Chapter 00044: Gratitude
# Gratitude
Chapter 44
Novel: Abandon The Universe
Chapter 44: Gratitude
Luo Caisi did not guess wrong; she had not walked far from the stone cave when she saw the figure of the gray wolf. Though she felt her entire body trembling, she still approached, and then she saw Lan Xiaobu.
Lan Xiaobu was lying on the ground, and the gray wolf stood beside him.
Luo Caisi did not dare to move closer. She did not understand why the gray wolf had not eaten Lan Xiaobu. Was the wolf waiting for her?
While she was still lost in thought, the gray wolf glanced at her, suddenly turned slowly, and began to walk away.
What was happening? Luo Caisi looked in confusion at the retreating figure of the gray wolf, momentarily forgetting to wonder how Lan Xiaobu had ended up here.
Lan Xiaobu lay on his side, still clutching a few medicinal herbs in his hand.
Luo Caisi thought of helping Lan Xiaobu up, noticing that his complexion was flushed; he was clearly still alive. She had no time to ponder why the wolf had not eaten Lan Xiaobu or why it had left upon her arrival. Just as she took a step forward, her body softened again, and she fell back to the ground.
Her head felt heavier; it seemed her thoughts were about to sink into oblivion.
Luo Caisi was clear-headed enough to know that she could not faint. Even if she felt gravely ill, she had to hold on, at least until Lan Xiaobu awakened.
"Eat." Just as Luo Caisi was about to tug at Lan Xiaobu, he suddenly called out and even moved the hand clutching the herbs.
"You’re better?" Luo Caisi exclaimed in excitement, feeling an unexpected surge of strength, and she even sat up.
However, Lan Xiaobu was clearly not better; he had only uttered a word, moved his hand once, and then closed his eyes again, his complexion worsening. Luo Caisi reached out and touched Lan Xiaobu’s forehead, finding it very hot, and she vaguely sensed that the warmth was increasing.
After the initial panic, Luo Caisi became calm. It was already a significant fortune that the gray wolf had not consumed them. Even if they were to die, it was better than being eaten by a wolf.
Looking back at the stone cave a short distance away, Luo Caisi thought she should at least drag Lan Xiaobu back to the cave. Even if he died, there would be a place to rest.
Luo Caisi pulled at Lan Xiaobu again, but she simply lacked the strength to move him even an inch.
She looked at the few medicinal herbs in Lan Xiaobu’s hand and recalled his previous command to eat. Hesitating momentarily, she picked one of the herbs and slowly chewed it.
She didn’t know where Lan Xiaobu had found this herb, but since his medical skills were so extraordinary, even in a daze, he must have some survival instinct? Perhaps this herb would prove useful. Besides, even if it were poisonous, what difference would it make? There could be no worse circumstances than this.
The herb was slightly bitter and astringent, yet Luo Caisi still forced it down.
Only then did she notice that Lan Xiaobu’s left leg was completely stained red, with a wound at least four to five inches long on his leg, unclear whether it was from a fall or a bite.
Luo Caisi sighed; she felt utterly helpless. She had already expended all her strength to bring Lan Xiaobu to this place. She could only tear a piece from her shirt and wrap it around Lan Xiaobu’s injury.
After sitting for a while, she noticed Lan Xiaobu’s face grew ever redder. She touched his forehead again; the temperature was even higher.
Luo Caisi tried to stand once more, and to her surprise, this time she rose easily. Aside from feeling hungry and a bit weak, the heavy sensation in her head was gradually dissipating.
Was this truly the effect of the herb? Luo Caisi quickly took another herb from Lan Xiaobu’s hand, chewed it again, and this time, she did not swallow it herself. Instead, she attempted to place it into Lan Xiaobu’s mouth. However, as soon as she did, Lan Xiaobu spat it out.
Luo Caisi huffed, complaining, "Are you rejecting me? I didn’t reject you."
Just as she was about to feed him again, she sensed something was amiss. Lan Xiaobu’s hands were cold; why was his forehead so hot? She immediately reached around to feel his back and chest, which were both cool. The only warm area was his forehead.
What a strange fever! A cold hand was understandable, but having a cool back and chest was uncommon. Quickly, Luo Caisi crawled up, went to the stream, scooped up some water, and poured it into Lan Xiaobu’s mouth.
