Chapter 20: Camaraderie Among Classmates

Wen Xiao dropped his exam paper without a second thought and ran out. By the time he reached the corridor, Wen Xulai was already crouching down to check on Wei Nanxing.

"What's wrong with him..." Wen Xiao crouched down beside him, a hint of nervousness appearing in his expression that he didn't even notice himself.

He saw that Wei Nanxing was breathing rapidly, his hands trembling uncontrollably. Wen Xiao grasped Wei Nanxing's clenched hand and found it to be ice-cold. When he tried to pull his hand away, Wei Nanxing gripped it back tightly, as if clutching at a straw while drifting in and out of consciousness during his episode.

The proctor also noticed the situation and hurried over. "What's going on with him? Is it a heart attack?"

Wen Xulai shook his head. "His family never mentioned him having any heart condition."

A thought suddenly struck Wen Xiao, and his heart skipped a beat. He instinctively blurted out, "It's not a heart attack."

Under the stunned gazes of Wen Xulai and the teacher, Wen Xiao pulled a face mask from his pocket and pressed it firmly over Wei Nanxing's nose and mouth. He had kept the mask on hand because he wasn't in the best of health himself and wanted to avoid the irritation of cold air; he had never used it, but it came in handy now.

The teacher was terrified by Wen Xiao's actions and moved to pull his hand away. "What are you doing? Are you trying to kill your classmate?"

Wen Xulai was on the phone; the school infirmary staff would be there in a few minutes. Furthermore, the medical facilities at the school were often superior to those in Jinhai City, as some of the school doctors were recruited with high salaries. He hadn't even reacted when he saw Wen Xiao covering Wei Nanxing’s mouth.

"It's not a heart problem. It’s hyperventilation," Wen Xiao said, one hand covering Wei Nanxing's face while the other was held tightly by the boy. Even in such distress, Wei Nanxing’s eyes were fixed directly on him.

"You mean respiratory alkalosis?" Wen Xulai asked. When a person experiences extreme fear, tension, excitement, or anger, rapid breathing can lead to excessive carbon dioxide expulsion, disrupting the body's acid-base balance and triggering respiratory alkalosis. Covering the mouth and nose with a bag or mask is the best way to stabilize this, as it allows the person to inhale carbon dioxide to restore the body's pH balance.

Fine beads of sweat had formed on Wei Nanxing’s forehead, and his long hair, damp with perspiration, clung to his brow, leaving his dark, clear eyes completely exposed. The boy’s eyes were large and round, brimming with tears that shimmered and seemed ready to fall at any moment—he looked absolutely terrified.

The violent trembling coming from the hand in his—much like a dying fish struggling for life—made Wen Xiao realize he could clearly feel the boy's pain and fear. Maintaining his grip, Wen Xiao leaned in slightly, opened his arms, and gave Wei Nanxing a half-embrace.

As the soft body of the child at this age pressed against him, Wei Nanxing’s eyes widened, and the tears seemed to freeze in their sockets. Then, the words whispered in his ear caused those two frozen tears to instantly spill over.

"Don't be afraid."

Seeing the teacher move to interfere again, Wen Xulai immediately stepped in, staring at Wen Xiao's actions in disbelief. It was hard for him to imagine a seven-year-old child responding this way. What if it wasn't hyperventilation? Wen Xulai knew that if something happened to Wei Nanxing due to improper first aid, he would be held responsible. Yet, for some reason, he found himself instinctively choosing to trust Wen Xiao.

***

Wen Xiao could feel Wei Nanxing's breathing gradually steadying, and he let out a soft sigh of relief. He remembered that in his previous life, Wei Nanxing had also experienced a bout of hyperventilation. He had never heard of Wei Nanxing having a heart condition, and the boy hadn't been clutching his chest, so he had taken a gamble. Thankfully, he hadn't made things worse.

Students who had finished their exams were filing out of the testing rooms. Some had already noticed the commotion and came over to watch. Wen Xiao felt the eyes of others on them, which made Wei Nanxing tense up again—this would be detrimental to his recovery.

Song Jingbai's voice suddenly cut through the air. "What are you doing? Seatmate, you haven't even hugged me yet."

"Song Jingbai," Wen Xiao said suddenly, "get them to stop crowding around."

Song Jingbai paused, surprised that Wen Xiao had instinctively asked for his help, and his smile widened. He turned to the other students. "Wei Nanxing is feeling unwell; everyone, please don't crowd here so you don't interfere with his treatment."

Seeing Wei Nanxing's condition improving, Wen Xulai realized Wen Xiao’s judgment had been correct. He breathed a sigh of relief and stood up, directing the other students to prepare for the next exam and clear the corridor.

As soon as Wen Xiao pulled his hand away, he felt arms wrap around his neck. Although Wei Nanxing looked thin and small, he was technically a bit taller than Wen Xiao, so the weight of his arms pulled Wen Xiao down slightly. Just as Wen Xiao was about to complain, he heard a very soft, "Xiao Xiao..."

Wen Xiao stood up while looking at Wei Nanxing, his expression skeptical. This seemed to be the first time he had heard Wei Nanxing say two words in a row. It made him wonder if Wei Nanxing's speech impediment had improved because of this.

