Gu Xingchen closed her eyes, expecting to be beaten black and blue, but the pain she imagined didn't happen.
He opened his eyes and saw that Wen Hongye had appeared beside him at some point, blocking the man's fist for him.
Wen Hongye gripped the man's wrist and said expressionlessly, "Want to see who's more outrageous? I can give it a try."
As he spoke, he raised his other hand and slapped the man, sending him flying and crashing into the fence.
Seeing this, the others also swung their fists and rushed towards Wen Hongye, only to be knocked down one by one by Wen Hongye.
Then he took out his money pouch and threw it in front of them: "There are exactly fifty taels in this money pouch. Take this loose silver and get out of here right now. If you dare to cause him any more trouble, I'll bury you in the ground and make you into human-shaped fences!"
Chapter 367 You're So Foolish
Those people dared not linger any longer, scrambling to their feet, not forgetting to pick up the money bags from the ground, and then fleeing for their lives.
Only after those people left did Wen Hongye finally start coughing.
Gu Xingchen quickly went over to support him: "Hongye, are you alright? Go back and lie down."
Wen Hongye didn't move, but looked at him: "These people don't look like good people at all. Why do you owe them money? Could it be... that you're a gambler and owe them gambling debts?"
"No, no, no." Gu Xingchen quickly shook his head. "I... I was desperate, so I went to them to borrow money. A month ago, I went up the mountain to collect herbs and met someone else who was also collecting herbs. He fell and died. I was the one who found his family and brought him back. But his family insisted that I killed him and made me pay them money."
Upon hearing this, Wen Hongye frowned slightly: "So you're going to pay the compensation?"
"Well, I've walked on the same spot he stepped on. I felt it was a bit loose, but before I could warn him, he slipped and fell. I bear some responsibility in the end. If I had warned him sooner, maybe he wouldn't have died," Gu Xingchen sighed softly.
"You're so stupid." Wen Hongye only replied with three words after hearing this.
Gu Xingchen smiled and said, "It's not that I'm stupid. I just want peace of mind. Money is just an external thing. If I lose money, I can work hard to earn it back. But if I don't get this money, not only will his family keep bothering me, but I will also feel uneasy."
"Yes, you feel at ease now that you've given me the money, but if I hadn't been here today, you probably would have been beaten to death by these debt collectors." Wen Hongye never expected that there were such foolish people in the world.
Thinking of this, he gave a bitter laugh. He was a complete fool, yet he had the nerve to laugh at others for being fools.
"So, good people are rewarded. If I hadn't saved you, you wouldn't be here to save me now. I'll try my best to go up the mountain to collect more herbs and exchange them for silver to pay you back. But... it might not be so quick. You won't double it, will you? Of course, if you want to double it, there's nothing I can do. In that case, I can only spend my whole life slowly paying you back."
Seeing Gu Xingchen's silly grin, Wen Hongye was also infected and laughed along. He hadn't originally planned for Gu Xingchen to pay it back, but for some reason, the words on his lips changed: "Fine, if you don't pay it back in one month, it will double to one hundred taels; if you don't pay it back in two months, it will double to two hundred taels; if you still can't pay it back, you can spend your whole life paying it back slowly."
Gu Xingchen choked for a moment, but then burst into laughter. His hearty laughter made Wen Hongye unable to help but laugh along with him.
This was the first time Wen Hongye had laughed so heartily; she never knew that laughing heartily felt so good.
Gu Xingchen looked at Wen Hongye, who was laughing loudly, and suddenly stopped, then said, "Hongye looks very beautiful in this bright red dress, and even more beautiful when she smiles."
Wen Hongye paused slightly, then suppressed her smile.
Gu Xingchen said, "I... I didn't mean anything by it. I just wanted to tell you that you look beautiful when you smile. You should smile more. Life is so short. Whether you cry or laugh, you'll still live your life. Why not live it with a smile? Even if you're deeply hurt, will crying make the pain disappear? So, live with a smile. As for the pain, let time heal it."
"Thank you..." Wen Hongye gazed into Gu Xingchen's bright eyes, which were as clear as stars. "When my injuries are a little better in a couple of days, can you take me up the mountain to gather herbs?"
