Xiao Youran quickly untied the knot, kicked open the sack, crawled out, turned around and untied Yueyue, gently patting her cheek, "Yueyue? Yueyue? Wake up!"
She urgently sought help from her notebook: she needed a powerful antidote for the drug.
However, the notebook gave the following feedback: There are thousands of ingredients in a date rape drug, please confirm which one it is?
Xiao You Ran: ……
She made another wish: for an antidote to the sleeping potion!
This time, a packet of powder appeared, but it looked like it was for oral administration.
She didn't know if it was the right medicine for Yueyue, so she didn't dare to give it to her rashly. What if the medicine was not suitable for her?
She had no choice but to ask Xiaobenben to bring out a few more boxes of drugs that could be used to clear one's mind by smelling them, and tried them under Yueyue's nose, but none of them worked.
She tried hard to recall the scents she had smelled when the handkerchief had been covering her mouth and nose, and managed to identify a few herbs, which she wrote down in her notebook, but it still didn't feel right...
As she was deep in thought, a sudden, sharp pain shot through the back of her neck, and she fainted again.
The man glared at the two little girls on the ground, picked up the sack, and stuffed them inside. Then he noticed the heavy water cushion at the bottom of the sack, scooped it out, threw it into the grass, and spat, "You little girls, you may look young, but you're so cunning! No wonder carrying you feels like carrying a thousand pounds!"
He had been squatting by the roadside for a long time with a stomachache but couldn't relieve himself. He found the pain strange and was worried about the two little girls in the sack. Despite the pain, he pulled up his pants and went over. To his surprise, he saw one little girl shaking the other awake. In a panic, he went over and knocked the little girl unconscious.
He deftly stuffed the two men back into the sack, tied the mouth shut, tossed it over his shoulder, and strode off to the agreed-upon location.
When Xiao Youran woke up again, she felt a throbbing pain in the back of her neck. Opening her eyes, it was pitch black and she couldn't see clearly. Feeling herself again, she realized the floor beneath her seemed to be undulating; it looked like she might be on a ship?
This is not good... If this ship takes them to some remote corner, it won't be easy for them to get back to Taizhou.
But the most important thing right now is that Yueyue can't stay unconscious.
As far as she knew, the most commonly used intoxicating ingredient in this ancient sleeping potion was datura.
She added this medicine to the prescription and had the little notebook send out the antidote, but it still had no effect.
Not a datura?
What exactly is missing from the drug's formula? Everyone else who was drugged slept soundly, so why was I able to wake up so quickly?
As she recalled and pondered, she suddenly remembered what Doctor Gu had said that day: the red stalk fruit has detoxifying effects, especially against drugs containing belladonna.
A sudden thought flashed through her mind: belladonna, like datura, has a very strong nerve-numbing component.
No wonder she was able to wake up so quickly; it must be because she had eaten the red twig fruit before, so the drug's effect on her was much weaker.
With that in mind, she quickly added belladonna to the recipe for the drug and finally asked her notebook for an antidote that could be smelled.
The little notebook did not disappoint her and quickly delivered the antidote to her hands.
She placed the antidote under Yueyue's nose and let her smell it. Sure enough, after a while, Yueyue coughed and slowly opened her eyes.
Upon seeing a figure in the darkness, Yueyue was terrified and almost screamed, "Who...!"
She had only uttered one word when Xiao Youran covered her mouth.
Xiao Youran shushed her in the ear and then explained the situation.
Yueyue was so scared that she trembled all over.
Xiao Youran calmed her down and slowly moved to a small window where she could see the moonlight. She pressed her face against the windowpane and looked out. Sure enough, the two of them were on the river.
She thought for a moment, then asked her notebook for a map showing her current location. She unfolded it and, by the moonlight, discovered that the river was the Jinjiang River next to Wufeng County, which flows through the entire Taizhou.
To the east lies Wufeng County, whose dark outline and faint lights can be seen in the distance, suggesting that the ship has only recently set sail.
She pushed the window and found that it could actually be opened.
She knew that very few people in ancient times could swim. Unless they were people who often made a living on the water and were very good swimmers, most people would not be able to swim, especially young girls like them.
Presumably, the people on the ship who were supposed to be in contact with them lowered their guard and locked them here without tying them up or locking the windows, because they assumed that the women would not seek their own death.
Without hesitation, she pulled two life jackets from her sleeve, threw one to Yueyue, and hung the other on herself.
Yueyue woke up from her terror and tears, only to find herself holding an orange object that felt soft and thick to the touch. She looked up and saw Xiaoyou Ran wearing the object, and was quite astonished.
Xiao Youran didn't explain. She fastened her life jacket, then went over and put it on Yueyue, fastening it as well. Then she whispered her plans to her.
Yueyue's eyes widened in disbelief. "No, no, no, I... I can't swim. I'll drown if I jump in!"
Xiao Youran tugged at the life jacket and said, "Don't be afraid! With this life jacket, you won't drown."
Yueyue still shook her head and refused to jump off the boat.
Xiao Youran analyzed, "Can you hear the music outside?"
Yueyue listened carefully and indeed heard the sound of string and wind instruments.
Xiao Youran said, "Do you know what kind of boats are the most famous cruise ships on the Jinjiang River in Taizhou?"
Upon hearing this, Yueyue's face immediately turned deathly pale.
Xiao Youran nodded. "You're right, it's a pleasure boat. I looked out the window just now, and the reflection on the water was dazzling. Outside, there were drums, songs, music, and sounds of drinking and gambling. If we've been dragged onto this pleasure boat and don't run away, what will happen to us?"
Yueyue bit her lip.
Xiao Youran added another strong dose of medicine, "On our way here, the flower sellers had originally grabbed a few girls and put them with us, but halfway there a big tree collapsed and blocked our way. I heard them say something about not having enough time, so the two of us, who were tied together, were carried here by one person and handed over to the owner of this pleasure boat."
With just a few words, Yueyue immediately understood that the flower sellers were targeting her! She couldn't even imagine what would happen to her if she didn't run away!
She wiped away her tears, pushed herself up from the floor, and stood up. "Xiao Youran, you're Yuan Bai's junior sister. I believe in you. I'll listen to you!"
Xiao Youran then walked to the window and listened carefully. She quietly pushed the window open a crack and gestured for Yueyue to climb up and jump out first.
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