Three days passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, apart from changing his dressing, Shi Chong had not seen Meng Anzhi again. On this day, he called out to Fan Er.
" Fan Er, every time I see Doctor Meng change my dressing, I leave immediately and never stay longer. Is he too busy?"
Fan Er was a rough and straightforward guy, and he said, "Of course! She does everything herself, from harvesting and drying the medicinal herbs to selling them and reconciling the accounts. Isn't she busy?"
Shi Chong's eyes darkened slightly as he smiled, "Didn't her parents lend a hand?"
"Why should I lend a hand... My young lady has had a hard life, losing her parents at a young age, but..." Suddenly, Du Hongdou's voice rang out from outside, " Fan Er..."
"Hey... here it comes..." Fan Er picked up the leftover food and said with a simple smile, "Young Master Shi, you should rest first, my wife is here to see me..." After saying that, he quickly walked out of the house.
" Hongdou, what brings you here..."
Du Hongdou exclaimed excitedly, " Fan Er... Shopkeeper Shen said I'm pregnant!"
"What... you're pregnant? I... I... am I going to be a father?"
Shi Chong lay in the room listening to Fan Er's stammering words, his voice trembling with excitement. A faint trace of envy flickered in his eyes, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips... It's good to be alive.
Four or five more days passed before he was finally able to get out of bed.
Shi Chong leaned against the wall and slowly walked around the courtyard, only to realize that he was only staying in a side room of the outer courtyard. To put it bluntly, he hadn't actually stepped into the main courtyard of the estate.
A bustling sound came from outside the courtyard. He shuffled to the doorway, supporting himself against the wall, and saw a group of people loading a cart. Shi Chong looked around and recognized only Fan Er, so he called out, " Fan Er..."
Fan Er instructed him to tie it securely, then walked towards Shi Chong, "Young Master Shi... is there something you need?"
Shi Chong laughed and asked, "Are you going out?"
"Hmm... Miss is going to the capital. We're packing her medicine," Fan Er said, then suddenly realized, "Don't worry, even though Miss is gone, everyone on our estate knows about medicine and will apply it for you."
" Fan Er..." Meng Anzhi walked over carrying her medicine box, laughing and scolding, "I just saw you leave, go get back to work..."
Fan Er sighed, and as he left, he was still thinking, "What's the point of saying anything if I don't say anything before I leave? Leaving is the same as just leaving, isn't it?"
Meng Anzhi helped Shi Chong the house. "Young Master Shi, please take off your clothes. I'll change your dressing."
Shi Chong unbuttoned his shirt and sat down in a chair, watching her tidy up her bandages. " Miss Meng, are you going back to the capital?"
While checking the wound, Meng Anzhi replied, "Yes... I'll leave after changing your dressing."
She had barely finished speaking when her wrist was suddenly grabbed and then abruptly released, so quickly it felt like a muscle spasm!
Shi Chong's ears turned red. "I'm sorry, Miss Meng, I acted rashly in a moment of panic... I was rude."
Meng Anzhi didn't speak, but changed his bandage. "You can stay here at the manor without worry. I've already spoken to the manager, and someone will come to change your dressing regularly."
Shi Chong, " Miss Meng, I heard you are going to the capital. I have a favor to ask..."
"You say."
" Miss Meng, would you be so kind as to give me a ride? I need to go to the capital on some business..." Shi Chong said, looking up at Meng Anzhi pleadingly. Meng Anzhi, considering his status, readily agreed, "Of course, it's just that the journey is bumpy..."
Shi Chong immediately replied, "It's alright... As long as I don't die, I can hold on."
There was a moment of silence in the room after these words were spoken.
Meng Anzhi smiled and said, "Okay... I'll have someone prepare it, and I'll call you when I leave."
After Meng Anzhi went out, she called Fan Er and asked him to prepare a carriage and to spread out more bedding so that Shi Chong would be more comfortable.
Fan Er smiled and said, "Miss, you are so kind-hearted, treating even a stranger so well."
Meng Anzhi smiled but didn't say anything.
A man who had lived in seclusion in the Northern Rong for three years, who knows how much intelligence he had sent back to the Sheng Dynasty and how much war he had saved, deserved to be treated well for that reason alone.
When everything was ready to depart, Shi Chong sat in the carriage waiting and waiting, but Meng Anzhi did not get on. He opened the carriage curtain and saw Meng Anzhi sitting in an oxcart with a servant and cats and dogs.
He was puzzled, but didn't ask... He lowered the curtain and slowly leaned against the carriage...
The horses used to transport the medicinal herbs were ordinary horses, and they had to stop and rest every now and then. What should have been a journey that took an oxcart three or four days was dragged out for almost half a month.
The cavalry stopped again to rest. Qing He started a fire and cooked, "Miss, would you like hot pot or fried rice?"
"Let's have hot pot. It's so comforting to eat something warm on a cold day."
"Okay." Qing He responded and began to prepare the ingredients.
Shi Chong, supporting himself against the carriage, slowly walked to Meng Anzhi's side and softly called out, " Miss Meng, is there anything I can help you with?"
Upon hearing this, Qing He turned around and smiled, "Young Master Shi, the biggest help you can give is to avoid reopening your wound."
Shi Chong felt a little embarrassed by what was said, "Miss Qing He, my wound has almost healed... Although I can't chop wood now, I can start a fire."
After saying that, he bent down to start a fire. Qing He glanced at him and smiled as she continued to prepare the ingredients. Once the stove was lit and the small iron pot was set up, the broth in the pot boiled in no time.
Qing He filled two bowls and handed them to the two of them, then carried the bowls to the side.
Meng Anzhi called out to her, "Let's eat together."
Qing He paused for a moment, then sat down with a smile.
Shi Chong subtly distanced himself from Qing He and ate his meal in silence. After the meal, he took the initiative to clean up the dishes, first wiping them clean with fine sand, then rinsing them with water, and finally drying them with a cloth.
Meng Anzhi found it strange and asked with a smile, "Who did you learn this method from?"
"Having traveled all over the country for so long, I've long forgotten who I learned it from." Shi Chong paused, then continued, " Miss Meng, why are you riding in an oxcart? Did I take your carriage?"
"No, I'm used to riding in oxcarts since I was a child," Meng Anzhi said, then called Dahuang and Xiaoli to get in the cart and set off.
Shi Chong looked at the two cats and dogs and laughed, "They're really strong and healthy, with glossy, smooth fur. They're clearly well cared for."
Meng Anzhi smiled as she sat on the oxcart. "These cats and dogs rarely eat at home; their smooth fur is probably just a natural thing."
Qing He placed the small stove on the oxcart, then turned to see Shi Chong still standing there. "Young Master Shi, aren't you getting on the cart?"
Shi Chong smiled and said, "I'll get right on."
In the carriage, Shi Chong recalled Meng Anzhi's every smile and frown, and the corners of his lips unconsciously turned up slightly.
This girl was unlike any other woman he had ever met; she was neither as bold as the women of the Northern Rong nor as reserved as the women of the Sheng Dynasty.
She always had a smile on her lips, yet it seemed somewhat insincere. She was especially kind and considerate to her servants, showing not a trace of arrogance befitting a person in a superior position, which was truly rare.
Shi Chong couldn't help but lift a corner of the carriage curtain and look towards the oxcart.
Unexpectedly, his gaze met Meng Anzhi's. A faint smile curved his lips, and he nodded to her before gently lowering the carriage curtain.