Chapter 176: Chapter 173: There’s a Reason for the Injury

A dozen simple caves were lined up in a row, resembling the kiln doors of Qingshan Village’s brick and tile factory. However, most of the cave entrances here were covered with grass curtains. Only a few had actual doors, albeit patched together with nails, looking truly ugly. Who knows who came up with such a thing, but it’s better than nothing. These few were for the girls to live in.

Even though Jiang Mingyue knew Fang Tao was in the third one on the left, she couldn’t just move there directly. Pretending to look for someone around, unfortunately, it was work time, and there was no one coming and going, so she could only put her hands on her hips and shout loudly.

“Fang Tao… Fang Tao…”

The shout startled the birds resting on the treetops overhead, nearly causing them to fall, but fortunately, they had wings. They realized halfway down and flapped their way into the sky.

Shu Wenquan, following behind, found it amusing: This girl is just like before, not holding back at all.

Inside cave number three, Fang Tao was in a dazed sleep, feeling unusually hot all over. He’d tried several times to kick away the heat, but he couldn’t muster the strength. Xiao Si had stayed up all night with him, but was he still here now? Fang Tao felt useless, having promised Wenquan he would take care of Xiao Si, yet he got sick first.

If things went back to three days ago, he would still do the same. Mr. Yang not only helped Yueyue but was also their language teacher. He would never stand by and watch him get bullied. Those thugs are nothing but useless, just wandering around all day. Is it because they have an uncle who is a brigade leader?

In his groggy state, Fang Tao suddenly heard two shouts. If the first one seemed like an illusion, the second was unmistakable. He perked his ears and held his breath, knowing he couldn’t have misheard this time.

“It’s… it’s Yuebao’s voice.” He struggled to get up, but his eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds and he couldn’t move an inch.

Xia Xiaosi, who had taken half a day off due to her worry for Fang Tao, was collecting all her money in her room, thinking of getting a referral letter later on. Fang Tao’s condition was worsening, and she had to take him to the health clinic no matter what.

Hearing an unexpected voice, the anxious girl reacted the same as Fang Tao to the first call, until the second one came.

“Bang,” the box in her hand slipped and hit the ground as she flew to the door.

“Bang!” Unaware people might have thought someone was being violent, but Jiang Mingyue, who had been focused, understood in her heart.

Sure enough, it was Xia Xiaosi, a woman as swift as the wind.

“Yue, Yuebao? It really is you!” As soon as she spoke, Jiang Mingyue was pulled into a firm embrace.

Jiang Mingyue: “…” No need to be so enthusiastic. Speaking of which, this doesn’t feel anything like a man’s embrace. When Yan Jinzhi held her, he kept some distance, feeling hard and solid like a meat wall. But once close, he felt like a warm energy source, something to embrace in the winter as a heater.

But Xia Xiaosi was different, no matter how windy she was in demeanor, she was still a woman: Really soft!

“Ouch! You’re squeezing me to death, Xiao Si, we haven’t fought, right?”

Her words made Shu Wenquan chuckle. He wanted to say how the girls were so clingy, wasn’t anyone noticing him? Then he thought… better if they didn’t notice.

“Yes, it’s really me. Quickly take us to see Fang Tao, I’ve heard he’s sick.”

Mentioning Fang Tao, Xia Xiaosi’s brief joy was quickly extinguished, as she pulled Jiang Mingyue into cave number three.

“Yuebao, you should persuade that stubborn donkey Fang Tao. He refuses to go to the health center. It’s good you’re here. I plan to go get the referral letter later, but we must tie him up and take him there today.”

Jiang Mingyue ignored her, her mind solely on the approaching Fang Tao.

The cave was deep and particularly cool, quite pleasant for this season. However, the damp chill felt like being in a tomb, an unpleasant experience. Jiang Mingyue thought the village committee of Liu Village must be out of their minds. With so many trees on the mountain, a little less timber for firewood could be used to build small wooden cabins, making life much more comfortable!

“Fang Tao… Fang Tao, look who’s here?”

Jiang Mingyue looked at his unusually red face, reaching out to feel his forehead: “Just as I thought, how long has he been like this?”

Xia Xiaosi was taken back, although she was a bit careless, she realized the seriousness of the situation now.

“I…”

“It’s not your fault, he’s feverish and unconscious. Good thing I brought medication, give me some water.”

With the emotional person sent to fetch water, she also put down her own basket, retrieving a packet of medicine from within.

Shu Wenquan was on edge, glancing around, relieved there was no one else. She was still as reckless as ever. In these times of scarce medicine, she just took it out like that. If she wasn’t careful, she could attract ill-intentioned people.

All of Jiang Mingyue’s attention was on saving the person and didn’t notice Shu Wenquan moving to block the doorway from potential onlookers.

With water in hand, Shu Wenquan sensibly helped Fang Tao up. Jiang Mingyue, using her own technique, swiftly lifted Fang Tao’s chin. While Xia Xiaosi and Shu Wenquan puzzled over how to keep the person steady, the medicine and water were already swallowed.

Shu Wenquan: “…” He wondered where on earth the girl had learned such a method, but that’s exactly how Fang Tao needed to be treated.

Xia Xiaosi: “…” Oh wow! Yuebao is truly formidable!

There, with no need to explain any further, these two were indeed self-guiding geniuses.

After all this, Jiang Mingyue shamelessly lifted Fang Tao’s blanket, revealing his swollen and grotesque injured leg…

Xia Xiaosi was startled, knowing Fang Tao’s leg had a bump but never expected it to be so serious. This wasn’t just an inflamed throat, it was clearly an untreated injury causing infection.

In fact, the idea of a bump was Fang Tao’s excuse to avoid worrying her. Under the cover of darkness, he made it up. Who could have guessed the two ruffians would bring a sickle, turning a tool meant to intimidate in Yamg’s situation into a weapon that inflicted harm.

Shu Wenquan also hadn’t anticipated this. The informants hadn’t mentioned a cause, so he had assumed Fang Tao was just struggling with the food and damp living conditions, leading to a cold or fever. But now it was obvious… the infection from an unaddressed injury was causing his fever and delirium.

Jiang Mingyue had only brought a packet of medicine, appearing abundant but she had anticipated these problems. Fang Tao being ill was likely due to a few specific issues.

Indeed! Had he been bullied?

Jiang Mingyue applied an ointment on Fang Tao’s inflamed wound, observing the green paste, which didn’t appear special but smelled like lemons. For a typical ointment, the dead tissue would need to be cleaned out and the wound disinfected. But not with this one. Once effective, the swelling would subside, and the dead tissue would naturally slough off, without any worry.

“So, tell me, what exactly happened?”

Xia Xiaosi didn’t dare lie, explaining that Teacher Yang Jinglun had also come to Liu Village and had been placed near the cattle pen. It was filthy, with swarms of flies and mosquitoes. Anyone assigned there had committed some offense and was sent for reform. People in the village avoided talking to them. Knowing Mr. Yang was innocent and shouldn’t be there, when they approached the brigade leader, he just deflected without taking useful action.

Later, realizing it was futile, they secretly took care of the teacher. Three days ago, she and Fang Tao went to see Mr. Yang after dinner and happened to come upon…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep