niannian the truth? What if she knew about that car accident back then..."

Jiang Shu looked up at the gray sky, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He seemed utterly defeated, as if all his strength had been drained away: "She should know. The woman was the mastermind behind the car accident that killed her parents, and my dad... was an accomplice."

He closed his eyes and opened them again, his eyes bloodshot. "No matter what decision Niannian makes, I will stand by her side."

"Clang..." The glass shattered on the floor.

Chi Yige and Jiang Shu turned around and saw Wen Jinnian frozen in place, shards of glass embedded in the edge of her slippers, splattering tiny beads of blood at her feet.

"Niannian!" Chi Yige went over and grabbed her wrist. "Are you hurt?"

"What were you talking about? My parents?" Her pupils trembled violently, her gaze fixed on Jiang Shu's face.

"Brother, tell me."

Jiang Shu opened his mouth, but it felt like there was a ball of cotton stuck in his throat.

Chi Yige hurriedly pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head as he explained hastily, "I wanted to keep it a secret... I was afraid you couldn't handle it..."

Wen Jinian pushed him away, her pale face devoid of color, and the next second she collapsed.

"Quickly call a doctor!" Chi Yige caught her, his fingertips trembling as he pressed on her philtrum.

The family doctor was specially invited by Chi Yige from Victoria Peak a few days ago.

At this moment, he squatted on the carpet, his fingertips holding the tweezers as steady as a rock, carefully picking out the glass shard embedded in Wen Jinnian's instep, and dark red blood immediately seeped out.

The doctor pressed on the bleeding with a cotton ball to stop the bleeding, then turned to look at Chi Yige with a serious expression: "Stress-induced fainting. He's been under too much emotional stress lately, and his body is on the verge of snapping."

After treating the wound, the doctor removed his stethoscope and called Chi Yige and Jiang Shu into the corridor. He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, his gaze behind the lenses revealing the calmness of a doctor: "I've seen this kind of situation many times. Grief is like a flood; the longer it's contained, the more terrifying it becomes when it erupts. She appears calm on the surface, but in reality, it's an emotional dammed lake, more dangerous than wailing."

"Do you have any good suggestions?" Jiang Shu asked directly.

"We must guide her to vent; throwing things or screaming are both acceptable, as it's better than bottling it up inside. Long-term suppression can lead to organic lesions, which will be difficult to manage later."

As he spoke, he poured out a few white pills from the medicine box. "Take these to help you sleep. You can't leave me alone tonight."

Chi Yige looked at Wen Jinnian sleeping soundly on the bed, and after repeatedly making sure that the quilt was properly covering her, he turned around and walked to the door.

He lowered his voice and explained some things to Jiang Shu.
Jiang Shu followed his gaze into the room, her throat tightening: "Take good care of Niannian."

Chi Yige was silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled, his tone tinged with emotion: "I never imagined that one day we would fight because of Nian Nian, and that we would stand here calmly talking because of her."

He paused, his gaze sincere, "I'm quite happy to be able to sit down and chat with you, at least Niannian still has you as her brother."

Jiang Shu turned her head away, her eyes reddening, and her nails dug deep into her palms to barely steady her voice: "Yes... she has no family left, only me, her brother."

A night breeze swept through the hall, and two men stood at the boundary of light and shadow, their figures intertwined in the moonlight, as if they had reached some kind of silent agreement.

Surprisingly, it turned out to be harmonious.

At three in the morning, Wen Jinian suddenly trembled violently on the bed, her pillowcase soaked with cold sweat, and her eyelashes trembled.

Chi Yige reached out to touch her forehead; it was alarmingly hot, and his palm was instantly soaked with cold sweat.

Her brows were furrowed tightly, and her voice was hoarse: "Don't...don't go..."

"Linda!" Chi Yige shouted at the top of his lungs, grabbing his phone to call the doctor.

He half-held Wen Jinnian in his arms, her burning body constantly shrinking into his neck, her nails almost digging into his back.

When Linda came in, she saw Wen Jinnian suddenly convulsing violently, and a sob escaped her lips as she uttered "Auntie."

When the family doctor came in with his medical kit, Wen Jinian was already delirious with fever.

"Stress-induced high fever, triggered by nightmares."

The doctor quickly injected her with antipyretics, saying, "Let her have a fever once, and she'll feel better after that."

Linda and Chi Yige barely slept that night.

The next day, Chi Yige reached out and touched Wen Jinnian's forehead. The fever had subsided, and his tense nerves finally relaxed a little.

Today is the day of Wen Jin's burial.

Wen Jinian chose a plain black dress, wore no makeup, and meticulously styled her long hair into a bun.

Wen Jin usually keeps a low profile in the cemetery, so there are few guests, but some wealthy ladies from the villa area have come.

Wen Jinian lowered her eyes and stared at the urn, walking step by step toward the tomb.

She gently placed the urn in its place, ran her fingertips over the surface one last time to feel its lingering warmth, then took the white chrysanthemums offered to her and solemnly placed them in front of the grave.

On the tombstone, Wen Jin's smile is frozen in the photo.

Wen Jinnian's throat tightened: "Aunt, do you see? Mom and Dad are right next to you... You must have so much to tell them, right? Don't worry, I'll be fine."

As she turned around, her body swayed slightly, and Chi Yige immediately stepped forward and firmly took her cold hand in his.

“Mom and Dad, Aunt has come to be with you.” Wen Jinnian looked at her parents’ tombstones, her voice trembling. “This is my boyfriend, Chi Yige. He was very good to me. You can rest in heaven… don’t worry about me anymore.”

The wind swept through the pines and cypresses of the cemetery. Chi Yige tightened his grip on her hand and pulled her closer to his side, offering silent support.

(End of this chapter)