Early the next morning, Grandpa and all three uncles accompanied Jiang Fuyue to the airport.
Han Ke: “Little Yueyue, you’re the only one in our family who gets such a send-off. The rest of us shouldn’t even dream about it.”
Jiang Fuyue reminded him, “Uncle, you haven’t combed your hair.”
“What’s the point? Handsome guys can just rake it back casually and call it a style…” As he said that, he ran his fingers through his hair messily—
“Hehe, done!”
Jiang Fuyue: “…”
Han Shen put on his shoes and turned around, asking, “Old Third, you’re coming too?”
Han Heng: “Why not?”
“Cover your face so the paparazzi don’t catch you.”
“Relax, I’m prepared.” He pulled out… an Ultraman mask?
He put it on. Not even his mother would recognize him.
“Hurry up! We’re going to be late—” Grandpa stood at the door, dressed in a tailored tailcoat, looking like a duke straight out of a Renaissance oil painting.
So, a duke, an Ultraman, and two relatively normal people accompanied Jiang Fuyue to the airport.
….
At the airport.
Li Zhao checked his watch: “Why aren’t they here yet?”
Yuan Bentao: “There’s still two hours before boarding, why are you so antsy?”
“It’s not that, I’m just worried something might’ve delayed them—”
“Eh—here they come!”
Li Zhao looked over—sure enough, it was Jiang Fuyue. But the next second, he frowned: “Why is there an Ultraman?”
Yuan Bentao shook his head. No clue.
Worse, Ultraman was walking toward them.
“Sister Yue—!” Chen Cheng waved excitedly.
Tan Jiaxu stepped forward and looked around. “Wait, Sister Yue, where’s your luggage?”
“It’s with me—”
Tan Jiaxu looked up and jumped two steps back: “Ul–Ultraman?!”
Jiang Fuyue twitched the corner of her mouth and explained, “That’s my younger uncle.”
She then introduced Han Shen, Han Ke, and Grandpa.
Li Zhao understood and stepped forward to shake hands with Han Qishan: “So you’re Student Jiang’s grandfather. Nice to meet you.”
Han Qishan warmly returned the handshake. The usually stern man was all smiles now: “Thank you for your hard work. Please take care of our Yueyue during the trip. Here’s my card—feel free to call me if you need anything. I’ll do my best.”
Li Zhao and Yuan Bentao took a glance—Chairman of Han Group?!
Shock flickered in both their eyes.
“Y-yes, of course!”
Grandpa smiled gently: “If Yueyue has any requests—within reason—I hope you’ll be patient with her.”
Ah—so that’s what the business card was for. Classic move.
Meanwhile, Han Shen and Han Ke were handing out neck pillows and noise-canceling headphones to the other students.
“Long flight. This should help you rest better.”
Ling Xuan, Chen Cheng, and Tan Jiaxu accepted them and thanked the uncles.
“Here you go,” Han Ke handed the gear to Wei Kongjue and Guo Zidong.
“This… we don’t need—”
Han Ke shoved it into their hands: “No need to be shy. We’re all classmates here. Just hope everyone gets along and brings glory to the nation!”
Wei Kongjue: “…Th-thanks.”
Guo Zidong didn’t refuse either: “These headphones alone are worth thousands. Is Jiang Fuyue’s family… loaded?”
Wei Kongjue checked the model. “More than that. This is top-tier. Easily five digits.”
Hiss—
Once Grandpa’s pleasantries were done, Han Shen and Han Ke had finished handing out the gifts too.
As for Han Heng…
He stood aside the whole time wearing his Ultraman mask, acting as the team mascot.
As Jiang Fuyue and the others passed security and headed toward the gate, he pulled out two scrolls from seemingly nowhere.
With a flick, they unfurled—
Left: Win Gold with Full Marks
Right: Return Triumphant
Short, sweet… and terribly written.
Jiang Fuyue chuckled, “Thanks, Uncle.”
Han Heng shouted at the top of his lungs, “Yueyue, you’re the best—!”
His voice echoed through half the departure hall. Passersby turned to see an Ultraman holding scrolls like a lovesick fool.
Chen Cheng: “Sister Yue is so lucky…”
Tan Jiaxu: “I want that kind of family.”
