Chapter 8: Xiao Ling’er Steps In to Save a Life

Xiao Ling’er would never exchange the vegetables she painstakingly grew for half-price. She could only eat whatever she managed to grow.

However, perhaps because they had been drinking spiritual spring water these past few days, the strength of the mother and her two children had noticeably increased.

So, riding this wave of energy, they continued on the road for several more days.

It wasn’t until one afternoon, as they approached a three-way intersection, that they spotted three luxurious carriages parked by the roadside.

Beside the first carriage, a young man was holding a young girl in his arms, urgently patting her back.

The girl’s face was bluish-purple, and she was clawing at her throat with her small hands, struggling to breathe and clearly in great distress.

Next to the young man, a beautiful woman leaned weakly against an older maidservant. The woman was crying, her mouth covered by her hand, her face pale and filled with anxiety as she stared at the girl in the young man’s arms.

The elderly maid who supported her was also weeping, her eyes filled with fear and helpless hope as she watched the young man’s actions.

Surrounding them were six black-clothed bodyguards, standing in defensive stances and vigilantly scanning the area.

The whole scene was tense and oppressive.

With just a single glance, Xiao Ling’er could tell the girl had something lodged in her windpipe. If no one performed the Heimlich maneuver immediately, the girl would die within minutes.

After a few seconds of internal struggle and hesitation, Xiao Ling’er decided to step in and save the girl.

Logically, she knew she shouldn’t meddle—it might bring trouble. From the looks of it, these people were far from ordinary.

If she succeeded in saving the girl, all would be well. But if she failed, it could spell disaster not only for herself, but also for her younger brother and mother.

Xiao Ling’er was not a saint, nor a particularly kind person. But when it came to children, she couldn’t help but feel a little more compassion.

Of course, the main reason Xiao Ling’er decided to act was because she was in dire need of wealth points.
If she succeeded in saving the girl, she was sure to receive a handsome reward.

There was another reason, too—up until now, Xiao Ling’er still didn’t know how to earn reputation points.
She needed to confirm something:

Would saving someone give her reputation points?

She was prepared for the worst. Even if she failed and was blamed, she believed that with Xiao Yuhao’s speed, he could escape with Mu Xiya to safety.

“Haohao, I’m going to save someone. If anything goes wrong, take Niang and run into the mountains as fast as you can.
With your speed, no one can catch you. As long as you two are safe, Ah Jie promises to reunite with you as soon as possible.”

“No! Ah Jie, don’t go!” Xiao Yuhao grabbed her sleeve tightly, shaking his head with firm determination in his eyes.

He knew that his sister had changed a lot recently, but no matter how much she changed, she was still his Ah Jie, and must remain his Ah Jie.

So he didn’t want her to take risks. It was obvious just by looking that those people were not to be messed with.

Xiao Ling’er understood his worry. She reached out to pat his head and reassured him in a firm voice,
“Haohao, trust me, alright?”

Looking into her determined gaze, Xiao Yuhao slowly released her hand and gave her a heavy nod.
“Ah Jie, I believe in you!”

Xiao Ling’er didn’t have time to explain further. Once she saw that Xiao Yuhao and Mu Xiya were hiding behind a large tree, she quickly strode forward.

“Stop right there! Don’t come any closer!”
One of the guards saw her approaching and immediately drew his sword to block her path.

Seeing the girl had already rolled her eyes in distress, Xiao Ling’er grew more anxious.

“Let me through! I can save her! If you delay any longer, it’ll be too late!”

“Leave at once!” The guard’s face was cold and unyielding. He partially drew his sword and held it in front of Xiao Ling’er, shouting a stern warning to drive her away.

Xiao Ling’er frowned deeply. After a final look of pity at the little girl, she sighed and turned, ready to leave.

But just then, a pleasant male voice called out, “Let her through.”

The cold-faced guard immediately stepped aside, making way at the command of his master.

Xiao Ling’er darted forward like the wind, without hesitation. She scooped the girl from the young man’s arms and immediately began performing the Heimlich maneuver.

The elegant woman instinctively tried to stop her, but the young man shook his head and held her back.

Time was critical. Xiao Ling’er focused all her attention, positioning herself behind the girl and applying quick abdominal thrusts.

The surroundings fell silent. Everyone held their breath, watching Xiao Ling’er’s actions with intense worry and hope.

But Xiao Ling’er’s body, having been weakened by long-term hunger, quickly ran out of strength. In just a short time, she was already too exhausted to continue.

“You teach me. Let me do it,” the familiar male voice said beside her.

Xiao Ling’er glanced at the man and, without hesitation, placed the girl into his arms and began giving step-by-step instructions:

“Make a fist with your right hand, thumb inward toward the belly. Grip the fist with your left hand. Then quickly thrust inward and upward just above her navel, about two finger-widths up.”

The man moved decisively and followed her instructions with precision.

Xiao Ling’er was a little surprised at how perfectly he executed the technique. If she didn’t know this was ancient times, she’d never have guessed it was his first time performing the Heimlich maneuver.

Soon, the little girl coughed up a piece of candy, then burst into loud sobs.

“Xuanyuan! My Xuanyuan!” the elegant woman cried out and immediately took the girl back into her arms, hugging her tightly as if afraid she would vanish again.

“Madam, don’t hold her so tightly. It’ll make it harder for her to breathe,” Xiao Ling’er couldn’t help but remind her.

The woman, upon hearing Xiao Ling’er’s voice, quickly handed the girl to the elderly maid beside her. Then she stood up and was about to kneel in gratitude.

“Madam, please don’t!” Xiao Ling’er quickly reached out and stopped her before she could kneel.

“Young lady, thank you, thank you for saving my Xuanyuan. From now on, you are the Gu family’s savior.
Someone, go to the carriage and fetch fifty catties of—”

She didn’t get to finish her generous offer before her son interrupted.

“Ahem, Mother, take Xuanyuan back to the carriage and wait there. Don’t worry, I won’t mistreat our lifesaver.”

Xiao Ling’er lifted her eyes and met a pair of warm, jade-like eyes filled with gratitude.

The man had a face so handsome it could anger gods and spirits alike. His skin was pale—whiter than snow, lacking the healthy glow of normal skin—clearly not someone in good health.

That made sense. Under the blazing sun, he still wore a long blue robe. Clearly, he wasn’t a typical person.

What stood out even more was that he exuded two completely opposing auras.

One was gentle and refined on the surface, but underneath lay a cold and distant indifference, as if no one could truly get close to him.

The other was a kind of fragile, dangerous allure—he looked weak and delicate, as if he could collapse at any moment. It gave the illusion that he was easy to bully, easy to pet, and easy to… pounce on.