Chapter 9

Nanshan shook his head, indicating that the person would not be coming.

Xiao Fang—despite learning that his real name is "Fierce Monkey," Chu Huan personally feels that the two characters "Xiao Fang" are simple, easy to understand, and vivid—this friend, although still often giving him a fierce glare, got up early in the morning to sweat profusely while squatting on the ground to prepare medicine for him

After settling the bill, he turned back to glance at the calm yet content expression on Nanshan's face. For some reason, he unexpectedly felt a hint of joy in being assimilated.

He still expressed himself with difficulty, his expression somewhat desolate, yet composed, as if he no longer cared.

Regarding such a tough performance, Nanshan raised his head and smiled at him appreciatively, saying something that sounded very close to Xiaofang's real name.

Zhu Huan paused for a long time under the sign, concluding that this was a hybrid of McDonald's, KFC, and Chongqing Chicken Pot.

Old Wang: "... ... Can we not talk nonsense?"

There was a spot of his flesh and blood stuck to the blade, and when Nanshan peeled off the leaf, he inadvertently tugged at it. Although Chu Huan did not utter a sound, his body trembled violently.

Before Chu Huan could observe carefully, Nanshan had already applied the powder to his wound

However, he had the psychological expectation that "applying medicine would definitely be painful," so this time he did not even shiver; he simply tensed his muscles instinctively and gritted his teeth to endure it.

To forsake the essential for the trivial is somewhat self-indulgent, appearing rather ridiculous... almost endearing

Upon closer inspection, I realized that these letters are not in English, but rather in Pinyin.

Old Wang did not engage in further entanglement with him, but remained silent for a moment before asking: "You just mentioned how you fell down at that time?"

He accepted the other's praise with a pale face, while secretly thinking, "Please don't let it be a fierce donkey."

However, when he saw the pair of clear eyes of Nanshan, he could not help but feel a sense of shame regarding the doubts he held within himself, thus he concealed them very tightly

"Is it really that delicious?" Chu Huan thought, involuntarily slowing down, concentrating the scattered spirit back onto the chicken leg in his hand, which had already been bitten.

What medication did they use on him

Chu Huan judged that the meaning of this praise is likely also "fierce fur X"

I will return by myself after staying for a few days; the environment here is quite good, so I will treat it as a vacation

It is as if the local cellular activity has been greatly enhanced

Chu Huan recalled that throughout his entire adolescence, he was solely focused on fighting for her, fighting as fiercely as a black-eyed chicken, yet he had never once taken the initiative to invite her out to watch a movie or to enjoy an ice cream. He had not even written a single love letter, which is such a well-known gesture. It was simply fighting for the sake of fighting, brawling for the sake of brawling

Chu Huan himself had little appetite. He searched his entire body and found the last half pack of cigarettes. He borrowed a lighter from the landlady, smoked one by the window, and when he returned to his seat, Nanshan suddenly raised his hand to press against his chest.

Xiao Fang initially felt quite impatient and even somewhat hostile towards Chu Huan. However, this hostility had diminished by half during their drinking session the previous day. When the fried chicken was served, Chu Huan could tell that this fierce little monkey was planning to turn their enmity into friendship.

What degree of injury, how to care for it, and how long it will take to heal to what extent, all of these are well understood by Chu Huan. For a gunshot wound like the one on his body, as long as it does not worsen or become infected in the first two days, it can actually be considered well cared for.

It is already the season for wearing trench coats, yet Xiaofang walks around all day with her bare arms, and it is surprisingly still so hot. This makes Chu Huan feel that his friend's energy is a bit too intense.

In the brilliant morning light, countless thoughts surged in Chu Huan's mind. His years of experience dealing with various international fugitives led him to instinctively think of drugs.

