Flames writhed and snarled behind Pei Zhaoxue, lashing out against the water poured from every direction. The fierce light cast flickering shadows across the youth’s body, revealing his especially disheveled state.
The wooden spokes of the Plain Sedan Chair beneath him were scorched black at the edges, his robes bore burn marks in several places, and strands of hair clung messily to his forehead where sweat and ash intermingled. His fair face was streaked with grime from the smoke.
The common folk who had been relieved by the Border Defense Army stared at him in a daze, as if unable to comprehend how a crippled young man had managed to charge out of the sea of fire.
“Uncle Wang, take him to see a physician.” Pei Zhaoxue coughed twice and called out to Steward Wang. Only then did the crowd notice that he was still shielding an unconscious child in his arms.
The child was curled up on his lap, only the back of its messy head visible, a large patch of hair singed by the flames. The faint rise and fall of its body showed it was still alive.
“Coming, coming! I’m on my way!” Steward Wang rushed over in a few quick steps, sweeping a rapid glance over Pei Zhaoxue. Only after confirming he was safe did he let out a relieved breath, then hurriedly took the unconscious child into his arms and ran off. “Excuse me, would someone go fetch a physician?”
“I’m fast, I’ll go!” A warm-hearted youth sprinted off immediately.
The child was held by Steward Wang with support under its back and waist, its head lolling backward. The firelight briefly illuminated its face, and someone cried out in surprise: “Old Li! Isn’t that your Erdang?!”
“Erdang?” The man called Old Li was a middle-aged fellow with a slightly balding head. He glanced at the child in Steward Wang’s arms, then jumped as if scalded by fire, dropping his bucket and rushing over. “Erdang?!”
When he’d left to fight the fire, he hadn’t seen Erdang and had assumed the boy was sleeping soundly at home. How could he have imagined the child would sneak out of the house in the dead of night and come to the granary?!
His soul nearly flew from his body. Flustered and at a loss, he trotted along behind Steward Wang.
Chu Mingse stood rooted in front of Pei Zhaoxue. Ever since he’d sent the rescued child away, she had been clutching his sleeve and refusing to let go, silent, with large teardrops rolling down her cheeks. Her eyes, like washed grapes, stared at him without blinking.
“Don’t cry. I’m fine.” Pei Zhaoxue’s voice had grown especially hoarse from inhaling smoke and dust. He raised his hand and, using the relatively clean inner side of his sleeve, gently wiped away the tears on Chu Mingse’s cheek.
The gesture jolted Chu Mingse awake. She circled around to behind Pei Zhaoxue and pushed both hands against the Plain Sedan Chair. “You need to see a physician too! Only when the physician says you’re fine will it count!”
The little girl who had just been crying like a fountain, unable to speak a single complete sentence, now used all the strength she had to push the sedan chair forward.
Caught off guard by the sudden shove, Pei Zhaoxue quickly gripped the armrests and conceded to soothe her. “Alright, I’ll go see the physician. Stop pushing. Come here.”
Chu Mingse said nothing, only burying her head and continuing to push the sedan chair.
Just moments ago, he’d told her to stay where she was and not move, then charged alone into the fire. She’d nearly been scared to death. She would never listen to Xuetuan-gege’s words again!
Suddenly, the weight in her hands lightened, and a figure appeared beside her.
Chu Mingse looked up in confusion and saw Auntie Yu lowering her head to wink at her. “Little Sese, how could you possibly push this big thing on your own? Auntie will help you.”
Chu Mingse withdrew her hands, twisting her two index fingers together. She was pleasantly surprised and was about to thank Auntie Yu when another tall, sturdy figure walked over and squeezed Auntie Yu aside.
“I’ve got more strength—let me do it.”
Chu Mingse’s eyes went wide with shock. The newcomer was none other than Uncle Shi, the man who had refused to let Xiao Shitou play with Pei Zhaoxue.
“Uncle Shi, don’t you think Xuetuan-gege is a bad person anymore?” Chu Mingse asked bluntly, too startled to hold back.
Pei Zhaoxue heard her question and turned his head to look at the man pushing the Plain Sedan Chair behind him.
Under the night sky, Uncle Shi’s flushed face was nearly the same color as the firelight. He stammered, “Ah… I was just going by what others said…”
“This young master ignored his own safety and charged into the fire to save Erdan—that shows he’s both kind-hearted and decisive.” Uncle Shi praised him with a serious tone, then added with some shame, “I don’t actually know this young master personally. I judged his character based on rumors alone—I’m truly ashamed…”
Chu Mingse’s eyes curved into crescents. She tucked her hands behind her back and skipped over to Pei Zhaoxue’s side. See—she’d said it all along. Sooner or later, everyone would come to know that Xuetuan-gege was a very, very good person.
Auntie Yu chimed in, “Isn’t that right? Even if Erdan’s own father had been there, I doubt he’d have charged in to save him so decisively! We all owe you an apology, young master!”
Uncle Shi quickly added, “Tomorrow—tomorrow I’ll definitely come to your door and apologize properly!”
