The infection came and went quickly. Jiang Dao only stayed in the hospital for one night, and the fever subsided the next morning.
Because the bacteria was from ingesting dirty water and not contagious, the doctor prescribed a week’s worth of medicine and quickly approved his discharge from the hospital.
Assistant Xiao Yang and a nurse from the medical team accompanied him in the hospital last night.
It’s not that Chu Yinlong didn’t want to stay with Jiang Dao, but Xiao Yang, the assistant director, and makeup lead cooperated – with Jiang Dao’s help – and finally forced Chu Yinlong back to the villa to rest.
Chu Yinlong didn’t come to pick up Jiang Dao from the hospital either, but went to the filming site as planned. As the director and lead actor of “Operation Red Owl”, he can’t be too self-willed, and can’t stop the entire crew for an actor who’s current scenes are finished.
Fortunately, Jiang Dao didn’t really care.
He has long been accustomed to enduring pain alone, and didn’t feel wronged. He even felt that Chu Yinlong staying behind and spending the night was a bit redundant – the world has no shortage of medicine, treatment methods are more advanced, and professional staff are all around. Even if something goes wrong, with the monitoring in place, the nurse will receive an alarm immediately without Jiang Dao having to ring the bell.
So he originally even wanted to persuade Xiao Yang and the medical nurse to go back.
However, keeping Xiao Yang and the nurse behind was the only way to get Chu Yinlong to leave in peace, so he finally agreed.
Back at the villa, Jiang Dao immediately took a hot shower to wash off the mud and sand in his hair from yesterday, and then took the medicine prescribed by the doctor. After sitting in the house for a while with nothing to do, he slipped downstairs to the kitchen, looking for something to eat.
Assistant Xiao Yang was discussing with the medical staff what to prepare for Jiang Dao as a patient. Seeing him emerge with wet hair, Xiao Yang immediately put down the kitchen utensils and ran over.
“Hey, you’re still ill, why are you running around with wet hair! The boss is going to scold me if he finds out!” He pressed Jiang Dao into the living room sofa and ran off to fetch a hairdryer.
Being by Jiang Dao’s side was much more relaxed than by Chu Yinlong’s side, and he naturally talked more. “Even if you don’t think it’s serious, think about the boss’s mood. He’s worried to death…”
Even though Jiang Dao’s mental state is fine and he’s very calm from start to finish, and can’t arouse people’s compassion and desire to protect… Chu Yinlong is obviously still worried. From last night to today, who knows how many messages he sent inquiring about Jiang Dao’s situation.
After drying his hair, Jiang Dao was ordered to go back to his room to rest and not to wander around.
Lying on the bed, he browsed a few cooking videos boredly. When he saw the doctor came in with a bowl of green vegetable and chicken porridge, he immediately got up, sat in the armchair, and finished the bowl obediently.
The doctors and nurses liked this kind of obedient patient the most, so they took Jiang Dao’s temperature again and asked him to sleep well.
Lying back on the bed, Jiang Dao was indeed a little sleepy.
Being sick is a very energy-intensive thing. Even if he appears to be full of energy, his body is still eager to rest. But he doesn’t like appearing weak. The more unwell he is, the more he likes to pretend that nothing has happened. This is an essential survival skill one needs in the apocalyptic wasteland. Once people see obvious weakness, they will be discarded or robbed.
Fortunately, this world is safe.
He is no longer afraid of being abandoned.
Jiang Dao pulled out his earbuds. Hearing the droning sound, he quickly fell into a deep sleep.
After an unknown time, Jiang Dao was awakened by a chaotic but silent nightmare. The moment he opened his eyes, the scene in the dream suddenly faded away, broken into pieces that could not be captured.
In his vision was the fading sun and Chu Yinlong’s concerned face.
“Get up and take your medicine first,” Chu Yinlong put the earbuds away, and reached out to touch Jiang Dao’s forehead. “Sleep after dinner, okay?”
Jiang Dao blinked, picked up his phone, and found that it was almost six o’clock. He slept for five full hours.
“I won’t sleep.” Jiang Dao put down his phone, sat up and was about to get out of bed when he saw Chu Yinlong handing the pills and water to him.
After he took the medicine obediently, he smiled at Chu Yinlong and said, “No need, I’m just sick, not disabled, I can get up and get the medicine by myself.”
After speaking, he got up and got out of bed as if he wanted to prove something, stretched, and walked steadily into the bathroom.
Chu Yinlong took his eyes back from the bathroom door and slowly exhaled.
Maybe it was because he slept too much in the afternoon. That night, Jiang Dao had insomnia.
Listening to an e-book about cosmology full of obscure words, he didn’t feel tired at all. Closing his eyes, his thoughts began to run wildly.
Suddenly, on the other bed not far away, the bedside lamp suddenly turned on. Chu Yinlong half propped himself up and looked over: “Can’t sleep?”
Jiang Dao glanced at his phone – it was 1:30 in the morning. He helplessly said: “I slept too much this afternoon… Sorry to wake you.”
Chu Yinlong smiled: “It’s okay, I’m not sleepy. If you really can’t sleep, let’s chat?”
Jiang Dao took off his earbuds, turned over, lay on his side and looked at Chu Yinlong: “Chat about what?”
What to talk about.
This is a problem.
Late at night, two insomniac single men in the same room. What’s a suitable topic?
After deliberating for a moment, Chu Yinlong said, “Tell me about the book you just listened to?”
