Picked Up the Female Lead When She Was Young (GL) - Chapter 5

As soon as lunch was over, Xia Wanshuang was ready to run out, but Jiang Wan called out to her.

“Shuangshuang, it’s very sunny out. Where are you going?”

“Auntie, I have something to do. I’ll get going now. Bye-bye.”

Xia Wanshuang didn’t say what she was going to do. She just waved and walked out.

Unlike yesterday’s downpour, today’s sun was exceptionally hot, as if it wanted to evaporate all the moisture from yesterday’s rain.

Cicadas shrieked themselves hoarse in the trees, creating a deafeningly loud sound.

Under the sun, the garbage was baking and emitting a sour smell. Zhou Qinglang was squatting in a corner, staring intently in one direction.

She irritably waved away the flies buzzing around her, feeling like running away again.

Maybe that girl was just saying it casually and wouldn’t come back.

Footsteps echoed on the street. Zhou Qinglang’s eyes lit up when she saw the little girl running over. Her two bouncing pigtails seemed to touch her heart.

“I’m sorry, I… I’m late. I was just eating. What do you want to eat?”

Xia Wanshuang leaned on her knees, gasping for breath, and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

Zhou Qinglang moved her mouth but didn’t say anything.

“Rice? Fried noodles? Wontons?”

With each food Xia Wanshuang mentioned, Zhou Qinglang’s face showed a little more longing. Despite her dirty face, Xia Wanshuang could still see her cuteness.

“Come on, follow me. Tell me what you want to eat.”

Xia Wanshuang waved her hand. Zhou Qinglang followed for a few steps and then stopped again.

“I’m dirty.”

Zhou Qinglang twisted her fingers, her eyes shrouded in a gray haze.

“Then wait here for me.”

Xia Wanshuang ran to a fast food restaurant and ordered a large portion of fried noodles.

A large portion of fried noodles was two yuan, with meat and egg, it was three and a half yuan. A bottle of mineral water was one yuan. Xia Wanshuang bought it without a second thought, but the system was heartbroken.

[System]: Shuangshuang, if you keep eating like this, we’ll have no money left.

Four and a half yuan! That was four and a half yuan!

[Xia Wanshuang]: It’s not a big deal. The child comes first.

“Shuangshuang, are you going to give that to her?”

The restaurant owner, a forty-year-old woman in an apron, had just seen Xia Wanshuang talking to a little beggar on the side of the road.

Xia Wanshuang nodded without hiding anything.

“Shuangshuang, let me tell you, it’s good to be kind, but you can’t be kind like this. What if she gets attached to you? You can’t keep doing this for her. She’s so dirty, she has a lot of germs on her.”

The auntie’s voice was loud and uninhibited, and Zhou Qinglang, who was not far away, heard everything.

Her expression, hidden beneath the dirt, was indifferent. She had long been used to people’s strange looks and rejection. She had even been pelted with small rocks before, so these words didn’t matter to her.

She just stared stubbornly in Xia Wanshuang’s direction, waiting for her response.

“Thank you, Auntie. I know, but my grandpa said that people should do good deeds within their capabilities.”

Her grandpa was the person Xia Wanshuang respected the most. He had often told her this, and she had taken it to heart.

Since Xia Wanshuang put it that way, the owner had nothing more to say. She just shook her head, handed over the takeout box, and gave her a bottle of water.

Xia Wanshuang ran back and handed it to Zhou Qinglang.

“The sun is so strong here. Let’s go to that shady spot to eat.”

Xia Wanshuang pointed to a shady area created by a building and told Zhou Qinglang to sit there.

“You eat. I’ll hold the water for you.”

Xia Wanshuang sat down on the steps and waved to Zhou Qinglang.

Zhou Qinglang, however, sat in the sun, a short distance away from Xia Wanshuang.

Xia Wanshuang moved closer to Zhou Qinglang, who then shuffled away. Xia Wanshuang kept moving closer, watching as Zhou Qinglang frantically moved away.

“If you move any further, you’ll be sitting on the ground.”

Xia Wanshuang said with a smile, propping her face in her hand and looking at Zhou Qinglang.

“Don’t get too close. I’m dirty.”

Zhou Qinglang’s voice was dry. She huddled up, moving farther away from Xia Wanshuang.

Xia Wanshuang smelled so fragrant and clean, while she was…

“It’s okay. You’re not dirty at all. Come sit here.”

Xia Wanshuang reached out and grabbed Zhou Qinglang’s hand, leading the child to the cool, shady spot and gently helping her sit down.

Her hand, which had just been holding the cold water, felt cool on Zhou Qinglang’s wrist. But Zhou Qinglang felt that the coolness quickly turned hot, like it was on fire. It felt like that one spot, and her whole body, was burning up.

When the hand let go, she was a little reluctant.

“Have some water first to wet your throat, then eat.”

Xia Wanshuang unscrewed the cap of the water bottle and placed it in front of Zhou Qinglang.

Zhou Qinglang silently took it, drank a sip, and put it next to her, lowering her head to eat.

At first, she ate very quickly, but when she saw Xia Wanshuang watching her, she suddenly felt a little embarrassed and slowed down.

This was the best meal she had eaten in days, better than the steamed bun and dumplings she had for breakfast.

Zhou Qinglang chewed the rice noodles but inexplicably felt nauseous, and her head began to spin. Spots of light danced before her eyes.

Zhou Qinglang put down her food, pressing her stomach and dry heaving.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Xia Wanshuang felt helpless at Zhou Qinglang’s pained expression. The food shouldn’t have been a problem. She had watched the owner cook it fresh.

[System]: Shuangshuang, she seems to be sick.

Xia Wanshuang tried to touch Zhou Qinglang, but Zhou Qinglang pushed her hand away.

