Chapter 65: Old home

Kai was contacted by the lady he had met at the store that morning, shortly after he sent Jean back to sleep.

She informed him that today was Jean’s birthday and that they had made some preparations for her at the dormitory.

So, he made plans to bring her to the clothing store first and then here.

As they entered the place Jean had mentioned, she immediately said, "They repaired the leaks."

The first thing she had always noticed about this place was the water seeping through the ceiling in the corner. Yet now, not only was the constant dripping gone, but the entire place looked noticeably cleaner.

Kai pulled Elara a little closer and said, "She looks quite happy to be back as well."

The little one was already glancing around the familiar room, her small hands clutching tightly to his shirt as she took in her surroundings.

Jean faintly smiled as they approached the stairs.

The ground floor was used as storage by the nearby store. Since the upper floor had remained vacant, it had been leased to these people who had nowhere else to go.

When they reached the first floor, Jean took a deep breath.

Kai did not urge her forward. He simply gave her the time to settle her nerves. She was returning to this place after more than a month, and he could only imagine how many emotions must have been stirring inside her.

Finally, she slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The room was long, almost surprisingly so, with beds arranged along either side.

Colorful ribbons hung from the walls, and balloons had been scattered here and there. It was clearly meant to be a cheerful setup for a celebration.

Yet neither of them had any attention left for the decorations.

"What... is happening?" Jean asked with a frown.

All the residents had gathered around one of the beds, and the panicked voices coming from the crowd immediately caught their attention.

"Let’s check," Kai urged her as he stepped toward the gathering.

"Leah! What happened? Please, speak to me!"

"Don’t panic her. Dear, please try to breathe first."

"What happened to her?" Jean suddenly pushed through the crowd and called out.

Several people were startled to see her standing there, but their attention quickly returned to the child.

One of the elderly men answered, "She suddenly fell to the ground and hasn’t said anything since."

Jean frowned as she looked at the little girl. She was gasping for breath, her face pale and strained.

Jean was about to take out her phone and call an ambulance when Kai suddenly said, "Hold her for me."

He handed Elara to Jean and stepped closer to the bed.

"Child, can you breathe?" he asked calmly.

His voice was nearly drowned out by the chaos around them, and no one seemed to hear him clearly.

Jean understood immediately.

"Please, maintain silence! You are panicking her!"

Her sharp voice instantly made everyone flinch. The surrounding chatter died down as they stepped back, finally giving the child some space.

Kai faintly smiled at Jean and nodded before turning his attention back to the girl.

"Can you breathe, child?"

The little girl slowly shook her head.

It was a small, almost imperceptible movement, but Kai noticed it.

He looked toward the others. "Did she eat anything strange? Or does she have a history of something like this?"

A woman, most likely her mother, stepped forward and shook her head frantically.

"This has never happened before. I don’t know what she ate. There are so many things on the table."

Jean glanced toward the table and immediately understood what the woman meant. There was an unusually large amount of food laid out for the celebration. The girl could have eaten almost anything.

Kai crouched beside the bed, his eyes taking in the details.

She was conscious, but barely able to breathe.

Her chest rose in short, uneven movements while her eyes darted around in panic. One of her hands was trembling near her throat, as if she instinctively understood that something was wrong there.

Kai remained calm.

"Look at me, child."

The little girl slowly turned her eyes toward him.

"Can you speak?"

She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Only a faint, strained sound escaped her throat.

Kai’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Can you cough?"

She tried.

Her body jerked with the effort, but the cough that came out was weak and almost silent.

That was enough for him.

He glanced at her chest again.

It was moving, but barely.

He then looked at her lips and noticed that they were beginning to lose their normal color.

"She is choking," Kai said.

The words immediately caused another wave of panic.

"What?"

"Choking?"

"On what?! Quick, flip her-"

"Everyone, calm down!" This time Naomi shouted.

Kai ignored the noise around him and focused entirely on the girl.

He gently asked her to open her mouth.

She did so, though her breathing was becoming increasingly strained.

Kai leaned closer and looked inside.

There was nothing immediately visible that he could safely remove.

He did not put his fingers inside blindly.

If something was lodged deeper in her throat, trying to grab it without seeing it could push it even farther down.

"It’s fine. Don’t panic."

The little girl looked at him with tears forming in her eyes.

Kai placed one hand against her back.

"You are going to breathe again."

His voice was calm enough that, despite her fear, the girl seemed to focus on him.

Kai quickly positioned himself behind her.

"Jean, keep everyone away from us."

Jean immediately stepped forward.

"You heard him. Move back!"

The residents reluctantly gave them space.

Kai wrapped his arms around the girl and positioned his hands carefully.

"I’m going to help you get it out."

He paused for only a moment to make sure his position was correct.

Then he delivered a firm blow between her shoulder blades.

THAK!

The girl’s body jolted forward.

Everyone around them flinched.

Kai waited for a moment and watched her closely.

Nothing.

She still couldn’t breathe properly.

"Again."

Another firm strike landed between her shoulder blades.

THAK!

The girl coughed weakly, but whatever was blocking her airway still hadn’t come free.

Kai frowned and adjusted his position and moved his hands around her abdomen, preparing to apply abdominal thrusts.

"Stay calm."

The girl could only nod weakly.

Kai tightened his hold.

Then he drove his hands inward and upward with controlled force.

The girl’s body jerked.

She suddenly coughed.

A small piece of food shot from her mouth and landed on the floor.

For a second, nobody moved.

Then the girl desperately sucked in a breath.

GASP!

Her chest expanded properly for the first time.

She coughed again, harder this time, bending forward as air finally rushed through her throat.

Kai immediately loosened his hold and supported her while she coughed.

"That’s it. Breathe slowly."

The girl continued coughing, tears running down her cheeks.

Her mother rushed toward her.

"Leah!"

Kai raised one hand.

"Give her a moment."

The woman stopped herself.

Kai watched the girl’s breathing carefully.

Her chest was rising normally now.

Her lips were slowly returning to their usual color.

After a few seconds, Leah finally managed to take a proper breath.

"I..."

Her voice was hoarse.

"I can breathe."

Her mother covered her mouth with both hands, tears immediately appearing in her eyes.

"Oh, thank God."

Jean stood nearby, still holding Elara against her chest.

She looked at Kai, then at the tiny piece of food lying on the floor.

Only now did she seem to realize how serious the situation had actually been.

Kai gently patted Leah’s back.

"You are okay now. Try to chew your food better next time, okay?"

The little girl finally smiled through her tears and nodded at him.