The dappled shadows falling on me, sometimes bright, sometimes dark, made me feel desolate.
Faintly hearing the sound of water, Zhuang Su was overjoyed. Forcing herself to stay awake despite her aching body, she swayed and dragged Qingchen along, following the direction. (The monk remarked: Qingchen is tall, and Su Su is short; this is inevitable…)
Not far ahead was a clear pool, and in the distance, the first thing one could see was a waterfall cascading down from the heavens, a thousand-foot-high silver river. Zhuang Su felt a dryness in his throat, so he put Qing Chen down by the pool, used his hands as a basin, and scooped some water to feed him. Qing Chen's chapped lips moistened slightly, holding a hint of water.
Zhuang Su's lips curled into a slight smile as he gulped down a mouthful of water by the pool, instantly feeling refreshed. Ripples spread gently across the water, carrying a slight coolness. Hearing a soft tinkling sound nearby, Zhuang Su looked up and noticed a small wooden dock not far from the pool. An old man, wearing a straw hat and raincoat, sat leisurely fishing on the dock. It was already winter, not the best time for fishing, but that tinkling sound had apparently caught a plump fish. Zhuang Su watched, feeling a sense of wonder.
Encountering a living person in the deep mountains and forests inevitably evokes a feeling of "meeting a kindred spirit in a foreign land."
"Grandpa," Zhuang Su greeted him as she approached, but the old man simply continued putting fish into his basket and ignored her. The moment she opened the lid, Zhuang Su saw the basket was full of fresh fish. While surprised by the man's skill in fishing, she wasn't annoyed and said gently, "Grandpa, do you live in the mountains? I'd like to... ask for directions." Before she could finish speaking, her stomach growled, and remembering that she hadn't eaten for almost a day, a slight blush crept onto her face.
The old man then looked up at her, showing neither surprise nor a shrewishness at her disheveled appearance: "Asking for directions? Would it be helpful to tell you how to get out?"
Zhuang Su was speechless when she saw him speak so coldly. She had nothing on her except a medicine pouch containing a few poisons; her voice was barely a whisper: "I...have no money."
"No money?" The old man narrowed his eyes, chuckled, and waved his hand, asking, "Then take this as your fare for asking for directions."
Zhuang Su's expression changed drastically when she saw the jade pendant in his hand. She hurriedly searched her entire body and, sure enough, found no jade pendant that Shen Jian had given her. She anxiously reached out to snatch it back, shouting, "Give it back to me!"
The old man stepped back a few paces to avoid Zhuang Su's hand and laughed, "What, if you can't get out, it's a matter of life and death, and you still care about such a broken piece of jade?"
"This belongs to someone else, and I promised to take good care of it!" Zhuang Su was furious and lunged forward to snatch it, but the old man moved his feet and dodged to the side.
Behind him was the emerald pool, and Zhuang Su, unable to stop herself, cried out and nearly fell into the water, but something caught on the back of her collar. She turned her head and saw the old man gently holding her collar with one finger, shaking his head with a sigh, saying, "Don't be so impatient at such a young age. Why can't you think things through? Money is just an external thing; it's not good to value it so much. You need to think carefully; this jade pendant is worth your life." He held up the jade pendant and waved it in front of Zhuang Su.
Zhuang Su steadied herself and, without a second thought, snatched the jade pendant away: "No need to think about it anymore. I promised, and I absolutely won't give it to you."
The old man's hand was suddenly empty. Instead of being angry, he smiled and looked Zhuang Su up and down, his gaze slowly landing on the medicine pouch at her waist. Zhuang Su noticed his expression and hurriedly stuffed the medicine pouch in her hand, her expression wary: "This won't do either." Without this, she couldn't help Qingchen treat the poison on her wound.
The old man's gaze swept past her body, then casually glanced at Qingchen lying on the beach not far away. A rare hint of surprise flashed in his eyes: "Girl, did you 'cure' this person's poison?"
Zhuang Su hadn't expected him to see through her so easily, and her face flushed crimson with embarrassment. She gritted her teeth and said, "So what if I am! If you won't give me directions, then don't! I'll find it myself." She turned to flee, but then heard the old man sigh softly, "Although we've temporarily overcome this crisis, if things continue like this, I'm afraid he won't survive in three days." Zhuang Su understood the implication and stopped, turning to look at the white-bearded old man, her eyes widening slightly. "Old man, can you save him?"
