"Alright, don't cry anymore. I didn't really say much to you."
"I just can't understand why, even after I warned you, and you stayed for such a long time, you couldn't see the wicked nature of someone like Zhuo Bufan."
Reaching out to wipe the tears from Hu Liena's face, the little boy took off his own clothes, covered her with them, and held her in his arms.
"Earlier, I was wondering why you'd come here alone, but looking around, I think I understand."
"You must have become curious because I often come here."
"But you're a girl, and being so curious can easily get you into trouble!"
"If you're curious about this place, just tell me, and I wouldn't refuse to bring you."
Holding Hu Liena in his arms, the little boy explained as he walked deeper into the woods. After walking for several hundred paces, a large clearing appeared. In the clearing stood a massive tree, so wide it would take several people to embrace it. Beneath the tree was a small wooden cabin.
Pushing open the cabin door and placing Hu Liena on the only small bed inside, the little boy lit the candle, its orange glow illuminating the surroundings.
It was a small room, with no decorations, clean and tidy. A small bed and a small table filled the entire space. Even with just the two children, it felt crowded.
"Lie down here and wait for me."
After instructing her, the little boy went outside and soon returned with a basin of clean water.
Taking a towel from the wall, he wet it, wrung it out, and gently wiped the sweat and dirt from Hu Liena's small face.
Watching his actions with her beautiful eyes, Hu Liena's slender body couldn't help but tremble. Her long eyelashes fluttered, and her small face showed visible tension.
Or perhaps, resistance.
"What's wrong, did I hurt you?"
Seeing Hu Liena's trembling body and then noticing the few whip marks on her, the little boy frowned and cursed under his breath.
"Damn it, I didn't notice earlier. They actually used bloodvine as a whip."
"The person is not good, but they are skilled at doing such disgusting things."
He looked at his palm, his expression confirmed his suspicions. His palm was still bleeding, and not just his, but the several blood streaks on Hu Liena's body were also bleeding.
Bloodvine was a type of soul beast that fed on blood. The barbs on its vines secreted a sap that inhibited blood clotting and was difficult to remove.
"Wait for me a moment, I'll go pick something."
After the little boy left, Hu Liena's trembling body gradually calmed down. Apart from her brother Xie Yue, she was very reluctant to be touched by any other man.
This was because her mother had taught her.
As a girl, one must learn to love oneself, especially as a woman of the Hu family. The women of their clan were destined to awaken spirit powers focused on charm, and she was destined to be seen by others as promiscuous, a seductive vixen.
But under her mother's teachings, Hu Liena held an impossibly pure heart.
Spirit power is spirit power, and I am myself!
Charm is just a means, it cannot represent who I am!
"Alright, I found what I was looking for."
A cheerful voice rang out, and the little boy walked in smiling, holding two plants.
One was deep green, resembling common roadside weeds but with serrated edges. The other was a few small white flowers shaped like bells.
He picked up a small mortar and pestle from a corner, tossed the two herbs in, and began to grind them finely.
Hu Liena lay on the bed, quietly watching the scene, a hint of curiosity on her small face.
"This grass is called blood-stopping grass, and these flowers are called pain-relief flowers. They are very common medicinal herbs in this mountain. When ground and mixed, they have a miraculous effect on treating external wounds."
"Fortunately, you look quite miserable, but your wounds aren't deep. Otherwise, these things might not be useful."
As he ground, the little boy explained.
Once the herbs in the mortar were ground into a juice, the little boy found a roll of gauze, soaked it in the juice, and then climbed onto the small bed, reaching out to unbutton Hu Liena's clothes.
"You, you, what are you doing?"
The sudden movement made Hu Liena's mind go blank. Fortunately, she quickly reacted, tightly clutching her buttons and exclaiming.
"Huh?"
"Helping you take off your clothes, clean the wounds, and then bandage them!"
"Some of the scratches are covered by your clothes."
The little boy tilted his head and looked at her in confusion.
"Can't you... not clean them?"
"If you don't clean them, they might get infected."
"But, I'm a girl!"
"We're only four years old!"
Two identical exclamations echoed in the small wooden cabin, and even the silent forest seemed to resound with these words.
The little boy sat on the ground with his arms crossed, staring at Hu Liena strangely.
Hu Liena, however, stubbornly clutched her buttons, blinking, her small face slightly flushed.
"Hey, the bloodvine barbs are very effective at preventing blood from clotting. Without other medicine to stop it, it won't stop on its own."
"Also, if your wounds aren't cleaned soon, they'll get infected and fester."
"If that happens, and there's no healing soul master around, you'll die."
The little boy's serious gaze and solemn tone made Hu Liena's slender body tremble involuntarily.
But how could a girl's body be casually shown to others!
Biting her pale lips, Hu Liena mumbled, "Can you carry me back, and let the aunties at the orphanage handle it."
"Ha!?"
A big question mark appeared above the little boy's head.
"You know how far the orphanage is from here, and how long it would take to walk!"
"Now you can't walk, and if I carry you, it will take even longer."
"Are you sure your body can last that long!"
It would take at least an hour, and Hu Liena's lips had already turned pale from blood loss less than fifteen minutes after being injured.
Though the wounds were small, they wouldn't stop bleeding.
It was this bleeding effect that made bloodvine infamous among ordinary people on this continent.
Along with it, there was another type of vine called ghost vine. That one, if touched, could lead to its seeds parasitizing you. It was also a damn disgusting thing.
The two remained in a stalemate.
After a while longer, Hu Liena's clothes, the little boy's jacket, and even the small bed began to be stained with blood.
Seeing the other's increasingly unfocused eyes and paler face, the little boy gritted his teeth.
"No matter what, I have to stop your bleeding and clean your wounds now. Even if you refuse, it's not allowed."
Saying that, he reached out to unbutton Hu Liena's clothes.
Due to blood loss, Hu Liena's strength was pitifully weak at this moment, she couldn't even stop him. She could only bite her lip, a sickly flush rising on her small face, her body trembling as she let him unbutton her clothes.
Under the orange candlelight, the little boy's expression was focused, and he very gently wiped the wounds on the girl's body. His emerald eyes were filled with softness and tranquility.
Under his gaze, Hu Liena's trembling body gradually relaxed. Her moist eyes, with a hint of shyness and other indescribable emotions, fixed on him.