Hooking one arm under the girl’s broken leg and supporting her frail waist with the other, Gu Qing carried her into the kitchen.
Beside the stove stood a bathing tub, already filled with warm water. Crushed herbs floated across its surface.
After a brief hesitation, Gu Qing carefully lowered the girl in his arms into the tub, little by little.
First her mud-stained toes, then her entire lower body.
Throughout it all, the girl allowed him to move her as he pleased.
Only after most of her body was submerged did her shoulders suddenly begin to tremble violently. Her thin lips pressed tightly together, and her already pale face turned deathly white in an instant. Her brows knitted together as though she were enduring immense pain.
“This medicinal bath will be very beneficial to your body. Trust me, I’m a physician.”
His gentle voice sounded like a kind of sedative, something that instinctively invited trust and reliance.
Yet his actions were akin to those of an executioner. Each time his long fingers brushed over her wounds, they would deliberately linger, rubbing the herbal liquid into them with his fingertips.
Pain.
It hurt so much.
With her single remaining eye, the girl stared fixedly at this “demon”. She bit down hard on her lower lip to keep from making a sound, not realizing when she had broken the skin. The long-forgotten taste of blood spread through her mouth.
“If it really hurts, you can cry out. There’s no need to force yourself like that.”
Gu Qing paused, having noticed all her reactions.
The girl said nothing. It seemed she had no desire to exchange even the slightest bit of communication with him.
Yet perhaps because of her resilience, the first medicinal bath proceeded quite smoothly. Half an hour later, Gu Qing finally finished cleaning every small tear in her skin and let out a slight breath of relief.
Then he withdrew his right hand from the tub. A fresh, distinct cut was visible on his wrist.
It had been pinched.
As for the culprit, it was obvious.
Who knew where she found such strength. With only three fingers left she still managed to pinch him like that…
Glancing down, he noticed the girl was looking at him as well. Her dark pupil was fixed on his right wrist, staring intently.
Their gazes met. The girl’s expression remained blank as she shifted her eyes away.
Gu Qing stood up, scooped two more ladles of hot water, and poured them into the tub.
The bath was finished, but her tangled, messy hair still needed tending.
Compared to bathing a little girl, however, washing hair was something Gu Qing considered himself much more skilled at.
After all, he often washed his younger sister’s hair.
She had never been one to sit still since childhood. Every time she returned from the mountains with their father, her hair would be loose and disheveled, her whole body filthy, and she would cling to him, asking him to help clean her up.
Thinking of this, Gu Qing’s movements grew gentler. He lifted the girl’s knotted hair, dampened it with water, then took a wooden comb and carefully worked through it bit by bit.
The process was long, even taking more time than the bath itself.
“Do you have a name?” Gu Qing suddenly asked during the lull.
Splash.
The only sound in the kitchen was that of water being disturbed.
Silence. Still silence.
It was unclear whether she had no name or simply did not want to say.
Gu Qing did not mind. In fact, the girl’s withdrawn and indifferent nature put him somewhat at ease.
All he needed to do was heal her and then leave. Nothing more.
After washing her hair, he dried it with a towel. When it came time to wipe down her body, the man paused for a moment before ultimately deciding to do it himself.
There was no other choice.
Naturally, he had no improper thoughts, nor would he harbor any such intentions. But in that instant, he could not help but consider the girl’s own feelings.
Carrying the girl all the way back to the side room, he laid her on the bed and tucked her in.
“There aren’t any clothes here that would fit you, so wear mine for now. If the snow isn’t as heavy tomorrow, I’ll go buy you some.”
As Gu Qing spoke, he took one of his own blue robes from the wardrobe nearby.
Naturally, he had to help her get dressed the entire time.
Just as the broker woman had said, forget serving anyone…bringing her home was like taking in a little ancestor to be waited on.
“I’ll go make you a bowl of porridge.”
After dressing her, the young man said this to himself and turned to leave.
The room quickly fell silent again.
Only the sound of snow continued outside the window, softly rustling as it fell.
The girl silently watched his departing figure. Only after a long while did she withdraw her gaze.
She lowered her head slightly, her still-damp hair falling down to cover her face.
Beneath her was no longer cold, damp ground but a soft bed. It was comfortable and warm, carrying a faint scent of soap.
That warmth enveloped her completely.
Outside, the wind and snow howled, striking against the window lattice, yet it all seemed to have nothing to do with her anymore.
This time, a different emotion finally surfaced in the girl’s pitch-black eyes.
It was… a trace of confusion.
…
…
A guest had come to the small courtyard.
Faint voices of conversation drifted in from outside.
“Doctor Gu, you have no idea. My lady’s coughing has worsened again these past two days, and she refuses to let any other physician treat her. It’s driving my master to distraction. We’ve been waiting for you to come take a look.”
“Haha… today… today I’m afraid I can’t. But I have a prescription here. Please take it back, Steward Xu. Just have the medicine prepared and decocted according to it.”
“…Will this… really work?”
“If it doesn’t, you can come back to me.”
The voices gradually faded, likely heading to the courtyard gate to see the guest off.
Before long, a set of steady, unhurried footsteps approached the side room.
Along with them came an enticing aroma.
The man entered, carrying a porcelain bowl. Seeing the girl awake on the bed, he paused slightly then smiled. “You’re awake?”
“You were sleeping soundly earlier, so I didn’t wake you. I figured I’d slice some meat and stew it with the porridge.”
“Want to try some?”
He scooped up a spoonful of meat porridge, blew on it, and brought it to the girl’s lips.
When she didn’t respond, he added, “No matter what, eating comes first. Whatever you plan to do, you have to fill your stomach first, don’t you?”
His gentle persuasion, paired with the rich aroma of the meat, was especially convincing.
The girl lowered her head, her tightly pressed lips parting slightly.
“Good girl.”
Like coaxing a child, that voice came at just the right moment.
Spoonful after spoonful followed.
As he fed her, Gu Qing said, “If you don’t have a name, then take mine.”
“My surname is Gu, given name Qing. Gu as in ‘to look around’ and Qing as in ‘surpassing one’s teacher’.”
“As for you… I bought you on a snowy day, so how about Gu Xue? What do you think?”
Listening to him seriously pondering and discussing it with her, the girl fell even more silent.
She thought, since you bought me, whatever you want to call me is naturally up to you…
Even as she thought this, her lips moved involuntarily.
“Qiu Niang.”
Her voice was hoarse and cold.
She said her name was Qiu Niang.
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