The old man stroked his long beard, picked up the fish basket, and turned to leave: "There is no disease in this world that I, Hua Tuo, cannot cure, but I have no interest in helping people."
Sai Huatuo? Zhuang Su was taken aback upon hearing his name. The legendary physician who had vanished from the martial arts world thirty years ago, whose surname was Sai and given name was Huatuo, also known as "Sai Huatuo," was rumored to possess extraordinary medical skills, capable of curing any ailment with his medicine. Zhuang Su had always held this man in high esteem, but hearing this seemingly mad old man claim to be the legendary physician who had disappeared without a trace was indeed hard to accept.
Zhuang Su was stunned for a moment before she came to her senses and hurriedly chased after him to stop him, saying, "Didn't you want a reward? As long as you save him, I will agree to anything you ask."
"What can you promise me?" Sai Huatuo glanced at her disdainfully out of the corner of his eye, scoffed, "No looks, no figure, no money, no power..." After saying that, he walked around Zhuang Su and continued on his way.
Zhuang Su felt cold all over, knowing she had encountered a difficult master, but there was no other way to help her here. Whether she could even leave in three days was still a question. Making a decision in her heart, Zhuang Su steeled her resolve, turned around, and laboriously helped Qing Chen up, hurriedly following behind Sai Huatuo.
Feeling a little weak, Zhuang Su experienced a slight dizziness. Qing Chen's entire weight pressed down on her; having never practiced martial arts, she struggled greatly, her steps faltering. The old man before her, however, moved with leisurely ease, seemingly oblivious to her hardship. Knowing the power of sincerity, Zhuang Su didn't complain and followed closely behind. Since Sai Huatuo didn't walk fast to begin with, she gritted her teeth and kept up, managing not to fall behind.
After passing through several groves, a mountain path gradually came into view. Following the path, a thatched hut could be vaguely seen perched on the hillside. Along the way, Zhuang Su saw all sorts of exotic flowers and rare herbs, all of which were top-grade medicinal and poison-making ingredients. Dazzled by the sight, he felt somewhat refreshed.
This location is situated in a steep valley, flanked by towering, majestic peaks.
Sai Huatuo carried the fat fish into the house and closed the door. Zhuang Su laboriously put Qingchen aside and felt that his breathing was becoming heavier and heavier. Worried, she knocked on the door and knocked loudly, but she could only hear knives being sharpened inside and no one came to open the door.
Zhuang Su felt both hungry and cold. Seeing Qing Chen's thin clothes, she carefully leaned over and hugged him, huddling against the doorway. Qing Chen's body was icy cold, and she shivered involuntarily when she hugged him, but gritted her teeth and tried to warm him. The wind howled mercilessly. Zhuang Su curled up there, her thoughts slightly hazy. The faint aroma of grilled fish wafted from the room, making her mouth water, and her stomach seemed to growl even louder.
The sky gradually darkened. The temperature seemed to drop even lower. Qingchen's body was frighteningly cold. Zhuang Su found some straw nearby to cover him, glanced at the tightly closed thatched hut, sniffed, and huddled next to Qingchen. She was actually somewhat aggrieved, feeling useless to herself and heartless towards Sai Huatuo, but her nose only stung a little, and she still didn't cry.
All around was darkness. In her drowsy state, Zhuang Su felt a growing warmth around her. Startled, she realized Qing Chen was no longer cold, but burning hot, yet different from the first time. His mask had already fallen off, and in the dim candlelight, Zhuang Su saw his long brows slightly furrowed, as if he were in discomfort. His lips were very dry, almost cracking, and cold sweat poured from his face.
Zhuang Su was startled, her heart aching at his appearance. She gently wiped away the profuse sweat from his brow, her mind in turmoil. "What's wrong, Father? Are you feeling unwell?" she asked repeatedly, flustered and unsure what to do. She felt Qingchen's breathing was labored, and he lay there limp. She grasped his hand, feeling as if he had grabbed a lifeline, and he held her tightly in return. She finally realized he was truly in pain; his grip was so tight, almost embedding himself into her body, yet he only furrowed his brow, without uttering a sound.
It turned out that the poison that had been dormant in his body had taken effect.
Zhuang Su felt an intense bitterness in her mouth. This wasn't the first time Qing Chen had experienced the effects of the long-standing poison within him; such pain might have become commonplace for him. However, this was the first time she had witnessed his suffering so closely, and her heart remained unsettled. In a daze, she even saw a bowl of medicinal soup placed not far away.
