"It doesn't look like a trap, but we can't just guard their house. I'll go take a look. You and Xue'er wait here first."
Ye Tiancheng also wanted to know what was happening, so he followed. The incident was about a ten-minute walk from the woman's house. Ye Tiancheng arrived in just a few minutes.
A large crowd had already gathered at the scene. The weather was quite cold, and everyone was wearing thick cotton-padded jackets. Their breaths turned into visible steam, making it look very chilly. Yet, everyone seemed to be in high spirits, gathered around to see what was going on.
"What's going on? My husband drives a taxi. Could he have been robbed? Otherwise, it can't be anything else. He's a very honest person and never offends anyone."
The woman couldn't hold back any longer and started crying. She collapsed there and cried uncontrollably. Everyone quickly rushed to help her up, and the scene became very chaotic.
No one wanted to see the woman so upset, but she was crying uncontrollably. No one could console her, and they were at their wits' end. They watched as the woman suffered from her husband's disappearance.
"Madam, the police have been notified and will help you find your husband. Crying like this now is very bad for your health and won't help. It's best to calm down and take it slowly."
Others were trying their best to persuade her, but no one could truly empathize. The feeling of losing one's closest loved one is perhaps something only one can truly experience.
"If my husband is gone, I don't want to live either. I might as well die with him. Otherwise, being left alone is just pain."
The woman sobbed uncontrollably, not knowing what had happened to her husband. Before this, the woman had suddenly fainted, which startled everyone into an uproar. They quickly took her to the nearest clinic.
Perhaps accustomed to taking charge when problems arose, Ye Tiancheng hid behind a tree and quietly used his tracking ability.
He discovered that her husband was not far away, only about a ten-minute walk, located at the foot of a small hill.
Ye Tiancheng couldn't expose himself, as it would cause him a lot of trouble. So, he quietly reported the situation to the police via a phone call.
Soon, the woman's husband was found. He was black all over and unconscious. The doctor said they couldn't find any specific problems, but it would be difficult for him to wake up now, and they couldn't determine when he would regain consciousness.
The woman cried again at the hospital, and it was getting dark. The matter was still unresolved. Ye Tiancheng went later. They had already wasted a day, not just guarding the house for the woman, but now they couldn't leave. It would be too unrighteous to just leave like this.
"Uh, Madam, we've already spent too much time at your house and can't guard it anymore. The three of us are leaving. Here are the keys. Please accept our condolences."
"It's meaningless. No amount of money means anything to me now. My husband has become like this. You don't need to give me the keys back. Whoever wants to steal from the house can steal whatever they want. Nothing matters to me anymore."
Seeing her so emotional, Ye Tiancheng felt a pang of sympathy. However, he also knew that he shouldn't meddle in things that weren't his business. He had already been too involved, otherwise, he wouldn't have wasted so much time. So, he knew his limits and shouldn't create more trouble.
"Thank you, sir. Please hurry and continue your journey. Don't let it delay your matters."
She remembered that she should be polite to him, after all, Ye Tiancheng had helped her. Whatever happened at the woman's house was just her personal matter and had nothing to do with Ye Tiancheng.
"Alright, then I'm leaving."
Just as Ye Tiancheng was about to leave, some workers in the corridor were moving something. It was likely maintenance work near the hospital's back door. As they came over, the woman happened to be looking down at her phone and didn't see the maintenance workers approaching. The two groups collided. Such a tall ladder, if it fell on someone, could knock them out instantly.
Ye Tiancheng watched with a pounding heart. Although the woman was a stranger to him, he couldn't bear to watch. He felt it would be too cold-blooded to stand by and do nothing.
At the critical moment, Ye Tiancheng leaped forward to block it, not considering that his true qi was gone.
Thus, the ladder fell and hit Ye Tiancheng's back. Ye Tiancheng grunted, fell to the ground, and then, with a burst of pain, quickly lost consciousness.
When he woke up, he was in a hospital bed. The woman from earlier was talking to the doctor at the door, and Fatty was standing guard. "Fatty, where's Xue'er?"
"She went to check on the woman's husband's condition. If it's due to some dark energy, I think Miss Xue'er intends to save him."
Wasn't this reckless? Both Ye Tiancheng and Lin Xue were in a rather bad state. Being able to protect themselves was already good enough. If they were to help others, it showed a bit of overconfidence, not knowing their own capabilities.
"No, I need to go find Xue'er. I need to tell her that our priority is to find the Snow Lotus, and we can't afford to waste any more time. It's not too late to save people after we become stronger."
Ye Tiancheng wasn't completely cold-blooded. He just felt that saving people should be done effectively, not without any principles. Mere kindness was useless; sometimes, intelligence was also needed.
