The carefree life of Yang Shuisheng, the village miracle doctor

The two walked in silence, the only sounds being Yang Shuisheng's steady footsteps and their somewhat disordered breathing.

With his internal energy flowing smoothly, Yang Shuisheng moved lightly and easily, carrying a large person on his back without any difficulty. He quickly walked out of the outer edge of Daliang Mountain and returned to Taohua'ao Village.

He carried Lin Wan to the front door, and seeing the broken brass lock, the anger he had just suppressed flared up again.

He gently put Lin Wan down, helped her stand on one leg, then pushed open the door and lit the kerosene lamp in the room.

The room was a mess, clearly ransacked by Zhao Hu. Although there was nothing of value, the sight of it was infuriating.

"Sit down and rest for a while, let me take a look at your foot." Yang Shuisheng helped Lin Wan sit down on the edge of the bed, then moved a stool over and sat opposite her, carefully lifting her injured left foot.

Lin Wan's feet were small and delicate, with fair skin. A large, swollen lump had formed on her ankle, turning bluish-purple, indicating a serious injury.

Yang Shuisheng gently pinched the bone to confirm that there was no fracture and it was probably just a sprain.

He looked back at the broken door and knew very well that this place was no longer safe.

Although Zhao Hu has run away, who knows if he will come back?

Or perhaps those city dwellers, unable to find Zhao Hu, might follow the clues back to Peach Blossom Valley and end up here?

He was lucky this time that he made it back in time.

What about next time?

He can't stay at home all the time.

"We can't stay here anymore."

We must find a safer and more secluded place for Lin Wan before anyone comes to her house.

But the village is only so big, who can he trust? Who can he entrust Lin Wan to?

Willow Magnolia?

No, Liu Yulan is a good person and would definitely be willing to help him, but she lives with that mean and snobbish old woman, Granny Sun.

If Granny Sun finds out that there's a beautiful woman of unknown origin hiding in her house, it'll become the talk of the whole village, and then there will be even more trouble.

After much deliberation, Yang Shuisheng could only think of one candidate.

That's Guo Cuihong.

Guo Cuihong's family consists of only her and her son, Xiaobao, who are both orphans and widows. They usually live a secluded life and don't associate much with the gossipy women in the village.

The key is that she is kind-hearted and knows how to be grateful. She has always remembered the help she received in getting medical treatment and saving her baby.

Most importantly, Guo Cuihong is tight-lipped and knows how to keep her mouth shut.

Therefore, entrusting Lin Wan to her temporarily and letting her take care of her for a few days is the safest option.

"The door lock is broken, and Zhao Hu knows you're hiding here with me."

He looked up at Lin Wan, who was carefully observing his expression, and said, "I'll find you a safe place again. Go there and stay for a few days."

"Okay, I'll listen to you."

Upon hearing this, Lin Wan's eyes were filled with trust and reliance. She nodded gently: "But where are you taking me?"

"We're going to a woman's house in the village," Yang Shuisheng explained. "She's a very nice person and keeps quiet. Usually, it's just her and her child at home, so it's quite peaceful."

"Just focus on recovering at her place for the next few days. I'll find a way to resolve your issue as soon as possible."

"Okay." Lin Wan didn't ask any further questions, but added, "I'm sorry for troubling you again..."

"Let's not talk about that anymore." Yang Shuisheng squatted down again. "Come on, I'll carry you over."

Lin Wan climbed onto his back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

This time, the two seemed more at ease, but the subtle tactile sensation from their close contact remained.

Yang Shuisheng carried Lin Wan on his back, blew out the kerosene lamp, and decisively walked quickly toward Guo Cuihong's quiet courtyard.

When the two arrived at the small fenced yard of Guo Cuihong's house.

The courtyard was dark, and the windows of the main room were also dark, indicating that Guo Cuihong and Xiaobao had already gone to sleep.

He carefully put Lin Wan down from his back and let her sit down and rest against the woodpile outside the courtyard wall.

"Wait here for a while and don't make a sound. I'll go tell someone," Yang Shuisheng whispered to him.

Lin Wan nodded, curled up in the shadows, hugging her knees, trying to make herself inconspicuous.

Yang Shuisheng then walked to the simple wooden door and gently knocked three times.

"Knock knock knock—"

There was no sound from inside; they were probably fast asleep.

He increased the force slightly and tapped three times.

"Knock knock knock—"

This time, there was a rustling sound coming from inside, like someone turning over in bed, followed by Guo Cuihong's sleepy yet wary voice: "Who is it? In the middle of the night..."

