Chapter 47: She Replaced the Female Lead Again?

Gu Xixi couldn't help being startled, she hastily raised her hand and lightly patted Mu Nan Zhao while calling his name.

"Mu Nan Zhao! Mu Nan Zhao! Chen Fang? Lord Mu?"

No response.

Gu Xixi had no choice but to lay Mu Nan Zhao's body flat; she pressed her hand to his carotid pulse, his heartbeat was basically normal, certainly not a sign of poisoning, and she breathed a little easier.

The pit bottom was really damp; Gu Xixi thought it over and still lifted Mu Nan Zhao's upper body, letting him rest his head on her lap, then she cupped his hands and rubbed them repeatedly.

To promote blood circulation, prevent limb stiffness, and also warm the body.

Because she often went to the wilderness to gather herbs, Gu Xixi had accumulated considerable practical experience in basic first aid, so at least she wouldn't panic in this situation.

Mu Nan Zhao's hands gradually warmed, and Gu Xixi then turned to rubbing his knees.

After busying herself for about half an hour, Mu Nan Zhao finally stopped shivering, and Gu Xixi herself no longer felt cold.

She rested her back against the cave wall, tilting her head to gaze at a small patch of sky above.

Although she already knew Mu Nan Zhao's real name, tonight was the first time he himself mentioned it.

If Mu Nan Zhao hadn't fainted, Gu Xixi's first reaction would have been to plug her ears, indicating she hadn't heard anything and really didn't want to.

By laying it all out to her, he meant to reveal his true identity, status, and even the reasons for his predicament almost in full.

And her hearing it meant that her involvement with him had deepened another level.

Gu Xixi sighed to the heavens; clearly she wanted to stay as far away from him as possible, so how did she end up sinking deeper step by step?

"You're so young, sighing all the time isn't good," a low, hoarse voice teased.

Gu Xixi lowered her head, "Chen Fang, are you awake? Still cold?"

Her eyes had adjusted to the surroundings, she could faintly see Mu Nan Zhao smiling.

"What are you laughing at?"

Mu Nan Zhao said, "You clearly heard it, yet you still call me Chen Fang—covering your ears while stealing the bell."

Gu Xixi fell silent, then said with a cold face, "If I get used to calling you by your real name, one day I might slip and say it in front of others—don't blame me then."

Now it was Mu Nan Zhao's turn to be silent.

At Gu Lao San's home, Gu Qingye sat on the edge of the kang with her head lowered.

"This won't do; I should still go inform Aunt Zhang."

"I said you're not allowed to go, so you're not allowed to go!" Gu Tiezhu snarled ferociously, his face twisted.

Liu Shi looked at her son with heartache, saying, "Your brother told you not to go, so just obey."

Gu Qingye said somewhat flustered, "But it's freezing in the mountains at night—what if someone loses their life..."

"Better if they died!" Gu Tiezhu gave a resentful grin, "If they don't die, losing an arm or leg to the cold wouldn't be bad either!"

He turned to wait for his sister, "Tonight you'd better not think of leaving the house!"

Seeing Gu Tiezhu like that, Gu Qingye shrank back in fear.

Then she looked at her father Gu Lao San, who was silently puffing on his pipe.

Although Gu Qingye remained worried about Mu Nan Zhao, she dared not speak up to plead for him.

Beneath the mountain trap, after who knows how long, Gu Xixi had stared at the stars until her neck ached.

Mu Nan Zhao said, "Just now you saved me; I feel much better, thank you."

What was merely a ordinary thank-you made Gu Xixi feel as if struck by a silver needle at a vital point, her whole body suddenly stiffening.

The phrase "You saved me" kept turning over in her mind.

On the day of Beginning of Autumn, the male and female leads spend a night together in the mountains, forming a bond thanks to the life-saving favor.

Although the details have been changed, how can the plot be so similar to what she and Mu Nan Zhao are experiencing?

Gu Xixi covered her face with remorseful hands.

