DA chapter 55

Of course, Lin Jia knew that Yan Xu did not do it on purpose. He had just created the illusion that he could not hold the cup steadily, and Yan Xu had only been influenced by the earlier scene, helping to support the illusion.

It was he who forgot that he was “weak,” and because he was unguarded for a moment, he choked on the water.

“Cough cough cough cough.”

He choked rather badly, to the point that the corners of his eyes turned crimson.

As he coughed, he unconsciously crushed the paper cup in his hand and spilled more water than when Lin Jia had done it on purpose before. His collar and chest were soaked.

Yan Xu had been hesitating about helping Lin Jia by patting his back. But seeing this, he took the paper cup from Lin Jia’s hand to prevent him from getting drenched by more water.

“Are you okay?” Yan Xu asked, not quite reassured.

Lin Jia waved his hand. While coughing, he reached into his wool coat, searching for a handkerchief.

“What are you looking for?” Yan Xu asked.

Thinking that Lin Jia could not answer, Yan Xu reached out himself. He pulled the coat off the bed and took a silk handkerchief out of the pocket.

He had originally wanted to hand it to Lin Jia, but seeing him cough like this and considering his weakness, Yan Xu intervened again.

He roughly folded the handkerchief and went to wipe Lin Jia’s face.

Lin Jia paused for a moment.

Yan Xu felt Lin Jia’s body stiffen, but since he had already started, there was no reason to stop.

Besides, Lin Jia only paused briefly before relaxing and seemingly allowing his actions.

Yan Xu was young and strong, and he had a lot of brute strength in his hands.

The silk handkerchief brushed across Lin Jia’s cheek and immediately left out a red mark.

Lin Jia didn’t say it hurt. He was still coughing lightly and looked somewhat pitiful.

Yan Xu: “…”

Unconsciously, Yan Xu lightened his movements. Using Lin Jia’s silk handkerchief, he carefully wiped the water off Lin Jia’s face.

Brows, eyes, cheeks… corner of the lips.

Not daring to use too much force, Yan Xu leaned closer to Lin Jia, but not too close. Compared to the distance in the medicine storage room last time, there was a galaxy between them.

But the sweetness of glucose crossed that distance and went straight to Yan Xu’s nose, making his whole body feel numb and itchy.

Soon, the silk handkerchief was soaked through. Yan Xu held the dampened handkerchief, and it seemed as if his fingertips had become moist and stained with its sweet fragrance.

He heard Lin Jia’s breathing again, steady, also sweet. While he bent down to wipe this person’s face, sweet breath brushed against his ear.

Yan Xu was unaccustomed to it and thought he probably did not like sweet smells very much.

But the sweetness lingered at the tip of his nose, so Yan Xu had no choice but to speed up.

Who knew that he accidentally used a little too much force, rubbing Lin Jia’s head until it tilted slightly?

And when Lin Jia tilted his head, Yan Xu froze.

The back of his hand accidentally touched Lin Jia’s lips.

Soft and warm.

And unavoidable sweetness.

Lin Jia quietly withdrew, straightened his head, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Yan Xu lowered his head and continued to wipe his face.

Yan Xu had mostly wiped the sticky moisture from Lin Jia’s face. Lin Jia raised his head. “Besides the documents, what other questions did Captain Yan ask?”

He still trusted Yan Xu. It was not easy to find an opportunity to ask Fishman questions, so Yan Xu should not have asked such an irrelevant question.

Yan Xu said: “Black shadow.”

This was what Lin Jia cared about. Since the black shadow had already appeared, there was no reason to hide or hesitate to ask. It was fine to ask a Fishman a question related to the black shadow.

Lin Jia put aside his teasing mood and waited for Yan Xu to continue.

Yan Xu said: “Whether the black shadow is a family member of the patient in the third-floor VIP ward.”

Under Lin Jia’s gaze, Yan Xu said: “Yes.”

Lin Jia pressed his lips together.

Yan Xu continued: “Did the black shadow come to the hospital to accompany the patient in the third-floor VIP ward during childbirth?”

Yan Xu answered his own question. “No.”

This time, Lin Jia frowned. The black shadow was family of the VIP ward patient but was not there to accompany the patient during childbirth, which was contradictory.

And according to Jin Jie’s statement, the black shadow appeared in front of Ward 202 but produced the voice of the white-haired old man’s mother.

But contradiction was a good thing. Finding the reason for the contradiction was the correct step in searching for the Soup Base.

Lin Jia completely gave up the thought of teasing Yan Xu. His brain ran rapidly as he thought of possible reasons for the contradiction.

Before he could think of anything, however, rapid footsteps came running from outside the door.

