Chapter 67 ☆ Recovering from Injuries

Lightning flashed across the night sky, illuminating it.

The hand moved slightly, gripping Cheng Yaoyao’s injured fingertips. The blood from both hands mixed. The grip was weak but firm, and Cheng Yaoyao’s tears, which she had been holding back, rolled out instantly: “Xie Zhao!”

A crack of lightning sounded a few seconds later, and the rain poured down again.

Lin Jiaqi pulled her back and shouted, “Hurry up and save him!”

Cheng Yaoyao stayed beside the scene and refused to leave. The rain stung her face, and her fingers were bleeding. She seemed completely unaware, her eyes fixated on the base of the tree trunk through the figures of those digging.

The sky seemed to have burst open, with rain pouring endlessly. The mountain was likely to collapse again. Everyone dug frantically, with dirt and debris constantly being cleared away. Soon, a gap was created, just large enough for one person to crawl through.

Lin Jiaqi half-knelt, stretched out his hand, and shouted into the hole, “Quick, give me your hand!”

He grabbed a small hand and pulled with all his strength. Out came a little boy, about five or six years old: “It’s a child! This child is still alive!”

Everyone carried the child to the hillside. The boy was in good spirits, though his face and body were covered in dirt. He burst into tears as soon as he was out.

The leader of Bashang Village hugged the child and knelt on the ground, “Fei Fei!”

Feifei hugged his neck, crying, “Dad!”

The leader of Bashang Village wept as he held his son, overwhelmed with guilt for nearly abandoning him for the sake of the villagers’ lives.

Feifei extended his little hand toward the cave: “Brother… Brother…”

Cheng Yaoyao rushed over: “Where’s Xie Zhao?!”

Xie Zhao’s bloodstained hands grasped the edge of the cave entrance. Lin Jiaqi held his hands, and several men stepped forward to help pull him out. The tree trunk, wedged against a rock, had created a space just large enough to hold two people. The entrance to the cave was narrow, and Xie Zhao’s body was cut by rocks and branches, causing severe bleeding.

When Xie Zhao was finally pulled out of the cave, everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief and asked in unison, “Brother Xie, how is it?”

Lin Daguan supported Xie Zhao. After being in the cave for so long, he looked up drowsily, the cold rain hitting his face snapping him back to full consciousness.

“Xie Zhao, Xie Zhao, are you okay?!” Cheng Yaoyao pushed forward, and the moment she saw Xie Zhao, she burst into tears.

Xie Zhao’s face and body were covered in blood and dirt, his features indistinguishable. Only his eyes remained deep and sharp: “Sister? Why are you here?!”

Cheng Yaoyao broke down in tears. It had taken everything in her not to cry until now, but she no longer cared and sobbed uncontrollably.

The rain continued to pour, and Cheng Yaoyao’s tears flowed even more heavily. Seeing her distress, Xie Zhao’s eyes softened. He extended his right hand and drew her into his embrace.

Lin Jiajun watched in shock as Cheng Yaoyao clung to Xie Zhao without hesitation. Lin Jiaqi, with a serious expression, said to Xie Zhao, “It’s dangerous here. We need to evacuate quickly! Can we leave?”

Xie Zhao pressed Cheng Yaoyao’s face against his chest and nodded. “Yes!”

With one hand holding Cheng Yaoyao, Xie Zhao, who was pinned under the tree trunk for a long time but had uninjured legs, supported her as they descended the hillside together. They quickly reached a safe area.

Just as they arrived, a loud crash echoed behind them. A fresh landslide of mud and rocks tumbled down, covering the spot where they had just been.

Cheng Yaoyao stared in shock, her heart pounding with fear. If they had been even a moment later, Xie Zhao and the child would have had no chance of survival.

Overwhelmed by the moment, Cheng Yaoyao lost consciousness.

When she awoke, she felt a sharp pain in her fingertips. Instinctively, she tried to pull her hand back, but her wrist was held down. A deep voice whispered in her ear, “Be still, don’t move.”

