novelThe Secret About the Past (21)
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Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
"Seems like you really forgot everything. A tsunami occurred here a few days ago and ruined numerous homes within the vicinity of the beach. But fortunately, my family and I were plucking herbs on the mountains at the time and managed to escape the disaster. Heaven must've blessed us."
"A tsunami?"
"Yes, we'll be returning to rebuild our homes later. I told my parents that we should move to the mountains. That way, we'll be safe even if there's a tsunami. Since you can't remember your name, shall I give you a new name?"
Jin Qingyan nodded in agreement.
"Hmm... how does 'Nick' sound to you?"
Jin Qingyan nodded again and said, "Great."
He stared at Bu Xianxian, who was beaming with joy because she and her family managed to escape a major disaster. However, he was not as happy.
He had lost his memory and had become a blank slate. He did not even know who he was or where his family was. How could he bring himself to smile?
Half an hour later, Bu Xianxian helped him onto a stretcher since it was too painful for him to even stand, let alone walk.
Bu Xianxian's parents carried him on a stretcher and embarked on a journey towards their destination.
Along the way, the middle-aged couple even burst into song, seemingly not upset or dejected about the destruction of their home at all.
Perhaps to them, being able to survive was more than enough.
"Nick, you look really young. I bet you're less than 27 years old, " said Mrs. Bu, who was carrying the rear end of the stretcher.
"I don't know how old I am either."
"It's okay, you'll regain your memory again slowly. Just live with us for the time being, " she said smilingly.
"Thank you."
By the time they arrived on the mountains, the middle-aged couple was already panting heavily in exhaustion. Jin Qingyan wanted to get down from the stretcher in a bid to ease their burden, but they insisted that he continue lying on the stretcher. Thus, they continued to carry him all the way to a plain field along the mountains.
Noticing that the couple were about to walk away again, Jin Qingyan asked, "Where are your parents going?"
"To collect some disaster relief supplies. Otherwise, we won't be able to sleep tonight." Bu Xianxian sat down beside him and asked, "You've got so many wounds on your body. Do they hurt a lot?"
"They don't hurt much, " he said instinctively.
"Liar. Look how huge your wound is. The doctor who helped you bandage it instructed that you have to rest and recuperate properly. Otherwise, it's going to become an old ailment, " said Bu Xianxian, pointing at the wound on his leg.
Jin Qingyan felt a warm and fuzzy feeling in his heart as he watched her continue to blabber on and on. The world was an unfamiliar place to him now.
He had no idea where his home was, who his family members were, whether or not they were alive, what his name was, how old he was, or if he had any friends. Being completely clueless about his identity made him feel extremely helpless.
Bu Xianxian's parents soon returned, panting heavily. Mr. Bu was carrying a tent while Mrs. Bu had two large bags on her shoulders.
Bu Xianxian hurriedly helped her mother put the bags down and asked, "Mother, have you taken everything?"
"No, I have to make another trip. Set up the tent with your father while I go and fetch the remaining supplies."
"Alright, be careful on your way there, " Bu Xianxian instructed.
"Yes, got it."
Mr. Bu brought one large tent and another smaller one, both of which were provided by the government disaster relief unit. Bu Xianxian and her father took more than half an hour to set up both the tents.
In order to set up their makeshift home for the night before the sky turned dark, Mr. and Mrs. Bu toiled endlessly to gather the stones around them one by one and placed them inside the tent. They then picked up ten stones and stacked them atop each other.
"So what's the plan for tonight? Why don't I share a tent with Xianxian while you and Nick share the other one?" Mrs. Bu asked her husband when she returned.
Before Mr. Bu could even respond, Bu Xianxian said, "Mother, Nick needs extra care and assistance. I'll share a tent with him, that'll make it easier for me to take care of him."
"But... a woman and a man shouldn't share the same tent, " Mrs. Bu said hesitantly.
Bu Xianxian snorted with laughter and said, "Mother... he's already in such a state. He can't even move about on his own. He can't do anything to me."
"That's true, I was overthinking. Alright then, you two shall share the small tent while your father and I will take the larger one. Besides, all the cooking utensils have to be inside the tent anyway. Xianxian, it looks like it's going to rain soon. Don't keep standing there. Hurry and set up the bed for Nick to lay down on inside the tent. I'll go cook now."
"Alright." Bu Xianxian then merrily proceeded to do as instructed.
The tent was indeed rather small, and there were very few blankets. Two blankets could be laid in the tent if the blankets were not spread out.
It began to drizzle as soon as Jin Qingyan was placed inside the tent.
Bu Xianxian entered her mother's tent and sat around the charcoal stove."Mother, add more sausages. Nick needs some nourishing."
Mrs. Bu glared at her and said softly, "Can't you see how tired your parents are? We need some nourishing too. Why do you only think about that man? Are you still my daughter?"
"Mother, you and Father aren't injured, unlike him. I would've really thought that he was going to die if he still didn't wake up today. Mother, I've never seen such a good-looking man before. Mother, I fancy him. Since you don't have a son and he's lost his memory anyway, why don't we let him become your son-in-law? Isn't that great?" Bu Xianxian suggested with a coy smile.
"That's great of course. But... you can't force him to stay if he doesn't wish to continue living with us after he's recovered."
"He doesn't even remember who he is. Where can he go even after he's recovered? Besides, it would all depend on how we treat him. We have to treat him like family and nurture feelings with him."
"You're so smitten with him. I'll only take my hat off to you if you have the ability to make him stay with us in the future."
"What's so difficult about that? I'll treat him extremely well and make him stay for me, " Bu Xianxian said with a smirk.
"Okay, let your actions do the talking."
Mrs. Bu placed some sausages into the pot. Once the rice was cooked, Bu Xianxian took the initiative to scoop a large bowl of rice for Jin Qingyan.
"You silly child. There's only so little rice in the pot and you've taken most of it. What are your father and I supposed to eat?"
"Mother, cook some noodles. This portion is for Nick and me, " said Bu Xianxian, after which she scurried to the tent nearby with the bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks.
She ducked her head and crawled inside the dimly-lit tent. She sat down on the blanket and said, "Nick, time to eat."
"Alright." He picked up the bowl and began eating slowly.
She watched him eat while sitting beside him. When he was halfway done with the bowl of rice, he paused and asked, "Have you eaten?"
"I've already eaten, these are all for you. I asked my mother to add more sausages for you. She couldn't bear to eat them."
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