"Huh?" Gu Xingchen was surprised that he would suddenly make this request.
Seeing Gu Xingchen's reaction, Wen Hongye couldn't help but laugh at himself. Why should someone else take him along? And why should he ask someone else to take him along?
He then looked away, not daring to look at Gu Xingchen again: "It's nothing, I was just saying it casually, if you didn't hear me, that's fine."
As he spoke, he withdrew his hand and turned to go back to his room.
Gu Xingchen was taken aback for a moment, then reached out and grabbed him: "Two days is not enough to heal your injury. It will take at least half a month. After half a month, I will take you up the mountain to gather herbs, okay?"
Chapter 368 A good-looking person looks good in anything.
Under Gu Xingchen's meticulous care, Wen Hongye's health improved day by day, and her previous injuries had healed completely.
That day, he came back from outside and looked at Wen Hongye, who was sitting on the bed as if she was thinking about something, and said, "Hongye, look what I bought for you?"
Wen Hongye looked at him and noticed that Gu Xingchen was holding a set of red clothes. He was taken aback and asked, "This is..."
"I...I made you a new set of clothes. You can't keep wearing the same one you're wearing, can you? But I don't have much money, so the material I chose isn't as good as the one you're wearing. I hope you won't mind."
As she spoke, Gu Xingchen placed the new clothes in her hands next to Wen Hongye.
Wen Hongye reached out and touched the new clothes beside her, but did not say anything.
Gu Xingchen stood to the side watching him. He felt a little uneasy, afraid that Wen Hongye wouldn't like it or would find the fabric too poor.
After all, the red clothes Wen Hongye was wearing were clearly made of high-quality brocade.
Moreover, judging from Wen Hongye's elegant demeanor and his fair and delicate hands, he was clearly not an ordinary person, but rather the young master of some wealthy family.
But Wen Hongye said he had no family or friends, perhaps because his family had fallen on hard times.
Even though his family had fallen on hard times, he was still born into wealth, so the new clothes he made for him, though new, were really ordinary, because he was afraid Wen Hongye wouldn't like them.
Seeing that Wen Hongye hadn't spoken for a while, Gu Xingchen reached out to take back the clothes: "If you don't like them, that's fine. I'll take them back now. It's okay."
Before he could even touch the new clothes, Wen Hongye hugged them to his arms. He smiled at Gu Xingchen and said, "Since you said it was a gift for me, how could I take it back? I really like these new clothes. I'll wear them for you now."
Gu Xingchen was stunned for a moment: "Huh? Okay, okay!"
Then Wen Hongye got out of bed and changed into new clothes. Although the fabric was cheap and ordinary, it looked just as good as brocade on her.
Gu Xingchen laughed and said, "Indeed, good-looking people look good in anything. Hongye has an excellent temperament. Even in coarse linen clothes, he still looks like a noble young man. Moreover, Hongye and red are a perfect match. I don't know if it is Hongye that makes the red even more vibrant, or the red that makes Hongye look even more fair and rosy. Unlike me, I get tanned every day when I go out to pick herbs in the mountains. Compared to Hongye, I look like charcoal."
"What's wrong with you today? You keep saying flattering things to me." Wen Hongye was a little embarrassed by his praise.
Gu Xingchen shook his head: "This is not flattery, it is my honest opinion. Hongye, don't underestimate yourself."
Wen Hongye paused for a moment, then replied, "But I'm not as good as you think, I..."
He didn't know how to continue.
Seeing his expression, Gu Xingchen said, "You seem to be in good spirits today, and your body has almost recovered. How about I take you up the mountain to gather herbs today?"
"Okay." Wen Hongye nodded.
Gu Xingchen handed him a small bamboo basket, saying, "I spent several days weaving this basket, just waiting for you to come with me to gather herbs in the mountains so you can carry it with you."
Wen Hongye took the newly woven bamboo basket and smiled slightly: "What a cute little bamboo basket, are you giving it to me?"
"Um."
"Even if I don't collect herbs anymore, I still want to carry it on my back."
“Sure, this little bamboo basket doesn’t necessarily have to be used to hold herbs. You can carry it around shopping and stuff it with all the good food,” Gu Xingchen said with a smile.
