Chapter 8 Whose dog bit her?
Ji Mingran rarely looked in the mirror, and her dark circles were now clearly merging with her bruised and swollen cheeks.
There is no other reason.
This was a reaction she had anticipated. However, what she hadn't expected was that Boss Jiang would further believe that her daydreaming was simply due to having too much free time.
Therefore, in addition to the original task of making paper figures, Ji Mingran was also assigned the task of making one hundred best-selling talismans.
She didn't understand talismans, but she could make them by drawing the patterns on the shelves in the store. Overall, it was simpler than making paper figures.
However, Xiaocan also led her to a room in the backyard that was off-limits to visitors.
Besides the dust filling the room, there were also small mounds of books buried under the dust.
Xiao Can buried his head in his work and rummaged through the books, pulling out two scrolls. "Boss Jiang also said that to prevent you from overthinking all day, he wanted you to memorize two books and learn about funerary objects to fill your mind." He looked at Ji Mingran with pity and forced a smile as he encouraged him, "These books are Boss Jiang's treasures. He usually forbids others from entering and reading them. I suppose Boss Jiang has a lot of faith in you, which is why he entrusted you with this important task."
The spiderweb clinging to the corner of the book was hanging precariously.
It's clear that outsiders are not allowed inside, but it's hard to tell that it's a treasured collection.
This is a place that even Boss Jiang himself probably never sets foot in.
Ji Mingran stared at the book, which was only three fingers thick, and felt a chill run down his spine.
At that time, she had only learned about a hundred characters from Yu Tianxing.
Xiao Can repeatedly emphasized that books should not be read by outsiders.
Ji Mingran, who could barely read, had to randomly copy text from two books during the day, shuffle them, and bring them home so that Yu Tianxing could teach her to recognize them.
Whether learning an art or calligraphy, the key is simply practice makes perfect.
To meet the deadline, Ji Mingran studied and practiced writing at night, as well as making paper figures. She worked until the early hours of the morning every day before resting, and then got up at the early morning to rush to the funerary shop to continue her hard work. She always gave her all to what she was supposed to do, and with all her attention focused on learning to read, writing, making paper figures and talismans, she didn't feel tired at all.
However, she often gets so engrossed in her work that she loses track of time, so every day at midnight, Xiaocan reminds her to get off work, and at night, Yu Tianxing urges her to go to sleep.
Yu Tianxing was also busy. Every day before dawn, he would carry Ji Mingran to the shop and then go hunting in the mountains. As the weather grew colder, the animals hibernated, making it more difficult to hunt them. He would stay on the mountain all day until late at night before picking up Ji Mingran along with the prepared game.
After hastily cooking a late-night snack and cleaning up the dishes, he still had to teach Ji Mingran to read and help him with drawing and cutting paper offerings.
The two worked non-stop, and Ji Mingran finally completed one hundred paper figures on the tenth day.
Xiao Can was overjoyed, circling the paper effigy several times, her eyebrows dancing with excitement. "I can only make paper houses and other inanimate objects, I can't learn this craft. I was so worried because I couldn't help you the other day. Now that you've finished the paper effigy and memorized most of a book, the remaining talismans should be no problem for you. You can stay now, that's great!"
He glanced at Ji Mingran, who was standing in front of him with a smile. Despite his dark circles, Ji Mingran looked radiant. He couldn't help but think of Grandpa Li, who had come to order a coffin last month and was using it this month. This was what it looked like when mortals were experiencing a final burst of energy before death. He quickly said, "You must be exhausted these days. Why don't you go back and get some rest? Come back tomorrow."
With a half-day off, Ji Mingran happily said goodbye to Xiao Can, left a note for Yu Tianxing at the door, and left work when it was already broad daylight for the first time.
At midday, with nothing else to do, she decided to go to the pharmacy to check on her injuries and get some tonics for herself and Yu Tianxing. She limped toward Doctor Zhang's shop.
Unexpectedly, they encountered Wang Mao on the road.
Looking back, Ji Mingran realized that if she hadn't been so eager for convenience and had taken the shortcut through the narrow alley to the clinic, none of the subsequent events would have happened.
But perhaps everything is preordained by fate.
At that time, Wang Mao, who was arrogant and haughty, suddenly appeared out of the alley with a large black and brown dog on his leash, blocking their way.
