He abruptly threw off the covers and ran out barefoot without even putting on his shoes.
Chapter 65, Fourth Story (11)
"Hey, what are you doing?" Dr. Su was startled by his actions. "Why are you running around in the middle of the night!"
Fearing that the kid might get into trouble on his first day, he immediately stood up and pulled Qin Rui away.
But Qin Rui was short and agile; he easily ducked and dodged his hand, then ran out of the tent.
A child's voice, brimming with anticipation and excitement, rang out: "My brother's here to pick me up! My brother's outside, I want to go back with him!"
Qin Rui remembered that when Qin Chu first brought him to the military camp, the soldiers around Qin Chu all called him Brother Qin. Brother Qin must be Qin Chu, and Qin Chu must be outside!
His heart pounded wildly in his chest; the sudden joy overwhelmed him, extinguishing all the anxiety and weariness of the day. Qin Rui thought, "Qin Chu really wouldn't abandon me; Qin Chu has come to take me back!"
With great effort, Qin Rui lifted the tent opening, which was blocked by sticks and stones, and, ignoring the cold wind rushing towards him, crawled straight out of the tent.
"Brother! Brother!"
He stepped barefoot onto the frozen ground and quickly circled around to the direction from which the sound had come.
pity.
The person he longed for was not behind the tent.
The only sound was the howling wind. It was quiet outside the tent, except for the soldiers on night watch not far away.
Qin Rui paused for a moment.
But he didn't believe it; he clearly heard it!
He ran around the tent twice more, but found nothing.
Qin Rui suddenly didn't know what to do. He stood in the cold wind, not wanting to go back to the tent at all, but he couldn't find Qin Chu.
No one came to pick him up; it all seemed like a figment of his imagination before he fell into a deep sleep.
Dr. Su finally finished dressing and came out of the tent. He hurriedly grabbed Qin Rui and scolded him angrily, "What are you doing? What if you disturb the patrolling soldiers? Come back with me right now!"
He was furious. If Qin Rui ran out like this and someone saw him, they would think he was abusing the kid.
Qin Rui silently looked at the empty space behind the tent before being forcibly pulled into it by Doctor Su.
After a long while, until the tent was completely quiet, some movement came from behind another tent not far away.
Qin Chu released his grip on the man and looked at his brother, who had almost suffocated from having his mouth covered, asking, "What are you yelling about?"
The one he was holding was the fifth brother, one of his soldiers when he went to war against the Donghu.
The fifth brother almost fainted, clutching his neck and bending over to catch his breath for a while before looking at Qin Chu in confusion: "Was what I doing just saying hello? What were you doing squatting outside the tent, Brother Qin?"
"It's nothing, just looking after the kids," Qin Chu said without elaborating.
The fifth brother was just passing by in the middle of the night when he got up, and he didn't ask any questions when he saw what was happening.
He heard about Qin Chu's situation and knew that Qin Chu was not in a good position as a general in name only. Before leaving, he turned back and said, "Brother Qin, we brothers survived because of you. Although the troops are in disarray now, as long as you say the word, we will still be your soldiers."
Qin Chu didn't say anything, but simply reached out and patted his shoulder.
After Lao Wu left, Qin Chu listened to the sounds coming from inside the tent for a while, then sat down behind the tent again.
Qin Rui just looked for him, but he didn't come out.
Qin Chu knew this kid quite well and knew that once he got out tonight, things would get complicated.
-
Qin Rui slept in Dr. Su's tent.
He finally started to enjoy regular sleep. No matter how much he struggled each night, he would eventually fall asleep, rest all night, and wake up refreshed the next morning.
As someone who has never slept since birth, aside from the initial comfort and enjoyment that sleep brought him, Qin Rui has truly experienced the impact of sleep on him.
He was more energetic during the day, his thoughts became extremely clear and calm, and he seemed to have gained some strength. He was able to complete his work in the kitchen perfectly and even had some spare time.
But Qin Rui was not happy.
Qin Chu came to see him during the day.
Qin Rui sometimes disliked Qin Chu's aloofness, even indifference. This man didn't talk much and never seemed inclined to ask questions. He simply stood calmly to the side, watching him help in the kitchen and observing his daily life.
Finally, he came to a very rational conclusion, walked over to him, patted his head, and left.
So calm and rational, he didn't even give him a chance to fake an injury, lie, or smear Dr. Su.
Qin Rui was a little angry, but he knew that Qin Chu was not wrong.
His brother couldn't be wrong; everything that had happened in the past few days proved Qin Chu to be right.
This is the reason why Qin Rui felt uncomfortable.
He couldn't fall asleep without Dr. Su, nor could he stay awake next to Dr. Su, and now he couldn't prove that he didn't need sleep.
