Moonlight Left Behind chapter 19
Lin Cong held a branch of red roses in his hand, tearing the petals off one by one.
“Actually, I don’t really believe what my dad and the others say; it’s too strange. They’re all neighbors, so how could no one know what happened to Qin Ge?”
“They just won’t say anything, so there’s nothing I can do. Anyway, I’ll keep—wait a minute!” As he was speaking, Lin Cong finally realized something. “Hold on, we’re rivals in love! Why am I even telling you this? Ugh, how unlucky!”
But it was too late, he’d already said it. Lin Qinzhou, who had been in a bad mood, was now amused by this straightforward, silly kid.
Standing up, he brushed the dust off his clothes and said, “Alright, I got it. Thanks, little brother!”
Lin Cong was furious. “Who’s your little brother! You scoundrel, you don’t play fair!”
That night, Lin Qinzhou wandered around outside for a long time. His mind was in turmoil, flashing between unclear memories and the information he’d just gathered.
Lin Cong’s suspicion wasn’t unfounded. On Coral Island, where people were honest and kind, everyone would rush to help if someone was in trouble. So how could no one know or care about the major misfortune that had befallen Qin Yue?
Unless… Everyone was deliberately keeping it a secret.
But what could be so serious, and for what reason, that it would make everyone keep silent?
Lin Qinzhou had a gut feeling it was related to him. Maybe the person Lin Cong mentioned, the annoying one who always wanted to monopolize Qin Yue, was him.
But something didn’t add up. He remembered that when he was on the island, he was the leader of the kids, with lots of friends…
When he returned to the guesthouse, the lobby was empty and quiet. Lin Qinzhou quietly walked to Qin Yue’s door and stood there for a while before heading upstairs.
That night, as expected, Lin Qinzhou couldn’t sleep. He only managed to fall asleep around the first crow of the rooster, and even then, it wasn’t for long. Before dawn, he woke up again, hearing faint sounds downstairs. It was probably Xiao Yao preparing breakfast.
Lin Qinzhou stared at the ceiling for a long time, and by 8 AM, he couldn’t stay in bed anymore, so he got up.
“…It’s really too much trouble for you, coming so early.” When he went downstairs, he saw Xiao Yao leading a skinny, tanned old man into the house, both of them moving with urgency.
Lin Qinzhou noticed the old man carrying a large aluminum medical kit, and the direction they were heading was toward Qin Yue’s room.
Qin Yue… is sick?
Before his mind could catch up, Lin Qinzhou had already hurried after them.
But he was a step too late, watching as the door closed right in front of him.
“…” His hand was already on the doorknob, but he didn’t push it open.
That would be rude.
After all, he was just a guest at Fubai, and he had no right to barge into the owner’s room.
He could only sit in the lobby, staring anxiously at Qin Yue’s room. After about 20 minutes, he finally heard some movement from inside.
“…Thank you, Dr. Chen. I’m really sorry to trouble you. Let me see you out.”
“Don’t mention it, kid. But this fever might come back, so call me anytime if needed.”
Lin Qinzhou was getting increasingly anxious. As soon as they came out, he immediately stood up. When Xiao Yao finished seeing the doctor out, she turned around to find Lin Qinzhou’s worried face.
“How’s Boss Qin?” Lin Qinzhou asked in a hoarse voice.
Xiao Yao wasn’t prepared for the sudden question and was startled. After recognizing who it was, she patted her chest and said, “Mr. Lin, you scared me! Why do you walk so silently?”
“Sorry,” Lin Qinzhou apologized smoothly, then repeated his question, “How’s Boss Qin?”
Qin Yue had a fever. That morning, Xiao Yao went about her usual routine, cooking breakfast. Normally, Qin Yue would be up by then.
He had a strict routine and would always go for a walk in the morning, rain or shine. But today, he hadn’t appeared.
Knowing about Qin Yue’s health, Xiao Yao grew worried and went to check on him. She knocked on his door for a long time, but no one answered. So she went inside and found Qin Yue lying in bed, unconscious, with a burning fever.
“How did he get a fever so suddenly?” Lin Qinzhou was even more anxious.
“He probably caught a chill. The boss’s health is fragile, so it’s not unusual for him to get fevers or colds.”
