<h4>Chapter 4: Rescue</h4> <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>As Studios <strong> Editor: </strong>As Studios</h4>


    When Gu Jiao went out to chop firewood, they really werecking firewood. On the other hand, she also wanted to enter the mountains to find something to fill her belly.


    Although their family was not so destitute that they could not even eat, they were close. If Xiao Ling ate alone, their stores might have been able tost a few more days. With her included, though, the situation became a little problematic.


    It waste autumn, and the sky was clear. There were no clouds in sight for thousands of miles.


    Not only was it unpolluted, but Gu Jiao also felt that the sky above her was especially blue; it was a hue of blue she had never seen before. The air was also very fresh and refreshing.


    She hade here for no apparent reason. She wondered if the lunatics at the research institute would even miss her; they would probably grit their teeth and me her for suddenly disappearing without sending them thetest research results.


    On the surface, while she was an MD at M University’s research institute, she was actually a secret agent. She entered the organization at the age of eight, and all her des after that were just a cover for her true identity.


    Of course, she did not n to live a life of bloodshed. She had made an agreement with the organization that this would be herst mission; after she was done, she would leave. Unexpectedly, something happened to the ne…


    Now that she thought about it, the ne crash was too coincidental.


    However, there was no point in thinking about this now. She was already dead, so it was impossible for her to go back and take revenge on anyone.


    Probably no one would feel sorry over her death.


    Her parents divorced when she was two years old. After that, they formed their own families and had new children. She had always been superfluous.


    In a sense, her fate was really simr to the original owner’s. The Host’s parents had passed away early, and she was also redundant in the Gu family.


    Even if the original owner of the body died, no one would truly feel sorry for her.


    Gu Jiaoughed self-deprecatingly, feeling a little chilly in her heart.


    Because she was worried that it would rain, Gu Jiao did not go too deep into the forest. Even so, she still discovered many good things, and there were a variety of edible fungi growing everywhere.


    There were some wood ear fungus growing on a tree stump that was fat and thick, almost covering most of the stump. Gu Jiao had found a big one.


    This area had clearly been cut down by the vigers. There were many tree stumps like this, and there were also many wood ear fungi growing out.


    Gu Jiao picked them piece by piece. Soon, her basket was loaded.


    Seeing that the basket was almost filled, Gu Jiao stopped picking fungi. She cut some dry firewood and secured the firewood and basket together with rope. Carrying them on her back, she prepared to go down the mountain.


    However, just as Gu Jiao turned around, she suddenly felt something under her feet, as if she had stepped on something.


    Immediately after, she heard a muffled groan. It was very low and weak.


    She blinked and slowly moved her leg away.


    “I can’t be that unlucky, right…?


    She took a deep breath and looked down. In the weeds, she spotted a white-bearded old man, who fainted from her stomp…


    Gu Jiao: “…”


    <i>No, wait, why would there be someone just lying in a gutter somewhere?</i>


    <i>And, why would I just happen to step on him?</i>


    With her conscience good, Gu Jiao stepped over him.


    However, a couple momentster, Gu Jiao returned expressionlessly.


    “Just so we’re clear, I didn’t save you out of goodwill.”


    “Cluck, cluck—”


    In a tightly tied cloth bag beside the old man, some pheasants pped their wings and cried out.


    Gu Jiao raised her eyebrows and casually nced at the cloth bag. The bag instantly stopped moving.


    Then, she looked at the white-bearded old man in front of her—a huge footprint was left on his face where Gu Jiao stepped on him. It looked truly tragic.


    Judging from his clothes, he seemed like an ordinary viger.


    However, there was an indescribable dignity between his brows.


    Gu Jiao put down the dry firewood on her back and began to check the other party’s pulse.


    When she was in school, she studied western medicine. However, in order to carry out a very special mission, she infiltrated the National Healer Sage’s family for five years under the pretext of bing a disciple.


