"Hah—"
Lu Yuan suddenly sat up.
The midday sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting mottled shadows on his face.
He gasped for breath in great gulps, his chest heaving violently, as if trying to expel all the chill accumulated deep in his lungs.
Cold, bone-chilling cold.
Although it was the depths of winter beyond the pass, this cold was clearly emanating from his very bones, a sinister chill brought by the complete loss of yang qi.
"Dear nephew!"
A mature woman's voice, surprised to the point of trembling, rang out almost simultaneously with the moment he sat up.
Before Lu Yuan could figure out what was happening, he was embraced by warm, fragrant, soft flesh, his nose filled with that alluring feminine scent.
Outside the door, hurried footsteps sounded.
Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an rushed in, their faces showing uncontrollable wild joy.
They looked at Lu Yuan, tightly held in Zhao Qiao'er's embrace, their voices trembling slightly.
"Brother Lu!"
Lu Yuan looked up, seeing Zhao Qiao'er's joyful face almost in tears, then at Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an's equally excited, flushed faces.
He had survived.
"First help me outside to get some sun."
In Zhao Qiao'er's warm embrace, Lu Yuan shivered, his voice somewhat weak.
The three people in the room nodded repeatedly.
Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an were about to step forward, but Zhao Qiao'er had already put one arm around Lu Yuan, easily helping him down from the bed.
After getting off the bed, Lu Yuan's gaze swept over Xu Erxiao.
That boy was apologetically rubbing his hands together.
Lu Yuan instinctively raised his foot, pretending to kick. However, before his foot could land.
Xu Erxiao had already exaggeratedly covered his bottom and sat down on the ground with a thud, his mouth letting out a thunderously loud "Aiyou" cry.
Lu Yuan: "???"
"I haven't even kicked you yet. What are you yelling about?"
Sitting on the ground, Xu Erxiao grinned with a face full of "grievance" and explained, "Isn't this to show that Brother Lu, your cultivation is deep, and your remaining power is still present~"
Lu Yuan: "..."
It was quite obvious that Zhao Qiao'er had told Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an about the night's events.
After all, Lu Yuan had gone to rescue Zhao Qiao'er and returned in this condition. Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an would definitely press Zhao Qiao'er with questions.
Zhao Qiao'er had surely also mentioned the matter of the mountain god temple.
Xu Erxiao wasn't an idiot. He naturally understood that there had been a problem with the mountain god temple he was responsible for.
"Brother Lu, I know I was wrong. I absolutely won't cut corners next time..."
Sitting on the ground, Xu Erxiao's face was full of apology, his head hanging low.
With Xu Erxiao saying this much, what more could Lu Yuan say?
He could only walk outside while saying, "Alright, get up quickly. You can't cut corners next time."
Hearing Lu Yuan say this, Xu Erxiao nodded repeatedly and stood up, saying, "I absolutely won't dare next time."
Supported by Zhao Qiao'er, they came to the courtyard. Lu Yuan recognized this place.
It was the courtyard of the Xu family, the employer for this job.
In the courtyard, quite a few martial artists sat on the ground under the sun. Many had injuries, their faces and hands bound with white cloth.
When these people saw Zhao Qiao'er come out, they quickly stood up. However, Zhao Qiao'er didn't even glance at these people. Supporting Lu Yuan, she immediately said in a soft voice, "Quickly bring a lounge chair."
Soon, a group of people nimbly moved over a lounge chair padded with thick bedding, placing it in the spot with the most sunlight.
Today's sun was truly warm.
The moment Lu Yuan lay down and was illuminated by the warm winter sun, he couldn't help but let out a comfortable hum.
Wisps of cold white mist dispersed from his mouth.
"Quickly bring up the chicken soup."
Zhao Qiao'er at his side found a small stool and sat nearby, watching over him.
Her gentle, attentive manner was exactly like a little wife.
Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an watching from the side were completely stunned.
Good heavens~
What did Brother Lu eat growing up?
How does he attract women so much... and they're all such beautiful, sexy great beauties...
Wang Fu, waiting nearby, responded and soon brought up a clay pot of chicken soup.
Thanks to Lu Yuan's blessing, Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an also each received a bowl of chicken soup with a thick layer of oil floating on top.
The two squatted under the sun, sipping their soup in small mouthfuls.
