Jinyi Spring

At noon, Guo Hei and Duan Yan arrived with congratulatory gifts, including those from their master to Feng Chuchen and her brother.

Guo Hei kowtowed to Guo Lei and his wife, offering them a lingzhi mushroom and four bolts of cloth.

The Guo Lei couple grew increasingly fond of their son-in-law. They were also even more grateful to Feng Chuchen; since their daughter had become a servant in the Feng family, not only had their lives improved, but they had also found such a capable and wealthy son-in-law.

At noon, twelve tables were set up in the west courtyard, and Feng Changfu and Feng Buji were in charge of entertaining guests.

Feng Chuchen dislikes crowds and eats alone in the east courtyard.

The villagers, seeing Guo Hei's imposing presence and Duan Yan's refined and handsome appearance, and having already heard from Wu San about their backgrounds, were filled with envy. They never imagined that Banxia and Shaoyao would have such good fortune.

Unfortunately, Feng Chuchen has not yet found a husband.

Just as we were finishing our meal, a sharp, commotion suddenly erupted from outside the courtyard.

"God has no eyes! My own daughter has become successful and doesn't even recognize her own mother anymore!"

"Girl, you've married into a wealthy family, you should at least help your own family out! Where's your husband? Tell him to come out! Your parents-in-law, brothers-in-law, and other relatives are all here, how can he have the nerve to hide?"

"Big sister, your brother is still waiting for you to bring money home to get married!"

……

Banxia's parents, along with an older brother and a younger brother, rushed straight to the west courtyard gate.

They heard that Banxia had been engaged to a good family—her fiancé's father was the deputy steward of the princess's residence, her elder brother had been appointed as a county magistrate, and the family was very wealthy. He himself was also a fine person, as handsome as someone who had stepped out of a painting.

With such wealthy in-laws, how could one sit still?

Aunt Wang's shrill voice was the first to explode, "You still have the nerve to come and claim Banxia? When that child was born, you all said she couldn't be raised, that she was just a little girl, and that you wanted to drown her in a basin! It was my kind-hearted older sister who took her home and raised her with just rice porridge and medicine."

“When she was four or five years old, you shamelessly came to take her away, and my eldest sister paid for her. Now that Banxia has become successful, you come to claim kinship again, but it's too late! Banxia is a maid of the Feng family; she only has her master, not her parents!”

At the courtyard gate, Banxia's face was ashen, and she was trembling violently, supported by Shaoyao and Mujin on either side. She bit her lip tightly, tears streaming down her face, but she couldn't utter a single word.

"Make way."

A clear, crisp voice rang out from behind.

Duan Yan came out.

He wore a lake-blue robe with dark patterns, and several fine blue-white jade pendants hung from his waist. The sight of him standing there made the smoky and disgusting atmosphere at the courtyard gate appear even more filthy and contemptible.

He didn't speak harshly, but turned to look at Banxia and said in a very soft voice, "Don't be afraid."

That gaze was calm and steady, like a handful of cool water poured on a burning heart.

Banxia's tears flowed even more profusely, and she nodded.

Duan Yan turned to the four people, his gentle expression vanishing, leaving only a faint, aloof demeanor. He slowly took out a plain money pouch from his sleeve, untied the drawstring, poured out two taels of silver, and held it in his palm.

"I've taken the money, so you don't need to run around anymore. I settled the score with you fifteen years ago for Banxia's life-saving grace."

He paused, placed the silver on the stone stool by the courtyard gate, and withdrew his hand.

"These two ounces are the last bit of gratitude I owe for repaying the child who was 'born without drowning'. If they come again—if they failed to abandon the child back then and now come to cause trouble, then I will have to plead my case before the local officials."

There was complete silence at the entrance to the courtyard.

Banxia's father stared at the gleaming silver, swallowed hard, and grabbed it into his palm.

Amidst snickers and muttered curses, the group slunk away from the crowd.

Banxia's eyes were red and her voice was broken, "I'm sorry, I embarrassed you."

Duan Yan gently shook her head, her tone gentle, "Don't be sad, it's not your fault."

Today is a banquet at Miss Feng's new house, so it's best not to make too much of a fuss. Let's send them away with some money first. He'll have someone come to visit properly later.

Everyone went back to continue eating.

Banxia arrived at the East Courtyard, knelt down and kowtowed to Feng Chuchen to apologize, "Miss, I'm sorry, I ruined your 'new family banquet'."

Feng Chuchen got up and helped her up. "It's not your fault, it's that family's fault for being immoral."

Mu Jin couldn't help but interject, "Miss, you didn't see it. Just now, Master Duan was so imposing—he didn't say much, and his voice wasn't loud, but when he stood there, those people were like chickens with their throats choked, unable to utter a single word. Sister Banxia, ​​Master Duan protects you to the core."

Banxia blushed.

Feng Chuchen smiled and said, "This shows that Banxia has found the right person."

