Back to the Countryside

By the time He Ling regained his consciousness, he was already lying on his own bed.The sky outside the window was very dark so the twinkling starlight could be seen. A candle was lit up on the table in the room, the small flame leaping around and shining out the trace of bright warm color. 

        Was it night already? He blinked,he had no memory of the matter that happened after he fainted. After thinking for a while, he ended up with nothing. He moved his body, wanted to get up, but a faint pain in his belly made him frown and lie back down.

        He put his hand on his stomach and touched it gently, bewildered in his heart. He hadn't eaten anything strange recently. How could he suddenly pass out from the pain in his stomach?

        There was a soft creak that sounded as the door was pushed open so he turned his head to look over. He saw Qi Yue walking in with a bowl in his hand. Seeing that He Ling was awake, he went to the bed and lifted him up, bringing the bowl to his lips.

        The bowl of water was in black color, and there was a strong smell of herbal medicine coming out from it. He Ling slightly wrinkled his eyebrows, obediently opened his mouth, as he let the other man feed him all the medicine in the bowl.

        After finishing the medicine, Qi Yue helped him to lie down on the bed again. Then he turned around with the empty bowl and actually went out just like that! 

        "Xiang Gong?" He Ling was surprised and called out to him.He felt that he looked a bit strange.

        The person being called stopped in his steps yet he didn't stay long. Without saying a word, he left the room and closed the door again with a 'bang' (sound). 

        He Ling did not know what to do and at a complete loss, he staggered on his feet while trying to get up. He stared at the tightly closed door, his eyes wide opened. 

Is Xiang Gong angry? Or is he angry with him? Why?

        He was suddenly frightened, since they met until now, he had never been treated like this. Why was it suddenly becoming like this? Had he done something wrong?

        In the midst of feeling fear and panic, Qi Yue came in again, this time he carried a tray with him. There was a bowl of plain rice congee and several small dishes. When Qi Yue saw He Ling propped up his body sitting on the bed, his expression immediately changed. He put the tray down on the table, went over to him and pushed him to lie back down on his bed. "Can't you stay still and be obedient?"

        He Ling was stunned and frightened by his fierce tone. He stayed dumbfounded and did not know what to respond when he looked into his irritated eyes.

        Meeting his gaze, Qi Yue closed his eyes, released his hands that were pressing his shoulders, and turned back to get the meal on the table, only to be stopped by He Ling who tugged his sleeve.

        He Ling tightened his grip on the fabric under his hand with a slightly unnoticeable tremble. He spoke very carefully to probe out, "Xiang Gong, are you angry with me?"

        Hearing the helpless voice of the person behind him, Qi Yue's heart was slightly pierce with pain. His hand clenched into a fist, resisting the urge to hold him into his embrace. He used a small amount of strength to pull the sleeve away.

        The smooth fabric slipped out of his hand. He Ling's heart panicked by this, anxiously leaning forward and grabbing his hand directly, his voice tinged with sobbing tone, "What did I do wrong, can you tell me, please?"

The hand that held him was trembling non stop, so you could imagine the fear in its owner's heart. The pain and anger were so intertwined in Qi Yue's heart that he could no longer bear to turn his back,"Do you seriously,do not know what is wrong with you?"

        His eyes flushed red because of anger, He Ling's heart ached to see this. 

He looked so distressed that his eyes also reddened but he didn't know how to answer his question, "I'm sorry ...."

        "Why didn't you tell me if you weren't feeling well?" Qi Yue held his shoulders with some force, "I'm a doctor!"

        He Ling did not know the reason for his anger until this moment, his heart felt even more guilty, it must have been his sudden fainting that scared him, that's why he was angry with him, "I thought it was okay, that's why I don't ...."

        "You thought?" Releasing his hand, Qi Yue took a step back, his expression cold,  "If you really don't want the baby in your belly, tell me! I'll have a better way to get rid of him."

        He Ling's mind suddenly went blank, 'A child? What child?' He reached out and placed his hand on his belly, his gaze flickering in panic, he had a child in his belly? He and Qiyue's ...... child?

        Qi Yue bent his body close to him and cupped his chin, making him look at himself, his words cold as if he were another person, "A child of a month or so is easy to get rid off, as what you did today, that light fall was enough to kill him."

        Tears rolled from his eyes and slid down his cheeks, staining his hands. He pulled his hand back as if he had been burned. He looked at He Ling shaking his head at him with a tear-stained face, "No! Don't ...!"

        He reached out his hand to grab Qi Yue's hand again, full of fear and panic. Facing him to confirm, "Is the baby alright? Is he all right?"

        In the end, Qi Yue still didn't have the heart to ignore him so after being silent for a long time, he gave him a definite answer, "He is fine!"

Translator's notes: I don't know the gender of the baby yet, I used he/him to describe the baby.