Chapter 21 Blood dripped, dripping...
Chapter 21
"Don't be nervous," Luo Xiaoran said in a deep voice, "It will be over soon."
Chu Xingli believed Luo Xiaoran's words completely.
Hearing this, she nodded slightly and obediently let Luo Xiaoran do as she pleased.
"Xingli, can you please... My God!" Zhu Ji had just reached the entrance of Chu Xingli and Chu Xingli's tent when he was shocked by the scene before him. "What are you doing?!"
Lin Ning, reeking of mosquito repellent, followed behind him, stood on tiptoe, covered Zhu Ji's mouth, and dragged him away.
"Um, I still need to borrow something..." Zhu Ji said indistinctly.
Lin Ning's cheeks flushed red, and her tone became stern, as if she were scolding a disobedient puppy: "Go away, aren't you embarrassed enough?"
[You didn't expect this, did you, Zhu Daniu? We got the juicy gossip before you did this time!]
[Ranzi finally has a chance to get close to his wife, and if Zhu Daniu ruins it, he'll really cry.]
[If you like watching it, I don't mind paying later (just kidding)]
[Hugs: I just got a fishbone stuck in my throat, all your fuss makes me feel even more ashamed o(╥﹏╥)o]
"It's alright," Luo Xiaoran turned off the flashlight and rubbed Chu Xingli's face, which was a little sore from opening her mouth. "It's just a little red, probably from your cough just now."
Chu Xingli tilted her head and felt around for a moment, then suddenly exclaimed, "Hey! I've noticed that after you looked at it for me, I don't feel anything at all!"
Luo Xiaoran smiled: "Am I that amazing?"
Chu Xingli gave him a thumbs up: "Dr. Luo has amazing skills."
"If you still feel a foreign object sensation, you can get a laryngoscopy done later." Luo Xiaoran put his phone away.
"After knowing Gu Zezhou for a long time, you've even learned how to diagnose patients."
Once she was sure she was alright, Chu Xingli turned to the side and started playing with the little red fish in the bucket that Luo Xiaoran had brought into the tent, muttering to herself.
Luo Xiaoran lowered his gaze: "I still need to continue studying."
All the relevant knowledge he learned revolved around Chu Xingli's physical condition.
He learned about everything from getting cold or hot, headaches and stomachaches, to how to care for himself in that area, all so that he could better take care of Chu Xingli.
"He's really getting better, thanks to having such a smart apprentice like you." Chu Xingli, oblivious to Luo Xiaoran's expression, chuckled and teased Gu Zezhou across the room.
"Don't bite," Luo Xiaoran gently reminded him as he watched him instinctively touch the tongue stud with his teeth again.
Chu Xingli guiltily shifted her gaze elsewhere: "Oh."
[Oh my god, is the hug referring to Dr. Gu Zezhou?]
Gu Zezhou, the deputy director of neurosurgery at Kangchu Medical, is incredibly handsome. My mom's best friend had surgery in his department last time, and I heard he's never had a girlfriend... or boyfriend.
[As expected, handsome guys always hang out with other handsome guys]
[Dr. Gu: Is this how you promote me?]
Does anyone understand this "Don't bite" part?!
"Have some water," Luo Xiaoran said, unscrewing the lid of the thermos and handing it to Chu Xingli. "The weather is dry, so drinking more water is good for you."
Chu Xingli took the drink and thought about the noise she had heard when she woke up.
"What were you just arguing with Bao Keming about?" Chu Xingli wanted to say "scold," but worried that it would have a negative influence on viewers with extreme views and bring a bad message to Luo Xiaoran.
This time, it was Luo Xiaoran's turn to feel awkward. He took the thermos back from Chu Xingli and said, "It's nothing."
Seeing that Luo Xiaoran didn't seem to want to talk, Chu Xingli didn't press him.
He then poked his head out of the tent and looked at Lin Ning and Zhu Ji's tent: "What were you two about to do?"
"I'd like to borrow a bucket," Zhu Ji said, carrying a plastic bag full of water as they finished. "Ningning just caught me a fish too, and I'm going to stew it when I get back."
