Chapter 2

"Awake, awake!" A voice filled with surprise and joy sounded in his ear. Gao Yuan slowly opened his heavy eyelids. Everything before his eyes was blurry and overlapping. He blinked several times forcefully, and only then did he see clearly. Above him were several faces, each wearing an expression of surprise and joy.

Am I still alive? How is that possible? Although Gao Yuan's mind was still sluggish after just waking up, he was clear that he had no reason to survive after being shot multiple times, each shot hitting a vital spot. He was an expert in combat and killing, and he knew exactly the extent of the injuries he had sustained.

His eyes slowly moved, and the room came into focus bit by bit. A large wooden bed with intricate carvings, thick curtains, and a wooden window with carved flowers. Through the gaps, bright sunlight was shining in. Standing closest to the bed was a middle-aged man with a square face, his eyes filled with tears, looking particularly sorrowful. A child of about ten years old was leaning on the edge of the bed, clapping his hands and shouting, "Big Brother Gao is awake, Big Brother Gao is awake! The doctor said you were dead, but I knew you wouldn't die!"

"Doctor Qiu, come quickly, Gao Yuan is awake!" The middle-aged man wiped away his tears, looking at Gao Yuan with disbelief. After a moment, he finally reacted, his face lighting up with joy, and he called out repeatedly.

The old man with white hair and wrinkles, holding a medicine box, dropped it with a thud. He ran to the bed, eyes wide with shock, muttering, "How is this possible? How is this possible? He was clearly dead, how could he come back to life?"

"Doctor Qiu, you are the best doctor in Fufeng City. How could you make such a mistake? You said Gao Yuan was dead, but he is clearly alive. Hurry up and treat him!" The middle-aged man said sternly, his voice carrying a hint of authority.

"Yes, yes, Lord Lu, I will do my best, I will do my best!" The old man said in a panic.

"Not just your best, but you must. If Gao Yuan dies again, you won't be able to stay in Fufeng City!" The middle-aged man said coldly.

"Yes, yes!" The old man's face grew larger in Gao Yuan's vision.

Who are they? Gao Yuan looked at these unfamiliar faces, his mind racing to recall, but he couldn't remember anything. His life was simple: practicing martial arts, fighting, earning money, and then finding a place to indulge and relax, repeating the cycle. He looked around the room, his eyes growing wider and more confused. Finally, his head tilted, and he fainted again.

His fainting caused another panic in the room.

Doctor Qiu's face was even more tense, large sweat drops falling from his forehead. He had just said that Gao Yuan was dead and was about to leave, but now he was awake, indicating a misdiagnosis that had delayed treatment. If it were anyone else, it wouldn't be a big deal, but in this room, there was someone who could make him leave the city with just a word. He reached out and grabbed Gao Yuan's left wrist, his eyes growing wider. When he had checked Gao Yuan's pulse earlier, there was no pulse at all, but now it was beating strongly.

"Doctor Qiu, how is it? How is it?" The middle-aged man asked repeatedly, his earlier joy now replaced with worry.

"Lord, don't worry. He just fainted from excessive blood loss. His pulse shows that Gao Yuan is out of danger. It's truly incredible, incredible!"

"That's good, that's good!" The middle-aged man sighed with relief. "My old friend left only this one descendant. If he dies, how can I face my friend after I die?"

"Lord, don't worry. Gao Yuan is strong. Since he has survived the most dangerous time, he will be fine." Doctor Qiu said quickly. "I will write the prescription right away."

Hearing Doctor Qiu's reassurance, everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief.

"Zhang Yi!" The middle-aged man called out loudly.

"Lord!" A young servant walked in from outside, bowing before the middle-aged man.

"Stay here and take care of Gao Yuan. Be careful!"

"Yes, I understand!"

Light footsteps sounded in the room. The woman by the door walked over, standing before the middle-aged man and bowing.

"Lord Lu, this time Gao Yuan almost lost his life for my family. Please allow me to repay him. I will take care of Gao Yuan."

The woman, dressed in simple clothes, had a weathered face, but her youthful beauty was still evident. The middle-aged man's eyes flashed with disgust as he glared at her.

"Ye Shi, this time we are lucky Gao Yuan is fine. Otherwise, I would not have forgiven you."

The woman lowered her head. "Lord, Gao Yuan is seriously injured. Women are more meticulous in taking care of the sick. Please allow me to take care of him."

The middle-aged man looked at the unconscious Gao Yuan on the bed and sighed heavily. "Fine, this time Gao Yuan was injured for your sake. Let you take care of him. Ye Shi, I advise you to leave Fufeng City as soon as possible. Staying here will only bring you more trouble."

"I have done nothing wrong. I will not leave!" The woman raised her head, her eyes filled with defiance.

The middle-aged man sighed. "Whether you leave or not, after this, I will not allow Gao Yuan to have any more contact with you. No one in Fufeng City will protect you. I advise you to leave as far away as possible."

"Thank you, Lord. Fufeng City is still part of the Great Yan, and the law still exists. I will not leave!"

Hearing the woman's defiant words, the middle-aged man's eyes flashed with anger. He grunted and turned to leave the room. "Do as you wish!"

As he spoke, Doctor Qiu had already bandaged Gao Yuan's wounds and written a prescription, handing it to Zhang Yi to get the medicine. He also picked up his medicine box and prepared to leave. He hesitated for a moment before speaking to the woman. "Lady Ye, Lord Lu is cold but kind-hearted. He is advising you for your own good. As a widow with children, who will protect you in Fufeng City? Even Gao Yuan ended up like this, let alone others. If you don't leave, you will eventually suffer greatly."

The woman lowered her head, saying nothing. Doctor Qiu shook his head and left.

"Mother!" The young woman standing by the bed walked over to the woman, her clothes patched but clean, her face beautiful despite her young age. She was thin and malnourished, looking as if a breeze could blow her away. She looked afraid. "Mother, what should we do? Should we leave this place far away?"

"Qing'er, we cannot leave Fufeng City." The woman raised her face, her expression resolute. "We cannot leave here."

"But Mother, I'm scared!" The young girl clung to the woman's arm, her thin body trembling.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here!" The woman pulled the young girl and the younger boy into her arms, her face filled with sorrow but also determination. "Qing'er, I believe that one day, the clouds will part and the sun will shine, and we will see better days."