Wei Kongjue: “…D*mn.”
Guo Zidong looked at the scrolls, then at the gear in his hand: “Is this the legendary strongest support crew?”
Wait a second…
What did Jiang Fuyue just call him?
Little Uncle?
He’d been following “A House with Old Boys”, and her uncle was—
“Holy sh*t!” Movie star Han Heng!
Now that’s support!
As Jiang Fuyue’s group finally disappeared around the corner, the four Han men turned away.
Han Shen: “Old Third, you really know how to show off.”
Han Ke: “No wonder you became a celeb. You’ve got the flair.”
Grandpa: “When we get home, write five pages of calligraphy. No sleep till it’s done!”
Han Heng: “???”
….
Flight time.
Jiang Fuyue’s seat was next to Wei Kongjue.
As soon as she boarded, she closed her eyes and started napping.
Wei Kongjue had wanted to chat but could only scratch his head and lean back to sleep too.
The cabin was quiet. Most passengers were resting.
That’s when the neck pillows and noise-cancelling headphones really shined—cozy, quiet, dreamland comfort.
—
They didn’t know how long they’d been out until chaos jolted them awake.
Jiang Fuyue sat up instantly.
Wei Kongjue, groggy, said, “W-what’s going on?”
Ling Xuan squeezed back into his seat, buckled in, and explained: “A passenger is showing early symptoms of the Schankwo virus. The whole cabin’s in an uproar.”
The mystery virus from F continent had finally been officially named: Schankwo Virus.
Wei Kongjue turned pale, lips trembling: “I-I heard it’s super contagious… Infected people show symptoms within 24 hours! Are we… all infected?”
Jiang Fuyue: “Just symptoms. Doesn’t mean it’s Schankwo.”
Ling Xuan added, with difficulty: “…The guy’s from Schankwo. Transferring at Imperial Capital, heading to Zurich for work as a domestic helper.”
Schankwo—the highest infection rate area in F continent!
Guo Zidong’s voice shook: “Then there’s over a 90% chance it’s the real thing…”
Even Li Zhao and Yuan Bentao were frozen in fear.
How did a virus they only saw on the news end up on their flight?
Who cared about competitions now—they just wanted to live!
Chaos reigned. Cabin was in shambles.
Jiang Fuyue swiftly pulled disposable medical masks from her backpack and handed them out. “Put these on.”
Everyone took them in stunned silence and wore them.
Chen Cheng asked her.
Jiang Fuyue simply said, “Better safe than sorry.”
Then came the captain’s voice over the intercom—
“Dear passengers, I’m Captain Cheng Kaiwu. One passenger is experiencing acute vomiting and convulsions, showing suspected symptoms of the Schankwo virus. We’ve contacted ground control. This flight will divert and land at Ndafi Airport in Tunisia at 12:20 PM China Standard Time. All passengers will undergo virus testing upon landing.”
…
12:20 PM.
The plane landed.
It wasn’t until 40 minutes later that the cabin doors opened.
Medical personnel in full protective suits entered, distributing protective gear and instructions.
Two passengers from the front tried to bolt but were immediately subdued and escorted back by SWAT.
The rest, seeing this, stopped trying to escape.
But tension continued to rise. People grumbled nonstop—
“Why me?! Why this flight?!”
“If you came from a high-risk area, you shouldn’t fly!”
“Mommy, are we going to die?”
“F**k! I haven’t even dated yet!”
“Maybe it’s not Schankwo?”
“With those symptoms? What else could it be?!”
One mention of “going home” triggered another panic.
Chen Cheng whispered, “I want to go home too…”
Tan Jiaxu’s eyes reddened.
Even Ling Xuan bit his lip tightly.
Teenagers might act mature, but at life-or-death moments, they couldn’t stay calm.
Except one person.
Jiang Fuyue calmly suited up in her protective gear. “If you want to go home, follow orders.”
Ling Xuan grit his teeth and began putting on the protective gear.
Chen Cheng and Tan Jiaxu followed suit, and Wei Kongjue and Guo Zidong copied them.
Li Zhao and Yuan Bentao exchanged glances and both gave a wry smile.
