Chapter 13

Dr. Fang, I heard that after the child is born, Village head Feng plans to secretly kill A Shui. Has he mentioned this to you?

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After a few days, Fang Ji mentioned that he needed to go to town to purchase medicinal herbs. Feng Bao Nan accompanied Fang Ji to the village entrance and instructed him to send someone to pick him up later that night.

As the clock moved towards around seven in the evening, the early summer sky remained bright. Fang Ji had just reached the foot of the mountain when he heard someone calling his name.

Turning towards the voice, he saw a young man waving at him from a distance. The young man hurried over, addressing Fang Ji with warmth, "Dr. Fang, Village head Feng asked me to pick you up here."

Fang Ji smiled and asked, "Thank you for coming all the way here. I'm not very good with directions. What's your name?"

"Call me Xiao Li!" The young man looked at Fang Ji and reached for the canvas bag he was carrying. "It looks heavy. Let me carry it for you!"

Fang Ji sidestepped, avoiding his hand. "No, no, no! I can't let you do that. You've already gone out of your way to come here. I can manage to carry it myself!"

"Don't be polite! Village head Feng asked me to do this earlier. You've done us a great favor in the village. It's the least we can do!" Xiao Li's gaze shifted downward, noticing that Fang Ji was also holding a cake box. He tentatively asked, "How about I take this box for you?"

Fang Ji chuckled and handed him the cake box. "Thank you then. This isn't heavy."

A slight chill lingered in the night breeze, brushing through the mountains. Fang Ji lowered his head, using one hand to steady himself against the mountainside. He moved slowly along the narrow path of the mountain, Xiao Li leading the way. After walking for a while, Xiao Li casually asked, "Dr. Fang, is today your birthday?"

"Yes, ever since I was a child, I've had a craving for cake on my birthday." Fang Ji blushed and smiled. "My mom always said I'm still eating cake even though I'm all grown up, like a little kid."

"No, no! You're great!" Xiao Li hurriedly responded. "Even though you don't know me, everyone in our Shangyang Village knows about you!"

"You're too kind. I'm basically living here for free. I should be thanking you all!" Fang Ji replied.

"Not at all. You're like family here. If you ever need anything, just let me know!" Xiao Li paused and seemed to remember something, his smile fading slightly. He asked, "By the way, are you still living with A Shui?"

Fang Ji looked at his back and replied, "Yes, she's still pregnant and not in good health. She can't be left alone."

"That child in her belly is truly precious. The Guo family only has this last descendant!" Xiao Li paused again, then asked, "Dr. Fang, you're living with that woman every day. You have to be extremely careful. Has she ever harmed you?"

The path underfoot suddenly cleared, and the surrounding forest became pitch-black. Everything was serene and silent.

Walking side by side, Fang Ji answered, "She's mostly bedridden and doesn't speak much. I prepare some herbal soups for her every day to help her recover. Lin Lang usually brings her the medicine and meals. I haven't gotten too close to her."

Xiao Li's face turned serious. He nodded and looked around, ensuring that there was no one nearby. He then leaned in closer to Fang Ji's ear and whispered, "Dr. Fang, I heard that after that child is born, Village head Feng plans to secretly kill A Shui. Has he mentioned this to you?"

Fang Ji was taken aback, staring at him in a daze. It seemed like a while before he grasped the meaning of his words. His eyes widened suddenly, astonished as he said, "This... how is that possible? Taking someone's life is a serious matter. Don't scare me like that!"

Xiao Li's expression stiffened briefly before he forced a laugh and scratched his head awkwardly. "I heard it from others, after all. But considering she's taken a life before, she killed her own man and even fed his flesh to the villagers in a stew! Truly a wretched fate!"

Fang Ji's face turned pale in an instant. He lifted his head and stared intensely into Xiao Li's eyes, his voice trembling as he said, "Are you telling the truth?"

"If it weren't for her being pregnant, she might have..." Xiao Li shifted his gaze and winked at Fang Ji. "I wasn't supposed to tell you this, but you're a great benefactor to our village. I thought I should let you know quietly. Just be more cautious."

Fang Ji nodded, his complexion growing even paler. "Thank you. I've always been suspicious, given that villagers rarely come to this side. Your words have actually strengthened my suspicions."

"Yes, but don't worry too much. Lin Lang has been by her side all along. There haven't been any incidents these days. Just avoid being alone with her."

Fang Ji nodded again. He noticed a dim yellow light not far away and stopped. "I'm here."

He took the cake box from Xiao Li's hand and said, "You came all the way here. How about coming in for a drink of water before you leave?"

Xiao Li hesitated and instinctively took a step back. "No, no! I need to get back quickly. I won't disturb you anymore... As for what I told you, please don't mention that it was me who said it!"

Fang Ji smiled faintly. "You can rest assured."

Xiao Li's face relaxed a bit, and he waved to Fang Ji. "Head back soon! Take good care of yourself!"

As Xiao Li stood on the hillside, watching Fang Ji's figure disappear behind the gate, his smile gradually faded away.

The wind picked up again, carrying the chill of dew, rustling a night-roaming owl.

Seeing him return, Lin Lang stood up and took the items Fang Ji was carrying, placing them on the table. He asked, "Have you eaten?"

Fang Ji shook his head, and Lin Lang turned to leave the room.

Fang Ji quickly grabbed his hand and a hint of a smile played on his lips. "You don't need to cook tonight. Come over and look at this!"

Lin Lang lifted his head and saw a beautifully wrapped round paper box sitting quietly on the table. There was a transparent section in the middle of it, revealing the design inside.

"Is this... something to eat?" Lin Lang's eyes widened slightly.

Fang Ji nodded. "It's a birthday cake."

