Chapter 39

“Brother Ting, have you had breakfast? Auntie’s pancakes are delicious,” Zhou Yanfeng cheerfully offered. 

He gestured for He Ting to sit. “Come, have a seat and try one. This spicy radish is amazing too—perfect with porridge.” 

Lu Jiaojiao was acting strangely. 

With Weiwei away, He Ting had a gut feeling that he should lay low for a few days. 

Initially, He Ting had planned to take advantage of Weiwei’s absence to head into the mountains. That way, when he went with Tang Yuanliang to sell game in the county, he’d have a valid excuse to visit his wife at the county hospital. 

He shared his plan to head into the mountains with Tang Yuanliang. 

Tang Yuanliang, however, had concerns about hunting during such hot weather. 

“The heat makes it hard to preserve any game we catch,” Tang Yuanliang said. “And last time we were in that remote valley, I heard wolves howling at night.” 

Hunting was doable, but Tang Yuanliang believed they needed to be well-prepared. 

He suggested, “Why not wait a bit? When Weiwei comes back from her internship, we can accompany her when she goes into the mountains to gather herbs.” 

But Zhou Yanfeng understood He Ting better than anyone. 

He chimed in, “My Brother Ting just wants an excuse to visit my sister-in-law in the county.” 

“If you wait too long, the opportunity will pass. Look at him now—wandering around like a restless old man.” 

True, catching game meant they could justify a trip to the county black market to sell it. And while they were there, the “brother-in-law” could openly visit Weiwei. 

After all, they were newlyweds, inseparable and still deeply infatuated with each other. 

Tang Yuanliang couldn’t help but feel like he was force-fed a hefty dose of romance. “Alright, fine. Let’s do a big haul.” 

Tang Yuanliang brought out the Tang family’s winter hunting equipment, including firecrackers to scare off wolves, and gathered a few of his skilled brothers to join them. 

With such thorough preparation, there seemed to be no room for error. 

And indeed, their trip was fruitful. Without Lu Baiwei or Tang Yunling accompanying them, the group could fully unleash their hunting skills. They managed to bag two wild boars, six rabbits, and even a clutch of wild chickens. 

The trouble began on their way down the mountain. 

After slaughtering and portioning the wild boars on the spot, each of them carried a basket of pork. Unfortunately, Zhou Yanfeng’s basket, which was lined with insufficient banana leaves, started dripping blood. 

The scent of blood attracted a pack of wolves. 

Cunning creatures, the wolves could sense the Tang brothers and He Ting’s imposing presence. Instead of confronting the stronger men, they targeted the relatively weaker Zhou Yanfeng.

Wolves are incredibly cunning creatures. Sensing the aura of danger emanating from Tang Yuanliang and his brothers, as well as He Ting, they chose the relatively weaker Zhou Yanfeng as their target. 

By the time He Ting realized something was wrong, a wolf had already leapt from a rocky ledge, lunging ferociously at Zhou Yanfeng. 

Zhou Yanfeng was a good brother to him, and there was no way He Ting could stand by and watch as a wolf tore into his neck. 

Despite knowing the risk, He Ting drew his knife and charged forward. 

With a swift, precise, and forceful strike, he stabbed the wolf in the neck, successfully taking it down. However, in the process, his back was slashed deeply by another wolf’s claws, leaving blood streaming down. 

Fortunately, Tang Yuanliang and his brothers were skilled hunters. They fired their handmade weapons and set off firecrackers, scaring off the rest of the wolf pack that had begun to surround them. 

After applying some herbal medicine to stop He Ting’s bleeding, they grew concerned about the heat and the risk of infection. Using the trip to the county to deal with the game as a cover, Tang Yuanliang took He Ting to the hospital for an anti-inflammatory injection. 

At that moment, Lu Baiwei and Shen Junqian had just returned to the hospital after having a meal. They saw Tang Yuanliang waiting at the hospital entrance. 

“Brother, why are you here in the county?” Lu Baiwei asked. 

“Weiwei, you’re finally back! I went to your dorm at the hospital, but your roommate said you were eating at the state-run restaurant, so I had to wait here at the entrance.” 

Tang Yuanliang glanced at Shen Junqian, who had accompanied Lu Baiwei back, and then quickly turned to Lu Baiwei. “He Ting is injured. Come with me to the emergency department right away.” 

Shen Junqian thought Tang Yuanliang looked familiar. 

Using his sharp memory honed from his dealings in the black market, he soon remembered. Wasn’t this the man from Xiangyang Brigade who hunted wild boars? 

The wild boar he’d purchased last time had been resold for a hefty profit. 

So, this was the younger girl’s brother? 

The last time Tang Yuanliang had come to the county, he’d been accompanied by another man. 

