amaotonovel Chapter 443 Which one wasn't an accident?
Chapter 443 Which one wasn't an accident?
The morning sunlight pierced through the treetops and shone on the rugged mountain path. Li Xiangyang carried Wang Jianguo on his back with difficulty, each step aggravating the wound on his back, but he gritted his teeth to keep the pain from showing.
"Brother Li, how about... you put me down and I'll try to walk?" Wang Jianguo felt bad seeing the beads of sweat constantly appearing on Li Xiangyang's forehead.
"Don't move, your leg injury means you can't put it on the ground." Li Xiangyang adjusted his posture. "Just hang in there a little longer, we should be almost at the foot of the mountain."
The two slowly made their way along the mountain path, and the sounds of birdsong gradually increased, as the forest began to awaken.
Just as Li Xiangyang was feeling exhausted, shouts came from afar.
"Towards the sun! Towards the sun!"
The familiar voice lifted Li Xiangyang's spirits; it was Wang Ergou's voice.
"Over here! We're over here!" Li Xiangyang shouted with all his might.
Soon, Wang Ergou appeared in sight with several members of his hunting team, followed by some villagers. Seeing Li Xiangyang carrying Wang Jianguo on his back, Wang Ergou immediately ran over.
"Xiangyang, what's wrong with you?" Wang Ergou asked with a worried expression, quickly taking the weight from Wang Jianguo.
"It's nothing, just a minor injury," Li Xiangyang reassured him, but exhaustion and pain still made his legs buckle and he almost fell.
"Quickly help them into the car!" Production team leader Zheng Dehou immediately ordered.
The villagers had already prepared the oxcart at the foot of the mountain, and laid out thick straw mats.
"How did you get such a serious injury?" Wang Ergou asked with concern.
“We encountered a pack of wolves,” Li Xiangyang said casually, then asked, “How did you know to come looking for us?”
Wang Ergou scratched his head: "Last night Zhao Minghui and the others came back and said you went to rescue Wang Jianguo, but they haven't seen you return. I wanted to look for you right then and there, but my wife stopped me. It was just dawn here..."
The oxcart slowly started moving and headed towards the village. Along the way, Li Xiangyang briefly recounted their experiences.
"Thankfully, you're all alright," Zheng Dehou patted Li Xiangyang on the shoulder, "but Wang Jianguo's leg looks quite serious; we need to get him to the hospital right away."
Back in the village, everyone immediately arranged for a tractor to take Wang Jianguo to the county hospital.
“I’m going too,” Li Xiangyang said, even though he needed rest himself. “I promised Zhao Minghui I would take good care of them.”
Li Xiaoyun hesitated, but seeing her husband's determined look, she ultimately just prepared a few more clothes and some dry food for him.
"Honey, don't worry," Li Xiangyang said, holding Li Xiaoyun's hand. "I'll be right back after I drop them off."
The tractor started up and carried Li Xiangyang, Wang Jianguo, and Wang Ergou towards the county town.
The bumpy ride caused Wang Jianguo to groan in pain from time to time, while Li Xiangyang silently endured the pain from the wound on his back.
“Brother Li,” Wang Jianguo suddenly spoke, his voice filled with apology, “I was really too reckless this time…it’s all my fault…”
Li Xiangyang shook his head: "Don't think too much about it, it's good that everyone's alright. Just remember what I said next time you go hunting."
“There won’t be a next time,” Wang Jianguo said with a wry smile. “I never want to go into the mountains again in my life.”
Wang Ergou couldn't help but laugh out loud: "You city folks, you just can't handle any hardship."
The three chatted casually, easing the fatigue of the journey.
Upon arrival at the county hospital, the doctor immediately examined Wang Jianguo's injuries.
Fortunately, the bones were not broken; it was just a ligament sprain and some external injuries. With proper rest, he should be able to recover.
Li Xiangyang's wound also received professional treatment. The doctor gave him a tetanus shot, cleaned and disinfected it with medicine, and then re-bandaged it.
