Chapter 46 Lu Jingshuo

When Lu Jingshu brought Song Jingshu into Chang'an City, the prosperous scenery unfolded before the young girl's eyes like a gorgeous and colorful painting.

Shops lined both sides of the street, and shop banners swayed gently in the breeze, as if beckoning to passing pedestrians. The clamor of human voices intertwined like a lively and bustling movement, featuring the hawking of peddlers, the playful shouts of children, and the laughing chatter of adults. The air was filled with the fragrant scents of food: the cumin-infused aroma of roasted mutton, the sweet fragrance of steamed pastries, and the savory richness of soups, blending into a uniquely enticing flavor. Colorful silks gleamed inside the shops—red like fire, blue like the sea, and purple like a dream—everything appeared wonderfully surreal.

To Song Jingshu, all of this was like stepping into a fairyland that had only ever existed in her imagination. Her eyes widened, and her face was filled with awe and curiosity. She had never witnessed such a bustling and lively scene before. Every novel thing attracted her gaze like a lodestone, and those wonderful images were deeply engraved in her mind, temporarily making her forget the hardships of the long journey.

Watching Song静姝's curious yet slightly bewildered gaze, a trace of warmth welled up in Lu Jingshu's heart. This girl was like a little fawn that had mistakenly wandered into the mortal world, innocent yet resilient. He smiled softly and said, "Little girl, this is Chang'an. Even better than you imagined, right?"

Song Jingshu nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling with a light that intertwined excitement and amazement, shining bright and pure like stars in the night sky. In her heart, she was filled with gratitude toward Lu Jingshu. It was he who had brought her to Chang'an and given her the hope of survival.

"Well then, since you've come from afar, as the host, let me treat you to a meal in Chang'an," Lu Jingshu said warmly. This little girl must have suffered a great deal along the way.

Before Song Jingshu could even refuse, she was pulled by the hand and led into a small shop by Lu Jingshu. The small shop was far from luxurious; on the contrary, its walls were mottled and several tiles on the roof were damaged, exuding an aged atmosphere that seemed somewhat out of place with the bustling streetscape of Chang'an. Lu Jingshu chose this place because he frequented it, the food tasted good, and he did not want to make Song Jingshu feel pressured. A luxurious establishment might make this unpretentious girl feel uneasy.

"Boss, bring a bowl of mixed mutton soup, and some soft food," Lu Jingshu called out.

"Coming right up! Lord Lu, please take a seat!" the boss responded enthusiastically.

Perhaps because Lu Jingshu's flying-fish robe was too eye-catching, the diners inside could not help glancing at him repeatedly, their eyes filled with a mix of awe and curiosity. Lu Jingshu was long accustomed to such gazes, but he still subconsciously glanced at Song Jingshu, worried that she might feel uncomfortable.

As a large, steaming bowl of mixed mutton soup was served, the mutton offal tumbled within the broth, and the rising steam carried an appetizing fragrance right toward them. Saliva continuously secreted in Song Jingshu's mouth; it had been far too long since she had smelled such an alluring aroma of food. Only a single thought echoed in her mind: This is food, and I am allowed to eat it.

Lu Jingshu glanced at her, picked up a large bowl, and used his chopsticks to transfer most of the mutton offal into his own bowl.

Song Jingshu froze at Lu Jingshu's action, a flicker of curiosity flashing through her eyes. Why did he take most of the meat away? Did he not want me to eat?

However, this thought vanished as quickly as it came; after all, providing her with any food at all was already an immense grace.

"I'll eat more, you eat less. Hurry up and eat, it won't taste as good once it gets cold," Lu Jingshu said.

Even though Lu Jingshu had taken away the greater share, Song Jingshu was already more than satisfied. At this moment, her heart was entirely filled with the joy of finally being able to take a bite of something. She told herself inwardly: It doesn't matter, having something to eat is already wonderful, I cannot be greedy.

She wolfed down the small portion of meat as if it were the most delicious delicacy in the world, sending the contents of her bowl into her stomach in just a few bites. Meanwhile, Lu Jingshu ate leisurely, not forgetting to remind her, "Eat slowly, don't act like a starving ghost re-incarnated. No one is going to fight you for it." Watching her ravenous manner, he found it both amusing and somewhat heartbreaking.