“Right, right—we owe the young master an apology too!” The others had caught up at some point, trailing in small clusters behind Pei Zhaoxue, and seized the moment to chime in together.
“No need.” Pei Zhaoxue said flatly.
The air went silent in an instant. A chill settled over the crowd, and they exchanged uneasy glances, all assuming that Young Master Pei had been deeply hurt by their behavior and had resolved not to associate with them anymore.
But then Pei Zhaoxue continued, “This matter isn’t your fault. You were only acting on rumors, thinking of your families’ safety. There’s no need for excessive guilt.”
“Rather, it’s I who should apologize to all of you.”
“The person who started the fire was actually targeting me. I’m the one who brought this misfortune upon you. I’ll compensate for today’s losses to the community granary.”
How magnanimous! How forgiving! What a reasonable, good child!
Uncle Shi hurriedly said, “Young master, what are you saying! The arsonist is the real culprit—how could this be blamed on you?”
Auntie Yu added, “From what you’re saying, young master, do you know who started the fire? Tell us, and we’ll go demand an explanation from them!”
“That’s right—we can’t let the arsonist get away!”
Chu Mingse quickly raised one hand high. “I know who it was! I saw them! During the day, they came looking for trouble with Xuetuan-gege, and they even pushed me!”
Only then did the crowd notice the cotton bandage on Chu Mingse’s brow. Auntie Yu pulled her into her arms with concern. “Oh dear, does it hurt? Poor little Sese—you must have been scared out of your wits, weren’t you?”
“It doesn’t hurt anymore.” Chu Mingse clenched her little fist. “Xuetuan-gege scared them off. They must have been unhappy about it, so they came in the dark to start the fire and get revenge on Xuetuan-gege!”
“Sese makes a good point. Tell your uncle quickly—what were those people’s names, and which household do they belong to?”
Chu Mingse lowered her hand sheepishly. “I don’t know them. The one leading them wore a long braid, about as tall as Er’gou. The one who pushed me was short and chubby…”
“A long braid? Good, I know who that is. You all go back and see the doctor—I’ll take some men and go demand an explanation!” The uncle who had asked waved his hand and led a crowd off in a hubbub.
The long night of Denghua Lane fell quiet again, but Pei Zhaoxue’s room was anything but peaceful.
Steward Wang had harbored a private motive, bringing in a physician surnamed Sun, a renowned bone-setting specialist. He had taken the liberty of having Doctor Sun also examine Pei Zhaoxue’s leg injury, acting first and reporting later.
After Doctor Sun confirmed that Pei Zhaoxue had not been injured in the fire, he turned his attention to the leg. His calloused fingertips pressed and kneaded down the bone inch by inch, with steady, precise force.
Only then did Pei Zhaoxue realize Steward Wang’s intention. He shot him a cold glare but did not call a halt.
Doctor Sun’s brow gradually furrowed deeply. He said bluntly, “The broken bone has already healed crooked and misaligned. To treat it, the injury must be re-broken and then reset properly…”
Steward Wang, Ping’an, and Chu Mingse all let out a sharp hiss at once, their brows knitting as if the pain were their own.
Pei Zhaoxue raised an eyebrow slightly. “You mean to say, my legs still have a chance of recovery?”
The three of them turned in unison to look at Doctor Sun.
Doctor Sun nodded. “If you follow the doctor’s orders strictly, endure the pain of rehabilitation, and supplement it with herbal baths and acupuncture, taking it slowly, there may be a five-in-ten chance of returning to normal, like an ordinary person.”
“Really?!” Chu Mingse cried out in delight.
Watching Doctor Sun nod slowly, Pei Zhaoxue’s hand, hidden in his sleeve, clenched gradually.
Steward Wang’s face went pale. He stammered, “Must the legs be broken and re-set?”
Doctor Sun was firm. “There is no other way.”
At that, Steward Wang’s legs trembled, feeling as if a blow had landed between them, sending a phantom ache through him.
“Xuetuan-gege…” Chu Mingse shuffled to the bedside, tugging at his sleeve in distress, unsure whether she should urge him on or not.
“Young master…” Ping’an looked at Pei Zhaoxue with tearful eyes.
Pei Zhaoxue lifted his slightly lowered eyelids, long lashes casting a shadow beneath his eyes. He gently patted the back of Chu Mingse’s hand, then looked at Doctor Sun, his gaze calm and clear.
“Then I’ll trouble you, Doctor Sun.”
The night deepened. Chu Mingse plopped down on the doorstep, pressing her ear to the crack of the door, listening to the sounds within.
Doctor Sun and Pei Zhaoxue were both decisive—once they decided to re-break and re-set the bone, they didn’t pick another day but immediately set about the “bone-breaking.”
Pei Zhaoxue, afraid of frightening Chu Mingse and Ping’an, ordered Ping’an to fetch the medicine according to the prescription and had Steward Wang take Chu Mingse back to sleep.
But once out of the room, Chu Mingse refused to go any further, insisting on staying there to keep Pei Zhaoxue company.
Doctor Sun had said that the pain of a second break would be even greater than the first. How could she possibly sleep?
Author’s note:
None.