Transmigrated Genius: Fragile Heiress Reigns Supreme-Chapter 687 - 689: Strange Illness (3)

Tong Shenzhi frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "Wait until Tianqing wakes up, ask for his opinion, and then decide." Xiqiu nodded, and Tong Shenzhi asked, "It seems inconvenient here. How about I take the person back with me?"

"That’s fine. I’m not in good health now and worry about not taking good care of him. According to Sister Jingliu, he should wake up today, and then big brother can take him back." Just as they were speaking, Tianjing knocked and came in to report, "Madam, the young master has woken up."

Xiqiu and Tong Shenzhi exchanged a glance. She said, "I’ll accompany brother to go together." Tong Shenzhi hesitated for a moment, then nodded. The two of them left the room, Xiqiu sat in the sedan chair while Tong Shenzhi walked ahead. They arrived at the guest courtyard where Xu Tianqing was staying. As soon as they entered, Xiqiu saw a stranger, about seven or eight years old, with hair styled in two buns on the side of his head, big eyes, deep eye sockets, and a high nose. His features were much more distinct than theirs. His thin body, upon seeing Tong Shenzhi and Xiqiu enter, instinctively knelt on the ground and knocked his head thrice.

Tong Shenzhi’s gaze rested on the boy and then turned to look at Xiqiu, who shook her head. Tianjing introduced, "This boy follows the young master, but he can’t speak and knows few words. It’s unknown how old he is, but his ancestral home is Laizhou, Shandong."

Tong Shenzhi furrowed his brow and inspected the boy’s fair face just like Xiqiu did. The two of them entered the room one after the other and turned into Xu Tianqing’s bedroom. The room was filled with the smell of medicine and another strange sweet scent... She turned to Tianjing and said, "Hang up the curtain and open the window for some fresh air."

Tianjing complied, walked to the window, and opened it, then hung up the door curtain.

Tong Shenzhi had already bypassed the screen in front of the bed; Xiqiu stopped outside without moving. She heard Tong Shenzhi ask, "Tianqing?" His tone was obviously uncertain.

After a long time, Xiqiu still did not hear Xu Tianqing’s response. She couldn’t help but ask curiously, "Brother, is cousin awake?" Tong Shenzhi did not answer, took a few steps forward, and stood by the bed, staring at Xu Tianqing who lay there with eyes open but a look of bewilderment. He asked again, "Tianqing?"

This time, Xiqiu heard Xu Tianqing’s voice, soft and weak: "Do we... know each other?" 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Amnesia?

Tong Shenzhi looked at Xu Tianqing with a slightly changed expression, then asked, "Tianqing, what happened to you? Why don’t you recognize us?" He scrutinized Xu Tianqing’s facial expression thoroughly: "I am Wenxian!"

Xu Tianqing looked at him and then shook his head, "Sir, may I ask who you are? Is the Tianqing you are calling me?"

Tong Shenzhi was greatly shocked and looked at Xu Tianqing with disbelief, seemingly stunned by his reaction.

Xiqiu was also taken aback; disregarding any discretion, she went around the screen and saw the familiar face exposed under the white gauze canopy and covered with a blue-brown cotton quilt. His appearance had not changed, still the handsome and sunny Xu Tianqing, but as Chunliu said, he had indeed lost a lot of weight. His skin was much darker as if having been exposed to the weather over long periods. Her gaze fell on his fingers positioned outside the brocade quilt, slender and elegant, not like those that had done hard labor. She muttered in confusion, "Cousin!"

Xu Tianqing’s gaze focused on the woman standing by the bed, her brows gracefully and delicately framed like a portrait, with the freshness of a girl yet an added noblewoman’s grace. She wore a vermilion overcoat with a velvet border, a concubine-colored jiaao underneath, looking neat and clean, except for the bulge in her abdomen...

Somewhat startling!

Xu Tianqing’s confused eyes gradually became clear.

"Tianqing, I’m Wenxian, and she’s Xiqiu!" Tong Shenzhi said.

Xu Tianqing’s gaze did not shift, still fixed on Xiqiu, seemingly trying hard to recall something, his brows gradually furrowing.

Tong Shenzhi turned to Xiqiu with a face full of doubt: "Younger sister, what did Nurse Zhang say when she came by yesterday?"

"She only mentioned a strange illness, did not specify the disease name or mention amnesia." Xiqiu was equally puzzled and looking at Xu Tianqing, she said to Tong Shenzhi, "Perhaps because he hadn’t awakened yesterday, Sister Jingliu didn’t know about this symptom." Amnesia, as far as she recalled, could scarcely be diagnosed by pulse feeling alone. She couldn’t help but turn to Tianjing: "Go to the medical office and see if Nurse Zhang has arrived, and if she has, bring her here."

Tianjing acknowledged the instruction.

Xu Tianqing remained focused on Xiqiu, his expression gradually shifting from confusion to surprise...

Xiqiu and Tong Shenzhi exchanged a glance, and Xiqiu asked again, "Cousin, do you still remember us?"

Xu Tianqing still did not speak.

Xiqiu shook her head, and Tong Shenzhi was also at a loss. In such situations, not to mention Tong Shenzhi, even Xiqiu couldn’t figure out a way. Tong Shenzhi nodded to Xiqiu, and as she followed him outside, passing by the screen, Xiqiu turned back for another look at Xu Tianqing, who was still staring at her with no reaction.

"Brother, what should we do now?" Xiqiu asked in a low voice as she and Tong Shenzhi stood outside the room. Tong Shenzhi also frowned, glanced at the hour, and said solemnly: "I’ll go to the government office first, then come back in the afternoon. If there’s anything urgent, have someone come find me at the office." He paused and further said: "Let’s have the doctor check on him first before we make plans. I will also discuss it with father when I return home."

Tong Shenzhi had rested at noon and was going to the government office.

Xiqiu nodded in acknowledgment and said, "I understand, brother should go about his business first." Tong Shenzhi nodded, bearing a deeply worried expression, and was about to leave when a sharp scream came from inside the room, startling both Xiqiu and Tong Shenzhi. Tong Shenzhi turned back to stride into the room while Xiqiu was about to move when the mute boy, who had been standing by the door all along, reacted almost instantaneously, sprinting into the room. Xiqiu sidestepped to avoid him, yet he still bumped into an unsuspecting Tong Shenzhi, causing him to stumble.

He steadied himself, seeing only the mute boy’s back, while Xiqiu’s brows knitted tighter, increasingly finding this mute boy strange.

Tong Shenzhi apparently felt the same, paused at the door, and waited for Xiqiu before entering the room again together. Chunliu and Bihuai, frightened, quickly held onto Xiqiu tightly, fearing the mute child’s sudden actions.

Inside the room, Xu Tianqing’s voice cried out in heart-wrenching agony, as if enduring immense pain. Xiqiu went around the screen once more to see Xu Tianqing rolling on the bed in his inner garments, grinding his teeth, his eyes wide staring at the ceiling, a roar coming from his throat, appearing extremely frightening.

The mute boy knelt by the bed, stroking his back while also howling like Xu Tianqing.

"What’s happening?" Tong Shenzhi was full of shock: "Tianqing, Tianqing!"

Xiqiu didn’t dare to approach, her eyes landing on Xu Tianqing’s hands, which clutched his own chest, the veins in his neck gradually showing. She recalled Biwu’s words: "It’s like someone’s throttling his neck, holding his breath!"

What on earth is going on, why would he be like this?