"Thump—!"
The icy river water instantly swallowed the two of them.
Shen Jintang was swept away by the rapids like a falling leaf. When he fell into the water, the back of his head hit a hidden reef hard, and his whole body slumped to the dark riverbed.
Gu Zhixing was tossed around several times by the turbulent current, and a piercing pain shot through his left arm, as if the bone in his left arm had cracked.
As the blood mist dispersed in the murky water, he stared intently at the blue figure sinking ahead, his eyes reddened by the water's sting.
"Tang...Tang!" The river water choked her throat, and her broken call turned into a string of bubbles.
He fiercely kicked away the water plants that were entangled around his legs, tearing his wounds open with the water flow.
Three zhang, two zhang, one zhang...
Each time they were about to touch the person's fluttering sash, the surging undercurrents pulled them apart again.
A broken, withered branch pierced his shoulder, and the sharp pain jolted him awake. He dug his fingernails into the mud of the riverbed and crawled forward.
When his fingertips finally hooked onto Shen Jintang's belt, Gu Zhixing's entire arm was already numb from the pain.
He trembled as he tore off his blood-soaked belt and tightly bound their wrists together, his teeth chattering as he tied the knot.
"Don't...don't be afraid..."
A giant wave crashed down on him, and he instinctively turned around to shield the unconscious person with his back, only to have his back suddenly slam into a sharp rock.
In the instant the excruciating pain exploded, he vaguely saw his wrists, bound together, swaying in the rush of water, the tightly wrapped strips of cloth digging into his flesh.
As darkness descended, he used his last strength to pull Shen Jintang into his arms, trying to protect her.
The river carried the two of them, their hands bound together like a pale piece of driftwood, appearing and disappearing in the blood-red whirlpool.
——
He didn't know how much time had passed; all he knew was that he was awakened by the biting cold.
He suddenly opened his eyes, choked on a mouthful of water, felt dizzy, and heard the sound of rushing water.
He subconsciously moved his wrist and immediately felt a tight pain—the blood-soaked belt was still tightly wrapped around his and Shen Jintang's hands, making their skin turn blue and purple, almost digging into their bones.
He hurriedly untied it; Shen Jintang's wrists were covered in horrifying bruises, and her fingertips were icy cold.
Her face was deathly pale, her lips were bluish, and the bloodstains on the back of her head had dried, but it was still clear that she had lost a lot of blood.
Did it accidentally hit a rock in the water?
Gu Zhixing wanted to slap himself to death. How could he have failed to protect her?
"Shen Jintang?"
He patted her face, trying to wake her up.
However, Shen Jintang did not react at all.
Gu Zhixing's heart sank, and his voice trembled: "Tangtang? Wake up... Shen Jintang!"
There was still no response.
He scooped her up in his arms, staggered to his feet, his legs weak, and he almost knelt down again.
He gritted his teeth and steadied himself, stumbling towards the shore. His soaked clothes clung heavily to his body, and every step felt like he was carrying lead.
A few women washing clothes were scattered along the riverbank. When they saw him covered in blood and holding an unconscious girl in his arms, they all avoided him, their eyes filled with fear.
He didn't care about anything else and asked in a hoarse voice, "Where is the clinic...?"
No one answered.
An old woman frowned and waved her hand, as if afraid of being tainted by bad luck, and quickly walked away with the child beside her.
Gu Zhixing's throat tightened and his eyes burned, but he dared not delay. He carried Shen Jintang and stumbled as he ran into the town.
Passersby glanced at him, some pointing and whispering, others simply taking a detour.
He ignored everyone and asked, "Where is the doctor? Please, tell me where the clinic is!"
Finally, a vegetable vendor, seeing how disheveled he was, pointed in a direction: "Turn left ahead, walk two more streets, and you'll find Huichuntang."
Gu Zhixing didn't even have time to say thank you before rushing over with Shen Jintang in his arms.
The aroma of medicine wafted from the entrance of Huichuntang. He practically burst in, his voice hoarse as he cried, "Doctor! Save her!"
The senior doctor in the clinic looked up and immediately frowned.
Shen Jintang's face was deathly pale, and his clothes were stained with blood, clearly indicating that he was seriously injured.
He reached out to check her pulse, then examined her eyelids, and said in a deep voice, "She has lost too much blood and suffered a head injury. We need to stop the bleeding and bandage her immediately."
Gu Zhixing nodded vigorously: "Okay, okay, please save her quickly!"
The old doctor glanced at him and said slowly, "The consultation fee is two taels, and the cost of the medicine is separate."
Gu Zhixing was stunned and subconsciously reached for his waist, but his money pouch had already been swept away by the rapids. His jade pendant, dagger, and all his valuables were gone.
He frantically searched his entire body, but couldn't find a single copper coin.
"I...I don't have any money on me right now, but please save her first, and I'll definitely do it later—"
The old doctor's expression changed, and he immediately waved his hand to interrupt, "No money? What kind of treatment can you get without money!" He winked at the young apprentice beside him, "Show him out!"
Gu Zhixing pressed his hand firmly on the counter, his knuckles turning white: "She's badly injured! Please save her first. I swear on my life I'll never owe you any money!"
"A guarantee?" the old doctor sneered. "I've seen plenty of people like you."
After saying that, he turned around and went into the inner room.
The apprentice doctor stepped forward and shoved him, saying, "Get out! Get out! Don't interrupt our business!"
Gu Zhixing held Shen Jintang tightly, refusing to let go. His eyes were red and his voice was almost squeezed out through clenched teeth: "Please... save her..."
But nobody paid any attention.
He was forcibly pushed out of the clinic, staggered and fell on the street, still tightly protecting Shen Jintang in his arms.
Passersby cast pitying or disgusted glances, but no one stepped forward.
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