Shen Chi arrived home just as Lin Xiaoguai had finished picking out the splinters from her wound and was disinfecting it with iodine. The pain made her face deathly pale, and fine beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
Shen Chi was startled by the sight and, not bothering to change his shoes, hurried over to her side, "Let me see!"
Seeing the bloodstains scattered over her fair skin, his heart ached, "How did this happen? Does it hurt a lot?"
Such wounds wouldn’t make him bat an eye if they were on his own body, but could he feel the same when they were on his wife?
"It’s nothing," Lin Xiaoguai smiled weakly, "the iodine just stings a bit, the cuts aren’t actually that deep."
"And you’re still talking? Why didn’t you call me to come and pick them out?" Shen Chi said, noticing the bloodied thorns.
Picking thorns from a wound was sure to be painful, just like digging shrapnel out of wounds on the battlefield. An experienced person could lessen the pain significantly, and he didn’t think his wife was particularly skilled at this task.
"I had finished picking them by the time you say that," Lin Xiaoguai gave him a white glance, though her expression remained gentle.
Shen Chi smiled and took a piece of gauze, carefully and deftly wrapping up her wound, and then asked, "What exactly happened? Where did you get these wounds?"
"I’m not quite clear on the details myself," Lin Xiaoguai pulled Yaya, who had been sitting quietly at her side, and began to wipe her tears with a handkerchief as she spoke, "Today, Little Niangao wouldn’t get out of bed, so I asked Yaya to stay home and look after her while I went to the flower and bird market. On my way back, a whisk broom came flying at me in the Military Family Area, and if I hadn’t been quick, I might have been disfigured. I rushed back to check on the kids, so I didn’t stay around, but I’m pretty certain that broom was thrown by Niu Lan. Oh, and Sister-in-law Er Mei was also there; she might know what happened."
Lin Xiaoguai was somewhat displeased with Wu Ermei’s side-taking with Niu Lan today, but soon she let it go. People always have their close and distant relationships, and Wu Ermei clearly had a better one with Niu Lan. Considering the advice that Wu Ermei had given her on several occasions in the past, she shouldn’t hold onto this incident.
However, things would obviously not be as amiable as before.
Shen Chi frowned slightly, "All right, don’t worry about it. I’ll find out what happened." He was already very displeased that she had to handle the wound herself, whether the incident was intentional or not.
Just then, the doorbell suddenly rang. Shen Chi glanced at Lin Xiaoguai before going to open the door.
Wu Ermei’s heart skipped a beat when Shen Chi opened the door, trying to smile as she greeted, "You’re home, Shen Chi." She would have come over earlier if she had known he was home and would never have agreed to let Niu Lan go to the market to buy pig trotters.
"Do you need something, Sister-in-law Er Mei?" Shen Chi’s gaze passed over the robust woman beside her.
Wu Ermei felt slightly embarrassed and, pulling Niu Lan forward, said, "This is Niu Lan coming to apologize for accidentally hurting Xiaoguai."
"Right, right, right," Niu Lan craned her neck to look into the house, brashly saying, "Is Big Sister all right? I swear it wasn’t on purpose. I was chasing that vixen, and Big Sister suddenly sprang out from the side. I wasn’t paying attention and hit the wrong person."
Wu Ermei grew more embarrassed. If only she had warned Niu Lan to keep her words in check, spilling everything so blatantly was not pleasing. Couldn’t she have approached the situation more gradually?
Nevertheless, Nui Lan, holding the pig trotters, said, "I went to the market specifically to buy these pig trotters for Big Sister to nourish herself with, so that tiny wound should heal in no time."
"Shen Chi, why are you standing in the doorway?"
Lin Xiaoguai’s voice came from inside, leaving Shen Chi looking somewhat helpless as he told Wu Ermei and Niu Lan, "Please come in and take a seat."
While his heart ached for his wife, he was also reasonable. They had come to his house genuinely apologizing and had explained the circumstances. It’s not like he could seek revenge, right?
Even if he were petty, he did maintain certain standards.
"Xiao Guai, how are you doing? Did a military doctor treat your wound?" Once inside, Wu Ermei immediately focused on Lin Xiaoguai’s hand.
Lin Xiaoguai smiled and lifted her bandaged hand, saying, "I took care of it myself."
"Big Sister, I’m really sorry, it’s just that the vixen ran too fast, and I mistook you for her," said Niu Lan. Seeing Lin Xiaoguai’s amiable attitude and remembering the cold words she had said earlier, she felt guilty and pushed the pig trotters into her hands, adding, "I specifically went to the market for these pig trotters, picked out the biggest ones for you. Just stew them on the stove; they’re very nourishing."