The Little Duck 10

Chapter 10

Jian Xin had been a landlubber for twenty-eight years of her twenty-eight-year-old life.

She had never dreamed that someone like her, who felt insecure even walking by a river, would experience the joy of swimming in the body of a duck.

—Childish, this is simply too childish!

By the time she realized this, the entire duck had already chased Yan Lu’s hand, which was pouring water down, around the bathtub several times.

Forget it, childish is childish…

In the end, “mature and steady” and “down-to-earth and hardworking” were just labels used by beasts of burden to slightly increase their value. Now that she had become a duck, why bother with these things?

I can’t go back for now anyway, so whatever happens, happens!

With this thought, Jian Xin completely let herself go and began to happily bob around in the bathtub.

However, this carefree childishness didn’t last long.

Just as the little duck was having fun, she was scooped out of the water by her owner, who was watching from the side, placed in the sink, and blow-dried.

The warm air made it a little difficult for Jian Xin to open her eyes.

The hairdryer was very noisy, and Yan Lu was saying something beside her.

“Cauliflower, Mommy has to go out for a bit and will be back later. You and Xin Xin be good, don’t make a mess of the house again, okay?”

Jian Xin tilted her head and twisted her neck to look at Yan Lu.

“Quack—” You really can’t take me with you?

Yan Lu fiddled with the duck’s wing, carefully drying every feather that wasn’t dry. “If you promise Mommy, I won’t lock you in the cage today.”

Jian Xin instantly puffed out her chest, stood up straight, and at attention.

“Quack ah! Quack quack quack quack—”

I want to go with you! Please, take me with you!

There’s no one in this world more worried about the condition of the person you’re about to see than me!

“Standing so straight? Then I’ll take that as a promise,” Yan Lu said, gently rubbing the duck’s little head. “The food in the dish should be damp. I’ll get you some fresh food before I go. Eat a little, and you can have a change of flavor tomorrow.”

Jian Xin: “…”

She wanted to speak but stopped, then wanted to speak again.

After much thought, all she could do was sigh.

In the end, Yan Lu left alone, without the dog or the duck.

It makes sense, though. Who would bring a pet to a hospital to visit a patient?

Even if they did, the hospital probably wouldn’t let them in…

Worrisome, this is so worrisome.

The little duck once again stared at the tall front door, lost in a long, deep thought.

Why on earth was she here, and how on earth could she successfully leave this place?

The first time she came, it was because she was in a coma after the car accident. She went back because she fell asleep.

The second time she came, it was because she fell asleep. To go back… well, she had slept, but her soul hadn’t found its way back yet.

It was already past one in the afternoon. If the “her” in the hospital bed didn’t wake up, would she really not be dragged into the operating room for a second round of emergency treatment?

Just as Jian Xin was lost in thought, the sound of a dog panting came from behind her.

The sound was very close, almost right in her ear.

She could even clearly feel the hot breath from the dog’s mouth, hitting the back of her head, one unreasonable puff after another.

Right, I used the human to my advantage today. This dog probably holds a grudge and is just waiting for Yan Lu to be gone to “deal with” this rebellious duck…

At this thought, Jian Xin couldn’t help but shiver.

She turned around tremblingly. Before she could even quack out a “What do you want?”, she was firmly pinned to the ground by the fluffy giant’s two short legs!

“Quack—” Sister! It’s not that serious, is it!!

The terrified duck flapped its little wings, struggling with all its might—the dog simply pressed half its body onto the duck.

“Quack ahh ahh!” Jian Xin was about to go crazy!

We’re roommates! Can’t we talk things out? Do you have to get physical?

This! Is! Not! Civilized! At! All!

The Corgi’s black nose pressed against the delicate white duck neck, and its little pink tongue licked the duck until its scalp tingled, its feathers standing on end.

Ahhhhhhh—

A dog can’t, or at least shouldn’t, bully a duck it sees every day!!!

The dog’s tongue was wet and a little hot. Jian Xin felt uncomfortable all over from being licked.

She simply couldn’t face the fact that she was being bullied by a dog to this extent. All she could do was squeeze her eyes shut and pray for it all to end quickly.

But the wet sensation was becoming increasingly strange.

It wasn’t just on her neck; it had spread to her head and face… carrying a faint medicinal smell.

W-wait a minute?

Why does a dog’s saliva have a medicinal smell?

Jian Xin’s eyes flew open in utter shock.

Light blue curtains, white bedsheets, and heavy bandages on her body…

Yao Wenqian was holding a warm, wet towel. She had just finished wiping her face and was now rinsing the towel in a basin of steaming water.

She was back?

That was a bit too sudden!

“Ugh…” My head is so dizzy. Did I sleep too long?

“You’re awake?” Yao Wenqian put down the towel and turned to ask. “Are you hungry? Want something to eat?”

Jian Xin nodded subconsciously, her mind a little foggy, her gaze a little dazed.

It was as if her soul hadn’t fully returned yet.

Yao Wenqian helped her sit up, quickly set up the overbed table, and brought over the insulated lunch box.

When the lunch box was opened, it contained mung bean porridge and a little bit of pickled mustard greens.

“Thank you for your hard work,” Jian Xin said, not very interested in the food before her. She was just curious and asked, “What time is it?”

