bookcurios Chapter 172
Chapter 172
Upon hearing this, Song Nianchu immediately turned to look.
She saw an elderly man from the village supporting Mu Shi'an as they came through the yard gate.
Mu Shi'an was limping, his pant leg rolled up to reveal a long wound that was still bleeding heavily.
"What happened? How did you get hurt?" Song Nianchu hurried over and helped support Mu Shi'an.
"We were setting up the shed when a little kid from the village ran over to watch. He almost crashed into the frame we just put up. Comrade Mu saved him but ended up cutting his leg," the old man explained.
"How could you be so careless? The wound is too deep. You need to go to the hospital." Song Nianchu examined the gash on his leg and stood up.
"No need for a hospital. Just clean it and apply some medicine, and I'll be fine." Mu Shi'an grabbed her arm.
"No. The wound is deep. If it's not properly cleaned, it could get infected, and you might even need amputation," Song Nianchu refused firmly.
"It's not as serious as you think," Mu Shi'an said helplessly.
"Haoxuan, Yongnian, I'm taking your eldest brother to the hospital. You two go home and see if there's anything to eat for lunch," Song Nianchu said, turning to Mu Haoxuan and Mu Yongnian.
"Sister-in-law, you go ahead and take elder brother to the hospital. We'll take care of ourselves," Mu Yongnian quickly replied.
"Alright." Song Nianchu went back into the house to grab some money, then returned swiftly to the yard.
Without a word, she crouched in front of Mu Shi'an, but he didn't move.
"Get on," she urged, turning her head.
"You're planning to carry me on your back?" Mu Shi'an asked, half amused.
"I'm strong. Carrying you will be faster. Get on, don't waste time." Her tone carried an unmistakable authority.
"That's right, Comrade Mu. Chu is strong; she can carry you," the old man chimed in.
"Big brother, hurry up. Sister has been crouching too long," Mu Haoxuan added.
Mu Shi'an sighed in resignation and finally leaned onto Song Nianchu's back.
She locked her arms around his thighs and lifted him up in one smooth motion.
"Chu, isn't there a cart in the village? Wouldn't that be easier?" Mu Shi'an asked, a little worried.
"A cart would be slower. Carrying you is faster." Song Nianchu was already out the yard gate.
True to her word, she moved briskly, as if the weight of the man much taller and heavier than her was nothing.
"Chu, if you get tired, put me down. I can walk," Mu Shi'an said uneasily from her back.
Ever since he grew up, he had never let a woman carry him like this.
"I'm not tired. When I delivered goods to town before, I carried much heavier loads than you," Song Nianchu said without any shortness of breath, clearly unbothered.
"Is this strength natural?" Mu Shi'an, a science student, couldn't wrap his head around how someone of her small frame could have such power.
"I got sick once and almost died. After I recovered, my strength suddenly grew," she confessed without hiding anything.
"I see." Mu Shi'an nodded. "Did you get a check-up afterward? Were all the results normal?"
He was worried her body might have undergone some unusual changes.
"I did get checked. Everything was normal," she replied.
Mu Shi'an breathed a small sigh of relief. As long as she was healthy, there was nothing to worry about. After all, in this vast world, some things defied common sense.
Song Nianchu carried him for two hours. When they arrived at the hospital, medical staff surrounded them immediately.
Mu Shi'an's wound was still deep and needed debridement.
As saline solution poured over the cut, Mu Shi'an's face turned pale from the pain.
"Doctor, can you be a bit gentler?" Song Nianchu winced in empathy.
"There are tiny stones and dirt deep in the wound. If it's not cleaned thoroughly, there's a high risk of infection. Please bear with it," the doctor explained.
"I'm fine." Mu Shi'an lifted his head to reassure Song Nianchu.
After that, no matter how much it hurt, he showed no emotion on his face.
By the time the doctor finished bandaging him, he looked up.
"You have great endurance, young man. A few days ago, I had a patient with a smaller and shallower wound than yours. The moment I cleaned it, he screamed loud enough for half the hospital to hear."
Mu Shi'an's entire back was damp with sweat. He could barely speak, only nodding slightly.
"Alright, go pick up your medicine at the pharmacy. Come back in three days to change the gauze. Don't get the wound wet, rest well, and avoid spicy food," the doctor instructed Song Nianchu.
"Okay." Song Nianchu took the prescription from the doctor and helped Mu Shi'an up. Just as she started to crouch again, he grabbed her arm.
"First, help me get the medicine."
"Fine." Song Nianchu supported him out of the treatment room and led him to a nearby bench.
"Wait here. I'll get the medicine and come back for you," she instructed.
"Alright." Mu Shi'an nodded.
After Song Nianchu left for the pharmacy, the smile on Mu Shi'an's face faded, and a hint of pain surfaced in his eyes.
He glanced down at his bandaged leg, still throbbing with a sharp ache.
"Mu Shi'an?" A surprised voice suddenly sounded above him.
He looked up instinctively and saw a young woman in a white lab coat standing before him.
"Don't you recognize me?" The woman leaned in closer when he didn't respond.
Mu Shi'an instinctively leaned back.
"Comrade Zheng," he said.
"I thought you'd forgotten me." Hearing him say her name, Zheng Lanhui's smile deepened.
"What are you doing here?" Mu Shi'an frowned slightly.
"I've been assigned to this hospital. I work here now," she said, hands clasped behind her back, her eyes fixed intently on him.
"You've been assigned here?" His brow furrowed.
"Yes, I just arrived a couple of days ago. I was planning to get settled and then find you. Fancy meeting here. Seems like fate brought us together." She gazed at him greedily. Months hadn't worn him down much; in fact, he seemed more approachable than before, no longer carrying that icy demeanor.
He used to be like a cold machine, but now there was more warmth to him. It seemed he wasn't struggling too badly here.
Mu Shi'an was about to respond when Song Nianchu returned carrying the medicine.
"Shi'an, I've got the medicine," she said, stepping closer—only to find a young and pretty woman standing right in front of him.