The vicious dog was more than half a head taller than her, its eyes bloodshot, its teeth bared, and it stared at her intently, drool dripping onto the ground.
"Hmph, serves you right for offending me!" Wang Mao said smugly, his figure swaying as he slid forward slightly. "Kneel down and kowtow to me to apologize, and maybe I can spare your life!"
Ji Mingran glanced at Wang Mao, noticing his staggering figure and his hands trembling violently from straining.
Her gaze returned to the ferocious beast. She stood quietly a short distance away, leaning on her cane, her large eyes glaring at the dog.
The vicious dog snorted and growled, its body arching.
She immediately sensed something was wrong.
"Scared now? Look at you..."
"Ouch!" He fell forward.
What an idiot!
Ji Mingran turned around and jumped.
However, no matter how fast she swung her canes, she still had a broken leg, so how could she possibly be faster than a fierce dog!
The stench was already hitting the back of his head. With no way to dodge to the left or right, Ji Mingran had no choice but to use all his strength to lunge towards the alley entrance, shouting to the crowd, "Help!"
The sharp teeth had already touched the skin of the ankle, and would pierce through it in an instant.
Ji Mingran stretched out her arms and faced the ground, steeling herself and preparing to sacrifice her legs to save her life.
In the blink of an eye.
"Pan Dou, shut up!"
The vicious dog's teeth had just sunk into the leg bone when it suddenly stopped.
Hitting the ground headfirst, Ji Mingran ignored the pain in his face and immediately yanked his left foot out of the dog's mouth, leaving a deep bloody scratch from his calf to his ankle.
To make matters worse.
Ji Mingran's face turned deathly pale, and he broke out in a cold sweat.
"Can you eat anything?!" A beautiful woman dressed in a frost-colored long dress and wearing a jade pendant at her waist hurriedly stepped over the lower half of the woman lying on the ground, her expression anxious as she scolded her.
Another man dressed similarly hurriedly stepped past her, saying, "Nothing good will do it; it will only harm its cultivation. Take it back for a checkup immediately." After giving these instructions, he went to Wang Mao, who had fallen and was bleeding from the pain, unable to speak. He helped him up, saying, "So it was you who stole it. You deserve your punishment. This dog is no ordinary spirit beast; it's fierce and most people can't control it. Luckily, it didn't cause any trouble. I'll take you back for treatment."
One person led the dog, while the other helped Wang Mao up, and they left through another exit of the alley.
He didn't even glance at her once.
Ji Mingran lay on the ground, her body curled up and trembling uncontrollably from the pain. Her jaw was clenched so tightly that she didn't utter a sound, waiting for the pain to subside.
People gathered around.
"Another outsider."
"Why have so many cultivators come to town lately? They're causing quite a stir every day."
"I've heard it's for training, I've heard it's to find someone, there are all sorts of reasons."
"Poor little girl."
"That jinx, no wonder it's her again."
"She's so refined and clean-cut, she looks like a respectable person. She must have offended someone important to get a lesson from her."
“The little girl can’t tell right from wrong; she must have been in the wrong first.”
......
Ji Mingran curled up in a ball, hugging his feet, surrounded by onlookers, unable to move or get out.
Being surrounded by onlookers was one thing, but as some people talked about it, they started to inexplicably and unjustly accuse her.
It's normal to watch a show without offering help, so what kind of mentality is it to rush to defend someone and make sarcastic remarks?
You can't just get bitten by a dog and then be made a fool of as a monkey, can you?
Ji Mingran lowered her head, silently calculating in her mind. After gritting her teeth and getting used to the pain, she raised her head and shouted at the people who were talking the loudest: "Waaah, poor me, I have no parents, my leg is broken, and I even encountered a vicious dog blocking my way when I went out. Wang Mao, who released the dog, ran away. Where am I going to get money for treatment? Kind people, please give me some money for medical treatment."
Because of the intense pain from her wound, her voice trembled, sounding like sobbing.
The previously loud pointing voices suddenly became quieter.
"Please, gentlemen, spare me some money and have pity on me." Ji Mingran raised his hands and feet, looking as if he was about to crawl towards the group of people.
She looked around at the elderly people watching and pleaded, "Grandpas and grandmas, I have no money to begin with. Now that my leg is broken, I'm afraid I'll die of illness or starvation. Those old men are so strong and upright; they seem like good people. Please have pity on me."