Cheng Yaoyao opened her eyes slowly, squinting against the bright sunlight. “It hurts…”

Xie Zhao was sitting beside her bed, his left arm in a plaster cast. His face, marred by several scars, looked fierce but gentle as he tended to her wounds. “I’m changing the dressing on your finger. Be good, don’t move.”

“Xie Zhao, Xie Zhao! Are you okay? Oh…” Cheng Yaoyao’s nose felt tight, realizing she wasn’t dreaming.

She reached out to touch the plaster on Xie Zhao’s arm. “Your hand?”

Xie Fei, who was nearby, rushed to explain, “Brother’s arm was broken by a tree trunk while trying to save someone!”

Xie Zhao said firmly, “Xiao Fei.”

“I’m not wrong!” Xie Fei retorted, her anger evident, “Brother was seriously injured, and Sister Yaoyao had a high fever. We did all this to save them…”

Xie Fei, who had grown up seeing their family mistreated, couldn’t understand the injustice of it all. His brother nearly lost his life to help others.

Cheng Yaoyao blinked and interrupted, “Do I have a fever? No wonder I’m in so much pain…”

“You’ve slept for a whole day and night,” Xie Fei said.

“Are you hungry? Are you still feeling uncomfortable?” Xie Zhao asked gently.

Cheng Yaoyao, feeling miserable and wronged, sobbed and extended her free hand toward Xie Zhao, asking him to hold her.

Xie Zhao had no choice but to lower his head, letting Cheng Yaoyao wrap her arms around his neck. He then held her and sat her up. “It’s okay. It’ll get better.”

Blushing, Xie Zhao coughed twice to remind her, “Ahem, Sister Yaoyao, the medicine still needs to be applied.”

Cheng Yaoyao took the chance to be coquettish. “This medicine hurts so much, I don’t want to apply it anymore!”

“No,” Xie Zhao said firmly. He held her fingertips and asked Xie Fei to finish applying the medicine.

Cheng Yaoyao’s slender fingers, with their pink nails, were marred with bright red flesh and several splits. The sight of the scars on her once-snow-white hands was shocking.

Will her hands always look this way? Cheng Yaoyao wondered, almost fainting from the pain after the medicine was applied.

Xie Fei left with the medicine and gauze, closing the door behind him to give them some privacy.

Cheng Yaoyao’s cheeks were wet from crying, her hair stuck to her face, and her peach blossom eyes red and swollen, looking both pitiful and endearing. Xie Zhao awkwardly wiped her tears away with his rough hand, making her cheeks even redder.

“It hurts so much…” Cheng Yaoyao moaned.

Xie Zhao quickly withdrew his hand, but Cheng Yaoyao took it again, gently stroking his palm with her gauze-wrapped fingers.

Xie Zhao’s palms, calloused from years of work, were covered in tiny wounds and looked quite alarming.

“Don’t look; it might scare you,” Xie Zhao said.

“How many wounds do you have?” Cheng Yaoyao asked through her tears, looking at his wrist.

Xie Zhao, usually wearing light clothing, was now in a long-sleeved jacket, sweat forming on his forehead.

“Don’t worry. I managed to avoid most of the dirt pile,” Xie Zhao said.

Cheng Yaoyao focused on his cast and said, “You call this not serious? Take off your coat and let me see.”

Xie Zhao insisted, “It’s very ugly. Wait until it heals before you look.”

Remembering her earlier vow, Cheng Yaoyao finally relented, turning her head and burying her face in Xie Zhao’s chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her clinginess like a lost kitten.

Xie Zhao softly stroked her hair, his cold demeanor softening. “Sister, promise me one thing.”

“What is it?” Cheng Yaoyao looked up, her eyes filled with innocence.

Xie Zhao gazed deeply into her eyes. “No matter what happens in the future, don’t hurt yourself for me.”

Cheng Yaoyao’s eyes trembled. “Why are you speaking so seriously?”

Xie Zhao said, his voice breaking, “It was so dangerous last night. You went out alone to find me. If anything happened to you, I…”

Xie Zhao’s eyes reddened, unable to continue. He hugged Cheng Yaoyao tightly and whispered, “Sister, promise me.”

