Chapter 29 [VIP] Jianghu (10)
Perhaps what she feared would come true. Su Mo, who had lost her way, kept wandering around in the woods, unable to find her way back.
As she walked forward, she suddenly heard a wolf howl nearby. When she reacted, she found that she was slowly surrounded by three vicious wolves.
These wild wolves have eaten many corpses discarded in the mountains. They are more powerful and robust than ordinary beasts, and their expressions are ferocious and cruel. They also emit a very unpleasant stench of rotting corpses. Now they are even more agitated when they see living people and want to eat raw flesh and blood.
Su Mo was a little nervous for a moment, and she clenched the sword in her hand. She looked around and found that there was no one around, and her heart suddenly became even more panicked.
Her martial arts skills were below average, and it would be quite difficult for her to fight against three hungry wolves alone. However, no one could help her at this moment.
Thinking of Xie Yu, she felt resentful in her heart again. That guy hadn't come to see her for such a long time. He really didn't care about her at all.
Just as she gritted her teeth and prepared to fight hard, Xie Yu's slightly anxious and angry voice suddenly came from behind her, "Su Mo, why are you running around alone in the middle of the night? Don't you know that everyone will be worried about you?"
"I admit that what we said before was indeed not considerate of your feelings. I apologize to you, but that was just a subconscious reaction. Normal people would think that way, but what about you? Did you ever think about us when you ran around like this?"
For the first time, he felt that Su Mo was too impulsive in her carefree behavior and did not consider at all how much trouble she would bring to others.
"The village is now plagued by bovine mites and we don't know who poisoned it yet. Do you know that it is very dangerous for you to run around alone at night?"
Su Mo actually knew she was wrong, but she heard his tone full of blame, without any anxiety or worry. She felt sad, but more angry:
"Where I go is none of your business. What are you doing here? Why are you not at home with your childhood sweetheart at night? Why are you looking for me?"
Her tone was sour and bitter. She herself didn't know why she said such a sinister thing. Didn't she always think of him as a friend? Why was she so sad?
Xie Yu was stunned. When he heard her mention Nan Yan, his heart suddenly felt blocked and he felt very depressed.
He thought again about how Yanyan didn't even look at him when she left just now, and his tone became irritable.
"Why do you keep staring at Yanyan? She didn't do anything, and I thought I had made it very clear that Yanyan would...break off the engagement with me sooner or later..."
I always treated her as my sister...
When he finished speaking, Xie Yu paused for a moment subconsciously.
It was this moment of pause that put him in trouble. A hungry wolf seized the opportunity and swooped over, blowing a strong wind in his face and a very foul smell of decay.
The two men were unable to dodge and had to raise their swords to block the attack. In such a critical situation, they had no time to get angry and had to put other things aside to focus on dealing with the wolf.
It was dark at night and the swords flashed. This place was far away from the village, so the fighting did not alarm anyone.
Although the two were skilled in martial arts, they gradually found it difficult to withstand the beast's random bites.
Seeing that Su Mo was unable to hold out, Xie Yu frowned, raised his backhand, pushed the other party away, kicked the leader of the wolves, and stabbed it fiercely with a sword.
The leader wolf was stabbed in the eye and howled, becoming even more ferocious and violent, and immediately pounced towards Xie Yu.
It was also at this time that Su Mo saw that he was in danger, and rushed forward regardless to block it for him. The wolf's sharp claws grabbed Su Mo's arm fiercely, and the skin and flesh were instantly torn and blood was dripping.
At the same time, the long sword in Xie Yu's hand also pierced into the wolf's heart.
The wild wolf struggled for a few times and completely lost its movement. The other two were afraid and dared not move forward. In the end, they could only howl a few times, turn around and jump into the depths of the jungle.
The crisis was temporarily resolved, but Su Mo was also injured.
Xie Yu was a little nervous for a moment, and he subconsciously supported the other person's shaky figure, "Su Mo, what's wrong with you?"
Su Mo was a little drowsy. When she was unconscious, she only heard Xie Yu's anxious voice calling her. She felt comforted and happy in her heart, but she still said stubbornly:
"Why do you care what I do? I just bumped into him accidentally. It wasn't because of you..."
