Sikong Ran stirred slightly as Gu Qingli approached.
She knelt down with utmost care, gently pressing two pills into his mouth. "These are merely ordinary wound remedies—not as miraculous as the grand warrior elixirs of your Lord's Mansion, but they will at least alleviate some of your pain."
Sikong Ran's face flushed with awkwardness. This girl was certainly no pushover; even in such dire moments, she couldn't resist teasing him.
Ignoring his discomfort, Gu Qingli continued to take his pulse, her brow furrowing lightly. "Your injuries are grave. I lack potent medicine, yet if you attempt to return now, I fear your body won't endure the journey. If you trust me, I can help stabilize you."
Her dark, lustrous phoenix eyes fixed intently upon him, brimming with solemn resolve.
In truth, Gu Qingli thought pragmatically: the man was already rescued—if he were to perish now, there would be no one left to owe favors to.
Sikong Ran gave a faint nod, a swirl of complex emotions stirring within him.
Without hesitation, Gu Qingli reached out and briskly parted his tunic.
Startled, Sikong Ran's entire body shuddered. Before he could react, a sudden chill brushed his exposed, alabaster chest.
Though young, they were no longer children but burgeoning adolescents. Never had he imagined being stripped so unceremoniously.
A flush of crimson engulfed his face, as if struck by thunderbolts.
Were it not for his weakened state, he would have leapt up instantly to cover himself.
Gu Qingli, however, remained oblivious to his discomfort, her expression cautious. From her palm emerged five slender silver needles, which she deftly inserted into his vital acupoints as Sikong Ran's mind wandered distractedly.
In this realm, despite the potency of alchemical medicines, traditional acupuncture was unknown. Thus, Sikong Ran remained clueless as to her intent.
Yet he soon discerned that the stabbing agony in his chest gradually subsided. After a fit of coughing and expectorating blood, his entire body relaxed considerably. Astonishment blossomed within him, and curiosity about Gu Qingli deepened.
As she tended to him, He Zhongyi, not far off, also began to cough; his wounds were severe as well.
"You have such powerful alchemists in your Lord's Mansion—why haven't they provided you with life-saving pills?" Gu Qingli muttered in disbelief.
Sikong Ran could only sigh in helplessness.
Though powerful and the lord's son, guarded by the likes of He Zhongyi, no one in Loulan City dared to threaten him. Why would he require such pills?
Still, after this ordeal, he resolved to petition his father for a few life-saving elixirs—once was enough suffering.
Having administered acupuncture to Sikong Ran, Gu Qingli hastened back to aid He Zhongyi.
"What… what are you doing?" He Zhongyi stammered, alarmed as she reached to loosen his clothing.
Gu Qingli stared at his panicked expression, momentarily stunned before nearly bursting into laughter. She had forgotten—this world forbade intimate contact between men and women.
Such prudishness seemed trivial when lives hung in the balance.
With a slight curl of her lips, she said with mock gravity, "What do you think I intend to do?"
He Zhongyi's face turned a deep shade of crimson.
Disregarding his discomfort, Gu Qingli continued to pull open his garment, finishing the acupuncture before finally meeting his gaze.
His handsome countenance burned redder than a ripe tomato. Meeting her eyes, he swiftly averted his gaze, overwhelmed by embarrassment—and perhaps something more tender.