Chapter 28: The Fire of Wrath

The next morning, Ye Fan rose early. He checked the box, but it was empty, leaving him feeling rather disappointed.

Elsewhere, Li Yaoyao woke up feeling groggy, her body aching all over and her head throbbing as if it were splitting apart.

"You're awake?"

Yang Haiyan’s voice drifted in. She pulled back the curtain and entered, carrying a bowl of steaming noodles.

"Sister Haiyan..."

Seeing Yang Haiyan, Li Yaoyao remembered she had spent the night at her house.

"What’s wrong?"

Noticing Li Yaoyao’s lethargy, Yang Haiyan quickly set the noodles on the table and reached out to support her. "Oh! You’re burning up!" She pressed her hand to Li Yaoyao’s forehead. "Li, you have a fever!"

Yang Haiyan’s voice seemed to come from a great distance. Li Yaoyao nodded, feeling as though she were about to faint.

"Goodness! This heat is no joke!"

Flustered, Yang Haiyan laid Li Yaoyao back down and turned to shout, "Daya! Erdan!"

At her call, a girl of fifteen or sixteen led a sturdy-looking little boy into the room.

"Mom!" "What is it?"

"Erdan, go to the village committee quickly and tell the village head that the educated youth, Li, is ill with a high fever!"

"Okay!"

Children of the poor grow up fast; though only ten or so, Erdan was not particularly mischievous. Upon hearing his mother’s command, he dashed out of the courtyard in a flash.

"Daya, go fetch some water—well water!"

Daya nodded and nimbly ran into the courtyard to draw water.

"Oh, you must have been terrified!" Yang Haiyan looked at the delirious Li Yaoyao, her heart aching. This poor girl had truly suffered in this village. How had she managed to cross paths with those wretched thugs from the city? The very thought made Yang Haiyan grit her teeth in anger.

"Sister Haiyan..." Li Yaoyao’s voice was weak. Yang Haiyan leaned in to listen as Li whispered, "I want to go home."

Go home?

Hearing this, Yang Haiyan’s eyes reddened. Li had come to Yang Village at such a young age; she usually seemed so lively and resilient, but now, sick and vulnerable, she was missing home after all.

"Right! Director Wang and his team haven't left yet. I’ll have them drive you to the county seat, and then to the provincial capital!"

As Yang Haiyan spoke, Daya returned with a basin of water and an old towel soaking inside.

"Come, help Li sit up; I need to sponge her down."

As the village’s head of women’s affairs, Yang Haiyan had some medical knowledge and usually treated the villagers' minor ailments. Just as they were busy, Erdan ran back in, shouting, "Mom! There’s no one at the village committee! I heard them say that the village head took people to clean up Sister Yaoyao’s place first thing this morning!"

The courtyard where Li Yaoyao stayed had been left in chaos by Pi Liu and his gang the night before. Especially after the electric shocks, several of the thugs had been so terrified they had lost control of their bowels, leaving the small courtyard smelling foul. Village Head Yang had gone over early to clean it up, fearing Li Yaoyao would be angry.

Yang Haiyan asked, "Then did you go there to tell the village head?"

"No!" Erdan boasted loudly. "As soon as I heard the village head wasn't there, I came back to report to you!"

"Report, my foot!" Yang Haiyan didn’t hold back with her son. "I told you to go find the village head and say the educated youth was sick. If you didn't deliver the message, what did you come back for?"

Realizing his mistake, Erdan stood at attention. "I'll go again!"

"Wait!" Yang Haiyan stopped him. "Li said she wants to go home. You can tell the village head to ask Director Wang if there’s still space in their vehicle to take her back to the county seat!"

"Oh!" Erdan looked confused, seemingly not grasping the instruction, but he saluted anyway and ran out.

"That boy is definitely muddled again!" A mother knows her son best, but Yang Haiyan couldn't worry about him now; she intended to bring Li Yaoyao’s fever down before going to speak with the village head herself.

The well water was cool and refreshing against her skin. Half an hour later, Li Yaoyao finally began to come around.

"Sister Haiyan, I’ve troubled you."

"Oh, what are you saying? Isn't it only right that I look after you?" Yang Haiyan gestured for Daya to dump the water, then picked up the noodles. "They’ve gone soggy, but you must eat!"

Li Yaoyao shook her head. "I have no appetite. I want to go home."

"I know, I know. I’m just about to tell Director Wang to take you back to the county seat!" Yang Haiyan picked up a strand of noodles with her chopsticks and held it to Li’s lips. "Eat something first!"

Li Yaoyao paused. She was missing Ye Fan. By "home," she meant her place in the village, not her home in the provincial capital. She quickly clarified, "That’s not what I meant. I meant my place in the village, not the provincial capital!"

"Oh?" Yang Haiyan paused, then went back to scooping noodles. "That’s fine, we’ll talk to them later. Eat your noodles first!"

Li Yaoyao forced down a few bites, but couldn't manage any more. Enduring her discomfort, she insisted on returning. She felt weak, and her heart longed for Ye Fan; she wanted to get back and contact him as soon as possible, terrified that he might give up waiting and go back to being busy.

Yang Haiyan couldn't dissuade her, so she had no choice but to accompany her back. When they arrived at Li Yaoyao’s residence, the place had been cleaned spotless, and the ground had even been re-layered with fresh yellow soil—a testament to Village Head Yang’s efforts.

"They've all gone!"

Thinking the village head and his men would still be there, Yang Haiyan saw the empty courtyard and instructed Daya, who had followed them, "Daya, stay here and look after Sister Yaoyao. I’m going to the village committee to find the village head!"

"Okay, Mom!"

Daya was sensible; she nodded and helped Li Yaoyao into the bedroom. Yang Haiyan hurried off.

"Daya, thank you. I’d like to lie down for a bit."

Li Yaoyao tried to send Daya away, but the girl looked troubled. "Sister Yaoyao, my mom told me to look after you..."

Li Yaoyao felt both touched and helpless. "I have some dirty clothes; why don't you help me wash them? I can't move much, and if I don't wash them, I won't have anything to change into!"

"Okay!"

The young girl didn't show the slightest hesitation and nimbly ran to the courtyard to draw water. Li Yaoyao hurried to get up and took out paper and pen.

"Ye Fan, are you there?"

She was afraid he wouldn't be. She couldn't explain why, but she felt a desperate need to rely on him.

Fortunately, Ye Fan replied quickly: "I'm here! Let’s video chat!"

Under normal circumstances, Li Yaoyao might have refused, especially with Daya outside, but right now she just wanted to pour out all her feelings; she had been truly terrified by the events of the previous night.

When the call connected, Ye Fan saw only a haggard face. He asked urgently, "What happened to you?"

"I..." Before Li Yaoyao could finish, the sense of grievance overwhelmed her. "I almost didn't get to see you again!"

She told him everything that had happened the night before.

As Ye Fan listened, watching the girl in the frame with tears streaming down her face, his heart felt as though it were being crushed, leaving him unable to breathe. He never imagined that Pi Liu could be so utterly deranged. An unprecedented rage surged within him.

"Yaoyao, I’m going to buy some medicine. Wait for me!"