Jiang Dao fell silent, recalled for a while, and said unsurely: “The spectral lines of most galaxies have a redshift phenomenon, which means that cosmic space is constantly expanding?”
Chu Yinlong: …
After chuckling a few times, Chu Yinlong shook his head: “Forget it, let’s talk about normal topics.”
Jiang Dao was amused: “Normal… topics between men? What else is there other than sex? Are you sure you can still fall asleep talking about that? Ah… no, you’re celibate.”
Chu Yinlong smiled and said, “Rascal.”
Jiang Dao smirked at him.
After a pause, Chu Yinlong said, “I’m not celibate.”
Jiang Dao was excited by the answer. “Oh? Do you deal with it yourself?”
“Obviously!” Chu Yinlong laughed. “I’m a normal man.”
Jiang Dao: “How often?”
Chu Yinlong: “Not very often…”
Jiang Dao: “When was the last time?”
Chu Yinlong exhaled heavily: “…Do we have to talk about such a dangerous topic?”
Jiang Dao blinked seriously. “What is there to be shy about? Like me, I dare tell you directly, once every three or four days, the last time was the morning before yesterday…”
“Jiang Dao,” Chu Yinlong interrupted ruthlessly with a solemn face. “I’m celibate.”
“Hahaha…” Jiang Dao laughed out loud, and then calmed down for a moment, and changed the subject. “Why did you become a monk?”
This topic is much more normal.
Chu Yinlong cleared his throat and replied, “I was a premature baby and in poor health when I was young. I was always sick, and sometimes it was very serious. I was even critically ill several times. My mother took me to hospitals across Yan City, and even found a private hospital run by a foreign expert, but they couldn’t figure out the cause and cure it.”
“Later, she took me up the mountain to pray for blessings, and happened to meet my master who was traveling. Master said that my fate wasn’t good, and needed to practice Buddhism for a few years to improve… My mother was also in a panic at the time, so she sent me to Master.”
Jiang Dao was surprised: “How’s that scientific?”
Although his time-travel is quite unscientific.
Chu Yinlong smiled: “It’s unscientific, but I didn’t expect it to be really useful. From the time I was a monk at the age of three to going to school at the age of six, I never got sick again.”
Jiang Dao was curious: “Then why did you come out to act again?”
“My aunt invested in a movie, which needed a little monk to catch demons, and I happened to be a warrior monk, so she borrowed me.” Chu Yinlong replied. “I was eight years old that year, and after that movie, my master suggested that I should return to the secular world… But I still practiced while going to school and filming for a few years. Until I eventually left.”
Jiang Dao thought for a while and asked, “Then do you still recite scriptures now?”
“Yes.” Chu Yinlong smiled. “I’ve read them for many years since I was a child and they’re engraved in my mind.”
Jiang Dao changed into a lying position and joked, “Then read some to me? Let me also be influenced by Buddhism.”
Although this request is a bit odd, Buddhist scriptures do help to calm the mind.
So Chu Yinlong got up, found the sandalwood incense in his luggage, and lit it up. Sitting cross-legged at the end of the bed, he actually started to recite the scriptures to Jiang Dao.
Jiang Dao also thought this scene was very interesting at first, and watched Chu Yinlong with his eyes closed with a smile. But before he knew it, his eyelids started to droop, and he finally dozed off.
The sandalwood burned out.
Buddhist scriptures are over.
Chu Yinlong opened his eyes slowly, and saw that Jiang Dao was sleeping very soundly. The mobile phone and earbuds that could not be separated from him every night were still far away on the bedside table.
However, now that his voice has stopped, Jiang Dao may wake up soon.
Chu Yinlong got up and walked to Jiang Dao’s bedside, and gently felt his forehead temperature. Since being discharged his fever did not recur, and it seems that there is no need to worry too much.
Standing in front of Jiang Dao’s bed and waiting for a while, Chu Yinlong was surprised to find that Jiang Dao, who wasn’t wearing earbuds, did not wake up.
Brows relaxed and breathing deeply, Jiang Dao’s eyelashes didn’t tremble at all. His whole body was calm and relaxed, and shouldn’t be pretending to be asleep.
Unexpectedly, Buddhist scriptures have such an effect.
Chu Yinlong chuckled, returned to bed, turned off the light, and fell asleep.
A night without dreams.
The next morning, Jiang Dao opened his eyes and stretched out on the bed like a cat, only to realize that he hadn’t heard a sound when sleeping last night.
Touching his ears doubtfully, Jiang Dao remembered that this was the second time.
“Come on, eat your medicine first.” At this moment, Chu Yinlong held a tablet and a cup of warm water, and handed it to Jiang Dao.
After taking the medicine obediently, Jiang Dao finished the whole glass of water, raised his face and smiled at Chu Yinlong. “Master Chu’s Buddhism is so profound, and can actually make me sleep so soundly… In the future, when I can’t sleep, can I apply for your sleep coaxing service?”
Chu Yinlong replied simply: “Okay, as long as you need it, I can recite scriptures for you at any time.”
Jiang Dao blinked his eyes: “Ah, nevermind. Saying it like that sounds weird. As if you’re going to seal me…”
Chu Yinlong smiled and rubbed his head.
JD, he doesn’t want to seal you. He wants to lock you up!!!
Don’t forget to rate and leave a review on novelupdates. Want to support ABV? Buy me a ko-fi for faster releases (add’l release status is tracked on my ko-fi page).