Cao Zixin met Yu Shu under the bridge. He didn't know what happened to her. He asked her, but she only called him "Shopkeeper" at the beginning. After that, she refused to speak. He looked at the rain getting heavier and heavier, so he took her home first.
His home was not far from Changmen Street. It was a quiet alley with a small courtyard with two rooms.
"We're here."
The rain was still falling. Cao Zixin turned around and closed the door. He held an umbrella for Yu Shu with one hand. Half of his shoulder was already wet. On the other hand, Yu Shu, because she was under the bridge in the rain, she was not much better.
After the door was closed, the figure standing not far away turned around and left.
"This way."
Cao Zixin opened the door and went in to light a candle. When he turned around, he saw Yu Shu was still standing outside. He called her: "Ashu, come in."
Yu Shu lowered her head and walked into the house. When she stood inside the door, the clean floor under her feet was soon wet. Cao Zixin sighed and went forward to pull her sleeve. He took her to a chair in the hall and sat down. He went into the bedroom inside and came out after a while. He patted Yu Shu's shoulder and said: "I'll go boil water. You go in and change your clothes first. There are clean clothes on the bedside, which I haven't worn yet."
Yu Shu moved and stood up. She looked around in a daze and then went inside the bedroom.
When Cao Zixin saw her go in, he went out to boil water. Who would have thought that when he just walked to the door, he heard a heavy sound behind him. He quickly turned around and saw Yu Shu softly falling to the ground.
"Ashu!"
Cao Zixin leapt forward in two steps and bent down to help her up. He let Yu Shu lean against his chest and shook her. He called out to her several times, but there was no response. Only then did he know that she had fainted. He reached out to touch her forehead, but it was so hot that he withdrew his hand.
Cao Zixin panicked for a moment before he calmed down. He picked her up from the ground and carried her up. Her weight was so light that he was startled. He carried her into the room and placed her on the bed. He did not mind her getting the mattress wet and even covered her with a blanket. He brushed aside her wet hair and gently touched her burning cheeks with the back of his hand. He frowned in worry before he picked up the umbrella and ran out.
Leaving the main door unlocked, he went straight to the opposite door and knocked on it.
"Big Sister Zhao! Big Sister Zhao! Open the door! "
After a while, someone came to open the door. It was the waiter of the wonton stall, Big Sister Zhao, Zhao Hui.
"Shopkeeper Cao, what's wrong? Why are you so flustered?"
Cao Zixin pointed to the courtyard behind him and said, "Can I trouble you to look after someone for me? I'll go find a doctor."
"Alright, go quickly. I'll look after her." Zhao Hui closed the door without another word and walked towards his courtyard. Cao Zixin raised his hand to stop her. "Big Sister, she was drenched in the rain. Help her change her clothes. She's a young lady."
*
*
*
Cao Zixin ran three blocks before he managed to find a doctor. Zhao Hui was sitting on the edge of the bed, wiping Yu Shu's forehead. She also changed Yu Shu's clothes and bedding into clean ones. Yu Shu was lying facing the outside, and Zhao Hui had placed a soft pillow on her back.
When Zhao Hui saw them enter, she hurriedly stood up to give way. Her expression was a little ugly. When the doctor sat down on the edge of the bed and took out a pillow to feel Yu Shu's pulse, she pulled Cao Zixin aside and whispered, "Shopkeeper, I think this young lady looks familiar. Is she the one who used to settle accounts in your shop?"
Cao Zixin nodded hesitantly. "Yes, she is." Zhao Hui didn't have the time to be surprised that a young man had suddenly turned into a young lady. She grabbed him and anxiously asked, "How did you end up like this?"
"Ah?" Cao Zixin was puzzled.
Zhao Hui thought that he didn't know the inside story, so she lowered her voice and said angrily, "Do you know that her back is injured? One look and you can tell that she was whipped. I don't know how much strength the person used to hit her. Her skin is almost torn and the scabs haven't even formed. She's also drenched in the rain. If she were to soak in the water for a night, her flesh would definitely rot!"
Cao Zixin was shocked and turned to look at the bed. He could only see Yu Shu's black head lying lifelessly on the bed. She looked indescribably pitiful. At that moment, the scene under the bridge appeared in his mind. She was about to cry, but she forced herself to hold it back. His heart tightened again, and this time, he couldn't suppress it.
He secretly clenched his fists. It's all his fault.
As Zhao Hui spoke, she didn't see any reaction from Cao Zixin. She raised her head and saw his gloomy face. Although she didn't know why his expression was so ugly, she unconsciously closed her mouth and didn't complain anymore.
After the doctor's diagnosis, he listed out a lot of problems. Just when Cao Zixin was worried, the doctor gave him a reassurance. After confirming that Yu Shu wasn't in any danger, Cao Zixin and Zhao Hui both sighed in relief. Listening to the doctor's advice, Zhao Hui described the whip wound on Yu Shu's back. The doctor gave her some medicine. Cao Zixin paid the doctor a silver fee and sent him to the clinic. When he came back, Cao Zixin gave Zhao Hui a small bottle of wound powder and asked her to help wipe and bandage Yu Shu's wound. He then went to the kitchen to boil the medicine. Until midnight, Cao Zixin noticed that it was late. He said to Zhao Hui: "Big sister, it's so late. You should go back. I've troubled you tonight."
