A glimpse of the whole
When Wang Pan'er opened her eyes again, she found herself still in the same spot where she had fainted, and Su Lingzhao was still crying loudly.
Wang Pan'er rolled her eyes and asked, "How long have I been unconscious?"
"Huh?" Hearing Wang Pan'er ask, Su Lingzhao stopped crying, seemingly unaware that Wang Pan'er had fainted. "You've passed out?"
It seems she was only unconscious for a short time.
Wang Pan'er glanced at Su Lingzhao with a hint of disdain. A teammate as useless as a pig, more trouble than he'd cause.
Fortunately, the brown bear was already dead; otherwise, they would all have perished in its jaws.
She used her left hand to support herself against the tree trunk and checked her right arm.
Fortunately, it wasn't a bone that was broken, but a joint.
Wang Pan'er breathed a sigh of relief. It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone, but joints heal much faster. A fracture, given the current medical conditions, would be much more difficult to treat.
She walked closer to Su Lingzhao, kicked his tangled ankle, and said irritably, "All you do is sit there and cry. My arm is already broken, and you're waiting for someone to untangle it for you?"
"Oh." Su Lingzhao, who was still stunned, only realized that the bear was dead and he could untangle the vines himself when Wang Pan'er spoke. He had been given a second chance at life and said softly, "Thank you."
No, please.
Wang Pan'er looked at him expressionlessly. Because of Su Lingzhao's reckless kindness, one person died and another was injured, as if he were a jinx. Wang Pan'er did not want to get involved with him in any more karma.
The servant who had been so angry just moments before was now a bloody mess, his body mangled beyond recognition. Wang Pan'er gazed at the pool of blood in the distance, silently wishing him peace, then instructed Su Lingzhao, "Can you drive a carriage?"
Su Lingzhao shook her head.
She pointed to her twisted right arm with her left finger: "If you don't know how, then go try. You expect me to drive you back?"
Su Lingzhao scrambled to his feet, obediently walked to the carriage, took down a footstool, and let Wang Pan'er step into the carriage.
After Wang Pan'er was settled, he picked up the whip and, imitating the servant, carefully spurred the horse onto the road.
With Su Lingzhao in front, and the occasional stench of fish in the air, Wang Pan'er irritably lowered the curtain: "I need to rest. Don't make a sound unless you have something to say."
"oh."
It seems that Su Lingzhao's vocabulary has been reduced to just the word "oh".
That's fine. It's annoying to look at and irritating to smell. It's best to keep her quiet and give her some normal space.
The novice coachman, completely lacking in skill, seemed intent on smashing the carriage to pieces. Every time he jostled, a sharp pain shot through his arm, prompting Wang Pan'er to curse the Su family's ancestors for eighteen generations.
After finally returning to Jinzhou Prefecture and getting her bones set and bandaged at Taihe Hall, Wang Pan'er was already in a sorry state and completely exhausted.
Su Lingzhao escorted Wang Pan'er back to the manor, and then eagerly wanted to follow her to her room before he felt at ease.
Wang Pan'er was furious and didn't want Su Lingzhao to approach her private territory. She said to the two young ladies who came to help her, "Take me to the west wing."
Going to the west wing meant they definitely wanted to go to the room where Young Master Mu was. The young ladies guessed Wang Pan'er's thoughts, exchanged glances, and one of them left first to go to the west wing to inform Young Master Mu not to give himself away.
Watching the young woman's retreating figure, Wang Pan'er sighed inwardly: It's still more comfortable to deal with smart people. Su Lingzhao's kind of person probably used up all his intelligence in one go when he was born into a good family.
Wang Pan'er moved slowly, afraid that too much movement would aggravate her joints, which had just healed but were still aching.
As she approached the room, the door was suddenly pulled open, and a tall, beautiful woman in a blue-purple gauze dress stepped out, revealing a face with stunningly beautiful features, veiled.
Hearing this, Wang Pan'er noticed Su Lingzhao behind her gasp.
hehe.
Wang Pan'er sneered.
Immediately, those beautiful eyes glared fiercely at Su Lingzhao, then grabbed Wang Pan'er by the collar and dragged her into the room.
The door slammed shut with a loud bang.
Su Lingzhao touched his nose, probably knowing that he had incurred the displeasure of the beauty, and followed the young lady who was offering him a way out as they walked out of the manor.
