"Master Xu,let's go!"
"Xiao Zhi..."
"Don't hurt them..."
The white-clothed maiden gazed at the unconscious man on the ground.Dressed in narrow-sleeved vigorous clothing,he was taller than the average person.His hands,calloused from years of work or constant weapon-wielding,showed the signs of a life of toil.His handsome face,with sword-like eyebrows drawn together and a pale lip from blood loss that kept moving,betrayed his pain.
Watching him mutter in his sleep,she shook her head gently,her moist eyes revealing a hint of sorrow:"How did it come to this..."
"Xiao Zhi!"
At the exclamation,the man's eyes snapped open,and he sat up swiftly:"Ugh..."
"You're awake?!"The white-clothed maiden was surprised."I thought you'd be out for days."
"Don't move!"Seeing the man attempt to rise,the maiden quickly stopped him."Four ribs broken,severe internal and external injuries—you nearly didn't make it.Lie back down."
"No,I have to save...uh..."
"Save Master Xu and Xiao Zhi?Are they on the mountaintop?"
"How did you know?!"
"In your delirium,you kept calling their names."The maiden sighed."If you want to save them,heal first.Otherwise,my rescue would be in vain."
Only then did the man realize his predicament.He clasped his hands and said seriously,"Your life-saving grace,Guo Xu Yang will never forget!I'll repay you in full!"
The maiden bit her lip and shook her head slightly.
The man's bright,deep eyes revealed resilience even in his wounded state.The maiden,cheeks flushing,averted her gaze,noticing the white-cloth-wrapped object beside him,"So you're Guo Xu Yang."
Guo Xu Yang followed her glance,reached for the object,hesitated,then let go.He opened his mouth to speak but stopped.
"I didn't touch your things!"the maiden said quickly.
Guo Xu Yang smiled and changed the subject,"You...are a maiden?"
Outstanding in beauty and with a clear voice,after the fall,her male disguise was torn,and her head-dress fell off.Guo Xu Yang should have noticed earlier,but his concern for others had delayed his realization.
Guo Xu Yang gritted his teeth,endured the pain,picked up the white-cloth-wrapped object,and forced himself to stand.
"Oh,will you listen?!"the maiden chided."I said you can't move!Lie down!Are you courting death?"As she spoke,she reached to help him sit back down.
Guo Xu Yang stepped back humbly,"I appreciate your kindness,but I must go.No time to lose."
He clasped his hands again,"May I know your name?I'll keep it in mind.If I survive,I'll repay your kindness!"
"So,you're bent on courting death..."The maiden bit her lip,hesitated,then walked to a banyan tree,broke off a branch,and wrote three neat characters on the ground:Huang Yi Rong.
"proximity to a beautiful woman,shaded by a banyan tree.A fine name,"Guo Xu Yang complimented,then feeling his words might be forward,he apologized,"Sorry,I didn't mean to..."
"Forget it,go,"Huang Yi Rong interrupted."In your state,you'll likely not return.I saved you out of choice,not for repayment.But...Hong Hong..."
Huang Yi Rong choked up,tears welling as she looked at the mound of earth behind Guo Xu Yang.
"What's this?!"Guo Xu Yang turned,alarmed,fearing someone had died because of him.
"Hong Hong saved us..."Unable to continue,Huang Yi Rong turned away,not wanting the stranger to see her cry.
"Another life I owe?"Guo Xu Yang苦笑道,一步步走向红红的坟墓.
"It's not a person,but a fox,a good friend who's been with me for years,"Huang Yi Rong clarified.
Guo Xu Yang stopped.Relieved it wasn't a human life,yet aware of the fox's importance to Huang Yi Rong,he inclined his head."It's still a life.It saved mine."He attempted to kneel but was gently restrained by Huang Yi Rong.
"No need.I and Hong Hong understand your heart,"she said,wiping her tears."Are you determined to go to the mountaintop to rescue them?"
Guo Xu Yang nodded.
"Do you know the way?"
He was silent.Having fallen from the mountaintop,he knew even in his prime,scaling such a cliff would be nigh impossible.
"Walk two li west along the mountain foot,and you'll find a path,"Huang Yi Rong directed.
"Thank you,Miss Huang!"Guo Xu Yang secured the white-cloth-wrapped object on his back with a firm knot.
He took a deep breath and stepped westward.After ten steps,he stumbled,nearly falling.Shaking his head to stay conscious,he forced himself forward.
Huang Yi Rong sighed softly.Noticing blood dripping from his right fingertips—his arm wound had reopened.
Recalling the incident:she had tried to save Guo Xu Yang with a vine but was pulled down the cliff instead.Hong Hong,the fox,had rushed to help,and in the end,Guo Xu Yang landed on top of her,while Hong Hong...
Huang Yi Rong had been shaken but survived.After weeping for Hong Hong,she tended to Guo Xu Yang.But with limited medicine and his numerous injuries,some wounds were only superficially treated,like the gash on his arm that now bled again.
Guo Xu Yang,injured as he was,struggled to regain consciousness and move forward.Suddenly,a faint tea-flower fragrance reached him,and a pair of soft arms encircled his left arm.
"Let's go,I'll help you up,"Huang Yi Rong offered,head down.
Guo Xu Yang gently withdrew his arm,stepped back,and bowed."Thank you,Miss Huang!But physical contact between men and women is not proper.I can't accept."
Huang Yi Rong,annoyed,retorted,"Do you think I want to touch you?"Seeing his bloodied right hand,her tone softened."If you want to save them,hurry.Dawdling like this,who will you save?We can't worry about propriety now."She sealed a few acupoints on his arm to stop the bleeding,glanced at Hong Hong's burial spot,and once more took his arm.
At her touch,Guo Xu Yang was taken aback.Adjusting his breathing,he thought:"Miss Huang is right.As a woman,she's unconcerned;as a man,I should not refuse."He steeled himself and allowed her to support him as they made their way up the mountain path.
Time was of essence.They ascended swiftly along the winding trail.But what greeted Huang Yi Rong on the mountaintop was a scene of carnage—corpses and dried blood everywhere.And Guo Xu Yang's heart-wrenching cries echoed around them.