Could it be…? A hint of surprise flashed across Zhuang Su’s face. She subconsciously glanced back at the thatched hut, the door of which remained tightly shut. She bit her lip and used her other hand to bring over the medicine. She sniffed it, and a hint of joy finally appeared on her face: “Thank you…” She raised the corners of her lips slightly, took a big gulp of the medicine, turned around, and touched Qing Chen’s lips.
The cracked area was instantly moistened. Zhuang Su gently pried open his tightly closed lips with the tip of her tongue, slowly feeding him the medicine. The excessive discomfort made him unintentionally bite her lips. Zhuang Su tasted a slight blood in her mouth, and her brow furrowed slightly in pain. She turned away, took a mouthful of medicine, and then slowly fed it to him...
Chapter Sixteen: The Healer's Footprints in the Deep Mountains (Part Two)
The strange sensation churning within Qingchen's body seemed to subside slightly. After a long while, the rise and fall of her chest gradually calmed, and her breathing became smoother. Zhuang Su finally breathed a sigh of relief, settled into a comfortable position, and snuggled closer for warmth. She could only suppress the unease in her heart for the time being, hoping only to move Sai Huatuo.
Lost in thought, she gradually drifted off to sleep. When she woke up again, she didn't know what time it was. In her hazy state, Zhuang Su only saw what seemed to be a figure standing in front of her. As she gradually made out, she realized it was Sai Huatuo standing there with a fish basket on his back, and a few pieces of roasted corn lying on the ground. She pondered Sai Huatuo's expression and couldn't help but swallow hard as she looked at the corn.
"Take this and eat it. Come with me." Sai Huatuo scoffed and turned to leave.
Zhuang Su hurriedly covered the unconscious Qing Chen with straw, picked up some corn, and followed after him. Having not eaten for days, she was already dizzy with hunger. She wolfed down the corn before finally regaining some strength. Looking up again, she found herself back at the lake. This time, her vision was much clearer, and she felt the waterfall before her was majestic and awe-inspiring.
"Here, let's go fishing." Sai Huatuo tossed him a fishing rod, then lay down to the side, leisurely basking in the sun.
Zhuang Su remained silent, staring blankly at the tip of the fishing rod, before obediently picking it up. She sat cross-legged by the dock, mimicking Sai Huatuo's earlier actions. Time passed slowly, the wind was gentle, and all was quiet, yet nothing happened. Patience was gradually eroded, and Zhuang Su frowned slightly, only to hear Sai Huatuo murmur behind her, "Pay attention to your breathing, don't be impatient, blend yourself into the current, otherwise you won't fool those cunning fish."
Perhaps she should kill this man with a fishing rod. Zhuang Su gritted her teeth, but could only suppress her anxiety and try her best to do as he said.
"You shouldn't have too many distracting thoughts, as they will affect your breathing."
"Stillness is movement, and there is no boundary between stillness and movement. Making your mind calm does not mean making your body still."
"Don't focus on getting the fish to bite, or you'll become the bait. Remember, you are the bait."
...
A gentle reminder now and then, a subtle correction in her posture. Just as Zhuang Su was dozing off, she felt the fishing rod sink. Overjoyed, she hurriedly pulled the rod up, and sure enough, a plump, large fish was on the hook, wriggling and looking very tempting. "I caught one! I caught one!" Overjoyed, Zhuang Su unconsciously revealed the demeanor of a little girl.
Sai Huatuo slightly opened one eye and glanced at it, then scoffed, "It's just a fish, what's the big deal?"
"I caught this fish, it's mine. I'll just give you some bait later." Zhuang Su knew that what she needed to solve was always the problem of food and clothing, so she happily bargained.
"Oh?" Sai Huatuo was taken aback upon hearing this, then opened his eyes wide, scrutinizing her from head to toe with a thoughtful expression. Although her face was plain, the smile that appeared before her, combined with her bright eyes, gave her an indescribable charm. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he suddenly chuckled, "Girl, do you want me to save someone?"
Zhuang Su was overjoyed at having found food when she heard this and abruptly stopped. Luckily, she reacted quickly, otherwise the fat fish would have slipped back into the water. Seeing that Sai Huatuo's expression didn't seem joking, she blinked and asked, "You're willing to detoxify my... uh, Qingchen?"
"His name is Qingchen?" Sai Huatuo pondered for a moment, then clapped his hands lightly and said knowingly, "Judging from his physical condition, it does fit." He looked at Zhuang Su with a smile: "Saving him is possible, but there are three conditions."
