Now, he squatted in front of a smothered campfire, poking at it with a stick, and saw the ash inside, along with a few chicken bones. He looked around and finally concluded, "It seems that someone stayed here last night."
He stood up straight again, glanced around at the ground, and finally chose a direction to sprint off at full speed.
In the past days up in the mountains, enduring wind and dew, and never eating to his fill, he slept only for four hours each day, spending the rest of the time searching for Dong Huiying. His complexion had grown sallow and dark circles had formed under his eyes.
Another day passed, and Liang Yuening found a large pit with some blood traces inside it, and a rusty metal frame also smeared with blood.
He frowned slightly, "Someone got injured?"
After looking around, he grew anxious, "Was it Dong Dabao, or someone else? Two people have been here, and one of them got hurt."
He lingered on the spot for a while, when suddenly a sharp pain coursed through his stomach.
He clutched his belly, grimaced, and let out a muffled groan, then his complexion darkened slightly, "This really isn’t the time."
He took out a small bottle from his bosom, poured out a round, slick black pill, and slapped it into his mouth, swallowing it down dryly.
Afterward, he rested briefly and continued the pursuit.
Because she had to look after Doctor Xiao, the injured patient, Dong Huiying was moving slowly. She carved a makeshift crutch from a knife, and Doctor Xiao hopped forward, leaning on it.
"It’s getting late, let’s rest here for the night."
Dong Huiying wiped the sweat from her face.
The weather in the mountains was peculiar; with each rainfall, the temperature would rise a little, and recently it had become increasingly muggy.
Her thin jacket could barely keep up; she would break into a sweat after walking just a few steps.
"Fine," Doctor Xiao panted heavily, looking quite unwell.
His physical strength was still decent, but now, hobbling on one foot and with a broken arm, the descent from the mountain was not easy.
Dong Huiying let Doctor Xiao rest briefly while she herself looked after the preparation of a wild chicken.
Nearby was a mountain stream that seemed to branch off from a waterfall at the mountain’s peak.
She crouched by the river, handling the chicken, suddenly craving some homemade dishes.
When she first came through to this time at the Liang family, where food and clothing were in short supply, she couldn’t even get a glimpse of anything oily, and she really craved meat. But these past few days in the mountain, subsisting on either fruits or wild chicken, she had grown somewhat tired of it.
Fortunately, this trip to the mountain reaped a good harvest of herbs, which she collected on her own and also obtained some from Doctor Xiao, enough for their needs for a while.
Dong Huiying and Doctor Xiao shared a wild chicken, sitting about half a meter apart. From time to time, Doctor Xiao stole glances at her, wary of her past notoriety, and quite fearful of her. Gradually, though, he began to lower his guard.
Doctor Xiao thought to himself that Miss Xiao Dong was truly a decent person, not only saving his life but also sharing chicken with him, and she was always smiling, quite different from before!
"Why are you looking at me?" Dong Huiying finished her chicken, her little mouth glistening with chicken grease.
Doctor Xiao cleared his throat, "No reason," he said, focusing on his meal, but Dong Huiying suddenly called out to him.
Dong Huiying gestured, "Do you have hair on your mouth?"
Doctor Xiao, feeling perplexed, wiped his mouth.
Dong Huiying said, "No, not that side, it’s on the right."
Dong Huiying sighed, "It’s here!"
She leaned over and plucked a hair sticking to Doctor Xiao’s lip, leaving him stunned for a moment before he quickly bowed his head, appearing quite flustered.