Xiao Shan gave Lai Cai twenty wen to bring Qu Linglong back to the city. Lai Cai was so surprised he didn't know what to say, finally patting his chest and telling Xiao Shan to call him if he ever needed help.
Having just returned, only to drive Qu Linglong away and then be alone with him again, Xue Niang felt a little uneasy.
Xiao Shan boiled water and washed himself thoroughly. Looking at the scruffy beard in the water缸, he finally picked up a knife and began to trim it.
In the bedroom, Xue Niang swapped the quilts on the two beds. With Qu Linglong gone, one bed was now empty. Xue Niang thought she could sleep on the smaller bed and give the larger one to him.
When Xiao Shan entered the room, refreshed, Xue Niang was startled, thinking a stranger had entered. Only when she heard his familiar voice did she realize it was him.
"I bought you some candies. Suck on them until they melt, and your mouth won't hurt anymore. I'll buy you other things once you're fully recovered."
Wrapped in a piece of cloth, a large bunch of orange candies lay in his palm.
Xue Niang curiously reached out and picked one up. She had never seen candy like this before; it looked exactly like an orange. She thought it was a real orange segment and put one in her mouth.
"Is it sweet?"
"It's alright!"
Xue Niang squinted her eyes. She hadn't eaten candy in a long time. It was so sweet, it seemed to dilute the bitterness that inexplicably welled up in her heart.
The man before her looked ten years younger. Without his beard, his smooth chin, lacking the sun's direct light, was paler than the rest of his face, which looked rather mismatched. However, he was much better looking than before.
Her eyes did not shy away at all, staring at him intently. Xiao Shan touched his chin self-consciously.
"Is it that ugly?"
"It's alright."
Ugh, Xiao Shan pursed his lips. He still wasn't quite used to it; it felt so light, as if he were naked.
Her calm way of speaking was also very pleasant to hear.
"I'll go stew some chicken soup."
He turned away somewhat abruptly and quickly disappeared from her sight.
Xue Niang had been eating plain congee for days. Linglong's maid would bring them food in the morning, and they would eat it while it was hot. She was truly tired of it. Now that he was back, there were candies to eat and chicken to eat.
Still, "it's alright."
After a while, the aroma of chicken soup wafted over. Xue Niang licked her lips. It had been months since she had fallen into the hands of traffickers, and she hadn't eaten meat.
Actually, Linglong was right. In this world, finding a man like him was the best. He feared nothing and worried about nothing.
But there was always a barrier in her heart; she didn't want to follow someone so haphazardly. Perhaps it was because she couldn't remember her past, and her heart felt unsettled?
She didn't know.
She would stay here for now to recover her health, and worry about the future later.
A lot of firewood was used, and the chicken was stewed until the meat fell off the bone. However, wild chicken meat was different from domestic chicken; no matter how much it was stewed, it was still a bit tough and difficult to chew.
Xiao Shan picked out only two tender pieces for her, leaving the rest as soup.
Xue Niang had heard Linglong speak highly of him these past few days and was no longer as afraid of him. Seeing this, she felt a little displeased.
"Did you forget again not to overindulge? When you're first eating greasy food, you need to go slowly to let your stomach adapt. Don't worry, I'll buy more chickens tomorrow and keep them in the yard. You can slaughter them whenever you want to eat them, okay?"
Xue Niang hummed softly, "Whatever."
Then she began to eat the meat in small bites.
Heh! This little thing is quite picky, Xiao Shan chuckled.
Wild chicken meat wasn't particularly delicious. Xue Niang ate two pieces, which were a bit hard on her teeth. Drinking the soup satisfied her craving, but she also felt a bit greasy.
A bowl of washed fruit suddenly appeared before her.
Xiao Shan wiped his hands with a cloth. "Eat a couple first, and the rest an hour later. These red mountain fruits help with digestion."
Xue Niang did not move, her expression turning somewhat cold.
"What do you want?"
Xiao Shan knew what she was thinking at a glance and couldn't help but let out a scoff, appraising her from head to toe.
"Alright, I cooked the meal, and you can wash the dishes. I'm tired after not resting for several nights in the mountains."
With that, he left the kitchen, leaving Xue Niang alone, biting her pink lips in annoyance.
For no reason at all, he was so good to her. Did he have no ulterior motives? He said he wanted her as a maid, but did a master ever care this much about a maid? Linglong said he never paid attention to women before, but now... what was it about her that made him so concerned?
The fruit was bright red and very beautiful. She picked one up and took a bite. It was sour, making her mouth water.
She awkwardly fetched water and, by accident, almost knocked over the three stacked bowls.
She managed to wash them clean and carefully placed them in a corner of the stove, feeling quite accomplished.
Washing dishes was quite simple.
Xue Niang returned to the bedroom. As soon as she entered, she saw the man, bare-chested, wearing only his inner trousers, his back to her as he tidied the bedding.
"You! Why are you undressed?"
She didn't cover her eyes and run away like some women. Instead, she started glaring again, stopping in her tracks.
"Of course, you take off your clothes to sleep!"
Xiao Shan turned around. In the candlelight, his heaving chest seemed to jump slightly. However, on his abdomen, there was a fresh cut, about as long as a chopstick, with some medicinal powder sprinkled on it.
Xue Niang suddenly remembered the large bear. That must have been from a bear's claw, right?
Her anger gradually subsided. He hunted to earn money for her medicine...
Suddenly, she didn't know how to behave.
He had other scars on his body, one on his chest and abdomen, very deep, like an arrow wound.
She averted her gaze, not wanting to look anymore.
Huh? Where's the small bed?
The temporary small bed that had been in the bedroom had disappeared. Looking again, both quilts were on the original bed.
"You, what do you mean? Aren't you letting me be the firewood maid?"
Xiao Shan sighed, rubbing his temples tiredly.
"Before, I had a small dog that I liked to hold while sleeping. Later, the dog died, and I couldn't get used to it, always sleeping poorly. So, you're overthinking it. I don't have any intentions towards you, understand? One person, one quilt. What are you afraid of?"
Xue Niang: "..."
"Did you put on the medicine for your body?"
"I did!" She crossed her arms, her gaze becoming wary again.
Was that story she just told trying to fool a ghost? Did she think she was that foolish?
"Come here! Do you want to be acupuncted?"
"You!" Fire ignited in Xue Niang's eyes. She gave a cold smile and looked at Xiao Shan arrogantly, saying in a chilling voice, "Don't bully me too much. At worst, I'll make you lose both your money and your life. I've already died once, so I'm not afraid of anything."
"Hmm, you have spirit!" Xiao Shan's face darkened as he approached her step by step.
"You, don't—" Xue Niang's eyes widened. She had been acupuncted again, and this time, he had also pressed a point on her throat, making it impossible for her to even move her mouth.
Her gaze could only fall upon his heaving chest, full of explosive power.
She hated him to death! This shameless scoundrel!
She had been stripped again! And while standing.
She stood there, completely naked, in the middle of the room.
"I have plenty of ways to make your life worse than death."
In her ears, his terrifying voice echoed, at least it sounded terrifying to her.
Again, the medicine was applied twice. No, his chest was treated three times.
He said that part was more seriously injured.