Zhou Qinglang turned to look at Xia Wanshuang, her eyes looking a little fierce.

Zhou Qinglang felt the dizziness in her head getting worse. She couldn’t even see the person in front of her clearly. She had just escaped from that place and absolutely could not fall into a more dangerous situation.

Zhou Qinglang’s push was strong. Xia Wanshuang’s hand was red, but she didn’t blame Zhou Qinglang. Instead, her defensive actions made her feel even more heartbroken.

“Don’t be scared. I won’t hurt you.”

Xia Wanshuang held Zhou Qinglang’s hand with one hand and placed her other hand on her forehead.

“Your forehead is so hot. You might be sick. I’ll take you to the doctor.”

Xia Wanshuang stood up and held out her hand to Zhou Qinglang.

Sick?

Zhou Qinglang covered her mouth and coughed twice. She realized she might have misunderstood Xia Wanshuang. She lowered her head, feeling a little helpless.

“Get up quickly. You might have a fever. Your forehead is especially hot. It’s my fault for not noticing earlier. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have bought these fried noodles for you. They’re too greasy.”

Xia Wanshuang’s self-reproachful words reached Zhou Qinglang’s ears. Zhou Qinglang looked at her, confused, and held her chest, unable to describe the bitter feeling.

When Zhou Qinglang got up, she looked longingly at the uneaten fried noodles and the mineral water she had only taken one sip of. She wanted to bend down to pick them up but stumbled.

“I’ll get them. I’ll get them. Just hold my hand.”

Xia Wanshuang bent down, tied up the takeout box, and put the water inside. The sun shone on her two pigtails, making them sway. Zhou Qinglang couldn’t help but touch one, but she immediately pulled her hand back before Xia Wanshuang stood up straight. She hid her hands behind her back and secretly smiled.

There was a health clinic not far away. The doctor was surprised to see the little girl with a small beggar.

“Doctor, Doctor, please take a look at her. She doesn’t seem to feel well. I touched her forehead, and it’s so hot. Does she have a fever?”

“Let me see.”

The doctor put on gloves, touched Zhou Qinglang’s forehead, and frowned.

“She probably has a high fever. Let’s take her temperature. She might need an IV.”

“Okay, okay, okay.”

There were a few people getting IVs in the clinic. Zhou Qinglang stood there silently like a small, skinny tree stump.

“Go sit on the chair. Here… use this to cover it.”

The doctor picked up a newspaper from the table and handed it to Xia Wanshuang.

You couldn’t blame him. The little beggar who had come in was so pathetic, and when she got close, there was a strange, sour smell on her.

Xia Wanshuang led Zhou Qinglang to the farthest chair, used the newspaper to cover it, and told Zhou Qinglang to sit down.

Zhou Qinglang looked at her gratefully, wanting to hold Xia Wanshuang’s hand but not daring to. She still yearned for that feeling. In the end, she just clutched the corner of her own clothes.

The thermometer showed a high fever.

After getting caught in the rain last night and being exposed to the sun today, eating irregularly, and being in a dirty environment with bacteria breeding, it would be strange for a child with a low immune system not to get sick.

“If you don’t look at the needle, it won’t hurt as much.”

Xia Wanshuang said to comfort her, worried that Zhou Qinglang was afraid of injections.

Xia Wanshuang wasn’t afraid of shots, but she did think watching it made it hurt more.

Zhou Qinglang didn’t turn her head. She just numbly watched as the doctor wiped her hand and applied a cool liquid, then watched the needle tip bury itself into the back of her hand.

It hurt, but it also felt so real.

“Don’t move around, or you’ll get a lump. Let me know when you’re done.”

The doctor instructed her and then went to another patient.

The other people’s gazes fell on them. Their pairing seemed so strange. Or perhaps, a beggar getting a shot just seemed strange.

Xia Wanshuang ignored their stares. She just placed her palm over the back of Zhou Qinglang’s hand, silently comforting her.

Zhou Qinglang lowered her head, her nose tingling. Tears welled up in her eyes. Although she tried her best to hold them back, they still fell.

“What’s wrong? Does it hurt?”

Xia Wanshuang noticed Zhou Qinglang’s body slightly trembling and gently patted the back of her hand.

Zhou Qinglang sniffled and gave a quiet response.

Xia Wanshuang took two tissues from her pocket and reached out to wipe Zhou Qinglang’s face.

“It won’t hurt in a little while. Once you get the shot and take the medicine, you’ll be all better.”

Zhou Qinglang’s face was already dirty. With the streaks from her tears and Xia Wanshuang’s wiping, she looked like a little calico cat.

Xia Wanshuang suddenly felt that Zhou Qinglang was like a stray cat—highly guarded. Because she had suffered so much pain, even when she longed for warmth, she would suppress herself and stop herself from getting too close.

Xia Wanshuang stayed with Zhou Qinglang until her IV was finished and she had gotten her medicine. When it was time to pay, she patted her pocket and remembered she didn’t have enough money.

The medicine cost 21 yuan, but Xia Wanshuang could only find 8.5 yuan on her.

“Sir, can you wait for me? My house is not far from here. I’ll get the rest of the money for you right away.”

“It’s alright. Don’t worry about it. I know you. Your dad was a very nice person; he even gave me fruit once.”

The doctor sighed and waved his hand.

“Thank you, sir! You’re so kind!”

Xia Wanshuang quickly thanked him. She was on a tight budget now and wouldn’t refuse this kind gesture.

Xia Wanshuang walked to the clinic’s entrance, looking at Zhou Qinglang, who was holding the gauze on her hand. She held the bag of medicine in one hand and held out the other to Zhou Qinglang.

“Come home with me.”