It would have been fine if she didn't say anything. As soon as she said this, Xie Yu immediately thought of the scene where Su Mo used her body to block the attack for him in a desperate situation. He suddenly felt anxious and annoyed and didn't know what to do.
"Are you stupid? Why are you rushing over here for no reason? I can obviously dodge it by myself. Aren't you just getting yourself hurt for no reason?"
Hearing this, Su Mo felt her breathing quicken, and even her wounds were a little painful from anger. She simply wanted to pin the man to the ground and beat him up.
This ungrateful guy is still so stubborn. She saved his life out of kindness, but he didn't know what was good for him. He even dared to blame her. This man is simply heartless and ungrateful.
Su Mo's eyes instantly turned red with anger, "Xie Yu, who do you think I am? I am just stupid, and everything I do is wrong. Why do you care what I do? Why don't you go back and accompany your childhood sweetheart..."
"What nonsense are you talking about? Why are you dragging Yanyan into this? I'll carry you back first."
She fell into coma before she could finish her words, probably because of anger. Xie Yu immediately picked her up. Su Mo in his arms was sweating profusely and her face turned pale in a short while.
Xie Yu was worried, so he quickly checked the wound and found that it was very dark in color. He became even more anxious when he thought that those wolves had eaten the rotten corpses on the mountain and their claws might have been contaminated with the poison of the snakes.
If the accident was really caused by him, then he would owe her a lifetime.
Thinking of this, Xie Yu didn't think any more and quickly carried the unconscious Su Mo down the mountain.
…
No one had expected Su Mo to be injured. When Xiao Guanxue saw her unconscious on Xie Yu's back, he was completely worried.
But now that things have come to this, there is no point in saying more. I can only hope that after tonight, Su Mo will be safe and sound.
Xiao Guanxue treated her wounds and didn't say much after learning what happened. No one had expected this. Mo'er was indeed too impulsive, and Xie Yu couldn't be blamed.
Several people took turns keeping watch, but despite this, the worst thing happened.
Su Mo was really poisoned.
She had been in a coma since she came down the mountain. At night, she began to have fever symptoms and the wounds gradually turned from red to dark. It was obvious that she was infected with the Thousand Silkworm like the villagers.
Perhaps it was because the snake venom came from a wild wolf and was contaminated with other poisons, so the toxin became stronger.
But within one night, Su Mo began to cough and spit blood. Her condition was more serious than those villagers who had been sick for several days. Her face turned pale and she looked like she was about to die.
…
This incident happened too suddenly. The villagers were in a panic because of the poisoning incident, and they were also frightened because Su Mo was scratched by a wild wolf. They all clamored to send Su Mo to the charity cemetery on the mountain.
After all, they had seen those wild wolves from a distance. They ate carrion in the mountains and were much more ferocious than ordinary wild wolves.
The girl knew at a glance that the poison was too deep, and no one knew whether she would be the next to be infected.
"No, we can't send it to Yizhuang..."
"Village Chief, please give us a few more days... No, three days is ok? I will definitely work hard to develop an antidote for the poison. Don't send her to Yizhuang."
Yi Zhuang sounds nice, but in fact it is no different from a mass grave. Lying inside are villagers who are seriously ill and about to die.
Not to mention sending the severely poisoned Su Mo to Yi Zhuang, even a strong adult man might not be able to survive staying there for a night.
Of course Xie Yu and the others refused to agree. Xiao Guanxue even promised immediately that he would develop an antidote within three days, but no one was willing to believe it.
Especially since the village chief is responsible for the lives of so many villagers, "Doctor Xiao, it's not that I don't want to agree to your request, but we villagers all have to survive..."
"A few days ago, the five members of the Chen family in the east of the village were all infected with this strange disease in just one night. You said you would be given three days, but how could we, the whole village, have the time to take this risk?"
"Besides, all the seriously ill people were sent to the charity cemetery. Many of them went there voluntarily because they were afraid of bringing trouble to their families. I can't let you break this rule."
What the old village chief said made sense. Even someone as stubborn as Xiao Guanxue could not change his mind at this moment unless he could find the antidote immediately.