That man was even more striking, carrying himself with a presence that couldn’t be completely hidden. He didn’t seem like a local but more like a city-bred educated youth. 

From Shen Junqian’s discerning eye, it was clear the man was skilled in martial arts. 

Hunting wild boars was no small feat. 

In his line of work, it was wise to cultivate good relationships, especially with capable individuals. That man’s background seemed anything but ordinary. 

Shen Junqian considered introducing himself, but before he could, Tang Yuanliang had already pulled Lu Baiwei away. 

He Ting? 

Was he the man who had accompanied the younger girl’s brother to sell wild boar at the black market last time? 

Now injured and in the emergency department, he’d have to make sure his old man at the hospital kept a closer eye on things. 

The news that He Ting was injured left Lu Baiwei’s heart pounding with anxiety.

Hearing that He Ting was injured, Lu Baiwei’s heart raced with worry. 

As they hurried to the emergency department, Tang Yuanliang explained that the injury happened during a hunting trip when they encountered wolves. He Ting had been scratched on the back while fighting off a wolf. 

“Baiwei, it’s my fault for not planning carefully,” Tang Yuanliang admitted, feeling deeply remorseful about causing her concern. 

Even more guilt-ridden was Zhou Yanfeng, who was waiting anxiously outside the emergency room. He felt he had no face to meet Lu Baiwei. 

“Sister-in-law, this is all my fault. Brother Ting got injured saving me,” Zhou Yanfeng confessed. “If he hadn’t shielded me at that moment, I’d have lost my life to that wolf in the mountains.” 

Inside the treatment room, He Ting was receiving an IV drip. Hearing the conversation outside, he worried Zhou Yanfeng might scare his wife. 

“Baiwei, it’s nothing serious,” He Ting called out. “Just a small injury, nothing to worry about.” 

But when Lu Baiwei saw the bloodstained shirt He Ting had been wearing, her heart clenched, and tears involuntarily welled up in her eyes. 

Insisting on examining his injury, she demanded, “Take off your shirt. Let me have a look.” 

Faced with her insistence, He Ting looked visibly uncomfortable. 

“Hurry up!” Lu Baiwei urged. “I’m a doctor—there’s no difference between men and women in the eyes of a physician.” 

Besides, he was her husband. 

“All right,” He Ting finally relented, slowly lifting his shirt to reveal his lean, muscular back. 

As she inspected his wound, her fingers brushed against his back, sending a shiver through He Ting. He cursed the fact that they were in the county hospital’s emergency room and not at home, where he could act on his feelings. 

Lu Baiwei, focused on his injury and fraught with worry, had no idea what kind of thoughts were racing through his mind. If she did, she would have pinched him hard. 

“The scratch is pretty deep—it’ll take about a week to scab over,” she noted. 

“This kind of weather makes it easy for wounds to get infected. You’re not going back to the brigade tonight. You’ll need another anti-inflammatory drip tomorrow.” 

Gently pulling his shirt back down, Lu Baiwei added, “I’ll change your dressing tonight.” 

Lu Baiwei pulled down his shirt, saying, “I’ll change your dressing tonight.” 

Change the dressing herself? 

He Ting’s thoughts were running wild, and he suddenly felt that getting scratched by the wolf had been worth it. 

“Baiwei, my wound hurts,” He Ting said, inhaling sharply as if in pain. He furrowed his brows and grabbed Lu Baiwei’s hand, leaning his head against her waist in the process. 

Her brother and Zhou Yanfeng were still there! 

What was this man doing? 

This time, Lu Baiwei really pinched him. “Serves you right! Who told you to go up the mountain without telling me?” 

“I wanted to use the trip to the county to deal with the game as an excuse to come see you,” He Ting said, tilting his head up to look at her with a pleading expression. “Baiwei, I missed you.” 

Heaven knows how dangerous it is when someone with naturally enchanting eyes fills them with such tender emotion—it’s enough to completely captivate anyone. 

Facing those eyes, Lu Baiwei felt her heart melt into a puddle. 

She couldn’t bring herself to say anything reproachful anymore. 

This man! He always used his good looks to get his way with her. 

Her face burned as if it were on fire, and she didn’t dare meet his gaze. 

“I was just worried about you,” she muttered. 

“I know. My wife loves me the most…” 

Enough already, enough! 

Did the people standing nearby not exist to him? 

Watching He Ting wrap his arms around his sister-in-law’s waist and even rub his face against her, Zhou Yanfeng stood there in stunned silence. 

He stared at He Ting with an expression that screamed disbelief, as if he thought his brother had been possessed. 

What was this? 

Could it be that his brother Ting had been taken over by a wolf cub from the mountain?