Were they really less composed than a student?
Their calm and coordination quickly spread to the other passengers, and the complaints gradually died down.
Once everyone had finished putting on their protective equipment, the medical staff led them through a special passage to a temporary quarantine area behind the airport.
First, they registered their passport information, then had their temperatures taken. Passengers showing any signs of fever were immediately isolated separately.
After that, airport staff brought meals for everyone.
Then began the long wait…
By the time the sun set and darkness began to fall, noise broke out again outside.
“Weren’t we supposed to be tested for the virus? Why hasn’t it started yet?”
“Can’t they at least tell us whether we’re infected or not?”
“So we’re just supposed to stay locked up here? I’m supposed to fly to Zurich to sign a contract!”
“The school over there is starting enrollment in the next two days—my kid can’t afford to miss that!”
“Yeah! Do the tests right away—if we’re not infected, let us go!”
The crowd’s demands for immediate testing grew louder and louder. When the situation became impossible to control, the officials finally came forward to explain—
“At present, the only testing kits capable of detecting the virus can only be produced by an expert laboratory in the Suweitan region. We’ve already contacted them, but even at the fastest, it will take twelve hours to deliver. During this time, please remain calm in the quarantine area and avoid unnecessary movement.”
Chen Cheng: “Twelve hours?”
Tan Jiaxu: “That’s the fastest—it could take longer.”
Wei Kongjue: “So we just… have to wait for the kits to arrive?”
Ling Xuan: “Or someone falls ill—and we’re all done for.”
“What do you mean?”
“Judging from the current death toll in the North F region, the Schankwo virus is even more contagious and deadly than Ebola. Once someone gets sick, it’s highly likely that everyone in the cabin will be infected.”
If that happened, what else could it be but complete annihilation?
Guo Zidong’s legs went weak. “D-Don’t scare me like that…”
Li Zhao and Yuan Bentao both felt a chill sink through their hearts.
The others looked shocked or terrified; the room fell into an eerie, suffocating silence.
At that moment, a voice broke through—
“It’s not that bad yet,” Jiang Fuyue suddenly said.
Everyone’s hopeful gazes turned toward her.
“According to the flight crew’s account, the suspected infected person only showed symptoms of vomiting and convulsions, but no bleeding. That means there are two possibilities…”
“The first: he wasn’t infected with the Schankwo virus at all, but had another illness that caused similar symptoms. That would be the best outcome.”
“The second: he is a carrier of the Schankwo virus, but it’s in the early stage, when it’s not highly contagious yet. In that case, passengers farther away are likely safe.”
“So,” Jiang Fuyue’s eyes swept across the group, “if no one shows symptoms within the next twelve hours, there’s a good chance it’s the first case.”
Otherwise… they could only pray it was the second.
The worst, as Ling Xuan said, would be total annihilation.
…
When night fell, pessimism deepened with the darkness.
Somewhere in the quarantine zone, someone started crying, and soon others followed.
The entire area was blanketed in the fear of death.
A sniffling sound came from a corner—it was Wei Kongjue.
Then Guo Zidong began wiping his eyes.
Jiang Fuyue abruptly raised her head, her sharp gaze cutting into them. “If you want to cry, do it outside. Don’t affect everyone else in here!”
Her tone was harsh—completely unyielding.
Wei Kongjue froze, even forgetting to sniff back his snot. It slid down past his philtrum and into his mouth.
Salty.
Guo Zidong, startled by the outburst, went rigid. The tears that had been about to fall suddenly froze and retreated.
The two crouched in the corner, looking almost identical.
At a glance, they resembled two frightened prairie dogs.
“Pfft—” Tan Jiaxu couldn’t hold it in. “S-sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh.”
Then Chen Cheng: “Pfft—seriously, you two look hilarious.”
The corner of Ling Xuan’s mouth twitched upward.
Li Zhao and Yuan Bentao’s gloom also melted away.
Guo Zidong: “?”
Wei Kongjue: “?”
So the clown… was us?
…
Tunijilia was located in northern F—hot year-round, with little rain.
At sunset, the quarantine area turned into a giant sauna. Because it had been built in a hurry, there was no air conditioning yet, and Jiang Fuyue was soon drenched in sweat.
