"Just cry if it hurts, child. Your laughter makes me uncomfortable." Uncle Xia looked at her with a pout, unable to bring himself to help her anymore.
“It’s alright. There was no one around at the time, so I wasn’t afraid of being bitten by a snake. Now that Uncle Xia is here, what am I afraid of?” Shen Mo raised her face and frowned at him. “If you don’t help me try, I’m afraid I’ll go astray.”
"What kind of snake could bite such a big wound?" Uncle Xia said, stretching out his hand.
Knowing that he was trying to distract himself, Shen Mo followed his recollection, "It had a triangular head, a slightly thick and short tail, and its whole body was covered with green spots."
She was prepared to scream in pain as she spoke, but after she finished speaking, there was still no movement from Uncle Xia. When she turned her head, she saw his surprised expression.
"You mean the spotted rat snake!" Uncle Xia stood up abruptly, then sat down again with a sneer. "You must be mistaken. You're perfectly fine now, how could you have been bitten by that venomous creature?"
"That snake was indeed poisonous, but a kind person has already given me the antidote. Hmm, it was someone about my age. He... Ah!" Little did anyone know that at this moment, Uncle Xia squeezed hard.
"Alright, alright, Amo didn't lie, he didn't lie, and his bones aren't crooked." Uncle Xia simply didn't believe it.
Originally, Shen Mo wanted to ask him this question, but seeing this, he had no choice but to ask, "Uncle Xia, are there any families with the surname He nearby?"
Uncle Xia pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "I've been here for three or four years and have never heard of the He family." He suddenly stood up and walked out. "I forgot to give the young master the bamboo pens he asked me to sharpen. I'll take them to him now."
"But isn't the young master... inside?"
"He just passed by here, and seemed to be in a hurry. I wonder where he was going?" Uncle Xia said and left, leaving Shen Mo shrugged and looked at his wrist with some helplessness.
No one thought much of it at the time, until Madam Rong realized something was wrong when she discovered that Rong Yue hadn't returned home very late that night. However, he brushed it off with the excuse, "Nothing's wrong, it's just that the place is quiet and the people are distracted."
The next day, Aunt Xia told Young Master Chen Mo that he wanted to eat mushrooms and asked her to pick some, so she went.
On the third day, Aunt Xia told Young Master Chen Mo that he wanted to eat bamboo shoots and asked her to pick some, which she did.
On the fourth day, Uncle Xia said that the wild fruits down the mountain were ripe and asked her to pick some for the young master to quench his thirst, so she went.
Thus, she would go out once a day and bring back some things, all of which were for Rong Yue. However, one day, she brought back a person, or more precisely, a person with a persistent high fever. When Shen Mo breathlessly carried He Shang back to the courtyard, she told Madam Rong that his name was He Shang and begged her to take him in.
Everyone watched in astonishment as Rong Yue skillfully placed his hand on He Shang's pulse. They were surprised that Rong Yue had learned medicine, while Shen Mo was surprised that Rong Yue was so kind and had put aside his social status. She looked at He Shang's clothes and confirmed that they were tattered.
Shen Mo was supporting He Shang as he faced Rong Yue, so it was easy for her to see the expression on his face. She hoped to see something, but there was only calmness, calmness from beginning to end. Maybe he frowned, but that was only for a moment, and Shen Mo couldn't be sure.
"It's just a slight fever." Rong Yue said, flicked his sleeves, and left.
Madam Rong was already used to his spontaneous nature, and waved her hand, saying, "It's rare for A-Mo to be so kind. Saving someone from danger is not a bad thing. I agree." Seemingly a little tired, she then returned to her room.
Just as Shen Mo was feeling relieved, Aunt Xia suddenly uttered a meaningful sentence, leaving her stunned on the spot.
“Ah Mo is not a child anymore, and He Shang is a man after all. The only empty room has been given to the young master. What are you going to do with him?”
Chapter Fourteen: Poisons
Looking at He Shang's flushed face, Shen Mo finally sighed and said, "Aunt Xia, it's actually okay for me to share a bed with He Shang."
