Huo Xuan picked up Xie Mingzhu in his arms and headed out the door.
“Have you lost your mind?” Xie Mingzhu spoke up quickly. “If you carry me out like this, by tomorrow I’ll be drowned by the gossip and sneers of the commune members!”
Huo Xuan lowered his gaze to look at her. Catching the flash of panic in her eyes, he steadied his expression.
A moment later, the corners of his lips lifted slightly, and he said softly, “So there are things you’re afraid of too?”
“I have plenty of things to be afraid of,” Xie Mingzhu retorted. “Put me down right now!”
Huo Xuan said nothing more. Instead, he carried her over to his bicycle, settled her onto the back seat, and pedaled toward the brigade’s clinic.
The clinic was some distance from their educated youth quarters—roughly three li, or about a mile and a half away.
Once he got on the bike, Huo Xuan glanced back at Xie Mingzhu and asked, “Can you hold on all right?”
Xie Mingzhu gave a soft murmur of acknowledgment.
The two rode out of the compound.
It was mealtime, and many people were standing outside, bowls in hand, eating and chatting casually.
At the sight of them riding past, everyone immediately fell silent mid-conversation. Curious eyes glinting with gossip darted back and forth between the pair.
As they drew closer, a busybody called out loudly, “Comrade Xie, where are you two off to so late in the evening?”
Xie Mingzhu was in too much pain to want to speak, but she still managed a faint smile and squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: “We’re going to see Doctor Wang.”
Hearing this, everyone looked her up and down. Her back was slightly hunched, and her face was etched with discomfort—clearly she had hurt herself somewhere.
“I can’t stop to talk now; we have to go,” she said, urging Huo Xuan to pedal faster.
These people didn’t really care if she was injured or not; they only cared about getting a juicy story.
Huo Xuan picked up his pace and quickly rode away.
As they watched their figures disappear into the distance, the group immediately broke into another round of whispers and speculation.
Huo Xuan rode fast, and they soon arrived at the clinic. There was only one doctor in the whole village, and he lived right there in the building. He had just finished his dinner.
Seeing Huo Xuan carry Xie Mingzhu in, he asked at once, “What happened?”
Huo Xuan briefly explained the situation and added, “She hit her back. We’re not sure if she damaged any bones.”
Doctor Wang set down his rice bowl and told Huo Xuan to lay her on the examination bed in the inner room.
“Let me have a look.”
Xie Mingzhu lay face down on the bed. After asking exactly where it hurt, Doctor Wang lifted the back of her shirt.
Huo Xuan had not expected the doctor to pull her clothing aside so directly. He turned to look away, yet his gaze drifted involuntarily toward the injured area.
Xie Mingzhu’s skin was very fair, which made the bruising stand out sharply. In just this short time, a large patch of deep purple and blue had already bloomed across her back, contrasting starkly against her pale skin and looking quite alarming.
Huo Xuan’s throat tightened. “How did it get this bad?” he asked.
Doctor Wang ran his fingers gently along her spine, then pulled her shirt back into place. “It’s nothing serious—just a bad bruise. No broken bones, and the skin isn’t even broken. I’ll prescribe some ointment for you to rub on it. It should heal in a few days.”
Huo Xuan nodded quietly and followed the doctor out to the main room.
Xie Mingzhu remained lying on the bed, unable to sit up easily.
When Huo Xuan noticed she hadn’t come out after a while, he stepped back inside. Seeing her still prone, he understood at once. He tucked the medicine into his pocket, then bent down and lifted her into his arms again.
“Rest well once you get back, and do not do any heavy work!” Doctor Wang called out as they left.
Xie Mingzhu nodded faintly to show she understood.
Huo Xuan settled her once more onto the bicycle seat and began the ride back.
“If you were hurt, why didn’t you say so?” Huo Xuan asked as they traveled. “If I hadn’t insisted on bringing you here, would you have just tried to hide it from everyone?”
Xie Mingzhu did not reply.
When he got no answer, he continued, “We’ve known each other for years. There’s nothing you can’t tell me.”
She gave only a soft, quiet “Mm-hmm.”
Back at the quarters, Xie Mingzhu went straight to her room. Before she could close the door, Huo Xuan followed right in behind her.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
Huo Xuan cleared his throat lightly, then spoke in a matter‑of‑fact tone, though his expression turned a little awkward and the tips of his ears reddened slightly. “I’ve come to put the medicine on your back. You can’t reach it easily yourself, so let me do it for you.”
Xie Mingzhu lowered her eyes and shook her head. “It’s all right—I can manage on my own.”
But before she could say anything else, Huo Xuan had already slipped one arm around her waist and lifted her onto the bed. He pulled her shirt up just enough to expose the injured area, took out the ointment, and began applying it.
As the cool, soothing balm spread over her skin, Xie Mingzhu swallowed the words she had been about to protest.
Focused entirely on the task, Huo Xuan rubbed the ointment in quickly and evenly, then pulled her clothing back down to cover her.
“Call me tomorrow when it’s time to apply it again,” he said softly.
Xie Mingzhu stayed silent.
Huo Xuan picked up the basin of water, which had turned cold, and headed toward the door. “This water’s gone cold. I’ll go fetch you some fresh hot water.”
He was back in no time carrying a full basin. “When you’re done washing up, call for me.”
He turned to leave once more, but Xie Mingzhu pressed her lips together and called out, “Huo Xuan.”
He paused mid‑step and looked back. “Yes?”
“Thank you.”
Huo Xuan smiled and shook his head. “No need.”
His mood lifted instantly.
Before he could step out again, Xie Mingzhu spoke once more. “Huo Xuan… please don’t be so good to me. I’m not worth it.”
His feet came to a halt. He turned back to face her.
“Whether you’re worth it or not is for me to decide, isn’t it?” he replied with a faint smile. “And if I think you are worth it, then that’s all that matters.”
Xie Mingzhu opened her mouth to say something, but all that finally came out was, “Huo Xuan… stay away from me. I’m afraid.”
Even she wasn’t entirely sure what she feared. Perhaps it was the memory of how things had ended in her past life repeating itself, or perhaps it was something deeper she couldn’t put into words. It wasn’t that she was being overly sensitive—no one would want to relive the terrible tragedy she had already gone through once.
She had known Huo Xuan for many years and knew what a kind, honest man he was. But truly, she felt she did not deserve his kindness.
Huo Xuan’s hands clenched into fists, and his heart suddenly began to race. “Xie Mingzhu,” he said, his voice carrying a faint note of exasperation, “do you really want to keep living like this, all withdrawn and lifeless?”
At his sharp tone, Xie Mingzhu lifted her head to look at him.