Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Shen Ningning, Don’t Leave!

Mo Lingwei woke up half an hour ago.

Knowing he was surrounded by wolves and the situation was grim, he didn't make any rash moves.

After observing, he realized that the pack of wolves listened to the little girl.

So, seizing the opportunity, he took her hostage.

Shen Ningning's face was filled with panic as she listened to the boy's heavy breathing.

"This isn’t going to work... Your injuries will worsen," she cautiously advised.

Mo Lingwei narrowed his eyes, "Who are you?"

"I am Shen Ningning. They are kind wolves. Seeing you covered in blood, we were planning to rescue you."

After she finished speaking, Mo Lingwei glanced sideways at the snarling wolves, looking ready to pounce and tear him apart.

He was taken aback that this little one considered wolves kind and believed they would save someone.

Enduring the pain, Mo Lingwei spoke coldly, "Get them to back off. I need to leave here."

Shen Ningning shook her head, "No, you shouldn’t move with such severe injuries. The wolves say your wounds are too deep; it could take weeks to heal."

"I don't want to hear 'no'. Find a way, or else, we'll both die here!" Mo Lingwei pressed the shard of stone closer by an inch.

Feeling the discomfort on her neck, Shen Ningning whimpered, tears brimming in her eyes.

The Black Wolf King roared furiously, its howl fierce enough to terrify anyone.

Yet, the boy remained unfazed, his eyes dark and ominous.

Shen Ningning, enduring the pain, said, "I'm confident I can heal you within three days! Once you’re better, you need to help me with something."

"So, I can't let you go. With your injuries, you can't make it out of the mountains! You need me to heal you, and I need you."

The little one tried to appear strong, but her small hands were trembling.

Mo Lingwei looked down and saw alarming scars on her exposed arm.

Then his gaze met Shen Ningning's bright, watery eyes.

He gritted his teeth, "You're bargaining with me?"

Shen Ningning pouted stubbornly, remaining silent.

She seemed to be trying to look fierce, but the tears in her eyes betrayed her.

Seeing her like this, Mo Lingwei abruptly let go, dropping the stone and sitting beside the riverbank, his face pale with pain.

The pack of wolves immediately rushed to protect Shen Ningning in their midst.

Just as the Black Wolf King was about to leap at Mo Lingwei, Shen Ningning called out, "Wolfie! Come back!"

She tightly held onto the Black Wolf King, "Wait until he’s better, he can help save Granny, calm down~"

Mo Lingwei remained motionless, hearing her words.

The Black Wolf King growled softly, then backed off.

Shen Ningning approached Mo Lingwei; the boy had his eyes closed, and she saw his wounds had reopened due to the recent scuffle.

Blood trickled down his skin, causing him only to frown slightly.

Shen Ningning quickly used a clean handkerchief, dampened with stream water, to wipe him clean.

The boy frowned slightly and said with a surge of annoyance, "I can do it myself!"

He snatched the handkerchief away.

By the time he finished wiping, Shen Ningning had Wolf Three drag out a tattered cloth bag from the wolf den.

Unwrapping the cloth bag revealed an array of rare medicinal herbs.

Ginseng, lingzhi, deer antler, snow lotus...

Mo Lingwei slowly opened his eyes, surprised at the sight of so many herbs.

But then he thought, living with a pack of wolves and backed by the mountains,

The mountains harbored all kinds of wild medicinal herbs.

However, each of these rare herbs could sell for a hundred taels in the outside world.

Yet, she treated them casually, as if they were mere grass, wrapped in a ragged cloth.

Under the guidance of the howling Black Wolf King, Shen Ningning rubbed some hemostatic herbs in her small hands, then pinched Mo Lingwei's chin, "Open your mouth, ah~"

Mo Lingwei frowned, "Take it away. Eating so many herbs together, are you trying to poison me?"

"They're not poisonous, Wolfie said they are all hemostatic herbs."

