"My leg clearly had two deep scars, so how come they’re completely healed?"
Zhang Xiaoshan felt a bit befuddled.
He glanced over his body again.
The wounds from yesterday’s fight with the snakes on the back mountain, where his skin had split and flesh had burst open, now seemed to have healed with only a very faint white mark remaining, and the less severe areas were completely healed. He looked just like someone who was never hurt.
"Last night, I only applied some common medical alcohol and anti-inflammatory medicine, could it really be this miraculous?"
"Could it be because of that time I merged with Susu?"
Zhang Xiaoshan quickly assured himself.
After that merger, Susu had told him she had used her remaining Dragon Qi on him for a thorough cleansing, so naturally, Zhang Xiaoshan’s physique was no longer ordinary.
"Little Shan, hurry up."
Xiue, who was outside the door, was urging him in a rush.
Zhang Xiaoshan came to his senses, dressed quickly, and opened the door.
Outside the door stood a beautiful woman dressed in a floral shirt and black trousers.
The woman’s skin was very tender and white, she seemed to be about thirty-two or thirty-three years old, her eyes carried a touch of tender warmth, giving her an exceedingly kind appearance, like a virtuous wife and loving mother.
This was the village accountant, Ge Xiue.
As soon as the door opened, Ge Xiue squeezed in through the crack, as if afraid of being seen.
"Xiue sis, why are you so nervous, it’s like you’re making a spy contact."
"You came to deliver my subsidy, right?"
Zhang Xiaoshan asked.
"Yes, yes, I came to give you your subsidy."
Ge Xiue pulled out a thick stack of yuan from her bosom and handed it over to Zhang Xiaoshan.
"This is for six months, two thousand a month, twelve thousand in total, you count it."
Zhang Xiaoshan took the money, didn’t count it, and simply stuffed it into his pocket.
"What, aren’t you going to count it?" Ge Xiue asked.
Ge Xiue was a good person, and she had a good relationship with Yu Xiuxiu. They often visited each other, and Zhang Xiaoshan sometimes ate at Ge Xiue’s house, so the two were not very strangers, and Zhang Xiaoshan showed a playful smile.
"Hehe, I trust you, Xiue sis. Others in White Dragon Village might trick me, but you definitely won’t."
"What a smooth talker."
Ge Xiue, flattered, then asked again.
"Don’t you find Wu Laohu odd? I’ve mentioned delivering your subsidy to him before, but he always evaded and wouldn’t approve. Yet, last night, he ran to my house in the middle of the night, insisting that I bring you the money early this morning. How bizarre is that?"
Zhang Xiaoshan knew as clear as a mirror, it wasn’t because Wu Laohu feared that delivering the money too late would stop Zhang Xiaoshan from speaking his mind, causing him to speak recklessly. Seeing this attitude, Zhang Xiaoshan felt almost certain about his forthcoming formal recognition, and his heart swelled with joy.
"Little Shan, why are you laughing? Does this have something to do with you?" Ge Xiue, noticing Zhang Xiaoshan’s odd expression, asked.
Zhang Xiaoshan flatly denied it.
"Wu Daming is like the emperor of our White Dragon Village. Otherwise, why would everyone call him Wu Laohu? How could I possibly get him to give me money? Maybe he just had a change of heart out of the blue?"
"Indeed, Wu Laohu is like a person who would devour others without spitting out bones; how could you influence him? Well, let’s not talk about this anymore. Let’s talk about your sis-in-law. I heard you need to pay back Wei Bao within three days? These twelve thousand won’t be enough. How about I pitch in a bit more for you? I don’t have much, but I can contribute a few thousand to help out a bit," Ge Xiue said, her expression one of regret and sympathy.
Zhang Xiaoshan felt touched.
When he was very young, his parents had passed away, and his elder brother Zhang Dashan had raised him, but since his brother was a man, it was Ge Xiue who had taken great care of him back then. Whenever there was any aid available for poor students in the village, Ge Xiue always thought of Zhang Xiaoshan and often helped mend his clothes. Later, when Yu Xiuxiu arrived, Ge Xiulan also frequently visited the blind Yu Xiuxiu to chat and offer emotional support.
For Zhang Xiaoshan, during his childhood, he had experienced a rare maternal love from Ge Xiue.
In his teenage years, to Zhang Xiaoshan, Ge Xiue was like an elder sister to him.
"Xiue sis, I appreciate your kindness, but you’re already having a hard time managing alone with a child. I can’t take your money. Besides, I’ve picked some medicinal herbs in the back mountain that are worth a good amount. I plan to sell them in town shortly, which will be enough to repay Wei Bao, so you don’t need to worry."
Unexpectedly, hearing Zhang Xiaoshan’s words, Ge Xiue’s concern did not abate but grew even sadder. Her gentle eyes misted up as she looked at Zhang Xiaoshan with a touch of heartache and said,
"Oh, it really is pitiful for someone so young to endure so much. You mustn’t go to the back mountain anymore; it’s too dangerous."
Zhang Xiaoshan ruffled his hair and said,
"Xiue sis, don’t worry, I’m not the little kid I used to be. The back mountain isn’t so dangerous for me..."
Ge Xiue, her face stern and on the verge of tears, just looked at him, too overwhelmed to speak. Seeing her tears about to fall, Zhang Xiaoshan hurriedly said,
"Alright, I promise, Xiue sis, I won’t go anymore, I truly won’t."
Ge Xiue immediately brightened up, like a child who had just been given a candy as a reward.
"That’s more like it."
Zhang Xiaoshan suddenly remembered.
"Yesterday, when I went to the mountain, my sis-in-law was very worried, and I didn’t return home last night. I must hurry home now, or my sis-in-law will go mad with worry."
"Xiue sis, if you don’t have any other business, I need to get home."
However, Ge Xiue did not leave or speak. She could not even bring herself to look directly at Zhang Xiaoshan, her cheeks turning red, hesitating, haltingly trying to speak but stopping short. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝⟡𝕗𝗂𝗋𝖾⟡𝕟𝕖𝕥
"Xiue sis, are you feeling unwell, came for a doctor?"
Zhang Xiaoshan asked suspiciously.
"Um, yes, I came for a doctor."
"Alright, then tell me your symptoms, I’ll prescribe you some medicine." Upon hearing that Ge Xiue was sick, Zhang Xiaoshan immediately became more attentive.
"I, I, I just have been having some stomach pain lately, and, and..."
Ge Xiue’s face was so red it seemed as though it might start bleeding