Chapter 54:
“Sorry, lend… lend me your hand… for a bit.” Luo Zhi’er mumbled in confusion, pulling up a large rough hand and pressing it to her forehead.
She gripped it tightly as if afraid it would disappear, the warm touch easing her a bit, as familiar scenes flashed through her mind one by one…
Li Sanmao felt helpless from her little movements, touching her soft skin, finding her cute, but his eyes full of anxiety, feeling her expression was very pained…
“Linglong… Linglong… no!” She wanted to grab onto something…
It felt like there was something in her mouth? The man grunted.
After a while, she felt her mouth was empty, and low concerned words came to her ear,
“Wife, are you feeling better? I… I’ll go find the doctor. Can you sit and lean here by the roadside by yourself for a bit?”
Just now when she fell, he was anxious and spinning in circles. If it were daytime, everyone could see a big man like him with red eyes.
Seeing his wife finally with slightly relaxed brows and calmer now, he spoke.
Because he had considered that his wife’s condition was not like others’.
She definitely couldn’t walk anymore. He had just tried, and moving her was quite strenuous.
Three hundred jin was not just over a hundred jin; even carrying her was difficult for him…
He couldn’t just carry her like that. Actually, in comparison, he was already very strong.
Usually carrying wild boar and wild game, being able to move her over three hundred jin was pretty good.
Mainly he was afraid she’d get hurt again, hating himself for being powerless watching her suffer…
Luo Zhi’er slowly woke up and said weakly,
“No, no need. I might have gotten heatstroke from the too-hot weather. I’ll be fine after resting a bit!”
She weakly opened her eyes a bit, looking at the enlarged face in front of her, full of anxiety and worry…
She knew what was wrong with her. Everything was just as Doctor Du had described earlier at the apothecary… This was the poison gu acting up.
Looking again at the arm he had used to feed her water, there was a big bite mark. “Husband, that… did I bite it?”
“Sorry…”
“No harm done. It can’t compare to the pain you just suffered!”
He had stretched out his arm earlier just because he was afraid she’d hurt herself…
“It’s all my fault. Usually I only focus on hunting and don’t exercise properly, so I can’t carry you! Making you suffer!”
Li Sanmao guiltily tugged at his messy hair… He shouldn’t have gotten angry with her earlier. Did she get so upset from his anger that her illness flared up?
“San Mao, I’m just a bit dizzy right now… This isn’t your fault. It’s because I’m too fat. I need to lose weight… I’ll be fine in a bit… Don’t worry!”
Her voice buzzed like a weak little mosquito.
His wife was still comforting him, and after speaking, she closed her eyes again…
Li Sanmao’s nose soured. “Wife, if you’re not feeling well, rest more. Don’t talk. Don’t worry, I’ll stay here guarding you.”
There were horse carriages, ox carts, and pedestrians on this avenue. It was getting dark, and he was afraid she’d get run over…
The pain from the blood gu was truly too much, feeling like ten thousand insects gnawing at her bones, splitting headache, something inside her abdomen seeming to pierce through.
Earlier, Luo Zhi’er had clutched her stomach and head, wishing she could find a piece of ice or a stone to bash herself to death…
She pinched her thigh hard to prevent herself from really passing out from pain and falling into the abyss.
Because she felt that once she passed out, she’d fall into a bottomless black hole and never wake up again.
She was certain Luo Zhi’er hadn’t drowned from accidentally falling into the river; it was her illness onset, unable to bear the pain, deliberately going into the water.
After about twenty minutes, she finally slightly opened her eyes. Li Sanmao silently watched her, observing her condition, seeing she was much calmer.
He used honey water to moisten her lips again, wiped the sweat from her forehead…
“Wife, how are you now?”
“Much better now…”
“I think we can head home. Miaomiao must be waiting anxiously.”
“Rest a bit more. No rush.”
Li Sanmao said seriously.
“Oh!”
Luo Zhi’er supported her forehead with both hands. Her body finally felt much lighter. When fine, she really seemed like nothing was wrong…
So these past few days, she hadn’t felt much…
Sigh, this thing was truly not for humans to endure.
She feared pain the most in her life, filled with fear of the next attack. Did it have any regularity?
Maybe a bit later?
What to do?
This hastened her steps to quickly find the gu rearer. Before then, she prayed it wouldn’t come again.
