Fifty meters away from their resting place, there was a large hunting trap where the sound came from.
"Help, help!"
Chang Le held up a torch and went to investigate, with Old Gu Six following behind him. The one who fell into the trap was a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl. When she saw someone had heard her call for help, she cried with joy.
Without waiting for Chang Le to ask, she hurriedly introduced herself, afraid that others would not rescue her.
"I'm from Serene Wind Manor in the valley. I'm a junior disciple of the renowned physician Men Ji. I accidentally fell into this trap while gathering herbs in the mountains. Please save me, and I will definitely reward you."
Chang Le and Old Gu Six, who were troubled about where to find a way in, exchanged a glance and both showed a sinister smile.
How convenient, the opportunity had presented itself.
Old Gu Six tilted his chin, letting Chang Le take the lead while he assisted from the side. The favor would be owed to Chang Le, making it easier for Men Ji to treat his face later.
Chang Le rescued his junior disciple, and to repay the life-saving favor, he would help the benefactor treat his face. No problem with that, right?
The pit wasn't deep, and that young lady probably had no martial arts skills, otherwise, she could have used lightness skills to fly out.
However, Chang Le didn't use lightness skills to fly down and pick her up, as that would be too easy and wouldn't leave a deep impression on the rescued person.
At this time, Old Gu Six stepped out to assist, "You two wait here, I'll go back and get a rope."
He left Chang Le and the girl in the pit alone. Chang Le, usually not talkative, took the rare initiative to strike up a conversation, "My name is Chang Le, Chang Le of Chang'an. What's your name?"
The young man's melodious voice echoed through the silent forest, ethereal and distant.
"My name is Yun Yiren." This Chang Le had such a pleasant voice, even better than her senior brother's.
Was he from the village down the mountain? What a pity he wore a mask, so she couldn't see his face. With such a nice voice, he should be good-looking too, right?
In less than half an hour, Old Gu Six came back with a coil of hemp rope. He handed it to Chang Le, "Here, lower the rope down, let her tie it around her slender waist, and we'll pull her up together."
Yun Yiren heard the conversation above and grabbed the rope to tie around her delicate waist.
After she was done, "Hold onto the rope tightly, we'll pull you up," Chang Le grasped the rope and pulled upwards, with Old Gu Six assisting from behind.
The two appeared to be straining with great effort, but Old Gu Six wasn't actually exerting any force; they were just putting on a show.
They made the little Lady Yun doubt if she had gained weight, touched by their hardship in saving her life.
If Chang'an were here, he would definitely say she was still too young.
After finally rescuing her, the young lady asked them to send her back to Serene Wind Manor. Chang Le hesitated for a moment.
Old Gu Six didn't agree immediately either but asked, "How far is Serene Wind Manor from here?"
Yun Yiren looked at them in puzzlement. Weren't they villagers from the village down the mountain? How did they not know where Serene Wind Manor was?
Puzzled as she was, she still answered, "It's just at the foot of the mountain, half an hour's walk away. It's too dark, and I'm afraid to go down the mountain alone."
"To be honest with you, we are refugees fleeing from famine. Other places are forcing conscription, so we came here from the mountains."
"Ah? You're not villagers from down the mountain? I don't know if any officials have come to the village for conscription either. Serene Wind Manor is still five miles away from the village, and we don't have any business to go to the village."
Never would she have imagined these two were refugees. It was fortunate she didn't encounter bad refugees, or she might have perished here today.
Yun Yiren was scared into a cold sweat, thanking her lucky stars.
However, she didn't ask the two to escort her down the mountain anymore. She took out the token of Serene Wind Manor and gave it to Chang Le. No matter what, they were her life-savers, and she couldn't be ungrateful.
"In the future, you can use this token to find me at Serene Wind Manor, and I can do you a favor within my abilities."
After saying that, she turned to leave with her backpack, but accidentally knocked off Chang Le's mask.
"Ah!!" Yun Yiren was so startled by Chang Le's scarred face that she stepped back three paces.
Then, realizing her mistake, she quickly apologized, "Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to."
Chang Le glanced at her with a gloomy look, shook his head lightly, then bent down dejectedly to pick up the mask and put it back on.
Old Gu Six just rubbed his face and suppressed the upturned corner of his mouth.
"You... why don't you come back with me?" Yun Yiren thought a young man with such a nice voice shouldn't have a face so covered in scars.
Seeing Chang Le's gloomy expression, she felt sympathy for him. His face should be treatable by her master, and since he had saved her, she should repay him.
Chang Le put the torch in Yun Yiren's hand and said indifferently, "No need, you go back."
Then he turned and walked away with large strides. Old Gu Six stood still, knowing there was more acting to come.
Sure enough, the young lady reached out her slender jade hand and grabbed Chang Le's sleeve, saying anxiously, "Come with me. My master can cure your face, as a reward for saving my life."
Yes, a life-saving favor. If they hadn't pulled her out of the pit, who knows how long she would have been stuck there.
She might have been preyed upon by wild beasts before her senior brother found her, and her life would have been lost.
Chang Le pulled back his sleeve, his masked face showing no expression, but his tone sounded a bit unhappy, "I'm used to it; cured or not, it's all the same. Besides, we can't be considered your life-savers since your life wasn't in danger."
"It's not like that. You did save me, so come back with me. My master is very skilled; he can definitely cure your face."
Old Gu Six chimed in to persuade him, "Chang Le, go with her. Maybe he really can cure you? Men Ji is a renowned physician, isn't he? Trust that he has a way. You don't want to live your whole life wearing a mask, do you? Chang'an also hopes your face can be cured."
Chang Le fell silent for a moment, then finally nodded. He told Yun Yiren, "I need to bid farewell to my sister."
"You can both come with me."
"No need, we are too many people, not suitable to disturb the physician. You just take Chang Le back," Old Gu Six refused in a deep voice. What if the physician didn't want to treat Chang Le due to their large group?
Hearing about too many people, Yun Yiren didn't say anything else and followed the two to their resting place.
Chang'an saw them returning, and they had brought someone back with them, whom she knew must be the person they had rescued.
"Father, Chang Le, you're back!"
"Yes, daughter. Chang Le will be going down the mountain with Miss Yun Yiren. He has come to bid you farewell," Old Gu Six said, wondering if his daughter would feel reluctant after spending so much time together.
However, his concern was completely unnecessary. She felt not the slightest reluctance, but rather a sense of relief that the time had finally come for them to part ways.
But would she show that she couldn't wait for him to leave? Of course, she had to put on a performance of reluctance.
"Chang Le won't be staying with us anymore?" Her eyes displayed three parts disappointment, four parts sadness, and three parts reluctance.
She thought her portrayal was quite convincing.
Chang Le truly felt reluctant. He lowered his head and said gloomily, "When my face has healed, I'll come find you all."
"Okay, then," Chang'an replied nimbly.
This made Chang Le think that her reluctance was an illusion, that he must have misjudged the situation. Chang'an must certainly be reluctant for him to leave.
Chang'an lit another torch for him. Since he had to go down the mountain, he should leave soon, as it would become dangerous on the mountain if he lingered too long.
Chang Le gazed deeply at Chang'an, took the torch, and left with determination. The next time they met, she would see him whole and unharmed.
Little did he know that after this parting, they would never meet again.
