Xie Jiang fumbled in the darkness for the flint and steel. After two failed attempts, she calmed herself and recalled how Nie Tong and the others had used it.
From an animal's nest in the corner, she retrieved a large handful of dry leaves and twigs. She rearranged them into a position that would easily catch fire, lest the spark be extinguished for various reasons after it was lit.
Xie Jiang patiently tried a few more times. After igniting it, she added dry grass and small branches, finally managing to start a fire, albeit with some difficulty.
"Ahahaha! That was so hard!"
Xie Jiang let out a cry of excitement, angrily pounded the ground, and sucked in a sharp breath from the pain in her claws.
"This is too much for me!"
Having finally started a fire, Xie Jiang was afraid of accidentally extinguishing it. She propped up several thick logs on the outer edge and added more dry grass to make the fire burn brighter.
A heavy rain had just fallen, followed by several smaller showers. Coupled with the pitch-black darkness as far as the eye could see, there wasn't much dry firewood to be found.
Xie Jiang dismantled all the nests in the cave.
Fortunately, once the fire grew strong, even if the remaining firewood was a bit damp, it would still burn.
At first, there was a lot of smoke, but if she endured it for a while as the fire burned, it would gradually dissipate.
The fire slowly dispelled the cold and dampness in the cave, allowing Xie Jiang to see the surroundings clearly.
There was nothing much to see in the cave; it was empty.
Xie Jiang stood up, stretched, and returned to Xu Hengyan's side.
Xu Hengyan's face was pale, likely from significant blood loss, and had an unnatural flush.
Xie Jiang tried to move as lightly as possible as she removed his clothes. She examined his injuries and then tore his white inner garments into strips for later use.
"It's good that he's sleeping so soundly; no anesthesia needed, and no pain."
Xie Jiang placed the dagger over the fire to heat it before carefully extracting the arrow from Xu Hengyan's arm. She skillfully stopped the bleeding, applied medicine, and bandaged the wound.
She noticed Xu Hengyan's brow furrowed in his sleep.
Xie Jiang then whispered in his ear, "Xu Hengyan, you can still feel pain, so can you hear me? Don't sleep, wake up quickly..."
Unfortunately, Xu Hengyan showed no signs of waking up.
After dealing with the arrow wound on his arm, she also tended to the other minor cuts on his body.
Next, she turned him over, preparing to treat the arrow wound on his back.
However, as she turned him, Xie Jiang froze.
A large, horrifying patch of bruising covered Xu Hengyan's back.
It was from when he shielded her from falling into the water, hitting the submerged rocks. He had coughed up blood then.
Xie Jiang took his pulse, and indeed, he had suffered severe internal injuries.
Xie Jiang gave him another pill and then became somewhat lost in thought as she heated the dagger again.
Xie Jiang had never imagined that she would "conquer" Xu Hengyan so easily.
If Xu Hengyan were that easy to win over, he would have long had a harem and a house full of children.
She wouldn't have chosen this method to get revenge on Xu Hengyan and the Duke of Wei's mansion.
Thus, there was a series of efforts to gain his favor, this calculated plan, and more dramatic scenes yet to unfold.
But now, his injuries...
When he rushed towards her, he couldn't have possibly not known what he would face, yet he didn't hesitate at all.
Had she succeeded in her "conquest"?
The heir apparent of the Duke of Wei's mansion, the most brilliant young man of the current generation in the Great Yu dynasty, was it really this easy?
Logically, it shouldn't be.
But how could she explain this foolishness on Xu Hengyan's part?
Perhaps her "conquest" had just begun to show results, and Xu Hengyan saw her as a friend.
Could someone of Xu Hengyan's status go through such trouble for a friend?
In any case, the outcome was better than she had anticipated.
Keep working at it.
Xie Jiang returned with the dagger to continue removing the arrow.
Because he was wearing armor, it had absorbed some of the force, and the arrow wound on his shoulder and back was not deep. Xie Jiang finished treating it quickly.
The clothes hung by the fire were also dry. They had been damp when she put them on, so they dried quickly. Xie Jiang put on her own clothes first, then slowly helped Xu Hengyan put on his.
After everything was tidied up, she added more firewood to the fire, ensuring it would burn for a while. Xie Jiang then leaned against Xu Hengyan and fell asleep.
As she drifted in and out of sleep, for some reason, a preposterous thought suddenly emerged.
If Xu Hengyan were not Xu Hengyan's biological brother, if Xu Hengyan were not the heir apparent of the Duke of Wei's mansion, perhaps they could have truly become good friends.
...
Xu Hengyan awoke in a daze to find himself lying in a cave.
His first instinct was to look for Xie Jiang. As he moved, he realized she was in his arms. Perhaps due to the cold, she had curled into a small ball, holding him tightly.
She was safe.
Xu Hengyan let out a silent sigh of relief; nothing could have reassured him more.
The next moment, he wrapped his arms around her, wanting to make her warmer.
They must be in the deep mountains now. Although it was warm outside, the mornings and evenings in the mountains were still cool.
As he raised his arm, the pain from the wound on his left arm made him frown. He habitually swallowed the whimper of pain that rose to his lips. Only then did Xu Hengyan realize that his injuries had all been treated.
She had dark circles under her eyes and was sleeping soundly, likely exhausted from the night.
Rescuing him from the water, getting him to the cave in the dark, starting a fire, and treating his wounds – it had been incredibly difficult.
Her little head nuzzled into his chest, and Xu Hengyan instinctively held his breath.
The fire beside them had only recently died down. She must have just fallen asleep. Xu Hengyan wanted her to sleep a little longer.
The person in his arms quieted down. Just as Xu Hengyan thought she had fallen back asleep, she suddenly sat up.
Her expression was a little dazed, as if she were half-awake. She stared at him blankly for a moment, the confusion in her eyes gradually replaced by surprise. The next instant, she threw herself into his arms, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck.
"Xu Hengyan! You're finally awake! That's great! That's great! Xu Hengyan, do you know, I..."
Xie Jiang's voice was a little choked.
"It's alright now, it's alright..." Xu Hengyan embraced her, stroking her head.
"Xu Hengyan, you slept for so long, and no matter how much I called you, you wouldn't respond... You even had a fever, you were so hot, almost cooked... I was so tired and sleepy, but I didn't dare to sleep..."
Xie Jiang confessed with a hint of tears in her voice.
She had worked herself to exhaustion last night, and she naturally wanted him to know that although he had tried his best to save her, she had also stayed by his side.
"You were scared, weren't you? It's alright now, I'm awake, it's alright now..."
Xu Hengyan's head was pounding, but he maintained a calm expression, forcing himself to soothe her emotions.
He had vague memories of what happened after falling into the water. He had fainted and been swept away. In such a rapid current, she had pursued him relentlessly.
When she finally caught up to him, she had used up her last ounce of strength and had no energy left to struggle.
He sensed that after she had exhausted herself, she might have been about to give up. He had intended to encourage her and push her ashore, but instead, it had ignited her ferocity, and in the end, she had managed to drag him along, escaping together.
He could understand the look in her eyes at that moment; it was fierce, incredibly fierce, and he still remembered it vividly.
She was unwilling to sacrifice him and save herself alone.