That is a type of coarse grain cake, some of which are leavened while others are unleavened. It is evident that it was made several days ago, being both dry and hard, resembling the provisions that ancient people would carry with them when traveling. The texture is exceedingly unpalatable

"I am leaving, goodbye," he said to Old Wang

When he rolled down the cliff, the communication devices fell and broke. It was not until this moment that Chu Huan finally spent fifty cents to borrow the restaurant's phone to call Old Wang, listening to a thorough scolding from him, treating it as a baptism of love from a father-in-law in a past life. Afterwards, he declined Old Wang's suggestion to send someone to pick him up

Nanshan knelt on one knee at the edge of his bed, bent down, and carefully unwrapped the leaves that had been covering Chu Huan's wound since the previous day. It was only upon comparison that he realized, perhaps due to dehydration, the leaves removed from Chu Huan's body had noticeably dried and dulled, as if their vitality had been drained away

During a simple breakfast, Chu Huan began a halting exchange with the other party. He first gestured and asked, "Are you going to wait here for a few more days? Waiting for that teacher to arrive"

Chu Huan turned to his uninjured side, propping himself up with that shoulder. As he emerged from his hangover, he did not feel any discomfort or headache, indicating that although the wine from Nanshan had a peculiar taste, it was undoubtedly a good product

Could he mistake the analgesic effect for the healing of the wound?

The smell, Chu Huan felt, was a blend between "bloody" and "earthy plant" aromas

Chu Huan was taken aback as he saw Nanshan lightly tap the area of his lung with the knuckle of his index finger, looking at him seriously and shaking his head in disapproval

Chu Huan found himself staring at him for a while; he noticed that when Nanshan was eating, he was completely focused as if he were handling a very sacred matter, leaving not a single crumb wasted

It is said that "one cannot avoid being hurt while drifting in the rivers and lakes." First, one gets beaten, and then one beats others; this is the objective law of the development of things. Therefore, Chu Huan does not dare to claim how capable he is, but he is undoubtedly a professional in enduring wounds and injuries. From minor bullet grazes to major injuries like "three cuts and six holes," he has experienced them all.

However, is the ambition of "Kendang Chicken"... perhaps a bit too grand?

Nanshan noticed his reaction, opened his palm, and pressed it against his forehead, seemingly to provide some form of comfort. Then, Nanshan took out a small bottle and poured out a small handful of snow-white powder, which looked like flour, even whiter than ordinary white flour, carrying a certain special fragrance

Miraculously, although the doubts in his heart still lingered, his guard had already diminished significantly

Does he have any doubts

Is it a feast for the eyes

Thus, Chu Huan could not help but glance at Nanshan once more, momentarily struck by an unparalleled sense of happiness

However, at that moment, as he looked at Nanshan, he suddenly experienced a certain illusion that "eating is a particularly happy thing." He tentatively lowered his head and took a bite, feeling that there was nothing different; it was just ordinary chicken.

The undeniable pain is one aspect; on the other hand, Chu Huan seems to have an intuition that prevents him from believing that Nanshan is a bad person

Chu Huan : `` ... ... ''

It is impossible for Chu Huan not to be suspicious, as this is precisely what he does. For him, negligence is synonymous with foolishness; he must constantly maintain a vigilant scrutiny of his surroundings and a series of probing questions.

"It was indeed a misstep, but I have already reformed now." Chu Huan chuckled softly, "By the way, when you go back, don't forget to send my regards to Xiao Lu on behalf of this wayward youth. It's settled that when the child is born, I must be called 'uncle.'"

The excruciating pain brought on by that unknown powder was truly extraordinary, even more unbearable than having chili water poured directly onto one’s wounds. Chu Huan felt as if someone had thrust a long thorn into his injury and stirred it once more

Chu Huan initially suspected that poor communication had led to his misunderstanding of the other person's meaning. He hesitated greatly and repeated his question once more. Nanshan extended his palm, patting his shoulder and thigh, and then brought his hands together, making a gesture that resembled "healing".

Chu Huan: "When are you leaving?"

The content "Kěndāng jī" is also noted in the corner.

After a moment of silence, Chu Huan said: "Then let me treat you to lunch at noon—by the way, if there's nothing else, I can teach you a few more phrases in Mandarin. Could you play a couple more sections of yesterday's piece for me?"

Then, Nanshan retracted his hand and handed a chicken leg to Chu Huan

However, at this moment, merely after one night, his fresh wound had already begun to faintly scab over.

The small county town serves as a transit station for travelers, and as far as the eye can see, there is a street lined with small restaurants providing group meals for tour groups, all looking quite similar as if born of the same mother. Only at the street corner is there a fast-food restaurant that stands out distinctly, with its English name hanging at the entrance, making it particularly eye-catching.