But is it so easy to cure this snake poison?
The crowd was arguing so noisily that it woke up the unconscious Su Mo.
She struggled to walk out the door, and when it opened, she saw the horrified and frightened eyes of the people, and felt chilled to the bone.
They were originally commissioned to help these villagers treat the epidemic, but they did not expect to be rejected like this after they were infected with the disease. They are truly ungrateful people who do not even remember a single favor.
For the first time, Su Mo felt that the teachings of their Demon Sect were correct. These people were people who held grudges but did not remember kindness. She immediately said angrily, "Okay, stop arguing..."
"Ahem... I'll go to the charity cemetery by myself. I won't cause any trouble for you..."
Su Mo rubbed her aching brows, feeling that the coldness in her body was not as great as the bone-chilling pain in her heart. She felt hot and cold, shaking all over, not knowing whether she was angry or in pain.
The village chief was relieved when he heard this. He also understood from the cold look in the girl's eyes that the other party might be resentful of them. "Girl, this matter really can't be blamed on us. I will let you take you there now."
蘇茉聽到這話，仿佛再也支撐不住了，她扶着門框搖搖欲墜。
此時南嫣距離她最近，剛想伸手扶她一把，卻被人猛地握住手腕，“別碰。”
南嫣愣了下，面上卻是不動聲色，雖然早有預料，但戲還是要演下去的嘛。
她擡頭看向對方，正想問他怎麽了？
謝遇卻突然放開她的手，轉而伸手扶住了蘇茉，“我跟她一起去義莊。”
看來和原劇情中一樣，女主受傷中毒，男主幫忙照顧，最後連累自己也感染了蠱毒，幸好有蕭觀雪及時研制出了解藥才救了他們。
只不過這話一出，連蘇茉自己都有些怔住了。
她有些擡吃力的擡起頭，直愣愣看着身旁的謝遇，突然覺得眼眶有些濕潤，想說點什麽，但嘴唇動了動，最終還是沒忍心說出拒絕的話。
或許人在生命脆弱的時候就很容易被感動，就像落水的人拼命抓住那根救命稻草一樣。
而那些村民們可不管這些，有人想去送死，難道他們還能攔着不成嗎？
此時的蘇茉又快陷入昏迷了，蕭觀雪從袖中掏出一枚瓷瓶，又從瓶中倒出一粒解毒丹喂她吃了下去。
蘇茉這才清醒了片刻。
幾人走到門外，附近的村民們唯恐避之不及，紛紛後退着不敢上前。
最後還是南嫣直接沖上前去，一把抓住謝遇的手腕，捏的緊緊的，眼裏滿是緊張擔憂的情緒，“不行，你不能去。”
謝遇看她這個樣子，突然就有些心軟，可蘇茉是因他而受傷，他不可能放任她不管，“嫣嫣，別這樣，蘇茉是因我而受傷的，我不可能眼睜睜的看着她就這麽去死……”
可他話還沒說完，南嫣便直接撲進他的懷裏，将他摟的緊緊的，整個人都抵在他胸前，不肯放松一毫。
謝遇被她這突如其來的動作有些驚到，一時間說不出心底是什麽感覺，反正不是讨厭，有種隐秘的情緒在胸口起伏。
小青梅素來含蓄守禮，即便是喜歡他，也很少會在這麽光明正大的情況下與他親近。
謝遇看着她這副模樣，只能揉着眉心無奈說了句，“嫣嫣，放手好嗎？”