"Sister-in-law Cuihong, it's me, Shuisheng," Yang Shuisheng said in a low voice through the crack in the door.

"Shuisheng?" Guo Cuihong's voice inside the house clearly froze for a moment, then footsteps quickly approached the door.

The sound of the latch being pulled rang out, and the wooden door creaked open a crack.

Guo Cuihong was wearing an old coat over a loose-fitting floral t-shirt, her hair was disheveled and draped over her shoulders, and her face still looked sleepy.

"Brother Shuisheng, it really is you!"

She clearly hadn't expected Yang Shuisheng to come looking for her so late. Her face showed a mixture of surprise and confusion. Forgetting to straighten her disheveled clothes, she quickly poked her head out and asked, "What happened so late? Come in, come in and tell me."

As she spoke, she reached out to pull Yang Shuisheng.

As he turned and raised his hand, the old coat slipped down a bit, and the collar of the thin undershirt underneath opened up considerably.

Yang Shuisheng could clearly see a large expanse of snow-white skin beneath her neck, as well as her full breasts that sagged naturally because she wasn't wearing a bra. They swayed slightly with her movements under her undershirt, the outlines of their tips faintly visible, like two water balloons.

"Sister-in-law Cuihong, don't rush."

Yang Shuisheng quickly looked away. Instead of going inside, he took a half step back and stood in the shadows by the door. He lowered his voice and said quickly, "I'm bothering you so late because I have something urgent I need your help with."

"What is it? Tell me!"

Seeing his serious expression and urgent tone, Guo Cuihong also shook off her sleepiness, pulled her coat tighter, and looked at him earnestly, saying, "Why are you being so polite with me? As long as your sister-in-law can help, I'll do my best without hesitation."

Her eyes were full of sincerity, and even a hint of excitement and anticipation because Yang Shuisheng needed her help.

In her heart, Yang Shuisheng was an extremely capable and kind person, and she was happy to be able to help him.

"That's right, sister-in-law."

Yang Shuisheng breathed a sigh of relief when he saw how readily she agreed, but he also knew that it was a bit of a stretch. He organized his thoughts and said, "A friend of mine is in some trouble and has nowhere to go. He'd like to stay here for a few days. Do you think it's convenient for him?"

"Friends?" Guo Cuihong blinked, seemingly not quite understanding.

But then she seemed to remember something: Zhao Erniu's clamor about pretty women at the threshing ground during the day, and the vague rumors in the village, all instantly connected in her mind.

Looking at Yang Shuisheng's slightly embarrassed expression, she immediately understood seven or eight parts of the situation.

She didn't directly point it out, but instead slightly tilted her head, her gaze seemingly casually glancing in the direction Yang Shuisheng had come from outside the courtyard wall, and asked directly, "Is she... a woman?"

Yang Shuisheng was taken aback by her keen intuition, then nodded somewhat awkwardly without saying anything, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Guo Cuihong saw Yang Shuisheng nod, and her last guess was confirmed.

Her face showed no particular expression; there was no surprise, no dissatisfaction, and no gossip or curiosity.

She was silent for two or three seconds, seemingly thinking quickly.

Yang Shuisheng felt a little uneasy, afraid that Guo Cuihong would refuse or ask many questions.

"Okay! I thought it was something big, is this all?"

However, Guo Cuihong's subsequent reaction was completely unexpected.

"No problem! Brother Shuisheng, if you trust your sister-in-law, I'll help you with this."

Suddenly, Guo Cuihong's face broke into a gentle, encouraging smile. She leaned forward, lowered her voice, and said crisply, "Where is she? Bring her in quickly!"

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of you here, and no one will find out."

She didn't ask any unnecessary questions, such as who the woman was, where she came from, why she got into trouble, or what her relationship was with Yang Shuisheng.

She agreed so readily!

Moreover, his tone was full of understanding and a sense of "I understand" tolerance, and even a hint of "I'm glad I can share your burdens."

Looking at her, Yang Shuisheng felt a complex warmth welling up in his heart.

"Sister-in-law Cuihong, thank you!" He nodded solemnly. "I will remember this kindness."

"Don't thank me, you're being too polite." Guo Cuihong gave him a reproachful look, then stepped aside to make way for the doorway. "Quickly, bring them in, be careful not to disturb the neighbors."

Yang Shuisheng said no more, immediately turned around and walked quickly to the woodpile, gently helped Lin Wan, who was leaning against the wall, up, and then half-supported and half-carried her into Guo Cuihong's house.

Guo Cuihong quickly followed her in, gently closed the courtyard gate behind her, and bolted it shut.

The small courtyard returned to its tranquility, as if nothing had happened.