Xiao Changyi, despite not understanding what An Jing was up to, obediently let her down from his back.
Seeing An Jing immediately start pulling at the weeds on the ground, he couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"
Without looking at him, An Jing said, "My ankle is swollen, and I'm picking some of this to apply to it. It can help with blood circulation and reduce bruising."
Xiao Changyi had intended to take An Jing to see a doctor for her foot injury once they were down the mountain, but upon hearing her words, his gaze flickered with surprise that An Jing recognized herbal medicine.
Only---
"This herb can improve blood circulation and reduce bruising?" he followed suit and squatted down.
"Yes, Niu Jin Grass is good stuff. It's very effective for treating injuries from falls, fevers, and the like. I've used it before, and it really works," An Jing spoke the truth. During every survival training in the wild, without a first aid kit, she and her comrades would always look for various medicinal herbs to treat their injuries.
Niu Jin Grass was one of them.
"Niu Jin Grass?" Xiao Changyi stared intently at An Jing, as if trying to see right through her, "Isn't this Qian Ren Bo?"
"Huh?" An Jing was startled, then realized that in this era, Niu Jin Grass was not known as Niu Jin Grass, but as Qian Ren Bo.
As for why it was called Qian Ren Bo, it was because this herb was so resilient, growing everywhere, always damaging crops, that farmers wished they could uproot all of it.
"Oh, this is Qian Ren Bo. I was just idling and decided to give this herb another name," An Jing made up a blatant lie.
Xiao Changyi said nothing, merely helped An Jing collect Niu Jin Grass into the bamboo basket.
An Jing sneakily glanced at Xiao Changyi, seeing that his expression remained impassive. Although she didn't know if Xiao Changyi believed her words, the fact that he did not question her and was helping relieved her greatly.
It was not until a basket of Niu Jin Grass was collected that An Jing said, "That's enough, no need to pull up any more."
With the bamboo basket now much heavier because it was filled with Niu Jin Grass, carrying it was a bit strenuous. An Jing simply hoisted the basket onto her own back, and then, climbed onto Xiao Changyi's.
"Is it heavy?" An Jing asked with a bit of a mischievous intention.
Xiao Changyi shook his head.
"Xiao Changyi, are you this kind to everyone?" An Jing suddenly asked.
Xiao Changyi remained silent.
But An Jing didn't feel bored at all. On the contrary, she found Xiao Changyi's company very comfortable.
Just when the atmosphere was just right—
"An Jing! An Jing!" An old woman suddenly appeared at the foot of the mountain, frantically calling out for An Jing, looking extremely anxious.
An Jing recognized her. It was Aunt Liu Hua from next door to Lin Anjing's home. Soon, Aunt Liu Hua ran up to her.
An Jing asked, "Auntie, what's the matter? Why such a rush?"
"It's just—" Aunt Liu Hua began, but then she noticed that An Jing was being carried by Xiao Changyi, and her old face instantly became a bit odd. Her speech halted, and she stared directly at An Jing and Xiao Changyi.
An Jing knew that Aunt Liu Hua was deeply influenced by the belief that 'men and women should not touch each other,' but she explained indifferently, "I accidentally fell into a trap meant for catching game. Brother Xiao saved me. My foot is sprained; I can't walk. So Brother Xiao kindly carried me down the mountain."
If it weren't for the fact that Aunt Liu Hua had been fairly kind to Lin Anjing previously, she wouldn't have wanted to explain.
"Oh, I see, so that's what happened," Aunt Liu Hua said with her mouth, but deep down, she still could not accept that an unmarried girl like An Jing would lie on a man's back like this.
Seeing that Aunt Liu Hua still looked at her as if she had lost her purity to Xiao Changyi, the modern person An Jing really wanted to laugh. It was just a piggyback ride, what was the big deal!