Chu Xingli looked completely bewildered. She glanced at the small fish wagging its tail in the plastic bag, then at Lin Ning, and asked Zhu Ji, "Did he catch these fish for you?"
Zhu Ji nodded proudly: "Yes."
Chu Xingli wanted to laugh: "And then you're going to stew it?"
Zhu Ji nodded vigorously: "I've already asked the pond owner how to stew the fish, and I'll make it for Ningning when I get back."
Lin Ning: "..."
Chu Xingli: "..."
Luo Xiaoran: "..."
Judging from Ranzi's expression, he's clearly going to take the little fish home and raise it.
[But Zhu Daniu, he actually wants to take it back and stew it.]
[I think I've figured it out now, the only reason you two aren't divorced is because of Lin Ning's kindness (*￣︶￣)]
[It's a good intention, but it uses up a lot of fish.]
[Lemon was trying to be romantic with you, and you're just messing around with everyday life. Did Cupid give you steel bars instead?]
Chu Xingli went to great lengths to explain this principle to Zhu Ji in great detail.
The sinner, Zhu Daniu, was filled with remorse.
He took Lin Ning's hand and apologized, "Ningning, I've let you down by not catching this little fish for me. I'm sorry."
Lin Ning put the small red fish, which was noticeably smaller than Chu Xingli's, into the bucket, then reached out and patted Zhu Ji's head to indicate that it was alright.
“When we get back, I’ll buy some other fish to stew for you,” Zhu Ji continued.
Chu Xingli covered her mouth and whispered in Luo Xiaoran's ear, "In the end, some fish are going to be unlucky."
Luo Xiaoran nodded with a smile.
"I'll make you West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce!" Zhu Ji promised Lin Ning, patting his chest. "It's the most famous fish I've ever heard of!"
Lin Ning: "..."
Chu Xingli: "..."
Luo Xiaoran: "..."
Chu Xingli took a deep breath: "Why don't you go and find out why it's so famous?"
Haha, Zhu Da Niu, I'm truly impressed!
I advise you not to try it.
[West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce is famous precisely because it tastes awful, ahhhh]
The reason why West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce has remained popular for so many years is entirely due to people's curiosity about it.
[Any fish that dies in the West Lake Vinegar Fish dish is a wasted life.]
As they were talking, Chu Xingli was the first to see Zhao Anyu emerge from the forest path.
The other person didn't seem to realize that they had been discovered. They were wiping their lips and glancing back at the grove from time to time, as if they were very concerned about the person behind them.
Zhao Anyu thought he had discreetly circled back around the tents, greeted Chen Xuanqi who was sitting at the tent entrance, and then collapsed inside to rest.
Chu Xingli turned her gaze to another path and waited.
Sure enough, less than two minutes after Zhao Anyu came out, Qiao Manyun appeared from another path.
She is beautiful and always dresses impeccably with exquisite makeup.
After emerging from the woods, the shape of her lipstick was flawless, and her hairstyle was elegant and dignified.
Chu Xingli narrowed his eyes slightly.
*
After lunch break, everyone's mental state was noticeably better than in the morning.
Except for Zhou Maidong.
His luck has obviously gotten much worse since the fish got away.
While others can reel in a fish in ten minutes, Zhou Maidong often takes twenty minutes to catch even a small one.
On the contrary, Lu Yunxin, who had absolutely no interest in fishing, kept catching big fish.
"Oh my, this must weigh twelve or thirteen pounds, right?" Lu Yunxin laughed out loud, sounding very satisfied with the weight of the fish.
Even if you don't like fishing, you'll be extremely happy to be bitten by fish so constantly.
Zhou Maidong sat there, pondering for a long time with composure.
Finally, after Lu Yunxin caught another big fish weighing at least seven or eight pounds, he approached her carrying a small stool.
"Can I...sit next to you and fish?"
Lu Yunxin was somewhat dazed by Zhou Maidong's words.
Twenty years ago, Zhou Maidong also approached her with a similar reserved and shy demeanor, asking, "May I sit next to you and read a book?" Now, that dashing young man in a white shirt has reached the point where his marriage has broken down.
