Chapter 208
Chapter 208
Chapter 208 - Beauty Preserving Grass
Wang Fugui harbored some bizarre thoughts. Zheng Hong acted out of hatred for him, but even if she had disfigured Chen Yaru's face, she wouldn't degrade herself by seeking revenge on her own partner.
Yet, in the heat of the moment, Wang Fugui was struck by a peculiar impulse and charged forward in a frenzy.
The slash he delivered was brutal; had it connected with Chen Yaru's face, it might have cleaved it in two.
Thankfully, Yang Jingjing reacted swiftly, embracing him, and the knife ended up slashing deeply across her back instead.
The long, gaping wound shocked everyone present.
Knife in hand, Wang Fugui suddenly realized his blunder. He blamed Zhang Xiaolong for the mishap, reasoning that if Zhang Xiaolong's wife hadn't dodged, he wouldn't have struck the wrong person.
Seized by this thought, he swung the knife again, this time aiming for Chen Yaru's face.
Bang!
The knife never made its mark; instead, he found himself kicked aside.
When he regained his focus, he saw Zhang Xiaolong, disheveled, clutching a stalk of green grass adorned with two vibrant red berries.
“It's you again, Zhang Xiaolong. Was your mother destined to be my nemesis?” Wang Fugui spat angrily.
But Zhang Xiaolong didn't bother responding. He lunged at his adversary, pinning him down and pummeling Wang Fugui's face with relentless, iron-hard punches. His face bloomed with wounds as blood and shattered teeth spilled from his mouth.
“Xiaolong, quick, Jingjing needs you!” Chen Yaru cried out, her hands pressing on the wound, unable to stem the flow of blood.
Wang Tiehzhu and the others, concerned that Zhang Xiaolong might lose control and accidentally kill Wang Fugui, reached out to restrain him.
Zhang Xiaolong then hurried over to Jingjing. Channeling a surge of divine energy, he staunched the bleeding before hoisting her onto his back. “Yaru, follow me. I'm taking Jingjing home now,” he said.
With that, he dashed off, as if carried by the wind, swiftly disappearing with Yang Jingjing in tow.
After bursting through the door, he gently laid Jingjing down on the bed.
“Don't worry, you'll be fine,” Zhang Xiaolong reassured her, “This wound will heal shortly.”
“Yes, I know,” Yang Jingjing responded softly, “I'm not scared with you by my side.”
Zhang Xiaolong smiled and carefully tore her clothes from the back. The sight of her pale, unblemished back didn't distract him; rather, it was the severity of the wound that sent a chill down his spine.
The gash was on Yang Jingjing's back, but had it been on her face, it would have been disfiguring.
As he touched the wound, Yang Jingjing shivered slightly, whether from pain or something else, it was unclear.
He channeled his divine power, meticulously tending to the wound, his fingers tracing a path from her right shoulder down to her left hip.
Zhang Xiaolong's intentions were pure. After his ministrations, he picked two leaves from a nearby plant, chewed them, and then applied the macerated leaves to the wound with great care.
He then fetched a blanket to cover her, suggesting, “Rest like this for today. A good sleep should have you fully healed.”
“Is that the same remedy you found for Zheng Hong, to erase the scars on her face?” Yang Jingjing inquired, more curious about the medicine than her own recovery.
“Yes, I never imagined you'd be the first to need it,” Zhang Xiaolong said with a wry smile.
It was fortunate he had returned when he did; otherwise, who knows what might have happened.
“I guess I'm quite fortunate then,” Yang Jingjing said with a sweet smile.
“Who would wish for this kind of fortune?” Zhang Xiaolong was relieved to see her in high spirits.
“Well, some might. Take Zheng Hong, for instance. She wouldn't have spent so many days in sorrow if she had this kind of luck,” Yang Jingjing continued, “Xiaolong, if I'm not mistaken, you can make plants grow rapidly, right? Could this also be turned into an industry?”
Zhang Xiaolong paused, then admitted, “I hadn't considered it before, but now that you bring it up, it does seem feasible.”
In his grasp was an herb known as Beauty Preserving Grass, which, as the name suggests, was beneficial for maintaining one's looks.
Yet, the true agent of beauty wasn't the grass itself, but the Beauty Preserving Fruit: the two small, vibrant red berries that grew from it.
The Beauty Preserving Grass wasn't without its uses. As demonstrated earlier, it possessed a remarkable ability to heal both scars and wounds.
Zhang Xiaolong hadn't harbored much hope when he ventured into the mountains. After a month of fruitless searching, he was close to giving up. To his surprise, he stumbled upon this remarkable plant, which exceeded his expectations.
Beauty Preserving Grass was effective for treating various injuries and scars, while the Beauty Preserving Fruit offered extraordinary beautifying properties. Though these items weren't as visually appealing or tasty as the Four-phenomena Divine Orchid, their efficacy and value were just as impressive.
“Alright, get some rest. Yaru should be back soon. I'll have her keep you company,” Zhang Xiaolong said, feeling it was somewhat improper for him to linger by the bedside of a beauty who was unable to move.
He was just about to step out when Chen Yaru burst through the door, anxious. “Hubby, is Jingjing okay?”
“She'll be fine with a bit of rest,” Zhang Xiaolong reassured her, aware of her guilt since Jingjing had been injured while saving her. “Don't worry, there won't be any scars. Besides the initial pain and some bleeding, there won't be any lasting issues.”
“That's a relief!” Yaru exclaimed, her hand on her chest as she breathed easier.
With a nod, Zhang Xiaolong left the room.
Chen Yaru carefully inspected the wound after peeling back the blanket. She then mischievously scrutinized Jingjing from head to toe, causing her discomfort until she finally burst into laughter.
“What's so funny? I'm badly hurt, and you're still laughing at me?” Yang Jingjing retorted, annoyed.
“I'm just surprised,” Yaru replied playfully. “You're seriously injured, yet you seem quite pleased. Why is that?”
Yang Jingjing's cheeks flushed. “When have you ever seen me happy? It's been incredibly painful, you know?”
“I'm really sorry, Jingjing. I should have been the one to take that hit, not you,” Chen Yaru said with a rush of apology.
Yang Jingjing couldn't help but laugh. “It's not painful anymore. It was just a stab in the back. If it had been you, he would have gone for your face. Getting stabbed in the back is definitely the lesser of two evils.”
Feeling a deep sense of gratitude, Chen Yaru felt even more certain that recognizing Jingjing as her sister was the right choice. She leaned in and whispered, “But this time, it might have been a blessing in disguise. You should have seen Xiaolong earlier. If no one had held him back, he might have killed Wang Fugui. I've never seen Xiaolong so furious. It's clear you hold a very important place in his heart!”
The two women shared their private conversation, while elsewhere, Zhang Xiaolong was meticulously sharpening a knife.