As they spoke, they entered the room. Xiao Yao busied herself making cold medicine for Qin Yue, while Lin Qinzhou stood by the door, staring blankly at the figure lying in bed.
Qin Yue’s thin frame was barely noticeable under the light blanket. His breathing was shallow, his face pale except for an unhealthy flush, and beads of sweat covered his forehead.
That had to be cold sweat, because he was clenching his teeth and trembling all over.
Lin Qinzhou had had fevers before and never thought much of them. But seeing Qin Yue like this, his heart felt like it had been pierced, aching terribly.
He rushed to the bedside, about to grab the hand sticking out from the blanket, but Xiao Yao beat him to it.
“…” Lin Qinzhou stopped in his tracks, closed his eyes, and exhaled softly.
Xiao Yao tucked Qin Yue’s arm back under the blanket and then picked up the bowl of medicine.
“I’ll do it.” Lin Qinzhou reached out, but Xiao Yao quickly avoided him, politely saying, “No, no, breakfast is ready. You should go eat. I’ll take care of this.”
Lin Qinzhou: “…”
Lin Qinzhou was feeling irritated.
Especially when he saw how skilled Xiao Yao was at feeding Qin Yue medicine, it made him even more upset. But he had no grounds to intervene, so he could only watch helplessly.
After feeding the medicine, Xiao Yao soaked a towel to place on Qin Yue’s forehead and used alcohol to wipe his limbs.
She was quick and efficient, as if she had done this countless times.
And Lin Qinzhou still couldn’t do anything, because he was just a guest, and Xiao Yao wouldn’t let him help with anything.
“Is anyone here?” A guest called from the lobby.
“You should go attend to that. I’ll stay here.” Lin Qinzhou finally saw an opportunity.
Xiao Yao hesitated. “But…”
Lin Qinzhou deliberately said, “You don’t trust me?”
“Of course not.” Xiao Yao smiled apologetically, then said, “Sorry to trouble you, Mr. Lin.”
Lin Qinzhou showed no expression, but inside he felt a bit of relief that he couldn’t reveal. He quickly glanced at the person lying on the bed, then followed Xiao Yao to the door, saying, “It’s fine.”
As soon as Xiao Yao left, Lin Qinzhou swiftly closed the door.
He let out a sigh, sat down by the bed, and looked at Qin Yue. Although Qin Yue had taken the medicine, he still wasn’t doing well. His consciousness was clouded, but his body had started to sweat, and his face and neck were flushed red.
Lin Qinzhou wasn’t sure if he was feeling uncomfortable or having a bad dream, but his brows were deeply furrowed.
He became absorbed in watching him, only realizing after a long while how long he had been staring.
With a sigh, he poured some hot water into the basin that Xiao Yao had prepared, carefully supporting Qin Yue’s face with one hand while wiping his face and neck with the other.
The cool touch of the wet towel seemed to feel good on Qin Yue’s skin, as he slowly opened his eyes and regained some clarity.
“How do you feel?” Lin Qinzhou asked.
Just yesterday, Qin Yue had been fine, and now he was suddenly so ill. It pained Lin Qinzhou deeply.
Qin Yue didn’t respond. His gaze was a bit unfocused and even a little dazed. When Lin Qinzhou reached out again, Qin Yue suddenly grabbed his hand, half-opening his eyes and asking, “Lin Qinzhou?”
His body temperature was so high that Lin Qinzhou’s wrist, held by him, felt scorching hot, as if he too was starting to burn.
“It’s me,” Lin Qinzhou answered softly.
Hearing the confirmation, Qin Yue smiled a little but continued to stare at Lin Qinzhou. After a while, he shook his head and said, “No, it’s a dream.” He lowered his eyes, his voice hoarse and quiet, “I’m dreaming again…”
Lin Qinzhou froze, his heart pounding, while Qin Yue closed his eyes and fell back into a deep sleep, completely unaware of the impact his words had on the person beside him.
Lin Qinzhou’s mind was in chaos, as fragmented memories flashed before his eyes, but none of them were clear. His chest felt tight and stifled.
Author’s Note:
Here’s a little preview: three chapters later, we’ll start to delve into the past of the two.