The Gusu Mistake - Chapter 27

“Yuan ruo!” Jiang Yilan supported Yuan ruo. “Where did you get hurt?”

Yuan ruo raised her hand. “The monster’s stinger got me!”

Jiang Yilan held Yuan ruo’s hand, examined it closely, then turned to look at the half-cut centipede sucking blood from Qiu Yue. “This thing is unusual!”

Yuan ruo asked, “You don’t recognize it either?”

Jiang Yilan shook her head. “I’ve identified countless venomous creatures, but I’ve never seen one like this. It… seems to have its own consciousness!”

“Squeak…” As Jiang Yilan’s words fell, the half-cut centipede suddenly raised its head, made a sound, and leaped toward her.

“You demon, you still dare to come?” Jiang Yilan spun around with Yuan ruo to dodge. Since the centipede was only half-cut, it was much slower, allowing her to easily push Yuan ruo away while preparing a medicinal powder and throwing it at the creature.

“Ah…” The half-cut centipede shrieked as the powder hit it. Despite this, it refused to die, making another attempt to jump. Yuan ruo’s sword sliced it in two again, completely severing its chance of survival.

As the centipede finally lay still, the poison in Yuan ruo’s body began to take effect. She swayed, on the verge of collapsing.

“Yuan ruo!” Jiang Yilan rushed to support Yuan ruo. She looked at the wound on her hand, which had already started to turn black. “This poison must be neutralized immediately!”

Yuanruo was too weak to speak, her eyes struggled to stay open a few times, but she couldn’t hold on and completely collapsed.

When Yuanruo woke up again, she was on a simple wooden bed. She opened her eyes, and everything around her was unfamiliar. “Yilan?”

“Yuanruo!” Hearing the sound, Jiang Yilan stood up from the corner. She had been in a spot blocked by the bed, which was why Yuanruo hadn’t seen her. She quickly went to the bed, helped Yuanruo sit up, and let her lean against her. “How do you feel? Is there any discomfort?”

Yuanruo tried to lift her hand, finding it difficult. “I can’t seem to exert much strength!”

“It would be strange if you could!” Talking about the poison Yuanruo had been afflicted with, Jiang Yilan sighed. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen a poison like this!”

Yuanruo looked up, a little surprised. “How so?”

Jiang Yilan said, “According to what you said, you were only touched by that creature. I couldn’t even find a wound, but after I treated you, you were still unconscious for five days!”

“Five days?” Yuanruo was in disbelief. “I’ve been asleep for five days?”

“Yes,” Jiang Yilan took out a small box from her person and opened it. Inside was a blackened silkworm. “This is a frost silkworm I went to great lengths to get. To neutralize the poison in you, it ended up like this. It used to be very beautiful; I’m afraid it won’t recover for at least a year!”

Yuanruo’s face showed an apology. “I’m sorry!”

“What are you apologizing for?” Jiang Yilan said indignantly. “Those scoundrels should be the ones to apologize! I don’t know where they came from, but their target didn’t seem to be me, but you!”

“Their target was indeed me!” Yuanruo said, recalling earlier events. “Before, when I was on my way to the Jiang family for the wedding, I was ambushed. It was that same person!”

Jiang Yilan pressed, “The one wearing the black cloak?”

“Yes!” Yuanruo said. “That person must be connected to my brother’s death!”

“I shouldn’t have let him escape!” Jiang Yilan closed the box with the silkworm and took out an even smaller box. “I should have just taken his life!”

Yuanruo was curious. “What is this?”

Jiang Yilan raised an eyebrow. “Guess?”

Yuanruo chuckled softly. “You’re a member of the Jiang family and often travel. It’s normal for you to carry some fierce venomous creatures with you.”

“You guessed it!” Jiang Yilan didn’t hide it. “This thing might not be as potent as that centipede, but it’s definitely more useful. At least it won’t backfire. If there’s a next time, I’ll use it on that scoundrel for sure!”

“Compared to killing him, I’d rather see his true face!” Yuanruo sighed. “I want to ask him why he harmed my big brother!”

Jiang Yilan said, “Next time we encounter him, I’ll help you capture him alive!”

“Good!” Yuanruo agreed, then remembered to ask, “Where are we?”

“Young man, you’re awake!” As Yuanruo’s words fell, an old woman entered with a basin. “Thank goodness, you’re awake! This saves your wife from having to take care of you and help this old woman with her chores!”

“My wife?” Yuan ruo subconsciously looked at Jiang Yilan.

Jiang Yilan raised an eyebrow, looking at Yuan ruo with a half-smile, and said nothing.

“Yes, your wife is so virtuous!” The old woman praised Jiang Yilan without stopping. “You’ve been sick and unconscious for days. She not only borrowed this place for you but also gave me money and helped with laundry and chopping firewood!”

Yuan ruo was astonished. “You did all that?”

“What?” Jiang Yilan said proudly. “Do you think I’m some kind of pampered young lady who doesn’t lift a finger? I’m quite good at these tasks!”

“No, that’s not what I meant!” On Yuan ruo’s face was a mix of guilt and gratitude. “I just think you’ve gone through too much trouble!”

“It’s not hard work!” Jiang Yilan finished speaking, carefully helped Yuan ruo sit up properly, and then went to where she had been squatting to pick up the basin of clothes. “Granny, I’ve finished washing these clothes, but I can’t leave my husband here. Could you please hang them out to dry?”

“Alright, alright. The rice in the pot is almost ready. I’ll bring it to you later!” The old woman said, then took the clothes and went out. Jiang Yilan returned to Yuan ruo’s side.

“How are you doing? Want to lie down a bit more?”

“No,” Yuan ruo shook her head lightly. “So you were doing laundry just now!”

“Yeah,” Jiang Yilan nodded. “This family only has the granny. She’s quite pitiful, and since she was kind enough to take us in, it’s only right that I do what I can to help.”

Yuan ruo said, “You’ve gone through too much trouble!”

“It’s only hard work if you don’t know how to do it,” Jiang Yilan said nonchalantly. “It’s just second nature to me, so how could it be hard?”

“Is that so?” Yuan ruo smiled at the sound of this. “Anyone who marries you would be incredibly lucky!”

“Oh, no thanks!” Jiang Yilan held up her palm. “I learned these skills just in case I find myself in a desperate situation, so I won’t be completely helpless. They have nothing to do with marriage!”

Yuan ruo looked at Jiang Yilan. “You seem to despise the idea of marriage?”

“It’s not that I despise it; I just don’t seek it out,” Jiang Yilan said. “The world is unfair to women. Ordinary women have to marry to survive, but I’m different. I have skills. If I were to get married hastily and waste my life like them, wouldn’t all my hard work have been for nothing?”

“Pfft!” Yuan ruo laughed. “You have a point, a very good point!”

“What about you?” Jiang Yilan asked Yuan ruo in return. “Cultivators should also have a need for marriage!”

“Me?” Yuan ruo nodded. “I do have a special someone in my heart.”

“Oh?” Jiang Yilan immediately became interested. “Who? Who is the one in your heart?”

Yuan ruo only smiled faintly at Jiang Yilan. “I won’t tell you!”

“Why?” Jiang Yilan was displeased. “Why won’t you tell me? I won’t tell anyone!”

Yuan ruo simply refused to say. “There’s no point in telling you, so it’s better not to.”

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