Zhuang Su hurriedly asked, "Which three?"
Sai Huatuo's face, lightly veiled with silver hair, was full of shrewdness: "First, I will only treat the poison of 'Meng Po Red,' nothing else. Second, you cannot reveal my name; I don't want my peace and quiet disturbed in the future." He paused slightly, and seeing Zhuang Su nod in agreement, he continued leisurely: "Thirdly... I want you—to stay and keep this old body of mine company."
Zhuang Su was momentarily stunned. Accompanying him meant staying in the mountains and not being able to leave. But it was only a momentary hesitation, and she quickly came to terms with it. Since she had already considered that perhaps going to find Shen Jian would be a burden to him, and she knew that Qing Chen was such a great person that he didn't need her to worry about him, although she was worried about Liu Su, she also hoped that Qing Chen would handle things properly. Everything was beyond her control... It seemed that there was no need for her to get involved anymore.
Actually, she was afraid to confront Qingchen; it felt a bit cruel. She desperately didn't want all the kindness Qingchen had shown her over the years to be in vain; perhaps she genuinely loved this "father." Having left Shengxiao Valley, though she didn't say it, how could she truly deceive herself into believing she didn't care at all?
Perhaps leaving everything behind is for the best. Living a quiet life isn't so bad.
Zhuang Su looked at the exceptionally serene surroundings, her eyes seemingly misting over. Alone in nature, she appeared remarkably at peace. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew by, and her words became somewhat scattered: "Then I also have a request." She turned to Sai Huatuo and smiled slightly: "After Qingchen awakens, I will explain things to him."
That smile was surprisingly captivating. Sai Huatuo gazed intently again, but still saw only a plain, unadorned face, still with an unremarkable appearance. He was surprised by the certainty in Zhuang Su's voice, emphasizing, "Have you thought this through? Once you stay, you won't be allowed to leave my side."
"Yes. I've thought it through. You're so long-winded." Zhuang Su stuck out her tongue at him, then hopped back several meters away in the blink of an eye, calling out as she turned back, "Saving lives is urgent, old doctor, hurry up!"
Her anxious look made Hua Tuo smile. He shook his head, stood up, and walked back step by step.
Gazing at the seemingly carefree figure before him, Sai Huatuo was momentarily dazed. He wondered if anything could possibly shake this girl's resolve. He sensed something peculiar about her; she seemed somewhat slow-witted and lacked common sense, yet possessed a unique and admirable stubbornness. In short, she was very interesting.
Although he didn't know what her relationship was with Qingchen, or what her relationship was with Yiye Alliance, it seemed that none of this mattered to him.
Sai Huatuo felt a surge of joy. He had been living in seclusion in these deep mountains for nearly twenty years, during which time many people had strayed into the mountains, but he had always been indifferent to them. Those who came to him for help were usually frightened away upon hearing his request, so this little girl was the first one to agree so readily.
He smiled slightly and murmured softly, his voice so low that only he could hear it: "Girl... I won't keep you here for too long, at most five years."
The wind ruffled his long, white beard, but Hua Tuo remained unperturbed, his eyes always smiling with obvious pleasure. In truth, he should have considered taking on a last disciple…
Chapter Seventeen: Thinner Than a Yellow Flower (Part 1)
Sai Huatuo disliked having onlookers during his treatments, so Zhuang Su squatted on a haystack outside the door, taking a straw and drawing circles on it, her heart pounding with anxiety. After what seemed like an eternity, the door finally creaked open. She hurriedly looked out, and Sai Huatuo was just coming out. Seeing her expressionless, he chuckled lightly, "Alright, you can go in now. He'll wake up in a bit."
Zhuang Su was overjoyed, thanked him, and hurriedly ran into the house.
The room was dimly lit, filled with an unpleasant medicinal smell and a faint trace of blood. Qingchen had changed out of her tattered clothes, revealing a still somewhat pale face.
Zhuang Su sat quietly on the edge of the bed, her gaze blank, lost in thought. After a long while, she felt the other person's hand tremble slightly. She hurriedly looked over and saw Qing Chen slowly opening his eyes. His thoughts seemed not yet clear; his eyes were still somewhat unfocused.
"Are you awake, Father?" Zhuang Su suppressed his joy and asked in a calm tone.
At the sound of "Father," Qingchen's limbs stiffened, and his eyes cleared instantly. He felt a chill, an emptiness and a lack of concealment on his face. A slight smile played on his lips, and he spoke in a strained tone: "Susu."
