Chapter 268 Wake up, your man is almost dying of anxiety
The afternoon sun shines through the simple window lattice and slants onto the earthen kang.
The house was filled with the faint scent of herbs and the smoke from burning wood.
Chu Ruohan's eyelashes trembled slightly a few times, and then slowly opened.
The unfamiliar roof, the rough earthen walls, and the old quilt covering me that smelled of sunshine.
She was a little confused for a moment, and her consciousness seemed to be blocked by something, becoming blurry and unclear.
My throat was so dry that every slight movement sent a sharp pain through my neck.
Fragments of memory began to return—the cold and damp cave, the pile of letters, Gu Chengan's anxious face...
Where is she?
"Girl, are you awake?"
A strange voice sounded beside him, with a hint of surprise.
Chu Ruohan turned her head and saw an old woman wearing coarse clothes. She had a kind face and was holding an empty bowl in her hand with some medicine stains on the edge of the bowl.
The old woman put down her bowl and a simple smile appeared on her face.
"That's great! He finally woke up and the fever is gone."
The old woman kept talking, reached out to touch Chu Ruohan's forehead, and nodded with satisfaction.
"Just wait, I'm going to call your man!"
man?
Chu Ruohan was stunned. These two words were like a dull blow that made her a little dazed.
She wanted to ask, but her throat was so sore that she could only utter a weak sound.
The old woman didn't notice her strange behavior. She turned around and hurried out, muttering, "Your husband must be so worried. He's been guarding you for three days and three nights..."
Chu Ruohan struggled to sit up, her whole body felt sore and weak, and the pain in her neck made her frown instantly.
What is the situation now?
Wasn't she hiding in the cave with Gu Cheng'an? How did she end up here? And with... a man?
Soon, a burst of hurried footsteps came from afar.
The door curtain was suddenly lifted, and Gu Cheng'an's tall figure rushed in, looking exhausted.
His hair was a little messy, and there was a blue stubble on his chin. He was no longer as neat and tidy as before, but his deep eyes were filled with undisguised worry and ecstasy at seeing her wake up.
"You finally woke up!"
Gu Cheng'an took a few steps to the edge of the kang, his voice a little tense with excitement.
He leaned over and looked at her face carefully, his eyes finally falling on the cloth wrapped around her neck, and his brows frowned unconsciously.
"Are you feeling unwell?"
His voice was soft, filled with cautious concern.
She licked her cracked lips and used all her strength to squeeze out a few words hoarsely.
"Where is this?"
Gu Cheng'an immediately turned around and poured her a glass of water before explaining, "You injured your neck that day, then fell into the water and caught a cold, which caused you to develop a high fever and become unconscious."
"I was afraid that Gu Chengyan's men were still searching the mountain, so I didn't dare to go back. I could only carry you on my back and go out from the other side of the mountain."
"It took me nearly a day and a night to find this village called Niutou Village." His tone was calm, but it couldn't hide the hardships he had endured.
Chu Ruohan sipped the water gently and listened quietly. Her throat felt much more comfortable after being moistened by the water.
He had been carrying her on his back while she was unconscious due to a high fever, and had to avoid possible pursuers while walking through unfamiliar mountains and forests... How difficult and dangerous it must have been...
"Thank you." She said softly, her voice still hoarse.
Gu Chengan shook his head slightly, with a gentle smile in his eyes: "I'm glad you're okay. I will always bring you back safely."
"Chengyan he..." Gu Cheng'an didn't know what to say for a moment. He didn't know what happened between Chu Ruohan and Gu Chengyan. The apology at this time seemed too pale.
Chu Ruohan didn't say anything either, and there was silence between the two of them for a while.
Outside, a rooster crowed, and sunlight filtered through the window paper, casting mottled shadows on the ground. Chu Ruohan looked down and saw that the coarse cloth she was wearing was not the same one she had worn that day.
"My clothes?" She looked up in confusion.
Gu Chengan immediately explained: "My mother-in-law changed it for you."
He spoke so quickly, fearing that Chu Ruohan would have unnecessary misunderstandings.
His ears turned slightly red, and his eyes unconsciously avoided Chu Ruohan's sight.
"When you had a high fever, your clothes were all wet. My mother-in-law was worried that your condition would get worse, so she helped you change your clothes." Gu Cheng'an added, his voice gradually calming down.
Allen Chu nodded and asked again, "Why does mother-in-law call you my husband?"
This question obviously made Gu Cheng'an even more uncomfortable.
He pursed his lips, a hint of embarrassment on his face, and raised his hand to rub the back of his neck, a small action he made subconsciously when he felt embarrassed or uncomfortable.
"In order to avoid suspicion and to make it easier for me to take care of you, I...I lied and said you and I are husband and wife."
Chu Ruohan frowned, with obvious displeasure in her tone.
"Why don't you say brother and sister?"
The names of brother and sister seem more reasonable and can avoid suspicion.
Gu Chengan's face looked even more embarrassed, and his eyes flickered.
"At the time, seeing you unconscious and me so worried, Mother-in-law naturally assumed we were married. She even praised me for being a loving and loyal husband, so I... just accepted it," he explained softly. "That also makes it easier to explain why I wanted to take care of you."
Chu Ruohan understood the reason. Although she felt a little awkward, she also knew that under the circumstances at the time, this might be the most helpless and convenient choice.
She tried to move her body, but it affected the wound on her neck, and she couldn't help but frown slightly.
Seeing this, Gu Chengan immediately asked with concern: "Is the wound hurting again? Do you want me to ask my mother-in-law to help you change the dressing?"
Chu Ruohan shook her head: "No need, just take a rest." She paused for a moment and asked again: "How long have we been here?"
"Three days." Gu Cheng'an replied, "Your fever has just subsided, you still need more rest. When you feel better, we will return to the capital."
Chu Ruohan shook her head and forced herself to sit up: "I'm fine, let's go back as soon as possible."
Seeing that Gu Cheng'an was about to stop her, she added, "I fell off the cliff and disappeared for so long. Junze... he must be going crazy with worry."
When Gu Junze was mentioned, Gu Cheng'an's eyes flickered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. He knew Chu Ruohan was right and nodded.
"Okay, but it's getting late today and the mountain road is rugged. It's too dangerous to travel at night."
"Your current physical condition can't withstand any more torture."
"We'll set off early tomorrow morning."
Chu Ruohan thought about it, feeling the fatigue coming from her body and the dull pain in her wounds, and knew that he was telling the truth.
She finally nodded, then slowly lay down again.
She did feel a deep sense of fatigue, and her body was far from recovered enough to sustain a long journey.
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