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Chapter 52.2 Baby can only be mine
Editor: Jodi
That night, the crew, along with the camera team, headed into town.
The small town had a night market, with plenty of food and fun things to do. The group was led by a newly hired tour guide.
The market was bustling, and the locals didn’t seem to mind the presence of the cameras, with some of the vendors even taking the initiative to invite them to buy food enthusiastically.
“This looks delicious! Xiao Ci, try it.” Wei Shuo bought a box of grilled noodles for Shen Ci, grinning.
“Xiao Ci, which souvenir do you want? I’ll win one for you.” Shao Jinhuan said softly from behind him as they passed a ring toss game.
“Wow, that fish looks great! Xiao Ci, do you like fish? I’ll catch one for you and cook it!” Cheng Yun squatted by a fish-catching pool, completely out of place among the children.
…
For some reason, everyone kept orbiting around him, leaving Shen Ci scrambling to keep up with all the kindness and attention that he didn’t even have time to dwell on his worries, and before long, he couldn’t help but laugh.
And Wei Shuo, seeing him laugh so happily was relieved and turned away from Shen Ci to flash a victory sign at the others.
The “Cheer Xiao Ci Up” mission had achieved initial success!
The seven of them spent the night roaming the market, playing and laughing as they explored every corner. As the crowd thinned out, the streets gradually grew quieter.
“Are you guys hungry?” Jiang Shu, who was walking at the back, asked in a small voice, pouting aggrievedly. “I didn’t eat before we left because I didn’t want to get carsick. Then we were all so focused on cheering Xiao Ci up that I didn’t eat much… Now my stomach’s hurting a bit.”
Everyone frowned. Her words, no matter how one listened to them, seemed to have an underlying complaint about Shen Ci. Yet, there was nothing overtly wrong with what she said.
Unable to figure out how to respond, Wei Shuo and the others pretended not to hear her and quickly caught up with Shen Ci who was walking ahead.
Cheng Yun: “The staff brought some medicine. Why don’t you take some?”
Jiang Shu smiled lightly and shook her head. “No need, I’ll be fine soon.”
Cheng Yun: “…” Here we go again.
She would always reject people’s suggestions, only to continue hinting that she wasn’t feeling well. Finding it annoying, Cheng Yun didn’t even bother with her anymore.
Jiang Shu waited for a response for a long time but didn’t get any, then when she looked up, she found that everyone had actually already moved on, gathering around Shen Ci at a nearby barbecue stall.
She stomped her foot angrily. How come the way they treated Shen Ci and the way they treated her was like the difference between heaven and earth?
She had clearly said she was feeling sick, and yet they all ignored her….. Weren’t they supposed to feel distressed for her?
Thinking back to how Wei Shuo had created a small group chat earlier that afternoon, where they had all brainstormed ideas on how to cheer Xiao Ci up, jealousy flared in her heart. What was so special about Shen Ci that everyone cared about him this much?
“Teacher Jiang, hurry up, didn’t you say you’re hungry? Let’s go get some late-night snacks!”
One of the staff members called out to her, brushing past her shoulder.
Jiang Shu who was almost knocked over, became even more angry.
*
Several people gathered around the barbecue stand, ordering food before finding a large table to sit at, drinking and chatting.
And as the cool evening breeze drifted by, it made the atmosphere especially relaxed and comfortable.
Guo Nuan Nuan had been scrolling through her phone for quite a while when she suddenly shouted, “Huh?” and grinned while showing everyone the screen of her phone. “Someone online is saying that Min Shoubei is also in this town! Apparently, he’s here scouting for locations for his movie’s storyboard?”
Shao Jinhuan frowned: “Here? “
This town didn’t have anything particularly unique in terms of scenery or culture, so why would an international director come all the way here to scout locations?
Guo Nuan Nuan was also confused. “Well, the candid photos sure look like him… Maybe it’s just someone who looks like him, and people are mistaken.”
Shen Ci leaned over to whisper to Wei Shuo, “Director Min is Sister Song’s dad, right? If he’s here… would Sister Song come too?”
Wei Shuo, not being too familiar with the film industry, didn’t really understand the significance of Min Shoubei’s status.
So he just shrugged indifferently. “Maybe. Why don’t you send Sister Song a message to ask?”
Shen Ci shook his head. He didn’t believe Min Shoubei would actually come.
Less than half an hour later, the barbecue was served, along with ice-cold beer and soft drinks.
Shen Ci’s eyes lit up at the sight of the food, and the group continued eating and chatting happily.
However about halfway through the dinner, when the table was now a mess of leftovers, Shen Ci suddenly let out a soft “um”, clutching his stomach with a frown.
Shao Jinhuan was the first to notice something was wrong and steadied him by the shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
“My stomach, my stomach hurts…” Shen Ci winced as waves of pain hit him, and cold sweat began to form on his forehead, his eyes squeezed shut tightly in pain.
Wei Shuo immediately realized what was happening. “Not good, not good! I wasn’t supposed to let Xiao Ci drink cold drinks with the barbecue! I’m doomed! Uncle Lu is going to kill me!”
Everyone tried massaging his stomach, but Shen Ci didn’t get any better. In fact, he started to feel nauseous and threw up.
“It looks like acute gastroenteritis—it’s pretty bad!”
Cheng Yun said, then urged the program team to call for an ambulance. The group, now frozen in worry, didn’t dare make any rash moves.
Wei Shuo, now half-covered in Shen Ci’s vomit, didn’t mind in the slightest as he held him tightly, comforting him anxiously. “Don’t be scared, don’t be scared. We’re all here…”
Shen Ci, his face pale as a sheet, curled up like a helpless shrimp, looking frail and pitiful.
Everyone was filled with regret. They’d only brought him out to relax a bit—how did it end up like this?
The excruciating pain drained the last of Shen Ci’s strength, leaving his consciousness hazy and his body freezing cold.
The glaring hospital lights flashed by as he was wheeled down the corridor, the air frigid and filled with an unpleasant sterile smell….
“…..Is he about to pass out?!”
“Everyone, stay calm. Trust us, we’re doctors…”
Muffled voices surrounded him, but Shen Ci could barely understand what they meant as he slipped in and out of consciousness, his eyes slowly closing.
In his daze, Shen Ci thought, if only someone could hold him right now and warm him up—it was so, so cold.
As he lost the last of his awareness, a fleeting warmth, like a whisper, brushed his ear.
“Baby…”
…