Lu Yunxin sniffed and patted the empty seat next to her: "Come on."
[Sister Lu's newbie protection period made Brother Zhou extremely envious]
Don't even mention how envious Zhou Ge is; my dad, hearing Sister Lu casting one line after another, has already started packing his fishing gear to head to Bald Tail Mountain.
[Master of the Pond, prepare to welcome this unprecedented wealth! hhh]
[Sister Lu: Do you genuinely want to fish with me, or are you just after my fishing spot?]
[Haha, Zhou thought to himself, every second of hesitation is a disrespect to the fishing cause.]
Chu Xingli stood on the sidelines, watching as Sister Lu and Brother Zhou's relationship remained strong.
It was only because they had spent so few time together over the years that their relationship had become somewhat distant.
He couldn't bear to see lovers separated.
We have to help them out.
“Brother Zhou,” Chu Xingli said with a smile, “would you like to ask Sister Lu how she fishes?”
Zhou Maidong wasn't completely stupid. After being reminded by Chu Xingli, who was taking a completely objective viewpoint, he immediately remembered his original purpose for coming to the show.
He scratched his forehead a little embarrassedly and reached out to tug at Lu Yunxin's sleeve: "Yunxin, teach me, please."
Lu Yunxin was stubborn but soft-hearted, and easily gave Zhou Maidong face. She didn't shake off his hand, but instead handed him the fishing rod she was holding.
Chu Xingli was enthusiastic about playing matchmaker, and Luo Xiaoran just watched him with a smile.
Although her eyes and brows betrayed a sense of loss and envy, she also seemed exceptionally content.
Chu Xingli was very confident in Luo Xiaoran's abilities.
He entrusted the important task of fishing to Luo Xiaoran, while he squatted by the water and used a small net to catch fish.
After all, he really wasn't good at it, and the sight of rippling water made him dizzy, so he couldn't sit there still.
The director received the data calculated by the staff, and seeing that the total weight of the fish was about right, he began to announce the next steps of the itinerary:
"Now, we all need to go to the market and sell all the fish we caught today. The money each group earns will be our food expenses for tomorrow. The more we earn, the more good ingredients we can get."
The chief director is a wicked man who knows how to make things difficult for people.
Seeing that everyone had made a good harvest, he suggested on the spur of the moment: "Now there are two options for going down the mountain. The first is to take a car down the mountain. The second is to walk back down the same way."
Bao Keming immediately answered, "Of course it's the first one! Who would choose the second one if the first one is available? Hahaha~"
"But what about it?" Chu Xingli asked.
The director was very satisfied with his reaction: "Hey~ that's right~ Xing Li is really smart~"
The not-so-bright Bao Keming sat back down on the small stool, feeling frustrated.
Why is there such a huge difference between people? (doge)
[Our little Baobao knows the show's rules perfectly well, hahaha]
[Haha, Bao Keming, instead of wasting your time, why don't you take a good look at why you have a green meadow on your head?]
Neither of them is clean, so neither of them should look down on the other, haha.
"But walking down the mountain has its advantages," the director said. "Each person gets twenty yuan, so for every two people in a group, that's forty yuan. That's forty yuan more than those who take the bus down, making it a perfect choice for groups with fewer fish!"
“I still choose to take the car down the mountain,” Bao Keming said, unable to endure any hardship. “I’m exhausted today, and there are so many mosquitoes. It’s too much of a suffering.”
Qiao Manyun also didn't want to walk, and made the same choice as Bao Keming.
Lin Ning really wanted to earn more money so that Zhu Ji could have something good to eat tomorrow, but unfortunately she wasn't feeling well, so she and Zhu Ji had to give up the money and go for a ride.
“I didn’t feel comfortable leaving my fish with the people in the car,” Zhou Maidong glanced at Bao Keming, hinting at something, “so Yunxin and I chose to take the car.”
Bao Keming: "..."
Zhou Maidong estimated in advance that among everyone present, including Luo Xiaoran, the total weight of a single group of fish would not exceed that of him and Lu Yunxin.
Therefore, it doesn't matter if I give up forty yuan.
