With just one glance, Chiang Xiao knew that if Chu Liang wasn’t treated soon, he would truly be in danger of dying.
Chiang Xiao had learned some traditional medicine from her grandfather and could recognize a good number of medicinal herbs; she knew exactly what kind of medicine to give Chu Liang at this time, and as luck would have it, she had some in her Space.
They said the hostage was very important, didn’t they? If he isn’t treated, even if he is eventually rescued, it will be pointless.
Chiang Xiao didn’t care about the hostage’s actual identity; she just knew she didn’t want to watch someone die when she had the means to help.
After all, it was a human life.
But there was no opportunity to get the medicine out right now; she would have to find another time.
Soon, she heard Target Three calling them out from outside.
After the two of them went out, Chiang Xiao went to the kitchen as planned, where Zhao Xin had already started the fire.
Chiang Xiao scoured the kitchen, finding a rice bin, five eggs, a small bag of coarse flour weighing about a pound, a few sweet potatoes in the corner, and several cloves of garlic—that was everything.
"Sister-in-law, I’m hungry too, what delicious thing are you going to make?" Zhao Xin asked her, sitting by the stove.
Being called sister-in-law made Chiang Xiao uncomfortable, but she had to endure it.
"There’s nothing delicious, really. Just make do with some sweet potato porridge and a few egg pancakes," Chiang Xiao said timidly, turning her head to look at the woman standing by the door as if offering an explanation, "Big sister, we’ll just have sweet potato porridge, the egg pancakes are precious, we’ll only make two for you to eat."
It was to show that they were too poor to afford such things.
With a hint of ingratiation, Chiang Xiao truly resembled a slightly clever yet honest and simple country bride.
"Make all that flour into pancakes, little bride. You’re being so considerate of me, how could I bully you? And make plenty of that sweet potato porridge too," the woman said.
Chiang Xiao responded and looked down.
With the egg pancakes made thin, a pound of flour and five eggs could make many pancakes. This woman wanted all of them made and asked for more sweet potato porridge, which implied what?
It implied that there were quite a few people hidden in this house.
No matter how cruel, they were still humans and needed to eat.
She wanted to tell Tyrant Meng about this discovery.
Chiang Xiao thought about this as she skillfully began to cook.
First, she washed the rice, put it in the pot, and poured water in. Then she took a basin, filled it with a few sweet potatoes, and went to the courtyard, sitting there peeling them.
A few years back, to avoid waste and save every bit, you wouldn’t peel the potatoes, but by this time, they didn’t need to worry about the peel. Chiang Xiao doing this was not strange at all.
Target Three watched her for a while and, perhaps finding nothing suspicious, turned to visit the outhouse.
Meng Xinian was sweeping the floor with a broom and dustpan, looking as though he planned to clean every room.
Chiang Xiao’s eyes flickered as she covered for him.
"Brother Xinian, why can’t you sit still? Mom said to let you rest more; I’ll do these chores later," she said.
After all, he had been paralyzed for so many years; his body was weak.
Meng Xinian truly felt the girl was too clever for her own good. He followed her lead, "Little, just let me do something. I can’t handle heavy work, and if I can’t even sweep the floor, I’d truly feel like a waste."
"Then just sweep around casually, don’t tire yourself out," Chiang Xiao added another line.
"Alright, I have my limits, and I’m also checking for any damaged areas around the house—it’s an old building after all."
With these words, those hidden away wouldn’t suspect why a man would suddenly start sweeping.
Zhao Xin, who was tending the fire inside, listened to their conversation and was secretly amazed.
The two of them really were in sync; even he felt their words were completely natural.