Inside the room, Wang Pan'er, whose collar had been grabbed, quickly protected her right arm.
Mu Chuan looked Wang Pan'er up and down, and after checking that there were no other problems, he sneered, "Oh, so you know pain now."
Wang Pan'er hurriedly explained to Mu Chuan, "If Su Lingzhao dies, the Liuyun Chamber of Commerce will definitely not let me off the hook. I have so many people behind me, and they will probably be implicated as well."
Upon learning of the bear encounter, Mu Chuan felt a chill run down his spine. Fortunately, he had given Wang Pan'er a hidden sword hairpin; otherwise, even if he had escaped death, the subsequent consequences would have been dire.
"It's true that bad guys rack their brains, but a fool can come up with a clever idea." Mu Chuan finished his sarcasm and put away the sword hairpin. "It's stained with blood, so don't use this one. I'll make you a new one."
Wang Pan'er had the same idea, and snuggled into Mu Chuan's arms with a playful smile: "You're so good, smart and kind. Let me hug you to recharge."
Mu Chuan said with disgust, "You're filthy."
"You say one thing but do another." Wang Pan'er took advantage of the situation and placed her splinted right hand on Mu Chuan's arm. "You said we both have injuries to our right hands, doesn't this make us seem like sisters in distress?"
Mu Chuan didn't reply or move for a long time. Wang Pan'er looked up in confusion, only to see Mu Chuan staring at her bandaged arm, his eyes reddening.
"Are you crying?" Wang Pan'er leaned close to his eyes. "I'm fine, aren't I?"
Mu Chuan didn't say anything. Seeing that Wang Pan'er was still grinning, he pressed her head towards him and kissed her without saying a word.
Normally, Mu Chuan's kisses were gentle and tender, but this was the first time he had been so fierce, making Wang Pan'er feel like she was about to drown in his grasp.
She instinctively tried to push him away, but suddenly realized that Mu Chuan's body was trembling slightly.
Wang Pan'er's pushing motion froze, and she belatedly realized that Mu Chuan seemed to be venting, releasing the panic and lingering fear that he couldn't express.
She gave up resisting, raised her left hand to encircle Mu Chuan's neck and let him take what he wanted, until the cool water dripped onto her cheeks.
At this moment, let him drown...
Mu Chuan finally calmed down a bit. He released his hand from the back of Wang Pan'er's head, pressed his forehead against hers, and said in a choked voice, "Don't do it again. If you encounter a situation like this, run immediately. If Su Lingzhao dies, so be it. I can handle any consequences."
Neither Wang Pan'er's biological parents nor the original owner's troublesome parents ever worried about her safety or cherished her life as much as Mu Chuan did.
This experience has truly been worthwhile.
"Okay." Wang Pan'er brushed away the tears still clinging to Mu Chuan's eyelashes. "From now on, no one but you can make me risk my life to save you."
After she finished speaking, Wang Pan'er launched into another round of fierce demands. After kissing her, Mu Chuan declared firmly, "I can't either."
"Then you have to promise me that you won't put yourself in danger again."
Mu Chuan was finally satisfied and nodded: "Okay."
The two had just promised each other that they would never take any risks, so Mu Chuan used Wang Pan'er's injured arm as an excuse to strictly keep an eye on her.
Actually, there's no need for care; Wang Pan'er had already planned to stay home for a while anyway. Money can't be earned forever, but physical discomfort is something only she can bear. Life and health should always be the top priority.
Wang Pan'er stayed at home until the Dragon Boat Festival.
The village was remote, and Wang Pan'er didn't feel any festive atmosphere until Su Lingzhao arrived with large and small bags, which gave her a real sense of the holiday.
Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), salted duck eggs, and realgar wine were essential; even the women working on the estate received their share. More valuable were the numerous jewels and ornaments, as well as the fabrics and brocades used to make summer clothes.
Su Lingzhao flattered, "I wonder what kind of clothes Miss Wang prefers? I've found some fine brocade. Once Miss Wang has decided on a style, I'll immediately arrange for a tailor to come and take her measurements. If Miss Wang doesn't want a style, that's fine too; I'll have the tailor bring the catalog directly over."
Wang Pan'er touched the rolled-up fabric; it was breathable against the skin, light yet textured, and indeed quite presentable.