Yao Wenqian looked down at her phone. “Almost two.”

Jian Xin: “…”

Yao Wenqian picked up the spoon and fed Jian Xin a mouthful of porridge. “You can really sleep!”

Jian Xin: “Mmm…”

If she had a choice, she wouldn’t want to be able to “sleep” so much either.

So many strange things had happened to her in the past two days. For any normal person, it would be enough to cause a huge mental shock.

Although she was awake now, her head was still buzzing. She had been fed the entire meal and still hadn’t fully recovered.

Seeing Jian Xin’s absent-minded state, Yao Wenqian thought she was distraught about her work being delayed due to her injury and hospitalization, and she began to comfort her. “Hey, I’m really sorry for hitting you like this, but don’t worry, my cousin and I have discussed it. We will definitely take full responsibility for this matter—we won’t be a single cent short on the compensation you’re owed!”

Jian Xin said “ah” and came back to her senses. “I wasn’t thinking about that.”

“Eh?” Yao Wenqian was taken aback and quickly switched her comforting tactic. “You’re thinking about your recovery, right? Don’t be scared, don’t be scared. The doctor said your injuries aren’t serious. You don’t even have a steel plate!”

“Ten days, you can be discharged in about ten days, and you’ll recover in two to three months!” As she spoke, she suddenly became excited, a smile appearing on her previously reserved face. “Didn’t I tell you I braked in time? You suddenly appeared that day, and then duang, you flew so far. My soul just flew right along with you! It’s a miracle you’re not seriously hurt…”

At this point, Yao Wenqian seemed to realize she was touching on a sore subject. She bit her lip, puffed out her cheeks, and silently lowered her eyelashes.

Jian Xin: “It’s fine, hey—you don’t have to feel so guilty. I was drunk that day…”

Yao Wenqian nodded. “That’s true. I wasn’t drinking, nor was I driving tired. There was no crosswalk at the scene of the accident, and no traffic lights either—in that situation, it’s impossible for me to be fully responsible.”

“It’s only because of my cousin. She said she knows you. Although it seems you two have some history, you were acquainted back then. You’re already in such a miserable state, she couldn’t bring herself to be too heartless to you…” Yao Wenqian said, looking at Jian Xin with great sincerity. “Speaking of which, no matter what old grudges you have with my cousin, you should thank her this time! Because she recognized you, she took on a lot of the expenses, which is why I’m not here haggling with you over who’s responsible.”

At this point, she said very honestly, “If I had to take full responsibility, I really couldn’t afford it!”

Jian Xin: “…”

Seriously, sister? I give you an out, and you just take it, but do you have to turn around and slap me in the face like this?

This conversation was really going nowhere.

Jian Xin sighed, leaned back gently, and quietly zoned out.

She felt a bit of a headache, and her eyelids were heavy.

But the thought that if she closed her eyes and opened them again, she might be back in that duck’s body, made her not even dare to close her eyes to rest.

Perhaps seeing that she was bored, Yao Wenqian silently propped up her phone and started playing a particularly popular drama.

The drama was called The Fallen Jade Branch, and the female lead was the currently popular young actress, Lin Xiyu.

Of course, that wasn’t the main point.

The main point was, this drama was adapted from a novel, and its original author was, coincidentally, the famous Perched by the Roadside—her ex-girlfriend, Yan Lu.

Jian Xin: “You, you this…”

Yao Wenqian: “This is really good!”

Jian Xin: “Is it…”

Yao Wenqian: “Just watch it, you’ll know once you watch it! I can put my drawing aside for now and watch it with you!”

Jian Xin took a deep breath, looked at Yao Wenqian’s enthusiastic and expectant gaze, and couldn’t think of a reason to refuse for a long time.

And so, she sat on the hospital bed, watching the TV series adapted from her ex-girlfriend’s novel with her ex-girlfriend’s cousin.

When Yan Lu arrived at the hospital, bursts of laughter were coming from the closed hospital room.

The two girls’ voices were not loud or noisy, and they were mixed with lines that were very familiar to her.

The moment she pushed open the door, the lines were still playing, and Yao Wenqian was still laughing.

But the patient on the hospital bed had switched to a blank expression in a second.

“Cousin! You’re here so early!” Yao Wenqian looked up and waved at Yan Lu, her face full of smiles. “I’m watching your drama with Sister Jian Xin!”

“Your drama?” Jian Xin feigned ignorance, a surprised look on her face.

“Yeah, my novel,” Yan Lu said faintly, walking to the bedside with her bag. “It seems you don’t like it very much.”

“It’s just…”

“She likes it!” Yao Wenqian cut in. “She was laughing so hard just now!”

Jian Xin’s mouth hung open awkwardly. The “It’s just okay” that she was about to say got stuck in her throat, and when it came out, it had changed to a different sentence: “That female lead is very pretty.”

Yao Wenqian: “Right, right? She’s so charming!”

“Yeah,” Jian Xin nodded in agreement.

“Oh, your taste has changed,” Yan Lu said, sitting down on the side.

“…?” What does she mean, my taste has changed?

Why are her words so barbed…

Can’t she treat a pitiful and miserable car accident victim with even a tenth of the gentleness she shows to her duck and dog?