Then she took He Shang to her room, opened the doors and windows wide, and spent the whole night preparing medicine and applying cold compresses to He Shang, only stopping when she saw signs of improvement in the early morning.
"ah!"
Shen Mo was startled awake. He opened his eyes, rubbed his still sore eyes, and looked helplessly at He Shang, who had just screamed. He said, "Although his voice is a little hoarse, he has recovered a lot of strength."
"You... how did you end up in my bed?" He Shang's attention was elsewhere.
Shen Mo skillfully dressed and tidied herself up, then glanced at He Shang sideways, saying, "Look carefully, this is my room."
He Shang seemed to realize what was happening, but after a moment he screamed again: "You forced yourself on me!"
"How old are you this year?" Shen Mo was completely unaffected.
"Hmph, now you realize you're too young and not suitable, huh? Let me tell you, I'm only fifteen. If you're really in a hurry, you should at least..."
"I'm fourteen this year. Should I call you Miss He Shang or Sister He Shang?" Shen Mo suddenly leaned closer, waiting for He Shang's answer with great interest.
Unexpectedly, her front was suddenly pulled forward, and she lost her balance and fell onto the bed. Then, He Shang's arm grabbed her neck, and Shen Mo coughed, "Good sister, is this how you treat your savior?"
"Hmph, I, He Shang, rely entirely on this man's attire to roam the martial world, yet today a little girl like you has seen through me. Tell me, do you want me to do it myself, or do you want me to commit suicide to atone for my sins?"
Shen Mo reached out to her side, exerted force, and broke free in a few moments. Looking at He Shang, who was sitting on the couch panting, he shook his head and asked, "So sick, yet you still have the strength to do things yourself?"
"Knock knock!" Aunt Xia knocked on the door a few times and came in, carrying some porridge. She smiled when she saw the scene, "I've never seen Amo play like this in all the years I've been here. Now the young lady has company."
Seeing He Shang staring at him with wide eyes after hearing this, he had no choice but to say, "If I don't tell Aunt Xia that you are a girl, I will have difficulty settling you down."
"Don't worry, my husband and I won't tell anyone. You can play however you want. Look how pale your face is, go wash up. I've made some light porridge." Aunt Xia and Uncle Xia had no children of their own, so they always felt extra affection for children, and this time they were no different with He Shang.
At the dinner table, He Shang diligently devoured everything edible on the table. Shen Mo thought she must have been starving for several days. Aunt Xia smiled and served her food, saying, "Being able to eat is a good omen." She also asked about her family situation from time to time. However, He Shang seemed not to hear her and remained silent.
"He Shang, Aunt Xia is asking you a question," Shen Mo tried to remind her.
"Not familiar with her." He Shang only said these two words, which made Aunt Xia blush and turn pale, but fortunately she didn't mind too much.
Watching Aunt Xia leave, Shen Mo lowered his brows slightly. "He Shang, you should know that none of us have an obligation to help you."
He Shang lay lazily on the bed, "I don't need your pity."
I have no pity for you.
"Then why did you save me?"
"Because you once saved me."
"I took your food basket, so we're even."
Shen Mo suddenly turned her around and said firmly, "Because I was once... all alone."
He Shang was stunned for a moment, then his relaxed expression turned into a tense one. He pushed her away and said, "Who are you? How dare you curse me! Let me tell you, I have a family, relatives, and I love my relatives very much."
Shen Mo bit his lip and looked up, meeting her slightly angry eyes. "Where is he?"
"Are we that close? It's none of your business!" He Shang angrily covered himself with the blanket, cutting off all of Shen Mo's thoughts.
He Shang didn't leave until she was fully recovered. The reason she stayed under Shen Mo's thumb for so many days was because she made a promise that she thought was not worth it. She said, "I, He Shang, don't get involved with strangers. Consider this a debt I owe you, Shen Mo."
Now that she was indebted to someone, He Shang certainly couldn't just let it go so easily. Shen Mo was filled with anxiety and unease because of this debt, as evidenced by the fact that she hadn't paid any attention to Madam Rong and Rong Yue during the days she was feverish and weak.
