The continuous bloodstains started as just scattered dots, but gradually merged into a thick, dark patch, a sight that sent chills down one's spine.
Holding Bai Yan's hand tightly, Mu Xing walked forward step by step, and finally saw a dark figure at the corner.
Noticing the rustling footsteps, the person who was moving slowly suddenly took a step forward, but soon let out a muffled groan and knelt down against the wall.
"Ugh..."
Gesturing for Bai Yan to step aside, Mu Xing quickly took a few steps forward and whispered, "Miss? You..."
Before she could finish speaking, the woman hissed, "If you're going to fight, stop talking nonsense! You lackeys—" Turning around and seeing the two surprised people behind her, she suddenly stopped.
A man who couldn't even kill a chicken, and a woman wearing high heels, were clearly different from the people chasing her...
After catching her breath, the woman asked in a hoarse voice, "Who are you?"
Mu Xing frowned and said, "We are just kind passersby. I am a doctor. Do you need any help?"
By the dim starlight, she could barely make out that the woman's wound was on her thigh. With such a large amount of bleeding, it was most likely a penetrating wound. In this day and age, to be related to a gunshot wound... Mu Xing had a feeling that something was amiss.
Acting bravely and getting into trouble are two different things. She didn't want to cause too much trouble. If the woman refused to help...
"Have that woman come and help me," the woman suddenly said after a moment of silence.
Mu Xing refused without hesitation: "No." She said, "I'm a doctor. If you need help, let me stop the bleeding first."
The woman clutched her injured leg, gritting her teeth and remaining silent. After a moment of silence, Mu Xing finally reacted and said helplessly, "I'm a woman, okay?" She could clearly feel the woman's shocked gaze.
She continued, "Are you feeling dizzy? You've already lost a lot of blood, and if we don't stop the bleeding..."
After a few rapid breaths, the woman tried to stand up, leaning against the wall, but as if to confirm Mu Xing's words, her breath caught in her throat, and she suddenly lost her strength and slumped down. Mu Xing quickly went over to support her, and Bai Yan also rushed over to help.
The light was too dim, and Mu Xing could only barely make out that the woman's wound was on her inner thigh. Without hesitation, she first took out a handkerchief from her bosom and tightly bound it around the upper part of the woman's thigh. After confirming that the woman had a knife, she immediately took off her coat, cut open the sleeve, and quickly performed a simple first aid to stop the bleeding.
"Fortunately, no arteries were damaged... It's too dark here to be sure if there are any gunpowder residues. I need to take you to the clinic for a check-up."
As Mu Xing was speaking, she tried to help the woman up, but the woman suddenly grabbed her and said urgently, "No, we can't go to the clinic..." But before she could finish speaking, Mu Xing had already lifted her up and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? If you keep going like this, you'll go into hemorrhagic shock!"
The woman's face had visibly turned deathly pale, so despite her wishes, Mu Xing and Bai Yan quickly helped her out of the alley and hailed two rickshaws.
Because he needed to manually stop the woman's bleeding, Mu Xing squeezed into a car with her, while Bai Yan rode alone in another car, heading towards Minkang Medical Clinic.
Upon arriving at the clinic, they were fortunate to find that Dr. Zhang, who was in charge of surgery, was on duty that day, and a group of waiters were also waiting. When they saw the young lady come in covered in blood, everyone who was dozing off was startled. After explaining the situation, they hurriedly carried her into the operating room.
The years were not peaceful, and Dr. Zhang had dealt with many injuries from armed brawls. He skillfully treated the woman's gunshot wound and settled Bai Yan in his office. Mu Xing also rushed into the operating room to assist Dr. Zhang.
Although the hemostasis method used in the alley was rudimentary, it was somewhat effective. The penetrating wound hadn't damaged an artery, so after cleaning, packing and bandaging were applied, and surgery to stop the bleeding was performed once the blood pressure stabilized. After treating the gunshot wound, Mu Xing treated some abrasions on other parts of the woman's body, and the surgery was quickly completed.
Considering the woman's mysterious demeanor, Mu Xing decided to move her to a private room to rest.
After all that commotion, Mu Xing was covered in filth, not to mention the woman. Mu Xing was already exhausted and breathless, but seeing the woman lying pitifully on the bed, her head and face covered in filth, he couldn't bear it.
The caregiver had already gone off duty. Remembering how the woman had mistaken her for a man and resisted even the slightest touch, Mu Xing had no choice but to fetch a basin of water herself and bring it back to the ward to simply wipe the woman's face.
Mu Xing had just wrung out the towel and was about to wipe the woman's face when she turned her head away.
Mu Xing was immediately displeased and said, suppressing her anger, "If you want to get dirty, go ahead." With that, she was about to take the basin of water out.