But at night, the temperature dropped sharply, and it grew cold again.
Before bed, Jiang Fuyue reminded everyone, “The rapid change in temperature makes it easy to catch a cold. Don’t get a fever now—otherwise…”
Otherwise, they’d be treated as suspected cases and isolated separately. Even if the test kits arrived, for safety’s sake they wouldn’t be released easily.
“Got it.”
Everyone was on high alert, checking each other’s blankets to make sure they were properly covered.
But by morning, while everyone else was fine—Jiang Fuyue herself had a fever.
“Temperature under the tongue exceeds 37.5°C. You have a fever,” the medical worker said flatly. Everyone froze.
“H-how? She was fine last night!” Chen Cheng tried to go forward, but the medical staff barked sharply for him to stop.
He froze like a frightened quail.
Tan Jiaxu: “Doctor, take it again—maybe you got it wrong?!”
Standing in the corner, far from everyone, Jiang Fuyue’s expression remained calm from beginning to end. She was the one who had called the doctor over herself.
“Please take me to a separate isolation room.”
The doctor looked at her in mild surprise.
Jiang Fuyue was already in full protective gear, masked and wrapped tightly.
“Sister Yue—” Chen Cheng called after her, gritting his teeth. “You’ll be fine!”
The doctor shut the door.
But through the small glass window, Chen Cheng still saw Jiang Fuyue turn and give him a slight nod.
By then, eight hours had passed since the plane landed.
Tan Jiaxu clenched his fists. “Only four more hours until the test kits arrive… Just four more hours…”
Just then, Ling Xuan suddenly picked up the room’s landline and, as Jiang Fuyue had done earlier, dialed out: “This is isolation room 311. I have a fever. Please send medical staff immediately.”
Wei Kongjue’s eyes widened. “Are you insane?!”
Li Zhao and Yuan Bentao also barked, “That’s nonsense!”
“You’re not even sick—why would you do that?! You’ll be taken to separate quarantine!”
Ling Xuan’s expression turned solemn. “I have a fever.”
Soon, medical staff arrived. After checking his oral temperature, they said, “39.6°C?! You need to be isolated immediately.”
“Okay,” Ling Xuan said calmly. “Take me there.”
After they left, Guo Zidong murmured, “How did he do that?”
Jiang Fuyue had looked pale when she got sick—but Ling Xuan had seemed completely fine.
Wei Kongjue whispered, “Before the doctor came in, I saw him drink a mouthful of boiling water.”
“What? Why would he do that?”
Wei Kongjue sighed. “Can’t you tell? He wanted to go with Jiang Fuyue.”
Guo Zidong looked confused. “Why would he do that? Infection isn’t a joke.”
Wei Kongjue: “…Are you stupid?”
…
In the single isolation ward—
The front wall was a pane of transparent glass so doctors could monitor the patients at any time.
Inside, it felt like being a lab mouse trapped in a cage.
Jiang Fuyue pressed her hand to her forehead, still monitoring her condition.
Fortunately, her fever was low, with no vomiting or other symptoms.
She sat by the bed—and then saw another person brought in.
Even through the mask and protective gear, she recognized him instantly: Ling Xuan.
Her brows furrowed. As he passed by the glass partition, she shot him a questioning look: What are you doing here?
Ling Xuan averted his gaze, refusing to meet her eyes.
Jiang Fuyue’s heart sank. He had pretended to have a fever to get into single isolation!
This area was full of suspected cases—the risk of infection was exponentially higher!
Utterly reckless!
Jiang Fuyue immediately called the doctor and explained.
The doctor was shocked. “What are you young people thinking? You can’t just mess around like this! Love isn’t something you prove this way!”
Jiang Fuyue lowered her head in silence.
Half an hour later, Ling Xuan was escorted out of the isolation ward.
At that moment, outside the quarantine zone, a military helicopter landed at Endafi Airport, its fuselage emblazoned with the bright five-star red flag.
“The test kits are finally here!”
The cabin door opened, and a man in camouflage stepped out first.
He wore a laboratory-grade isolation face shield, only his deep eyes visible.
Tall and straight, like a pine standing against the wind.
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