Forbidden Land – CH 044

It had been raining for several days in a row. Hangzhou’s weather was unpredictable; when it was sunny, it could last for many days, and when it rained, it could last for weeks. Not only did clothes and shoes never dry, but it also often created a sense of depression.

He had originally planned to go to Beigao Peak with Chen Rong this weekend, but due to Zhang Chao’s illness and the rainy weather, they had to cancel.

Zhang Chao’s illness was rather strange. The doctor looked at the test results and said it was a viral cold. But usually, after recovering from a cold, the body had immunity for one or two months, making it less likely to catch another. However, three days after his injection, he caught a severe cold again.

Both times, he recovered almost completely the day after the injection.

According to general experience, a cold usually took one or two weeks to recover. This puzzled Zhang Chao.

Perhaps it wasn’t a cold at all, and the doctor misdiagnosed. But since he got better after the injection, there was no need to investigate what the illness actually was.

Since his first cold, Zhang Chao felt his health slowly declining. For some unknown reason, his appetite waned, he felt constantly weak, and he experienced palpitations and shortness of breath. His insomnia was worse than before, though thankfully, Chen Rong had given him medication.

He wasn’t exactly a delicate, fair-skinned young man, but lately he felt his skin was becoming increasingly pale—a bloodless, pale white. It was only March; the weather hadn’t warmed, but the dark blue veins on the back of his hands were faintly visible, like lines drawn on his pale skin, strikingly distinct.

What was wrong with his body? Should he buy some supplements? He couldn’t figure it out.

Since he bought a webcam and placed his laptop in the bathroom every night before bed, with the webcam pulled up to the window, the person who used to knock on the window in the middle of the night had stopped appearing.

They would come every few days when they should not. Now, he longed for them to come, but they never came again. Zhang Chao was truly helpless.

These past few days, as long as it didn’t rain, Chen Rong would always ask him to go with her, either to study or for a walk around campus, chatting about everything under the sun.

Back in the dorm, as long as it wasn’t raining, Bai Qiu would call him from the window, and they would stroll hand in hand on the lakeside meadow behind Baisha.

Chen Rong or Bai Qiu, who was better?

Although he hadn’t spent much time with Chen Rong, he couldn’t answer that immediately.

Perhaps Chen Rong was his soulmate, and Bai Qiu was his lover.

But why did he feel such strange feelings for Chen Rong, his soulmate? And why did he always feel something was off with Bai Qiu, his lover? He always felt like he was worried about something.

That evening, after the rain stopped, Bai Qiu, as usual, wore her red down jacket and called him from the window. He came out of the dorm, went to the grass, took Bai Qiu’s hand, and they went to the lakeside.

But this time, Bai Qiu’s expression seemed off. Her usual cheerful demeanor was completely gone. A pool of tears welled up in her innocent eyes.

Zhang Chao noticed her distress and asked with concern, “Qiu, what’s wrong?”

Bai Qiu’s face was filled with worry. She gazed into the distance, then turned and touched Zhang Chao’s face, saying slowly, “You’re getting thinner and thinner.”

Zhang Chao smiled and said, “Winter’s over; I haven’t been eating as much as I used to, so naturally I’ve lost weight.”

Bai Qiu smiled slightly and said, “Look at you, the veins on your hands are showing, and you look pale. You should eat more to nourish yourself.”

Zhang Chao said, “You’re just as thin and pale. If you need to nourish yourself, let’s do it together. Saturday, the day after tomorrow, I’ll go to the supermarket to buy some things, and we’ll eat together.”

Bai Qiu shook her head slightly and said, “You seem to have become weaker lately.”

Zhang Chao sighed and said, “I don’t know. Maybe it’s from the two injections I’ve had. My cold has been gone for almost a week, but I still often feel weak. I guess, as the old saying goes, the illness has taken a toll on my health. I need to recuperate for a while.”

Bai Qiu chuckled, then looked at Zhang Chao with affection and said, “Can you hug me again?”

