The sky over the rivers and lakes is very clear - Chapter 75
Where did Hua Hua go?
have no idea!
Zhu Huihui asked herself a few questions, but became even more confused.
She rubbed her eyes and touched her head: "Hey, um, excuse me...where is this?"
The man remained facing the calm water. Without turning around, he slowly said, "You've suffered severe internal injuries. You'd better lie there quietly and not move around!"
His voice was deep and resonant, suggesting he was not young, yet it was full of energy. His words were filled with gentle comfort, and this unintentional warmth, like the color of maple leaves in snow, inexplicably warmed Zhu Huihui's heart. After leaving "Shuixing," the grievances that had been festering inside her suddenly surged forth, becoming impossible to suppress. Her eyes involuntarily reddened, her nose tingled, and she pouted. After holding back for a long time, she finally leaned on the boat and let the tears fall in a torrent.
The man didn't hear a reply, turned around, and saw her sobbing. He paused slightly, then gently comforted her, "Little girl, don't cry! Your injury will heal quickly with proper care. Don't worry!"
This man was about forty years old, with a slight mustache and a handsome, refined appearance. He was like a rich Persian wine in a luminous cup, having traveled thousands of miles and through centuries, accumulating the patina of time and the hardships of the Silk Road, yet increasingly exuding a composed and mellow fragrance...
His smile, as delicate as a mountain peak bathed in the glow of the sunset, made Zhu Huihui pause for a moment, but those kind eyes made her shed even more tears.
"Does the injury hurt a lot?" The man's voice became even gentler.
Zhu Huihui shook her head, then nodded. The injury didn't hurt too much, but not knowing what had happened made her feel very uncomfortable, depressed, and irritable, and she couldn't stop the tears from flowing.
The man looked at her helplessly, and after a long while, shook his head: "Ningmei, come and take a look at this child!"
Zhu Huihui felt a gentle breeze and tilted her head to look; there was now another person beside her.
She lay prone on the ground, laboriously raising her neck to look upwards, bit by bit. Slender, delicate feet, snow-white stockings, moon-white shoes, and above that, a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), like pale blue-and-white flowers on snow-white porcelain…
The moment Zhu Huihui saw the lady's face clearly, she felt her eyes were blurry.
She wasn't actually a particularly dazzling woman, but she was as pure and beautiful as the clear, shallow spring water of the Jade Pool, as radiant as the falling blossoms during the Buddha's sermon, as serene as a Bodhisattva standing amidst dappled lamplight and swirling incense smoke, and as tranquil as the deep, serene melody of a pipa played at the head of the Xunyang River...
This lady looks so familiar; I feel like I've seen her somewhere before...
She looks like the Guanyin Bodhisattva in the temple! Not in appearance, but in the compassionate love in her eyes, the kind of heart that is vast, far-reaching, and boundless, capable of encompassing everyone in the world...
Zhu Huihui lay there on the deck, somewhat frightened, staring blankly up at her. Tears streamed down her face as she secretly reached out her small hand and timidly touched the lady's hem. For some reason, she felt an inexplicable closeness to this kind lady.
The lady bent down slightly, touched her hair, and said in a sweet and gentle voice, "Child, is your chest uncomfortable?"
"It's alright, it's alright!"
She braced herself against the deck, trying to sit up, but suddenly felt a tightness in her chest, unable to breathe, her face turning bright red, and then she coughed violently.
The lady gently stroked her back, her brows furrowing slightly. "Your entire body's meridians are damaged, especially the Lung Meridian, Heart Meridian, and Pericardium Meridian. The Lung Meridian's Zhongfu, Yunmen, Tianfu, Xiabai, Chize, Kongzui, Lieque, Jingqu, Taiyuan, Yuji, and Shaoshang acupoints, the Heart Meridian's Quan, Qingyun, Shaohai, Lingdao, Jinli, Yinsha, Shenmen, Shaofu, and Shaowei acupoints, and the Pericardium Meridian's Tianchi, Tianquan, Quze, Ximen, Jianshi, Neiguan, Daling, Laogong, and Zhongwei acupoints have all been injured. You need to recuperate properly; any reckless movement will be detrimental to your health!"
