Chu Yao, upon hearing the words, carefully took Shen Tang's pulse.
The pulse was robust and vigorous, the qi and blood surged, clearly indicating a state of robust health, capable of single-handedly subduing several oxen without any abnormalities. He, feeling uneasy, changed hands to feel the pulse again. The same pulse, inevitably dispelled the doubts and worries in his heart.
He reassured Lin Feng, "Wu Lang is safe and sound. Perhaps your fatigue has caused hallucinations? Get some rest and regain your spirits."
Lin Feng lowered her hand from her forehead.
A fleeting expression of confusion and doubt crossed her face.
Perhaps she was indeed too tired to generate hallucinations?
Adhering to the principle of not causing trouble to others, Lin Feng swallowed her doubts and obediently nodded, brushing aside the matter. Seeing this, Chu Yao let down the curtain of the carriage, resumed his previous posture of rest, and closed his eyes to recuperate. Lin Feng hugged her knees, resting her chin on them.
Whether it was genuine fatigue or something else, this time closing her eyes quickly brewed sleepiness, leading her to a dreamless slumber until the sun hung high in the sky.
Joining her in a night of good dreams was Shen Tang.
However, Shen Tang's sleep was anything but peaceful; despite her desire to remain in sweet slumber upon waking, she found herself in agony akin to being subjected to various forms of torture. Every inch of her body ached, but the most excruciating pain emanated from her throbbing head.
"Good heavens... who on earth hit my head?"
No, no, no —
She was more inclined to ask if someone had performed brain surgery on her while she slept! Despite her strong willpower, she felt an urge to clutch her head with both hands and bang it against the ground to alleviate the pain. Shen Tang, who had been lying in a standard supine position with her hands folded on her abdomen, now curled up and knelt on the bed.
"This... where am I again?"
Shen Tang took a sharp breath, struggling to suppress the intense pain. As she lifted her head and opened her eyes, she found herself in another unfamiliar environment. This time, it wasn't the scene of a brawl but rather an empty adobe room, aptly described as "four walls devoid of home."
She looked around in bewilderment, sitting on a crude pallet.
The bright sunlight outside filtered through the coarse window cloth, casting a distorted, abstract, and somewhat comical shadow on the ground. Shen Tang raised her hand to rub her forehead, trying to recall her memories before going to sleep and how she ended up in this place...
The result was... she couldn't remember anything at all.
What was her last memory about?
Scenes flashed rapidly through her mind like a flashback.
Thugs, Zhai Le, the wine stall, overturning the wine stall, fighting...
And then?
And then her wine stall was gone!!!
She jerked suddenly, her anger bursting forth like a volcano, as she leaped out of bed, cursing vehemently, "Damn it, my wine stall! How dare those thugs overturn my stall! It's like turning on the light in the toilet, searching for crap!"
Before she could take a step, the door was pushed open from outside.
Suddenly, she was met with a pair of round, lively eyes.
The owner of those eyes was slightly agape, looking at herself in astonishment.
The two stared at each other.
Shen Tang: "...???"
Wait a moment, did she just curse?
Shen Tang's complexion changed repeatedly, wishing she could just disappear into the ground. At this moment, she felt truly embarrassed. The young girl outside the door looked to be about eight or nine years old, dressed in luxury. It was evident that she was raised in wealth and luxury, probably never even hearing a dirty word before.
Shen Tang's first greeting was quite unconventional.
She probably experienced quite a shock outside the door.
Imagining a scene of embarrassment, she silently prayed, "You can't see me, you can't see me."
But obviously, the young girl's eyesight was sharp, and her hearing was keen.
She entered with a basin filled with water.
"Is the young master awake?"
After speaking, Shen Tang heard the sound of water being wrung from the cloth.
Shen Tang, thick-skinned as she was, felt embarrassed for a moment but soon regained her composure. She stood up and sat back on the bed, her gaze following this unfamiliar young girl, asking, "Did the lady save me? Where is this place?"
Lin Feng was baffled by her question but, recalling the instructions from Qishan, thought to herself that indeed, a drunken man wouldn't remember what he did after drinking. She remembered the actions of her maid serving her at home, and handed the wrung cloth to Shen Tang, saying, "It was not my lady who saved the young master; it was the young master who saved my lady last night. This is a bandit's lair outside of Xiaocheng, but my lady doesn't know the specific location."
Lin Feng spoke clearly.
Shen Tang understood every word, but their combination left her confused.
"A bandit's lair?"
She blankly took the cloth, habitually wiping her face.
The cold spring water stimulated her skin, dispelling any remaining drowsiness.
"I... I saved you?"
She had no recollection of these events at all.
Shen Tang couldn't help but suspect that someone had stolen her identity while she wasn't paying attention. It was like not logging into a game for a few days, only to find out upon logging in that she had reached the top rank, with her signature changed to "I helped you get here, no need to thank me, you noob."
Otherwise, how could she explain not remembering anything?
The young girl brought another bowl of soup.
Seeing the unfriendly color of the soup, Shen Tang hesitated.
Lin Feng seemed to understand her silence. "This is a sobering soup made by Mr. Chu. After a night of drunkenness, the young master must be feeling uncomfortable upon waking."
Shen Tang was taken aback. "Drunkenness? But I didn't drink any alcohol."
However, Lin Feng's expression clearly contradicted her words.
Shen Tang: "..."
The young girl didn't speak, but upon her mention, Shen Tang did indeed catch a whiff of the lingering scent of alcohol mixed with sweat on her body, fermenting and souring, creating a rather unfriendly odor. Shen Tang sniffed the aroma of the soup and found that it was indeed a sobering concoction, finishing it in one gulp.
Shen Tang asked, "What is the young lady's name?"
"Lin Feng, Lin Feng, as in the wind beneath the trees." After speaking, Lin Feng paused and glanced at Shen Tang discreetly, then bit her lip and added, "This is the name given to me by the young master last night."
Shen Tang applauded, "Lin Feng? What a great name!"
Indeed, she was truly talented.
Even in a drunken state, she didn't fail to impress!
"I saved you... then where are your family members?"
As soon as she blurted it out, she regretted her hastiness.
The young girl Lin Feng was dressed in luxury and was exquisitely
beautiful, especially with her pearl-like teeth and delicate appearance. Such refinement couldn't be achieved without considerable wealth. Whether her family encountered danger together or she was abducted by bandits, if her family was still around, it wouldn't be her responsibility to take care of her savior, let alone have her savior name the family's treasured pearl. Most likely, her family had already met with misfortune.
Shen Tang's question was indeed inappropriate.
Lin Feng's response confirmed her suspicions.
Hearing about the plight of the Lin family, Shen Tang felt deep sympathy for the young girl. Her voice softened, "Don't worry, your family... I'll check the cliff later. If I can bury them, I'll do so. In the future, you can follow me."
It was unclear which part of her words upset the young girl. Her bright, round eyes became teary, and she nodded softly, murmuring, "Thank you, young master."
Shen Tang thought that she must have been drunk and blacked out. This should be the only thing she did — saving a life was worth more than building a seven-tiered pagoda. She silently hoped she would never wake up to find her signature changed to "I helped you get here, no need to thank me, you noob" after being absent for a few days, like in a game.