The woman glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, then turned her head again and whispered, "You really are a woman?"
Upon hearing this, Mu Xing said helplessly, "...Are you afraid I'll take liberties with you?"
Hearing her so blunt, the woman pursed her lips and turned her head away, her dirty face blushing.
Mu Xing was still standing there holding the basin of water when she suddenly heard the sound of high heels behind her. Knowing it was Bai Yan coming over, she turned around and Bai Yan had already walked over in a few steps, taking the basin from her and putting it down.
Mu Xing hurriedly said, "Why did you come out? There are many patients here, why don't you go outside and wait..."
Bai Yan was also holding a hot towel. In front of the woman on the hospital bed, she wiped the sweat from Mu Xing's forehead and said with a hint of reproach, "You've been busy for a while, why don't you go and rest instead of staying here and bothering people?"
Mu Xing hurriedly said that she wasn't tired, but Bai Yan glanced at her and said, "Hmph, of course you don't feel tired."
…Why does this sound a little strange?
Before Mu Xing could figure it out, Bai Yan had already pushed her out of the ward: "I'll take care of her, you go out and rest."
Holding a hot towel, Mu Xing watched Bai Yan close the ward door, completely bewildered.
It's just taking care of a patient, doesn't it all matter who comes?
After Bai Yan came in, the woman lay on the bed without saying a word, no longer showing the restraint and resistance she had shown when facing Mu Xing.
While professionally wiping the woman's face clean and washing the towel, Bai Yan subtly glanced at the woman several times.
To be fair, the woman's appearance was... quite good, the kind that grows on you, but Bai Yan just couldn't stand looking at her.
She has a nice face, but what about her legs?
Hmph, it's one thing to look at someone's leg to heal their wounds, but to try and wipe their face too!
No, actually wiping her face is a minor matter. Knowing Ah-Xuan's personality, she might start chatting with someone, which would be bad if she disturbed their rest...
Feeling that she had a reasonable basis for her thinking, Bai Yan continued working without stopping and quickly tidied up the woman.
After whispering a thank you, the woman turned her head, clearly indicating that she wanted some peace and quiet.
Bai Yan had just brought out the basin of water when Mu Xing, who was sitting outside the door, came over.
"So? Did you two talk about anything? What do you think this young lady's identity is..." Before she could finish speaking, she turned her head and met Bai Yan's glare.
With her eyebrows lowered and her large, watery eyes widening like a little tiger's, Bai Yan said, "Want to know? Go ask someone else."
After saying that, she turned and left. Mu Xing was stunned for a moment, then quickly followed her.
Chapter 56
After handing the basin of water to the waiter, the two returned to Mu Xing's office. Bai Yan picked up a silk scarf from the table and tied it up. Just as she was about to speak, Mu Xing suddenly said from behind, "Why does this room smell so strange?"
"Hmm?" Upon hearing this, Bai Yan turned her head. "Really?"
"Yes," Mu Xing said, then suddenly took a few steps closer, sniffed Bai Yan, and frowned, "It smells like yours."
Upon hearing this, Bai Yan felt a little embarrassed. She quickly turned her back and raised her hand to smell her wrist, but she didn't smell anything strange. Just as she was about to ask Mu Xing, Mu Xing suddenly leaned closer, his cool nose brushing against her warm earlobe, leaving a lingering, ambiguous scent.
"I can smell a really strong odor of vinegar."
A surge of heat instantly rose on her face, and Bai Yan turned around to glare at Mu Xing.
Mu Xing chuckled softly, pulled her into a hug, and stroked her hair with his chin, saying, "I smelled it for quite a while before I realized someone had secretly poured vinegar on me."
Leaning against Mu Xing's chest, Bai Yan said, "I thought you cared about every woman so much."
With his fingers entwined around the half-tied silk scarf around Bai Yan's neck, Mu Xing said, "How could that be? In this world, I'm only good to you."
With a snort, Bai Yan said, "Lying? What about your parents and relatives? And... what did that Miss Li say?"
Mu Xing chuckled: "How can these be the same? I respect my parents and am close to my friends, but the only one I admire is you."
Especially after more than a month of calm and reflection, her heart had not cooled at all; on the contrary, it had grown even more passionate and irreversible. As long as Bai Yan stopped rejecting her and showed even the slightest sign of being willing to accept her, she would not give up.
Stroking her fair, curly hair, Mu Xing said again, "It's almost ten o'clock. I can't stay out all night. Tonight... let's go to my place together?" This was an experiment. She didn't want to seem too pushy or reckless, but she would never let go of any opportunity.
Someone's heart began to pound violently, each beat especially clear in the quiet room.