However, compared to Su Ershao's life, these things were nothing, and Wang Pan'er accepted them without any guilt. She curiously examined the fabrics and jewelry, then instructed the ladies to put them in the storeroom. She told them to save some of the remaining gifts for lunch and steam a pot of them, and to let the ladies take the rest home.
Oh, right, I also need to get some loose silver to buy and distribute some nice household items to the workers on the estate and in the shops. If it weren't for Su Lingzhao's reminder about these holiday gifts, she would have almost forgotten to prepare holiday "benefits" for these hardworking and practical young women.
Ever since Su Lingzhao escaped from the bear's jaws, he has become very clingy and affectionate towards Wang Pan'er.
Wang Pan'er felt that he was having a baby bird fetish; he clung to her like a baby that hasn't been weaned yet likes to stick close to its mother, following her closely and showing off his treasures.
Unfortunately, Wang Pan'er disliked stupidity and found it unbearable to watch, but she had to be patient and not lash out.
Sure enough, once he arrived at the estate, he dawdled and refused to leave, constantly pestering Wang Pan'er to talk, successfully dragging her out until it was time for her to freeload a meal.
Su Lingzhao stayed for dinner, which was a direct challenge to Mu Chuan's wishes.
Mu Chuan suddenly bristled, then pulled out a zither from somewhere, hid behind the screen in the dining room, and began to play with indignation and passion.
Putting everything else aside, his piano skills are truly excellent, but his intentions are really malicious.
As Su Lingzhao picked up some food, a loud voice came from behind the screen; as Su Lingzhao drank soup, Mu Chuan deliberately played the wrong notes or made harsh noises, clearly not intending for them to eat in peace.
Wang Pan'er propped her head up, looking at the figure behind the screen. Because it was so familiar, she could almost imagine the figure's expression right now—smug and arrogant.
In contrast, Su Lingzhao clearly began to feel uncomfortable. He asked Wang Pan'er, "Who is this young lady playing the instrument?"
Wang Pan'er made up a story: "I met her on the road. She was a poor girl who had been sold by her father to pay for wine. There was a group of men around her, all of them with shifty eyes. I thought to myself, how could such a beautiful girl have a good ending if she was taken away by these people? So I bought her and brought her to the manor."
Su Lingzhao sighed, "Miss Wang is truly kind-hearted."
Yes, I can't compare to your hypocrisy and pretentious attitude.
Wang Pan'er thought to herself, but didn't show it on her face: "Good deeds are rewarded. Just looking at this pretty face makes me eat half a bowl more of rice!"
"But why doesn't she remove her veil and show her true face?"
Wang Pan'er continued to think to herself: Take off your veil and compare the size of your Adam's apple with mine, huh? That'll scare you to death.
"She is introverted and doesn't like to interact with outsiders."
"Introverted?" Su Lingzhao wondered if she had misheard. "But to me, she looks more like a feisty beauty."
It was truly spicy. After the two began to talk, the music soared even higher, becoming powerful and resonant.
Wang Pan'er chuckled. "Being feisty is good. The more feisty she is, the more innocent she is."
But at that moment, suddenly, with a "clang!" the music stopped abruptly, followed by a muffled groan. Wang Pan'er's smile froze on her face.
She quickly got up and went around to the back of the screen.
A string broke, and Mu Chuan clutched his finger as blood dripped down. He looked up, his eyes filled with tears, a sight that evoked pity in me.
There are wound medicines available in the kitchen.
Wang Pan'er ran over, picked up the medicine, and ran back, panting. She carefully wiped away the blood droplets from Mu Chuan's fingertips, then applied the medicine. She then cut the gauze strips into thin strips and neatly wrapped them around the wound caused by the zither strings.
Su Lingzhao looked at the two people in front of her and suddenly felt extremely annoyed.
Wang Pan'er had her back to Su Lingzhao, her fingers flying as she tied knots in the gauze.
Mu Chuan raised his eyes and met Su Lingzhao's gaze. His eyes were sharp and oppressive, like those of a hawk looking down at its prey, exuding the air of a victor.
Su Lingzhao was startled and took two steps back. He couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong, but his mind was filled with a sense of the bizarre and absurd, and goosebumps rose all over his body. He stammered, "You..."
Wang Pan'er turned around and saw Su Lingzhao looking completely lost: "What's wrong with you?"
Su Lingzhao felt extremely uncomfortable: "It's nothing, you guys need to take care of your wounds, I'll go back first."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com