Chapter 35: Don’t Startle Me and Get in My Way

After Zhang Xiaolan and Xiaolian brought the man in black into the villa, they carried him straight into her room and laid him on the bed. She then instructed Xiaolian, “Quick, fetch the medicine box.”

“Miss, it’s one thing to save him, but isn’t it improper to let him stay in your room?” Xiaolian glanced at the man in black, now lying face-down on Zhang Xiaolan’s bed. No matter how she looked at it, something seemed off about this arrangement.

“Don’t fuss over such things. Whether he’s a man or a woman, he’s so thin he could barely do anything. Besides, he’s at death’s door—what’s the use in worrying about propriety? There’s nowhere else for him to go. Now hurry and bring the medicine box.” Zhang Xiaolan paid no heed to such concerns; saving the man’s life was more important. She wasn’t afraid of tending to an injured patient, but if he died here, she would have that sin on her conscience.

“Oh!” Xiaolian realized there was no time to waste and hurried to fetch the medicine box.

Zhang Xiaolan deftly took a pair of scissors and cut open the man’s clothing, exposing the wound on his back. Fortunately, the injury was at the scapula.

It seemed his tough skin and sturdy muscles had helped block the dart. Had it landed just a bit off, it might have pierced his lung.

“Miss! How can you undress a man like that?” Xiaolian returned, only to see Zhang Xiaolan pulling at the injured man’s shirt, inspecting both his chest and back, and even probing around his lower body. It looked almost indecent.

“Do you think I’m taking advantage of him? I’m checking for other injuries. Hurry and pass me the medicine box.” Zhang Xiaolan shot her an exasperated glance. Xiaolian was so quick to misunderstand. Was it her stubborn adherence to Confucian values, or did she simply see desire in the most ordinary acts?

“Here you are, Miss. But how are we supposed to pull out the dart?” Xiaolian stuck out her tongue, realizing she had been overthinking things. Zhang Xiaolan was not that kind of person. She set the medicine box by the bed and craned her neck to watch Zhang Xiaolan’s movements.

“Just grab the dart and yank it out forcefully.” While rummaging for medicine, Zhang Xiaolan couldn’t resist teasing her, deliberately describing the process as bloody and brutal.

“No, no—I’m scared!” Xiaolian immediately waved her hands in surrender. She had no idea Zhang Xiaolan was just teasing her; the thought alone made her shiver.

“If you can’t handle that, then go fetch a basin of hot water,” Zhang Xiaolan ordered, turning to light a candle for use.

Carefully, Zhang Xiaolan cleaned the blood around the wound, then took out a dagger and held its tip over the flame. She blew on it to cool it slightly, then nervously brought it close to the wound.

“Miss, are you just going to dig it out like that?” Xiaolian thought in alarm as she watched Zhang Xiaolan approach the wound with the knife.

“Stop startling me! If I get distracted, my hand might slip and stab him to death!” Zhang Xiaolan herself was startled by Xiaolian’s outburst—her hand almost slipped. Why did Xiaolian always have to make things difficult at the crucial moment? She scolded her in a low voice.

“But, Miss…” Xiaolian was still uneasy and wanted to protest further, but Zhang Xiaolan cut her off with a raised hand.

“Be quiet and just watch. I’m saving him, not toying with him.” Zhang Xiaolan focused her attention and resumed her ‘surgery.’ She reheated the dagger’s tip, then swiftly and skillfully pulled out the dart. As soon as blood welled up, she pressed the knife’s tip to the wound, sealing the flesh and stopping the bleeding.

Every movement Zhang Xiaolan made was executed with utmost care, sweat beading on her forehead. Though the man in black was unconscious, the pain made him furrow his brow and let out a faint whimper.