南嫣卻越抱越緊，仿佛一直壓抑的情緒終于有機會釋放出來了，她用力摟緊他的腰，蹭着他的下巴拼命搖了搖頭。
“不行，從前那些事情我都能依着你，但這次真的不行，我不管你有什麽理由，總之這次不許你去。”
南嫣的聲音帶着一絲溫柔的堅決，她擡起頭，謝遇對上那雙含着水汽的眼睛，有那麽一瞬間，他是真的想點頭答應了。
可蘇茉是因他而受傷的，若是丢下她不管，只怕他往後一輩子都會記挂着這件事情。
因此他又重複了一遍，“嫣嫣，別這樣好嗎？蘇茉她是因我而受傷的，我不能不管她……”
話還沒說完，南嫣眼淚就下來了，連聲音都含了一絲輕顫，“可你會死的，你沒聽到村長他們說的話嗎？去了義莊的人基本上就等于沒救了，你這般棄自己的安危于不顧，難道就沒有想過我也是會在意你的？”
“你口口聲聲都是你的蘇姑娘，那我呢？你答應過要照顧我的，現在又算什麽……別去好嗎，阿遇哥哥，算我求你了？”
“嫣嫣，你別逼我……”
聽到這話她情緒陡然變得劇烈，南嫣用力搖着頭，摟着他的力道也變得更緊了，“我沒有逼你，明明是你一直在逼我！”
她聲音也變得尖銳起來，“就算你不在意我，也該想想伯父伯母他們啊，你是謝家唯一的子嗣，難道真的要棄自己的安危于不顧嗎？”
話說到最後已經隐約帶上了哭腔，生怕他會推開自己，南嫣的身體也帶了一絲顫抖，用盡全力使勁抓着他不放，“求你了，別去好嗎？”
看着這樣的南嫣，謝遇只覺得胸口被一只無形的手掌用力揪緊了似的，她說的那些話他不是沒想過，可就這麽看着蘇茉去死，他會愧疚一輩子的。
何況那還是他喜歡的人……
兩人僵持着，誰也不肯退讓，南嫣不肯放手，謝遇也沒辦法，一時間竟陷入了兩難的境地。
原本站在一旁的蘇茉看見這幕，只覺得胸口的位置突然被什麽刺了一下似的，疼的她額頭都沁出了一層細汗，整個人搖搖欲墜的，幸好身旁的蕭觀雪及時扶住了她。
她擡手拂開了蕭觀雪的攙扶，又轉過頭深深看了謝遇一眼，“不用你陪我了，我自己一個人去。”
蕭觀雪瞧了那相擁的兩人一眼，略皺了皺眉，随即也說道，“我是大夫，讓我陪她一起去義莊好了，至于謝遇你，還要照顧你的顧姑娘。”
聞言卻被謝遇直接拒絕了，“不行，正因為你是大夫，所以才更不能冒險去義莊，你還要幫我們找解藥。”
一旁的藥童和村民們也跟着附和。
謝遇話說完，南嫣眼淚又掉下來了。
似乎知曉他的決定了，但還是不肯放棄，于是雙手抵在他胸口試圖做最後的掙紮。
“我不準你去，不準你去……”
她不停說着，雙手用力抵住他的胸膛，拼命将人往後推，一直推到屋內這才停了下來，然後猛地将門扣上，擋在他身前不肯退讓一步。
謝遇從沒見過這樣的南嫣。
在他的印象裏，她一直是溫柔的、不怎麽動氣的，即便真生氣了也很好哄，每次給她買根糖葫蘆就開心的不行，吃的滿嘴糖渣，像個沒長大的小姑娘……
他從沒見過她這麽氣憤難過的模樣，哭的眼睛通紅，甚至一時間忽略了她說的喜歡蕭觀雪的那些話。
看到她這副神情，謝遇突然覺得心口悶得難受，心下有些不忍，但還是一狠心，別過臉說道，“別這樣，嫣嫣，你知道的，我喜歡的人是蘇茉，我不會丢下她不管的。”
眼淚像斷了線的珠子似的順着臉頰一顆顆滾落，南嫣突然擡起頭，很不甘心地看着面前的謝遇，哽咽道：
“那我呢，你說過要照顧我一生一世的。”
又是這個問題，每次提及這個問題時都會讓謝遇心裏湧出一股莫名的煩躁，有種不受控制的沖動，“我當你是妹妹，一直都是，你到底還要我說多少遍？”
話一出口他才驚覺自己的語氣過于激動了，原本想說些什麽緩和一下，可一擡眼，卻見她眼淚撲簌落下。
謝遇恍惚間覺得心口被針刺了似的，一瞬即逝，有股沉悶的刺痛在胸口蔓延開來。
他張了張嘴，只覺得剩下的話全部都堵在了喉嚨裏，一個字也說不出來。
“妹妹妹妹，什麽妹妹，誰要當你妹妹……”
南嫣突然失控般地朝他喊了起來。
那些壓抑在心底的情緒仿佛再也控制不住了，“我不是你的妹妹，我也從沒當你是我的哥哥。”
她說完猛地上前，謝遇只覺得腳背突然一痛，随即錯愕地睜大了眼，瞳仁有一瞬間的緊縮。
而南嫣則是環着他的脖子朝他吻了過來，她睜着眼，睫毛不安地顫動，眼裏有種不管不顧的執拗。
那一瞬間仿佛連空氣都停滞了。
謝遇自己也愣住了。
他感受到了貼上來的身體在微微顫動着，仿佛有什麽突然在心尖炸開了，炸得他頭暈目眩，什麽也顧不了了。
而他下意識的反應居然不是推開她，甚至絲毫沒有反抗的想法，任由對方一點一點攻陷進入。
唇上的溫軟觸感讓他只覺得自己要窒息了，大腦一片空白，全身上下所有的觸感仿佛都集中到了被她輕輕吻住的嘴唇上。
恍然間所有聲音都聽不見了，只剩下胸腔內那顆劇烈跳動的心髒還在運作。
像溺水的人憋的胸腔快要炸裂似的。
撲通撲通的……壓抑而清晰，謝遇死命地捏住了手指，劇烈跳動的速度讓他幾乎喘不過氣來。
這到底是什麽感覺呢？他說不出來，甚至完全無法形容，但為什麽會這麽緊張，緊張得連呼吸都快要停滞了。
直到那滴溫熱的眼淚猛地砸在他手背上，謝遇這才反應過來。
