Chapter 6 (1)

Her face turned pale in an instant. She screamed, turned her head, and fled, dropping the pouch from her hand onto the ground. In front of the door, fresh red strawberries rolled everywhere.

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Lin Lang lowered his head, bent his legs, and reached out to pinch the piece of glass embedded in the sole of his foot. He was about to pull it out forcefully.

Fang Ji quickly held his hand. "Let me do it."

"No, I..."

"I know. You came to save me, right?" Fang Ji looked at him and said, "Lin Lang, no matter what others say, I only believe what I see."

Lin Lang hesitated, then looked up at Fang Ji's face, his eyes showing a moment of confusion.

While Lin Lang was momentarily distracted, Fang Ji gently pushed aside his hand and tilted his chin to the side. "Close your eyes."

Fang Ji cradled his leg and blocked Lin Lang's line of sight with his back. He rambled on, "I mean, did you think just now that I suspected you? Suspected that you released the wolves to attack me? By now, I'm probably done for, and how did you manage to create this bloody hole in yourself? Could it be—" Fang Ji paused for a moment, as if he realized something, and elongated the sound of "oh," adding a touch of teasing in his tone. "I got it, you wanted to act out a heroic sacrifice, make me fall in love with you, right?"

Lin Lang's expression changed, and he was about to deny it when suddenly his foot experienced a sharp pain. Fang Ji had just removed the glass fragment from the sole of his foot. He let out a muffled groan, clenching his lips tightly.

"Relax, it's out now," Fang Ji reassured as he pressed against Lin Lang's slightly trembling leg. "If it hurts, just say so. It's only the two of us here."

Lin Lang's voice was somewhat hoarse. "...I'm fine."

He wanted to retract his leg, but Fang Ji still held onto it. After a few seconds, Fang Ji suddenly leaned down, and then there was a sensation of damp warmth on the sole of his foot. Lin Lang paused for a moment, his whole body tensing up. Subconsciously, he pushed Fang Ji away, and Fang Ji let out a muffled groan, gripping his left arm and shivering.

Fang Ji took sharp breaths, and then turned to glare at him. Lin Lang's gaze swept over the bloodstain at the corner of Fang Ji's mouth. He turned his head away somewhat awkwardly and took the opportunity to take back his leg. "...I'll go wash up."

"Weren't you the one who did the same to me last time? Forgot about that?"

Lin Lang pressed his lips together. "...That was different."

Fang Ji looked at his face and finally chuckled. He tore off a piece of cloth from his clothes and hastily bandaged Lin Lang's wound. Lin Lang used one hand to support himself on the ground, tilting slightly as he struggled to stand up and walk.

Fang Ji grabbed his arm and said, "Your wound is deep and could easily get infected. You can't leave for the next few days. Tomorrow, I'll go out and find a vaccine for you."

Lin Lang lowered his eyes and made a feeble attempt to resist, "No need, I can handle it myself..."

Before he could finish speaking, Fang Ji simply took hold of his arm and helped him stand up. The wolves stood quietly in the woods, watching the two of them with fixed gazes, no longer following.

The coal lamp in the room emitted a faint light that kept flickering. The door to the inner room was ajar. Upon hearing the commotion, A Shui caught a whiff of a strong bloody scent and looked outside, her face turning pale.

"Don't worry, little girl," Fang Ji placed Lin Lang on the bed and assisted him in lying down. He then turned his head towards A Shui. "He stepped on a piece of glass in the stream and got a bloody hole in his foot. I'll take care of it in a moment. Go to sleep."

A Shui tightly pressed her lips together and stood at the doorway without moving.

Fang Ji chuckled and turned to Lin Lang. "Did you forget to feed her?"

"She's eaten already."

"This little girl hardly speaks a word all day, yet she seems quite concerned about you," Fang Ji's lips curled with a playful smile. His tone was teasing, "I have to ask, what's the relationship between you two?"

Fang Ji's voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for A Shui to hear. Lin Lang's face remained expressionless, while A Shui lowered her head and avoided their gaze before turning and entering the house.