"Why don't we keep going? We can earn some more money for tomorrow's meals," Chu Xingli stretched her stiff shoulders and turned to look at Luo Xiaoran. "We can also get some exercise while we're at it."
"Alright." That suited Luo Xiaoran's wishes perfectly.
He was still thinking about what methods he could use to persuade Chu Xingli to exercise more.
The idea proposed by the program team could just meet the training intensity required by Chu Xingli's body.
"Brother Xingli, can the two of us come down the mountain with you?"
Chen Xuanqi had just placed the bucket of fish that she and Zhao Anyu had caught next to Chu Xingli and Luo Xiaoran's buckets, thinking that she would do the mission with them later.
Chu Xingli has no grudge against Chen Xuanqi and understands that young artists need more screen time and attention to have better career prospects.
So he nodded to Chen Xuanqi and casually reminded her, "Sure, be careful on your way down the mountain."
"Mmm~ Thank you, Xingli-ge~" Chen Xuanqi responded and took the lead, humming a song as she walked ahead.
Seeing that Chen Xuanqi wanted to get closer to Chu Xingli and the other person, Zhao Anyu quickly followed suit and started chatting with Chu Xingli.
"Brother Xingli, you and Brother Xiaoran caught so many fish!"
Chu Xingli hummed in agreement: "It's alright, not as much as Brother Zhou and Sister Lu. I'm rather useless."
Zhao Anyu put his phone away and looked at Luo Xiaoran: "Brother Xiaoran, next time you can teach me how to catch more fish, okay?"
Chu Xingli saw through Zhao Anyu's thoughts and turned to look at Luo Xiaoran with him, clearly intending to watch the show.
Luo Xiaoran remained expressionless, staring straight ahead: "You're older than me."
Zhao Anyu: "..."
Chu Xingli held back her laughter, and her mood inexplicably improved a lot.
Zhao Anyu was worried that if he spoke again, Luo Xiaoran would still retort mercilessly, so he stopped talking and walked forward quietly, thinking about other topics.
A gentle breeze drifted by.
Chu Xingli caught a faint scent emanating from Zhao Anyu.
He turned his head to look at Zhao Anyu.
Seemingly lost in thought.
Chu Xingli is also a perfume enthusiast in his daily life.
He could clearly smell the perfume Qiao Manyun was wearing today on Zhao Anyu.
It was faint, but it was enough for him to make a judgment.
It was a women's fragrance, and at a price that Zhao Anyu simply couldn't afford with his current income level.
[Hugs are spacing out again.]
[Little one, watch your step while you walk, be careful, the mountain path is very difficult to walk on]
[Zhao Anyu is being too deliberate; who wouldn't see through such an obvious intention?]
Lost in thought, Chu Xingli didn't notice Zhao Anyu nudging him again. He happened to step on a round stone and lost his balance.
"Brother Xingli... Hey!?" Zhao Anyu was about to help him up when he twisted his own ankle. He quickly waved his arms to maintain his balance and didn't have time to help Chu Xingli anymore.
He even pulled Chu Xingli aside out of self-preservation.
Luo Xiaoran always walked half a body length behind Chu Xingli, precisely to guard against this.
However, Chu Xingli was pulled in the opposite direction by Zhao Anyu, and had long since deviated from the normal straight path.
Luo Xiaoran's breath hitched.
Hugs has been in the hospital for so long due to a traumatic brain injury, resulting in such serious consequences. We absolutely cannot allow any further injury to occur.
Not just his head, Chu Xingli can't afford to fall anywhere on his body.
Luo Xiaoran's brain reacted as quickly as his subconscious muscles.
Almost instinctively, when Chu Xingli staggered and fell to the ground, Luo Xiaoran didn't have time to help him stand up again. He only had time to quickly put his hand under Chu Xingli's head to prevent him from hitting the back of his head and causing serious external injury again.
Immediately afterwards, Luo Xiaoran was knocked down by the momentum of Chu Xingli falling, and they both fell onto the wet and muddy roadside.
"Brother Xingli!"
"Brother Xiaoran!"
"Young Master Chu!"
"Teacher Luo!"
