Chapter Forty-Five: Inescapable Fate

“Ajing, Afen has lost so much blood. What should we do?” Looking at Huang Jianfen’s pale face, Qu Xiang was deeply worried. In such an unfamiliar environment, any unknown danger was enough to make one anxious.

“We can’t do anything right now, but she seems relatively stable. However, we must not move her for the time being to prevent the wound from reopening. Although we have no proper tools and no medical training, at least this shows that the underwear she bought is quite good!”

At that moment, I looked at Qu Xiang and felt somewhat relieved. Because last night, Huang Jianfen’s bleeding was uncontrollable, and using just pieces of cloth would never have stopped the wound. In the end, Qu Xiang tore off Huang Jianfen’s underwear, and fortunately, it was not only soft but also quite thick.

It was like hospital cotton padding, perfectly covering the wound. Though the makeshift bandage looked ugly, it at least secured and blocked the wound. Since it was nighttime then, no one minded. But now, in broad daylight, even with my thick skin, I felt embarrassed to look at her.

No wonder when I first asked Huang Jianfen to speak, Lan Fang reacted so strongly. I suspect if Huang Jianfen hadn’t spoken up, Lan Fang might have shoved me under a tree. Thinking back, my initial behavior and actions did seem somewhat deliberate.

Of course, I didn’t dwell on these thoughts; at a time like this, when life itself was at stake, I had no energy to guess their intentions. But looking at it now, Huang Jianfen’s wound had not become infected, whether due to her constitution or her strong will to live, I couldn’t tell.

After taking antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicine, most people would at best get some relief. But she not only seemed to have stopped bleeding; despite severe blood loss, her condition remained stable.

However, regarding Qu Xiang’s point about Huang Jianfen losing too much blood and needing a transfusion, I truly had no way to help. From what I understood, if she could endure such severe blood loss on her own, it was a miracle.

At this moment, I really wished to find coconuts, because I remembered Jackie Chan once starred in a movie where special forces used coconuts to inject vitamins to sustain themselves.

“Let’s hope she can pull through,” I said helplessly, looking at her condition.

Seeing Lan Fang’s grim expression and Qu Xiang’s slightly flushed face, I naturally suspected something but pretended ignorance and said seriously, “It’s very humid here, so don’t cover Afen’s wound for now. Don’t worry too much; there’s nothing we can do about it.”

Lan Fang turned her head away, clearly hit by my words. But I didn’t bother arguing. After all, in this situation, it was my own doing that got us into trouble.

“If her injury can truly stabilize, we won’t be so passive!” I turned to Qu Xiang, not to show off but because Huang Jianfen’s state surprised me. For someone to lose so much blood and still hold on, her will to survive was obviously very strong.

“Ah, Ajing, thank you...” Qu Xiang’s eyes reddened for the first time in front of me.

I wasn’t sure if she was thinking about last night or sensing my own frustration. Though unspoken, her words comforted me greatly.

“Xiangxiang, you don’t have to do this...” I sighed. I didn’t know what she meant exactly, but if every misfortune ended in blame or regret, we’d forever be trapped in self-pity.

Sensing the heavy atmosphere, I lightened the mood, “My biggest flaw is being soft-hearted, so this mess is my own fault!”

“I know we’re in great danger now, but I don’t want to see her just die like this!” Qu Xiang glanced at Lan Fang, seeming worried about her reaction, then looked at Huang Jianfen and said solemnly, “It’s tough for us now, but at least you’re still able to act, and we should be grateful for that!”

Though unspoken, she was clearly warning Lan Fang. If I hadn’t stayed and kept sacrificing myself, the outcome would have been different, no need to say more.

“My kindness doesn’t mean I accept ingratitude. In this environment, no matter what happens later, we must distinguish those who are ungrateful!” Looking at Huang Jianfen, I didn’t directly scold her, but her decision to follow Peng Qian was something I could easily ignore.

I didn’t intend to provoke Lan Fang, only went along with Qu Xiang’s words and inadvertently reminded her. I could have a conscience, but don’t mistake my kindness for an obligation. Last night’s events made that clear. In this rainforest, death was always a possibility.

“If last night’s lesson doesn’t wake us up, then we might as well part ways now!” I looked directly at Qu Xiang and Lan Fang. Though I hated to be blunt, if I didn’t warn them, it wouldn’t be fair to Qu Xiang.

Whether Qu Xiang regarded Huang Jianfen as a close friend or Huang Jianfen and Lan Fang were truly connected, the crucial thing was that in the direst moments, Huang Jianfen’s actions revealed her true nature.

What defines a true friend or relative means nothing in such desperate circumstances.

Lan Fang remained silent, but finally tears she couldn’t hold back welled up. She didn’t make a sound but stared tightly at Huang Jianfen, clearly torn and distressed inside.

“Ajing, we need to be vigilant. But now that Afen hasn’t woken up, can you analyze what her last words might mean?” To avoid Lan Fang’s embarrassment, Qu Xiang suddenly asked me.

“Though guessing might be futile, given last night’s events and Afen’s experience, we can infer that Peng Qian and the others camped somewhere but were attacked by these people!” I knew Qu Xiang could figure this out but was unwilling to accept it, so she asked, and I had to explain.

Then, thoughtful and cautious, I said, “I don’t know how Afen escaped, but it was clearly brutal! Her escaping that man’s pursuit was just luck. Thinking back, do you believe any of us would have been so lucky?”

Qu Xiang was silent, and Lan Fang said nothing. The atmosphere was heavy. After all, such life-and-death experiences were no fiction.