There was a soft thud as the inner room's door closed. In an instant, a shadow crossed Lin Lang's vision, followed by a weight pressing down on him.

"Fang Ji?!" Lin Lang grabbed Fang Ji and reached up to touch his forehead. To his surprise, Fang Ji's skin felt feverishly hot.

"Shh..." Fang Ji's eyelids twitched slightly as he made a hushing gesture with his finger. He whispered, "I... have a terrible headache and want to rest for a bit. There are bandages and erythromycin in my bag. Take care of your wound first..."

His voice grew softer, as if the effort of speaking was draining him of his last bit of energy. Fang Ji closed his eyes and began to tremble.

In a dazed state of mind, the pain constantly tugged at him, preventing him from falling asleep. He curled up, his mouth half-open, gasping for breath like a dehydrated fish.

The room flickered with the light of the lamp. A thin wisp of smoke trailed a faint white line through the air as the lamp oil burned out. Moonlight filtered through the window paper, casting a faint and delicate glow.

A cold hand rested on his forehead, causing Lin Lang to start involuntarily. The chill seeped through his skin, pushing down the burning sensation in his chest. After a while, his trembling subsided.

Fang Ji slightly opened his eyes and vaguely saw a figure in front of his bed, illuminated by the moon's glow. He parted his lips, his voice hoarse as he said, "...Lin Lang?"

Lin Lang responded with a soft "Hmm."

"Did you... treat the wound?"

Lin Lang paused before answering, "...Yes."

Fang Ji's face relaxed, and the furrow in his brow eased. He closed his eyes and finally drifted into sleep.

The next day, sunlight slanted in through the window, casting a faint crimson hue amidst the white.

Listening to the birdsong from the forest, Fang Ji slowly opened his eyes. He saw a pale expanse of ceiling above him. Blinking his eyes, fragments of dream-like images still flickered through his mind. As he moved, a sudden pain shot through his left arm, and the scenes from last night rushed back to him. He paused for a moment, fully awake now.

With a soft thud, a dark shadow passed by his field of vision. He looked down to see a damp cloth falling along with his movement. The cloth had warmed against his forehead. He was wearing fresh clothes, and his left arm wound was wrapped in bandages.

Lin Lang was leaning against the edge of the bed, dozing off with his arm supporting him. As Fang Ji stirred, Lin Lang snapped awake, sitting up straight. Their gazes met in mid-air, and both froze momentarily.

A brief silence hung in the air until Fang Ji cleared his throat and began, "About last night..."

Before he could continue, there was a sudden knock on the door.

Zhang Guangquan and Zhang Xiuhua entered with their arms full of freshly picked strawberries. Their faces had prepared smiles, and as the courtyard gate slowly opened, their expressions froze at the sight of Lin Lang.

Zhang Xiuhua let out a cry and stepped back, hiding behind Zhang Guangquan. Her face displayed undisguised disgust as she stared at Lin Lang. She screeched, "You! What are you doing here?!"

Lin Lang's expression remained calm, "What's the matter?"

Zhang Guangquan's face tightened, and his tone carried a hint of annoyance, "We're here to find Doctor Fang Ji. The villagers said he's staying here. Is that true?"

"He's here," Lin Lang answered, but he still stood in the doorway, showing no intention of making way.

Zhang Xiuhua furrowed her brows. Emboldened by Zhang Guangquan's presence, she took a deep breath and took a couple of steps forward. Waving her hand dismissively at Lin Lang, she said, "Move aside! You wretch!"

Lin Lang remained unmoved, his gaze fixed on Zhang Xiuhua's face, devoid of any expression.

Seeing his lack of response, Zhang Xiuhua gained a bit more courage. She held her bag in front of her and took a step towards the door. But just then, something flashed before her eyes, followed by a loud bang that nearly deafened her. Startled, she jumped and looked up, only to see Lin Lang's fist pounding against the door panel. His arm was tense and veins stood out on it. Splinters flew, grazing Zhang Xiuhua's face. Her face turned white, and she screamed before turning and fleeing. Her bag of strawberries fell to the ground, and the doorstep was littered with freshly crushed red strawberries.