Chapter 59: Going home. Heartbroken.
It's only been a few days since we last saw each other, but the person in front of me looks so haggard.
Perhaps because he lost too much blood, his face was pale, not to mention spirited.
Qiu Xuan's eyes moved from his face to his body, and she looked him over carefully. Fortunately, there was only one wound on his right shoulder. She didn't dare to think about it. If there were a few more wounds, would Zong Xiao still be alive?
"How did you know?" Zong Xiao habitually wanted to take the thing from her hand, but his right shoulder was wrapped in gauze and he couldn't move at all.
Qiu Xuan came to her senses and stepped forward to support him, her tone slightly aggrieved: "If I hadn't come, how long would you have kept this a secret?"
Qiu Xuan had long realized that she knew Zong Xiao very well. With his personality, there was no way he would ask someone else to pass a message home.
Zong Xiao didn't intend to keep it a secret forever, he just didn't want his family to see how injured he was.
He repeatedly warned Zong Jiabao not to tell anyone, but Qiu Yun still saw through it.
"Go back to your room and lie down first. Why are you still running around when you are in this condition?" Qiu Xuan felt distressed and angry. She lifted the door curtain and helped the person walk in.
It is common to get sick in winter. Qiu Xuan originally thought that she would see a room full of people when she came in, but she didn't expect there were only two, and the other one was Duan Saner.
"Sister-in-law of the Zong family." Duan Si'er saw that it was her and his eyes couldn't help but look at her side.
He remembered that the second brother Zong said that Zong Jiabao should not tell his family about his injury.
Qiu Xuan waited until Zong Xiao lay down before walking towards Duan Saner.
Duan Saner's body was wrapped in gauze in several places, and he looked even worse than Zong Xiao.
She asked with concern, "Are these all caused by wolf bites? What does the doctor say? Should we go to the capital to have a look?"
"My brother..." Duan Si'er looked at his brother and said after hesitating for a moment, "No fatal injuries."
"Yes, yes, I'm fine." Duan Saner winked at Zong Xiao, signaling him not to say anything.
After all, compared to Zong Xiao, his injury is really...unspeakable.
Seeing that they said so themselves, Qiu Xuan didn't ask any more questions.
She returned to Zong Xiao and took out the things she had brought one by one.
In addition to changing clothes, she also brought over the jerky that she had just cut this morning.
Qiu Xuan was grateful to this group of people in her heart. If it weren't for them, Zong Xiao would have died in the mountains last night.
Although two boxes are not a lot, each person can get a few slices.
"Everyone, have a taste of this homemade food." Qiu Xuan handed it to them and added, "I heard from Jiabao that you guys didn't stop for a moment last night, walking on the snow all the way down the mountain. Is it time to eat?"
"I ate, I ate. I went out early this morning and bought some buns."
"Yes, I bought some buns."
Qiu Xuan nodded. Since they ate it, Zong Xiao naturally ate it too.
But buns can’t nourish a person. He has lost so much blood, so he needs to eat something to replenish his qi and blood.
"I ate it too." Zong Xiao leaned on the pillow. He was half lying down so that it was easier to get up and less likely to tear the wound.
Qiu Xuan's words were harder than her heart. She stuffed the meat jerky into his palm and said slowly, "Can those buns restore your health?"
Zong Xiao knew she was concerned about him, so he smiled and said, "I'm in good health and will be fine in two days."
Two days later? There was no way Qiu Xuan would believe him.
She lifted the quilt for him and said with a pout, "If you can recover by New Year's Day, you should thank God."
"I can."
"What can you do? Although you only have one wound, it is deep. Don't expect it to heal within two or three months." A voice came from outside the door curtain, and then an old man with white hair walked in with a medicine box in his hand.
Qiu Xuan stood up and made room for him, then hurriedly asked the doctor, "Doctor, he's seriously injured. I'd like to give him some nourishment. Is there anything he should avoid eating?"
The old man looked at her and then at him, and seeing how close they were, he guessed that they must be a couple.
He said, "Don't eat fish or meat. Eat light food. I will also prescribe some medicinal soup for him. If he drinks it every day, I guarantee that his health will be back to normal."
The doctor was used to seeing injured people, and even more so, people who died in the mountains. Although he knew they were doing it for money, he still couldn't help but grumble, "How can life be more important than silver? Look at the wound you've inflicted. It won't heal without seven or eight taels of silver. Maybe you can earn seven or eight taels of silver this time you go up the mountain?"