Many, chaotic — just like the sound of nurses running toward them after they materialized.

Lin Jia and Yan Xu looked at each other and guessed that the footsteps were made by nurses.

Yan Xu walked to the door and opened it a little.

Lin Jia stood up and walked behind Yan Xu.

Knowing that Lin Jia had come over, Yan Xu shifted slightly to the side so that Lin Jia could also look outside through the crack in the door.

Outside the ward, the nurses hurriedly ran, chanting:

“Hurry, hurry! It’s about to be born!”

However, they were not running toward the VIP ward next door. Instead, they were running toward the stairwell.

Lin Jia and Yan Xu immediately understood—the patient giving birth was not the one in the third-floor VIP ward, but rather the white-haired old man in Ward 202 on the second floor.

Very quickly, the nurses swarmed down from the third floor, leaving it empty and quiet.

In Ward 301 next door, where Xiao Tian and Xiao Yao were staying, the door also opened slightly, and Xiao Yao peeked out to see what was going on.

Seeing no one outside, he cautiously stepped out and tiptoed to the stairwell. He carefully looked downstairs.

“Step back a little. I’m closing the door,” said Yan Xu.

Lin Jia was a little surprised. Even Xiao Yao had run out to check the situation, yet Yan Xu did not go out this time.

Thinking this, he asked directly, “I thought Captain Yan would go take a look.”

As he said this, Lin Jia stepped back, leaving space for Yan Xu to close the door.

Yan Xu closed the door and said, “Wait until you’re a bit better.”

Lin Jia was somewhat surprised. He had not expected that this was the reason stopping Yan Xu from risking himself.

But, upon further consideration, between a dying person and someone who could still be saved, Yan Xu would certainly choose the latter.

Lin Jia had taken two doses of medicine and was currently weak but still salvageable.

“Feeling better?” Yan Xu asked.

Lin Jia answered: “Mm, thanks for Captain Yan’s care.”

He went to the bathroom to clean his wet clothes. When he came out, he saw Yan Xu standing by the window. Coincidentally, the white-haired old man was in Room 202 directly below them, so perhaps they could hear something.

As captain of the inspection team, Yan Xu still carried a sense of responsibility.

Lin Jia asked: “What’s happening downstairs?”

Yan Xu said: “It’s born.”

Lin Jia asked: “Born what?”

Yan Xu said: “It’s not very clear, but it’s probably a lump of flesh. The nurses weighed it.”

He relayed the conversation he overheard in the ward downstairs: “Thirteen jin, three liang.”¹13 jin 3 liang = 6.65 kg

Newborns are usually weighed after birth because body weight is used to measure growth and development. Weight is an important developmental indicator.

However, using body weight to judge the growth of a lump of flesh was obviously unreasonable in Yile Maternal and Child Health Hospital.

Moreover, the standard weight for a healthy newborn is between 2.5 and 4 kilograms. A weight below 5 jin²5 jin =2.5 kg indicates malnutrition or other issues, while a weight above 8 jin³8 jin = 4 kg is considered unhealthy and is referred to as a “giant baby.”

The lump of flesh born in the VIP ward weighed 10 jin, and the lump of flesh born from the white-haired old man weighed 13 jin — both exceeding the healthy newborn weight standard.

However, after weighing them, the nurses were very happy.

Lin Jia thought for a moment and said, “Captain Yan, there was a sign in the doctor’s office.”

Yan Xu had also thought of it.

While looking for doctor’s orders, he and Lin Jia had seen a sign on the wall that read: 1 g = 10.

Yan Xu said: “Looks like this unit is grams.”

Only the left side of the formula had a unit, and the “10” on the right did not.

Lin Jia said, “Money.”

Yan Xu raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

Lin Jia replied, “In most situations, weighing in jin and liang is a transaction.”

“Let’s assume it’s money, then.” Yan Xu did the math: “One jin is five hundred grams, and one gram equals ten yuan. If the lump of meat is sold by weight, then the ten-jin lump of meat from the VIP ward is…”

Lin Jia answered quickly. “Fifty thousand.”

Yan Xu glanced at Lin Jia. “Then, thirteen jin three liang is…”

Lin Jia: “Sixty-six thousand, five hundred.”

Yan Xu: “You calculate pretty fast.”

It took him a few more minutes to come up with the same answer.

Lin Jia said lightly, “I deal with money.”

Yan Xu became curious. “Really? You’re very rich?”

Lin Jia: “Average.”

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• 1
  13 jin 3 liang = 6.65 kg
• 2
  5 jin =2.5 kg
• 3
  8 jin = 4 kg