Chapter 323: 323. Su Liang’s New Friend

Translator: 549690339

When Su Liang slowly regained consciousness, her last memory was parting with Gu Ling by the Liuxian River late at night, and then she sailed alone to the east. She didn’t know how long she had been traveling when the old man, whom she had encountered twice before, boarded her boat and knocked her out.

Feeling some soreness at the back of her neck, Su Liang sat up, rubbing it with her hand while surveying her surroundings.

This was a simple room, with bedding and curtains made of coarse grey cloth, but it was very clean.

The window was open, the air was fresh, and clear bird calls and insect chirps could be heard.

Su Liang’s clothes had not been changed, and her shoes were neatly placed by the bed.

Lifting the quilt, she put on her shoes and got out of bed. She walked to the door, and it opened with a pull.

Bright sunlight flooded her eyes, and Su Liang instinctively raised her hand to shield her forehead. The view was filled with lush greenery, and the small courtyard was surrounded by bamboo forest, enclosed by a bamboo fence.

A black and white magpie perched on the bamboo fence, chirping. Su Liang thought to herself, don’t talk about magpies bringing good news again, twice in a row, and nothing good happened. The last time she saw a magpie was in Xiangyue City of Yin Country when Gu Ling was captured the next day.

From behind the backyard, the sound of chopping wood could be heard. Su Liang walked over and saw a thin old man splitting firewood.

This should be their fourth encounter, but it was only at this moment that Su Liang got a clear glimpse of his appearance. The old man must have been a handsome man when he was young, and now looked elegant and extraordinary, even wearing gray cloth and wielding an axe. His graying hair was meticulously combed, and his back was straight.

The old man looked up at Su Liang, his aged eyes devoid of warmth.

“From my relationship with my husband, I should address you as ‘master,’ senior,” Su Liang said with a smile as she walked over, picking up a piece of firewood from the ground and placing it neatly under the wooden firewood shed.

The old man showed no expression, “No need.”

“Then how would you like me to address you, senior?” Su Liang asked, “We have met several times, but I still don’t know your name.”

“Qiao Cong,” the old man replied, stating his name.

“Then I’ll address you as Old Qiao, senior,” Su Liang said as she continued to help the old man pick up the split firewood. “Old Qiao is Che Yun’s master, who should be called Situ Jing by now, as he is the maternal grandfather of Nangong Qian. Did you bring me here to treat Nangong Qian? Are the siblings here too?”

Qiao Cong split a log with his axe, further dividing it into thinner sticks.

Seeing that he did not respond, Su Liang continued to ask, “Is Situ Jing going back to the Liang Country’s Royal Family? If some of what Nangong Lin said was true, would Qiao Cong really want Situ Jing to go back and call Situ Han his

‘father, the emperor’?”

Qiao Cong’s face darkened, and his axe brushed past Su Liang’s shoulder and flew out, embedding itself in the tree behind her. He then walked past Su Liang and left the backyard.

Su Liang looked perplexed. Was Qiao Cong angry? Did he not want Situ Jing to return to the Liang country’s royal family, but Situ Jing insisted on going back and acknowledging the thief as his father?

Su Liang didn’t follow him back to the front yard. Instead, she pulled the axe from the tree and continued splitting firewood. It wasn’t to please Qiao Cong, but she needed to find something to do to clear her head.

After splitting all the firewood and stacking it neatly, Su Liang took the broom leaning against the wall and swept the backyard.

Then, looking at the large empty space, she couldn’t help but recall the days when she and Gu Ling planted vegetables in the backyard of their family home back in Su Village. At this time of year, their backyard would be full of weeds that had grown from seeds that had drifted down from the mountain. But among those weeds, there would definitely be pumpkins and eggplants. They had eaten the ones that grew on their own when they returned last year.

So, when Su Liang put the axe back in the woodshed and returned to the front yard, she said to Qiao Cong, “It’s a pity not to plant vegetables in the backyard.”

Qiao Cong obviously paused for a moment, “What?”