Last time she encountered a mad cow, she took Gu Qingye's place as the damsel rescued by the hero.

Fortunately, in the book it was only a minor scene.

Upon further observation, Gu Qingye also showed interest in Mu Nan Zhao, so Gu Xixi didn't take it to heart.

But this time before us is the famous scene where Mu Nan Zhao regards Gu Qingye as his lifelong white moonlight.

Gu Xixi bitterly thought, "If important plot points are altered, could it trigger multiple different possible outcomes?"

What if it turns out to be worse than the original book's bad ending...

Indeed, humanity's deepest fear stems from the unknown.

Gu Xixi gazed lifelessly at the dark void ahead, sighing long and short.

Mu Nan Zhao listened silently for a while, then finally asked with a solemn face, "Gu Xixi, I've thanked you; you don't need to sigh so much, do you?"

"Sorry, it's not your business." Gu Xixi said in a tone as if she were already dead, "It's my own doing; don't overthink it."

As she spoke, she let out another deep sigh; there was nothing she could do, her chest felt too suffocated, she couldn't help it.

Mu Nan Zhao grew more suspicious, "Are you blaming me for telling you my name and dragging you into trouble?"

Although she couldn't see clearly in the darkness, Gu Xixi shook her head and weakly waved her hand.

"It's come to this; it doesn't matter."

Mu Nan Zhao: "……"

However, Gu Xixi hated herself for not watching the road carefully, and hated her useless broken legs.

The only thing she didn't regret was discovering that thicket of shrubs.

She had never seen this Theaceae plant before; if successfully hybridized, the new tea tree variety inheriting its flood- and cold-resistant traits would surely be the key to ultimate success or failure.

Thinking of this, Gu Xixi felt a little comforted, and her mood improved a bit.

After being rescued tomorrow, the first thing she must do is collect a small portion of the shrub thicket to take away.

Then she would destroy this broken trap and fill in the pit!!!

The moon was atop the treetops, and Gu Lao San and his wife were about to put out the lamp.

Suddenly came a sharp knocking, accompanied by Aunt Zhang's loud voice: "Open the door! I'm looking for Gu Qingye!"

"My Xixi went up the mountain with her, and she still hasn't come home!"

"Don't hide! I asked others—Gu Qingye came back this afternoon!!"

Saying that, she pounded on the door again—bang, bang, bang.

Immediately after came the sound of a neighbor opening their door: "What's going on at this hour?"

"Aunt Zhang, what's happened to Xixi?"

Gu Lao San and Liu Shi stared at each other.

Liu Shi asked, "The son won't let us manage him—what should we do?"

Gu Lao San frowned in thought for a moment, then said, "Now Gu Xixi is a favorite in front of the Village Chief, and Chen Fang is about to become the village schoolteacher."

"Let them have suffered enough on the mountain by now—go open the door, tell her to leave, and hurry to send her away, so the neighbors won't gossip."

Liu Shi stepped out of the room and was startled by Gu Tiezhu standing motionless in the middle of the courtyard.

"Tiezhu, you… you aren't asleep?"

Gu Tiezhu stood there unmoving, his eyes fixed, giving a sinister grin.

"Mother, when you open the door, don't speak—let me talk to her."

Liu Shi hated to defy her son's wishes; she opened the door without a word, pulled a long face, and walked aside.

Gu Tiezhu laughed with a weird tone, "At this late hour, everyone's asleep—why have you come to my house looking for Gu Xixi, Aunt?"

"I guarantee she's not sleeping on my kang—if you don't believe me, come inside…"

"Pah!"

With old and new grudges, Aunt Zhang wouldn't stand for Gu Tiezhu—she immediately spat a mouthful of saliva onto his face.

"Fart on your mother!"

"I'm too busy dealing with Xixi to bother with you now—once I find her, I'll rip that rotten mouth of yours apart!"

Aunt Zhang shoved Gu Tiezhu aside and rushed into the courtyard.