The sky over the rivers and lakes is very clear - Chapter 233
She paused for a moment before carefully getting up. Hmm! It seemed her injury was much better, although she was still a little dizzy and her legs felt like they were walking on cotton. But she guessed it was because she had slept too much…
She leaned against the side of the boat, looked around, and found that the boat was moored on a wide, calm stretch of water, with no one around. Even the lady was nowhere to be seen.
Zhu Huihui slowly moved to the bow of the boat: "That... Uncle... Uncle..."
Although I was sincere, I still wasn't used to this title. I don't know why, but when I'm in the streets and acting tough, calling someone "grandpa" or "grandson" comes out as easily as if it were nothing, but the word "uncle" seems to weigh a ton.
The man turned his head and smiled slightly, "How are you feeling?"
"Much better... much better!"
Zhu Huihui bent her arms vigorously to show that she was already very strong.
The gentleman looked her up and down a few times, smiled and nodded, then his gaze returned to the seven-star fishing float made from the root of a peacock feather.
"Husband...where is your wife?" Zhu Huihui missed his beautiful and loving wife very much.
"The lady is in Qiluo Village, treating an old man. She will be back in a little while."
Just as Zhu Huihui was about to speak, her stomach suddenly rumbled. Feeling embarrassed in front of this kind and gentle gentleman, even with her thick skin, she quickly pressed her uncooperative stomach and blurted out a "brilliant explanation": "I'm not hungry, I'm just... my stomach is a little empty..." After saying that, she wanted to slap herself!
The man laughed: "No wonder... your stomach is empty. You've been unconscious for over half a month, only able to stay awake by drinking medicine. You haven't eaten anything for a long time!"
Zhu Huihui counted the days on her fingers, then wiped her sweat! It turned out she'd slept for another seven or eight days! She pinched her cheeks, arms, and waist, and indeed felt much thinner. She couldn't help but sigh, "How many steamed buns will I have to eat to make up for it!"
The man couldn't help but smile again. His own daughter was about the same age as her, and although she was very weak, she was afraid of gaining weight and refused to eat properly, which was quite worrying! Sigh, if only she were half as "robust" as this child—if an ordinary person had suffered such a serious injury, taken such strong medicine indiscriminately, and had a strange hidden ailment, even with the wife's skillful treatment and the man's own internal energy to guide the meridians and enhance the medicinal effects, they might not have recovered so quickly.
He was quite fond of the rough-around-the-edges child, patted the deck beside him, and gestured for her to sit down: "However, your body has not fully recovered yet, and your spleen and stomach are still relatively weak. Whether you can eat or not, we will have to wait until Madam returns to ask."
Zhu Huihui, with a pained expression, sat beside him, her eyes wide, helping him keep an eye on the fishing floats on the water. Suddenly, seeing the floats sink, she immediately shouted, "A fish!"
The gentleman had already cast his line, which traced a graceful arc in the air, and a silver fish struggled and leaped on the other end of the line.
Zhu Huihui beamed: "What a big fish! It's best made into a quick marinated dish!"
She reached out and helped remove the fish from the water. Just as she was about to throw it into the wooden bucket next to her, the man took the fish from her, shook his head at her, and threw it back into the water.
Looking at the empty wooden bucket and then at the man, Zhu Huihui was stunned for a long time. She couldn't help but shake her head, feeling very sorry for him. He caught fish and released them, then caught them again. It turned out that this uncle, who seemed so normal, was mentally ill.
Since she had nothing better to do, she decided to play along with this uncle! She pulled on the fishing line, picked up a bait from the small dish, carefully hooked it, and then the gentleman cast the line into the water...
When the lady returned, she saw from afar that the girl named Zhu Huihui was squatting beside her husband, her eyes fixed intently on the fishing float. As soon as the husband pulled the fish up, she would frantically try to remove it, then throw it back into the water before happily baiting the hook again. Despite being a lively and active child, she seemed anything but bored performing these repetitive actions!