"Although the wound on your back isn't deep, wolf claws carry a lot of bacteria, so you must be careful to avoid infection," the doctor instructed. "You need to change the dressing frequently over the next few days."
After treating his wound, Li Xiangyang encountered Zhao Minghui and several other cadres who had rushed over in the hospital corridor.
"Li Xiangyang! Thank you for saving Jian Guo!" Zhao Minghui grasped Li Xiangyang's hand, his expression sincere. "If it weren't for you, I can't even imagine what would have happened."
An older cadre also stepped forward to express his gratitude: "Young man, your actions deserve praise. We will report this to our superiors."
Li Xiangyang waved his hand: "No need to be so polite, it's just what I should do."
Zhao Minghui insisted that Li Xiangyang stay for a meal in the county town, but Li Xiangyang declined the invitation, thinking of Li Xiaoyun who was pregnant at home.
"Let's do it another day. My wife is pregnant, I have to go back right away."
Zhao Minghui nodded knowingly: "Then I'll take you back."
Before leaving, Li Xiangyang went to check on Wang Jianguo. Wang Jianguo looked much better in his hospital bed, and immediately tried to get up when he saw Li Xiangyang come in.
"Don't move, lie still," Li Xiangyang pressed him down. "I've come to say goodbye; I have to go back to the village."
Wang Jianguo grasped Li Xiangyang's hand: "Brother Li, we really owe you a lot this time... I... I don't know how to thank you enough..."
Li Xiangyang smiled and said, "Take good care of yourself and recover well; that's the best way to thank me. I'll treat you to some wild game after you're discharged."
"No, no," Wang Jianguo hurriedly waved his hand, a look of fear on his face, "I never want to eat wild animals again in my life."
The two exchanged a smile, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed.
After leaving the hospital, at Zhao Minghui's insistence, Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou got into his jeep and drove towards Xiaoliang Village.
Throughout the journey, Zhao Minghui repeatedly expressed his gratitude and promised that he would not hesitate to ask for help in the future.
It was already evening when they returned to the village. Li Xiaoyun was already waiting at the door. Seeing her husband return safely, her tense nerves finally relaxed, and tears streamed down her face involuntarily.
"Why are you crying?" Li Xiangyang hugged his wife tenderly. "I'm perfectly fine, aren't I?"
Li Xiaoyun wiped away her tears and scolded playfully, "Who's crying? I just got sand in my eye."
After dinner, Li Xiangyang lay in bed, feeling Li Xiaoyun gently changing his dressing.
"Does it hurt?" Li Xiaoyun asked cautiously.
"It doesn't hurt," Li Xiangyang said, gazing tenderly at his wife's slightly protruding belly. "With you here, no injury hurts."
Li Xiangyang turned slightly to the side and saw his wife staring down at his blood-soaked gauze. He wanted to reach out and touch her hair, but the movement pulled at his wound and he groaned, "I'm sorry for making you worry. This was an accident."
"Which one wasn't an accident?" Li Xiaoyun suddenly gripped the cotton swab tightly, took a deep breath, and re-dipped it in the medicine. The swab landed on the wound as lightly as a feather. "I know I can't stop you, I just hope that every time you go deep into the mountains, you'll remember home..."
She suddenly stopped, biting her lower lip to swallow the rest of her words, and focused more intently on disinfecting the wound.
Li Xiangyang held her hand and pressed it against his chest: "Don't worry, I'll be careful from now on. After the baby is born, I'll stay with you and the baby, and I won't go anywhere."
He gently traced the line between his fingertips and her pregnant belly. "Our baby will definitely look like you, smart and beautiful."
Li Xiaoyun stopped crying and laughed, gently punching his shoulder: "You're good at sweet-talking people."
She picked up the cotton swab again, but her movements were even gentler than before. "The doctor said to change the dressing frequently; I'll be keeping an eye on you these next few days."
“Yes, Nurse Li.” Li Xiangyang deliberately kept a straight face, but laughed out loud at her reproachful gaze.