Chapter 748: You Are the Best Birthday Gift

Chapter 748 You Are the Best Birthday Gift

Xingxing roasted the chill-pond fish until it was glistening with oil, smelling absolutely delicious.

"It's done," Xingxing announced proudly, handing the grilled fish to Wei Shiyan.

Her face was radiant with a sunny smile, without a trace of shadow, as she gazed at him with bright eyes.

"Brother Yan, happy birthday!"

Wei Shiyan froze.

He had forgotten himself, but Xingxing remembered.

Today was his eighteenth birthday.

Eighteen... he thought, for many, it might just be a slightly special milestone.

But for Wei Shiyan, it was the threshold between life and death.

When he descended the mountain to hunt down the Southern raiders that were terrorizing the townspeople, he was ready for whatever came.

Whether he lived or died, he was at peace either way.

When he found himself trapped in this small cave, he figured it would be his grave.

He accepted it calmly.

Yet he never expected Xingxing to come falling from the sky, landing in the cold pond.

His normally calm heart was stirred by huge waves.

"Eighteen..."

Having lived in this cave for days, Wei Shiyan had completely lost track of time.

But Xingxing had kept count.

Wei Shiyan glanced at the prayer beads around his wrist.

Xingxing had given them to him before she went away last time.

Though he had no proof, he felt in his heart that it was these beads—soaked with her essence from years of carrying them—that had protected him during these days.

Perhaps it was his imagination, but the beads seemed much duller now than they'd been before.

Wei Shiyan stayed quiet for a long moment.

Xingxing gave a soft "ah," slightly embarrassed. "I know this birthday gift is a bit... makeshift. Once we get out, I’ll get you a proper gift..."

But Wei Shiyan suddenly said softly, "You are the best birthday gift."

Xingxing froze for a second, then a blush spread from her neck, turning her cheeks red.

She thought perhaps Wei Shiyan's meaning was that her arrival and helping heal his leg made her the best gift.

But...

Those words were definitely suggestive.

Wei Shiyan never spoke like this before, nor did it sound like a careless comment.

Xingxing felt her heart hammering in her chest.

She steadied herself—now was not the time to dwell on other matters.

Xingxing said softly, "Brother Yan, from now on, may your life be peaceful, prosperous, and full of joy."

Wei Shiyan suddenly smiled.

He rarely smiled, and this smile was like a rare, exquisite flower blooming amidst the thick snow atop a mountain peak.

Even Xingxing flushed, her pulse quickening at the sight.

Wei Shiyan looked at Xingxing and nodded slowly. "It will. Without a doubt."

...

In the end, they ended up sharing the grilled fish.

Though there were no seasonings, the natural flavor of the fish was enough to make it delicious.

Even Wei Shiyan, who wasn’t one for indulging in food, clearly enjoyed it.

After eating, Xingxing, who wasn’t one to sit still, decided to explore the nearby area and survey the cave’s terrain.

At the moment, Wei Shiyan’s leg still bothered him, and with pursuers outside, going outside was too risky.

The best course was to wait until Wei Shiyan’s leg recovered somewhat. By then, her fourth brother would likely have handled the situation outside.

Thinking of this, Xingxing sighed.

Wei Shiyan immediately looked over. "What’s wrong?"

Xingxing sighed. "I fell right in front of my fourth brother. He must be beside himself with worry."

Wei Shiyan didn’t know how to comfort her.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly spoke solemnly, and vowed, "I’ll recover as quickly as possible and take you out of here."

Xingxing studied his face for a moment, then suddenly smiled and nodded. "Alright, I believe you."

Xingxing went off to scout the terrain, while Wei Shiyan sat with his eyes closed, meditating. Suddenly, he opened them and sent a small stone flying from between his fingers.

Not far away, a writhing snake had its head crushed. It struggled briefly before lying lifeless.

When Xingxing returned, she saw Wei Shiyan had skinned and gutted the snake and was roasting the skewered meat over the fire.

Xingxing approached excitedly and exclaimed, "Wow, this snake is so meaty... Brother Yan, you’re amazing!"

Wei Shiyan looked at her without speaking, but amusement danced in his eyes.

Xingxing plopped down beside him, grinning, and without waiting for him to ask, shared her findings.

"I only scouted the nearby area—sheer cliffs surround us. Right now, it seems the only exit is the opening above us."

The news wasn’t great, but Xingxing still said breezily, "Though it’s hard to get out, it’s also very safe. At least we don’t have to worry about being found."

Wei Shiyan felt it wouldn't be right to not respond, so he responded with a quiet "Mmm."

Xingxing then pulled out like magic a small grasshopper woven from dried leaf stems from behind her back: "My uncle taught me how to make this. It's for you."

Wei Shiyan started slightly before reaching out to accept it.

The tiny grasshopper lay quietly in the palm of Wei Shiyan's hand.

He gazed at it for a long while before slowly closing his fingers, closing his hand around it.

"Is this also a birthday gift?" Wei Shiyan asked.

Xingxing replied, "No, I just wanted to give it to you."

Somehow, Wei Shiyan suddenly felt unusually warm.

His palm grew damp with sweat.

He thought to himself that it must be from sitting by the fire roasting the snake meat.

...

Every time the sun rose, Xingxing would make a tally mark on the stone wall.

When the first complete tally mark was finished, Xingxing checked Wei Shiyan's pulse and found that the healing progress of his leg was way better than she expected.

"People who practice martial arts really do have amazing physiques," Xingxing said admiringly.

When she was little, Grand Tutor Qin had taught her eldest brother martial arts and had intended to teach Xingxing as well.

But while Xingxing excelled at many things, her limbs just wouldn't cooperate when it came to martial arts.

So she never managed to learn.

Now that she was older, at best she could perform a set of basic exercises, but nothing beyond that.

She hadn't expected Wei Shiyan's physical condition to be far better than she imagined. Normally, it was said that muscle and bone injuries took a hundred days to heal. Even with his excellent physique, he would need at least two weeks of careful rest before getting out of bed.

Yet in barely ten days, he'd healed better than what others might achieve in half a month.

Wei Shiyan looked quietly at Xingxing: "It's because of your superb medical skills."

Xingxing found herself blushing: "Well, that might have something to do with it too."

Wei Shiyan asked Xingxing: "Am I okay to walk now?"

Ever since the last time Wei Shiyan disregarded medical advice and Xingxing got angry, he had become much more compliant.

He made sure not to annoy Xingxing.

Xingxing said, "Probably best not to, just rest for a few more days. You're recovering quickly and well—you could be completely healed in just a few more days. Why risk it now? Wait a few more days to be safer."

Wei Shiyan agreed easily: "I'll do as you say."

He didn't argue with Xingxing's words.

Seeing Wei Shiyan like this, Xingxing couldn't help feeling delighted.

As for why she was so happy, Xingxing didn't think too hard about it. She simply thought that this must be how doctors feel when they encounter cooperative patients.