Is she going to die?
As Zhan Xinjia was thinking this, she vaguely felt herself being held tightly in someone's arms, and bitter medicine was being fed into her mouth.
A blinding light flickered before her eyes, stinging them, while she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. She whimpered uncomfortably, then felt herself being enveloped in a warm, soft blanket.
Someone brushed aside the stray hairs that were damp with sweat and stuck to her cheeks, and gently called her name.
Ah Zhi.
Mr. Xiao Shen...?
Zhan Xinjia strained to open her eyes and saw only the thin sunlight seeping in through the lattice window, barely illuminating a corner of the room.
This is a simple mud-brick house. Although the paint on the walls has faded and looks quite old, it has been kept clean and elegant. There are several pots of orchids on the windowsill and several familiar-looking calligraphy and paintings on the wall.
The room was filled with the faint bitter smell of Chinese medicine, but when the back door was pushed open, the faint bitter smell was quickly dispelled by the influx of fresh air, which also made the stuffy room a little more open.
The girl who entered was dressed in simple clothes and hairpins. She looked to be about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a pretty face and a quiet, scholarly air about her.
She stopped in front of the bed with a basin of still steaming water, soaked a handkerchief in warm water, wrung it out, and carefully wiped away the dried mud and bloodstains from Zhan Xinjia's face.
Those hands were so soft that Zhan Xinjia almost drifted off to sleep again.
Where is this?
Who is this older sister?
Where is Master Shen?
A million questions popped into her still-unclear mind. Zhan Xinjia struggled to get up, but the movement caused excruciating pain in her legs.
She was in so much pain that tears immediately welled up in her eyes.
The girl in the cloth skirt was startled and quickly stepped forward to hold Zhan Xinjia down, pulling the quilt up even higher.
"You sprained your leg. The doctor treated it last night, and you need to rest for half a month. You can't move around too much now. If you don't recover well and end up with a disability, it will be too late to cry."
"...Thank you, may I ask where this is?"
In order not to become a cripple, Zhan Xinjia dared not move around anymore.
Her hair was messy, wrapped in a warm quilt like a rice cake, revealing only a pair of clear black and white eyes with long eyelashes blinking, making her look incredibly well-behaved.
Resisting the urge to pinch her cheeks, the girl in the cloth skirt smiled gently.
"It's Linshui Village."
Linshui Village?
Zhanxinjia, this name sounds so familiar...
By the way! Cui Wanzhao mentioned that Lord Shen's ancestral home is Linshui Village in Qin County. This is Lord Shen's hometown.
Hey, how did she get here?
Could it be that there's a path leading to this village from the bottom of that cliff?
Zhan Xinjia tilted her head in confusion.
She looked at the girl in the cloth dress who was opening the window to let in some fresh air.
"Excuse me, where is the person who was with me?"
The girl in the cloth skirt was taken aback for a moment, then smiled. "You mean Brother Shen? Don't worry, the arrow that was stuck in his body has been removed. He took medicine and is sleeping next door."
After speaking, she paused, then hesitated before continuing.
"Are you his friend? Since you're Shen's friend, there's no need to be so polite with me. My name is Su Yun, and I should be a few years older than you. Just call me Sister Su."
"oh…"
Zhan Xinjia didn't hesitate, "Sister Su, may I go see him?"
Su Yun's smile froze, and she frowned imperceptibly.
“Brother Shen stayed by your side all night and only took his medicine and went to sleep at the crack of dawn. He probably won’t wake up for the time being. Let’s wait until he’s feeling better before we disturb him.”
Although Zhan Xinjia felt that Sister Su's tone was strange, what she said was also correct.
Master Shen has already suffered so much taking care of her; it's time for him to get some rest. She can't be so willful and clingy anymore.
In short, the two are now safe.
Since she couldn't get out of bed and had nothing to do, Zhan Xinjia, who was awake, began to study the calligraphy and paintings on the wall out of boredom.
Although the brushstrokes are somewhat immature, judging from the subtle habits in the beginning and ending of each stroke, this seems to be a painting by Master Shen.
Perhaps sensing Zhan Xinjia's gaze, Su Yun's face showed a hint of nostalgia and longing. She raised the corners of her lips, her tone carrying a subtle but unmistakable air of pride.
“These were all drawn by Brother Shen in the past. He used to take them to town to sell, and with the money he would buy wine for my father. Some of the ones he couldn’t sell, he simply gave them all to me.”
"Is your family... very familiar with Lord Shen?"
"I guess so. He was my father's student. We studied and wrote together when he came to my house at the age of nine. He could be considered my senior in a way."
Zhan Xinjia nodded and did not ask any further questions.
Previously, Cui Wanzhao mentioned that Master Shen had studied for several years under the care of a retired schoolteacher who had moved from Yaozhou City to Linshui Village. It seems that this is the old man's home.
Sister Su...you must be the old gentleman's daughter.
A dull ache settled in her heart, as if something was blocking it. Zhan Xinjia stopped looking at the calligraphy and paintings, and instead stared blankly at the curtains hanging on the bed frame.
The curtains were embroidered with pale pink petals and exuded a sweet fragrance. Most of the furnishings in the room were also in a girl's style. The room she was sleeping in should be Sister Su's boudoir.
If they can hang each other's calligraphy and paintings in their own living quarters, their relationship must be quite good.
Zhan Xinjia didn't know what she was thinking, but she felt a strange sense of gloom. A short while later, the sounds of girls laughing and playing outside suddenly came, and footsteps drew closer.
Several girls who looked to be around the same age as Sister Su entered with smiles.
"Yun'er, I heard that your brother Chen is back?"
"Why didn't you tell us about something so big? Don't you consider us your sisters anymore? But it's good that you've finally made it through."
Su Yun first glanced at the little girl resting with her eyes closed on the bed, then, half-annoyed, she raised her eyes and glared at her girlfriends, then affectionately shoved them towards the door with a smile.
"Alright, alright, I still have patients here. Don't make a fuss here. Let's talk outside."
Zhan Xin thought that it didn't really matter to her whether she went outside to talk or not, since martial arts practitioners naturally have better hearing than ordinary people.
The girls' laughter faded into the distance, but it remained so clear in her ears.
"Sigh, your father always wanted to marry you off to Brother Chen, but all he cared about was passing the imperial examinations. For so many years, the journey from the capital to Linshui Village has been long and arduous, and he rarely came back. This time, we must finally get things done, right?"
"What nonsense are you spouting... You're really outrageous! Brother Shen is just my father's student, and he might not even have any such intentions."
"Hehe, you say I'm talking nonsense, then why are you blushing? Look at us sisters who are about your age, we've all been betrothed, and you're the only old maid. The matchmakers have been wearing down the doorstep, but you still won't give in. Isn't it because you're waiting for your brother Chen to come back?"
"I... I just want to spend a few more years with my father and stop being so talkative. Besides, Brother Shen is such a high-ranking official, I just..."
"Oh dear, everyone in our village knows Brother Shen's character. How could he be that kind of person? From childhood to adulthood, all he's done is study. You're the only girl around him. If the two of you can't be together, who can?"
...
Su Yun fell silent, and the girls' laughter and chatter ceased.
Zhan Xinjia felt that she was also sick.
She could even imagine Su Jie's face flushed, her eyes sparkling, looking annoyed but unwilling to argue.
She dragged her injured leg and rolled over.
I'm so hungry.
Fortunately, her mind is always empty when she's hungry, so she doesn't have to think about anything else.
At this point, she actually felt that being hungry all the time was quite nice.
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