他用盡全力才伸手将人推開，長呼了一口氣，這才猛地清醒過來。
“嫣嫣，不行，你別這樣。”
那語氣裏帶了幾分嚴厲，可偏偏他眉眼染了情/欲，喉結滾動着，說出的聲音沙啞低沉，愈發顯得色厲內荏。
這話聽着不像訓斥，倒像是情人間的某種趣味。
南嫣紅着一雙眼，死死盯着他，“為什麽不可以，我只是在做你曾經對我做過的事情，為什麽不能這樣？”
謝遇反駁的話脫口而出，“我說過了，我喜歡的是蘇茉……”
可說完這句話，那一瞬間的心慌意亂連他自己都沒注意到，他自己也不确定了，他真的喜歡蘇茉嗎？
可要是不喜歡的話，他這麽久以來的堅持算什麽？
He broke off the engagement for Su Mo and Yan Yan, was blamed by his parents, hated by his fellow apprentices, and earned a bad reputation as a traitor. He even went so far as to ignore his friends' feelings and act on his own. If this wasn't love, then what exactly was this?
Xie Yu felt as if he was caught in a dilemma. What was wrong with him? What did he want?
Looking at Nan Yan's crying eyes, he felt his chest getting tighter and tighter. He wanted to escape, to leave here, to stay far away. Otherwise, he would not be able to suppress it. It was as if some emotions were about to burst out from his chest, and those emotions would put him in an irretrievable situation.
"I just went to take care of her."
After he hurriedly said this, he turned around and was about to leave.
Nan Yan behind him became even more excited. She shouted at him without any image, "Su Mo, Su Mo, is there only Su Mo in your eyes? Can't you tolerate anyone else besides her?"
She raised her eyes, but found that everything in front of her was blurry, and she could only see the back of the person who was about to leave. "Xie Yu, do you like her so much? Do you like her so much that you would rather accompany her to death than be with me?"
When Xie Yu heard this, his heart suddenly tightened.
He just felt his throat tighten and dry, and there was an indescribable feeling of heartache twisting and pulling inside, sour and astringent, making him unable to utter a word because of the pain.
It's not like that, it's not like that...
He forced himself to suppress the discomfort, and it took him a long time to recover his voice, "Yanyan, Su Mo was injured because of me, I just can't abandon her..."
After saying that, he walked out in a hurry.