Chapter 83: The Days When I Dared Not Contact My Family (Part 1)
He Zhi Xing opened his eyes and said, “It’s alright, I’m fine. Did you get the medicine?”
Only then did Qin Ya come to her senses and replied, “Oh, it’s right here...” With that, she handed over the bag containing five bottles of YN white medicinal powder.
He Zhi Xing reached out and took it. “Thank you.” He placed the bag on the table, then took a small wooden carving of a beautiful woman from his bloodstained trouser pocket. From another pocket, he fished out a small bottle of red-threaded white snake gall powder he had prepared before leaving home, and from yet another, he brought out a little white food-grade plastic bag wrapped around some dark greenish wood powder.
He opened the little bottle, poured a small amount into his palm, and brought it to his mouth, swallowing it down. The girl standing next to Qin Ya quickly went to the water dispenser and poured him a glass of warm water. He Zhi Xing took it and thanked her.
After drinking the snake gall powder, he put the bottle away and asked them for an old newspaper. He poured out some of the greenish wood powder, then added the five bottles of white medicinal powder Qin Ya had bought, mixing them together. Right in front of them, he took off his bloodied shirt, revealing his bare upper body.
Neither of the two girls had boyfriends, and it was their first time seeing a man’s bare torso up close. Both of their faces instantly flushed, and they turned their heads away, their hearts thumping uncontrollably, not daring to look any longer. He Zhi Xing struggled over to the water dispenser, filled a cup, and carefully moistened the medicinal powder. Hooking the wet mixture with his finger, he applied it to all the wounds on his body.
After a while, the two girls finally turned their faces back. Seeing his body covered in wounds of all sizes, along with some old scars, they couldn’t help but be shocked. This man wasn’t particularly tall, nor was he strikingly handsome—there was something special in his eyes, a gentle, comforting quality. And with all those scars, his slight frame no longer seemed so fragile; instead, there was an unexpectedly powerful allure.
Watching He Zhi Xing apply the medicine so naturally, neither flinching nor crying out despite his serious wounds, they found it hard to believe. The other girl walked over to his side and said, “Let me help you with that.”
He Zhi Xing looked at her gently. “Thank you.” He then sat quietly, holding the little wooden carving, regulating his breathing. As the girl silently tended to his wounds, she turned to Qin Ya and said, “Qin Ya, why don’t you take a set of cake boxes downstairs and let Sister Alan know I have something to do here. Be careful on your way down.”
Why was this girl so willing to let a strange man into their home? Before entering, He Zhi Xing had explained everything clearly, showing her his ID card, his phone, and the business cards he carried, which listed his job title and phone number. The girl had called to verify and even searched online for confirmation; everything checked out. He Zhi Xing didn’t seem like a bad person, so she was reassured.
After tending to the wounds on his upper body, she stopped when it came to his lower half. “To treat your leg, you’d have to take off your pants. I can’t help you with that. You’ll have to do it yourself. I’ll go to my room for now. Call me when you’re done, and I’ll find some larger, plainer women’s clothes for you to wear.”
He Zhi Xing opened his eyes and said, “Thank you.”
The girl responded, “Mm,” and added, “You can just call me by my name from now on. I’m Zheng Huizhen—just call me Huizhen. I’ll head to my room now, so remember to call me when you’re finished!”
“Alright, I will.”