The boy's shoulders were unexpectedly broad, and Yun An turned her face away, her expression slightly unnatural.
She was not an innocent girl; she had experienced the pleasures of men and women before, but this kind of innocent contact was a first for her.
She glanced at the scar on Shen Ci's cheek, a mark left when he saved her earlier.
A thought flashed through Yun An's mind—
Shen Tangning's younger brother is much more pleasing to the eye than she is.
But Shen Ci was also stubborn; if she could be more obedient, perhaps she could spare his life…
Shen Ci had no idea what she was thinking, otherwise he would have immediately abandoned her and left without looking back.
He felt a chill run down his spine from Yun An's unusual quietness, but it wasn't long before the other party revealed his true colors:
"What kind of path are you leading us on? We've been going around in circles for ages and we still haven't gotten out of this damn forest?"
Her tone was irritable, she had an injury on her foot, and the unfamiliar environment made her feel anxious and uneasy.
Shen Ci was also displeased and said coolly, "I told you long ago that this dense forest is complicated, but the princess insisted on venturing in herself. Who can she blame now?"
Yun An's brows furrowed, and his face darkened: "You dare to talk back? Don't forget who you are!"
Just as the atmosphere reached a stalemate, a timid voice broke the silence between the two.
"You two... are you lost?"
Shen Ci looked up, his eyes filled with scrutiny.
Not far away stood an old woman, who looked to be in her forties or fifties. She was dressed in coarse linen clothes and carried a basket on her back. She looked rather timid and cowardly, but her eyes gleamed with a shrewdness.
Yun An beckoned her over, speaking with an air of entitlement: "You know the way?"
The old woman chuckled: "Of course, I live in a nearby village and know this area very well!"
Yun An breathed a sigh of relief: "Alright, you lead the way for us, and I'll give you a reward!"
Seeing her in her fine clothes, the old woman's eyes flickered slightly as she looked at her: "Young lady, are you... injured?"
Yun An frowned, having no intention of talking too much with this country woman. Normally, someone like her wouldn't even be worthy of seeing her!
Out of politeness, Shen Ci said in a low voice, "I don't know if it's a sprained ankle or something."
"Oh dear, this is terrible! If it's dislocated and not put back in time, it could leave you with a disability!"
One sentence made Yun An's face turn pale, and anger flashed in her eyes: "Then why don't you take us out of here right now?"
“Young lady, this injury can’t be delayed. How about this…” The old woman hesitated, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration. “It’s quite a coincidence. My house is nearby, and my husband knows how to treat sprains and bruises. Why don’t we have him take a look at the young lady?”
Yun An instinctively refused. He was a country bumpkin who had only learned a little bit of the basics. How could he compare to the imperial physicians in the palace?
But her leg was in terrible pain, the guards hadn't arrived yet, and her horse was missing...
Even if they find themselves, it will take them a lot of time to get back to Beijing from here.
Out of fear, Yun An finally gritted her teeth and agreed.
Shen Ci remained silent throughout.
The other party's house was indeed not far away, and the courtyard was extremely simple, clearly indicating that the family was extremely poor.
Yun An pursed her lips and looked around at the surroundings with some disdain. If it weren't for the circumstances, she wouldn't have wanted to step into such a place.
Who knows if it's dirty or not...
Upon entering the courtyard, a younger woman was hanging things out to dry. Hearing the sound, she looked up and asked somewhat shyly, "Mother, what's this?"
The old woman glared at her and said, "Call your father-in-law back. This young lady has injured her foot and needs immediate treatment!"
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