14. Chapter 14: Someone Is Missing

“In any case, I absolutely cannot let him die,” Lin Chuyi sighed, once again turning her gaze to the medicine pot.

After hearing Lin Chuyi’s extraordinary experience, Lin Qiyue was deeply astonished. What troubled him most was the knowledge that the man’s life was tied to the fate of their entire family. Anxiety crept into his heart.

“How is he now? Please don’t tell me he’s already dead, or we’re truly in trouble.”

Lin Chuyi shook her head. “He should be fine. When I left, I gave him the herbal remedy… Ah!”

Just as she spoke, Lin Chuyi suddenly let out a sharp cry and sprang up from the ground. Having knelt too long, her legs had gone numb, and her body wobbled unsteadily.

Lin Qiyue was startled by her sudden movement. “What’s wrong?”

“I—I forgot to leave the medicine with him,” Lin Chuyi said miserably, looking up at her younger brother, who now stood a head taller than her.

In her rush and shame, she had inadvertently taken such a crucial item with her.

The thought that Mo Yu might have already succumbed was too much; her knees buckled, and if Lin Qiyue hadn’t supported her, she would have collapsed to the ground.

Lin Qiyue, still a man after all, though anxious himself, tried to comfort her: “Don’t worry. You said you gave him the Bluegrass fruit, and since he’s a martial artist, surely he won’t die so easily.”

His words were meant to soothe Lin Chuyi, but also to calm his own fears.

“Yes, he won’t die so easily,” Lin Chuyi finally regained her composure. She crouched down, grabbing a fan and fanning the stove vigorously, hoping the fire would blaze stronger and the herbs would brew faster.

The siblings stayed by the medicine pot, anxiously waiting. When the herbs were finally ready, they nearly wept with joy.

They grabbed a bowl and hurried out. Passing by Seventh Aunt’s chicken coop, Lin Qiyue hesitated briefly before dashing in to snatch a chicken. Worried about Mo Yu’s safety, they left in such haste that not a word was spoken.

As dusk fell and they re-entered the mountain, the path grew dim and difficult to see.

Lin Chuyi nervously pressed close to Lin Qiyue. “Xiao Qi, do you think there might be wild beasts?”

“There won’t be. Don’t be afraid,” Lin Qiyue reassured her, patting her hand. Suddenly, he pulled out a fire striker from his pocket.

With the light from the fire striker, the path was much easier to navigate. Before long, the siblings arrived at the cave—only to find it completely empty, with no sign of Mo Yu.

“Where is he? Could it be that wild beasts dragged him away?” Lin Chuyi stood blankly where Mo Yu had been lying, overwhelmed and helpless.

Lin Qiyue, more composed, scanned the area and shook his head. “No. There are no wild animal tracks nearby. There’s blood here, so he must have left on his own.”

Hearing this, Lin Chuyi breathed a slight sigh of relief. “He left on his own? So does that mean someone came to pick him up?”

Lin Qiyue shook his head again, confessing ignorance. It was too dark to see anything else.

“Let’s hope he’s alright,” Lin Chuyi whispered.

“Let’s go.”

Lin Chuyi nodded. Staying here overnight was truly frightening. As she turned to leave, suddenly her ankle tightened—something had grabbed her. In that moment, her heart plunged into an icy abyss.