TSWPF -Chapter 369 Saving Someone

When Liu Zhimou returned, what he saw was a scene bustling with activity. He walked over in confusion and asked what they were doing.

When the guards saw him, they greeted him and replied that they were watching how Madam was cultivating mushrooms.

Mushrooms?

Liu Zhimou took a closer look and realized that the “mushrooms” the guards were talking about were the mao‑wowo.

Seeing that Liu Zhimou had returned, Li Qingling looked up at him and smiled, telling him to wait a moment—she would be done soon.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Making a mixed bed for cultivating mushrooms.”

Liu Zhimou frowned slightly, beckoned to her, and told her to come up so he could do it instead.

This pregnant woman really didn’t treat herself like a pregnant woman at all—she did every kind of work.

Knowing that Liu Zhimou was worried about her, Li Qingling didn’t want to go against him. She gave him a silly smile and climbed up.

Liu Zhimou reached out and wiped the dirt from her face, shot her a glare, and told her that next time, if there was any work to be done, she should tell others to do it and not do it herself.

She hadn’t even reached three months yet—she couldn’t do heavy work.

Li Qingling nodded repeatedly, saying she would pay attention next time.

Liu Zhimou gave a soft “hm,” then glanced at Xichun and told her to keep a close eye on Madam and not let her mess around anymore.

Xichun respectfully answered yes.

“Come on, let’s go eat,” Li Qingling said, not wanting Liu Zhimou to lecture anyone. She pulled him along. “I haven’t eaten with the kids in a long time. Let’s eat together with them at noon today, okay?”

“You decide,” he said indulgently.

Hearing those words, Li Qingling felt sweetness bloom in her heart.

Before they even reached the dining hall, they saw Mr. Luo returning with a bunch of little monkeys.

When Mr. Luo saw the couple, he smiled and asked where they were going.

Li Qingling laughed and said they were going to eat together.

Mr. Luo nodded and said okay.

When everyone arrived at the dining hall, Li Qingling looked around and didn’t see Li Qingning. She asked Li Qingfeng in confusion where she had gone.

“Isn’t Ningning at home?”

“I didn’t see her,” Li Qingling shook her head. “Xichun, go see if Ningning is in her room and tell her to come eat.”

Xichun answered and left.

Not long after, she ran back and said that she wasn’t there—and Sìxi wasn’t there either.

Not there?

Li Qingling frowned deeply. Where had that little rascal gone?

Liu Zhimou squeezed Li Qingling’s hand, telling her not to worry. He would have people go look for her right away.

Thinking of the highly capable Liu family guards, Li Qingling’s tightly wound heart loosened a little. She nodded lightly, praying that the little one had simply gone out to play and hadn’t run into trouble.

Liu Zhimou called for Liu Shi. When Liu Shi appeared before him, he instructed him to send people to find Li Qingning and bring her back.

Liu Shi replied yes and turned to leave. After a short while, he returned again.

“My lord, Third Miss has come back.”

“She’s back?”

“Yes,” Liu Shi nodded. “She said she’ll come eat in a bit.”

Everyone present finally let out the breath they’d been holding. As long as she was back, it was fine.

Two quarters of an hour later, Li Qingning came hopping into the dining hall. The moment she saw everyone staring at her, she stopped in her tracks and asked with a grin, “What are you all looking at?”

Li Qingling’s face darkened as she asked her what she’d been doing.

Her heart skipped a beat. Li Qingning twisted her fingers and said she’d just gone out for a walk.

“Did you take guards with you?”

Seeing how serious Li Qingling looked, Li Qingning didn’t dare lie. She shook her head lightly and said no.

She hadn’t really gone out shopping—why would she bring guards?

“Next time you go out, you must remember to take guards, understand?” The He family still bore a grudge against them, and Li Qingling was afraid they might target the children. “No guards, no going out. Did you hear me?”

“I heard you, Sister.”

“All right, all right. Ningning knows she was wrong—she won’t dare do it again,” Mr. Luo hurriedly smoothed things over. “Ningning, next time you go out, you have to tell us. You can’t sneak out and make us worry, okay?”

Li Qingning nodded her little head and said she understood.

Seeing her good attitude, Li Qingling softened her expression. She beckoned to her to come over and eat.

Li Qingning secretly let out a breath of relief, grinned, and climbed up to her seat.

After eating, she returned to her room and warned Sìxi not to tell anyone about them going up the mountain. Otherwise, they’d be in big trouble.

Sìxi nodded frantically. “Miss, don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.” She glanced at Li Qingning cautiously. “Miss, are you still going up the mountain?”

Following Miss up the mountain today had scared her half to death. She really didn’t want Miss to go again—what if something happened?

Thinking of the half-dead man on the mountain, Li Qingning couldn’t bear it. She nodded lightly and whispered that she was going.

As soon as she heard that, Sìxi panicked and urged Li Qingning not to go. If Madam found out, she would punish her.

More importantly, if Madam knew she had helped Third Miss, she would definitely be furious.

She was living very well here and didn’t want to be sold again.