“I… I promise,” Cheng Yaoyao said, moved by Xie Zhao’s emotional state. She patted his back gently with her gauze-wrapped hands, trying to comfort him. “Don’t cry.”

Xie Zhao didn’t cry. Instead, he kissed Cheng Yaoyao passionately, causing her to cry even more.

The Xie household, previously quiet, now buzzed with activity. Cheng Yaoyao learned that Xie Zhao had saved seven or eight children and women that day. The grateful families from Tianshui Village and Bashang Village came to thank him, bringing gifts such as eggs, hens, and flour. The leader of Bashang Village and his wife also brought Feifei and a bag of fresh mangosteen, a rare fruit from Guangzhou. Despite Grandma Xie’s refusal, they left the gifts behind and hurried away.

The village gossipers criticized the Xie family, saying, “The Xie family is a landlord; you should stay away from them.”

One of the children’s parents retorted, “The Xie family saved us! Mind your own business!”

Rumors spread that Cheng Yaoyao had gone out alone in the night to find Xie Zhao. These were quickly silenced by Lin Dafu, who clarified that it was actually Xie Fei who had gone to find Xie Zhao, and Xie Zhao was a hero for saving others.

Cheng Yaoyao was indifferent to the rumors. However, Feifei’s mother’s attempt to set up a date for Xie Zhao made Cheng Yaoyao furious. She scolded Xie Zhao, and in turn, Grandma Xie scolded Xie Zhao for upsetting Yaoyao.

Cheng Yaoyao, disregarding her own safety, ran to find Xie Zhao. Grandma Xie, who had always doted on Cheng Yaoyao, now brought her three meals a day and even offered to feed her personally.

Under the family’s attentive care, Cheng Yaoyao’s high fever soon subsided. The shock and exposure to rain had exhausted her, but after absorbing enough Yang energy, she quickly regained her vitality.

Xie Zhao’s injuries, however, were more severe. With a broken left arm, cracked ribs, and numerous scratches, his recovery would take a long time. It was particularly challenging in the summer, and the frequent visitors made it difficult for him to rest properly.

Late at night, once the household had fallen asleep, Xie Zhao quietly took a shower in the yard. Shirtless, he used one hand to handle a towel, and the cold water made his wounds sting. He frowned, trying to avoid touching the plaster cast. As he considered how long it would take for the cast to come off, he heard footsteps approaching.

Turning around, Xie Zhao saw Cheng Yaoyao in her nightgown, the scent of peach blossoms lingering around her.

Before Xie Zhao could speak, Cheng Yaoyao’s face showed concern and irritation. “Aren’t you worried about your wound getting infected?”

Embarrassed, Xie Zhao used a towel to cover himself. “Sister, I’m just taking a shower…”

“You shouldn’t take a cold shower; it could cause an infection.” Cheng Yaoyao glared at him. “I’m going to tell Grandma!”

Resisting the urge to pinch her cheeks, Xie Zhao said, “Don’t make a fuss.”

Cheng Yaoyao crossed her arms and raised her chin. “Then you’re not allowed to take a cold shower.”

Xie Zhao looked at her helplessly. “It’s too hot. I’m uncomfortable.”

Cheng Yaoyao, unable to resist his pleading gaze, glanced around at his wounds and noted the high risk of infection. She sniffed at him again and sighed, “Hmm…”

Covering her nose, Cheng Yaoyao met Xie Zhao’s puzzled eyes and nodded. “It does smell a bit like sweat.”

Xie Zhao took a step back, embarrassed. Cheng Yaoyao’s cleanliness standards were high, and he feared she’d be put off if he stayed too close.

Cheng Yaoyao touched his chin and offered, “You can use my bathtub if you want.”

The large bathtub, with its woody scent and smooth finish, was a luxurious and comfortable space Cheng Yaoyao used frequently.

Xie Zhao was touched. Cheng Yaoyao was willing to share her precious bathtub with him?