Chapter 9: Visitors from the Village
Lian’s voice was a bit shy, as if she was embarrassed to ask Liu Zixuan for help.
Liu Zixuan raised an eyebrow. They had been apart for only a few minutes, and moreover, this was a lowland, definitely not a place for wild beasts. What was wrong with Lian?
Thinking of this, he followed the sound’s direction, moving quickly. Lian clearly hadn’t expected Liu Zixuan to come so fast, allowing him a glimpse of something he shouldn’t have seen.
When Lian arrived, she had focused only on tying more things around her legs to prevent snake bites, but had neglected her upper body, wearing only a thin white half-sleeve.
At this moment, Lian’s right foot was caught in a rabbit trap. The half-sleeve had a long tear from a wire when she was trying to open the trap.
Pausing briefly, she said to Liu Zixuan, "Can you help me open this rabbit trap?"
Liu Zixuan found it difficult to tear his gaze away from Lian, quickly stepped forward, and opened the trap. Looking at the rusty trap in his hand, he said, "Fortunately, it’s a rusty trap, otherwise it could have been worse!"
"Yes," Lian smiled awkwardly. "I let you see a joke!"
"No... No problem."
Liu Zixuan scratched his head, looked around, and said, "You sit down, let me check your foot. Don’t hurt your bone!"
"Alright... Okay. It really does hurt a bit."
Lian found a stone to sit on, rolled up her trouser leg, and took off her shoe.
When Liu Zixuan held her clean, jade-like foot, Lian felt like she was electrified. Since giving birth to Doudou, she hadn’t been this close to any man.
At this moment, Liu Zixuan didn’t do anything else but focused on examining Lian’s foot. After confirming repeatedly there was no bone injury, just a slight swelling, he breathed a sigh of relief, took out some herbs he’d just picked, chewed them, and applied them to Lian’s ankle.
Watching his focused demeanor, Lian was a bit dazed, staring straight at Liu Zixuan.
People, whether ugly or beautiful, always exude an enchanting quality when concentrated.
At this moment, Liu Zixuan had Lian somewhat entranced.
After finishing everything, Liu Zixuan looked at Lian and said, "You rest here a bit. I’ll go around and catch a couple of rabbits, then we’ll head back!"
"Alright, be careful and don’t go too far," Lian said with a smile.
Liu Zixuan picked up a bow and arrow beside Lian and headed off. Luck was on his side; he not only found a rabbit but a whole nest of them—six in total, one big and five about the size of a fist.
Grinning, he didn’t kill them but put them all into the basket Lian brought, and walked back.
"Quite a harvest," Lian smiled brightly at the six rabbits of varying sizes.
"Let’s go," Liu Zixuan handed the basket to Lian. "Lian, you carry this, I’ll carry you!"
"This isn’t good. I can walk slowly."
"There’s nothing wrong with it. Your right foot shouldn’t bear weight now, or the injury will worsen."
Without hesitation, Liu Zixuan gently lifted Lian onto his back, took the basket, and headed down the mountain.
In the lowland, it was a bit better with shade, but down the hill, the heat intensified.
𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
About twenty minutes later, they finally reached the village edge. They found a large tree and stopped. Sitting under it, Liu Zixuan took out a cigarette and lit it. He needed a moment to compose himself.
Lian looked at the sweat-drenched Liu Zixuan and took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, saying, "You don’t need to carry me for the next stretch. We can walk slowly back; the village folks aren’t that fussy!"
Just as Liu Zixuan was about to speak, a commotion erupted near the village entrance.
Following the sound, he saw a van speeding toward the village, with people inside sticking their heads out of the windows, cursing and making hooligan whistles.
"This is bad, the thugs from the town are here!" Lian stood up and glanced, her face full of worry, and was about to rush inside.
Liu Zixuan hurriedly supported her, asking, "Lian, do thugs often come to the village?"
"No, those thugs are from the town. They seem to be some kin of Granny Zhang. Before, Granny Zhang would help the villagers by getting them to leave with some benefits. Besides, some women in the village are eager to meet men and get close voluntarily."
At these words, Lian’s expression shifted, "This time it’s different. Granny Zhang being taken away must be known to them, maybe they’ve come to make trouble. Ruyan is all alone in the village co-op, she definitely can’t handle it. We need to check it out."
Upon hearing this, Liu Zixuan said, "You can’t do much like this. How about you take these rabbits home slowly, I’ll go check it out."
"Are you... Are you OK alone?"
"Can do or can’t do, I’m the only man in the village; what can I do otherwise?" Liu Zixuan shrugged, "Besides, a man can never say ’can’t do’!"
Saying this, he glanced at Lian’s torn clothes and exposed fair skin, took off his jacket, and draped it over her, then turned towards the village co-op.
...
Inside the village co-op.
The van drove right in. Seven burly men hopped out, each looking ferocious, holding various weapons.
They shouted at the house, "Is anyone there? Get the hell out!"
Inside, Liu Ruyan furrowed her brows upon hearing the noise and said to Doudou, "Hide in the room, I’ll go take a look."
"Ruyan sister..." Doudou naturally knew the people outside, anxious, nearly in tears.