Song Qingchao was held on the horse by Bai Youan as they returned to the team.
She strongly requested to be let down from a distance, but Bai Youan disagreed.
He insisted that her wound could not be exposed.
Song Qingchao really wanted to punch him; she would rather sit on top of the cart carrying supplies than be jostled on this horse.
"Whoa."
Bai Youan's deep voice came from behind, and she could finally dismount.
Before Bai Youan could help her, Song Qingchao quickly tried to get off.
"Don't rush."
His hand clasped her waist again, his intimate voice seemingly caressing her ear, "Sit tight."
A blush spread across Song Qingchao's face.
"What are you doing?"
Bai Youan released his hand from her waist, dismounted, and then raised his lazy eyes, extending his hand, "Your shoulder, forgot again?"
"I can get down myself."
Song Qingchao stiffened her neck, gripping the reins with her right hand, wanting to dismount on her own.
She used her legs to stand up. As she dismounted smoothly, her waist was again held by him, causing her to shriek.
"Bai Youan!"
Song Qingchao, with a flushed face, turned even redder when she saw Song Qingmu running over.
She couldn't even lift her head until she was placed on the ground.
Bai Youan, however, was unbothered. After releasing her, he lazily rubbed his neck, "This ride was killing me."
Song Qingchao instantly shot him a glare.
Bai Youan shrugged and started to lead the horse away.
His horse had been unloaded from the cart and needed to be tied back.
Song Qingchao, however, blocked his path, "What did you do to my elder sister?"
"Ask her."
Song Qingmu grabbed Bai Youan's clothes, startling Song Qingchao into quickly squeezing between them, closing her eyes and pushing Song Qingmu, "It's okay, let's go."
"How is it okay?" Song Qingmu's voice grew colder, his intensity suggesting he wouldn't rest until someone was dealt with.
He lunged forward, accidentally bumping Song Qingchao's left shoulder, causing her to gasp.
Song Qingmu immediately lowered his head, softening his tone, "What's wrong?"
Song Qingchao quickly pulled Song Qingmu aside, "It's nothing."
As they walked, she recounted the events in the town to Song Qingmu.
Halfway there, she noticed he was still glaring at Bai Youan with his head turned.
"Song Qingmu?"
"Yes, elder sister."
Song Qingmu, as if nothing had happened, responded promptly and crisply.
Song Qingchao wanted to hit this kid.
Just as she was venting her frustration, Ma Lide came trotting over.
Song Qingmu instinctively shielded her, frowning and asking, "Who are you?"
Ma Lide bared a mouth full of yellow teeth, "I'm Sister Chaochao's brother."
He craned his neck towards Song Qingchao, "Chaochao, I heard you were injured. Brother is here to check on you."
Song Qingchao hid behind Song Qingmu and replied softly, "I'm fine."
"How can you be fine?" Ma Lide's face instantly became stern, then he covered his mouth with his hand, "I heard that Master Gao's hands are both crippled, and he can't even speak."
He spat on the ground, "He took so much money from us, he deserves it."
Song Qingchao remained silent behind him.
Ma Lide, oblivious to the fact that neither of them wanted to deal with him, continued to spew his words.
As he spoke, he suddenly noticed that Song Qingchao's feet were not chained.
So he put his hands behind his back, lowered his head, and asked with confusion, "Where are your chains?"
Song Qingchao didn't speak. She coughed a few times into a handkerchief, then pointed at the other two people who had gone with them.
Out of the four who had gone, only Ma Lide had chains on his feet.
He was ecstatic because he had earned five taels of silver by exchanging the chains with the constables and had specifically come to test if Song Qingchao wanted the money back.
Even if she did, he would just deny it; he had no intention of returning it.
It was only when he saw that their feet were not chained that Ma Lide realized.
Those five taels of silver were not a deposit, but a full purchase!
He immediately regretted it, had no time to greet Song Qingchao further, and stomped off to find the constables who were inventorying the goods by the cart.
Song Qingchao emerged from behind Song Qingmu, staring calmly at the constable who was berating Ma Lide.
Not only did Ma Lide not have his chains removed, but he also received several lashes.
"Let's go," Song Qingchao withdrew her gaze and tightened her cloak.
"Where did you get a brother?"
Song Qingchao shot Song Qingmu a glare and said through gritted teeth, "Let's go."
"Oh."
"Still looking!"
"I wasn't."
Song Qingchao felt a headache coming on. She didn't know when Song Qingmu had become like this, like a firecracker, questioning everyone he met.
After walking only a few steps, they ran into the wealthy man and the man with the black forehead who had entered the city with them.
Both of them offered to return the silver to her and also inquired about her injuries.
After Song Qingchao saw off these two, Song Qingmu stared at her like a curious baby.
Song Qingchao rolled her eyes at him.
The two of them sat down by the newly lit campfire. She used her cloak to shield herself, took out a piece of braised beef from her space, and stuffed it into Song Qingmu's hand.
"Eat quickly." She looked around, "Where is Zhe'er? Why haven't I seen her?"
Song Qingmu frowned, staring at the meat in his hand, "Beef?"
Song Qingchao nodded, "Eat quickly."
Song Qingmu ate obediently, "Zhe'er was taken away by Madam Hu."
"What?"
Song Qingmu put down the meat, "I couldn't stop her. She said she wasn't abandoning Zhe'er, apologized to Zhe'er, and then Zhe'er went back."
Song Qingchao was about to ask more when she was interrupted by a sharp yell.
She followed the sound and found Madam Hu grabbing Gao Songmo behind the dense grass and shouting.
The gist was, how was she still alive.
Song Qingchao couldn't help but scoff.
With such tactics, could she possibly die?
She rubbed her ears; having such good hearing was also quite annoying.
Now, she was worried about Liu Zhe'er. Given Madam Hu's personality, she would surely take her anger out on Liu Zhe'er.
"You're worried about her?"
Song Qingchao shook her head, "No."
She looked up at the hazy sky and the swallows circling at a low altitude, "It might rain tonight. I'll get out the bathing room I set up earlier, and we can shelter from the rain to avoid getting sick again."
As night fell, Song Qingchao, albeit reluctantly, finally got into Bai Youan's carriage.
Bai Youan leaned to the side against the step. Sensing her return, he couldn't even be bothered to lift an eyelid, "Decided to come back?"
Song Qingchao remained silent, sitting obediently on a cushion beside him. She then took out the herbs she had acquired from the young boy from her embrace.
"See if this is what you were looking for?"
Bai Youan rubbed his shoulder and sat up straight, propping his arms on his knees. He picked up the herbs on the table, "It's good stuff, but it might not be useful."
"Did you buy enough medicine? Why haven't I seen you carrying any?"
Bai Youan nodded, "I had the apothecary owner load it directly onto the cart and deliver it."
He lifted the window curtain and pointed at a small cart in the distance, "Enough."