Duan Yan and Guo Hei have different personalities. If it were Guo Hei, he wouldn't give a single penny and would even beat people up. But Duan Yan's actions might be more acceptable to outsiders, as he both got rid of the person and saved Banxia's face.

Upon hearing this, Banxia's earlier gloom dissipated like the wind.

It wasn't until early afternoon, around 3 PM, that all the guests were seen off.

The courtyard finally quieted down.

The autumn night was deep and vast, the clear moonlight like a ribbon, spilling across the silent mountains. The rolling mountain shadows slept soundly, only the countless stars twinkling in the sky.

Suddenly, two agile figures darted out from the forest—it was Cephalosporin and Ame.

Amei dragged a limp, drooping body from her mouth. They circled the reeds and rushed toward the village.

A small bird flapped its wings overhead, following closely behind.

Finally, they arrived at the familiar courtyard wall. There was a small hole at the base of the wall, but Amo's injuries were too severe to fit it through.

Ah Xuan chirped anxiously a few times, then fluttered over the courtyard wall and landed in front of a small window, pecking at the window paper with his beak.

"Woof woof!" Big Head was the first to wake up and jumped out of the hut.

Feng Chuchen also woke up.

She recognized Ah Xuan's voice, her heart tightened, and she quickly put on her clothes, got up, and opened the door.

Ah Xuan flew onto her hand, flapping its wings and chirping urgently and loudly, "Little Momo! Blood, blood!"

The word "blood" was something it learned from its master on the battlefield. This was the first time Feng Chuchen had ever heard it use it.

"Momo is bleeding? Is she injured?"

Peony heard the commotion and ran out, putting on her outer garment.

Without thinking twice, Feng Chuchen grabbed the carrying pole standing in the corner with one hand, grabbed Datou with the other, opened the east gate, and ran out.

Peony also picked up an iron rod and followed closely behind.

Bypassing the courtyard wall, in the moonlight, one could clearly see Cephalosporin and Ame standing at the entrance of the cave. At their feet, Little Amo lay motionless on the ground, covered in blood.

Feng Chuchen's heart sank. She quickly stepped forward, bent down, picked up Xiao Amo, and ran into the yard.

Don't let Amo's age fool you; he's only one year old and already weighs 60 or 70 pounds.

Once inside the courtyard, Peony turned around and locked the door.

Aunt Wang was also alarmed. She put on her clothes and came out. When she saw the bloodied and mangled wolf in Feng Chuchen's arms, she gasped and quickly followed him into the house.

Feng Chuchen placed Momo on the octagonal table.

Under the light, Momo's injuries were shocking. Her back, legs, and neck were torn and bleeding, so much so that her original fur color was no longer visible. There was also a small hole in her belly, through which a section of pink intestine was exposed, wet and sticky.

Its eyes were tightly closed, its mouth half-open, and it remained motionless. Cephalosporin and Ame, with tears in their eyes, let out low, trembling sobs. They jumped onto the table and kept nuzzling their son with their mouths, trying to bring back the last bit of warmth that remained.

But their intuition told them that their son was probably... not coming back.

While washing her hands, Feng Chuchen quickly gave instructions, "Peony, medicine box, disinfectant, quick! Aunt Wang, prepare anesthetic powder and give it to Amo..."

She looked up at the two large wolves and said softly, "Little Momo is badly injured. I'll do my best."

She didn't even dare to say for sure that she could be saved.

She then gestured for them to go down and not to bother her.

First, check the exposed section of intestine—thankfully, it's not broken.

Feng Chuchen carefully pushed the intestines back into the abdominal cavity, then picked up a needle and thread and meticulously sutured the small hole in her belly. Next came the head, neck, back, legs... Each wound was carefully cleaned, disinfected, sutured, and treated with medicine. In some places, the hair had to be shaved off.

After what seemed like an eternity, the last stitch was finally completed.

The two wolves jumped onto the table again and saw that their son's eyes were still closed and he showed no signs of waking up.

Amei's sobs grew louder, sounding like a desperate lament.

Feng Chuchen took out silver needles again, concentrated for a moment, and slowly inserted them into Xiao Momo's head and stomach.

She had never tested these acupoints on a wolf before, but at this moment, she could only rely on her intuition and years of experience to carefully channel her internal energy into them. The needle's end was gently twisted, causing a subtle vibration.

This is her applying the Sun God Needle.

She couldn't tell whether wolves were suitable for treatment, so she could only treat "dead wolves" as "live wolves."

After about fifteen minutes, beads of sweat had appeared on Feng Chuchen's forehead.

Suddenly, she heard two soft, murmuring laughs beside her ear, gentle, sweet, and soft, like heavenly music.

The Taiyin Divine Needle worked.

Feng Chuchen felt relieved, a slow smile curved her lips, and she removed the silver needles.

"It came to life."

Cephalosporin and Ame seemed to understand what she said, but they were incredulous, or rather, they couldn't believe it.