"I don't think Miss Xue'er is that foolish, Brother Ye. Don't worry too much. She's such an intelligent girl; she won't do anything beyond her abilities."
"You see my disciple as cold, but in reality, she's warmer than anyone. I'm also worried. I hope this girl doesn't get herself into trouble."
"Then, Brother Ye, why don't you go take a look? I can't say for sure. You should go talk to your disciple yourself. Miss Xue'er listens to you the most."
Ye Tiancheng reluctantly got up to find Lin Xue'er. He heard that the woman's husband's ward was not far from his own, just a few rooms away.
By the time Ye Tiancheng arrived, it was already too late. The woman was expressing her gratitude to Lin Xue. "Miss, are you a fairy from heaven? You've helped me so much. I don't know how to thank you."
"It wasn't me who saved him. Please don't talk nonsense. Your husband woke up on his own; it has nothing to do with me."
While others would be happy to receive thanks, Lin Xue was different. She seemed very distressed and desperately tried to prove that she hadn't saved the person.
When Lin Xue saw Ye Tiancheng, she quickly ran to his side. "Master, the person is fine now. Let's leave quickly."
It seemed Lin Xue wanted to do good deeds without seeking recognition, and Ye Tiancheng naturally chose to fulfill her wish. Their current situation didn't allow for much fanfare. He casually said a few words to the woman and then they set off again.
They traveled for another half day, but the snow was too heavy, and they couldn't continue.
Fortunately, they found a very dilapidated farmhouse. This courtyard was a standalone property, and importantly, it was uninhabited, making it convenient for them to stay there temporarily.
"Brother Ye, it seems there's always a way out. This place is really nice. We can rest here. The mountain pass is blocked by heavy snow, so we can't move forward anyway."
Little Fatty's words were all practical. Although the farmhouse looked very run-down, it provided them with shelter from the wind and rain, which was good enough. After all, the further they went, the more desolate it became, and the wind blew as if it would tear their faces apart, acting as arrogant as a wild beast.
"Alright, then I'll rest here temporarily. We traveled quite fast today, and we should take a break."
The three of them quickly entered the farmhouse, and then wisps of cooking smoke rose from the courtyard. This was the marvel of humanity. Any desolate place, as long as it was inhabited, gained a touch of life.
"I suspect someone used to live here, but not as a permanent resident. Perhaps hunters who hunted nearby set up camp here temporarily. It's fine for us to use the place, as no one is competing with us for it now."
As soon as they arrived, Fatty began to showcase his culinary skills. There was a large iron pot in the house.
Fatty found a large spatula and started stir-frying twice-cooked pork. The aroma of the twice-cooked pork was intoxicating, as it was simply too fragrant.
Ye Tiancheng didn't know why, but he was usually fine on the road. However, as soon as he lay down on the kang, he would fall asleep. By the time the food was ready, Ye Tiancheng had already slept for a while, feeling groggy and somewhat dizzy.
"Brother Ye, the braised pork has been cooling for a while. If you don't eat it soon, it'll be gone."
This was the pork they bought on the road, and it was quite fresh. Fatty didn't know what else to make, so he decided to make some braised pork to reward everyone for their hard work.
"I'm getting up now. I can't sleep anymore. Once it's completely dark, I'll probably fall asleep immediately. I have to get up now."
If he didn't force himself to get up, Ye Tiancheng suspected he wouldn't be able to get up at all. So, he had to force himself to get up, considering it a promise to himself.
Ye Tiancheng got up and also called Lin Xue over. Then they ate together. The three of them sat around a small wooden table. The stools were incredibly short. Anyway, it was a dilapidated place, and they just made do with a place to eat. Otherwise, they really couldn't stand it. It was snowing outside, and inside the house, there was a smell of decaying wood. They even suspected that the house could collapse at any moment. They were only staying here temporarily; it wouldn't do in the long run.
"Fatty, your cooking has improved. The braised pork is crispy and fragrant, and it's absolutely delicious."
"Brother Ye, it's mainly because we brought enough ingredients. Otherwise, even a skilled cook can't cook without rice. We have all sorts of spices, and we can use them freely without any stinginess. We brought plenty, so we can stay here for another two or three months, and it will still be enough."
Lin Xue was capable and always took the lead, acting as an assassin. Fatty was a good support. With Fatty around, they didn't have to worry about trivial matters.
Ye Tiancheng didn't have time to think about his troubles. The main thing was to fill his stomach. Braised pork and rice were a perfect match. Ye Tiancheng wolfed down nearly three bowls of rice, leaving the other two stunned, suspecting that Ye Tiancheng had a mental problem.
"Brother Ye, as long as you can eat, that's fine. I was worried about you because you were so troubled that you might not be able to eat."