Chapter 114 – A Life-Saving Grace Should Be Paid Back With The Body
Xiang Qing easily and effortlessly carried me on his back through the rugged mountain paths. Behind us, the unwilling and bitter Mo’lin and Yin Zi exchanged hateful glances between each other.
Like this, we walked until the sun had set. We arrived at the outskirts of a town. I reluctantly held onto his clothes as he placed me down, he turned to comfort, “I’m going into town to find a carriage for you, so wait for me here.”
What use is a carriage? I didn’t understand the meaning of those words so Yin Zi had shyly replied in my stead, “Gentleman has our thanks.”
Xiang Qing entrusted Mo’lin with the responsibilities of taking care of us, and then immediately headed towards the town.
Mo’lin instantly dropped Yin Zi down onto the dust and dirt, whisking away at the dust upon his body and a little sorry to say, “He’s worried for you two ladies’ reputation, afraid that others would have small talk and tarnish your innocence.”
Hmmm? I was very confused, why doesn’t he just let other people have their small talk and tarnish the innocence?
“No need to hurry, we’ll proceed with our plans step by step.” Yin Zi brushed his pained b.u.t.tocks, gave a resentful glance to Mo’lin, moved to my side and whispered, “Remember the words I’ve taught you, you mustn’t make a single mistake.”
I quietly recalled them within my mind several times, and then glimpsed to the cheat sheet in my sleeves nodding earnestly.
Not long after, the figure of Xiang Qing hauling a broken vegetable cart from the city appeared in the far distance. Yin Zi once again whispered into my ears, “He really is poor…..”
“Did you bring money?” I hurriedly asked Yin Zi, “Bring out a little and give some to Shifu.”
Yin Zi refuted in a flash, “I changed too quickly so when we left, I forgot to bring any…..”
Our eyes quickly gathered upon Mo’lin. Mo’lin scratched his head and reluctantly sighed, “In the Heavenly Realm, what use is there having money…..don’t you guys have any jewelry you can p.a.w.n for money?”
“I don’t like jewelry so I only wear flowers.”
“Cross dressing as a woman is already shameful enough, why would I even put on hairpins, accessories and the sort?”
“A bunch of idiots!”
As the three argued, Xiang Qing had already arrived before them. His face was flushed red, and he was very embarra.s.sed to say, “I hope miss won’t mind too much, we should first head into the city.”
We quickly arrived at a truce, and revealed our extremely pure expressions, “Then we give our thanks to big brother.”
Sitting on this broken and dilapidated wooden carriage, we happily entered the city gates. When we arrived at the physician’s residence, the doctor was invited to take a look at my leg injury. His eyes were fixed onto my face for half a stick of incense’s time, and then slowly trailed down my chest. Like a child, a sliver of drool could be seen from the corner of his mouth. Only until Mo’lin and Xiang Qing unhappily interrupted his line of sight did he finally check my wound and applied a light herbal dressing for me. The doctor reached forward to ask for payment but had entered into another daze upon staring at Yin Zi.
Yin Zi with a bitter face searched on his body for some money, but was unable to fish out even a single copper coin. He looked towards Mo’lin to plead for help, however, Mo’lin just turned his head away pretending he didn’t know anything.
In that moment, the doctor had recovered and wiped his away his drool. There was a hint of anger in his voice, “Treating your injuries requires money! If you don’t pay, I’ll report you to the government officials!”
Xiang Qing let out sigh. After digging you a long time, he was able to pull out several dozen coins from within his clothing and handed them to the doctor, “I’ll pay for her.”
“How is this small amount enough! Do I look like a beggar to you?!” The doctor angrily shouted, “This place is the city’s number one medical hall! Even the medicine and herbs we use are all first cla.s.s!”
Hearing his disrespectful tone towards Shifu, my heart ached. I wanted to jump up and tear apart this entire building, but was held down by Yin Zi.
Mo’lin also became a little furious, “Isn’t this just Blue Cohosh Roots? How much money can this be worth anyways? And here I thought you were some big shot in the medical world, not to mention, you’ve probably eaten plenty of soft tofu. Be careful your greediness doesn’t become an illness to the body!”
“My whole life I’ve never had ill intentions! I’m not afraid of karma!” The doctor knocked on the table and disdainfully said.
Facing this kind of b.a.s.t.a.r.d, we could only feel helpless. Xiang Qing once again searched his entire body and after a long time, he brought forth his sect treasure the Demon Scouring Mirror and handed it over to the doctor.
