Just that, when he turned around and bit his sleeve, at that moment; there were regrets and weaknesses in his eyes… but more so of hatred… a lot of hatred that would not go away.
…
Life on sea was still timeless as they were just floating on a vast body of water with many of the crew not seeing land in a long time, let alone the women inside the cabin—who had never even seen the ocean and had to endure the endless darkness.
Xia Ruoxin woke up in a daze and heard people talking by her ear.
It was the crew that worked here. She was alerted and tried to hide her existence.
“This one has a fever?” A crew lowered his voice and said.
“Yes, it’s a fever.” The other one came over, and the two of them started discussing the issue.
“What should we do? It’s easily infectious, and we don’t even have doctors on the ship.”
After half a day, one said heartlessly. “Throw her into the sea.
“Throw it… can she be sold for money?
“What if she infects the other people?” After he finished his sentence, the crew directly carried the woman with fever out; and not long later, there was a sound of something heavy being thrown into the sea.
This sound made Xia Ruoxin’s heart drop and break into cold sweat.
“Shen Wei!
“Shen Wei…”
Xia Ruoxin called Shen Wei’s name softly before gently prodding her. After quite some time, Shen Wei still did not respond.
“Shen Wei?” She knitted her brows together. Why would she not wake up? Was she sick?
She placed her hand on Shen Wei’s forehead and realized it was very hot, burning even.
She’s having a fever.
Xia Ruoxin moved her hand away. At this time, her heart was beating unusually fast; and even her body started trembling. This was not coldness; it was fear.
She heard everything the two boatmen said just now. What should she do? If they found out that Shen Wei was sick, they would throw her into the sea. They were completely inhumane. They could even do things like human trafficking; what else could they not do?
If they could throw one, then the second and the third one to them would merely be cargo that had gone wrong. She touched her pocket, and using the dim light, she took out some medicine from her pocket.
There were anti-inflammatory ones, ones that could aid recovery, and fever medicine.
Fever medicine. Xia Ruoxin hurriedly took out two pills of fever and anti-inflammatory medicine. Then, she helped Shen Wei up and patted her back from time to time.
“Shen Wei, it’s time to take your medicine. Take it now.”
Shen Wei opened her mouth, and her lips were so dry until they were bleeding. Actually, Xia Ruoxin knew that she would be at that stage soon. Even the crew were running out of fresh water to drink; how would they still take care of these cargoes?
One person could only have a few mouthfuls a day to ensure that they would not be dehydrated.
“Shen Wei, swallow the medicine.” Xia Ruoxin placed the medicine in Shen Wei’s mouth.
Shen Wei’s throat moved, and she raised her eyes before struggling to sit up. She lowered her head to eat the medicine from Xia Ruoxin’s hands and swallowed it with much difficulty. However, when the tablets reached her throat, she suddenly coughed violently and vomited the medicine out.
Xia Ruoxin patted her back continuously and thought about how good it would be if they had a cup of water. If they had a cup of water, everything would be better. However, they did not have water—not even a mouthful, let alone a cup filled with water.
Then, she took out two tablets from the medicine box for Shen Wei.
Shen Wei took it and placed it in her mouth, and she was biting and grinding the medicine in her mouth. Everyone who had eaten it knew how bitter it was.
“You should eat some yourself.” Shen Wei breathed heavily and told Xia Ruoxin. After being with a patient for some time, no one knew if they would be infected, too.
Xia Ruoxin poured four tablets into her palm. At least she had stuff to eat now; it was better than nothing even if it might be medicine. She swallowed those tablets, and there was an unbearable bitterness which made her taste buds numb.
She tried to salivate to swallow it and managed to do so by swallowing her tears as well.
“Shen Wei, do you think we can still leave this place alive?”
She leaned against the rack behind her. Could they live? She still wanted to see her daughter; even if it was just once, she could die in peace.
Shen Wei opened her eyes, and lethargy was obvious in her eyes.
“We need to try our best to live on. Actually, I want to live on, too. I haven’t had my revenge.”
“Revenge?” Xia Ruoxin blinked gently. “What revenge?”
“A revenge on a woman.”
Shen Wei’s voice became lower and softer. Xia Ruoxin hurriedly placed her hand on her forehead, and it seemed like her temperature had decreased and was not as hot. This proved that it was just a normal fever.
Seconds and minutes passed by, but their days on the sea did not feel as though time had passed. It seemed as if each second and minute just disappeared in this cabin right in the darkness… in front of their eyes.
It was only until the door outside sounded when Xia Ruoxin’s stomach grumbled. She then realized that it was time for food. In here, she did not even have the concept of having three meals a day.
“Shen Wei.” She shook Shen Wei’s shoulders. Shen Wei opened her eyes and was dizzy.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” she asked softly. At that time, the women in front had squeezed to the front; and the crew’s loud voices had masked theirs.
“Not too good. I feel really dizzy, and I’m afraid that I will fall later.” Shen Wei knitted her eyebrows and said honestly.
Her head was really dizzy; after all, the injury on her stomach was not fake. The blood did not flow for nothing. Even a normal person could not endure in a place like this, not to mention a patient like her. She had already come here the day after she had her surgery; a place where she could not even see the other party’s face. Let alone her wound, at least Xia Ruoxin had brought the medicine over. Should she be thankful that she was still alive? Her life must be so tough for her to even survive until this stage.
“I’ll help you up. Hang in there; if not, you’ll be thrown into the sea.” Xia Ruoxin helped Shen Wei up. She could not collapse now as these people had never thought of giving these cheap, ill cargo medical help. As they were afraid of infection, they would just throw all the infected patients down to the sea.
Shen Wei was stunned. “Oh, so we would get thrown into the sea. I thought they would eat us as food after their food supply is gone.”
Xia Ruoxin felt that she had goosebumps all over her body.
