Her gaze held a bewildered sadness, like a lost child abandoned by its family.
Xiao Shan's heart suddenly ached, a feeling so foreign he frowned and shifted uncomfortably.
"Eat first, get your body right. After eating, apply this medicine to your wounds, and I'll go to the market to buy you clothes."
He put down the medicine bottle, his gaze sweeping over the rolled-up cuffs of her sleeves, revealing a circle of red marks on her fair, snow-white wrist.
What kind of skin was this, so tender it was like tofu? Even coarse cloth rubbed it red, and wouldn't the more delicate parts underneath be even more severely chafed?
He glanced subtly. These clothes were his own, and now they clung to her, rubbing against her tender skin...
"Cough, cough." Xiao Shan cupped his fist to his mouth, covering a cough with a semblance of nonchalance. "How about I call you Xue Niang for now!"
"Xue... Niang." She murmured the name, her interest not high, but she didn't object.
A surge of pleasure coursed through Xiao Shan, his voice becoming much more cheerful.
"Alright then, I'm off to the market!"
He truly left, striding away with long steps.
He wasn't afraid she would escape?
Her hands trembled with excitement; this was an excellent opportunity, freedom was within reach.
Enduring the pain in her mouth, she swallowed two eggs quickly and then finished the porridge. She picked up the medicine bottle and tucked it into her sleeve before jumping off the bed barefoot.
As soon as she ran out of the fence, she stopped.
These few steps alone had made her feet ache terribly. Moreover, outside was the vast mountain, and this courtyard was at its foot. The path out was rough and full of stones.
She knew her body; she couldn't walk out.
After following the human traffickers for so many roads, she had long understood the wickedness of people's hearts. Going out might mean being captured by wicked men again.
And then, she thought of her appearance.
Perhaps what that man said was true; he just wanted a girl to cook and clean. After all, who would like someone as ugly as a ghost?
She could wait a little longer.
With this thought, she retreated back into the room. Looking at the eggs on the table, she couldn't help but eat another one.
Xue Niang, call her whatever.
Xiao Shan returned quickly. He found Xue Niang sitting barefoot in the courtyard, trimming her hair with a pair of scissors, cutting off any yellow strands with evident disdain.
Her hair was now uneven, and if she continued cutting, she wouldn't even be able to tie it up.
"Stop cutting, it will get better with care." He said, then stared pointedly at her fair little feet, which were already turning red from the cool breeze.
"Illness enters through the feet. You must not do this again."
He carried a bamboo basket filled with things. Bending down, he unceremoniously scooped up the light woman.
"Ah!" Xue Niang cried out in surprise, instinctively thrusting the scissors she held.
Fortunately, her strength was small, and she reacted in time, not piercing deeply, merely tearing through the fabric of his shoulder.
The scissors fell to the ground. Xiao Shan, as if unaffected, placed her on the bed, took down the basket from behind him, and poured its contents onto the bed.
"Have you applied the medicine to your body?"
Xue Niang was still angry about what had just happened and didn't want to answer him.
"You ate all the eggs?" Xiao Shan looked at the empty bowls, seven or eight of them! How could she have eaten them all!
Xue Niang blushed, feeling a bit awkward.
She had intended to save some for him, but in the end, she couldn't resist. Her stomach seemed to have no concept of being full.
She blamed him for this. If he had known, he wouldn't have cooked so much. He had intended for her to eat for two or three meals, but who knew...
Xiao Shan frowned as he looked at her. His naturally stern expression made him look somewhat angry.
Xue Niang, who was fidgeting nervously, suddenly stiffened. She felt a sharp pain in her back and couldn't move her entire body.
"You... you, what are you doing..."
"If your mouth hurts, don't speak!" Xiao Shan commanded, his large hand undoing the coarse cloth of her clothes.
Xue Niang looked at him in terror, struggling fiercely to break free from his grip, but she couldn't move an inch. She felt his disgusting large hands on her.
She regretted it. She should have run away then. How could she have harbored any侥幸 (jiǎoxìng - luck/chance), how could she have trusted a man!
Hadn't she seen enough of men's behavior?
Now, what should she do? What should she do? She didn't want this; she would rather die!
"Does it hurt?"
His large hand pressed on her stomach.
What?
Her eyes reddened as she looked at the man. Why hadn't she stabbed him to death earlier? She should have stabbed his neck!
"I'm asking if your stomach hurts from eating so much in one go! You have no self-control, don't you know your own body? I told you not to overeat, and I told you to apply the medicine. What did you apply earlier? You didn't apply it here, and you didn't apply it here. Don't you want to get better?"
His hand pointed everywhere, even touching her chest.
"Nonsense."
She had applied it, except for her back which she couldn't reach. This man was clearly trying to take advantage of her!
The despair in her eyes vanished, replaced by shame and indignation. Xiao Shan stopped teasing her and picked up the ointment again, meticulously applying it to the fresh and old whip marks. His rough fingers brushed against her skin, causing her to tremble.
Was he really just applying medicine?
Hope flickered in her heart again, her fair neck flushing pink.
After Xiao Shan finished applying the medicine, he took out another bottle.
"This is for scars."
He explained, then used his index finger to pick up more ointment and began applying it from the top again.
Upper body, waist, legs...
Was it not over yet? Xue Niang gritted her teeth and endured, simply closing her eyes, refusing to look.
After an unknown amount of time, she felt the man stop moving. Trembling, she opened her eyes and saw the rough man gazing at her chest, holding a piece of crimson cloth.
"You!"
"Cough, cough!" Xiao Shan unfolded the crimson cloth. "I was wondering how to wear this?"
It turned out to be a肚兜 (dùdōu - a traditional Chinese bodice), and the pattern on it was even a pair of fish playing in water!
"I... I can do it myself."
"Never mind! I'll do it. I suddenly remembered the shopkeeper's wife mentioned something." He hung the two thin ties around her neck.
She trembled even more violently, completely out of anger.
He tied the ones around her neck, then the ones around her waist.
His clumsy movements were undoubtedly torture for Xue Niang.
Thankfully, it was finally on. Xue Niang felt as if she had come back to life. Even if it was just a small piece of cloth, it was still an added layer of coverage.
Afterward, he sped up. The newly bought clothes were soft, made of pliable cotton, much better than before.
Then, the rough man brought over a basin of water and, using a cloth, lifted her feet onto his lap and wiped them several times.
Xue Niang was angry, but her whole body was immobile. She could only pray for it to end quickly.
After putting on socks and the newly bought embroidered shoes, Xiao Shan looked at her with satisfaction.
"Done."
Xue Niang let out a long sigh of relief. The man took out another bottle of medicine.
"Open your mouth!"
No!
Seeing him pick up the ointment with his index finger again, she realized what was happening. Not only did she refuse to open her mouth, but she also clenched her teeth tightly and kept them shut.
Those hands had just touched her feet, and now he was going to put them in her mouth?
It was too disgusting!