After hearing Shen Chuyun’s instructions, A-Qing’s expression turned extremely strange. He stared at the pill in his hand, utterly stunned.
“T-This… how can you administer medicine that way? That’s not his mouth!”
He had never heard of such a bizarre method of administering medicine.
Seeing him hesitate, Shen Chuyun urged him impatiently, “Hurry up! My brother has a fever. If we don’t bring it down soon, he’ll end up mentally impaired from the heat. I’m a girl, so it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to do this myself. That’s why I asked you to help. If you don’t dare, I’ll do it myself.”
A-Qing was horrified and hurriedly protested, “N-No, no! Young Lady, I’ll do it. I can handle it!”
If the eldest young lady really administered the medicine to the heir that way, the heir would surely go mad with embarrassment when he woke up. He probably wouldn’t even be able to face her afterward.
A-Qing turned around and proceeded to administer the medicine to Su Linzhou.
Seeing this, Shen Chuyun turned away to start a fire.
By the time the fire was burning, A-Qing had finished administering the medicine and had straightened Su Linzhou’s clothes.
He let out a long breath of relief and shook his hands. Shen Chuyun took out a water flask and handed it to him so he could wash his hands.
A-Qing hesitated. “Young Lady… will this medicine really work?”
“You can only trust me,” Shen Chuyun replied as she took a small medical kit out of her backpack.
Seeing how many things she had brought out, A-Qing fell silent.
At this point, he had no choice but to trust the eldest young lady.
Shen Chuyun took out three candles and handed them to A-Qing.
“Light these candles. Place two beside my brother, and hold the third one to provide me with light. I need to treat his injuries.”
A-Qing stared at the items she had taken out in astonishment.
“Young Lady, you know medicine?”
But the eldest young lady was only nine years old. What could a nine-year-old girl possibly know about…?
No. The eldest young lady seemed far from ordinary. She was nothing like a typical nine-year-old girl.
“Don’t ask so many questions. I don’t have time to answer you right now,” Shen Chuyun said, opening the medical kit and taking out her homemade povidone-iodine antiseptic and other sterilizing supplies. “Just do as I say. Otherwise, you can leave.”
A-Qing’s expression tightened.
“The heir once showed me kindness. I will never abandon him!”
“I promise I won’t disturb you again, Young Lady. Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”
With that, he went to the fire and lit the candles. He arranged them according to Shen Chuyun’s instructions, then held one up to illuminate her work.
With the added candlelight, the cave became brighter.
Shen Chuyun could now clearly see all the injuries on Su Linzhou’s body.
She tore away the fabric covering his legs, fully exposing the wounds on his knees.
First, she used gauze to clean away the blood. Then she used tweezers and scissors to remove the dead tissue, disinfected the wounds, applied medicine, and wrapped them in gauze. Finally, she used wooden splints to immobilize both legs.
Her movements were practiced and precise, without a single unnecessary motion. The focused expression in her eyes bore no resemblance to that of a nine-year-old child. Instead, her gaze carried a hint of sharpness and cold determination.
At first, A-Qing was shocked. Gradually, his shock turned into admiration.
So this is what the eldest young lady is really like!
She was incredible. The heir finally had hope of being saved.
Your Highness, please open your eyes and see! The eldest young lady has come to rescue you!
When Shen Chuyun secured the wooden splints around his legs, the pain became unbearable.
Su Linzhou cried out and suddenly woke up.
Fortunately, Shen Chuyun reacted quickly. She immediately pressed him down and inserted two acupuncture needles into his lower abdomen.
Su Linzhou flailed his arms and tried to move his feet, only to discover that his lower body was numb. He could still feel the pain, but he couldn’t move his legs.
He abruptly opened his eyes, terror filling them.
“Who… who are you? What are you… doing? Let go of me! Don’t touch me!”
Su Linzhou’s voice was hoarse and desperate.
“It hurts so much! My legs hurt! Help!”
“Your Highness, it’s me! A-Qing!”
A-Qing tried his best to comfort him.
“It’s A-Qing! Don’t be afraid. I’m trying to save you. I’m not going to hurt you.”
But Su Linzhou continued screaming in terror.
“I don’t know you! Go away! Get away from me!”