After a long silence, Bai Yan said softly, "Let's do it another day." Worried that Mu Xing might be upset, she quickly added, "We abruptly left Young Master Sun at the stadium today, and we don't know what's going on with Mother. We'll have to go back. We... there's plenty of time, okay?"
Whether looking at the present or considering the long term, these shackles prevent her from, and dare not, step into the other half of Mu Xing's world.
That world, full of light and beauty, that unknown world, at least for now, she could only look forward to it with trepidation.
Having prepared herself for Bai Yan's potential rejection, Mu Xing wasn't particularly disappointed. She nodded and said, "Alright, there's plenty of time. I'm willing to wait."
She glanced at her watch and said, "I already asked the waiter to call and arrange for a car to pick me up. We should be arriving soon. Let's go."
After thinking for a moment, Bai Yan asked, "Miss, aren't you going to ask her about her background? What if it causes trouble..."
Mu Xing deliberately said, "I dare not ask, for fear of stirring up someone's jealousy again."
Bai Yan pinched her, then couldn't help but laugh herself: "We're being serious!"
"It's alright." Mu Xing then smiled and said, "If she wanted to talk, she already did. If she didn't want to talk, asking would be pointless. As for causing trouble, I'm not afraid."
Bai Yan wanted to say something more, but after thinking about it, she gave up.
Given the Mu family's capabilities, they surely wouldn't be afraid of trouble, so why worry unnecessarily?
After hugging and talking for a while, Mu Xing belatedly said, "Hmm? Why does it smell weird?"
"That's enough," Bai Yan said, frowning as she spoke. "It really does smell... Ah! You still have blood on you!"
Only then did she remember that she had been covered in blood. Although she had hurriedly changed into clean clothes before entering the operating room, there was still a lingering smell. Mu Xing quickly let go and stepped back a few paces, frowning as she said, "Hey, you've gotten your cheongsam dirty out of nowhere."
Smiling, Bai Yan came up and took her arm, saying, "Alright, let's go back quickly."
After leaving the office, Mu Xing first thanked Dr. Zhang, who was on duty, and then went to the tea room to give a few instructions regarding the woman. He said to pretend the woman had never been there, just make a note in her personal account, and not to write anything else, and to put all expenses on her account as well.
Just then, a light flashed outside the door, and Fu Guang, carrying a lamp, jogged in: "Miss!"
She ran all the way to the inner room and only then did she see Bai Yan standing to the side. Her expression immediately changed. She only knew that her young mistress was hiding her identity from this young lady, and she was unaware of the changes that had taken place over the past month. Fearing that she had let something slip, she quickly changed her tone: "...Young Master...?"
Mu Xing chuckled and patted her lightly: "Are you still half asleep? What young master?"
Seeing the expressions on their faces, Fu Guang's eyes flickered, and he returned to normal, saying, "Miss, the carriage is outside. Shall we go? Madam is worried."
Mu Xing nodded: "Let's go. Oh, and tell Uncle Song that we'll take Miss Bai home on our way. Just drop her off at Huai'an Road."
It's not even on the way!
Silently thinking to herself, Fu Guang could only pretend to be used to it and go out to talk to Uncle Song first.
Judging from the maidservant just now, the Mu family wouldn't know about Mu Xing's affairs outside. After getting into the carriage, Bai Yan deliberately sat far away from Mu Xing, feeling somewhat guilty and not wanting anyone to notice anything amiss.
The dim yellow lights shone faintly in the carriage. In the hazy light, a hand suddenly and quietly crept up onto Bai Yan's hand, which was placed at her side.
Bai Yan was startled at first, then turned to look at Mu Xing, only to see Mu Xing staring straight ahead, sitting upright and proper.
Amused, she slightly bent her palm, freeing it from Mu Xing's grasp, and flicked it as she tried to pull her hand back. Unexpectedly, Mu Xing reacted quickly, grabbing her hand, pressing it against the leather pad, and scratching his palm.
Bai Yan was ticklish and almost laughed out loud, but dared not make a sound. Their hands continued their quiet, back-and-forth play. Gradually, they quieted down, their fingers intertwined, and they didn't let go.
Upon arriving at Huai'an Road, Mu Xing intended to walk Bai Yan to Yuhua Academy, but Bai Yan stopped her: "Go back quickly. Didn't you hear the maid say that Madam Mu is waiting for you? I'll take a rickshaw back. Don't worry, it's still lively over there."
Seeing her insistence, Mu Xing had no choice but to agree. Since Fu Guang and Uncle Song were still watching from inside the car, she couldn't say much. She could only reach out and squeeze Bai Yan's hand, whispering, "Goodnight."
Bai Yan also said, "Good night." After a pause, she whispered, "Good night, Ah Xuan."