Lin Lang's eyes brightened, and he looked up at Fang Ji. "Is today your birthday?"

After a pause, Fang Ji replied, "Yes."

He untied the light purple ribbon on the paper box and opened it. A rich, sweet aroma wafted out, the circular cake adorned with pale pink cream patterns around the edges. It was piled with strawberry chunks and chocolate bits, and at the center, written in chocolate sauce, was the character "Fang," accompanied by a small sun drawing.

For a moment, Lin Lang found it hard to tear his gaze away, looking at it for a while before finally raising his head to look at Fang Ji. He tentatively asked, "Then... Happy Birthday! Is that the right thing to say now?"

"Thank you!" Fang Ji smiled and lit a few small candles, placing them on the cake. "Turn off the lights and let's blow out the candles together!"

The room instantly darkened. Lin Lang didn't know how to sing a birthday song, so Fang Ji taught him. Then Fang Ji picked up a plastic knife, cutting the cake into small pieces and using the paper box to present it to Lin Lang.

Lin Lang hesitated, a look of surprise on his face. "Can I eat this too?"

"What do you think?! Otherwise, with such a large cake, do you want me to eat it all and explode? You all have to help me finish it!"

Lin Lang used both hands to hold it, not too skillfully using a plastic fork to scoop up a piece and put it in his mouth. The sweet and fragrant aroma filled his mouth, a slight tanginess mixing in with the sweetness. Even though he had only taken a small bite, he chewed for a long time before swallowing, a smile appearing at the corner of his lips.

"Is it delicious?" Fang Ji stared at his face closely.

Lin Lang met Fang Ji's eager gaze and nodded vigorously.

Fang Ji smiled and asked, "When's your birthday?"

Lin Lang was taken aback. "I... don't know."

Fang Ji took his hand and said, "It's alright. I'll find a way to help you remember. If not, we can pick a day you like. Is that okay?"

Lin Lang's palm felt a bit warm, and he swallowed nervously. His voice was a bit low as he asked, "Then... can it be today?"

Fang Ji was surprised. "Today..."

Observing Fang Ji's expression, Lin Lang saw him seeming somewhat hesitant. He continued, "You can choose any day, I don't mind."

The smile returned to Fang Ji's face. "Alright, then you'll share a birthday with me. How old are you this year?"

"Eighteen."

Fang Ji's eyes widened slightly, surprised. "Eighteen? That means I'm one year older than you. You should call me 'brother'!"

He took a step closer, reaching out to pinch Lin Lang's cheek playfully. "Come on, call me 'brother'!"

As his fingertip brushed against the side of Lin Lang's face, Lin Lang's body tensed. He felt a sudden heat on one side of his face, and instinctively turned his head away to avoid it. Fang Ji lifted his other hand to block him, cupping Lin Lang's face with both hands. Lin Lang was forced to meet Fang Ji's gaze, his eyes flickering as he stammered, "The c-cake is about to fall!"

Fang Ji, seeing that Lin Lang was immobilized, couldn't help but chuckle, and finally released him. "I won't tease you anymore. Let's eat!"

He cut another piece and put it on a paper tray, then opened the door to the inner room and offered the cake with a sun drawing on it to A Shui. "A Shui, this cake is for everyone to share. Would you like to have a piece too?"

She paused, her gaze fixed on the sun drawing. She blinked and stared at it for a while without blinking. Suddenly, her eyes welled up with tears, and Fang Ji's heart skipped a beat. He quickly moved to block her view, lifting his hand to wipe away the tear at the corner of her eye. However, she grabbed his hand, holding it tightly for a moment, then sniffed and fought back her tears. She took the cake and began eating it hungrily.

The three of them ate most of the cake, leaving the rest in the kitchen. They didn't sleep until it was close to midnight.

The room was immersed in darkness, with a faint sweet scent still lingering in the air. Fang Ji opened his eyes, lifted the blanket carefully, and sat up. He glanced at Lin Lang, who was sleeping beside him.

Lin Lang was curled up, his features relaxed. His eyelashes trembled slightly with his even breaths as he slept.

Fang Ji exhaled softly, stretched his legs to reach for his shoes on the floor.

"Where are you going?"

Suddenly, a voice sounded from behind him, startling him.

Fang Ji turned around and saw Lin Lang, his eyes open, propping himself up with his arm and sitting up. His gaze was fixed on Fang Ji.

Fang Ji froze for a moment, then reached out to push him back down, lowering his voice. "It's alright. I overate a bit earlier, so I can't sleep. I'm going out for a walk to aid digestion."

Lin Lang stared at him for a moment, hesitating. "Do you need me to..."

"No need. I'll just walk around nearby. You go back to sleep!"

Lin Lang nodded and didn't say anything more. He turned over and remained still. Fang Ji walked out, closed the courtyard door, and stood outside in silence for a moment. Once he heard that there was no more sound from inside, he turned and left.

Following the small path down the back mountain, he entered the depths of the woods.

He arrived beneath a tall white wax tree, squatted down, and felt along the roots. His fingertip traced a circle along the root system, then he stood up and walked to another tree a few meters away.

Continuing like this until he reached the seventh tree, he suddenly noticed a shallow white mark horizontally across the roots. The mark was quite new, concealed among the tangled root system. The soil was slightly raised around it, and the color was darker. Fang Ji knelt down and started digging into the ground with his bare hands.

After digging for about half a foot, his fingers suddenly touched a plastic bag. His movement halted for a moment, and he cleared away the soil around the bag. Just as he was about to pull the bag up, a gust of wind swept past behind him, and immediately afterward, a hand touched his shoulder from behind.

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Author's note: 

Thank you for reading my story,

I know it's poorly written. If you can tolerate this kind of writing style and plot, feel free to read it casually. Thanks again.