C15 Unaccustomed to Water and Earth

"You need to eat, even if you're not hungry. I don't want you collapsing before we find your sister. I can't afford to look after you too!" Huang Wenyu said with a smile on his handsome face, his eyes soft as he looked at her, but his words were anything but gentle. "Remember your promise; you said you wouldn't hold me back!"

Lee Bingqian was at a loss for words. She truly had no appetite, but Huang Wenyu's point was valid.

Reluctantly suppressing her inner discomfort, she forced down her breakfast, eventually gulping down an entire glass of milk under Huang Wenyu's stern gaze.

After breakfast, they left the hotel to continue their search for Lee Binglian.

They walked a great distance, asking questions along the way, but to no avail.

Lee Bingqian had the nagging feeling of being watched. She took the soda Huang Wenyu offered her and let out a weary sigh, casually scanning her surroundings.

After a sip of water, she leaned in close to Huang Wenyu and whispered, "The man with the wide-brimmed hat standing by the bank across the street, he's the one who's been following me these past few days."

Huang Wenyu didn't immediately glance towards the bank entrance. Instead, he quickly typed a message on his phone, took Lee Bingqian's hand, and nodded. "Alright, I've got someone looking into it. It's about time for lunch. What would you like to eat?"

The mention of lunch made Lee Bingqian's stomach turn. The cuisine in Vushor didn't agree with her, and with her sister missing, she had no appetite.

"I'm not really hungry. Let's just grab something quick," Lee Bingqian said, shaking her head.

Scanning the area, Huang Wenyu spotted a nearby restaurant and led Lee Bingqian inside, where they ordered two servings of Cantonese roast meat.

Lee Bingqian picked up a piece of the roast meat with her chopsticks and took a bite, only to be assaulted by an odd-tasting sauce.

"Ugh!" She clutched her mouth, unable to suppress a gag.

Across the table, Huang Wenyu saw Lee Bingqian's sudden discomfort and quickly filled a glass with water for her, his brow furrowed with concern. "What's the matter?"

Lee Bingqian shook her head, feeling unwell. "The taste of this sauce is so odd; it's making me a bit queasy."

No sooner had she spoken than her stomach began to churn. She quickly stood up and, spotting a passing waiter, asked, "Could you tell me where the restroom is?"

"Go forward, take a left, then a right."

"Thank you." With that, Lee Bingqian clutched her mouth and dashed toward the restroom.

She had been perfectly fine earlier in the day. What could have caused her sudden bout of nausea?

A realization seemed to strike Huang Wenyu, and his composed expression shifted dramatically.

He replayed the events of the previous night in his mind. Could it be that Lee Bingqian was...

With that thought, Huang Wenyu rose swiftly and strode purposefully toward the restroom.

Lee Bingqian had thrown up everything she had for breakfast. Eventually, nothing more would come up, but she kept dry heaving.

Sweating profusely and feeling weak, barely able to stand, she heard Huang Wenyu's voice, laced with urgency, from outside: "Are you okay?"

Breathing heavily, Lee Bingqian pulled a tissue from her bag to wipe her mouth and replied weakly, "I'm not going to die just yet."

After spending a few minutes rinsing her mouth to get rid of the lingering odd taste, she emerged from the ladies' room. She saw Huang Wenyu waiting for her, his face etched with concern. She managed a weak smile and suggested, "Let's eat somewhere else. The flavors here are just too bizarre."

"Okay." Huang Wenyu responded without any hint of annoyance and nodded in agreement.

They found another restaurant nearby that seemed more conventional. As they sat down, Lee Bingqian noticed Huang Wenyu's gaze fixed on her.

"Why do you keep staring at me?" she asked abruptly.

She was oblivious to the peculiarity of Huang Wenyu's look as she listlessly placed a piece of steak in her mouth.

Perhaps it was the aftertaste of the weird sauce, but now she couldn't stomach the steak and felt the urge to vomit again.

"Let's head to the hospital after we finish eating," Huang Wenyu suggested.

Surprised by his suggestion, Lee Bingqian responded, "There's no need for a hospital visit. I'm just not used to the local cuisine here in Vushor; it doesn't agree with my stomach."

"Are you certain it's just a case of not being acclimated to the environment? It's your body; haven't you noticed anything off about yourself lately?" Huang Wenyu offered a subtle hint.

Lee Bingqian looked puzzled as she thought back over the last few days, then shook her head: "No, aside from a lack of appetite, I feel pretty normal."

"You should still go to the hospital for a checkup," Huang Wenyu advised.

"Really, it's not necessary. I just need to watch what I eat for the next few days. I'd rather not waste time at the hospital."

With each day that passed without finding her sister, Lee Bingqian grew more restless. She didn't want to squander her valuable time.

Seeing Lee Bingqian's nonchalant demeanor, Huang Wenyu experienced a mix of emotions.