"That poor girl, you grown men should give her some charity."
"Yes, yes, we were just saying that others were immature, so let's set a good example!"
"You guys are all dressed in fine clothes, surely you can't be broke?"
“It is not the act of a true man to bully young girls.”
"Grandpa, you seem to have a kind heart, please have pity on me." The group of people were about to retort, their faces flushed, but seeing Ji Mingran thrashing about on the ground, howling and almost crawling to their feet, looking pitiful and fierce, they realized that if they said anything, they would probably be taken advantage of.
But having already spoken, they couldn't bring themselves to admit their mistake. So the man in the middle, who had been leading the group, threw down a string of coins and stubbornly said, "Sir, you're kind-hearted. Don't bump into people like that next time." With that, the group shoved the others aside and walked away, cursing under their breath.
Ji Mingran was thrashing about on the ground. Several kind-hearted people couldn't bear to watch any longer and used pieces of clothing to help the disheveled Ji Mingran up.
"Dr. Zhang's shop is not far away, go and take a look." After saying that, he stuffed the money and the cane into her hand.
After thanking everyone, Ji Mingran felt a little happier with money in his pocket. He regained his energy, gritted his teeth, and dragged his feet to the clinic.
Dr. Zhang happened to be seeing patients when he saw her disheveled and bloodstained appearance. He was startled and, disregarding her tarnished reputation, quickly went out to help her inside.
After examining her, Dr. Zhang frowned deeply. Her ankle injury was worse than when she had knocked on his door for medicine in the middle of the night. His expression was solemn: "Ji girl, your leg was already shattered, and now this injury has been compounded. I'm afraid..." Dr. Zhang sighed heavily, "...it will be difficult to treat."
He took out a bronze mirror and looked at Ji Mingran, whose face was bruised and swollen. "You are weak and have excessive internal heat. Your health is not good either. You must pay attention to recuperation and not overwork yourself."
Ji Mingran looked at himself in the mirror, pondering Dr. Zhang's words.
Does "difficult to cure" mean she will be lame in the future?
She's having a bad day, but she's still alive. Anyway, she makes a living with her skills, so it won't affect her much.
Ji Mingran understood quickly and showed little emotional fluctuation.
Seeing Ji Mingran's expressionless face, Doctor Zhang sighed, "Your reputation was already bad, and now you're suffering from a leg ailment. I'm afraid your life will be even more difficult." Marriage was out of the question. He looked at Ji Mingran with pity and advised, "I'll give you some prescriptions to strengthen your body. Take good care of yourself. Make sure you bandage your leg bone on time and take good care of it. If you walk slowly in the future, others probably won't be able to tell the difference."
After saying goodbye to Doctor Zhang, Ji Mingran clutched the remaining copper coins in one hand and carried the medicine in the other, leaning on his cane as he returned home, feeling extremely happy.
Although I suffered physical pain and ridicule today, I gained a lot.
The copper coins were exchanged for some more rice and flour at Granny Wang's place, and the nearly empty rice jar in the house was filled up again.
By the time wisps of smoke rose from the chimney and the porridge began to boil, it was already sunset and darkness.
Ji Mingran grabbed a handful of rice and went outside to feed the birds. Yu Tianxing returned to the yard just then, empty-handed, apparently having hunted no food.
Ji Mingran was not disappointed, because she had the foresight to buy meat buns.
Feeling smug, she shifted her gaze from Yu Tianxing's hands to his face, only to discover that he was carrying two large pieces of wood on his back.
Just then, Yu Tianxing's gaze fell on her ankle, which was bandaged up by Doctor Zhang.
"What's wrong?"
"What is this?"
The two paused, then answered in unison:
"I was bitten by a dog."
"Make a bed board."
Yu Tianxing placed the wood in the courtyard, quickly walked over, picked up Ji Mingran, carefully placed her on a table and chair, and examined her wounds closely.
Rice porridge and meat buns were already laid out on the table, steaming hot.
Yu Tianxing's brows furrowed tightly; "What's going on?"
Ji Mingran was in a hurry to eat, and summarized it in a few words: "I took a back path to the clinic, but I encountered a vicious dog on the way and got bitten."
“There have never been any stray dogs in this town,” Yu Tianxing said softly, his eyelids lowered to conceal the coldness in his eyes, “whose dog is it?”
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