Zhuang Su tucked the blanket around him and said softly, "Father, you've been sleeping for a long time. Are you feeling comfortable now?"
Qingchen recalled the previous events and immediately circulated her internal energy, her expression darkening slightly: "Susu, the poison in my body..."
"What? It's over." Zhuang Su said casually, then felt a sharp pain in her hand—Qing Chen had grabbed her. Looking up in confusion, she saw a pair of incredibly deep eyes, unfathomable. For a moment, she was dazed. Was this Qing Chen, or perhaps—the wine envoy of the One Leaf Alliance? Perhaps all these years, she truly hadn't understood this person…
Her expression darkened slightly, and she lowered her eyes to hide it, asking, "Father, what's wrong?"
Looking at her calm expression, Qingchen felt a surge of anger, but she pursed her lips and loosened her grip slightly: "Susu, don't you have anything to ask me?"
There must be many questions for him: about his identity, the fact that he possesses martial arts skills, his life in hiding within the One Leaf Alliance, and—what exactly did he regard her as…
Qingchen felt a slight chill somewhere inside her body.
Zhuang Su raised her eyelashes slightly and said in a low voice, "I just want to know if all the kindness my father has shown me over the years has been fake?" She noticed Qing Chen's hand gradually tightening, and she couldn't help but bite her lip.
Her fingers were clenched tightly, seemingly in pain. Qingchen was met with Zhuang Su's gaze, but she didn't flinch, though her face appeared even paler and thinner.
"Yes." After a long, long time, he said this, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, the curve of which, combined with the smile in his peach blossom eyes, was somewhat bewitching and wicked, "I have never, ever... cared about you."
Never, never, has there never been...?
But why does his heart suddenly ache so much?
The red on Qingchen's lips seemed particularly cruel, cruelly suffocating. When he looked up, he saw a hint of hurt in Zhuang Su's eyes. He subconsciously wanted to reach out, but after a slight touch, he forced himself to press her back heavily onto the bed.
Zhuang Su's voice remained calm, yet clear: "That's good... I hated you for taking my virginity anyway, so... then... I don't need to force a smile and call you father anymore, Qingchen, this is good..." Perhaps she was strongly suppressing the tremor in her voice, but it was precisely this deliberate suppression that made the whole sentence sound somewhat fragmented, and seemed to have a faint hint of tears in it.
"Looks like all those years of 'raising' were for nothing—" Qingchen glanced away and chuckled lightly, turning to pick up the blood-stained clothes beside him and putting them on. His words were frivolous. "But you did save my life, so consider this payment for that one time we made love." He tossed a plaque down, which landed on the bed and reflected the sunlight streaming in from outside, stinging his eyes.
Zhuang Su recognized it as the token of the One Leaf Alliance. Unlike Liu Su's token, it was made entirely of silver and represented the highest authority within the alliance. She reached out and picked it up tremblingly, feeling—it was so cold.
Qingchen turned and walked away, his tattered clothes making his figure appear exceptionally tall and slender. He suddenly paused at the doorway, his back to her, sunlight seemingly enveloping him. When Zhuang Su looked up at him, he seemed hazy and pale, and she couldn't tell what expression was on that peerless face.
"Then, we're even now, Susu." Qingchen's tone remained unchanged, with a slight chuckle, just like when he said, "I love Susu the most."
How cruel... Zhuang Su managed to force a smile and replied in a very calm tone, "Yes."
The figure seemed to tremble slightly for a moment, then took a few steps and disappeared by the door. For a moment, all was silent. Gradually, faint sounds arose; unless one listened carefully, one could not notice the ripples spreading as drops of liquid hit the ground.
"Oh, so you know how to cry now?" Sai Huatuo's voice drifted from the doorway. Looking up, he saw the girl clutching the token tightly, biting her lip to stifle a sound, her face streaked with tears. A flicker of something crossed his eyes, but he ultimately didn't delve into that despair. He gently shook his head, looking in the direction Qingchen had disappeared, and sighed softly, "What a tragedy..."
Zhuang Su was lost in thought and could no longer hear what he was saying. She just felt... so painful, a pain she had never felt before. Only then did she realize how much she cherished that carefree man, how much she loved the look on his face when he called her "Su Su," and how she would playfully pinch her cheeks.
Although she had intended to sever ties with him, why did she actually listen to his answer, which was—unwilling to accept it?