He couldn't think of a reason to go back to Qin Chu's side.
Back in the tent that evening, Qin Rui didn't say much to Doctor Su and went to bed early.
He closed his eyes and pondered for a while. After a regular night's sleep, Qin Rui was no longer as prone to getting confused as he had been at the beginning. Most of the time, his thoughts were calm and clear.
He was thinking that something was off about Dr. Su.
This person was very interested in Qin Chu; whenever Qin Chu was around, his eyes were always glued to him. He would also subtly inquire about anything related to Qin Chu.
Seemingly because he was young, some of the questions asked by Dr. Su made Qin Rui feel offended.
Besides that... Qin Rui also sensed that this person was not as simple as he appeared.
He was a doctor, but he didn't have any medical books or similar items around him.
He also knew he was a bro...
Qin Rui frowned and looked at his left hand. He had long since covered up the birthmark on his palm. Every time he went to sleep, he would grab a handful of soot from his palm, making it completely black and obscuring everything, let alone the birthmark.
He thought he had hidden it well, but Dr. Su still found out.
Another reason that aroused Qin Rui's suspicion was a question that this person asked unintentionally.
Once, while subtly inquiring about Qin Chu, Dr. Su asked Qin Rui, "When did you and your brother meet?"
Something is very wrong with this problem.
Qin Chu always told everyone that they were brothers, so why would anyone ask when the two brothers met and got to know each other?
At the time, Qin Rui pretended not to understand and replied, "We've known each other since birth."
But Dr. Su clearly didn't believe it.
With a soft exhale, Qin Rui gathered his thoughts slightly. He turned over and suddenly felt warmth behind him, causing his small body to stiffen instantly.
His pupils contracted as he looked at the person sleeping on the bedding behind him.
When did Dr. Su come up? Why didn't he notice? Was he too engrossed in his thoughts, or had he already gotten used to the presence of this person?
This thought filled Qin Rui with extreme disgust, and a deep-seated hostility shone in his dark eyes.
Even without Qin Chu, he didn't like being controlled, no matter how gentle the methods of control were or how much benefit they brought him.
No one in this world can manipulate him. If there has to be one, then he will only accept Qin and Chu.
Shrinking under the covers, Qin Rui opened his eyes, which were incredibly endearing during the day. His eyes were beautifully shaped, and when they curved into a smile, they easily put people at ease.
But now, the pupils in the center of those dark eyes slowly darkened, making the child's eyes resemble the eyes of a cold-blooded animal, especially given the chilling gaze.
Before falling into a deep sleep, Qin Rui smiled gently, his eyes crinkling.
He thought, it doesn't matter, Qin Chu may not want him, he just needs to find a way to get back to Qin Chu's side.
He'll figure something out.
-
Qin Rui slept peacefully, more peacefully than ever before.
He was in a warm, empty cavity, safe from danger and hunger, with only the steady sound of his heartbeat in his ears.
His thoughts gradually became active, and he opened his eyes inside the cavity.
It was pitch black all around, and nothing could be seen. Then a faint light shone in from outside the cavity, casting a reddish glow over the surroundings.
Qin Rui moved his hands and feet, clumsily trying to figure out where the light was coming from. He turned himself around to face the direction where the light was strongest.
He leaned forward, feeling as if the cavity enveloping him was only a thin layer. He could break through and see what was outside with just a little effort.
But Qin Rui turned back halfway through.
He vaguely thought that it was safe here, that he liked it here, and that he was also attached to the sound of his own heartbeat.
After some time, Qin Rui's thoughts became clearer and clearer, and he became more and more curious about the light outside.
He wanted to go out even more.
Moreover, although the cavity surrounding him was still reassuring, it was getting smaller and smaller, making it somewhat uncomfortable for him to roll around.
And... his paws are so itchy. He often bites them with his teeth to stop the itch.
Finally, one day, Qin Rui couldn't hold back any longer.
He pressed himself against the brightest spot again, trying to break through the cavity to see outside.
Unfortunately, although the cavity looked thin, it was very resilient. He tried to stick to it, but he couldn't break through it no matter what he did.
At this moment, Qin Rui felt his claws starting to itch again.
This time, he instinctively reached out his claws and struggled to both sides of the cavity.
"Sizzle"
The still-tender claws tore something apart, and the cool air, along with the crimson blood, poured over Qin Rui's head.
His vision was completely bloodshot, but Qin Rui didn't care at all. He excitedly looked at everything new and exciting in front of him, and couldn't help but crawl forward two steps, chasing after whatever attracted his attention.
But soon, Qin Rui remembered the place he had been staying before.
Can he go back?