Chapter 102 — Pursuing to Yunnan

Exhausted to the bone, yet with a mind astonishingly alert, Lin Xiaowen felt even more lost the moment her feet finally touched the ground of Wanting.

She hadn’t paid attention to the news or read any updates for a long time. But the moment Xu Ningning called the Sinan family’s home line, Lin Xiaowen had already made up her mind.

“In recent years, military-themed films have been eagerly anticipated by the public. Not long ago, director Chen Dan’s latest anti-narcotics film, 'Ninefold Blaze,' starring acclaimed actor Lin Liyang and the rising young star Cheng Yishu, was being filmed on location in Wanting, Yunnan...”

“The rainy season in Yunnan brings not only drastic temperature changes but also frequent landslides. Word is, after heavy rainfall, a mudslide struck the 'Ninefold Blaze' set in Wanting, injuring multiple actors and crew members. Worse, one of the main actors was critically injured and efforts to save him failed...”

Lin Xiaowen only remembered her hands and feet turning icy as she rummaged out her long-unused phone, plugged it in, and waited anxiously for the screen to light up.

When the call finally went through, only for her to hear that the number was temporarily unreachable, her heart nearly froze.

Forcing herself to remain calm, her hands trembling, she tried to contact Xu Ningning again.

And so began the journey that spanned a day and a night, finally bringing her to the small town where Cheng Yishu was—the town of Wanting.

Maybe it was because there’d been another heavy rain the night before, but the air was thick with damp, sultry humidity.

By the time the taxi pulled up in front of Wanting People’s Hospital, it was already midday.

“Excuse me, I’d like to ask if there are any patients here from the 'Ninefold Blaze' film crew who were injured?”

Perhaps because the town’s population was small, the hospital was sparsely populated, giving it a particularly empty and tidy feel. The plump nurse at the inquiry desk glanced up at Lin Xiaowen, whose voice carried a trace of urgency.

Her black hair was tied carelessly into a messy ponytail, her bare face showing clear signs of anxiety. She wore a plain white short-sleeved T-shirt, a pale blue denim pinafore skirt, and on her feet a pair of once-white sneakers now dulled with wear. A canvas backpack was slung over her shoulders—the unmistakable look of a university student.

“Chasing after your idol all the way here, huh?” The slightly plump nurse rolled her eyes, her tone unfriendly, though her Mandarin was surprisingly standard and her words blunt. “No, there aren’t.”

Lin Xiaowen was taken aback. “But I heard all the injured from the film crew were brought to this hospital. And this is the best hospital in Wanting—they wouldn’t have gone anywhere else...”

“Sorry, we’re under strict orders not to disclose any information about our patients, so there’s nothing I can tell you.” The nurse, clearly losing patience, urged her, “If you’ve got nothing else, please leave. Don’t linger here… Can’t you see there are people waiting behind you?”

A sudden inspiration struck Lin Xiaowen.

“I’m not a reporter, nor a fan… I work for Stardust Entertainment. I’m an assistant—yes, I’m Cheng Yishu’s assistant, sent by the company. I just flew in from Shanghai…”

“They all say that!” The plump nurse gestured to a few young men and women outside, some standing, some sitting. “See them? They all said the same thing—not reporters, not fans, all claiming to be someone’s assistant. One even said he was a bodyguard—see that skinny guy, the one who looks like a walking stick? Him!”

The nurse gave a cold, mocking laugh. “The way he looks, he couldn’t beat me in a fight, so how’s he supposed to protect anyone? If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable.”

Lin Xiaowen followed the nurse’s line of sight. Sure enough, three or four young people, not talking much but sticking together, were keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.

Impatient voices began to grumble behind her in the queue, so Lin Xiaowen could only offer them an apologetic smile as she slowly left the outpatient building.

Helpless, she looked up at the building’s ten-plus stories and sighed in distress.

Still, based on the nurse’s words and tone, it was certain that the injured from Yishu’s crew were here.

But with the production company having imposed strict rules, forbidding the hospital from revealing anything about the wounded or their room numbers, seeing Yishu would be next to impossible.

She glanced back at the inquiry desk—the plump nurse’s eyes never seemed to leave her.

Was she being watched?

“Hey, Xiaoqin, does your uniform fit? Mine’s a bit loose. Looks awful!”

“Fit? Not really, I just had it altered and brought it back... By the way, our nurse uniforms are so old-fashioned. I’ve seen much nicer ones elsewhere—not just white, but in all sorts of new styles and colors!”

“Exactly. Well, whatever, we’ll just have to make do...”

Two young nurses walked past Lin Xiaowen, chatting carelessly, but their conversation caught her attentive ear.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up with a plan.

A door marked “No Entry” was gently pushed open, and a petite nurse in a brand-new white uniform walked out quietly.

She adjusted the nurse’s cap on her head and tugged at the mask that covered her face. She also pulled at the skirt, which was much too short. Lin Xiaowen grumbled inwardly—how did she end up “borrowing” such a short one?

No, not stealing—borrowing! She’d return it as soon as she was done. Sorry about that!

Muttering to herself, Lin Xiaowen walked toward the outpatient hall.

She really did feel like a thief—her guilty conscience was undeniable. As she passed the inquiry desk, she could practically feel the plump nurse’s eyes boring into her back.

Thankfully, the elevator was just ahead. Lin Xiaowen almost broke into a run, and just as a few people stepped out, she slipped inside.

The elevator doors slid shut. Behind her mask, Lin Xiaowen let out a long breath of relief.

She pressed a hand to her pounding heart, then looked up at the floor guide inside the elevator—only to feel her head spin again.

Inside one of the hospital rooms…

“Yishu, I really feel so embarrassed… making you look after me like this, honestly…”

Chen Kai, lying in bed, looked rosy-cheeked and healthy, except for the one leg hoisted high in a sling.

Cheng Yishu sat in a chair, eyes lowered, peeling an apple with a fruit knife. His cropped hair gave him a sterner, more mature look. His skin had tanned, and he’d lost weight, but his eyes were still as bright and spirited as ever.

He handed the peeled apple to Chen Kai, put the knife away, and said, “It’s only right. If you hadn’t pushed me away at the time, I’d be the one lying here now.”

Cheng Yishu rarely said things like “thank you” or “sorry.”

So even though he was deeply grateful for Chen Kai’s selfless act, he couldn’t quite bring himself to express it aloud. He simply did his best to look after Chen Kai—though, truth be told, there wasn’t much he could do beyond pouring water, ordering takeout, or calling a nurse to change an IV.

“Don’t say that… I had my own selfish reasons.” Chen Kai took a big bite of the apple and mumbled, “You’re the lead actor. If you get hurt, who’s going to shoot the film? If the shoot can’t go on, there’s no money. Right?”

Two grown men, alone in the spacious hospital room, awkwardly circling around gratitude neither wanted to voice—it all felt terribly uneasy.

It wasn’t just Cheng Yishu who felt this way; even Chen Kai was uncomfortable.

“Yeah, all for the money.” Cheng Yishu glanced at him, leaning back in his chair as Chen Kai continued munching his apple.

Chen Kai ate with great focus, then looked over and asked, “How’s Dalingzi doing? Any better?”