CHAPTER 92: CHAPTER 92 TROUBLE CHU ZHIQING TO KEEP A SECRET FOR ME

With the package as a cover, Yunyi could now openly improve her meals.

She steamed a good amount of white rice, dished out her portion for the evening, and stored the rest in a basin in her spatial warehouse. She also stir-fried tomatoes with eggs, and eggplant with minced garlic. Just as she placed the dishes on the simple stone table in the courtyard and was about to eat, she heard some noise from the neighboring courtyard, shortly followed by a loud BANG, and then a muffled grunt.

Even if she didn’t want to meddle, it was obvious that the neighbor had fallen. Without needing to think, she knew the leg injury must be severe.

She put down the bowl she had picked up, stood up, and went to the courtyard wall. "Liu Zhiqing, what’s wrong? Do you need help?"

Liu Chenglin had sensed Yunyi moving towards his side of the courtyard the moment she stood up.

Looking at the wound on his leg and hearing her question, he didn’t hesitate for long. "I’ve been injured. Could you please help me treat it?"

Yunyi kept the dishes warm on the stove, went back inside to fetch the small medical box Carpenter Yin had helped make for her, and then left her courtyard, only to find the neighboring courtyard door was bolted.

Liu Chenglin was feeling numb all over, and even crawling was a problem. "Chu Zhiqing, I’m afraid I can’t make it to the door right now."

Yunyi frowned upon hearing this. He was able to walk back from outside just a little while ago, she thought. How is it that he can’t even open the door now?

She returned to her courtyard, fetched a stool from the house, and climbed onto it to place the medical box on top of the wall. Then, stepping back into her courtyard, she took a running jump and vaulted onto the wall.

What met her eyes was the sight of Liu Chenglin crawling in his courtyard.

Yunyi picked up the medical box and deftly hopped down from the top of the wall. "How did you end up in this mess?"

Liu Chenglin didn’t respond but merely said, "Please keep this a secret, Chu Zhiqing. Rest assured, I haven’t done anything illegal."

Yunyi speculated silently. Liu Chenglin is either someone with a special identity, out on a secret mission, or perhaps an elder relative of his was ’sent down’ here, and he came specifically to take care of them.

However, she was not a busybody. Upon hearing Liu Chenglin’s words, she simply said, "I understand."

This was no time to worry about propriety between men and women; the first priority was to get him into the house.

She found a kerosene lamp and lit it, instantly brightening the room.

The first thing she did was take his pulse. "Were you bitten by a snake today?"

Liu Chenglin remembered something. Before coming down the mountain, while hiding to avoid those people, he had indeed felt a sharp pain in his ankle. However, in that situation, he couldn’t afford to move even slightly. Afterwards, he hadn’t felt any discomfort, so he hadn’t paid it any mind.

However, after returning and treating the wound on his leg, he began to feel something was wrong. He knew Chu Zhiqing next door was skilled in medicine, so he had intended to go ask for her help, but he fell in the courtyard just as he left his room.

He explained his earlier suspicions. Yunyi quickly found the snakebite wound on his other ankle. "There’s been quite a delay," she said, "but luckily, the snake wasn’t highly venomous."

As she spoke, she took out a detoxification pill she had made herself a few days prior. "This is a detoxification pill I made. Take it for now."

She conveniently took an enamel mug from the table and handed it to him.

From the medical box, she retrieved the medical tools Old Master Chu had used before. She first made an incision over the snakebite, then had him dangle his leg off the edge of the kang bed. After rolling up his pant leg, she quickly inserted needles into several acupoints to let the poisoned blood drain out on its own.

With her detoxification pill, she wasn’t worried that the toxins wouldn’t be completely removed.

After completing these steps, she helped him re-treat the wound on his other leg. "Before the scab falls off, don’t let this leg touch water. Just clean it with a wrung-out towel. Also, try to prevent the fabric of your trousers from rubbing against the wound, as that will hinder its healing."

Liu Chenglin nodded. "I’ll remember that."