Su Liang laughed softly, “I mean, the backyard is such a good place, suitable for planting vegetables. ”

‘What do you want by saying these things?” Qiao Cong asked coldly.

Su Liang shrugged, “Just a small suggestion.” As she finished speaking, her gaze fell on the closed door of the room next to hers, suspecting that Nangong Qian might be inside.

As the sun reached its peak, Su Liang felt hungry and a little thirsty.

In the corner, a wooden shed was set up, underneath which was the stove. The kitchen seemed too primitive for Su Liang.

Su Liang considered her chances of escaping from Qiao Cong’s watchful eyes. Even if she hadn’t taken any sedatives or other drugs, she had no medicine on her, and all she could see nearby were bamboo plants.

It was as if Qiao Cong felt secure enough to let her wander alone in the front or backyard, certain she couldn’t escape.

I should look for an opportunity to try… Su Liang thought, but couldn’t be too impulsive.

The water boiled, Su Liang scooped a cup, blew on it while slowly drinking, and saw Qiao Cong take out a well-killed pheasant and was about to throw it into the pot.

“Stop!” Su Liang held up her cup to prevent him.

“What do you want?” Qiao Cong frowned.

“May I ask, what does Elder Qiao intend to do with this pheasant?” Su Liang asked.

“Cook it well.” Qiao Cong said.

Su Liang shook her head, “It won’t taste good. How about letting me cook it?”

Qiao Cong’s eyes were not small, but always squinted, as if he hadn’t woken up yet.

Hearing Su Liang’s words, he threw the pheasant over, “You cook.”

rlWvo quarters of an hour later, the pheasant turned into fragrant roasted chicken, and there was also a pot of wild vegetable porridge.

With limited ingredients, there wasn’t much room for Su Liang to be creative, but it was definitely many times better than what Qiao Cong originally planned to cook.

Qiao Cong watched the entire process, seemingly afraid that she would poison the food.

“It’s just the two of us, right?” Su Liang asked while serving the porridge.

Qiao Cong nodded.

Su Liang found it strange in her heart. This didn’t seem like a temporary resting place. They brought her here, with no one else around, what were they planning to do?

In the courtyard, the table was made of a large round log, and the chairs were also wooden.

Su Liang and Qiao Cong sat opposite each other and began to eat lunch.

After she took a couple of bites of the vegetable porridge, thinking that the vegetables were tender and the taste just right, she saw Qiao Cong had already finished a chicken leg and a chicken wing.

By the end, out of the whole fat pheasant, Su Liang only ate one chicken leg, and the rest were eaten by Qiao Cong. He didn’t seem interested in the wild vegetable porridge at first, but after tasting it, he drank three bowls.

“Elder Qiao, in light of this meal, can we have a chat? My martial arts skills are average, so I can’t run away. Can Elder Qiao tell me the purpose of bringing me here? If you plan to kill me, at least let me understand why.” Su Liang always believed that food can affect people’s moods, and that eating well also improves people’s moods.

Qiao Cong shook his head, “I won’t kill you.”

Su Liang was not surprised. She dared to take the appointment, and was pretty sure she wouldn’t die. “Then what do you want me to do?”

“Take care of Qianqian.” Qiao Cong said.

Su Liang: …As expected. She hadn’t seen Nangong Qian, and she thought she had guessed wrong, but it turned out she hadn’t.

‘Where is she?” Su Liang asked. Were they going to find Nangong Qian next, or would Nangong Qian be brought here?

“She will come. ” Qiao Cong said.

Su Liang understood in her heart. If nothing went wrong, Nangong Qian would soon be brought here, and then her task would be to treat and take care of

Nangong Qian. It wasn’t what Lian Shun thought – where Che Yun wanted to do something to her.

After all, to Qiao Cong and Nangong Lin, Nangong Qian’s health came first. If Situ Jing wanted to use them, he would have to show that he truly cared about Nangong Qian, regardless of sincerity or pretense.