Zhao Qiao'er, on the other hand, held the chicken soup in one hand and a spoon in the other, saying to Wang Fu and the martial artists, "You all go down and eat something too. Don't stand around here anymore, making a racket."
Wang Fu nodded and led the martial artists out of the courtyard.
Zhao Qiao'er scooped up a spoonful of steaming chicken soup, brought it to her red lips painted with bright rouge, gently blew on it, then held it to Lu Yuan's mouth.
Looking at Zhao Qiao'er carefully attending to him, Lu Yuan felt somewhat embarrassed and grinned, saying, "Auntie Qiao'er... just let someone else do it..."
At this moment, seeing Lu Yuan in much better spirits, Zhao Qiao'er couldn't help but give Lu Yuan a coquettish eye roll full of charm, "What~"
"You big oaf, you don't dare drink the chicken soup I'm feeding you?"
"You already spanked my bottom. What's wrong with me serving you chicken soup?"
Not far away, Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an, who had been drinking their soup with heads lowered, suddenly looked up and glanced at Zhao Qiao'er and Lu Yuan in the distance.
The two looked at each other with completely bewildered expressions.
Spanked her bottom??
The two looked in unison at Zhao Qiao'er's big, plump bottom.
That round, plump, meaty bottom that was nearly bursting through her qipao had completely buried the small stool beneath it.
Wait... what did Brother Lu and this big rouge mare do last night??
The two were stunned for a few seconds, then silently lowered their heads to drink their soup again.
Yikes~
Better not ask about it~
At the same time, Lu Yuan also felt awkward.
What happened last night, thinking back on it now, was really a bit embarrassing.
Zhao Qiao'er pursed her red lips, lightly laughed, and said coquettishly, "Alright, alright, hurry up and open your mouth, eat first~"
Since that was the case, Lu Yuan couldn't say much and just opened his mouth to let Zhao Qiao'er attend to him.
"How did I get back?"
After drinking two mouthfuls of chicken soup, Lu Yuan smacked his lips, savoring the aftertaste, while curiously asking.
Zhao Qiao'er scooped another spoonful of chicken soup, gently blowing on it in front of her red lips while answering, "Near the end of the fifth watch... you still hadn't returned."
"Your two junior brothers led a few men born in the years of the Dragon and Tiger, beating gongs and blowing whistles, into the mountain to find you..."
Not far away, Xu Erxiao immediately picked up the conversation, "When Cheng'an and I went, Brother Lu, you were lying on the ground. You scared us half to death!"
"After we carried you back, the madam hired a physician from town to examine you. The physician said you were fine, just needed to rest lying down."
Nothing wrong?
Lu Yuan drank another mouthful of chicken soup and blinked.
Logically speaking, this wasn't quite possible...
He had been severely wounded by that Two-Legged Sheep. He truly felt like he'd lost half his life.
Afterward... that's right!
The Ghost Bride!
Gu Qingwan!
Thinking of those ten full stars that could make one's heart jump, Lu Yuan's body instantly tensed, his heart pounding wildly but soon, he relaxed again.
It seemed she had helped him, perhaps repaying a debt?
Mm... no matter what, once he felt better, he needed to go up the mountain to thank her...
While Lu Yuan was lost in thought, Zhao Qiao'er couldn't help but ask, "After Auntie ran away last night, you... you and that Two-Legged Sheep..."
Lu Yuan looked at the worried yet moved expression on Zhao Qiao'er's face and couldn't help but grin, "It's a bit complicated, but anyway, everything's fine now. That Two-Legged Sheep is dead too."
Seeing that Lu Yuan didn't want to elaborate, Zhao Qiao'er didn't press further but she was clear that after she had escaped last night, Lu Yuan's situation had been extremely dangerous.
Even though the town physician said Lu Yuan had no major issues, she had seen with her own eyes that large, shocking bruise on Lu Yuan's chest then Lu Yuan turned his head toward Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an, who were drinking chicken soup under the sun not far away, and said, "Check where the next job is. After I eat and rest a bit, we should head to the next place. Don't delay."
Lu Yuan's words had barely fallen, and Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an hadn't had time to react but Zhao Qiao'er at his side had already anxiously said in a soft voice, "What next place!"
"After you eat, come back to Fengtian City with Auntie. From now on, we won't do this work anymore!"
"Auntie will support you for life!"