There was no dialogue, yet the scene was harmonious, warm, and touching. The lady gazed at the crimson-gray figure, and for some reason, a very strange feeling arose in her heart.
Zhu Huihui suddenly turned around and saw the lady standing on the rocks on the shore. She immediately smiled brightly, stood up and waved to her: "Madam, you're back!"
The lady suppressed the flutter in her heart, gently lifted her skirt, and floated ashore.
Zhu Huihui stepped forward and asked impatiently, "Madam, may I eat something?" She was so hungry that her eyes had turned blue. She wanted to hug the fresh fish she had caught earlier and eat it raw, but her master said that she had to ask Madam first, so she had to endure it.
The lady checked her pulse, looked at her eyes, and then smiled and nodded: "Although your body has not fully recovered, you are fine now!"
Zhu Huihui cheered, pinching her cheeks and grinning, "I want to eat roast chicken, braised pork, and lots of steamed buns..."
As the lady watched her playful and carefree demeanor, the complex feelings she had felt earlier intensified. Suddenly, she remembered someone and was startled. Her heart, which had been as calm as autumn water, was suddenly churning!
Looking closely at Zhu Huihui's face, it was a very pretty face—no! It didn't look like that person at all! But why did seeing her remind him of that person? Was it because of her bright and radiant smile, or her mischievous eyes?
She felt a strong sense of unease.
"Grey, give this prescription to the daughter-in-law of the Li family at the east end of Qingfengya, and tell her to get the medicine according to the prescription; this packet is for treating typhoid fever, give it to Aunt Zhou, and tell her to decoct it for her grandson; this packet of wind-dispelling medicine is for Miss Zhao of Qingfengya; this packet is for treating severe illness, it needs to be soaked in yellow wine, and then the affected area is washed with the wine, it's for Uncle Wang..."
The lady carefully packed the medicines into different categories, wrote down the usage and dosage on each package, and then neatly arranged them in a small basket.
Zhu Huihui sincerely praised the delicate calligraphy, saying, "Madam, your handwriting is so beautiful!" However, she couldn't recognize many characters no matter how she looked at it. Fortunately, her memory was excellent; she remembered the order of the medicine packets and wasn't worried about delivering them to the wrong place.
The lady smiled and hung the basket on her arm: "Go quickly and come back quickly, don't stay long!"
"Okay!" Zhu Huihui, carrying a basket, jumped ashore and walked towards Qingfengya.
The lady watched her leisurely figure as she walked away, smiled, and then sighed softly.
"Ningmei!" The man gently placed his hand on her shoulder.
“This child—” the lady looked at him, hesitating to speak.
"Um?"
"Does she remind you of anyone?" The lady's eyes reddened slightly.
The man tightened his grip on his wife's shoulder, remained silent for a moment, and then shook his head vigorously: "Yes! But—she's not that person, that person is dead!"
"Yes, that person is dead!" The lady's frail body trembled slightly as she grasped her husband's hand, tears streaming down her face.
The man held his wife in his arms, gently wiping away her tears with his sleeve, his movements tender and caring. Then, he let out a long sigh.
That person is indeed dead!
Fifteen years ago, that woman, whose appearance was as ethereal and beautiful as the Udumbara flower after rain, but whose actions were vicious and ruthless, was severely injured after a fierce battle and fell into the waters of Giant Whale Island in the East China Sea. She was devoured by sharks and her body was never found!
I vaguely recall the three-month-old baby who was abducted by that man—her fair skin, delicate features, and adorable little face. All the most beautiful pearls and jewels in the world piled together couldn't compare to the lovely smile on her tiny cheek…
He vaguely recalled how his wife and he had risked everything, with the help of their fellow martial arts practitioners, to save that inhuman child. The child's tendons and bones had been shattered inch by inch by internal force, and he had been fed nearly a hundred kinds of strange and potent poisons. Although he was already on the verge of death, he was still clinging to life...
Yu Xiaoyao, no matter how much my husband and I have wronged you, why are you so cruel to do such a terrible thing to our poor child!