Once Song Jingshu finished the meat in her bowl, she picked up the bowl and drank down the remaining soup in one breath. Afterward, she licked her lips, clearly still craving more. She looked at Lu Jingshu, who was still dining leisurely, and said softly, "Thank you."

"Just doing what's expected," Lu Jingshu replied without raising his head, continuing to pick at the mutton offal in his bowl.

"Then... may I leave now?" Song Jingshu ventured cautiously.

Lu Jingshu swallowed the food in his mouth, raised his head, and stared straight at Song Jingshu with a trace of seriousness in his eyes. "What's the rush? No matter what you want to do, you must at least wait until you've eaten your fill and settled down."

He took another large bite of meat, chewed thoroughly, and swallowed before continuing, "You are someone I brought in, so you cannot leave just yet. I'm sorry, keeping an eye on you is also part of my job."

Looking into Lu Jingshu's eyes—which revealed a steadfast and reassuring strength—Song Jingshu's heart inexplicably calmed down, and a sense of safety welled up naturally from within.

"Here it comes, Lord Lu, the corn porridge you ordered." The boss placed a steaming bowl of corn porridge on the table.

Lu Jingshu nodded, pulled ten copper coins from his tunic, and handed them to the boss.

Song Jingshu looked at the steaming bowl of corn porridge, its golden grains radiating a sweet fragrance, and involuntarily swallowed her saliva. The porridge looked so delicious; how wonderful it would be if she could eat a little more.

Observing her yearning expression, Lu Jingshu pushed the corn porridge toward her. "I ordered this for you, but you must drink it slowly. For every single sip you take, you must tell me ten sentences," he said with a completely serious expression. "A person who hasn't eaten for days will die of a burst stomach if they suddenly eat too much. Just eat until you're half full, understand?"

Song Jingshu had never heard of the notion that eating too much could kill someone, but since Lu Jingshu said so, she believed him. Resisting her hunger, she consumed the corn porridge in tiny sips. The sweet flavor of the corn spread across the tip of her tongue, making it hard to stop, yet her reason held her back from devouring it all at once.

With every single bite she took, she truly spoke ten sentences to Lu Jingshu, recounting sights she had seen along the road and describing her inner feelings. In this manner, it took her a full half-hour to finish the bowl of porridge.

Seeing that she had finished, Lu Jingshu asked her, "Are you full?"

Song Jingshu shook her head.

Lu Jingshu smiled. "Good that you aren't."

He stood up, sized Song Jingshu up, and made some calculations in his mind. "Look at how unkempt you are. I'll take you to a bathhouse first to wash up, then I'll have a couple of outfits made for you, and we need to find a doctor to look at those wounds on your body. Do you even know that your toes are festering?"

Hearing Lu Jingshu's nagging, Song Jingshu said nothing, merely standing quietly. A trace of doubt lingered in her heart: Why is he treating me so well? I am nothing more than a helpless stranger.

"The money spent on you today must be repaid; I am not giving it to you for free! I ate most of that mixed mutton soup, so consider that your treat to me, understood?" Lu Jingshu said deliberately in a harsh tone. In truth, he did not want Song Jingshu to feel like he was bestowing charity upon her, hoping she could maintain her self-respect.

Hearing him speak thus, Song Jingshu finally raised her head and nodded earnestly. "Consider it my treat to you then! Once I have money, I will definitely pay you back!"

Next, Lu Jingshu led Song Jingshu to a bathhouse. The proprietress of the bathhouse looked at Song Jingshu's filthy appearance with unconcealed disgust and was initially unwilling to receive her. After much persuasion and spending a considerable amount of money, Lu Jingshu finally swayed the proprietress.

Muttering under her breath, the proprietress led Song Jingshu into the bathing quarters, prepared hot water and washing supplies, and thoroughly scrubbed Song Jingshu from head to toe.

After the bath, Lu Jingshu handed newly purchased clothes and wooden clogs to the proprietress, asking her to help Song Jingshu change.

