Chapter 6

When they returned home that evening, Lin Qiang stopped letting Yuan Qiong bounce around on the chair. He forcefully pulled her into his arms and used his lightness skill to walk back.

"Big black beard! You're shameless!"

Yuan Qiong trembled with rage, her eyes reddening, almost bursting into tears from humiliation. How dare he! How dare he touch her like that!

The mountain wind howled, and Lin Qiang held the person in his arms tightly, preventing her from moving around.

"Why are you so stubborn, little girl? Don't you know your injury can't withstand any more jostling? What if you suffer long-term consequences?"

"It's none of your business!"

Yuan Qiong tried to struggle, but her hands were restrained and she was completely covered, unable to move at all.

She glared at him fiercely, wishing she could tear a piece of flesh from him. Unfortunately, Lin Qiang was focused on getting on his way and didn't see her at all.

As she stared, tears welled up in her eyes. As time passed, the fierce determination in her heart subsided, and a sense of helplessness and loss of control, accompanied by immense grievance, surged up, and Yuan Qiong burst into tears.

Ultimately, she's just a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl, not yet as powerful as described in the book.

"Ugh..."

This was the first time Yuan Qiong had cried since she could remember. Born into a life of luxury and pampered care, she had never suffered such humiliation.

"Don't cry!"

Hearing her cries, Lin Qiang immediately stopped on a flat hilltop and put her down, somewhat bewildered.

"Don't cry, little girl. I didn't do anything to you. Don't cry, sweetie."

Lin Qiang had had many bed partners in his past life, but they were all relationships based on mutual benefit. They were all gentle, considerate, and understanding, and none of them would be so tactless as to cry so miserably in front of him. Even if someone did cry, it was just a pretense, and Lin Qiang would simply walk away to avoid getting annoyed.

Now that such a young girl is crying in front of him, he can't just leave her here and abandon her, can he?

"Waaah..." Yuan Qiong cried so hard she could barely breathe, clutching her chest. The more she cried, the more it hurt, and the more aggrieved she felt, the harder she cried: "Waaah... hiccup!"

"Ugh...hiccup!"

Seeing the little girl clutching her chest, curled up like a shrimp in pain, crying and hiccuping, Lin Qiang felt a pang of sympathy.

Did his daughter cry like this when she was little?

Without realizing it, he stepped forward, pulled her small figure into his arms, used his inner strength to help her recover from her pain with one hand, and gently stroked her long hair with the other.

"Sweetie, don't cry. I was wrong. I'll let you hit me back later, okay?"

Yuan Qiong, who was crying so hard she was almost fainting, was completely unaware that she was being hugged by the bandit she hated again. She only felt wronged and sad.

Why should she be married off to that cowardly crown prince?

Why does Father prefer that innocent concubine's daughter to her?

She was so good to those people, why did they still try to harm her?

Why would her most trusted nanny betray her?

Why do they all treat her as a useful puppet instead of a living, breathing person?

Stripped of her status as the Crown Princess and the eldest daughter of the Yuan family, does she have nothing left?

"Waaah..."

She gripped his lapel tightly, as if she wanted to cry out all her anger, sadness, disappointment, hatred, grief, grievance, and resentment.

Lin Qiang stopped using his internal energy when he saw that she wasn't hiccuping anymore. Remembering what she had said the day before yesterday that both her parents were dead, he hugged the little girl, who was just past his waist, tighter.

"Cry if you want to, it'll make you feel better. Stay on the mountain from now on, I'll be your support."

In his previous life, women came and went in his life, but they were all just for show, and he never took any of them to heart.

After being diagnosed with a terminal illness, he learned that he actually had a daughter. In that instant, surprise, sorrow, and regret all rushed over him. He didn't blame the woman for marrying someone else while pregnant with his child; after all, his early life had been filled with bloodshed, and he certainly wasn't a reliable partner. He just regretted not knowing sooner, so he could have seen for himself whether the mother and daughter were truly as happy as his subordinates had described.

After learning that his daughter was an online novelist, he invested heavily in adapting her novel "Hua Wen Luo" into a television series, helping her gain the recognition and fame she deserved. He donated the rest of his fortune to establish a charitable foundation specifically to support orphanages and children in impoverished mountainous areas.

On his deathbed, he didn't disturb the mother and daughter's current family and life, nor did he let them know of his existence. He simply kept reading the original text and author's notes of "Hua Wen Luo". Although it was a tragedy, it was clear that his daughter was a lively little girl who would interact with readers every day.

When death approached, Lin Qiang felt no regret or reluctance, welcoming it with a smile and open arms. But when he opened his eyes, he had transmigrated...

Lin Qiang is now a calm and peaceful person who has weathered many storms. He has no ambition or desires and only wants to stay away from strife and war and live a good life.

Since this little girl is all alone, just like him, then let him protect her for the rest of her life.

Yuan Qiong cried until she was completely exhausted before fainting. Lin Qiang didn't dare to delay and immediately carried her to Granny Tian's medicine hut.

"Grandma Tian, ​​is Grandma Tian home?"

In the middle of the night, Lin Qiang climbed over the fence and went straight to the front door of the main house, banging on the wooden door. Granny Tian inside and Yuan Luo, who had already returned from next door, were both awakened by the noise.

"Coming, coming!" The woman's deep voice was full of energy: "Stop knocking!"

