Chapter 74

Hu Xiaotian slept until noon the next day. When he opened his eyes, he saw Liang Dazhuang staring at him with wide eyes. Hu Xiaotian was startled, "Damn, scaring someone to death, what are you doing in my room?"

Liang Dazhuang said, "Young Master, I'm here to protect you!"

Hu Xiaotian chuckled, but it was a cold laugh. Relying on this guy for protection would probably cost him nine lives.

Liang Dazhuang understood the meaning behind Hu Xiaotian's cold laugh. On this journey, he indeed had not fulfilled his role of protecting the young master. Whenever danger arose, he was often the first to run away. Feeling somewhat ashamed, he lowered his head.

Hu Xiaotian stretched lazily, hearing the wind and rain outside. He got up, went to the door, and opened it. Although the sky had brightened, it was still overcast, and the rain continued to pour.

Liang Dazhuang came to his side and respectfully said, "Young Master, the rain today seems even heavier than yesterday. Just now, Inspector Murong said we should stay at the temple for a day to rest well, and then make plans for tomorrow!"

Hu Xiaotian nodded. The weather was indeed unsuitable for travel, so they could only stay at the Lansi Temple temporarily and wait for the weather to improve. He put on a raincoat and a bamboo hat and walked to the side hall.

In the side hall, the fire was burning brightly. When Hu Xiaotian arrived, Li Jinhuo was adding freshly chopped firewood to the fire.

The little girl sat motionless by the fire, her eyes fixed on the dancing flames, lost in thought. Hu Xiaotian knew that although she was young, her personality was peculiar and not easy to get along with, so he didn't bother to pay attention to her.

The old man still lay motionless on the altar. After checking him, Hu Xiaotian found that the old man was still alive. The old eunuch's resilience was indeed remarkable. Hu Xiaotian lifted the blanket covering him and saw that there was no blood seeping from the amputation site. He then looked at the old man's legs and suddenly realized that this was not the first time the old eunuch had undergone an amputation. The first time it was his calf, and now it was his thigh. This thought made Hu Xiaotian almost laugh, but he quickly reminded himself to maintain medical ethics and not derive pleasure from others' pain.

The little girl, propping her chin on her hand, gazed at the flames and suddenly said, "He has never woken up." Her bright eyes were filled with sorrow and disappointment, and her expression showed that she was gradually losing hope.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Be patient and wait!" Even after performing the amputation, Hu Xiaotian had little hope that the old man would wake up. He had insisted on the surgery to do his best and leave the rest to fate. Even if the old man did wake up, he would still face the risk of infection and other unforeseen complications.

The little girl said, "Thank you!"

This was the first time she had expressed gratitude to Hu Xiaotian since the previous night. After saying this, she fell silent again.

Hu Xiaotian asked Li Jinhuo to stay there and left the side hall. The smell of delicious food wafted through the air, and he followed the scent to the kitchen of the Lansi Temple.

In the kitchen, Murong Feiyi was busy cooking, while Hu Fo was operating the bellows. Murong Feiyi was stirring a large pot with a spatula, her face glowing like a bright morning, as if a celestial maiden had descended to earth, a beautiful and captivating cook.

Hu Xiaotian leaned against the door and laughed, "I didn't know that Inspector Murong is not only skilled with swords but also an excellent cook."

Murong Feiyi realized his presence and turned to smile at him, "Since we can't travel, we might as well rest here for a day. Just now, Shao Yijiao caught two wild chickens nearby, and I picked some mountain mushrooms to stew with them, to treat everyone to a feast."

Hu Xiaotian hadn't eaten since the previous night, and the enticing aroma made his mouth water. "You dare to eat meat in front of the Buddha, what a sin!"

Murong Feiyi, while serving the cooked dishes into bowls, said, "If you think so, you can choose not to eat."

"How can I do that? I will eat and eat a lot. As the Buddha said, if I don't go to hell, who will? I can't bear to let the Buddha blame you; let all the blame fall on me."

Hu Xiaotian felt that he had never eaten so well in his life. Murong Feiyi's cooking was excellent, but more importantly, he was really hungry. He squatted outside the kitchen and finished a plate of food and two large bowls of rice.

When Murong Feiyi returned from delivering food to the little girl, she saw that Hu Xiaotian had already finished his meal. She couldn't help but tease him, "This Lansi Temple is indeed haunted by hungry ghosts!"

Hu Xiaotian chuckled, "A man is like iron, and food is like steel. Missing a meal makes one hungry. Without this meal, I would have become a hungry ghost."

Murong Feiyi came to his side and helped him clear the dishes.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Aren't you eating?"

Murong Feiyi said, "I never eat meat!"

Although Hu Xiaotian had traveled with her for a long time, they rarely ate together, and he hadn't paid much attention to this aspect. Thinking back, he realized that Murong Feiyi indeed never ate meat. The fact that she had cooked a hearty meal of wild game for him suggested that she might have developed special feelings for him. This thought made Hu Xiaotian feel a bit elated.

Murong Feiyi returned to the kitchen and soon brought out a bowl of white porridge for him. Hu Xiaotian took it and said, "Thank you!" He felt that Murong Feiyi's feminine gentleness was increasing day by day.

"You're welcome!" Murong Feiyi stood opposite him, leaning against a peeling pillar, and said, "That little girl is not an ordinary person."

Hu Xiaotian thought, of course, it's obvious. His eyes followed the drops of water falling from the eaves and said, "She must be from a prominent background. We should avoid getting involved in their affairs. Once the rain stops, we should leave immediately." He had a premonition that the appearance of the old man and the little girl was too mysterious and could bring them a lot of trouble.

Murong Feiyi said, "Can you really leave them behind? The little girl is only eleven or twelve years old, and her grandfather's fate is uncertain. If we leave them in this remote mountain, and they encounter trouble, they will have no one to turn to."

Hu Xiaotian said, "What do you want to do? The old man is most likely a eunuch, and the little girl, though young, is very cunning. She hasn't revealed her background or name. I can tell she is not from an ordinary family. They must have provoked a powerful enemy. If we get involved, we might be drawn into trouble."

Murong Feiyi shared Hu Xiaotian's concerns but couldn't agree with just leaving them. She sighed softly, "No matter what, we can't just let them fend for themselves. How about this: once the rain stops, we take them over the Pengyin Mountain and hire a carriage for them. After that, it's up to them."

Hu Xiaotian thought to himself that no matter how strong Murong Feiyi appeared, she was still a woman with a gentle and kind heart. He sighed, "You really are meddlesome!"

That evening, the old man regained consciousness. Upon hearing the news, Hu Xiaotian hurried to the side hall. The old man was still lying on the altar, and the little girl was helping him sit up and feeding him water.

The old man had only managed to drink half a bowl before he lost his strength and lay back down. Hu Xiaotian walked over and smiled at the old man.

The old man managed a weak smile and said in a hoarse voice, "You saved me..." His voice was high and thin, typical of a eunuch, and sounded somewhat grating. It was the first time Hu Xiaotian had dealt with such a person. In his experience, eunuchs often had different psychological traits from normal people, and their physical deformities often led to mental deformities. It was best to be cautious when dealing with them.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Your right leg was too badly injured to save!" He first informed the old man of his current condition. The amputation had been performed while the old man was unconscious and without his consent. Hu Xiaotian was concerned that the old man might not be able to handle the shock.