Sheng Chenjin didn't continue speaking. He turned to look at Shi Xinxin, who recalled, "But because you joked with me that day, you drank all the champagne at once?"
Shi Xinxin seemed to sense something. If a single sip of that medicine could incapacitate an adult man like Sheng Chenjin, then drinking the whole glass would surely lead to…
"That's why I slept through the entire weekend," Sheng Chenjin said slowly, looking at her astonished face.
"When I got home, the butler had already told me you'd moved back to your small apartment. I didn't even get a chance to explain."
As he spoke, his voice deepened, his charming tone now tinged with a hint of grievance. Shi Xinxin began to feel for him, even regretting her impulsiveness at the time.
Before going to the restroom, she had seen beads of sweat on Sheng Chenjin's forehead. Under such abnormal circumstances, she hadn't stopped him.
And when Ye Yun questioned her, all her courage evaporated, replaced by the humility stemming from her social status.
Her inferiority complex was deeply rooted. Within the trap Ye Yun had set, her inner insecurities grew rampant, ultimately overcoming her courage and prompting her to flee that room instead of checking on Sheng Chenjin.
If she had tried to wake Sheng Chenjin then, she would have found him unresponsive and surely discovered the abnormality. If others had been alerted then, things wouldn't have become so complicated.
"I don't blame you. If it were me, I might have panicked too. After all, I've experienced what it feels like to be looked down upon because of one's status. It's truly unbearable, and there's nothing you can do about it."
Sheng Chenjin gave a helpless, bitter smile. "If you were a girl, and you agreed to accompany me into that venue, and stand bravely in the center of the ballroom, I would have been content."
"I really didn't notice Ye Yun," Sheng Chenjin's sudden apology made Shi Xinxin even more self-reproachful. If she had been a little braver, perhaps things wouldn't be like this now.
"Perhaps I shouldn't have taken you to that dance…" Sheng Chenjin's voice trailed off. Finally, Shi Xinxin couldn't stand it. "No, it's not your fault. It's me. If I had been a little braver, if I hadn't been so impulsive…"
Before she could finish speaking, there was a thud. Turning her head, she saw that Sheng Chenjin had gone from a sitting position to half-lying on the stone he had been leaning against.
Shi Xinxin was startled. "Sheng Chenjin, are you okay?"
She walked around the campfire and rushed to Sheng Chenjin's side. He had fainted. His body was cold. Even wearing her down jacket, it seemed to offer no warmth.
His forehead was burning hot; he must have had a fever. The wound wasn't bleeding anymore, but considering their predicament, it was likely infected.
The situation was not optimistic. Shi Xinxin frantically searched Sheng Chenjin for his phone, hoping for a signal, but the screen still displayed "No Service."
"What do we do now?" Shi Xinxin was overwhelmed. She had nothing to disinfect Sheng Chenjin's wound. The only source of heat for him was this small campfire.
"Then this is all we can do." She ran into the cave again and found more dry branches, making the fire burn even brighter, hoping this small warmth would help him.
She glanced outside the cave. The rain was still heavy. When it lessened, she would go out to see if she could find a rescue team or some food.
She had been climbing since midnight yesterday and hadn't eaten anything. Sheng Chenjin also needed to regain some strength.
Slowly, the sky darkened, and the rain gradually subsided. Shi Xinxin walked to the cave entrance and looked at the world washed clean by the rain.
If it weren't for the mud washed down by the river, the green mountains would have been a beautiful sight. She walked out of the cave, holding a sliver of hope, and pulled out her phone. The screen still showed "No Service."
But at least the rain had stopped. She tried walking towards a higher slope, hoping to find even a faint signal.
After all, in this remote corner, the hope of waiting for rescuers was slim. Moreover, Sheng Chenjin was suffering from a high fever and was unconscious. She had to hurry and contact the outside world.
She had missed one chance to save Sheng Chenjin. She couldn't miss this one. But no matter how anxious Shi Xinxin felt, the signal still didn't appear on her phone screen.
Seeing that her phone battery was running low, she had no choice but to climb uphill, hopping despite her injured foot. Midway, she missed her footing and slid down to the foot of the slope with the stones.
The first thing Shi Xinxin did after getting up was not to check her injuries, but to see if the phone was broken. The phone was their lifeline now. She had to contact the butler before the battery died.
Ignoring her scraped palms, she used her hands and feet, holding the phone in her mouth. She was convinced that if she climbed this slope, she would find a signal.
When she, with immense effort, finally reached the top of the slope and took out her phone, it still showed "No Service." Unwilling to give up, she shook it from side to side. Sure enough, the "No Service" icon began to change.
A faint signal icon appeared on her phone. Shi Xinxin was overjoyed. She moved the phone in the direction of the signal. Finally, a signal appeared. At this point, she dared not move the phone.
She stretched her arm out as far as she could, maintaining the phone's current height, holding this difficult pose. Finally, she dialed the butler's number.
"Hello? Sir?" came the butler's anxious voice from the other end.
"Butler, it's me."
"Miss? Where are you?"
"We're in a cave right now. I don't know the exact location."
"Where is Mr. Sheng?"
"He's unconscious. It might be an infection from his wound. He has a large cut on his waist. He's had a high fever since this afternoon and it hasn't gone down. I have nothing here to treat his wound."
"Okay, Miss. I'll send someone over as soon as possible. You be careful..."
Before she could finish saying "safe," the call was disconnected.
"Butler? Butler?" Shi Xinxin thought it was a bad signal and shook her phone. When she brought it back in front of her, she realized the phone was out of battery.
"This darn phone," Shi Xinxin grumbled. But luckily, she had already called the butler. However, with no battery left, it was questionable whether the butler could still contact them.