Zhang Chao asked, puzzled, “What do you mean, ‘hug me again’? I want to hug you every day.” With that, he pulled Bai Qiu into his arms.

Bai Qiu nestled in his arms, silent for a long time before slowly saying, “Let’s break up.”

“What! Break up!” Zhang Chao grabbed Bai Qiu’s shoulders tightly, his voice trembling with emotion. “Bai Qiu, what’s wrong?! Why break up?!”

Bai Qiu shook her head slightly, saying calmly, “I’m sick, and it’s incurable.”

Zhang Chao said, “How could it be incurable? Since you know you’re sick, how can it not be? Tell me, what exactly at the School of Medicine scared you? Was it a woman who sings opera? Where is she? Tell me, I’ll go find her!”

Bai Qiu smiled bitterly, saying softly, “You won’t find her.”

Zhang Chao asked, “Have you seen her?”

Bai Qiu’s smile seemed tinged with sadness. After a long silence, she said, “Yes, I have.”

Zhang Chao said, “Then tell me, where is she?”

Bai Qiu took a deep breath and said, “Don’t go looking for her. Promise me, never go looking for her.”

Zhang Chao wasn’t about to give up: “Tell me, where is she? She’s ruined you like this; how can I not go find her!”

Bai Qiu said softly, “Have you… forgotten Li Weihao?”

Zhang Chao was suddenly stunned. Bai Qiu wasn’t crazy? She knew everything? He excitedly asked, “Bai Qiu, you aren’t mentally ill, are you? You’ve been lying to them. You actually know everything that’s happened recently?”

Bai Qiu neither admitted nor denied it.

Zhang Chao continued, “Why did you do this? Tell me, no matter what, I’ll take responsibility for you.”

Bai Qiu shook her head helplessly. “You can’t take it.”

Zhang Chao asked, puzzled, “Why?”

Bai Qiu smiled sadly. “I just want you to promise me you won’t go to that woman anymore. I’m begging you.” As she spoke, tears streamed down her face.

But Zhang Chao refused to give up, pleading, “Tell me the reason, please! I beg you. Where is that woman? Is she in the third classroom?”

Bai Qiu asked, “You know everything?”

Zhang Chao replied, “She is there. What secret is there? Have you been inside?”

Bai Qiu didn’t answer but gently pushed Zhang Chao away, saying, “Are you happy with Chen Rong?”

Zhang Chao quickly said, “No, we are just friends. I only love you.”

Bai Qiu smiled and said, “It’s okay. I hope you can go find Chen Rong. She’s a very good girl. We really aren’t suitable for each other. Let’s break up.”

Zhang Chao’s eyes nearly bulged out. He roared, “Did Chen Rong say something to you?!”

Bai Qiu shook her head. “Chen Rong didn’t contact me. Don’t make wild guesses. I’m telling you, seriously, Chen Rong is really good, and she’s perfect for you. In short, it’s my fault, only my fault. Please don’t blame anyone else.”

Zhang Chao said, “Bai Qiu, how could you suddenly become like this? We were fine just a few days ago!”

Bai Qiu laughed. “Zhang Chao, don’t do this. It isn’t good if people see us. Let’s break up. And please, don’t go to the School of Medicine at night anymore. Please, I beg you.”

With that, Bai Qiu turned and walked away.

Zhang Chao quickly grabbed her, but Bai Qiu, tears streaming down her face, remained unmoved, shaking off his hand and stubbornly walking forward. She reached the entrance of the Baisha girls’ dormitory, and finally, Bai Qiu turned back, repeating, “I beg you, I beg you. Let’s break up. It’s all my fault. Don’t blame anyone else. Please, never go looking for the woman singing opera again.” With that, she shook off his hand and walked upstairs to the girls’ dormitory.

Zhang Chao stood there, stunned, shouting, “Why, why?!”

Bai Qiu continued walking into the girls’ dormitory without hesitation, and the other girls passing by looked at her curiously.

Bai Qiu wasn’t crazy at all. What was the reason for all this?!