Zong Xiao thought, that really is...
"Just prescribe the medicine, and we'll treat you no matter how much money you pay." Qiu Xuan squeezed Zong Xiao's hand, signaling him not to talk nonsense. The doctor treated him, so he had to obey the doctor.
The doctor took out the medicinal wine and raised his hand to signal Zong Xiao to take off his coat.
"You two are still so young, do you have children?"
Qiu Xuan shook her head and said honestly, "Not yet."
The doctor choked. He had originally wanted to say that they should also consider the children more and not risk their lives for money. But now, after hearing that they still didn't have any children, he changed his tone and said to Zong Xiao, "Since you don't have any children, you must cherish your life even more. If you die early, your family will be gone too. What's the point of making more money then?"
It was the first time that Zong Xiao had heard these words spoken to him, and he listened obediently without refutation.
The doctor untied the gauze and reapplied medicine to the stitches.
The bloody hole caused by the wolf's bite was very deep and large, and it could be seen even after it was sutured.
Qiu Xuan just took a quick glance and quickly looked away. She didn't dare to look, not at all.
"This wound needs to be treated with medicine every day until it is completely healed." The doctor re-bandaged him and finally pinched the area above the wound.
Zong Xiao sucked in a breath of cold air, and he forced himself not to make a sound of pain.
The doctor nodded in satisfaction. "It's good that it hurts. The beasts in these mountains are not clean. If the bite is not treated in time, the person will die. The fact that you feel pain now is a good thing. It means that the meat is not rotten."
Qiu Xuan thanked the doctor and, seeing him preparing to leave, she quickly asked, "Doctor, how long will he have to stay here with this injury? If it's convenient, can he go home and recuperate?"
The doctor saw that they wanted to go home for the New Year. He thought for a moment and said, "If you dare to take the medicine, you can go back the day after tomorrow."
Qiu Xuan originally didn't dare to apply the medicine, but after hearing this, she gained some courage.
"Thank you, doctor. I will learn it in the next few days."
Zong Xiao couldn't help but say, "It's okay, it's the same if I apply the medicine myself."
Qiu Xuan glared at him and asked coldly, "Can you lift your right hand or can you see behind your shoulder with your left hand?"
Zong Xiao can't do the same now.
Qiu Xuan's eyes were red as she fastened the belt of his inner garment and sneered, "Since you can't do anything, then take good care of your injuries. Once you're well, we can talk about other things later."
The clinic was not big, and there were more than just the two of them in the room, so Qiu Xuan did not ask him what had happened in the mountains in the past few days.
She only learned how to prepare and boil medicine every day and didn't care about anything else.
As for the daily food for the four of them, Zong Jiabao was responsible for buying it. None of them were picky, as long as it was warm.
Two days later, Zong Yang, who had been out selling wolf skins, came back.
He was the oldest among the group, which was why the task of selling wolf skins was assigned to him.
"Brother Zong Yang, did the trip go smoothly? Is there anyone who wants to buy those wolf skins?" Zong Jiabao stuffed the bowl of hot water into his hands and asked anxiously.
"Look at your brother Yang's expression, how could things not go well, right?" Duan Saner was lying on the kang eating a meat bun. He knew in his heart that he was going to make a fortune this time!
The man named Zong Yang drank the water in his hand, then took off the purse from his waist and threw it to them.
"See for yourselves."
The heavy purse is filled with silver.
Duan Saner knew what was going on as soon as he touched it.
"This is the minimum amount per person."
Qiu Xuan looked at him and saw him crossing his two fingers and making the sign of a cross.
Zong Yang raised his eyebrows and smiled: "More than that."
This time when the five of them went into the mountains, they encountered a wolf pack. Although it was not large, there were eleven wolves in total, big and small.
Zong Yang specifically asked several groups of people, some who bought whole wolves, some who bought only wolf skins, and some who bought only wolf meat.
Zong Yang thought about it and decided that selling them separately would be the most profitable, so he sold the skins and meat of all the wolves except the leader. One wolf skin cost five taels of silver, and one pound of wolf meat cost sixty copper coins.
Just from these ten wolves, I made a profit of ninety taels.
As for the leader wolf, he sold it alone to a merchant, who waved his hand and gave him fifteen taels of silver.
