The three of them rushed out of the pharmacy and into the courtyard. By the light from Aunt Hong's room, they saw two people lying on the ground. The man was struggling to get up, but Aunt Hong was holding his legs tightly. He was also waving a kitchen knife in his hand.
Zhou Qi went forward first and subdued the man.
"Mom!" Shi Bai rushed forward, picked up his mother, and ran into the bedroom.
Li Ying followed her into Aunt Hong's bedroom and saw that Aunt Hong's chest was covered in bright red blood, so she knew that Aunt Hong was seriously injured.
Li Ying turned around and ran to the pharmacy to get some medicine for knife wounds, then returned to Aunt Hong's room.
"Junior sister, no need."
Shi Bai held Aunt Hong, whose eyes were closed, his gaze empty and lifeless. "My mother is gone."
Looking at Aunt Hong's calm face, Li Ying realized that Aunt Hong's choice to leave in this way was to fulfill her son's wishes and also to free herself.
Over the years, she has lived a life that has not been easy at all. It is only because she has not seen her son get married and have children that she has persevered and dared not swallow her anger.
Perhaps it was only after hearing her son's heartfelt words that she realized he was also in pain, but this pain had to be cut off by someone personally.
Li Ying saw that Shi Bai's father's clothes were still on the table. She reached out and gently stroked them, and found a note tucked inside.
Li Ying opened the letter, which contained only one sentence: Son, live well! Mom is gone!
Li Ying's eyes instantly welled up with tears. Perhaps she had been waiting for this day for too long. For someone without the will to live, every day was torture.
She was holding on for her son, but little did she know that her son was holding on just as strongly.
That night, Shi Bai didn't sleep; he stayed by the bedside, keeping watch.
After daybreak, Zhou Qi took the man to the village chief.
When the village chief learned that Shi Bai's mother had died in order to stop the spy from escaping, he was filled with admiration. The whole village went to Shi Bai's house to see Aunt Hong off.
On this drizzly day, everyone saw off Aunt Hong, and also the heavy shackles weighing on Shi Bai's heart.
After the funeral, Li Ying asked Shi Bai what his plans were.
"Once I find the herbs you need, I've decided to follow my master's example and travel around, practicing medicine and saving lives."
This was Shi Bai's previous wish and his original intention for studying medicine.
Aunt Hong had tied his feet, but now that she's gone, he's like a bird released from its cage, free to fly high in the sky.
"I support you!"
No matter what her second senior brother does, Li Ying will always support him.
Shi Bai patted Li Ying on the shoulder: "I'm fine, don't worry, I will find the life I want."
Li Ying nodded.
"Yingying, are you here?"
It was the soft sound of flowers.
Li Ying hurried into the house and found Hua Qingqing, accompanied by a pretty young girl who was probably Hua Qingqing's manager.
"Qingqing, you're not filming today?"
"I finally got a day off and had a chance to visit you. If I hadn't run into Jingchi, I wouldn't have known you lived here. But what a coincidence, our next scenes are in these mountains, and the plot involves gathering herbs. Do you want to join us?" Hua Qingqing was really going all out to get Li Ying into the entertainment industry.
Li Ying shook her head: "I don't really like this."
"It's such a pity. You're such a beauty. If you were to act, you would definitely become an overnight sensation." Hua Qingqing was speaking her mind.
"By the way, let me introduce you. This is my second senior brother, Shi Bai. This is my friend, Hua Qingqing."
Shi Bai and Hua gently shook hands.
Hua Qingqing also introduced her agent, Xiao Tao.
"This is my agent, Xiao Tao. Don't let her young age fool you; she's incredibly capable," Hua Qingqing praised Xiao Tao, who simply smiled.
Hua glanced at Shi Bai, then, as if remembering something, said, "Your second senior brother is also studying medicine, right? We have a scene in our story where we go up the mountain, why don't you join in?"
Shi Bai didn't know what filming was, and shook his head blankly.
Li Ying gently spoke to someone while pulling on a flower.
"Why do you keep sending just anyone to your film crew? Do your director and production company agree to this?"
Hua Qingqing looked at Li Ying with great surprise: "Look, you even know about the production company, so do you understand filming? If you ask me, you shouldn't go and treat people anymore. If you cure them, that's fine, but if you don't, some people will still criticize you. Why don't you come and film with me? It's a bit hard work, but you don't have to worry about so much, right?"
"Never mind, I prefer to focus on treating and saving lives."
Li Ying didn't want to say much. Filming is no easy job, especially in this era; it requires dedication and hard work.
"Then let your second senior brother join. Don't worry, the director is Xiao Tao's aunt, we have a good relationship, there will be no problem. I think your second senior brother is handsome, he will definitely look good on camera."
Li Ying was speechless. Hua Qingqing, aren't you afraid Ye Wenchi will find out and beat you up if you're so infatuated?
"It's like being in a completely different field; I'd better give up."
Li Ying had no intention of messing with her second senior brother.
"Have you seen Ye Jingchi recently? I ran into him the day before yesterday. I don't know what he was doing, but he got completely tanned. Are you really going to...?"
Li Ying tugged at Hua Qingqing. She hadn't told her second senior brother about her relationship with Ye Jingchi, and she couldn't let Hua Qingqing reveal the truth.
Hua Qingqing understood instantly and smiled.
“Miss Ying,” Zhou Qi returned and whispered something in Li Ying’s ear.
"What?"
Zhou Qi had just run into the village chief, who said that the spy they had caught a few days ago had escaped on the way to the township and no one knew where he had gone. The village chief told Zhou Qi to be careful when Li Ying and the others went out, in case the spy retaliated.
"What's wrong?" Hua asked softly.
Li Ying shook her head, looking calm: "It's nothing. I was going to ask you to stay for dinner, but now it seems I should pass. I won't ask you to stay."
“Even if you don’t want me to stay, I’m staying anyway. I’ve already told the director I won’t be going back to the set today. Yingying, please let me stay here. I really love the layout of the houses here. Come on, come on, take me to your room.”
Hua Qingqing insisted on staying, and Li Ying couldn't very well ask her to leave, so she had no choice but to reluctantly lead Hua Qingqing to see the room.
After listening to Zhou Qi's explanation, Shi Bai frowned slightly.
That person is vicious and will definitely not let this go. It must be very dangerous for Li Ying to stay here. No, we must find a way to get Li Ying and Zhou Qi away.
Shi Bai quietly asked Zhou Qi, "Could you contact Ye Jingchi and ask him to protect Yingying?"
"I can't get in touch with her." Zhou Qi felt that Shi Bai was underestimating him. He was a trained fighter, and protecting Miss Ying would be more than enough for him.
"Then you should take your junior sister and go stay somewhere else today. I can't stay here any longer."
Zhou Qi scoffed: "Brother Shi, are you doubting my ability to protect Miss Yingying?"
Shi Bai didn't disbelieve Zhou Qi's abilities; he was just worried about something unexpected happening.
"It's better to be safe than sorry. What if the other side surprises us?"
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