Zhao Hui said: "Why don't I stay here tonight? It's not convenient for a man like you."
Cao Zixin said: "How can I do that? You still have to do business tomorrow. How can you stay here all night?"
Zhao Hui said: "It's fine. I won't starve if I don't go out for a day. How can you take care of a girl? I'll be alone when I go home. You don't need to be polite with me."
Cao Zixin thought for a moment. It's more convenient for him to stay with Zhao Hui. So he didn't refuse and thanked her again and again.
Zhao Hui waved her hand and touched Yu Shu's forehead. Her eyes were filled with pity. She whispered: "What happened to this child? Is it convenient for you to tell me?" Cao Zixin turned to pour tea: "I don't know what happened. I met her on the road. I saw that she was confused, so I brought her back."
Zhao Hui sighed: "Sigh, I've seen the girl twice. She's so obedient and sensible. How can she be so pitiful? I really don't know who could be so cruel to hit her. Oh right, she has a younger brother. That day, he came to my stall to eat wontons. Who knew that when I went to clean up the dishes, he was gone. The soup was still there and I paid for it. It's just that …"
Cao Zixin stood by the bed and listened to Zhao Hui's nagging. He lowered his head and looked at Yu Shu without interrupting. After she finished, he said: "I'll go to the study room and bring the recliner over. Big Sister can lie down when you're tired."
After saying that, he left the house.
*
*
Yu Shu had a dream. She dreamt that before everything happened, she was still Yu Jing. Yu Lei's leg wasn't broken in the disaster. He could still run and laugh.
The two of them went to Phoenix Mountain and played for a whole day. When they were halfway down the mountain, she sprained her ankle. Yu Lei carried her down the mountain step by step. When they were about to reach the foot of the mountain, he suddenly said "thank you" to her. She asked him why he was thanking her. Yu Lei smiled and told her: "Sis, thank you for not complaining that my birth stole my parents' love. Thank you for secretly standing up for me after I was bullied. Thank you for getting up early every morning to fetch fresh milk for me. Thank you for secretly helping me write love letters to the girl I have a crush on. Thank you for not blaming me for making your first boyfriend leave. Thank you for persuading my dad to let me join the army behind my back. Thank you for secretly giving money to my comrade to treat his sister. Thank you for not blaming me for breaking my leg. Thank you for slapping me when I was at my lowest. Thank you for taking the burden of treating me by yourself.
Sis … "" The most grateful thing in my life is being able to be your younger brother. Thank you. "
Then, she cried and laid on Yu Lei's narrow back. She wanted to tell him that she wasn't that good. However, Yu Lei suddenly turned into Yu Xiaoxiu. Then, she woke up.
Yu Shu opened her eyes and touched the corners of her eyes. They were dry, but there were no tears.
She really wanted to cry to her heart's content, but she couldn't cry. She would rather believe that this wasn't a dream, but that Yu Lei was telling her from another world that he had never been disappointed in her, and that she would always be his proudest and most good sister.
She had to be strong and live well so that she wouldn't let down her family in another world.
Yu Shu took a deep breath. She felt the discomfort all over her body and the pain on her back. She supported her upper body and sat up. Then, she looked around her surroundings.
This was a small bedroom. There was a wardrobe, a bookshelf, and a round table. They were all formal furniture. They were painted. Unlike the small cottage she lived in in the courtyard, there was a brand new quilt under her body. When she smelled it, it still had the fragrance of soap. It was clean and warm.
She vaguely remembered that she was brought back by Cao Zixin under the bridge last night. Yu Shu looked down at the changed clothes on her body. She didn't scream, but frowned.
It seemed that Cao Zixin knew that she was a girl. She didn't know if he would be angry at her for hiding it. "Oh, you're awake."
Zhao Hui came in with medicine. Seeing Yu Shu sitting on the bed in a daze, she quickly put down the medicine and reached out to touch her forehead.
"Aunt Zhao?" Yu Shu's voice was a little hoarse. Her throat felt itchy when she spoke.
Zhao Hui put down her hand. Seeing that Yu Shu could recognize people, she was relieved. She nodded and asked with concern, "Do you have a headache? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"
Yu Shu felt a little uncomfortable under her overly concerned eyes. She licked her lips and whispered, "I want to drink water."
"Then drink the medicine first." Zhao Hui picked up the medicine and was about to feed her. She blew on the spoon and put it to her mouth. She was very enthusiastic.
Yu Shu quickly raised her hand to take it. "I'll do it myself."
Zhao Hui handed the bowl to her in disappointment. Then, she remembered that she hadn't told Cao Zixin. She quickly got up and said, "I'll tell Shopkeeper Cao that you're awake. Otherwise, he will call the doctor."
Yu Shu nodded her head and drank the medicine in small sips. The bitter taste made her sober up. She turned her head and looked outside the window. The rain had stopped. Outside the window, she could vaguely see two figures talking in the yard. One was Zhao Hui, and the other should be Cao Zixin.
Knowing that this was Cao Zixin's territory, Yu Shu felt a lot more at ease. She put down the medicine bowl and reached out to untie her clothes. She looked at the gauze wrapped around her body. She touched her back and frowned in pain.
After checking her body, she just tied up her clothes. Then, she heard a voice outside the bedroom. "Ashu, it's me, Brother Cao. Are you feeling better?"
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