Chapter 50: Applying Medicine

Dagen hadn’t slept all night. As soon as he relaxed after coming back, exhaustion hit him hard. He quickly took a shower and went straight to bed.

Mrs. Xiong had pickled over forty pounds of meat but decided to stop, as the weather was getting hot. No matter how much salt she added, it wouldn’t help preserve it. She divided the meat into several portions and asked Pear Blossom to deliver some to others.

Of course, Qin family wasn’t left out. This year, during the autumn harvest, Qin Dabao had been busy hauling rice with oxen. When the family built a house, the three generations all pitched in to help. So, they received twenty pounds of meat. Zeng family got fifteen pounds, and Zhang Laowu’s family got ten pounds.

The bones were simmered for soup, and half of the remaining meat was stewed with the bones, while the other half was minced into filling for meat buns. Several batches of buns were steamed, piled high on the stove, and the entire yard was filled with the fragrant smell of meat.

Mrs. Xiong had been busy for most of the day and was in a good mood. Even though she only napped for a short time that night, she didn’t feel tired. Daniu, Erniu, and Xinghua, the siblings, had never seen so many buns. Each ate seven or eight, rolling their eyes from being too full.

Even Pear Blossom couldn’t resist and ate several until she felt like her throat was blocked, then stopped.

The meat for Dong Yun’s family was delivered by Pear Blossom. The other two families lived farther away, and Mrs. Xiong didn’t send it over during the day. She asked Pear Blossom to drop it off at Zeng family’s after delivery and tell Zhang Laowu and Dashan to come over that night to drink with Dagen. They would take the meat back with them.

Pear Blossom carried over ten pounds of meat and eight or nine meat buns to Zeng family’s courtyard. After coming back from the hunting trip the night before, she originally planned to visit Dong Yun after training with Zuo Qi. However, she didn’t return until late at night and missed it, hoping Dong Yun wouldn’t overthink it.

The small courtyard on the west side was open during the day, and Pear Blossom went straight into the house, where she saw Dong Yun rinsing rice.

Hearing footsteps, the woman looked up and smiled when she saw it was Pear Blossom. “You’re here.” Hearing her familiar voice, Pear Blossom’s heart softened. She placed the basket down, picked up a string of meat, and piled it onto the cutting board. “The meat from last night’s hunt, it can’t be stored for long, so I have to process it quickly.”

Dong Yun then noticed the scratches on the girl’s face and became startled. Seeing the meat on the cutting board, she quickly understood what had happened.

“Were you out hunting all day yesterday? What did you hunt? Why are there so many wounds on your face and hands? Did you put medicine on it?”

The rapid-fire questions made Pear Blossom feel more grounded, and she answered honestly, “I’ve applied medicine. It’s just superficial injuries, it’s fine.”

Dong Yun set the pot on the ground, wiped her hands, and came over. She gently lifted Pear Blossom’s chin and inspected the claw marks on her face and neck. Although they were superficial, it was clear that the claws were sharp. If the wounds had been deeper, it could have been much worse.“I have some good medicine. Let me apply it for you again.”

In the past, Pear Blossom would have refused, since the wounds weren’t serious, and they would heal in two days. There was no need to waste medicine. But now, with the faint fragrance from Dong Yun’s body, she felt a little distracted and couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

When Dong Yun let go of her chin and turned around, Pear Blossom breathed a small sigh of relief and asked softly, “Where’s Fubao? Why isn’t she here?”

“She’s with her grandmother,” Dong Yun said, quickly starting the fire. Once the flames were going, she stood up and looked at the large piece of meat Pear Blossom had brought.

“Black bear meat?” Dong Yun asked in surprise. “Is this what you hunted yesterday?”

Pear Blossom hadn’t expected Dong Yun to recognize it as bear meat right away. She shook her head. “I found it by chance. Someone shot it but didn’t want it, so I dragged it back.”

“Since you found it, where did all these wounds come from?”

Dong Yun pointed out the inconsistency in Pear Blossom’s story. Pear Blossom could only awkwardly continue, “It was shot, but it didn’t die completely. I came across it, and we fought a little. Otherwise, with such a big bear, I wouldn’t have been able to fight it.”

