Xiaohe Village!
Jiang Hongyan climbed out of bed. The moment he stepped outside, Chen Fugui spotted him and hurried over to support him.
“Your injuries haven’t healed yet. Don’t be in such a hurry to get up. If you need anything, I can get it for you.”
“Brother Chen, don’t worry. I’m already feeling much better. I’m a grown man, I’m not that fragile.”
“This isn’t the time to worry about your pride. The wound on your leg hasn’t healed yet.”
“It’s alright. If I really can’t walk, I won’t force myself.”
Only after hearing that did Chen Fugui slowly let go of him.
Jiang Hongyan could walk now, though only very slowly.
When they reached the table in the courtyard, Chen Fugui steadied him once more and helped him sit down.
“Brother Chen, thank you for taking care of me all these days. You saved my life, and I truly have no way to repay such kindness.”
Chen Fugui simply waved it off.
“There’s no need for such polite words. I was just cutting firewood in the mountains that day and happened to come across you. It was simply your fate that you survived. Don’t talk about repaying me or anything like that. It’s enough that you’re safe.”
Just then, Chen’s wife came out of the kitchen carrying a tray and placed the food on the table. The entire meal consisted of vegetables.
“Why are you out here already? Are you feeling better?”
“Sister in Law Chen, I’m much better now. Thank you, both of you.”
“Oh, there’s no need to thank us. It was only a small favor. Come on, let’s eat.”
Chen Fugui immediately went into the kitchen, brought back a pair of chopsticks, and handed them to Jiang Hongyan.
“Go ahead and eat. There’s nothing fancy here, just vegetables we’ve grown ourselves. I hope you won’t mind.”
“How could I? Just being able to keep my life is already a blessing. You’ve looked after me for so many days. I can’t thank you enough.”
“How did you end up falling from such a high place?”
Jiang Hongyan had come from another world, so naturally he could not tell them the truth about traveling through time. He could only make up a story.
“I was just passing through when I ran into a group of bandits. They cornered me until I had nowhere left to run, and I accidentally fell off the cliff.”
“Those bandits are truly despicable! I don’t know what the officials are even doing. They’ve never once thought about sending soldiers to capture them.”
Sister in Law Chen let out a disappointed sigh.
“Oh, if it doesn’t concern them, why would they bother? Maybe those bandits have long since colluded with the officials. Every time they loot something, they probably hand over a share of the profits. Of course the officials won’t interfere then. Who would care about ordinary commoners like us?”
“That’s certainly possible!” Chen Fugui nodded before reminding him, “In the future, you’d better not go out alone. There are mountains all around here, and those criminals might be hiding in them. If you run into them again, it’ll be dangerous.”
Jiang Hongyan nodded.
“Brother Chen is right. I’ll remember that.”
“Oh, by the way, are you a monk?”
Jiang Hongyan froze for a moment.
Following Chen Fugui’s curious gaze, his eyes drifted to the top of the man’s head, where his long hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin.
The men here all had long hair.
Only he had short hair.
Jiang Hongyan forced a smile before nodding.
“Yes! I’m preparing to return to secular life, so I won’t be cutting my hair anymore.”
“Oh, that explains it. I was wondering why your hair was so short when I first found you.” Men of the Great Sheng Dynasty normally did not cut their hair. “Returning to secular life is a good thing. I’ve heard monks have to follow far too many rules. There’s nothing particularly good about it.”
Jiang Hongyan smiled awkwardly.
Lying to the people who had saved his life left him feeling guilty, but he had no other choice.
He quickly changed the subject.
“Brother Chen, is there a marketplace nearby?”
“What do you need to buy? Just tell me, and I’ll go get it for you. Your injuries haven’t healed yet, so you shouldn’t be running around. If your condition gets worse, you’ll be the one who suffers.”
Sister in Law Chen also tried to persuade him.
“That’s right, don’t go anywhere. Whatever you need, just tell us.”
“I don’t actually need to buy anything. I just came here from another place and still don’t know much about the area. I only want to have a look around. I won’t be gone long, and if I start feeling unwell, I’ll come back immediately.”
This husband and wife had saved his life and taken care of him for many days.
Jiang Hongyan wanted to pawn the glass ornaments Sheng Yan had sent him as soon as possible in exchange for some money, so that he could at least repay a little of the kindness they had shown him.
After staying here for so many days, he could tell their family was not well off.
They survived by farming and cutting firewood in the mountains, exchanging their hard work for a few copper coins, barely managing to make ends meet.
Seeing how determined he was, Chen Fugui no longer tried to stop him and instead told him where the nearest marketplace was.
“It’s actually not that far. Just leave the village and keep heading south for about one or two li. I carry my firewood there to sell every day, so I’m used to the walk and can get there quickly. But your injuries haven’t healed yet. Are you sure you can make it?”
“Two li isn’t very far. I’ll go take a look and come back soon.”
“How about I borrow a handcart from someone in the village and take you there?”
Jiang Hongyan shook his head.
“Brother Chen, just go about your work. Don’t worry about me. I’m only going to have a look around and will be back very soon.”
They had already done far too much for him, and Jiang Hongyan did not want to trouble them any further.