    From his pulse, there was no illness in his body. Gu Jiao guessed that he had caught a cold and suddenly had a high fever, then identally fell into the gutter and dislocated his left arm.


    Gu Jiao took out her small medicine box from the basket on her back and ced an ice pack on his forehead.


    Thereafter, Gu Jiao re-adjusted his arm, and also cut a piece of firewood. She tore off his sleeve and secured his arm.


    After doing this, Gu Jiao took his temperature again and realized that it was still high, so she gave him a fever injection in his muscles.


    Not far away, there was a small straw shed for the vigers to rest on the mountain.


    Gu Jiao moved him there.


    His fever had subsided and he was about to wake up. Gu Jiao got up and went down the mountain. Before she left, Gu Jiao left her umbre for him.


    “Personally, I don’t give treatment for nothing.”


    When she finished speaking, she took the bag with the pheasants away.


    As soon as Gu Jiao arrived home, the rain started. Soon, it became a torrential rain. The mountains, the vige, and the straw shed were all enveloped in rain and fog.


    Gu Jiao went straight to the kitchen.


    Xiao Ling had already cleaned up the dishes, wiped the stove, and put away the clothes.


    Gu Jiao put down the firewood and cloth bag, and opened the cupboard to take a look. She asked in confusion, “You finished everything?”


    She had left quite a lot.


    <i>Thatd looks lean, but his appetite sure isn’t small.</i>


    <i>Is he at the age where he’s still growing?</i>


    Gu Jiao raised her eyebrows, then found a cage to lock the pheasants in.


    Gu Jiao separated the smaller pieces of firewood from therger pieces, and picked out the ones that needed to be chopped.


    By the time she finished chopping the firewood, it was already evening. The rain had not stopped, and the house was cold and humid. She found a brazier and nned to light a fire for herself. Suddenly, she thought of something and walked to Xiao Ling’s room, knocking lightly on his door.


    “Do you want to warm yourself by the fire?”


    She asked softly.


    There was no response from the room.


    She called out again, but there was still no response.


    Gu Jiao saw that the door was ajar and gently pushed it open. She poked her head out and saw that under the dim yellow oilmp, his thin figure was already asleep on the old table.


    He was still holding an open book in his hand.


    The book was yellowed and the cover was cracked, pasted over with oilskin paper.


    Schrs in the countryside had a hard time, especially the sort that Xiao Ling was. He had been oppressed by the Gu family and her Host for a long time, and could not even attend a private school. He had to rely on himself for his studies.


    Gu Jiao hesitated for a moment before walking over quietly. She took a cotton shirt from the cab and draped it over him.


    It was already midnight when Xiao Ling woke up.


    He had not slept well for the past few days, nor had he thought that he would fall asleep on the table. When he opened his eyes, he realized that there was an additional cotton shirt on him. He frowned, and a trace of vignce shed across his eyes.


    He frowned as he looked at the book in his hand. Suddenly, he heard a crisping sound. He spun around and spotted a brazier on the ground.


    The cold room had been warmed up by the fire in an instant.


    Xiao Ling’s gaze fell on the brazier, and he revealed a thoughtful expression.


    There was only a brazier at home. If she gave it to Xiao Ling, then Gu Jiao would not have one.


    After Gu Jiao hid the small medicine box, she quickly crawled under the nket, wrapping herself up like a small silkworm pupa.


    Perhaps it was because she had toiled a few times during the day that her small body was exhausted. Therefore, although it was a little cold, she still fell asleep very quickly.


    Gu Jiao had not dreamt for many years, but tonight, she had a dream.


    She dreamed that a doctor came to town and Xiao Ling went to look for him to treat his leg. However, an ident urred at the medical hall where the doctor was, and many people were injured.


    Xiao Ling had a crippled leg and could not run as fast as the others, and his other uninjured leg was also hurt in the ident.


    And while the injury did not kill Xiao Ling, it would make him miss the exam three dayster.