Thinking this over, Lin Zhiyu immediately put on her usual demure expression. She deliberately softened her voice, but she still refused to let go of Yu Huan.
“Educated Youth Ling, you’re a man. It’s really inappropriate for you to be holding a female comrade like this. Why don’t you let me help her over to the side so I can check her injury?”
Ling Yuan ignored her words. His gaze grew even sharper, and his voice turned icy.
“You’re hurting her. Let go.”
When Lin Zhiyu met his cold, reproachful gaze, a sudden wave of bitterness washed over her. Her hand loosened unconsciously.
Ling Yuan paid no attention to her reaction. He scooped Yu Huan into his arms and carried her over to a large rock, where he sat down. He removed her shoes and socks to examine her foot, discovering that her fair ankle was indeed slightly swollen and red.
“I’ll take you to the village clinic.”
After saying this, Ling Yuan turned around and crouched down in front of her.
Yu Huan had already been stunned by his series of actions.
This man had just said that they weren’t close, yet now he was carrying her in his arms and even offering her a piggyback ride.
Although she’d deliberately arranged for things to turn out this way, he could have simply ignored her!
“Get on,” Ling Yuan said in a deep voice.
Yu Huan immediately climbed onto his back. Whatever this man was thinking, she was certainly the one benefiting from it.
Lin Zhiyu watched their retreating figures, her eyes turning red. She clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug into her palms, yet she didn’t even notice.
“Yu Huan, you deserve to die.”
Ling Yuan carried Yu Huan along the shaded path toward the village.
Neither of them spoke. Yu Huan was completely absorbed in the tingling sensation spreading through her body.
At that moment, she was like a seductive enchantress who drained men’s energy. Her eyes were misty and watery, her cheeks slightly flushed. The tip of her nose occasionally brushed against the veins along Ling Yuan’s neck, while her arms wrapped around his neck grew tighter and tighter.
Ling Yuan was already becoming increasingly tense because of the sensation of her body against his back and the warm breath she exhaled whenever her nose came close to his neck. Even his ears had turned completely red, as though blood might drip from them at any moment.
Her arms tightened around his neck. Their faces were now pressed close together, and the air between them seemed to grow thinner.
“Are you trying to strangle me?” Ling Yuan’s voice was stern, with a slight huskiness to it.
Yu Huan suddenly snapped out of her daze and loosened her arms a little. She also moved her face slightly away.
“I… I’m afraid I’ll fall.”
Her soft, alluring voice sounded right beside Ling Yuan’s ear. His ear tingled, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.
Ling Yuan reached back with both hands, grasped her thighs, and lifted her slightly higher on his back. Then he fell silent again.
Before long, Yu Huan noticed that Ling Yuan’s body was growing hotter and hotter. The heat seemed to make her blood boil. She felt both comfortable and uncomfortable, and could only struggle to keep herself from losing control.
Halfway there, Yu Huan suddenly spoke.
“I don’t need to go to the village clinic. Just take me home. We have medicine for bruises and sprains there. I’ll massage it myself, and it’ll be fine.”
She then directed Ling Yuan along a shortcut.
She didn’t want anyone to see them together. After all, nobody liked becoming the subject of village gossip.
Ling Yuan thought about it and decided to follow her suggestion. It really wouldn’t be appropriate for anyone to see them like this.
In front of other people, they were supposed to be complete strangers who didn’t know each other. Suddenly appearing together in public, regardless of the reason, would surely become the villagers’ favorite topic of conversation.
Besides, Lin Zhiyu had witnessed everything. Who knew whether she would exaggerate the story and spread all sorts of rumors, ruining Yu Huan’s reputation?
He had initially suggested going to the clinic simply to get some medicine. Since Yu Huan had some at home, there was no need to make the trip.
The wasteland was quite far from the village. After another fifteen minutes or so, they finally arrived at the Yu family’s home.
Yu Huan opened the gate, and Ling Yuan carried her into the main room before setting her down.
“Educated Youth Ling, thank you. I’ve already taken up so much of your time. I can manage the rest myself, so you should go back and attend to your work,” Yu Huan said apologetically.
In truth, she wanted to enter her spatial dimension and cultivate. This little injury on her foot could easily be healed with her spiritual energy.
“Where’s the medicine?” Ling Yuan had no interest in exchanging meaningless pleasantries.
“It’s over there.”