Dong Yun clutched her chest in shock. “Don’t go too deep into the mountains next time.”Pear Blossom nodded

.Dong Yun weighed the meat on the cutting board and asked, “How big was the bear? Why did you bring so much back?”

“It was probably over four hundred pounds. Dad and Daniu went to sell the skin and organs late at night, and we kept the rest. I didn’t want others to know I hunted the black bear, so I only gave it to three families, with each getting a bit more.”

“You’re thoughtful. Please thank your parents for us. Thanks to them, our family can enjoy some wild meat now.” Dong Yun realized she had received a lot of favors from them, and her demeanor became more relaxed. Her gaze fell on the large buns wrapped in lotus leaves next to her, still steaming and causing the leaves to wilt.

“Have you eaten?”

she asked.Pear Blossom felt a little embarrassed and rubbed her stomach. “I’ve eaten, five or six. Now I’m too full to eat more.”

Dong Yun raised her eyebrow when she heard this. “Let me try.”

She picked one up, put it in her mouth, and after just two bites, her eyes lit up.”No wonder you can eat five or six of these.”

Pear Blossom also smiled. “Right? Daniu and the others have probably eaten ten or more by now.”

“These buns are so delicious; it’s not just five or six—eating ten or eight would be no problem at all. But from what I know, bear meat is very tough. How does your mother make it so tender and tasty?”

Pear Blossom explained, “My mother started stewing the meat at midnight last night, then cooked it for another half day this morning, and mixed the stewed bear meat with some wild vegetables to make the filling. If we had just used raw meat for the filling, the dough would have been too soft, and the meat wouldn’t have been fully cooked.”

“That’s how it is, no wonder it’s so delicious,” Dong Yun said, taking another one before stopping. “Alright, I can’t eat any more. We still have to eat lunch later. You should leave the rest for Fubao and the others.”

Pear Blossom hurriedly said, “There’s more at home if you don’t have enough.”

Dong Yun shook her head. “I just wanted to try it; there’s no need to eat until I’m full. Besides, with so much meat, I can’t finish it all at once.”

“If you can’t finish it, just pickle it. If you don’t like pickled food, you can take it to Mrs. Zeng’s place and tell her not to share it with anyone.”

Although Dong Yun didn’t like pickled meat, if there wasn’t a butcher or peddler selling meat in the village, the only place to buy it was the town. Going to town every day was quite a walk, and people in the village would gossip about how she was wealthy enough to eat meat every day.

Dong Yun didn’t want to get too close to others or have people talking about her behind her back, so she rarely left home. Even though she didn’t like pickled meat, she still ate a fair amount.”I guess that’s the only option,” she said, walking to the water tank to wash her hands. “Let’s go inside, I’ll apply the medicine for you.”

Knowing there would inevitably be some intimate contact later, Pear Blossom followed her inside like a little tail, a bit shy, and stood still when she saw she hadn’t been told to sit.

Dong Yun turned around, saw her awkward expression, and couldn’t help but laugh. “Why do you look like a little wife? You’ve been in this room so many times. Just find a seat; I’m not going to eat you.”

Pear Blossom opened her mouth but didn’t say anything, ending up awkwardly laughing twice.

Dong Yun shook her head helplessly, took out a medicine bottle, and walked over. “Apart from your face and neck, are there other places that were injured?”

Pear Blossom answered honestly, “My arms and ribs got scratched a bit, and my waist and legs were bruised from running too fast, but there was no bleeding.”Just hearing her speak, Dong Yun could already imagine the intense battle scene. The black bear, a wild beast, was more terrifying than wolves or tigers.

She couldn’t help but scold her a little.

Pear Blossom liked it when she was scolded, because that meant she cared. If someone didn’t care, they wouldn’t bother to nag at you. She didn’t argue back and nodded obediently.

The ceramic bottle contained a light green, sticky ointment. Dong Yun gently lifted Pear Blossom’s chin and began applying the ointment on her wounds. As she got close, her soft breath brushed against Pear Blossom’s cheek, and Pear Blossom felt suffocated, unable to breathe, her heart pounding uncontrollably.

Dong Yun thought she was scared of the medicine, so she chuckled. “You’re already sweating before I’ve even started applying it. You weren’t afraid when you fought with the black bear, but now you’re scared of the medicine?”