Wen Xiao walked over to Wen Xulai and noticed the teacher looking at him as if he were a rare animal, which gave him goosebumps.

"Wen Xiao, how did you know Wei Nanxing was hyperventilating?"

Wen Xiao blinked, looking innocent. "I saw it on TV. And he wasn't holding his heart, so it probably wasn't a heart attack..."

Song Jingbai walked over as well. Fearing he would bring up the hugging comment again, Wen Xiao quickly interrupted, "Also, did something happen to upset Wei Nanxing?"

Wen Xulai, not overthinking it, let the topic shift. He sighed and looked toward Wei Nanxing, who was being checked by the school doctor. "Someone in his family collapsed on the street and was sent to the hospital. They called me using the emergency contact number on his phone, so I had originally intended to take Wei Nanxing to the hospital..."

Wen Xiao thought of the old man he had seen that morning, and his heart skipped a beat. "Was it an old man?"

Wen Xulai was shocked again. He reached out to pat Wen Xiao on the head, unable to resist ruffling his hair. "How did you know that too, little genius?"

Wen Xiao swatted his hand away and took a few steps back, looking at him with suspicion. "I just saw an old man drop Wei Nanxing off at school this morning, I was just guessing..." His own memories were limited to the three years depicted in the book; he wasn't necessarily more knowledgeable than a real high schooler.

Concerned about Wei Nanxing, Wen Xiao asked, "What's the illness? Is it serious?"

Wen Xulai shook his head. "Late-stage lung cancer. He's very old; there's no cure."

Song Jingbai, listening nearby, lost his usual smile. Standing quietly on the sidelines, he seemed more like a detached observer.

Wen Xulai continued, "We teachers will take Wei Nanxing to the hospital first. If you want to go visit later, I can come pick you up at noon."

***

Wen Xiao’s eyes widened. "I never said I wanted to go..." How did Wen Xulai get the idea that he wanted to go? This homeroom teacher was truly unreliable.

"You asked about it, so I assumed you wanted to see him," Wen Xulai said, adjusting his glasses. "Besides, I think Wei Nanxing might need you then."

As Wen Xulai led Wei Nanxing away, he felt deeply impacted by the scene, even as a middle-aged man nearing thirty. A child suffering from the sensation of suffocation had found his breathing stabilized and his emotions calmed by the embrace and comfort of another child.

Song Jingbai asked, "Are you really not going at noon?"

"Why would I go?" Wen Xiao felt like everyone was acting strangely, asking him this same question.

Song Jingbai didn't fall for it this time. Instead, he flashed a brilliant smile at Wen Xiao. "Liars' noses grow long, you know. Think carefully before you answer."

"Aren't you bored..." Wen Xiao walked into the exam room, sulking as he slumped over his desk, showing Song Jingbai nothing but the back of his head.

He didn't get any peace even then, as he felt Song Jingbai lean in close to his ear to whisper, "So you are going, aren't you?"

Wen Xiao gritted his teeth, counted down the time, then slapped his desk and looked up coldly—only to find the whole class staring at him, and the culprit already gone. Wen Xiao blushed, wanting to dig a hole and bury himself, and whispered a quiet apology.

By the time the morning exam was ending, Wen Xulai was already waiting at the door. When Wen Xiao stepped out, he noticed someone else was with him.

Noticing Wen Xiao’s gaze, Wen Xulai explained, "Leng Shucheng is the class monitor; he’s coming to the hospital today to visit and check on Wei Nanxing’s situation."

"Teacher, can I go too? I'm also very concerned about Wei Nanxing," Song Jingbai’s voice suddenly rang out. Wen Xiao looked over and realized he had handed in his paper and come out.

Wen Xulai thought about it; his car had plenty of room for three children, so he nodded.

Wen Xiao hadn't forgotten how Song Jingbai had teased him earlier, so he didn't give him a pleasant look.

"It seems I was right," Song Jingbai whispered, walking beside Wen Xiao.

Wen Xiao hated the way the boy acted as if he knew him so well. He couldn't help but raise his fist, only for Song Jingbai to grab his wrist with lightning speed.

"Don't get angry. Getting angry stunts your growth," Song Jingbai said.

Wen Xiao pulled his hand back, and remembering something, his tone rose slightly. "But people who smile all the time get old fast."

"So, compared to getting old fast, I'd rather stay short."

Wen Xiao walked ahead, feeling he had won a round in the war of words.

"Then I'll just have to work hard to make sure you don't think I'm getting old," Song Jingbai’s voice came from behind.

Wen Xiao retorted, "Whether you get old or not has nothing to do with me."

Wen Xulai couldn't help but chuckle. "You're all so young, talking about getting old. You've got a long way to go."

Leng Shucheng followed the teacher, eyes fixed straight ahead as if he were in an honor guard, though he couldn't help but sneak a glance back. As they walked outside, they passed an exam room. Wen Xiao caught a glimpse of a silhouette out of the corner of his eye and wished he could urge Wen Xulai to walk faster.