Zhu Huihui's eyes widened at the string of acupoint names. Good heavens! Really? With such severe injuries, is there any uninjured part of his body? How can he still be alive? It's truly a strange thing…
The lady asked gently, "Child, who hurt you?"
Zhu Huihui frowned: "I don't know either! Last night, I heard two people playing the piano and flute, and then I fell asleep. When I woke up this morning, I was here."
Although she didn't study martial arts, she could vaguely understand that she had probably encountered Brother Liu Yue and the black-robed hero fighting with the legendary internal force—but she just couldn't understand how she could be so tattered when she opened her eyes after being so far away, listening to the music and falling asleep. In the past, when she went to watch plays on the street, she would often fall asleep and nothing would happen to her!
"Yesterday?" The lady gently shook her head. "No, not yesterday! You've been unconscious for seven days!"
Zhu Huihui was shocked: "What? Seven days! How... how could this be!"
The lady nodded, and Zhu Huihui panicked: "Um, where...where did my Huahua go?"
The lady was taken aback: "Hua Hua?"
"It's...it's that big pig that was with me!" Zhu Huihui almost burst into tears. Listening to that awful tune, she was already so badly injured; Hua Hua must be dead by now! Seven days! Even its corpse would probably be decomposed by then!
The lady patted her head and smiled gently: "Huahua is doing well. She'll be fostered in a nearby place."
Zhu Huihui looked at her with gratitude, let out a soft sigh of relief, and finally felt at ease.
Those bright, black crystal eyes stirred a tenderness in the lady's heart, and she gently asked, "Child, what is your name?"
"My name is Zhu Huihui!"
"My child, before this, have you been sick or injured?"
"Yes!" Zhu Huihui patted her left leg. "Not long ago, the bone in this leg cracked!" Her leg was neatly wrapped in new bandages, and it didn't hurt at all anymore!
"Madam, did you help me with the return?" Zhu Huihui asked gratefully.
The lady nodded and smiled: "I'm asking if you had any other injuries or illnesses before your leg injury, or when you were young?"
Zhu Huihui shook her head: "I don't remember. Madam, is there a problem?"
The lady said, "Although your internal injuries are severe, they will recover with proper medicine and care over time. However, after taking your pulse, I discovered that you seem to have other hidden injuries..."
Zhu Huihui was a little confused: "I have other injuries? Are they serious? I don't feel anything at all!"
The lady frowned slightly, her gaze towards Zhu Huihui filled with pity and sorrow. After a long while, she replied, "Child, don't be afraid. No matter what the injury is, we can find a way."
This child's body is different from ordinary people; her blood and qi are abnormal, and a powerful force lies dormant within her. However, even she herself has never been able to determine whether this abnormality will ultimately be good or bad for her.
Zhu Huihui had always been very healthy since childhood, and rarely even caught a cold. Therefore, she didn't take any "hidden injuries or ailments" to heart. However, the lady's gaze warmed her heart, and she wanted to say a few words of thanks. But she usually only knew how to curse or flatter, and didn't know how to express her sincere gratitude.
His gaze shifted and he noticed his large bag in the corner of the deck. He immediately remembered something and struggled to grab the bag.
The gentleman had been standing beside the lady with a smile on his face since she arrived, without saying a word. Seeing this, he took the bag and placed it next to her.
Zhu Huihui immediately opened her bag and rummaged through a pile of gold plates, silver plates, jade cups, and glass goblets.
The lady and gentleman were marveling at a black plaque and a short dagger with a vermilion sheath mixed among the gold and silver artifacts when Zhu Huihui picked out a translucent red jade bottle from the pile of miscellaneous items. The two exchanged a glance, their expressions showing some surprise.