The Withered Tree Always Welcomes Spring chapter 45

If not for all the onlookers, Shen Jixue would have thrown himself into Chen Xian’s arms. He restrained his emotions, biting his lip hard to keep from making a sound. That would be too pathetic.

Shen Jixue couldn’t figure out what was going on. He only felt a surge of emotions crashing within his chest, causing his blood to race and a strange, inexplicable feeling to suddenly arise.

“Wait a minute.” Chen Xian had already noticed the minor scratches on Shen Jixue’s arms and legs, guessing they were from bumps during the evacuation. He wanted to find some medicine for him, “You sit down.”

Shen Jixue slumped to the corner, clutching Chen Xian’s pants and refusing to let go, as if letting go would make Chen Xian leave and wake him from his dream.

“Where are you going?”

Chen Xian didn’t expect Shen Jixue to be so clingy. He squatted down and comforted him, “I’m going to see if I can get some medicine for you. Your legs are injured. Don’t you feel it?”

After saying this, Chen Xian gently pried open Shen Jixue’s fingers, told him to stay put, and then left.

There was simple medicine in the recently distributed supplies. Chen Xian got some from Boss Wang and quickly returned to Shen Jixue’s side, afraid he would get anxious waiting.

Shen Jixue sat obediently on the ground but his heart had already followed Chen Xian. He stretched his neck, trying to catch any sound of him in the noisy environment.

Why is he so clingy?

Chen Xian shook his head helplessly, walked over, and pressed Shen Jixue’s shoulder, “I told you I’d be right back. I wouldn’t lie to you.”

Of course, Shen Jixue knew Chen Xian wouldn’t lie to him, but he just didn’t want to be apart from him for even a moment.

Chen Xian sat down next to him, opened the iodine, dipped a cotton swab, and started applying it to Shen Jixue’s arm.

“Did you get these scrapes during the evacuation?”

Shen Jixue couldn’t answer. Everything was so chaotic before he saw Chen Xian. He was dazed and didn’t pay attention to these things. After seeing Chen Xian, he was so overjoyed that even the pain seemed to lessen.

After applying the iodine to his arm, Chen Xian noticed Shen Jixue’s pants were torn. He rolled up Shen Jixue’s pants, revealing some bruises on his knee, indicating he’d been bumped.

Fortunately, they were just minor injuries. During his time at Boss Wang’s shop, he hadn’t suffered much and hadn’t lost much weight, looking much better than when Chen Xian first saw him.

Chen Xian felt a bit relieved. The short separation wasn’t too bad, “You’ve lost your cane too.”

“I lost it on the way here.” Shen Jixue didn’t remember exactly where. In the rush, he didn’t bring anything. Suddenly remembering something, he took out a piece of paper from his pocket, “I still have this with me.”

The rain had soaked the paper, and the writing was blurred, but Chen Xian recognized it as the IOU he had written, one copy for each of them.

Chen Xian found it funny and exasperating, “Why are you still carrying this thing?”

Of course, he kept it. Not only did he owe Chen Xian money, but it was also their connection, something he wouldn’t lose.

Chen Xian never intended for Shen Jixue to repay the money in the first place, so even though the IOU was unreadable, he didn’t tell Shen Jixue and said with a smile, “Keep it safe. Make sure it matches my copy.”

This was the first time Shen Jixue borrowed money, so he didn’t quite understand Chen Xian’s joke and just put the IOU away earnestly.

After taking care of Shen Jixue, Chen Xian applied medicine to several other blind people nearby. By the time he returned the medicine to Boss Wang, the rain had lessened, and a few community volunteers arrived.

The volunteers, looking worried, stopped Chen Xian and Wu Bie as they were about to leave.

“What’s wrong?”

The community volunteer pointed to a pile of items not far away, “Those are tents that just arrived. We want to set them up while the rain is light, but we’re struggling with the heavy lifting. We need help.”

Chen Xian volunteered, “We’ll do it.”

For people like them, used to working outside, setting up tents was second nature. Chen Xian looked back at Shen Jixue, still gazing at him, and gave some instructions before heading off to help with Wu Bie.

They joined other young residents from various communities, working all afternoon to set up the tents before another heavy rain arrived.

After distributing the afternoon’s food and settling Shen Jixue, there was another commotion outside.

“We need help! There are still people at the county hospital who haven’t been evacuated.”

The county hospital, initially not flooded, was now surrounded by rising waters from the nearby mountains. The rescuers needed to be good swimmers, ideally knowing how to row boats. Naturally, Chen Xian and Wu Bie volunteered without hesitation.

Seeing the danger, Shen Jixue wanted to keep Chen Xian from going. He knew he was being selfish, but they had just reunited…

Chen Xian, sensing Shen Jixue’s thoughts, pulled him aside, “Xiao Shen, stay here and help Boss Wang take care of your colleagues. There are many of you, and Boss Wang can’t manage alone.”

Seeing that Chen Xian was determined to go, Shen Jixue had no choice, “Then I’ll go with you.”

Wu Bie, sneaking up on them, said coldly, “Do you think this is an outing? Bringing you would be a burden.”

Though harsh, it was the truth. Chen Xian signaled Wu Bie to back off. If Shen Jixue weren’t blind, he would have taken him without hesitation.

“Don’t listen to him,” Chen Xian said, “Staying here helps too. We’ll be back soon. Once the roads are clear, I’ll take you home.”

At first, his dad said the same thing to him, that he was just going out to find a job. He said that once he found a job, he would take him to get his eyes checked, but… after that time, he never came back.

Shen Jixue knew he couldn’t dissuade Chen Xian. Chen Xian had a kind heart and was good to everyone. Without his kindness, Shen Jixue wouldn’t be where he was now. He could be selfish to others, but he couldn’t refuse Chen Xian. Whatever Chen Xian wanted to do, Shen Jixue could only support him unconditionally.

“Alright, I’ll wait here for you.”

Chen Xian breathed a sigh of relief and, after bidding farewell to Shen Jixue, walked out of the square with everyone else. As he approached the entrance to the square, he noticed a tree branch lying on the ground.

There was still a line ahead. Chen Xian patted Wu Bie’s shoulder, “I’ll be right back. You stay in line.”

Wu Bie wanted to ask what he was doing, but seeing Chen Xian pick up the branch and run into the crowd, he quickly disappeared from sight.

Boss Wang called Shen Jixue a few times, but he refused to sit down and stood there in a daze.

“Why are you so stubborn? Standing there won’t make him come back any faster.” Seeing that he couldn’t persuade him, Boss Wang let him be.

Shen Jixue felt a heavy weight in his heart and his mind went blank. He didn’t dare to let himself think about anything, fearing that if he did, he would imagine terrible outcomes.

Suddenly, his wrist tightened, and something hard was thrust into his hand. He felt the hot breath of a man in front of him.

“Xiao Shen…” It was Chen Xian, breathing heavily from running. The warmth from his palm seeped into Shen Jixue’s skin. “Didn’t you lose your cane? I found you a stick. When we get back, I’ll buy you a new one.”

For a blind person, a cane was almost like their eyes. With this stick, Shen Jixue’s movements would be much easier.

“Going back” and “later” were words that always filled people with hope.

Chen Xian solemnly held Shen Jixue’s hand tightly. “I know what you’re thinking. What happened to your dad was an accident. Don’t overthink it. I’ll definitely come back, even if I have to swim back.”

Shen Jixue’s hand was gripped tightly, the intense pulse making his heart surge. He pressed down on Chen Xian’s hand. “Okay, go and come back soon.”