Pear Blossom’s thoughts were misread, but she realized her reaction had been too obvious. Once she realized this, her throat felt blocked, and she couldn’t say anything, her face turning red. Dong Yun noticed and stopped teasing her, applying the ointment to her wounds.

When the ointment first touched the wounds, it stung, and Pear Blossom couldn’t help but shrink her neck. But soon, the sting faded, replaced by a cool and comfortable feeling. The ointment wasn’t unpleasant either; it had a faint, refreshing fragrance.

Dong Yun finished applying the medicine to her neck and face and then said, “Take off your clothes. I’ll apply it to your ribs and abdomen.”

Pear Blossom hesitated before shaking her head. “The injury there isn’t severe. There’s no need to apply medicine there.”

Dong Yun glanced at her and smiled teasingly. “What? Are you shy now? You’ve already taken your clothes off here once when you fought with Xiang Dalang. Are you suddenly shy now?”Pear Blossom’s ears turned red, but she still retorted, “I’m not shy! I just don’t think it’s necessary to waste the ointment.”

“Wasting it is up to me,” Dong Yun said, her tone firm. “Hurry up, don’t make me take them off for you.”

Her tone was teasing, though.

The young girl had no choice but to slowly untie her waist, turn around, and take off her outer garment, leaving only a close-fitting undershirt.

The last time she had taken off her clothes, she was wearing a patched little apron, but now she was wearing a light yellow one, which was much more presentable.

Dong Yun stood behind her, her gaze seemingly casual but landing on the almost half-naked body in front of her. From the side, she could faintly see the curve of her chest, which had become fuller since last time. Her figure had also grown taller, with more flesh from her shoulders to her waist and hips. Her legs were straight, and the lines of her muscles were smooth, looking very well-proportioned.

Compared to the dancers from Fifth Aunt’s place, she was just as young and innocent, but she exuded a vitality and energy that the others lacked.

Her arms were firm, and just by glancing, one could sense the strength underneath. Dong Yun remembered how those long, powerful hands had tightly gripped her waist last time when Pear Blossom gave her a massage. Suddenly, combining that memory with what she saw, she felt a bit hot.

It was only when the other person started to feel uneasy due to her long silence that she subtly averted her gaze, moved a little closer, and began applying ointment to the injured arm. Perhaps because the clothes were covering it, the scratches in these areas weren’t as shocking as those on the neck.

The upper part was quickly finished.

“Turn around, let me apply the ointment to your waist and abdomen,” Dong Yun said.

Afterward, she watched the other person carefully turn around while covering her chest. She couldn’t help but laugh, “What are you covering for? With that little bit of yours, I’m not even interested in looking.”

Pear Blossom, who had been feeling tense, relaxed upon hearing this and couldn’t help but recall that day’s scene. Compared to her own, Dong Yun’s figure was indeed magnificent.

So, she hesitantly said, “… I can’t compare to you.”

Hearing this, Dong Yun’s ears turned slightly red. Discussing such topics with a young girl was indeed awkward. She cleared her throat to cover her unease, then picked up a soft brush, dipped it in the ointment, and gently applied it to Pear Blossom’s waist wound.

However, there was one spot that looked like just a bruise but actually hid a small cut. When the ointment touched that spot, Pear Blossom flinched with a sharp pain, instinctively grabbing Dong Yun’s right hand.

The sudden force caught Dong Yun off guard, causing her to stumble and almost lose her balance. She leaned on the shoulder right in front of her to steady herself but didn’t realize that her entire body was nearly in the other person’s arms. Her wrist, which was being held, ached slightly, and she couldn’t help but let out a quiet moan.

Pear Blossom heard the sound of pain and was startled. She quickly let go of her hand and, flustered, said, “Sister Dong, are you alright? I didn’t mean to hurt you…”

Dong Yun steadied herself, her face a little awkward. She shook her head. “It’s my fault for not being careful. I made you hurt first.”

Pear Blossom hurriedly said, “It doesn’t hurt, I’m fine, I just— I just—”At the end, she wasn’t sure how to explain it, since the ointment had indeed caused the pain.

Seeing the other person’s awkward expression, Dong Yun’s face returned to normal, and she smiled lightly, “Alright, I’ll be more careful next time— but you really are strong.”

Pear Blossom wasn’t sure whether this was a compliment or an insult. After all, girls were often delicate and soft, but Dong Yun, with her smooth and graceful figure, was nothing like herself— full of strength and not soft or delicate at all, even though she had a little more flesh.

