RPAGF Chapter 268 You're awake, your man is worried sick!
Chapter 268 You're awake, your man is worried sick!
The afternoon sun slanted through the simple window frame and onto the earthen bed.
The room was filled with a faint scent of herbs and the aroma of burning firewood.
Chu Ruohan's eyelashes trembled slightly a few times before she slowly opened them.
An unfamiliar rooftop, rough earthen walls, and an old cotton quilt that smelled of sunshine covering me.
She was momentarily dazed, her consciousness seemingly obscured by something, blurry and unclear.
My throat was terribly dry, and even the slightest movement sent a sharp pain through my neck.
Fragments of memory began to resurface—the cold, damp cave, the pile of letters, Gu Cheng'an's anxious face…
Where is she?
"Girl, are you awake?"
An unfamiliar voice sounded from the side, tinged with surprise.
Chu Ruohan turned her head and saw an old woman dressed in coarse cloth, with a kind face, holding an empty bowl in her hand, with some medicine stains on the rim of the bowl.
The old woman put down her bowl, a simple and honest smile appearing on her face.
"That's great, she's finally awake and her fever has gone down."
The old woman chattered on and on, reached out to touch Chu Ruohan's forehead, and nodded in satisfaction.
"Wait here, I'm going to get your man right now!"
man?
Chu Ruohan was stunned. These two words were like a sudden blow, leaving her somewhat dazed.
She wanted to ask, but her throat was too sore, and she could only manage a faint whisper.
The old woman, oblivious to her strange behavior, turned and hurried away, muttering, "Your husband was so worried, he watched over you for three days and three nights..."
Chu Ruohan struggled to sit up, her whole body aching and weak, and the pain in her neck made her frown instantly.
What exactly is the situation now?
Wasn't she hiding in a cave with Gu Cheng'an? How did she end up here? And... with a man?
Before long, a series of hurried footsteps approached from afar.
The curtain was suddenly flung open, and Gu Cheng'an's tall figure rushed in, looking travel-worn.
His hair was somewhat disheveled, and there were stubbles on his chin, making him look less handsome and neat than before. But his deep eyes were filled with undisguised worry and ecstatic joy at seeing her wake up.
"You finally woke up!"
Gu Cheng'an strode to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), his voice slightly trembling with excitement.
He bent down and carefully examined her face, his gaze finally landing on the strip of cloth wrapped around her neck, his brows furrowing involuntarily.
"Are there any discomforts?"
He spoke very softly, with a cautious concern in his voice.
She licked her chapped lips and, with all her might, managed to squeeze out a few words in a hoarse voice.
"Where is this?"
Gu Cheng'an immediately turned around and poured her a glass of water before explaining, "That day you injured your neck, and then you fell into the water and caught a chill, which caused you to develop a high fever and fall into a coma."
“I was afraid that Gu Chengyan’s men were still searching the mountain, so I didn’t dare to go back. I could only carry you on my back and come out from the other side of the mountain.”
"It took almost a day and a night to find this village, called Niutou Village." His tone was calm, but it couldn't hide the hardship he had endured.
Chu Ruohan sipped her water and listened quietly, feeling much more comfortable in her throat as the water soothed her.
He carried her on his back, who was delirious with a high fever, while also evading potential pursuers, traversing unfamiliar mountain forests... How difficult and dangerous that must have been...
"Thank you," she said softly, her voice still hoarse.
Gu Cheng'an shook his head slightly, a gentle smile in his eyes: "It's good that you're alright. I have to get you back safely."
“Cheng Yan…” Gu Cheng’an didn’t know what to say for a moment. He didn’t know what had happened between Chu Ruohan and Gu Cheng Yan, and his apology at this moment seemed too pale.
Chu Ruohan remained silent, and a moment of silence fell between them.
A rooster crowed outside, and sunlight filtered through the paper window, casting dappled shadows on the floor. Chu Ruohan looked down and realized that the coarse cloth clothes she was wearing were not the ones she had worn that day.
"My clothes?" She looked up, somewhat puzzled.
Gu Cheng'an immediately explained, "It was your mother-in-law who changed it for you."
He spoke so quickly, as if afraid that Chu Ruohan might have some unnecessary misunderstanding.
His ears turned slightly red, and his gaze unconsciously avoided Chu Ruohan's eyes.
“When you had a high fever, your clothes were completely soaked. Your mother-in-law was worried that it would get worse, so she helped you change your clothes,” Gu Chengan added, his voice gradually becoming calmer.
Chu Ruohan nodded and then asked, "Why does my mother-in-law call you my man?"
This question clearly made Gu Cheng'an even more uncomfortable.
He pursed his lips, a hint of embarrassment on his face, and raised his hand to rub the back of his neck—a small, unconscious gesture he made when he felt awkward or uncomfortable.
"In order to avoid arousing suspicion and to make it easier to take care of you, I... I lied and said that we were husband and wife."
Chu Ruohan frowned, her tone clearly displeased.
Why not say they are siblings?
Using the names of brother and sister seems more reasonable and can better avoid suspicion.
Gu Cheng'an looked even more embarrassed, and his eyes flickered.
“At the time, when my mother-in-law saw you were unconscious and I was so anxious, she naturally assumed we were husband and wife. She even praised me as a loving and devoted husband, so I…acquiesced.” He explained softly, “That also makes it easier to explain why I took care of you.”
Chu Ruohan understood the reason behind it. Although she felt a little awkward, she knew that under those circumstances, it was probably the most helpless but also the most convenient choice.
She tried to move her body, but the movement aggravated the wound on her neck, causing her to frown slightly.
Seeing this, Gu Cheng'an immediately asked with concern, "Does your wound hurt again? Should I go find your mother-in-law to help you change your dressing?"
Chu Ruohan shook her head: "No need, a rest is fine." She paused for a moment, then asked, "How long have we been here?"
“It’s been three days,” Gu Cheng’an replied. “Your fever has just subsided, so you still need to rest more. Once you’re feeling better, we’ll return to the capital.”
Chu Ruohan shook her head and forced herself to sit up: "I'm fine, let's go back as soon as possible."
Seeing that Gu Cheng'an was about to stop her, she added, "I fell off a cliff and have been missing for so long, Junze... he must be frantic with worry."
Mentioning Gu Junze, Gu Cheng'an's eyes flickered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. He knew Chu Ruohan was right and nodded.
“Okay, but it’s getting late, and the mountain road is rugged. It’s too dangerous to travel at night.”
"Your current physical condition can't withstand any more stress."
"We'll set off first thing tomorrow morning."
Chu Ruohan considered it for a moment, feeling the waves of fatigue coming from her body and the faint pain from her wounds, and knew that what he said was true.
She finally nodded, and then slowly lay down again.
She did feel a deep fatigue; her body was far from recovered enough to support the long journey.