Inside the cave, a campfire roared, while outside stretched an endless forest.
Si Qiao nestled close to Qi to keep him warm. Qi's back was to the fire, his face hidden in the firelight and his disheveled hair, but it was clear without looking that he was expressionless. He was still wearing his blood-stained clothes, but the wounds from his chest to his shoulder blades had been treated by Si Qiao. She applied ointment to stop the bleeding and relieve the pain, and then bandaged them up with cloth strips.
Having roamed the martial world for many years, Si Qiao was often short of money and had to treat her own injuries, so she now had quite a bit of experience in bandaging. Her beautiful eyes were wide open as she stared at the face in front of her, which still had a faint smile on its lips, and she felt an indescribable pain in her heart.
"I let you vent your anger, so why are you still so eager to die? You could have easily dodged that blow!"
"Is death the only way to free you?"
"Brother Qi... Only at times like this will you obediently let me touch you. You're so foolish. If you like Sister Shuyao, why don't you just take her away? Your gang leader clearly made you choose her that time, so why are you torturing your life now?"
The cave was unusually quiet, except for the crackling of firewood and Si Qiao's soft whispers.
"I was so stupid. You're so cold and aloof, like a stone that can never be warmed. How could I have fallen for you?" Si Qiao frowned and pinched Qi's eyelids in revenge, feeling frustrated that she had inexplicably fallen for such a person. "Sigh! If that woman had used even a little more force today, or if I had arrived a step later, then we would both have been truly free."
Although she spoke of it with nonchalance, she was secretly terrified by the possibility of it happening. As long as one is alive, there is hope, and so is her hope of winning his heart. Even if the hope is slim, she is willing to wait and try.
Last night, Si Qiao led him on a journey of dozens of miles before finding this desolate mountain. She was an expert in tracking and concealing her tracks; otherwise, she would have been beaten to death long ago for swindling money from men everywhere. So, she didn't need to worry about being found in the short term.
"I'm short of money, and I'm afraid those people will continue to hunt you down. I can't get you a doctor, and it will take at least two days to get back to your branch. We'll have to travel by boat, and the waterways aren't safe right now, so it's impossible." Si Qiao told the unconscious Qi about their situation. She had always been a loner and had never been unable to escape in the years, but now she was carrying a seriously injured and unconscious person, which was really difficult.
"Qi, you must not give up, okay? I went through so much trouble to bring you here, don't let my efforts go to waste." Si Qiao murmured a warning as she nestled her head into Qi's arms, listening to his steady heartbeat. Now, she could only silently pray for God's mercy, that Qi would wake up soon and survive this ordeal.
*** ***
It was a pair of slender, fair hands that broke through the thick black fog before his eyes, bringing with them dazzling light and fragrant air. Then, that hand slowly, gently, softly touched his face...
Qi was startled and suddenly opened his eyes. His forehead was covered in cold sweat, but he met Si Qiao's beautiful eyes, which were full of affection. His expression was cold and hard, and he turned his gaze to the drizzling rain outside the cave as if he didn't see her.
He tried to move, but found he had no strength at all, and his back and shoulders were in excruciating pain. Ah... he remembered that he had been seriously injured while on a mission.
But how did she find herself? She's like a stubborn leech!
Si Qiao fiddled with the long braid tied in front of her chest, gazing adoringly at his profile, which appeared even more profound as he fell into deep thought. A surge of love welled up within her, almost impossible to suppress.
Since realizing her feelings, her wandering heart, like duckweed, finally found a place to rest. Even without receiving the same response, she could still find joy in hardship and sweetness in the bitterness, a feeling she hadn't experienced since leaving home.
"Aren't you still upset?" She couldn't control her worry and got up to move closer to him, even though she knew he might not pay any attention to her. But she had rescued him three days ago. With his martial arts skills, he should have regained consciousness yesterday morning, and the sleeping potion he had inhaled should have mostly evaporated with his sweat. How could he not even be able to stand up? This made her even more worried.
Qi seemed not to hear her question, his gaze still fixed on the rain outside.
Forget it! Anyway, she was already used to his indifference. Si Qiao got up and went to his side. She put her hand on his pulse, wanting to send out a wave of internal energy while checking the recovery of his injuries. But he grabbed her hand and then disgustedly shook it off, as if he were shaking off something dirty.
"Don't touch me!" His hoarse voice made his attitude clear: he didn't want any contact with her unless absolutely necessary.
Si Qiao was hurt by his attitude, but instead of getting angry, she laughed and leaned weakly into his arms, her slender arms slipping under his armpits as she whispered in his ear, "Brother Qi, how could you forget? I am your woman, how could you push me away like this?"
As she spoke, she squeezed her arms tightly together, deliberately tightening the wound on his back.
Her lips brushed lightly against his earlobe, the tingling sensation making him restless. But before he could turn his head to avoid her mischievous teasing, a sharp pain shot through his back... He groaned, fine beads of sweat instantly soaking his clothes, but he simply closed his eyes tightly, silently enduring the pain without uttering a sound.
Seeing him like this, Si Qiao's slight displeasure disappeared. She subtly withdrew the strength in her arm, took out a yellow silk handkerchief from her bosom, and tenderly wiped the sweat from his forehead. She said coquettishly, "You have such a terrible temper. I've taken such good care of you, and instead of being grateful, you insist on making yourself suffer."
Qi gritted his teeth inwardly. If it weren't for his greatly diminished inner strength, why would he be at her mercy? Once he regained his power, he would definitely... he would definitely... Suddenly, he remembered the vow he had made to the Holy Spirit, and a sense of helpless sorrow welled up in his heart. Was it because he had killed too many people that Heaven sent such a woman to punish him?
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Si Qiao felt uncomfortable under his strange gaze. She liked being watched, but at least it shouldn't be with such resentment in her eyes. She reached out her small hand and covered Qi's eyes. "Brother Qi... you like me too, don't you?" she said with a charming smile. But the next moment, she suddenly stopped talking... If only he liked her too, even if it was only one-thousandth of what she liked about him.
The sorrow in her heart almost overwhelmed her. She blinked, using all her strength to stop the tears that were about to burst forth. Why? Why are women of the Yan ethnic group labeled as promiscuous from birth? Do they like it? Do they like being driven out of their homes at a young age and having to sell things to survive?
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