When Song Jingshu stepped out of the bathhouse, she looked like a completely different person. Her hair cascaded down her back like black silk; her cheeks were rosy, her eyes bright and clear. Although her skin was somewhat dark, it possessed a healthy wheat-toned hue. Dressed in clean, well-fitting clothes, anyone would have believed her to be a young lady from a noble household. The only thing out of place was the pair of wooden clogs, though even they could not detract from her beauty.

Seeing her still-festering toes, Lu Jingshu's heart softened involuntarily, filled with sympathy for this strong yet pitiful girl.

"Come, get on my back. I'll carry you to see a doctor," Lu Jingshu said, crouching down. "That doctor is exceptionally skilled; he's a good schoolmate of mine!"

Watching him bend down, Song Jingshu felt rather unaccustomed to it. No one had ever treated her this way throughout her entire life. Hesitation flickered in her heart—she felt she was causing Lu Jingshu too much trouble—yet simultaneously, a thread of warmth stirred within. This feeling of being cared for made her want to cry.

It wasn't until Lu Jingshu grew slightly impatient and urged, "Hurry up and get on, what are you waiting for?" that Song Jingshu slowly climbed onto his back.

Lu Jingshu's shoulders were broad, and his back was wide; resting against it provided a steady sense of security. Song Jingshu was utterly exhausted, and the fatigue of the past few days surged forward like a tide. She told herself inwardly: Just rest for a moment, just for a moment. For reasons unknown, she drifted straight to sleep right on Lu Jingshu's back.

Hearing the soft, gentle snoring coming from the girl on his back, a faint smile curved the corners of Lu Jingshu's mouth. He slowed his pace even further, terrified of waking her up, while simultaneously relishing the feeling of carrying her, an inexplicable sense of responsibility rising within his heart.

...

"Old Hu, Old Hu, open the door quickly! Stop sleeping, save someone!"

Lu Jingshu kicked open the doors of the Renxin Medical Hall, the wooden panels crashing against the wall with a loud bang.

A man who was in the midst of sipping small cups of wine was startled upon seeing Lu Jingshu charge in, but upon noticing the girl carried on his back, he dropped the matter of the kicked-in door. Instead, he bantered teasingly, "Well, well, well, Old Lu! You've carried a little bride back to my place! Looks underage, too. You're violating the laws of Xianyang, you know that? What crime is this, Commander Qianhu?"

Hearing Old Hu's teasing, Lu Jingshu felt both anxious and embarrassed. "When is this, and Old Hu is still joking around! This girl's foot injury cannot be delayed. Besides, she's someone I'm assigned to watch—work duty, understand? Hurry up and check if she has any injuries anywhere on her body, and treat them all. Especially her foot; the toenails have fallen off, the soles are worn through, and it has already festered."

Seeing Lu Jingshu's anxious appearance, the man known as Old Hu stopped joking, recognizing that Lu Jingshu was genuinely worried. He hurriedly put down his wine cup and came over to help Lu Jingshu settle Song Jingshu onto the bed.

Song Jingshu, who had been fast asleep, was also awakened by their argument. She blinked sleepily, her eyes still hazy with confusion. Fear gripped her heart, as she had no idea where she was.

Seeing her wake up, Lu Jingshu hastened to comfort her: "This is the doctor I found. You must tell him if anything on your body hurts, and don't be shy, alright? Just call him Doctor Hu!" He hoped to help Song Jingshu relax, knowing how frightened she must feel right now.

Song Jingshu nodded half-comprehendingly. Gazing at Lu Jingshu, her heart settled somewhat.

Hu Bugui examined Song Jingshu's foot with a grave expression, his brow deeply furrowed. "This foot injury is far too severe. If it isn't treated properly, it might lead to a permanent disability. Old Lu, you've really handed me a tough problem!"

As he spoke, he strode quickly toward the medicine cabinet. "Go on, fetch my scalpel and disinfectant!"

Hearing this, Lu Jingshu promptly went to assist Hu Bugui in retrieving the instruments, a trace of tension showing in his eyes. He knew Song Jingshu's foot injury could wait no longer, but he had never imagined it was this severe!