Although Granny Tian's title includes the character "Grandma," she is actually not very old, only around forty years old. Her beautiful features, though showing some fine lines, still possess a certain charm.

She lit the oil lamp, draped an outer robe over her head, and came to open the door: "What do you want to do making so much noise in the middle of the night? Has someone died?"

Lin Qiang glared at her with his tiger-like eyes: "If you say another word, you won't be sleeping tonight!"

Granny Tian pouted and looked at the person in his arms: "I was wondering why the chief never comes to the thatched hut unless there's something wrong. Turns out he's brought me another little beauty. He's really young and charming."

"Stop talking nonsense and come take a look." Lin Qiang walked past her and went into the house, placing Yuan Qiong on the bamboo couch in the outer room: "She suffered some internal injuries and broke her ribs a couple of days ago, and she has been traveling all day today. Please check if she is alright."

"Move aside, otherwise how can I take her pulse?" Granny Tian pushed Lin Qiang aside, stepped forward, picked up the little girl's arm on the bed and examined it for a while: "It's nothing, she just fainted because her internal injuries haven't healed and her emotions fluctuated too much. I'll prescribe some medicine for her and she'll be fine after resting for a while."

"You can start now, I'll wait to prepare the medicine."

"Boss, it's the middle of the night! Aren't you going to let this old woman get some sleep?" Granny Tian asked incredulously.

Lin Qiang took out paper, pen, and medicine paper from the table and handed them to her: "What's more important than saving lives than sleeping? You get the medicine first, then give it to me and you can go to sleep. I'll take care of the rest."

"So attentive?" Granny Tian teased, "Men are indeed fickle. I've never seen you this attentive before, even with Yuan Liu Niang."

"Enough with the nonsense, hurry up and get the medicine!" Lin Qiang didn't have much patience for the people in the village, and unconsciously released a bit of his imposing aura.

Lin Qiang knew these seasoned veterans of the underworld better than anyone. Since he was the leader of the village, everyone who depended on the village for their livelihood had to listen to him. The more assertive and authoritative he was, the more these people feared him. Occasionally, a little appeasement could win them over. If he were too easygoing, amiable, and consulted them on everything, it would only create more problems, and these people would be difficult to control.

"Okay, okay, I'll write it now."

Granny Tian originally wanted to tease him a bit more to make the big-bearded man anxious, but seeing his cold face, she gave up her little schemes and started writing the prescription, then went to get the medicine quietly. While getting the medicine, she would occasionally glance at Lin Qiang.

She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but the gang leader seemed to have become even more imposing after just a few days. The old, burly man with the thick beard, though exuding a rough, unruly aura and looking intimidating, was still young and didn't intimidate her. Now, while the gang leader looked similar, he lacked that deliberate swagger; instead, his brilliance seemed to have matured over time, becoming more refined and unpredictable, making him both enigmatic and intimidating.

She immediately shook her head, thinking she was overthinking things. The leader, though skilled in martial arts, was only in his early twenties; how could he possibly be the kind of cunning and calculating person he was?

"Alright, these medicines should be taken three times a day. I'll give you one dose first, and keep the rest with me. When the girl wakes up tomorrow, I'll personally explain some precautions to her."

Lin Qiang nodded and said, "Thank you for your hard work." He took the medicine and then carried Yuan Qiong from the bed to her side room on the left.

"Why is there only a tattered quilt on this bed?" And it's a stone bed!

Just as Granny Tian was about to close the door, Lin Qiang called her back. He grinned and said, "Granny Tian, ​​where are those four new cotton quilts you made this spring? Bring them over for the wounded to use."

"......."

Why should I?!

Granny Tian's face clearly showed her refusal.

"I'll return ten beds to you in a few days!"

"This is what you said, Boss: ten beds, not one less."

"You won't be shortchanged."

Having received the promise, Granny Tian reluctantly brought out her newly made cotton quilt.

Oh... my fragrant, soft blankets... Grandma will miss you so much...

Seeing that she seemed to be going back on her word, Lin Qiang stepped forward and took the blanket from her: "Grandma Tian, ​​ten blankets, I'll give you back ten blankets!"

"..." Okay, for ten beds!

Grandma Tian finally gritted her teeth and gave in, silently weeping inside. Oh, my warm, cozy quilt...

In the adjacent side room, Yuan Liuniang looked at the tattered quilt on her stone bed, feeling extremely distressed. She too had been exhausted after a long day, yet the black-bearded man hadn't shown her any concern. Had his heart changed so quickly?!

She gritted her teeth, finally mustered the courage to open the door, and called out, "Black Beard!" Then, realizing it wasn't quite right, she quickly corrected herself, "Boss!"

"Hmm? What's wrong, Miss Yuan?" The blanket almost completely covered Lin Qiang's face. He said, "I'll put the blanket in the room first. We can talk about it later."

Wait a minute? It'll be even more awkward later!

"No!" Yuan Liu Niang quickly stopped her. She didn't care about being coy and said with a red face, "My blanket is a bit thin too. Can you give me your blanket?" After saying that, she felt her face burning.

She actually abandoned her self-respect for a blanket! The man opposite her almost forced himself on her!

Although she thought this in her heart, a hint of anticipation still shone in her eyes.

At that moment, she suddenly wished that the big black bearded man could say to her in a domineering way, like the male lead in a TV series: "The blankets are all yours!"