The standard room in the guesthouse only has two beds, which can barely accommodate two smaller girls, but it is absolutely impossible for two men to fit. Xiaofang moved the television from the TV cabinet to the side, and Chu Huan saw that he had laid a straw mat on it, using a wine jar as a pillow to sleep for the night, exuding an air of a reclusive master.

Chu Huan : `` ... ... ''

The next day, Chu Huan still woke up to the scent of herbs

Nanshan is very generous when treating others to food and drinks, and does not act pretentiously when invited. At noon, he happily took Chu Huan out of the guesthouse, each accompanied by Xiao Fang.

Moreover, it is not to mention that with the passage of time, his long-term suppressed emotions and unhealthy lifestyle habits will only lead to a further decline in his physical condition— even during his prime, he never possessed such a terrifying recovery ability

He expressed his gratitude for Nanshan's concern, silently accepted it and tasted it, deeply experiencing how the texture transformed from "insane" to "tragic beyond description"

He was eager to ask one more question: why, with an unknown background and a gunshot wound on his body, was the other party merely a chance encounter for him? Mistaking someone for another was one thing, but now that the other party clearly knew, why should they linger just to take care of a stranger?

The pain is indeed real, but pain is a good sign, as it at least indicates that he has not been anesthetized by anything

However ...? ... and so on, while music can bring joy to the body and mind, what does it mean to watch others enjoy their meals?

At this moment, Nanshan approached with a basin in hand and greeted Chu Huan with enthusiasm

Nanshan expressed: Waiting for your injury to heal

Nanshan naturally helped him bandage his wound, and after spending a few more minutes, he carved a stick that could temporarily serve as a cane to assist him in walking. Once Chu Huan had finished tidying up, he took out a few flatbreads to share with him.

Although Chu Huan was filled with doubts, he responded without revealing his thoughts. He glanced into the basin on Nanshan and saw that it contained half a basin of clear water soaking several large leaves, each about a palm's width and over two feet long—just like the ones that were wrapped around his wound.

Chu Huan's expression remained unchanged: "A misstep."

Chu Huan awkwardly turned the ring on his finger, allowing the words "just kidding" to rub against the skin at the base of his fingers. With a calm expression, he thought to himself, "This is not good; I seem rather creepy like this."

In this way, Chu Huan glanced at Nanshan, took a bite of food, and slowly, his numb and unresponsive taste buds gradually awakened, surprisingly allowing him to truly savor the flavor

However, with just this slight movement, his originally lazy and relaxed expression suddenly became tense

However, despite being a knockoff, the food tastes surprisingly good. The steamed buns are plump and soft, while the fried chicken is golden yellow, and a peculiar meaty aroma can be detected from afar

Old Wang's daughter is nicknamed Xiao Lu. Two years ago, she married a photographer, and she is about to give birth now

Nanshan mistakenly thought that the cake was too hard for him to bite, so he immediately poured him a glass of wine with great care. In the midst of Chu Huan's puzzled gaze, he demonstratively tore off a piece of the cake and soaked it in the wine before handing it to him

The three individuals quickly devoured the two large plates piled high with fried chicken, and Chu Huan, realizing it only afterward, discovered that he had actually overeaten

What ingredients are contained in the leaves tied to the wound and the herbal medicine he consumed

The unknown yet highly effective powder filled Chu Huan with speculation about its origins, prompting him to eat the coarse grain mixed pancakes with particular care, as he sought to discern some mysterious ingredients within them

Chu Huan was taken aback

For Chu Huan, eating is merely a basic act of sustaining life. He does not know when he lost his appetite; to him, there is no difference between delicious and unappetizing food. The hard, dry grain cakes that are difficult to chew and the lavish meals that are visually appealing, all appear the same in his eyes. He consumes them in three bites, all tasting like flavorless chewing wax

However, he ultimately did not ask, as he felt that such a question, once spoken, would be akin to doubting the intentions of others

At "Kendang Chicken," which sells fried noodles and fried chicken, when Chu Huan innocently asked, "Do you have French fries—just fried potatoes?" the proprietress turned to the kitchen and brought him a bowl of steamed rice mixed with large potato chunks, took a handful of coarse salt, sprinkled it on top, and said boldly: "Go ahead and eat."