Living on a Mountain with my Husband

Chapter 29: FIGHTING BACK

The next morning LongWei snuck out of bed reluctantly. He knew it for the better to let Zimo sleep in, but he also didn't like being separated from him. He had also noticed that the few times they did separate for a longer period of time, like when he went hunting or last night, Zimo would become a little dejected.

After struggling between his heart and his head, the head won. He couldn't put Zimo's body at risk for his own selfishness. They also needed to get used to being apart more. It's not that he wanted to separate, but it was inevitable. S a hunter he couldn't take Zimo with him, so they would need to get used to it sooner or later.

...

It was just before noon around ten when Zimo finally woke up. He had a nightmare again. He was back in his apartment alone facing the fire that succeeded in taking his life. Waking up drenched in a cold sweat and out of breath. He felt terrible. It had been a long time since he last a had a nightmare. Thinking about it, he never seemed to dream when he slept with LongWei.

"Urgh... where is he?" Zimo wondered as he looked around the empty room. The room itself was hot with the sun shining in through the window, yet Zimo felt cold.

"Maybe he got up earlier to pack the cart." Zimo thought as he got up and dressed before waking out of the room.

Mrs Li saw Zimo walk out of the room and immediately panicked.

"XiaoMo, what's wrong why do you look so pale? Are you feeling sick? Do you have a fever? Quick come here and let me take a look." Mrs Li said as she rushed over.

"I'm okay, just...um. Where's LongWei?" Zimo looked at Mrs Li like an abandoned puppy in the rain.

"LongWei? He left early this morning to go to the market with the old man." She said as she placed her hand on Zimo's forehead. Noticing the hand Zimo instinctively squeezed his eyes tight and curled into himself. He wasn't really afraid of Mrs Li, but he had been hit so many times in his life it became an automatic reaction. With the exception of LongWei.

Mrs Li saw his reaction, and rather get angry she simply felt pain in her heart.

"It doesn't feel like a fever, rather it feels like the opposite, your skin is cold to the touch and your hands are like ice. zimo tell me what happened?" Mrs Li asked again with a sweet motherly tone.

"It really isn't anything,I just had a nightmare. Do you know when LongWei will be back?" Said Zimo.

"The plan is for him to sell the rabbits and dried fruit together with the old man at the morning market, after you woke up we would take a cart over and meet them to do a little shopping. But... I don't think you look well enough to go anywhere." Mrs Li said.

"No, don't worry about me Mrs Li. I'm really fine, it was just a nightmare. I'll feel better after washing up." Zimo assured her. It's true he didn't feel in the best of spirits, but he really wanted to see LongWei.

"Okay, go get washed up, I have some porridge and buns put aside for you to eat for breakfast. When your done eating we can go." Mrs Li said, still a listen hesitant. However she knew LongWei was probably the person who could help Zimo the most right now.

...

After breakfast, Zimo looked a little better, still pale but he didn't look like he would collapse at any moment.

"Zimo, we need to walk about five minutes to the village front entrance and catch a a cart into town. The sun is a high in the sky, take this hat and put it on to protect yourself from the sun as much as possible. Also let's take a little more water. Drink a lot." Mrs Li as she fussed with Zimo's outfit a put an extra drinking water in the bamboo basket.