Pedestrians by the roadside were also looking over. What was going on with these two?
Sticking their heads out, gossiping. Why was this fat woman lying on the ground? Not knowing what happened.
Some kindly suggested he go find the doctor… He asked for help watching her, but Luo Zhi’er refused.
“Thud thud thud!”
At this time, not far away, the crack of a cattle whip being swung rang out sharply. “Pa!” It hit the cow’s butt…
“Mang… mang…” Then another “pa da!” in the air.
It turned out to be Zhao Maogen from the village. They hadn’t gone back yet!
His ox cart was pulling a cart of villagers, still those from early morning, slowly heading back toward the village.
Aunt Huaihua was asking Zheng Da Niang if the chicken and duck eggs she brought today were all sold out?
Chattering away, some talking about what they bought today, when to come next time…
Zhao Er’s Wife, Aunt Huaihua, was still complaining to Ju Hua Shen:
“Gou Sheng’s Mother, today’s mess is all your fault!”
“You said to wait half a quarter-hour for you, but you never came. Made all of us on this cart wait dryly for an hour.”
Gou Sheng’s Mother said: “Didn’t I say it was an accident? I didn’t know I’d have to queue so long at the apothecary!”
“Yeah, if not for you, I’d have been back in the village eating dinner already!”
Villager Liu Suozi touched his rumbling belly and said.
He had also shuttled around town all day to save some silver, exhausted, not even willing to spend silver on food to fill his stomach.
“Liu Suozi, don’t say that. You eating plain rice isn’t on me. Blame yourself for being poor!”
“You person, after waiting so long for you, not even grateful or thanking. Won’t deal with you next time!”
“Tch, deal if you want! Poor ghost, who wants to deal with your family!”
Liu Suozi was furious, pulled by Zheng Da Niang nearby: “Old Liu, why waste words on a woman like her?”
Liu Suozi was in his fifties, a miscellaneous surname household in the village. He had an nearly eighty-year-old mother at home, and because he was a shuttle, he never married a wife.
Ju Hua Shen touched her belly. Actually, she wanted to see if Luo Zhi’er was selling something at the apothecary, but her stomach hurt.
Not sure if it was her greed, but she secretly bought a cheap meat bun in town and ate it.
She said it had a bit of off taste. With this hot summer weather, probably bought yesterday’s, causing her to have diarrhea several times…
Once out the gate, no trace of Luo Zhi’er and her husband…
“Exactly, who wants to deal with a family that steals and tricks? Not afraid of thieves coming home!”
“You! Liu Suozi, what did you say? Such a vicious mouth, no wonder you’re a shuttle!” Gou Sheng’s Mother’s eyes rolled white in anger.
“What I said, you know in your heart! So what if I’m a shuttle? I don’t steal or rob, and you resort to personal attacks?”
“Hey, everyone judge fairly…” Ju Hua Shen shouted…
“Alright, alright, stop arguing. So we’re late, so what? We’re from the same village, see each other all the time.”
“Going back late just means eating dinner a bit later.”
The peacemaker said.
“Thud thud thud!”
Zhao Maogen’s head hurt from the noise.
As a carter, he was used to such trivial matters, day after day of bickering.
Suddenly he alertly narrowed his murky eyes…
Seemed like he saw a dark, fairly large, strange obstacle on the ground not far ahead.
As the ox cart approached and got closer, it turned out to be a man carrying a bamboo basket…
The bamboo basket covered with a piece of blue cloth, and on the ground a large human-shaped figure lying there,
“Stop, stop! Cow, stop!”
He pulled the cow rope, nearly running over someone. Everyone was startled by his shout, eyes widening, then seeing the person on the ground: “San, San Mao?”
Li Sanmao looked up and saw it was Zhao Maogen, eyes lighting up: “Uncle Maogen, you haven’t gone back to the village yet?”
“Yeah, delayed waiting for someone. What’s wrong with your wife?”
Stretching his neck to look, seemed like more air out than in. This didn’t look good?
This was from being too fat. Last time falling in the river was the same.
“Miaomiao’s Mother is a bit unwell. Uncle Maogen, can you take us back to the village together? I beg you!”
“Uh… this…”
Looking at the big lump on the ground, wiping sweat from his head, spreading hands, “San Mao, this… look at your wife’s build. You know, uncle is willing but powerless!