They stared blankly at their son, whose eyes were still tightly closed. He hadn't moved, and his eyes were still closed...

Suddenly, Amo's belly rose and fell slightly.

Immediately afterwards, a very soft "hmm" escaped from its mouth.

The tears that had been welling up in Amei's eyes finally rolled down her cheeks. She stuck out her tongue and gently licked her son's bloodstained fur, again and again.

Cephalosporin jumped off the table and slowly walked to Feng Chuchen's legs, nuzzling her head against her repeatedly. In that silent force was its most solemn gratitude.

Feng Chuchen was exhausted. She let out a long sigh, her legs went weak, and she sat down directly in the chair.

Peony brought over a copper basin and helped her wash her hands.

Aunt Wang helped her lie down on the bed.

Cephalosporin and Ame stood guard at the bedroom door, glancing at Feng Chuchen on the bed one moment and then at little Amo on the floor the next, their eyes filled with conflict.

They couldn't bear to part with their son, yet they also wanted to stay with their saviors.

Aunt Wang saw through their thoughts and shook her head with a smile.

She found a mattress, placed it on the footrest, gently picked up Amo and put it on, then covered Amo with a corner of the mattress.

Little Momo curled up in that soft spot, her chest rising and falling gently, sleeping peacefully just like the person on the bed.

Two wolves walked in, squatted down in front of the bed, looked at the person on the bed, and then looked at the wolves under the bed.

When Feng Chuchen woke up, a ray of warm sunlight shone softly on her face through the window lattice.

She turned her head to the side.

Before the bed, Cephalosporin and Ame sat upright. Behind them, Feng Buji and Wang Shuping sat in a row on two small stools, their hands neatly placed on their knees. Axuan stood on Feng Buji's lap, his beady black eyes darting around.

My gaze slid down to where little Momo was curled up in her blanket, her belly rising and falling, fast asleep.

Ten eyes, big and small, stared at her and Xiao Momo, their tenderness almost outshining the autumn sunlight.

Feng Chuchen remembered that she had performed surgery on Amo and also administered the Taiyin Divine Needle.

Wolves can also use the Taiyin Divine Needle!

She asked, "Has Momo woken up?"

Feng Buji said, "Momo woke up once this morning. Sister Shaoyao fed it a bowl of minced meat, and Aunt Wang fed it half a bowl of medicine. Cephalosporin and Amei ate a big bowl of pork! Uncle Qian cleaned up the bloodstains in the backyard and on the road early this morning, so that no one will know that a wolf has come to our house."

Wang Shuping had already gotten up and run to the door, shouting at the top of her lungs, "Sister Mujin, Big Sister is awake and it's time to eat!"

Feng Chuchen finished dressing, but her legs still felt a little weak.

After Peony helped her finish washing up, Hibiscus entered carrying a tray and lifting the curtain.

A bowl of bird's nest porridge, two boiled eggs, and two large meat buns.

Feng Chuchen was really hungry, and she devoured everything in a flash.

She had Peony lift Amo, still wrapped in his blanket, and place him in a sunny spot in the courtyard.

"Get some sun, and your wound will heal faster."

Little Momo whimpered sleepily, its eyes still closed, but its body stretched out a bit more in the sunlight. Feng Chuchen changed its dressing again; the stitches on its little belly were fine and neat, and the edges of the wound had dried considerably.

The autumn sun was warm, neither too hot nor too cold, and a gentle breeze occasionally blew by, carrying a faint fragrance.

Cephalosporin lay down next to its son, resting its head on its front paws and squinting in the sun. Amei lay at Feng Chuchen's feet, occasionally rubbing its head against her calf, letting out a satisfied hum.

Ah Xuan flew around in circles in the yard, singing a cheerful song.

Feng Buji and Wang Shuping also moved a small stool to sit on the side, propping their chins up as they watched Xiao Momo sleep. Their two heads were close together, holding their breath, as if they were looking at some extraordinary treasure.

"When will it open its eyes?" Wang Shuping asked in a low voice.

"Soon." Feng Chuchen leaned back lazily in her chair, her voice tinged with a lazy satisfaction. "Once it has regained all the energy it had saved up, it will naturally open its eyes."

Aunt Wang and Banxia had already gone to the clinic. Wang Shuping refused to go with his mother and insisted on staying to play with the wolves.

Only Uncle Qian and his wife remained in the west courtyard, quietly busy with their work.

This small courtyard became the domain of a few wolves, a few people, a bird, and a dog, as quiet as a paradise.

The warm sunlight shone down, bathing them in a soft golden hue.

Feng Chuchen gently stroked Amei's back, his fingers sinking into the thick fur, his voice low, as if he were talking to himself.

"Thank you for the ginseng... We've helped each other, and redeemed each other in a way."

For most of the day, Feng Chuchen basked in the sun, doing nothing, thinking nothing, feeling lazy and comfortable to the point that her bones felt like they were melting. (End of Chapter)