Shen Chuyun’s hands paused. An overwhelming wave of sorrow washed over her.
She called out softly, “Brother.”
Her voice was very quiet, yet Su Linzhou heard her clearly.
He paused and turned his head toward her.
Shen Chuyun took out the jade pendant and held it before his eyes.
“Brother, do you recognize this?”
The moment Su Linzhou saw the jade pendant, his eyes widened.
He frantically felt around his body as though searching for something.
Shen Chuyun gently held his hand down.
“Don’t worry, Brother. Let me finish securing the bandages first. Then you can look for whatever it is you want to find.”
Her voice seemed to possess a magical quality. Su Linzhou immediately calmed down, even forgetting about the pain.
He stared blankly at her, then nodded obediently.
“Oh, all right. I’ll listen to you.”
Just like that, he stopped struggling and screaming.
Shen Chuyun smiled, suppressing the ache in her heart as she continued methodically securing the splints.
A-Qing watched the interaction between the siblings, feeling both surprised and delighted for them.
As expected of the eldest young lady! Just a few words from her, and she had managed to calm the heir down.
After securing the bandages, Shen Chuyun unfastened Su Linzhou’s clothes, revealing his emaciated body.
He wasn’t merely thin. His body was covered in numerous injuries, both old and new.
None of these wounds had received proper treatment. They had become swollen and inflamed. Although they weren’t as severe as the injuries to his legs, they were still painful to look at.
Su Linzhou felt somewhat embarrassed and covered his face with his hands. Although he clearly resisted being touched, he didn’t stop Shen Chuyun from treating him.
“Brother, I’m going to clean your wounds and apply medicine. Please bear with it. It’ll hurt a little.”
Su Linzhou nodded and let out a series of soft, muffled whimpers, as weak and delicate as a kitten.
Seeing how obedient he was, Shen Chuyun felt even more heartbroken. She took out the medicine and began treating his wounds.
After applying medicine to every injury on Su Linzhou’s body, bandaging them, and helping him put his clothes back on, Shen Chuyun finally gave him a gentle smile.
“Brother, you can continue looking for your things now.”
The moment he heard this, Su Linzhou immediately began searching himself.
He felt around for a long time but still couldn’t find what he was looking for. He grew frantic and cried out.
“Where is it? Where did it go? Sob… It’s gone! My precious treasure is gone!”
Shen Chuyun took his hand.
“Brother, don’t worry. Take your time. Think carefully about where you put it. Did you lose it, or did someone steal it?”
Su Linzhou gradually calmed down and clutched her hand tightly.
“I didn’t lose it. I remember now! It’s in my room. I hid my treasure there!”
His gaze suddenly shifted to the jade pendant hanging around Shen Chuyun’s neck. His eyes lit up, and he used both hands to demonstrate how the pieces fit together.
“They belong together. Mother said that my younger sister would have one half, and I would have the other.”
As he spoke, he began sobbing.
“But I lost my little sister. Father said she died and that I was the one who killed her.”
Shen Chuyun’s gaze turned icy.
Su Zhen, you bastard! You actually told my brother something like that?
How old had her brother been? How could a child possibly bear such a devastating blow?
No wonder he had become mentally unstable.
Perhaps he hadn’t gone mad naturally at all. Perhaps he had been driven to madness by the people around him.
Shen Chuyun took Su Linzhou’s hand and gently placed it against her face.
“Brother, look at me carefully. Feel my face. I’m not dead. I’m your little sister, and I’m still alive. You didn’t kill me.”
“I’m doing very well. I grew up safely, and now I’ve come to find you.”
“Brother, my name is Shen Chuyun now.”
Su Linzhou stared blankly at her, then slowly felt her little face with his own hands.
“She’s warm… She isn’t cold. Hahaha! My little sister is still alive! I didn’t kill my little sister! She’s back… She’s all grown up…”
His voice gradually grew quieter. With a smile on his lips, he drifted into a deep sleep.
Shen Chuyun took a small blanket out of her backpack and covered him with it.
Seeing the sweat on his forehead and realizing that his fever was finally subsiding, she breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’m sorry, Brother. I came back too late and let you suffer so much.”