Others also craned necks, gossiping, some old women pursing lips…
“Exactly, don’t you see what tonnage your wife is? We’re already heading home in the dark!”
“Her getting on… the cow couldn’t pull it. If the cart collapses or something happens on the road, what then? We have old and young at home…”
“Pah pah pah! Gou Sheng’s Mother, if you can’t speak nicely, don’t speak. Going home late isn’t because of you!” Aunt Huaihua quickly spoke to stop her.
“Hmph! Forget it, I won’t talk to you. San Mao, wasn’t your wife just seeing the doctor at the apothecary? What’s wrong with her? That doctor didn’t cure her?”
“Looks like Doctor Du’s skills aren’t that great either! So many people queuing!”
Ju Hua Shen hadn’t thought much of Doctor Du, deliberately badmouthing him.
Felt extremely satisfied inside, thinking, dead fatty, who made her not tell how to earn silver earlier?
Heh, retribution came, didn’t it?
“San Mao, what’s wrong with your wife?”
Zheng Da Niang: “Looks off. Maybe encountered something bad? Oh no, San Mao, quickly go invite Fox Immortal! Call her soul!”
It’s dark, who knows on this road!
The whole cart chattering, pointing. Zheng Da Niang: “San Mao, your wife is fat, probably heatstroke. Pinch her philtrum, give her some water to try.”
After all, young wife from the same village, see each other often.
“Zheng Da Niang, thanks for your kindness. I already gave her honey water earlier!”
“Oh… like that, then what’s wrong with her?”
Luo Zhi’er frowned and said faintly: “Husband, I’m fine. Thanks everyone for your kindness. We’ll walk back later. No need to trouble Uncle Maogen…”
Zhao Maogen looked a bit embarrassed on his face. He wasn’t the only ox cart driver in the village.
But in this line, you can’t be too standoffish. People come ride in the morning, walk over themselves, get unwell at night, have to walk back themselves. “Heh, this, San Mao’s wife, if you were slimmer, I’d squeeze you on… Look, really sorry!”
Everyone saw her speak, thinking she was probably just overheated from fatness and fainted.
“Let’s go, let’s go!” Urging Zhao Maogen to hurry off!
“Go on, Zhao Maogen! My man is waiting anxiously at home!” Gou Sheng Niang urged.
“Pfft! Earlier we waited for you with all your excuses, now you’re anxious. Well, yes, going back late, some probably get beaten!”
Aunt Huaihua said with a wink.
Ju Hua Shen didn’t take her bait…
“Looks like nothing wrong now. Perfect, Maogen, let’s go quick! It’s dark! San Mao, give your wife more water…”
“Hey!”
Zhao Maogen looked apologetically at them: “San Mao, then, we’re off.”
“Let your wife rest more on the ground. If anything, take her to the apothecary. This old man’s ox cart, if take her and she acts up on the road…”
Seemed like he said something off. “Cough…” Awkwardly cleared his throat, roared at the cow, and left…
Watching them go far, Luo Zhi’er said,
“Husband, you… help me up. I want to get up. Miaomiao must be waiting anxiously!”
Li Sanmao blamed her,
“You’re like this, don’t worry about Miaomiao first. Take care of yourself first, okay?”
Luo Zhi’er lowered her eyes and smiled. “Miaomiao is my precious daughter. How can I not worry about her?”
With that, leaning on Li Sanmao’s arm, Li Sanmao pulled her, and she effortfully stood up. The half moon in the sky had already pierced through the clouds and quietly risen…
Everywhere misty, any later that little girl would really cry.
When she wanted to get up, before, waiting for grandmother to finish work in a gully’s farmland, that time she was on summer break from school, grandmother nowhere to be found.
Searched front and back of the house, waited till dark with no sign. That anxious worry… still fresh in her memory.
Stood up, rested a bit, the two headed toward Zhao Li Village…
Li Sanmao worriedly looked at his stubborn wife. “Wife, if you can’t make it, tell me. I’ll think of something!”
“Or, I’ll go rent an ox cart.”
“Alright, husband. I said I’m fine. At this hour, where would you rent an ox cart? Even if you could, seeing my size, they’d charge more!”
“Wife, to me, your health is most important!”
“Hehe! Husband, what if we buy a horse carriage someday?”
“Buy a super big one, pulled by four sleek red horses, then no one will say I break their cart. We won’t need to walk home anymore.”
Her eyes showed longing…
