Chapter 1521 - 1519: Lin Siyin (Part 2)

"It’s Qi Chen, when he and his men were ambushed and assassinated, I happened to come across them. He was severely wounded while saving me, and luckily, my medical skills saved his life!"

"However, his injuries are quite serious, and we cannot move him now. The mountains are constantly dangerous, we’ve run out of herbs, and I have no choice but to disguise myself as an old woman and go into town for help!"

"He is the one who asked me to find you. He gave me a portrait and a token, saying that you’d understand once you see them!"

Lin Siyin panicked, her watery eyes filled with anxiety and unease.

...

She grew up in the mountains; her parents passed away when she was young.

She learned medicine from her grandfather, relying on collecting and selling herbs, and treating the sick to make a living.

Half a year ago, her grandfather contracted a strange illness after returning from practicing medicine at a family down the mountain.

Even though her grandfather had practiced medicine for many years and seen a lot, he had never encountered such a disease.

Having never seen it, naturally, he couldn’t treat it.

Half a month later, her grandfather passed away, holding her hand and instructing her.

’You must find out the origin and treatment of this disease. There are many sick people down the mountain, all waiting for treatment.’

She was heartbroken, devastated, yet had to agree.

After the funeral, she went down the mountain to gather information.

Many people in the village below had also died; they called it a plague.

She was filled with sorrow, realizing it was indeed a plague.

But the dead can’t be revived; she had to carry on her grandfather’s legacy.

So she gathered her strength, patiently diagnosed, collected symptoms, and concocted herbal remedies; even if she couldn’t cure it completely, any relief would be worthwhile.

On that day, she was testing herbs in the wild.

Suddenly, two groups of people clashed and approached her while fighting.

She was terrified, standing frozen in place, wanting to hide yet unable to move her steps, and it was too late anyway.

Someone, brandishing a gleaming knife, rushed at her to kill.

Swords and knives are blind; even if she wasn’t their target, she feared she could not survive.

If she couldn’t evade, then let it be; living a lonely life in the world felt meaningless, didn’t it?

Grandfather, I’m sorry.

She closed her eyes, awaiting the moment of death, when suddenly someone pushed her aside.

The sword originally meant for her pierced mercilessly into someone else’s body.

"Squish!" With a loud sound.

A dazzling arc of scorching hot blood splashed before her eyes.

When she came to her senses, the person had already fallen straight to the ground, lying in a pool of endless blood.

"Master!"

"Master!"

His subordinates called out in heart-wrenching cries, but he lay there, unable to hear a word.

She knelt there, pale and helpless, staring at the man on the ground with no idea what to do.

Her heart ached acutely as if a fire burned within, desperate to swap places with the fallen man.

"Why? Why? You could have dodged!"

Her voice trembled, hands shaking unable to do anything.

She desperately pounded her head, commanding herself harshly.

"Save people, you must save him, stay awake, calm down!"

Maybe that command worked, or perhaps it was her grandfather watching over her from above.

Whatever the reason, she truly calmed down.

Her hands and feet moved swiftly, her mind cleared, the sorrow and grief transforming into endless strength.

She had to save him, had to give him life.

She owed him a life; it must be repaid.

The cries and clashes gradually faded away in the distance.

It seemed that things had settled.

The assassins no longer persisted.

Encircling and breaking off, they quickly tied up his subordinates and left.

As for why they didn’t wait for their target to succumb, Lin Siyin glanced at the man lying in the pool of blood beside her.

"He’s so badly hurt; who would believe he’s still alive?"

...

Soon, she was left alone in the forest.

Swiftly, she removed his clothes and boots, cleaned his wounds, and used herbs to stop the bleeding.

Exhausted, she managed to carry him back with great effort.

To prevent anyone from coming after them again, she dare not return home but found a cave to temporarily stay.

Since that day.

She stopped visiting the village for medical consultations and focused solely on treating him.

Her grandfather always said, "One should repay kindness with gratitude."

She made a silent vow, no matter what, this life... she must save it.

"I’m sorry; you could have dodged; it’s all because of me..."

She repeated these words countless times, overwhelmed by loss.

Until one day, as she was changing and administering medicine, apologizing in sorrow.

The person beside her suddenly awoke, frowning uncomfortably as he slowly opened his eyes.

In that instant, Lin Siyin was stunned; his eyes were truly beautiful.

Crystal-clear glass-colored eyes, deep and bright as stars, with long lashes and sword-like brows.

So handsome... she froze.

"Have you seen enough?" Someone spoke impatiently.

Lin Siyin blushed with surprise.

She hurriedly tossed aside the towel and stepped forward, asking anxiously.

"You finally awoke; are you alright? Does your wound hurt? Is there anywhere else that feels uncomfortable?"

"Rest assured, you saved me, I’ll do my best to heal and take care of you, with no consultation fee..."

She spoke in a flustered manner.

Unaware, her cheeks reddened, akin to a ripe peach.

She didn’t know, all her actions had already been captured in the depths of his glass-colored eyes.

She couldn’t possibly know... he endured with great difficulty at this moment.

Originally, after days of unconsciousness, his throat was unbearably dry, and seeing a ripe peach made it impossible to resist.

His throat felt severely uncomfortable.

Hearing her chatter, he managed to interject.

"Um..."

"Could you please get me some water..."

His voice hoarse and raw.

Lin Siyin slapped her forehead, realizing that after days of unconsciousness, his throat must indeed be parched and uncomfortable.

Embarrassed, she nodded and escaped quickly.

A moment later, she brought cool tea and fed him personally, then tidied up the teacup.

Finally, she sat beside him to carefully check his pulse.

"Hmm!"

"Impressive, as a martial artist, you recover quickly..."

"You’ll be better in half a month!"

He smiled faintly without speaking, yet worry flashed in his eyes.

Having delayed so long, he wondered about the situation outside.

Father should... have taken care of everything for him, right?

It’s all his fault.

Father, at such an age, still had to worry about him, handle the aftermath.

While in thought, his musings were suddenly interrupted by an exclamation.

"Oh no!"

He looked at her with confusion, seeing her face filled with anxiety.

"What’s wrong?!" he asked.

"We... have no food left, herbs are running low. Never mind half a month, we can’t even last ten days, what should we do?"

Zhao Qichen pondered for a moment, then squinted, picking up the paper and pen on the stone for writing prescriptions.

He wrote two words with a flourish, handing it to her.

"Go to the city..."