"The medicine's been applied and the wound has been bandaged. She seems to be someone who's cultivated before, so as long as she rests carefully, there shouldn't be any serious aftereffects," the woman said.
"Thank you, Madam!" Zhao Yebai clasped his fists and let out a breath of relief.
The woman lifted her eyes and studied his face for a moment, then remarked with a casual air, "Are you two brother and sister? You don't really look like it, from what I can see."
Zhao Yebai replied, "Xiao Ya and I aren't blood siblings, but we grew up together since childhood. The bond is as strong as family."
The woman's long lashes trembled slightly as she looked down at Zhao Ya. "Who did you two run into that got you into this?"
Zhao Yebai shook his head. "I don't know. Today Xiao Ya and I came here to look for a relative, but unfortunately we didn't succeed. On the way back, we were suddenly attacked by a powerful enemy. Xiao Ya was injured protecting me."
The woman nodded. "If that's the case, then you can't stay here. Who knows where that brute is hiding? Your sister is injured now — if that person finds you, it'll be dangerous."
Zhao Yebai said, "I'll take her back to Green Peak Town."
"Green Peak Town is still several dozen li from here. Traveling that distance risks making her injuries worse. If you don't mind, why not stay at my home for a while? It's right at the foot of the mountain, not far from here."
Zhao Yebai looked troubled. "Wouldn't that trouble you?" He was worried that if the enemy from before came looking for revenge and tracked them to the woman's home, it would cause problems.
The woman smiled. "Don't worry about it. To be honest, my son joined the Spirit Sea Hall to cultivate years ago, and he's quite capable now. That brute wouldn't dare come to my house looking for trouble."
Zhao Yebai started slightly. "Is Madam from the village head's household?"
She had just said her home was at the foot of the mountain, which must be that small village they had encountered earlier. A tiny village couldn't have two people accepted into the Spirit Sea Hall — unless something unexpected had happened, this woman must be the village head's wife.
"That's right!" Sure enough, the woman nodded.
Zhao Yebai rose and clasped his fists. "Madam's kindness is extraordinary. Zhao Yebai is deeply grateful!"
"No need to be so formal. I have a daughter of my own, around the same age as her. If you don't mind, just call me Auntie Mei."
Zhao Yebai obediently called out, "Auntie Mei."
Only then did the woman smile and nod. She stood up. "It's getting late. Let's head back first."
Zhao Yebai agreed, scooping up the unconscious Zhao Ya in his arms. He followed behind Zhen Xuemei, who nervously reminded him to be careful not to jostle Zhao Ya's wound — she was more on edge about it than he was.
Along the way, Zhen Xuemei asked Zhao Yebai a few questions, and he answered each one. When she learned that Seven Star Market was nearly half a year's journey from here, she was astonished.
Before long, the small group arrived at the estate situated at the head of the village. Zhen Xuemei pushed open the gate and led them inside, personally arranging for Zhao Yebai and Zhao Ya to stay in a courtyard. She then sent two clever, well-mannered maids to attend to them before finally turning back reluctantly, glancing over her shoulder several times, and heading off to rest.
In the side room, candlelight flickered. Zhen Xuemei sat before her dressing mirror, her eyes red-rimmed, tears streaming silently down her cheeks.
A middle-aged man in a magistrate's robe pushed the door open and entered — none other than the village head Xu Liangcai, whom Zhao Yebai and Zhao Ya had spoken to earlier when making inquiries.
Xu Liangcai's expression was displeased. He sat down in a chair, poured himself a cup of tea, drank it, and spoke. "The servants tell me you brought two strangers home?"
Zhen Xuemei said nothing.
Xu Liangcai slammed his hand on the table and bellowed, "This is absolutely absurd! Those two clearly have enemies — bringing them here is just asking for trouble! What happens when their enemies come knocking? We have guards, but they're hardly capable enough to put up a fight. Are you trying to get this whole family killed before you'll stop?"
Zhen Xuemei stared at Xu Liangcai through the bronze mirror and spoke. "Do you still remember Dong'er?"
The raging fury on Xu Liangcai's face froze abruptly. He frowned. "Why bring that up now?"
Zhen Xuemei gave a desolate smile. "She was only five days old. On a day when the snow came down in thick flurries, she was thrown out into the mountains. I rushed to go find her, but there was nothing — no trace of her. I don't know whether some wolf or tiger carried her off."
Now it was Xu Liangcai's turn to fall silent.
Tears streamed down Zhen Xuemei's face like rain. "A child is flesh torn from a mother's body. I carried her for ten months and endured the agony of bringing her into this world, only for you to secretly cast her aside. How could you be so cruel!"
Xu Liangcai sighed. "There was no other choice back then. The family was destitute — another mouth to feed meant another person's share. There was no way we could have raised her. I did what I had to. If it were now, forget one child — I could raise ten or eight without batting an eye!"
Zhen Xuemei let out a cold, bitter laugh. "A small child — how much could she have eaten? 'No other choice'? If it had been a son, would you have had the heart to throw her away?"
Xu Liangcai replied impatiently, "That was so many years ago. You need to let it go. Besides, I've searched over the years — but in a world this vast, how could I ever find her? You said it yourself: a five-day-old baby in the middle of a snowstorm. If some wild beast didn't carry her off, she probably froze to death long ago."
"I will never let it go!" Zhen Xuemei snarled through gritted teeth. "That was my child!"
"Hao'er is also your child! How much attention have you paid to him all these years? Why must you keep pining over someone who's dead?"
"She isn't dead!"
"Enough!" Xu Liangcai slammed the table and surged to his feet. "I think you've gone mad. Year after year you keep running up that mountain — what's up there, and what could you possibly find? I've felt guilty about it and left you alone, but I won't tolerate this any longer! Tomorrow at dawn, you'll send those two packing, or I'll throw them out myself!"