Seeing that he had no intention of leaving, Yu Huan quickly pointed toward the medicine bottle on the cabinet against the wall.
Ling Yuan followed her gaze, walked over, and picked up the bottle.
He sat down beside Yu Huan, gently lifted her foot, and placed it on his thigh. Then he poured some medicinal oil into his palm and applied it to her ankle.
Even though he massaged it gently, Yu Huan couldn’t help letting out a soft cry of pain.
“Bear with it,” Ling Yuan said in a low, deep voice.
Seeing his expressionless face, which made him look as though he were angry, Yu Huan didn’t dare tease him any further. She could only grit her teeth and endure the pain without making another sound.
Ling Yuan noticed that the room had suddenly become quiet. He raised his head and looked at Yu Huan.
He saw tiny beads of sweat forming on her forehead from the pain. Her lips were also red from biting them.
Born with an irresistible, seductive charm.
These four words suddenly appeared in Ling Yuan’s mind. His heart skipped a beat, and he lowered his eyes before continuing to massage her ankle.
Unconsciously, however, his touch became even gentler.
After massaging it for a little while longer, he finally stopped.
Yu Huan pulled her foot back and gently rotated her ankle.
“Educated Youth Ling, my foot feels much better now. Thank you!”
Ling Yuan said nothing. He stood up and returned the medicine bottle to its original place.
As he walked out of the room, he suddenly spoke.
“Don’t play around with your own health like that again.”
Watching Ling Yuan leave through the courtyard gate, Yu Huan finally came back to her senses.
“Did he figure out what I was doing?”
She chuckled softly.
It wasn’t time to finish work yet. After leaving the Yu family’s home, Ling Yuan returned to the wasteland where they had been working.
Lin Zhiyu was no longer there. Song Yujie, however, was still working diligently.
The moment he saw Ling Yuan return, he immediately called out.
“Brother! Where did you go?”
“I was only gone for a moment to use the restroom. Did something happen between you and Educated Youth Lin?”
“As soon as she saw me come back, she left after telling me, with red eyes, that she wasn’t feeling well.”
When Ling Yuan walked closer, Song Yujie suddenly sniffed the air.
“Brother, why do you smell like medicinal oil? Are you injured?”
“I’m not injured. Comrade Yu sprained her ankle.”
Although Ling Yuan had already washed his hands by the stream, the smell of the medicinal oil still lingered.
“Ah… Why was Comrade Yu there?”
“…No wonder Educated Youth Lin looked like she was about to cry.”
The moment Song Yujie heard that Yu Huan had been there too, his imagination immediately began spinning. He was already picturing all sorts of romantic drama unfolding.
What a pity he hadn’t been there! He’d missed the entire scene.
Ling Yuan ignored him, picked up the hoe from the ground, and continued working.
Only after sweating profusely again did the restless heat that had been lingering in his chest finally subside.
Watching his older brother work so vigorously, Song Yujie couldn’t help feeling envious. His brother’s stamina was simply incredible. Unlike him, who was physically weak.
Thinking about that reminded him of the meat dishes Yu Huan had cooked before. He felt he needed to nourish himself a little more. If he could become as strong as his brother, that would be perfect.
“Brother, I want to eat meat.”
“Then we’ll go to the back mountain later.”
“Brother, I want to eat the meat cooked by Comrade Yu.”
Ling Yuan remembered his reaction after eating meat the previous time, and his expression immediately darkened.
Seeing his brother’s face, Song Yujie quickly explained.
“We won’t hunt a deer this time. We’ll just catch a rabbit and ask Comrade Yu to cook it for us. We’ll pay her with money and ration coupons.”
The last time his brother ate venison, he’d suffered nosebleeds for several days in a row. That embarrassing incident absolutely couldn’t happen again.
If they couldn’t have venison, rabbit meat would do just fine. As long as it was cooked by Comrade Yu, he would be happy.
“Brother, what do you think? Is that okay?”
Song Yujie spoke cautiously, afraid his brother might refuse. If he wanted to eat meat, he needed his brother’s approval. After all, he couldn’t catch anything on his own, and he didn’t have time to go to the county town to buy meat either.
“Let’s go in a couple of days. Her foot is injured.”
Ling Yuan didn’t refuse.
“Got it, got it! Then I’ll just wait another two days.”
As long as his brother agreed, Comrade Yu would surely accept their request.