Qi Zhenzhen emerged from the house to find Doctor Mo already there, taking the young man's pulse.
After a long while, Doctor Mo stood up, "His life is not in danger. He's unconscious now likely due to holding his breath from the forceful impact. He'll wake up once he recovers. Also, his ribs are fractured, but fortunately, there's no secondary damage to his internal organs. Let him rest well and avoid moving him unnecessarily."
Hearing the doctor say his life was out of danger, Qian Yuanbao breathed a sigh of relief. But when he heard "avoid moving him unnecessarily," he was flustered. Was he expecting Ah Nian to recover here, in this simple shed? No, no, not just the shed, but the entire environment. The countryside, how could the food, drink, and necessities compare to the capital? To take a step back, even if he could manage the servants, food, and drink, what excuse would Ah Nian use to not return to the capital? The Duke of Protector's heart was already biased; their attitude towards Ah Nian might worsen.
"Is there any way to move him?" Qian Yuanbao asked Doctor Mo.
Doctor Mo stroked his goatee, "Yes, if you don't care whether he lives or dies, you can move him however you please."
A country doctor, whether he was capable or not was debatable, and his blunt speech was infuriating.
Ah Nian couldn't be moved, but he could. He'd go back to town to find a few doctors to take a look.
"Miss, may I know your surname?" Qian Yuanbao asked Qi Zhenzhen. "My name is Qian Yuanbao, and this is Gu Sinian. We are from the capital. We came to Cuiping Town to relax, never expecting to encounter such an incident."
"Qi. If you have something to say, just say it. No need for all this preamble," Qi Zhenzhen said without politeness.
Qian Yuanbao rolled his eyes internally but could only respectfully say, "We were saved by Miss Qi. We are immensely grateful. I would like to ask Miss Qi to help look after Ah Nian. My household servants are all in town, and I want to go back and bring them here."
Qi Zhenzhen looked at him, not agreeing.
Qian Yuanbao quickly took off his money pouch, "A small token of my appreciation. Please, Miss Qi, do not find it wanting."
Qi Zhenzhen took the pouch and poured out its contents: several uniquely shaped gold nuggets.
After putting the gold nuggets into her own pouch, Qi Zhenzhen tossed Qian Yuanbao's pouch back, "I won't take this pouch of yours, lest people misunderstand that we are engaging in private transactions."
Qian Yuanbao was bewildered. What was this Miss Qi thinking?
"Well, how should I get to town?" Qian Yuanbao, visiting for the first time, was completely unfamiliar and could only humbly ask for guidance.
"Walk, or take a cart," Qi Zhenzhen kindly instructed.
"Take a cart. I'll take a cart," Qian Yuanbao was overjoyed. At least there was a cart to ride. This place wasn't too bad.
Qian Yuanbao's joy didn't last long. After Qi Zhenzhen led him to Old Master Yu's house and explained his intentions, Qian Yuanbao watched with his own eyes as Old Master Yu hitched up an ox cart.
Not a horse-drawn carriage, but an ox cart, with no canopy, just a bare wooden plank.
Qi Zhenzhen counted out ten copper coins for Old Master Yu, "Thank you, Old Master Yu. Just take him to town."
Normally, two copper coins per person would suffice, but for a special trip, Old Master Yu asked for ten copper coins. A dedicated ride was indeed different.
Qian Yuanbao sat on the swaying ox cart with teary eyes, crying out in his heart, "What sin have I committed?" Having lived a life of luxury since childhood, traveling in magnificent carriages, he was now riding in an ox cart. If those fellows found out, they would laugh for years.
Qi Zhenzhen was in high spirits. Her earlier frustration over the wild boar being carried away by Maoqiu vanished. Although there were only six gold nuggets, two of them weighed an ounce. An ounce of gold was ten taels of silver, which meant thirty taels of silver. Now she could not only build a wall but also rebuild her house. Indeed, things that seemed unlucky might not necessarily be so. Da Feng Novel Network.
In the shed, Zhang Xiaoniu was guarding Gu Sinian. Seeing Qi Zhenzhen enter, he asked with a sullen face, "Zhenzhen, this person won't be staying here forever, will he?"
Qi Zhenzhen nodded, "Don't worry. When the other person brings people back, they will surely think of a proper arrangement."
Only then did Zhang Xiaoniu breathe a sigh of relief. If this person stayed here, where would he and his second brother sleep?
"I'll watch the person. You go and attend to your business," Qi Zhenzhen said, directly nipping Zhang Xiaoniu's intention to linger here in the bud.
Zhang Xiaoniu responded listlessly and reluctantly left the shed.
Qi Zhenzhen began to examine Gu Sinian, who lay on the wooden plank. His eyebrows were like drawn swords, and his tightly closed eyes had narrow slits. Qi Zhenzhen remembered his eyes weren't small. Big eyes weren't unusual, but why were his eyelashes so long? Long, curled, and upturned, making Qi Zhenzhen feel inferior. As a girl, her eyelashes weren't as long as his, let alone her features being as delicate. It was truly annoying. The glimpse she caught that day had already amazed her, and now, looking closely, Qi Zhenzhen felt there were no words to describe his peerless beauty.
He was still a man. If he had been born a woman, so handsome, he would have caused trouble long ago.
Gu Sinian desperately wanted to open his eyes and see who was so presumptuous as to stare at him. But his eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, refusing to open.
His back ached terribly, and a throbbing pain also came from his chest. He had truly been careless this time.
The person who had warned him looked very familiar. Who was it? Had he seen her before?
Qian Yuanbao didn't know if he was alright. If anything happened to him, he would feel guilty for life. He had never been interested in hunting. If he hadn't accompanied him into the mountains, how would they have encountered such danger?
In his anxiety, Gu Sinian suddenly opened his eyes.
Qi Zhenzhen was admiring his sleeping face when she didn't expect the person being watched to suddenly open his eyes.
She flusteredly straightened up. It was truly embarrassing for a girl to be so immodest.
Gu Sinian was also startled. Although he had felt a gaze constantly fixed on his face, he hadn't expected it to be so close.
Qi Zhenzhen coughed a few times and asked uncomfortably, "You're awake?"
Gu Sinian struggled to get up. Qi Zhenzhen quickly stopped him, "Your ribs are broken. The doctor said it's best to rest quietly for the next few days."
Upon hearing this, Gu Sinian no longer insisted on getting up.
"Miss, did you save me?" Gu Sinian asked.
His voice was deep and magnetic. Qi Zhenzhen recalled a saying she had heard before: his voice was so pleasant it made one's ears pregnant.
She felt very elated, but Qi Zhenzhen didn't show it on her face, nodding calmly, "You could say that. Consider it me repaying your favor from last time."
Gu Sinian's brows furrowed slightly. Last time's favor? They had met before, no wonder he felt some familiarity.
But where had they met?
Eyes like peach blossoms, and that crisp voice, Gu Sinian suddenly remembered.
That day at the horse market, she was riding her horse, and they had crossed paths in an instant. That's right, the small stone she left behind was still with him.
Gu Sinian had wondered if he would see her again, but he hadn't expected to meet her so soon. Last time he had barely helped her, and this time she had saved him. Was this fate?