Realizing this, her mood suddenly sank.Sister Dong probably wouldn’t like a girl like her.

Finally, the ointment was finished. Dong Yun put away the bottle and said softly, “Alright, put your clothes on.”

With just those few words, Pear Blossom sighed in relief and quickly turned her back to put her clothes on. By the time she turned around again, her face still had a faint blush, but it was much better than before.

At that moment, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed from a distance. With its distinct rhythm, she knew it was the little bundle of joy rushing toward them.

Although Pear Blossom was a little disappointed that her time alone with Dong Yun was over, the sense of nervousness vanished instantly with the arrival of Fubao. Her tense face broke into a smile, and she seemed lighter, a stark contrast to the state she had been in when alone with Dong Yun.

Dong Yun keenly noticed the change in Pear Blossom’s expression and felt a strange discomfort rise in her chest. She frowned slightly. “Are you afraid of me?”

Pear Blossom was startled by this sudden question. She quickly shook her head. “No, no! How could I be afraid of you? I… I’m not afraid at all!”

Seeing the serious look on her face, Dong Yun’s displeasure eased a bit. She softened her tone and said, “I thought you didn’t want to stay with me.”

“How could that be?” Pear Blossom said anxiously, almost desperately. “How could I not want to be with you? I— I’d love to be with you!”

“But then you didn’t come find me for several days, and now you’re acting like you want to avoid me.”

Just as Pear Blossom was about to explain, Fubao had already entered the room, rushing to hug her leg and calling her name sweetly. Pear Blossom, looking at Dong Yun, suddenly felt unable to explain herself. She felt wronged, and her face scrunched up, her eyes turning red from the frustration.

“Pear Blossom, what’s wrong?” Fubao asked in a baby voice. Children were often the most sensitive, and without needing words, they could sense the emotions of the adults around them. Looking up at Pear Blossom’s face full of grievance, her big eyes were filled with concern.

Pear Blossom shook her head. She didn’t know how to explain the situation with Dong Yun, so she couldn’t answer Fubao’s question.

Dong Yun, seeing the girl struggling to speak, realized that she might have been too forceful earlier. She quickly calmed herself, softened her expression, and teasingly said, “You really can’t take a joke. You get all flustered just from me saying a few words.” Saying this, she turned and left the room.

Pear Blossom watched her changing expression, unsure which of her words were genuine. She felt as though her emotions were being tossed around, like she was taken to great heights only to be dropped abruptly. In the end, she could only nervously follow behind Dong Yun with Fubao in her arms.

Fubao, hearing her mother’s words, looked at Pear Blossom with a confused expression and asked, “Pear Blossom, did Mama scold you? Is that why you’re going to cry?”

Dong Yun, hearing this, paused in her steps. She turned around and looked at Pear Blossom, locking eyes with her. “Are you going to cry?”

Pear Blossom quickly shook her head, denying it. “No— but you misunderstood me just now, I’m just a little unhappy.”

Dong Yun saw the small, wronged look in her eyes and immediately smiled. “I told you, I was just teasing you.”

Pear Blossom muttered softly, “Who knows if you’re telling the truth or just making things up…”

But Fubao interrupted seriously, “Mother tells the truth. Mother doesn’t let Fubao tell lies, and Mother doesn’t tell lies either.” Her childish voice defended her mother.

Dong Yun looked at her daughter’s serious little face and couldn’t help but laugh. She walked over to the stove, poked the blazing fire a little, then turned to Fubao and asked, “Pear Blossom is sending over some meat buns, do you want to eat?”

Hearing this, Fubao’s eyes immediately grew wide, and she excitedly kicked her legs, shouting, “I want to eat! Fubao wants to eat meat buns.”

Dong Yun watched her kicking feet and then remembered the bruises and small injuries on Pear Blossom’s waist and abdomen. She became alarmed and quickly moved to hold her feet, saying, “Don’t move around, Pear Blossom’s stomach is hurt. If you kick her belly, it will hurt.”

Fubao’s face turned pale from fear at her mother’s words. She quickly stopped moving her feet, hugged Pear Blossom’s neck tightly, and apologized softly, “Pear Blossom doesn’t hurt, Fubao won’t move anymore. Fubao will get down and walk on her own, not being carried.”