Zong Yang took out three ten-liang silver ingots and three liang of silver change.
Among the five of them, Zong Xiao hunted three wolves, one of which was the leader wolf, so the silver money should be his.
As for the rest of them, eighteen taels per person would be enough.
Qiu Xuan looked at the white silver and instantly understood why Zong Xiao wanted to go into the mountains.
It would take her several months to earn the thirty taels by selling food in the town, but a hunter could earn it in one go if he was lucky.
Zong Xiao placed the silver ingot in Qiu Xuan's palm and comforted her, "Take it, it's all yours."
When the other men in the room heard this, they couldn't help but make fun of it.
Especially Duan Saner, his legs and feet cannot move but his mouth can move.
"Oh, oh, oh, it has to be our second brother Zong, he loves his wife so much."
"That's right. The money he earned was given directly to his wife. We can't give it to her even if we want to."
Zong Xiao coughed twice, and the others immediately changed the subject.
"With so much silver, I can get married next year."
"Yes, not only can we have a good New Year this year, but we can also build a new house and yard next year."
Everyone held the silver and money in their hands, their eyes filled with unconcealable joy and anticipation for the New Year.
The next day, Qiu Xuan got half a month's supply of gauze and medicine from the doctor.
The doctor watched her apply the medicine these days, and seeing that there was nothing wrong, he let them go with peace of mind.
After all, the New Year is coming soon, who wants to spend it in a clinic?
Before leaving, the doctor gave Zong Xiao a few words of advice: "It takes a hundred days for a broken bone to heal. You've lost so much blood this time, but you have to take care of yourself. Come back to the clinic after the New Year and let me see you. Don't be careless."
Zong Xiao agreed.
The Chinese New Year is coming the day after tomorrow, and the town is full of lively atmosphere.
Everyone decided that since they were already here, they might as well take a walk before going back to the mountain. Besides, they had a mule cart, so it would be convenient to take the things they bought back.
Thinking of this, everyone left Duan Saner, who was unable to get out of bed, behind to watch the mule cart, while the others went out into the street together.
Qiu Xuan walked on the right side of Zong Xiao. She held his hand tightly, as if she was afraid that he would get lost.
Zong Xiao was happy and willing to let her hold it.
The two of them strolled slowly down the street, buying anything delicious or fun they saw.
After all, Qiu Xuan said she wanted to buy New Year's goods before she went down the mountain, so how could she go back empty-handed?
Seeing a scholar selling couplets on the street, Qiu Yu went over and bought two to have a festive time during the New Year.
"A'er, about your injury." Seeing that she finally smiled, Zong Xiao spoke tentatively.
"You're not going to tell me, are you?" Qiu Xuan sighed. "I'm not sure I can keep this a secret. If Mother finds out, I won't say anything good for you."
Zong Xiao can no longer lift things or use strength with his right hand, so he has been using chopsticks with his left hand for the past two days.
Qiu Xuan didn't think he could hide such an obvious thing.
The two of them bought things as they walked, and finally there were so many things that they could not hold them all with their hands. Qiu Yu had no choice but to buy a backpack to carry them.
She originally thought that she bought the most, but when she returned to the mule cart and saw how full it was, she was surprised to find that she was not the only one who could afford so much.
It was sunny for the first two days and the snow on the mountain gradually melted.
The mule cart was not bumpy as it traveled along the road, and they were all in no hurry to walk home.
In order to avoid being exposed, Zong Jiabao first sent the Duan brothers back home, and then went to the Zong family.
"Mom has been thinking about you these days. Tell me, when I see you later, will I be so excited that I cry?" The two of them were huddled together, and Qiu Xuan's hand was still covering the back of his hand.
Zong Xiao pinched her fingertips and whispered, "Mom doesn't like to cry. If she sees me... she'll probably scold me."
"Will mother scold you?" Qiu Xuan thought seriously. In her memory, her mother-in-law didn't seem to have said harsh words to Zong Xiao.
"Yes. You'll see it in a moment."
The mule cart stopped, and Qiu Xuan supported him and slowly walked to the gate of the clan mother's courtyard.
Qiu Xuan looked at him and said, "I knocked on the door, and you called for your mother."
There was a knock on the door and shouting at the same time, and within two seconds, there was movement in the yard.
"You kid, do you still remember that you have a mother at home? It's been several days since you came back!"
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