Chapter 2: The Disabled Man with Severed Meridians

Previously, his own name had been mocked by friends due to its similarity to Song Qingshu's name. He even earned the nickname "King of Spare Tires." At that time, he was confident and took it all in stride. Little did he know, he might now truly be in the role of the tragic spare tire, Song Qingshu.

"Come in," the woman in the green dress by the table spoke calmly after a moment of silence.

At this point, Song Qingshu was about eighty percent sure that he was in the world of "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber." No one would bother arranging such scenes just to deceive him. Moreover, he distinctly remembered that he had died.

From their conversation, he deduced that this should be the time of the Shaolin Lion Roar Gathering. Song Qingshu was heavily injured, and the woman in the green dress was most likely his nominal wife, Zhou Zhiruo.

Instinctively, Song Qingshu pretended to remain unconscious. In the original story, the marriage between Song Qingshu and Zhou Zhiruo was more of a formality. Zhou Zhiruo didn't have much affection for Song Qingshu to begin with. Plus, after the various TV adaptations, Song Qingshu vividly remembered Zhou Zhiruo's cunning and ruthless nature. If she found out that he had replaced the real Song Qingshu, she would undoubtedly strike him with the Nine Yin White Bone Claw, sending him straight to the afterlife.

Having already died once, Song Qingshu had no desire to experience that feeling again. Just then, Zhang Wuji also entered the room. "How is Song Shixiong's condition? Let me take a look at him," he said.

Without turning around, Zhou Zhiruo replied coldly, "His bones are shattered throughout his body, his injuries are extremely severe. He probably won't survive, and I don't know if he can make it through the night."

Hearing her words, Song Qingshu couldn't help but bitterly smile. "This girl has no conscience. Even though the original owner of this body is supposedly her husband, she's completely indifferent to his critical condition. Could it be that she's hoping to become a charming widow after he dies and seek solace in Zhang Wuji's arms?"

Zhang Wuji said, "You know I have some medical skills. I'm willing to do my best to treat him."

His words ignited a glimmer of hope in Song Qingshu's heart. Zhang Wuji had inherited the true teachings of the Butterfly Valley Medical Saint. With him providing treatment, he might just survive.

Zhou Zhiruo asked, "Why do you want to save him?"

Listening intently from the bed, Song Qingshu felt sorry for the original owner of this body. "It seems you haven't been faring well. Your wife seems to be eager for you to die. She probably wants to become a lovely widow and find comfort in Zhang Wuji's embrace."

Zhang Wuji hesitated and said, "I owe you, and I'm deeply ashamed. Furthermore, you spared my life earlier. Since Song Shixiong is injured, I will do my utmost to help."

Zhou Zhiruo softly remarked, "You spared my life earlier, so how could I not know? If you can save Song Dage's life, how should I repay you?"

The situation didn't seem right at all. Why did it sound like a couple pouring out their hearts to each other? And talking about how to repay each other – a woman asking a man in such a woeful tone, what if the man demanded her affection in return? Song Qingshu seemed to see a faint green light on the forehead of the original owner of this body. While Zhou Zhiruo wasn't his wife, he could still empathize with her feelings.

Zhang Wuji said, "Trading one life for another, please show mercy to my adoptive father." Song Qingshu felt relieved hearing Zhang Wuji's words. Fortunately, he was not as shameless as someone like Wei Xiaobao. Otherwise, with a bit of audacity, wouldn't Zhou Zhiruo have fallen into his arms already?

Zhou Zhiruo pointed towards the inner room and said calmly, "He's inside."

Approaching the bed, Zhang Wuji observed Song Qingshu's injuries and asked, "Lady Song, whether I can save Song Shixiong's life is uncertain. May I try?"

The phrase "Lady Song" sounded better and better to Song Qingshu. "If you can heal me, I won't mind the flirtations between you and Zhou Zhiruo." Song Qingshu contemplated silently. Indeed, the original Song Qingshu had reasons to hold resentment against Zhang Wuji, but Song Qingshu had only inherited the body, not the hatred. As for his previous discomfort, it was merely due to Zhou Zhiruo's status as the recognized beauty in the martial world, which triggered his possessive instincts as a man.

Looking back, that woman's judgment about Song Qingshu's character wasn't entirely wrong. Society worked that way – unless you were an idle rich second generation or a mediocre person, your efforts would eventually assimilate you into the social norms.

In the world, there was no clear line between good and evil. The misfortune of the villains was that they exposed their dark side to many, while the good people, intentionally or not, only revealed their good side.

Song Qingshu fell into the former, his dark side was openly displayed to that woman, making him the villain. The dark side of the woman's rival was hidden, so even after she killed him, the oblivious woman still thought of him as an honorable gentleman.

Lost in thought, Song Qingshu realized that Zhang Wuji had started setting his bones. The pain was excruciating, but not understanding the situation in the new world, he had to pretend to mumble in his sleep instead of crying out in pain.

Zhang Wuji aligned his shattered bones and applied the Hei Yu Disperse Cream. Using the Nine Yang Divine Skill, he infused the medicinal power into Song Qingshu's broken bones. After about fifteen minutes, Zhang Wuji breathed a sigh of relief and told Zhou Zhiruo, "Senior Song's life is no longer in danger, but... he... he..."

Zhou Zhiruo's expression didn't reveal any joy either, and she asked calmly, "Please, go on."

"But Senior Song's meridians have been severed. He probably won't be able to practice martial arts anymore." Zhang Wuji's words were like a thunderclap to Song Qingshu. In the world of martial arts, becoming disabled meant an entirely different fate.

"No need to blame yourself, saving him was already no easy feat," Zhou Zhiruo's indifference persisted. Song Qingshu found it strange – it was as though they were the couple, and he was just an outsider. Well, he indeed was an outsider.

Concerned about Zhou Zhiruo facing Shaolin's Three Challenges, Zhang Wuji broached the subject of the Vajra Subduing Demon Formation, hoping to break it together.

Zhou Zhiruo decisively declined, "In the past, we had an engagement. But my husband's life is hanging by a thread now. Besides, I spared your life today, and people will surely say I still have feelings for you. If I ask for your help again, the world will accuse me of lacking integrity and being fickle."

Zhang Wuji anxiously said, "As long as we're true to our hearts, why care about others' words?"

"But what if my heart is not clear?" Zhou Zhiruo's rhetorical question filled the room with ambiguity.

Song Qingshu chuckled bitterly. He mourned heavily for the original owner of this body, thinking, "This blatant seduction is practically Pan Jinlian reborn, with Lady Yang reincarnated. Poor Qing Shu, what sins did you commit in your previous life? Not only did I take over your body, but it seems I can't even keep your wife safe."