Despite Shen Ningning's persuasions, Mo Lingwei refused to take them.

Wolf Three, unable to stand by any longer, leaped up and pressed its paw directly on the wound on Mo Lingwei's shoulder.

"Hiss..." He winced in pain, and Shen Ningning took this opportunity to stuff the herbs into his mouth.

Mo Lingwei, shocked and angry, exclaimed, "Shen Ningning, you!"

Before he could finish, the little girl pinched his mouth shut, "It's a bit bitter, but it’s okay, swallow it quickly, and your wounds will heal faster!"

Mo Lingwei's dark eyes glared as if he wanted to kill someone.

Lacking the strength to struggle, with Shen Ningning holding his mouth and the wolves watching intently, he had no choice but to swallow.

Finally, he resignedly swallowed the herbs.

Shen Ningning watched as Mo Lingwei's face scrunched up from the bitterness.

She released her hand and smiled, "This way, you'll recover faster!"

Mo Lingwei, suppressing his anger, closed his eyes, ignoring her.

He tried to regulate his breathing, but a toxin in his body continuously assaulted his internal organs, causing pain as if he were being roasted on fierce flames.

The poison had activated.

The Sixth Prince's assassins had not been content with just slashing him; they had also poisoned the blades.

How desperately did they want him dead?

Mo Lingwei knew that with such severe poisoning, only an antidote would suffice; ordinary herbs were useless.

If he survived, he vowed to make the Sixth Prince suffer more than death.

With these thoughts, a mix of hatred and rage boiled within him.

Just then, Shen Ningning was chattering with the Black Wolf King, drawing Mo Lingwei's attention.

Mo Lingwei watched as the Black Wolf King raised its eyelids to stare at him, occasionally howling.

It seemed like they were having an unimpeded conversation, discussing him.

Mo Lingwei's brows furrowed.

She could communicate with wolves?

After finishing her talk with the Black Wolf King, Shen Ningning stood up, "Let's go now. If you soak in the spirit spring overnight, you'll feel much better by morning."

"A bath in the spring water?" Mo Lingwei was puzzled.

Two incense sticks later.

He rode a wolf alongside Shen Ningning to a place that seemed like a hidden paradise.

Shen Ningning had to coax and even enlist the Black Wolf King’s help to persuade Wolf Three to let Mo Lingwei ride for a while.

Just as they reached the spring, the impatient Wolf Three unseated him.

Falling to the ground and looking at the scenery before him, Mo Lingwei was momentarily stupefied.

A vast green forest surrounded a clear and transparent spring, with wide pools brimming with glimmering blue water.

The surrounding woods were lush and verdant, clearly nourished by the spring.

Yet, in the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, it had hardly rained for three consecutive years.

Not only had crop yields decreased, but many rivers and streams had dried up.

Mo Lingwei hadn't seen such a constantly flowing spring in a long time.

Shen Ningning tilted her head, seeing his astonishment, and sweetly smiled, "Alright, go soak in it. This spring water nourishes the body and will speed up the healing of your wounds!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Wolf Three, who had been holding its breath, leaped up, pressed its paws down, and pushed Mo Lingwei into the water.

"Splash—"

Shen Ningning had intended to sit in a shady spot nearby.

However, Mo Lingwei, struggling in the water, suddenly reached out and grabbed her small ankle on the shore.

"Shen Ningning! Wait!" His handsome, cold, and pale face showed a rare panic, a stark contrast to his previous irritable and harsh demeanor.

The childhood trauma of nearly drowning once again swept over her.

"Don't go," he said.

"Hello, everyone! On this auspicious day, I bring my new book!

I hope you will like the story of the fourth daughter. This book will have two updates per day, each chapter being 2000 words long, just like my previous books. I've increased the word count per chapter, so it's not less frequent updates!"

"There will be additional updates later, depending on the opportunity. Please bookmark, leave comments, and give a five-star rating. The baby is still young and needs everyone's love and care!"