I remember the first time I approached Madam Rong's room, I covered my nose and shouted, "This sandalwood scent is so strong, doesn't it make you feel uncomfortable?" The first time I saw Rong Yue, I pulled Shen Mo aside and asked, "Is this your young master? He's not bad looking, but not as good-looking as me." Originally, Rong Yue's strange behavior that night made Shen Mo suspect that there was some connection between him and He Shang, but after hearing this, all of that was gone.
Before leaving, Shen Mo offered her clothes, but she refused. Aunt Xia offered her pastries, but she refused those as well, stubbornly insisting on maintaining her image and saving face.
She was still wearing that worn-out long robe. At this moment, Shen Mo looked at her slightly arrogant back and wondered how her image and face were reflected in breaking into people's homes and stealing food. He Shang suddenly turned around, frowned and said helplessly, "I know I owe you something, but you don't have to start chasing me to pay it back now, do you?"
Shen Mo ignored her ramblings and said calmly, "There are many forks in the road here. Aunt Xia asked me to see you off." After saying that, he continued walking forward, ignoring her impatience.
There's a poisonous spider behind you!
Shen Mo turned to the side, but the first thing he looked at was not behind him, but He Shang, whose face clearly showed three words: disbelief.
But the next second, He Shang pushed her hard and sent her flying far away. Before Shen Mo could react, a dizzying rush of light hit her. When she could see clearly again, she was shocked to realize what had happened. Even Shen Mo, who was usually calm and collected, was stunned by the scene before her.
The once peaceful and quiet grassy path was now suddenly swarming with snakes and spiders, appearing out of nowhere. They gathered in the spot where Shen Mo had just been standing, the spot where He Shang was now standing. Shen Mo, supporting her aching back, stood up, listening to He Shang repeatedly yelling at her to "Run!" But watching He Shang struggle to dodge the attacks, Shen Mo felt as if her feet were rooted to the spot, unable to move at all.
He Shang finally used her last bit of strength to leap off the snake's head towards him. An angry tone immediately followed: "How can you be so slow-witted, girl!" As he grabbed her and ran, he didn't forget to give Chen Mo a heavy slap on the head.
After a long while, the two finally escaped to a relatively safe place. Shen Mo knew he was in the wrong, and panting, he wisely let her glare at him. According to her personality, she would definitely nag him a lot. However, just as Shen Mo was ready, she ran away.
"He Shang, where are you going?"
"Nonsense, with so many poisonous creatures, you think it's just a coincidence? There must be some bastard causing trouble. Today I will definitely..." But before he could finish speaking, he stumbled and fell to the ground.
Shen Mo rushed over, "What's wrong, He Shang?" After helping her up, she noticed that He Shang's cheeks were bruised and her lips were white, but she still glared at her, "Did I owe you something in my past life? Why do I always have bad luck when I meet you?" After saying that, she leaned softly against Shen Mo, her voice much softer, but she still couldn't hide her arrogance.
Shen Mo trembled as he removed her hands from her legs, and ignoring her resistance, he pulled up her trouser leg. As expected, two torn, purplish-blue wounds were clearly visible before her eyes. She slumped to the ground, moved her lips as if to say something, but in the end, she shouted, "Aren't you skilled in martial arts? Aren't you unafraid of poisonous snakes?"
Before He Shang fainted, he glared at her and said, "This snake is much more venomous than the spotted serpent. It's heartless."
No one expected that Shen Mo would drag He Shang back from the foot of the mountain in the same way again. Rong Yue was not there. Madam Rong shook her head and said she couldn't bear to watch. Aunt Xia felt sorry for He Shang and shed tears. Even Uncle Xia shook his head and said that there was no hope.
However, just as Shen Mo suppressed the turmoil in his heart and wanted to imitate He Shang's previous method of sucking out the drugs with his mouth, Rong Yue appeared. He pulled Shen Mo away and said in his usual calm tone, "It's useless."
Shen Mo stared intently at He Shang, feeling a second wave of rebellious impulse towards Rong Yue, and said firmly, "I want to give it a try."