“That…..I thank Shif…..thank Big Brother Xiang.” Seeing that Shifu had just lost his beloved treasure, my heart felt a burst of sadness. I became even more terrified thinking that he might blame me, my heart becoming restless and in a panic state.
Xiang Qing gently waved his hands. In a carefree manner, he said, “Miss, treatment for your leg injury is necessary. If something bad were to happen to the wound, then you may be disabled for the rest of your life. Compared to that treasure of mine, your future is much more important.”
Being poor is one thing. But for him to p.a.w.n away everything on his person…..I could only dejectedly walk together with Yin Zi and Xiang Qing to return the wooden carriage. There was also no way we could afford to stay at an inn so we reluctantly left for the outer parts of the city where we found a deserted temple to stay in.
Yin Zi faintly ordered a nearby demon to send a message to Jian Nan to prepare and send us some gold and silver to use.
The rumbling of my hungry belly seemed to have been heard by Xiang Qing who next to me. He gave a glance in my direction, and then stood up and went out the door. Soon after, he came back with a few fish in his hands already cleaned and gutted. He deftly built the fire, washed an abandoned he found, and dumped the fish inside to boil.
“There is nothing too extravagant in the wild, and my cooking talent is not great either. Although it is quite plain, I hope Miss will fill her stomach.” Xiang Qing poked the fire as he explained.
I pleasantly gave him a satisfied smile and nodded, “Fish is good. I love to eat fish the most.”
Xiang Qing chuckled. As the refreshing fragrance of fish filled the air, a fish wrapped in a banana leaf was placed in front of me. I didn’t care whether it was scalding hot or not, and immediately took a bite. The taste was not too good, but it was very fresh and sweet. It was much better tasting than the stuff Shifu had cooked in the past. I loudly praised, “Very delicious! Very delicious!”
Yin Zi and Mo’lin had always been vegetarians, and when they saw this fish soup, their expression became a bit troubled. They pretended to drink several mouthfuls. Surprisingly, Xiang Qing also hadn’t eaten much thus the whole pot went to me.
“You should eat some more.” The Mo’lin who did not eat meat ‘courteously’ offered his food to Xiang Qing.
“I don’t eat much meat, it’s just that since I was little, I’ve always like making fish for others to eat.” Xiang Qing let out a distressed smile, “I don’t know from where or when this weird habit of mine developed, all of my junior and senior brothers make fun of me for this eccentric habit.”
“Indeed it is quite strange.” Mo’in laughed. Thinking back to how Shifu tried to learn to cook, I couldn’t help but laugh alongside Mo’lin.
The fragrant and sweet fish soup was eventually all devoured by myself. I helplessly glanced at Xiang Qing for more, but was afraid that Mo’lin would scold me for eating too much. In my dilemma, Yin Zi opened his mouth and said, “Big Brother Xiang, where are you planning to go?”
“I originally came down the mountain to exorcise some demons, but since I’ve discovered that my powers are inadequate, I will return to the mountains and cultivate for a while.” Xiang Qing fiddled with the firewood, making the fire bigger, “When the time comes, do you two ladies have relatives you can seek refuge with?”
“None.” I shook my head in accordance with Yin Zi’s reply as I was wiping my mouth clean.
Tears began to well up in Yin Zi’s eyes, “We no longer have a home we can return to. We don’t know where we’ll drift to in the future.”
“This…..” Xiang Qing became troubled.
Mo’lin shook his head in disgust and said, “These two beautiful ladies, if left alone, I’m afraid they might be deceived or tricked by evil men, truly pitiful.”
“Then…..” Xiang Qing’s eyebrows wrinkled together, his expression becoming even more troubled.
Mo’lin lightly nodded his head to Yin Zi, and then walked up to Xiang Qing to express our planned intentions, “Big Brother Xiang, you are a good person. As the saying goes, a life-saving grace should be paid back with the body. Our miss is quite good, her appearance is not bad either…..how about you marry her?”
Hearing these words, Xiang Qing was startled. He angrily shouted, “What king of words are those! Did you think that I helped you in order to obtain something? This kind of taking advantage of the situation is too shameful!”
My restlessness was killing me from the inside. Hearing his words, I could only silently mutter in my heart: Quickly take advantage of the situation now! Quickly become shameless! Quickly do it! Just do it! It does not matter ah!