“Yes, I’m going to carry it to the street to buy candy, and stuff lots and lots of candy inside,” Wen Hongye replied.
These past three years have been too tough; he needs to eat lots and lots of sweets to make up for it.
After that, the two went out together to gather herbs in the mountains.
Gu Xingchen led Wen Hongye, explaining the names and properties of the herbs as they gathered.
Wen Hongye followed him attentively, listening to him speak.
While walking along a rugged, narrow path, Gu Xingchen slipped and fell. Fortunately, Wen Hongye reacted quickly, grabbed a vine nearby, and leaped to catch Gu Xingchen.
Just as Wen Hongye was about to lead Gu Xingchen up, she caught a glimpse of something very familiar growing in a crack in the rock.
Chapter 369 Can Our Relationship Be a Little Closer?
Using the strength of the vines, Wen Hongye carried Gu Xingchen back up.
Gu Xingchen was quite frightened, but still laughed and said, "If it weren't for Hongye, I'm afraid I would have slipped and fallen to my death."
“So, good people are rewarded,” Wen Hongye said with a smile.
"Okay, okay, let's not take this road anymore, it's too dangerous."
"Wait a minute, I still need to collect some samples."
"What?" Gu Xingchen had just asked when he saw Wen Hongye grab the vine again and jump down. He was startled. "Hongye!"
But a little while later, Wen Hongye came up again, holding a blade of grass in her hand.
"You scared me to death! You suddenly jumped down just to pick a blade of grass?" Gu Xingchen asked.
Wen Hongye glanced at the grass in her hand and said, "You don't recognize this?"
Gu Xingchen shook his head: "Although I am a herb gatherer, I don't recognize all herbs. From what Hongye said, is this something rare?"
"Yes, it's extremely rare." That was the only way Wen Hongye could describe it.
Actually, he didn't recognize it either, but he had seen it in Xiao Nian's study. At that time, there was a drawing on a piece of paper on Xiao Nian's desk, and the drawing on the paper was of the herb in front of him.
It seems to be called something like Baixucao (百续草).
Xiao Nian had been secretly keeping an eye on Feng Muting's movements, not only to make a move on Su Fuliu, but also to keep an eye on Feng Muting for Feng Muxiu.
He knew that Feng Muting had been having people search for this Hundred-Continuation Herb recently, seemingly to find it for Su Fuliu.
So he sent people to look for it, hoping to find it before Feng Muting could, and then deliver it to Su Fuliu.
If it were for any other reason, Wen Hongye wouldn't remember it so vividly, but when he learned that Xiao Nian was looking for this to please Su Fuliu, he felt sad, so he had a deep impression of this Hundred-Continuation Herb.
"Really?" Gu Xingchen examined the Hundred-Continuation Grass carefully but didn't find anything special about it.
"Yes, this is called Baixucao. Take it to Prince Ting's mansion and give it to him. He will agree to whatever conditions you ask for, even tens of thousands of taels of gold, without batting an eye."
Gu Xingchen's eyes widened: "This...this Hundred-Continuation Grass is so precious? It can be worth tens of thousands of taels of gold?"
Wen Hongye shook her head: "I don't know exactly how precious this Hundred-Continuation Grass is, but I know it's definitely worth this much, no, it should be said that it's worth more. It just depends on how much you want. Prince Ting will agree to whatever amount you want."
Because, in Feng Muting's heart, Su Fuliu is priceless.
Therefore, these things that can be measured in real money are of no interest to Feng Muting.
Gu Xingchen was still somewhat surprised, but after thinking for a moment, he said, "You picked these, you can take them to Prince Ting to exchange for gold, I don't want them."
“Take it as I tell you to. Once you get the gold, you can live in a big house with high walls around it, and no one will dare to break in. You saved my life, and this is my way of repaying you,” Wen Hongye replied.
Gu Xingchen shook her head: "You just saved my life, so how should I repay you?"
"I don't need your repayment..."
“Then I don’t need your repayment. Aren’t we… friends? Or… are we…” Gu Xingchen paused, nervously swallowing.
Then he continued, "Or perhaps, could we... take it a step further?"
The time they spent together made Gu Xingchen want to spend more and more time with Wen Hongye and take care of him.