After Jiang Linchuan finished the last mouthful of meat porridge, his eyelids began to feel heavy.
During his time as a prisoner, even while deliberately lying in wait, he remained highly vigilant at all times.
They had to guard against probing while secretly gathering intelligence, never letting their guard down for a moment.
Now that I'm back in a safe environment, my anxiety has completely subsided, and all the fatigue I've accumulated over the past few days has suddenly come rushing back.
He leaned against the headboard and soon fell into a deep sleep, his breathing even, and even his brows relaxed considerably.
Xu Xinghe didn't disturb him. She gently tucked the thin blanket around him and turned to enter the space.
She took out the wound medicine she had made before, and also specially took some ointment with a higher purity.
This ointment is more effective at healing deep wounds, and it also comes with a small bottle of concentrated spring water to replenish energy more quickly.
Even if Jiang Linchuan insists on leaving in three days, he must be allowed to recover fully from his injuries before he departs. He must not leave with any hidden dangers.
The next morning, when Jiang Linchuan woke up, Xu Xinghe had already warmed the spiritual spring water.
First, I made him drink it, then I took out a new ointment and carefully changed his dressing again.
After a night's rest and the nourishment of the spiritual spring water, Jiang Linchuan's wounds had indeed healed considerably.
The redness and swelling have subsided considerably, and some of the shallower scratches have even formed thin scabs.
“You can leave in three days.” Xu Xinghe said, bandaging his wound while looking up at him. “But you must tell me where you are going and how long it will take. I need to know if you are safe.”
Jiang Linchuan nodded gently, "Okay, I'll tell you everything."
Just then, there was a loud knocking on the gate.
Who would it be at this moment?
Could it be that they've come to see Uncle Li?
But Uncle Li has already gone to the fields; the others should know that.
Xu Xinghe frowned, but still went out and opened the door.
The door had barely opened a crack when Ah Cui squeezed in, bracing herself against the door as if afraid she would close it. "Don't close it yet! I have something to tell you!"
"Speak quickly if you have something to say."
"I want to see your fiancé!" Ah Cui said bluntly. "I saved him by the river, and now that he's awake, I want to see him!"
It's the same old excuse again.
Xu Xinghe was too lazy to argue with her and reached out to close the door. "No."
"You!" Ah Cui stumbled from the shove, her face flushed with anger. Standing outside the door, she shouted, "Is this how you treat your savior? You think fifty yuan is enough? Can a life be bought back for fifty yuan? You ungrateful wretch!"
Her voice was shrill and loud, and Xu Xinghe, afraid of disturbing Jiang Linchuan inside, had no choice but to open the door again, "Fifty isn't enough? How much do you want then? The village chief has already taken the money and acknowledged this favor, so what makes you think it's not enough?"
"Besides, my fiancé only suffered minor injuries. Even if you didn't save him, he can get into the village on his own once he regains some strength. There's no need for you to meddle."
"It's just not enough!" Ah Cui retorted, glaring at Xu Xinghe. "I don't care, I have to see him today!"
Just as she was about to retort, Jiang Linchuan's voice suddenly came from inside the room, "Let her in, it would be good to see her."
Xu Xinghe had no choice but to step aside.
Ah Cui immediately glanced at her triumphantly, like a victorious hen, and rushed into the house.
Xu Xinghe then realized that A Cui had dressed up specially for today.
Her hair was neatly combed and had been coated with hair oil, making it so shiny it could reflect light.
She was wearing a light blue cloth dress. The fabric looked very new, and the pleats on the hem were all pressed flat. It was obviously a treasure that she had kept hidden away and was reluctant to wear.
Even the collar was subtly embroidered with a small wildflower, exuding a deliberate sense of refinement.
As soon as A Cui entered the room, her gaze was fixed on Jiang Linchuan, who was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed).
At this moment, Jiang Linchuan changed into a clean set of coarse cloth clothes. Although the style was simple, it made his broad shoulders and narrow waist appear even more upright.
After a night's rest, his complexion improved considerably, no longer as pale as before. The heroic spirit between his brows was fully revealed, and even his eyes brightened, making him even more captivating than yesterday.
Ah Cui's face flushed instantly. She twisted the hem of her skirt with her fingers, glanced at him timidly, and said in a soft and sweet voice, "Yesterday... I rescued you from the river yesterday."
Jiang Linchuan nodded slightly, his tone calm, "I know what you want today."
“I didn’t want anything!” A Cui immediately waved her hand, secretly glancing at Xu Xinghe at the door. “I never intended to take your money. It was Chou… Su Xiao took it upon herself to give us money.”
She cried half the night in her room, feeling more and more that Xu Xinghe was not good enough for Jiang Linchuan.
How could an ugly woman with a birthmark on her face possibly keep such a handsome man?
Perhaps that so-called marriage agreement was just wishful thinking on Xu Xinghe's part!
As long as she performs well and lets Jiang Linchuan see her good qualities, he will definitely change his mind and choose a girl like her who is good-looking and caring.
“I just wanted to come and see you.” A Cui took two steps forward, her voice softening. “I learned from Doctor Wang in the village for a few days before. I know how to change dressings and brew medicine. You are so badly injured, you need someone knowledgeable to take care of you.”
Xu Xinghe stood at the door, arms crossed, and sneered.
This little thought of hers is impossible to hide.
Jiang Linchuan could easily see through A Cui's thoughts, and frowned slightly, "Thank you for your kindness, but it's not necessary."
He looked at Xu Xinghe and said, "My fiancée is enough. She can not only heal my injuries, but she also knows what I like and what I need. With her around, I can finally feel at ease."
He emphasized, "We have a very good relationship. Once I recover, we're going to get married."
"How could you be so close to her?" Ah Cui's eyes widened instantly, her face filled with disbelief. She couldn't stop herself from saying it. "You...don't you think her birthmark is ugly? How could she be worthy of you..."
"Whether the birthmark is pretty or not is unimportant," Jiang Linchuan coldly interrupted her. "What I like about her is her personality and her abilities, not her appearance. I also hope that you will not judge people by their looks in the future and will respect others. Now you can leave, I need to rest."
Ah Cui's face turned pale after being spoken to, and she almost burst into tears.
She bit her lip, glared at Xu Xinghe, stomped her foot, turned around and ran out crying, forgetting to close the door.
Xu Xinghe was too lazy to argue with her, so she closed the door and turned around to see Jiang Linchuan staring at her face.
As soon as she walked over, Jiang Linchuan raised his hand and gently touched the birthmark on her face with his fingertips, his movements careful, as if he was afraid of damaging something.
"Will this pigment have any effect on the skin?"
"Don't worry, it won't." Xu Xinghe smiled. "I mixed it myself, the ingredients are all very mild, and it's easy to wash off. Dressing like this will save a lot of unnecessary trouble, and prevent people from staring at my face and gossiping."
Jiang Linchuan nodded, gently stroking her cheek with his fingers. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."
“I’m not wronged.” Xu Xinghe shook her head and sat down next to him. “Once we finish all the missions, we won’t have to do this anymore.”
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