Seeing how pale Sìxi’s face was, Li Qingning patted her shoulder and told her not to be afraid—she wouldn’t drag her down with her.

She simply couldn’t ignore that person.

“Miss, can’t we bring that person back? Or tell Madam? Maybe Madam will send people to save him.”

“No,” Li Qingning shook her head. “What if he’s a bad person? We can’t bring him back.”

“Miss, since you’re worried he might be a bad person, why do you still want to save him?”

Li Qingning paced irritably around the room a few times before frowning and saying, what if he’s a good person? If I don’t save him, he’ll die.

“…”

Sìxi knew she couldn’t persuade Li Qingning. She slumped her shoulders, worrying about what would happen if Madam found out. Would she be sold off?

Li Qingning patted her shoulder again. “Relax. If the sky falls, I’ll hold it up for you. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Her sister wasn’t someone who confused right and wrong—she wouldn’t take it out on Sìxi.

Sìxi let out a heavy sigh, hoping that was true.

The next day, after breakfast, Li Qingning ran to the kitchen and secretly took some food. She returned to her room, changed into Sìxi’s clothes, and slipped out unnoticed.

Dodging and hiding along the way, she ran up the mountain, found that cave, stuck out her little head, and called inside, “Big brother, are you still there?”

After waiting a while, a weak voice finally answered.

Li Qingning tiptoed inside and saw the black-clad big brother lying on the ground, his face flushed red. Her heart jolted. She reached out and touched his forehead—it was burning hot.

“Big brother, you… you have a fever.”

The black-clad man slowly opened his eyes, glanced at Li Qingning, and said hoarsely that he was fine.

How could he be fine?

Li Qingning spun in circles anxiously. She stuffed all the food she’d brought into his hands, telling him to eat first while she went to find some herbs to reduce his fever.

Luckily, she had learned a bit from Grandpa about recognizing medicinal herbs. Otherwise, she really wouldn’t have known what to do.

If she went home to get help, her sister would definitely find out—and then she wouldn’t be able to come out again.

“Don’t—”

Before the black-clad man could finish speaking, Li Qingning had already dashed away.

He watched her retreating figure with a complicated expression. He really hadn’t expected that one day, he would be saved by a little girl.

A warm current flowed through his cold heart. He picked up the still-warm bun and slowly ate it.

Not long after he finished eating, Li Qingning came running back with a handful of herbs. “Big brother, look! These are herbs to reduce fever. Eat them quickly.” As she spoke, she stuffed the herbs straight into his mouth.

“…”

Seeing the man’s stunned expression, Li Qingning chuckled and said they didn’t have anything to brew medicine with, so this was the only way.

The black-clad man slowly chewed the bitter herbs and swallowed them with effort. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me.” Li Qingning plopped down beside him, propping her chin on her hands as she looked at his handsome face, clicking her tongue. “Big brother, you’re really good-looking—better-looking than my brother-in-law.”

The black-clad man lifted his eyes slightly, glanced at the grinning Li Qingning, forced a small smile, and asked what her brother-in-law did.

Probably dazzled by his handsome face, Li Qingning answered foolishly that her brother-in-law was the county magistrate.

The county magistrate?

The black-clad man noted it in his heart and asked her, “If you run up the mountain like this, won’t your family worry?”

He really was lucky—to have met this little girl.

Hearing that, Li Qingning scratched her little head and whispered that she’d come up without telling her family.

Thinking of her sister’s stern face, she uneasily twisted her fingers and told the black-clad man that she would find a way to bring him food at night. After saying that, she got up and was about to leave.

The black-clad man reacted quickly and grabbed her hand, frowning as he told her not to come up at night—it was too dangerous.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he froze. How could someone as cold-blooded as him worry about a little girl?

Maybe because she had saved his life—he didn’t want to see anything happen to her.

“But you—”

“Be good.”

Hearing his stern tone, Li Qingning pouted and answered with a soft “okay.”

Only then did the black-clad man let go of her hand. Li Qingning turned back and made a face at him, then bolted away.

After she left, his face returned to its usual coldness. He lay back down and closed his eyes.

After a while, he suddenly opened them and instinctively struck out—but stopped just in time when he saw it was Li Qingning.

“Why are you back again?” Luckily he’d stopped in time. Otherwise, that little girl would have been injured, if not killed.

Li Qingning, who had almost been hurt, patted her chest. She’d been scared to death—she’d almost thought she was about to be knocked flying.

“I… I went to pick more herbs for you. Eat a bit more later.” She placed the herbs on him and ran off again.

Sneaking back to her room, the moment Sìxi saw her, tears streamed down her face. “Miss, you’re finally back!”

If she hadn’t come back soon, Sìxi would’ve panicked to death.

Li Qingning patted the back of her hand. “Why are you crying? Aren’t I back safe and sound?” She ran behind the screen and changed clothes. “Sìxi, no one came looking for me, right?”

Sìxi wiped her tears and shook her head. “No.”

Hearing that, Li Qingning let out a long sigh of relief. As long as no one had come looking, it was fine.