The cold water startled Lan Xiaobu awake. He suddenly sat up, beginning to mumble as his gaze seemed to grow vacant.
Luo Caisi clearly saw Lan Xiaobu’s flushed face fade as he muttered. She touched his forehead again, and the temperature was rapidly dropping.
What kind of illness was this? As a medical student, Luo Caisi had truly never seen such a strange condition. Fortunately, Lan Xiaobu was returning to his initial state, and she felt a slight relief. With her fever also subsiding, perhaps she could survive after all.
"You stand up first, and then we return together," Luo Caisi said to Lan Xiaobu. If he didn’t understand her, she would forcibly pull him back.
To her relief, Lan Xiaobu understood her words and slowly followed her back to the stone cave.
Looking back at Lan Xiaobu trailing behind her, Luo Caisi had a realization. Lan Xiaobu’s outing last night was likely not accidental. From the way he had brought back the herbs that could reduce fever, it was apparent he had intentionally gone to help her find the medicine. Perhaps her saying, "You’re a man," had provoked Lan Xiaobu and triggered his instinct to help her find fever-reducing herbs.
At the same time, Luo Caisi also saw more clearly that Lan Xiaobu’s medical skills were indeed remarkable. In a state of confusion, he casually found a few herbs that could reduce her fever; this was truly a kind of innate medical talent.
Upon returning to the cave, Luo Caisi took out the last two pieces of bread, and after sharing one with Lan Xiaobu, she repeatedly advised him, "You must not go out again. Although I don’t understand why that gray wolf didn’t eat you earlier, if you go out now, there’s no telling what could happen. I will go out to find a few things to improve this cave."
Luo Caisi spent the entire day gathering dry branches and leaves and brought them into the stone cave. She also moved some stones to block the entrance.
After a whole day of work, her body felt utterly exhausted. However, she needed to go out and find food; otherwise, she would starve.
Suddenly, a rumbling noise came from the sky; it was the sound of helicopters. Luo Caisi quickly shrank back into the cave, soon noticing several drones flying across the ravine one after another.
Were they here to search for Lan Xiaobu? Luo Caisi quickly ruled that out; they should be looking for her.
After the helicopters and drones disappeared for a while, Luo Caisi thought she should go out and find some food. It was already dusk; although the sunset was obscured by haze, it faintly radiated some red light.
Walking along the stream for a mile or two, aside from picking up a few wild mushrooms of unknown edibility, she found no food. She did see several wild rabbits, but she couldn’t catch any.
As the red glow above the ravine faded, Luo Caisi dragged her weary body back to the cave. From a distance, she saw the gray wolf standing at the cave entrance, and her heart sank.
Upon seeing Luo Caisi, the gray wolf growled softly and turned to leave.
What did this mean? After the wolf left, Luo Caisi noticed a wild rabbit lying at the cave's entrance. Clearly, this rabbit was just delivered by that very gray wolf.
"Thank you." Luo Caisi said softly as she watched the gray wolf depart.
She hadn’t expected a mere beast to show such gratitude. Being a medical student, though she couldn’t catch a wild rabbit, she still had the ability to turn this one into dinner.
...
The next morning, Luo Caisi was pleasantly surprised to find another blue goat outside the cave. The gray wolf evidently knew she could not hunt and thus proactively brought her prey.
On the third day, the fourth day...
From initially struggling to endure, she gradually adapted. Luo Caisi seemed to have gotten used to life in this stone cave in the ravine; despite Lan Xiaobu’s disheveled state, she was someone who could withstand loneliness.
Unable to study medicine, she silently sat at the cave entrance watching dawn break and dusk fall, waiting for the rare rays of sunshine to break through the haze.
On the eighth day, Luo Caisi grew somewhat worried as the gray wolf had not brought any more prey. Although the previous offerings remained uneaten, she felt some anxiety for the gray wolf.
All day, she seemed somewhat distracted. The ninth and tenth days passed, and still no sign of the gray wolf. On the eleventh day, she couldn’t help but say to Lan Xiaobu, "I’m going out to check on that gray wolf; you mustn’t run around."
"Luo Caisi?" Lan Xiaobu's gaze had noticeably cleared up.
"Ah..." Luo Caisi looked at Lan Xiaobu in great delight. She had stayed here for twelve days and had truly been unable to think of any good way to save him.
(End of chapter)