Zhao Anyu and Chen Xuanqi shouted in alarm, and the crew members filming behind them also rushed over in alarm.
【Oh my god! It looks so painful!】
[Waaaaah, Ranzi's reaction was way too fast! o(╥﹏╥)o]
[Is Zhao Anyu out of his mind?! Why is he constantly leaning on Xing Li? Can't he speak properly?]
[He pulled Bao Bao down because he was afraid he would fall! He was afraid he would fall, so he grabbed Bao Bao!]
If I'm not mistaken, without Luo Xiaoran's hand, Baobao's head might have hit that sharp rock.
Won't Ranzi's hand get hurt?
"Hmm."
Chu Xingli's head was cushioned by Luo Xiaoran's hand. Even though she had accidentally bumped into something hard, she wasn't injured. She just blinked her eyes a little sluggishly, looking up at the sky.
"hiss."
He seemed to hear Luo Xiaoran let out a low groan of pain.
She quickly turned over and asked Luo Xiaoran how he was doing: "How are you?!"
Luo Xiaoran seemed to have placed his hand under his head.
Otherwise, the back of my head would probably be cracked open by now.
Luo Xiaoran had already propped his elbows up on the grass, waiting for Chu Xingli to sit up.
"Be careful, don't slip," Luo Xiaoran said, supporting Chu Xingli's back with his other hand and gently helping him sit up. "Are you dizzy?"
Chu Xingli shook her dizzy head, and once she could see clearly again, she immediately looked at Luo Xiaoran's hand—
"you!"
In the blink of an eye, Luo Xiaoran's left knuckles and palm were covered in blood.
Chu Xingli's heart nearly stopped. He stared blankly as drops of blood fell onto the rocks, making a soft "crackling" sound.
"Zhao Anyu! Do you even have a brain?!" Chen Xuanqi was furious and started cursing.
Zhao Anyu was so flustered that he didn't know what to do. He stood there in fear, not daring to ask or go forward, stammering, "I'm...I'm sorry..."
Chu Xingli had no time to question or scold Zhao Anyu.
He half-squatted in front of Luo Xiaoran, wanting to reach out and hold Luo Xiaoran's hand to check the situation, but he was afraid of hurting his wound.
My chest heaved slightly with tension, and my breathing became much more rapid.
"I...I'll help you up." Chu Xingli tried to support Luo Xiaoran's arm, but her fingers trembled uncontrollably.
He might be a little afraid of blood.
"Hug me, don't be afraid."
Luo Xiaoran turned to the side so that Chu Xingli wouldn't see the wound on his hand.
Chu Xingli has always been incredibly stubborn; the more Luo Xiaoran tries to avoid him, the more he wants to follow and see.
[How can there be so much blood?!]
[My heart aches so much, I'm so fed up with Zhao Anyu, that idiot!]
[I'm really about to cry, sob sob sob, Ranzi-ge, you really don't need to think so much, why worry about whether I'll be scared when you hug me o(╥﹏╥)o]
Seeing that blood kept gushing from the wound on Luo Xiaoran's finger, yet it was covered by bloodstains, it was impossible to tell how serious it was.
The cameraman gasped in shock and quickly contacted the director via internal line.
The chief director was still on the mountain with the rest of the group, packing up their things and preparing to take a car down the mountain.
After hearing the cameraman in charge of Chu Xingli and Luo Xiaoran report that Luo Xiaoran was injured, he almost fainted on the spot.
After finally regaining their composure, they grabbed the equally worried and nervous producer and practically tumbled down the mountain together.
"Hug me," Luo Xiaoran said, genuinely worried that he might be scared. "It's okay, don't..."
Chu Xingli interrupted Luo Xiaoran's attempt to comfort him without hesitation: "Shut up."
Luo Xiaoran obediently shut up.
Chu Xingli was closest to Luo Xiaoran and saw things most clearly.
There are two wounds in total.
One of them was scratched by a sharp rock, and the edges were very uneven.
Even worse, another wound on Luo Xiaoran's finger was caused by a rusty, bent iron nail.
It pierced almost halfway into Luo Xiaoran's fingertip.
It was mixed with silt from the rocks.
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