Rong Yue tightened his grip, and Shen Mo, unable to escape, could only manage to squeeze out two words through gritted teeth: "No!"
If those two words had been spoken four years ago, Shen Mo would probably have been deeply moved. At that age, when she still relied on Rong Yue, she would have been stunned by his concern for her life, and would have overthinked over the slightest touch from him. But now, her mind was filled with the image of He Shang pushing her away from the snake attack. She only felt disgust towards Rong Yue's words. Perhaps even she herself could not have imagined that one day Shen Mo would disregard Rong Yue because of a stranger.
“Yes, Amo, don’t be stubborn. It’s extremely dangerous for the poison to dissolve into your saliva. Listen to the young master, you’re right.” Uncle Xia also sighed and advised her.
"Are we just going to watch He Shang die like this?" Shen Mo bit her lower lip, her voice ethereal and chilling.
"You're the one who's going to die..."
Silence.
"He Shang?" Shen Mo looked at He Shang, who was still lying on the couch with her eyes closed, and was not sure if it was her who had spoken just now.
"I'm exhausted, don't make a fuss, I won't die!" Although the voice had lost some strength, it was still as arrogant as ever.
No one knew He Shang's strength and resilience better than Shen Mo, so while others were still surprised, she was immediately relieved.
"I won't bother you." She subconsciously wanted to move closer, but found that Rong Yue was still holding her tightly. She turned around unintentionally and saw that Rong Yue's eyes were somewhat blank, or rather, he was staring blankly at He Shang. Shen Mo was quite puzzled. If she remembered correctly, this was Rong Yue's expression when he was deep in thought.
Rong Yue released Shen Mo just before he could speak, muttered "Incredible" in a low voice, and slowly left, leaving Uncle Xia and Aunt Xia looking completely incredulous.
He Shang began to get out of bed and walk around five days later, accompanied by Uncle Xia's look at him like he was a monster and Aunt Xia's courtesy towards the fairy child. However, when Shen Mo recalled why Rong Yue had stopped her that day, she could no longer find out, because Rong Yue had already returned to the Rong residence on the third day.
"Chen Mo, come here, I need to settle accounts with you." Although He Shang had difficulty walking, he was unwilling to stop for a moment.
Glancing at He Shang's current attire—a light green women's dress, a small sash around her waist, and a simple bun that accentuated her smooth, delicate skin—even Aunt Xia praised her as a beauty. Yet, He Shang herself seemed unusually awkward. Chen Mo, washing clothes, remained impassive and didn't even look up. "How do you calculate it?"
"You've made me look like this. Give me back my clothes first, then we'll settle the score."
Shen Mo held up the clothes in his hand and looked at her sideways: "Is this it?"
"You actually washed it!" He Shang suddenly became agitated. "So I'm supposed to wear this all day?"
"It'll stink if you don't wash it soon." Shen Mo shook his hand, then turned to look at her as if he remembered something. "I should remind you that it's been dark and damp these days, and it probably won't dry for three or four days." With that, he left, leaving He Shang glaring angrily.
However, He Shang did not wait three or four days. On the second day after washing her robe, when Shen Mo accompanied Madam Rong back from Qingyou Temple, they found that He Shang was nowhere to be seen.
"Don't be sad, Amo. He Shang's personality means he probably wanted to leave a long time ago." Aunt Xia noticed that she seemed a bit down.
“But her robe is still here.” Shen Mo looked at her with suspicion.
"All women love beauty. Perhaps she thought she looked beautiful in women's clothing and no longer wanted that tattered long gown."
"But her legs haven't fully recovered yet."
Aunt Xia shook her head, "Walking down the mountain shouldn't be a problem."
Shen Mo stared at the sliver of moonlight streaming in through the window, lying quietly on the couch, thinking about Aunt Xia's words. Her gaze inadvertently fell on the large empty space beside her. He Shang's sleeping posture was terrible; he always took up a large area. Shen Mo suddenly realized that after sleeping with He Shang for so long, she had developed the bad habit of occupying a small section of the couch without moving. She rolled over, finding it much more comfortable, and mimicked He Shang's starfish position, pouting, "I'm not used to this."