Proofread by Claire.KK
The woodcutter didn’t finish speaking while Xie Mengxuan had already changed her face. He lowered his head to have a look at the silver bracelet on the ground. When he looked up, the pretty girl had run away.
Gu Yusheng pulled a long face. This bracelet was the symbol of Xie Mengxuan. Although it was made of silver, it was made by her father. It was the most difficult to be duplicated even though it was not the best in terms of pattern and style.
As a result, Xie Mengxuan wore it on her wrist as a token.
Beyond his expectation, this bracelet turned out to appear with another person. Gu Yusheng was well aware who he was without further thinking.
Uncle Luo glanced at Gu Yusheng and cleared his throat.
Gu Yusheng returned to his thoughts and his face softened. “Uncle, please tell me in detail.”
“Well, well.” The woodcutter nodded in a haze and then blinked. “Well, I intended to cut wood in the mountain. Before I went to the mountain, a man rolled down the mountain road, covered in blood. I am freaked out!”
Furrowing his eyebrows, he appeared urgent. He patted his thigh and continued in a hushed voice by instinct. “I thought he had been dead, but I heard him muttering to himself. I went to have a look and then he asked me for help. It occurred to me that the Hanshan temple stood nearby so that I came to ask you for a hand.”
“He’s seriously injured, so I took off this silver bracelet to buy him some medicine.”
He held the blood-stained silver bracelet in his hand. Gu Yusheng wore a faint smile and nodded. “Thank you so much, uncle.”
The woodcutter didn’t react until he finished his words. He asked in confusion: “What? Do you know that guy?”
Gu Yusheng took out a silver ingot. “He’s our friend. Here’s ten liang for you. Thank you so much. Please return the silver bracelet.”
The woodcutter handed over the bracelet to him. After wiping his hand on his clothes, he received the silver ingot with a broad smile. He replied profusely. “Well, well. Okay. Okay.”
When he accepted the money, he put his palms together towards the abbot and greeted him by making a bow. He was ready to leave when he turned his head. “You are not villains, right?” He was on the alert.
Gu Yusheng shook his head with a smile. “No.”
Staring at him, the woodcutter nodded. “I think so. The young girl who has just run away and that man must be a good pair. How eager she is! It’s obvious that this bracelet belongs to a lady. A man goes so far as to wear this kind of bracelet, which is doomed to be from his lover.”
Gu Yusheng felt very depressed for his words. Slightly squinting his eyes, he was a bit upset despite a smile on his face. “Uncle, it’s too late. You’d better go home. This is of none concern to you.”
The woodcutter was surprised with his change. He could do nothing but nod. “Well. Ok.”
He turned away in good mood as he earned much money through sending a letter.
While running, he pa.s.sed where Geng Zhishan had fallen down, only to see several young monks were lifting Geng Zhishan while Xie Mengxuan frowned with a worried look.
Xie Mengxuan was aware that someone was looking at her. She lifted her eyes to look directly into the woodcutter. She nodded towards him as a token of thanks.
The woodcutter showed a shy smile to her and turned away. There was no need for him to earn such a hard living since he had received a silver ingot.
Looking at Geng Zhishan who was covered in blood, in light of propriety, Xie Mengxuan was too awkward to check his body on her own, but she was quite worried.
Back to the Hanshan Temple, the abbot helped settle him down, and invited a doctor from an adjacent area.
Inside the room, the doctor measured his pulse, prescribed medications and cleaned his wound. Outside the room, Xie Mengxuan was sitting on the porch with her eyelids lowered. She touched the ground with her tiptoe again and again.
On the other side, Geng Zhishan stood with his arms crossed, staring at Xie Mengxuan.
Uncle Luo sat in a stone chair in the courtyard with his eyes closed, who intended not to be involved in this matter.
Gu Yusheng took a deep breath, and two steps near her. “Xuan, what are you going to do with Geng Zhishan?”
Looking at the bracelet in his hand, Xie Mengxuan let out a long sigh and then slowly raised her eyes. “How could I leave directly without showing care for his security?”
Gu Yusheng furrowed his eyebrows. “Xuan, you still have a lot to do.”
Xie Mengxuan pursed her lips and looked up at him. “Big Brother Gu, what’s your advice?”
Thinking for a moment, Gu Yusheng weighed each word. “The Hanshan Temple is a safe place. What’s more, the abbot is in old acquaintance with you. Why not spend some money and entrust them with him? We’d better go to the southern reaches of Yangtze River first and make a young monk pa.s.s a message. If he is willing, he can live here waiting for us to come back. If not, then... he can go to the Imperial Capital first. Now that he is in the prime of his life, he will not starve to death.”
After a moment of serious thinking, Xie Mengxuan nodded. “It will work, but I’m still worried as long as he doesn’t come back to his life.”
Gu Yusheng frowned while Xie Mengxuan wore the bracelet on the wrist. “Wait, we’d better reach a conclusion when he wakes up.”
“He’s severely injured. How long will it take for him to come to life?” Gu Yusheng took a deep breath. “Xuan, we don’t have time to waste.”
Xie Mengxuan remained calm and looked up at the sky. “Big Brother Gu, I’m aware of your concern. I will not stay here for a long time. We…We’d better wait for the doctor. If he’s awake, it’s better for him to follow us. If not, we’ll take your advice.”
Now that she gave a way to his command, it was improper for him to press on at every stage. He nodded after letting out a sigh.
Xie Mengxuan stood up. “It will be over in two days. We’d better make arrangements whether he’ll leave here or go with us.”
“Okay.” Although Gu Yusheng agreed upon her, he still felt unease.
Geng Zhishan turned out to be so lucky to survive. The coffin was sealed and put down off the steep cliff. Under this circ.u.mstance, he should have met the King of h.e.l.l.
He was considering with his eyelids lowered. Staring at him for a while, Xie Mengxuan turned to look at the room. Shortly afterwards the doctor went out of the room.
“Doctor, how is he?” Before Xie Mengxuan opened her mouth, Gu Yusheng offered to ask.
Xie Mengxuan was in a haze, noticing he concerned about Geng Zhishan, as they were not in a good relationship. Why did he suddenly show concern for him?
The doctor had a look at them. “What’s your relationship with that gentleman?”
Noticing the doctor’s expression, Gu Yusheng was relieved. “To be frank, we’re friends.”
“Well, you’d better inform his family.” The doctor shook his head.
Xie Mengxuan pulled a long face and went forward. “What’s wrong? Is he in bad situation?”
“Well, it’s hard to reach a conclusion…”