Pear Blossom’s heart warmed at Fubao’s concern, still holding her as she said, “If Fubao doesn’t move around, Pear Blossom won’t hurt. You can stay in my arms.”

Fubao didn’t want to let go and didn’t ask to be put down. However, thinking about the meat buns just mentioned, she eagerly stretched out her little hand toward her mother and said, “Mother, the buns, Fubao’s meat buns…”

Dong Yun called her a little greedy cat and handed her a bun. She then looked up at Pear Blossom and said, “You should have one too.”

Pear Blossom hurriedly shook her head, joking, “I almost couldn’t walk when I came out. How can I eat more?”

Fubao took the bun and immediately cheered, “This bun is so big! It’s even bigger than Fubao’s hand!”

She exaggeratedly compared her little hand, her face full of delight, as if she had discovered a new world. After saying that, she took a big bite, savoring it happily, her little expression turning funny.

Pear Blossom smiled as she looked at Fubao’s exaggerated face. All the complex emotions from before vanished, and she too laughed. She stretched out her hand to compare, saying, “It’s because Fubao’s hand is small. The bun isn’t even as big as my hand.”

She intentionally spread her hand and compared it with Fubao’s little hand, causing both of them to giggle.

While eating the bun, Fubao grabbed Pear Blossom’s hand seriously and said, “Pear Blossom’s hand is really big, even bigger than Mother’s.” After saying that, she looked up at Dong Yun, seemingly asking for confirmation.

Pear Blossom also glanced at Dong Yun. Dong Yun only chuckled and lowered her head to tend to the stove.

After comparing their hands, Fubao eagerly took another bite of the meat bun, which was even bigger than her hand. However, the juice leaked from the bite, spilling all over her hands. Dong Yun quickly stood up and grabbed a cloth to wipe Fubao’s hands, worried it might stain Pear Blossom’s clothes.

Pear Blossom was also reaching for her clothes at that moment, and her hand accidentally pressed down on Dong Yun’s.

At first, there was nothing special about it, but Dong Yun didn’t immediately pull her hand back. Pear Blossom, a bit dazed, didn’t want to move her hand either, and by a strange twist of fate, they ended up holding hands.

It wasn’t until Fubao exclaimed, “Pear Blossom’s hand is bigger than Mother’s,” that they both jolted. Pear Blossom quickly pulled her hand back as if scalded, hiding it behind her back and lowering her head, too embarrassed to look at Dong Yun.

Dong Yun noticed Pear Blossom’s reaction and had an idea. She didn’t say anything but quietly held Fubao’s small hand and wiped it, saying, “Be careful when eating, don’t spill on Pear Blossom’s clothes.”

Fubao nodded and continued to devour the bun.

“Is it delicious?” Dong Yun asked with a smile. “Delicious!” Fubao answered without hesitation. “It’s better than the ones Mother makes!”

Dong Yun couldn’t help but pinch her little cheek, pretending to be angry. “You ungrateful little thing, you eat my cooking every day, and now you dare to complain about me. One day, I’ll make you cook for yourself and see!”

Fubao immediately panicked. She hurriedly stretched out her hands to hug Dong Yun’s neck and pouted, “Mother, don’t be angry, your buns are delicious, Fubao loves your buns the most.”

Dong Yun quickly pushed her away. “Your hands are all greasy. Don’t grab my hair, or I’ll spank you.”

Fubao quickly pulled her hands back and nestled into Pear Blossom’s arms, giggling.

Pear Blossom watched the mother and daughter laughing and couldn’t help but smile, thinking of what Dong Yun had asked her to do. Finally, she spoke, “I have to go now, I still need to visit the Qin family and Uncle Wu’s house.”

Dong Yun heard this and immediately reached out to lift Fubao. “Then go quickly, don’t delay anything.”Pear Blossom nodded, patting Fubao’s little head. “I’m leaving now.”

Fubao pouted a little, unwilling to let go. But she didn’t dare to speak up, afraid of upsetting her mother. She reluctantly said, “Pear Blossom, let’s go play in the yard tonight!”

Pear Blossom glanced at Dong Yun, who smiled and didn’t seem to refuse. Then she replied, “Alright, I’ll come to pick you up then—along with your mother.”