He took the pen and paper beside the bed and wrote a simple reply to Pei An.

"Just like before, deliver the letter to the post station at the entrance of the village and then come back. Be careful when walking." Qin Zhao handed the letter to Jing Li and instructed.

Jing Li took the letter, but did not leave in a hurry.

Qin Zhao asked: "What's wrong?"

"I'll go find medicine for you." Jing Li said.

Qin Zhao was startled.

"Astragalus grows deep in the mountains in summer and autumn. Aren't we living there soon?" Jing Li said seriously, "I'm a koi fish. If they can't find it, then I can definitely find it."

"Little Fish..."

Jing Li said: "You were the one who told me to believe in myself. Now I believe it. I think I can find it!"

Qin Zhao looked at him, his eyes softening: "Thank you."

His illness this time was indeed more serious than any previous one, but it was not as severe as any of his illnesses in the past three years.

Because he was alone at that time, even though Chen Yanan would occasionally come to see him and bring him some food every day when he couldn't get out of bed.

But most of the time, he has to rely on himself to get through it.

Everything is different now.

Qin Zhao withdrew his gaze, lifted the quilt and got out of bed.

"What are you doing here?" Jing Li frowned sensitively, "You can't go up the mountain with me, you're like this—"

"no."

Qin Zhao sighed helplessly, not understanding what image he had become in Xiaoyu's mind. As he put on his clothes, he patiently explained, "I'll go with you to the village chief's house and hire a few people to go up the mountain with you."

"...You confused little thing, what will you do if you get lost without someone to lead the way?"

.

Jing Li was walking on the mountain path with one foot deep and one foot shallow. Suddenly, his foot slipped and he was immediately supported from behind: "Be careful!"

"I'm fine, thank you." Jing Li pushed his hand away.

Li Hongyu touched his nose and looked away uncomfortably: "I told you that you shouldn't go up the mountain. If you want to find herbs, why don't you let us do it?"

Qin Zhao now has a very good image in the village. He just asked the village chief to hire people to go up the mountain to look for medicine, and soon seven or eight people came to help.

And they all asked not to be paid.

Qin Zhao naturally would not take advantage of others for nothing, so he paid each of them twenty cents and asked them to take Jing Li up the mountain early the next morning.

Many herbs grew in the deep mountains near Linxi Village, and villagers would come here on weekdays to collect herbs and firewood. After entering the mountains, everyone split up, leaving Li Hongyu to take care of Jingli.

"Of course I'm coming." Jing Li found it particularly difficult to walk along the mountain path, and whispered, "You won't be able to find me without me."

Li Hongyu didn't hear clearly: "What did you say?"

"Nothing." Jing Li said again, "You are the one who shouldn't have followed. Your hand hasn't even healed yet."

"This little injury is nothing. Even if my hands are broken or my eyes are blind, I can still walk around this mountain unharmed." Li Hongyu said with a proud tone.

He has been hunting in the mountains with his father since he was a child and is very familiar with the mountains.

Li Hongyu paused and continued, "But honestly, I've never seen the kind of herbs you're looking for in the mountains. Can they really be found in these mountains?"

"Yes." Jing Li said firmly, "We will definitely find it."

But Jingli searched the mountain for several days and didn't find even a similar leaf.

"...I'm really not a lucky fish." Late at night, Jing Li sat on the bed and said dejectedly, "None of the wishes I made have come true... It hurts, it hurts—!"

Qin Zhao applied medicine to the rubbed ankle and wrapped it with gauze: "Bear with it, it won't hurt tomorrow."

"I know..." Jing Li lay on his back on the bed, his bare feet still on Qin Zhao's legs, which were wrapped in a lot of gauze.

He didn't often walk on mountain roads, and every time he did, he would either be scratched by branches or worn out by his shoes. He would get new injuries almost every day after coming down the mountain.

Qin Zhao reached out and gently grasped the other person's ankle.

Jing Li's skin was fair and delicate, making the wound look even more shocking.

"Rest at home for a while tomorrow. You can't go up the mountain like this." Qin Zhao said.

"No need. Li Hongyu and the others and I have an appointment to go to the west mountain tomorrow. We haven't been there in the past few days." Jing Li said, "I said I would find the herbs, so I must find them. Do you believe me?"

Qin Zhao shook his head: "If I were in better health..."

He didn't finish his words.

If there were any other choice, he would never agree to let Jing Li do this, but he and Jing Li both understood that this was the only way now.

Qin Zhao's eyes darkened, and he stroked a scabbed scar on the other person's instep with his fingertips.