In this case, Su Liang, the Divine Doctor, would be very important. They could capture her but couldn’t offend her on certain matters.

Su Liang hadn’t been unconscious for long, and she guessed that she was somewhere on the border between Qian Country and Yin Country.

“If Elder Qiao doesn’t mind, may I cook from now on?” Su Liang negotiated with Qiao Cong, “In return, could Elder Qiao guide my martial arts when you have time, what do you think?”

Qiao Cong looked at the chicken bones left on the table and Su Liang’s clear, smiling eyes. After a moment of silence, he nodded his head.

In her heart, Su Liang gave herself a “Yay”. This old man was communicative, a good sign.

In the afternoon, Su Liang cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks, with Qiao Cong watching her skillfully doing housework.

After Su Liang returned to her room, she found the clothes she had brought with her that night in the wardrobe. After washing and changing her clothes, she went out and did not see Qiao Cong in the front yard or the backyard.

Su Liang opened the door of the room next door and saw that all the furniture and decorations were exquisite and magnificent, completely different from the room she was staying in. This must have been prepared for Nangong Qian.

The other room belonged to Qiao Cong, and it had not been locked. Su Liang entered and found that it was just like her room: clean but plain.

“Sir Qiao? Senior? Is anyone there?” Su Liang stood in the courtyard and called out a few times, but it was quiet all around, and the sound of the wind blowing through the bamboo leaves was quite clear.

Su Liang felt a little conflicted. Was the old man hiding in the dark, watching her, or did he think she wouldn’t run away and truly leave? Should she try to run away?

Following her thought, Su Liang didn’t carry any luggage and grabbed an axe for chopping wood from the backyard. Based on the sun and the density of the vegetation, she determined her cardinal directions and walked northward into the bamboo forest.

If she was in Yin Country’s territory, heading north was correct. If she was in Qian Country’s territory, then heading north would still be in Qian Country.

Entering the forest, with the massive bamboo stalks taller than Su Liang, she soon realized that it was easy to lose her way. So every once in a while, she marked the bamboo stalks with her axe as she passed them. If she circled back to the same spot, it meant she was lost.

As she walked, Su Liang stumbled upon a bamboo shoot and decided to dig it out.

So Su Liang squatted down and used her axe and a bamboo stalk as tools to dig out a large bamboo shoot. Holding it in one hand and her axe in the other, she continued forward.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, Su Liang felt that this was not an ordinary bamboo forest but a vast bamboo sea.

Another quarter of an hour later, Su Liang finally saw plants that were not bamboo in her line of sight. After speeding up her pace for a few steps, her vision suddenly cleared!

However, her joy of walking out of the bamboo forest was quickly shattered by the sound of the crashing waves and the endless sea in the distance.

To Su Liang’s surprise, she was on an island! Liuxian River flowed eastward into the sea, and Gu Ling had said that the vast coastal areas were all virgin forests filled with snakes, insects, and fierce beasts. No one lived there. He had once gone to watch the sunrise and had heard of a legend about an Immortal Island. The island was supposed to be beautiful, rich in resources, and full of treasures everywhere, a perfect paradise away from the world.

Su Liang thought that the Immortal Island Gu Ling had heard about must not be the place where she was now. This island was full of bamboo…

Su Liang walked through the sandy beach to the edge of the sea, her feet sinking in the sand. Unable to see the land, she knew that without a boat, she couldn’t leave the island. No wonder Qiao Cong left her alone, feeling secure. Presumably, the only boat on the island was taken by Qiao Cong.

Su Liang sat on the sandy beach, took off her shoes and socks, and let the rising sea water cover her feet, then recede.

She remembered a movie from her previous life, “Cast Away.” The protagonist’s only friend after being stranded on a deserted island was a volleyball, and he even named it.

Su Liang looked at the bamboo shoot next to her and said in a melancholy tone,

“You’re my only friend on this island. I’ll call you Little God.”

Sunshine, sea breeze, sandy beach… In her previous life, these were experiences she would have while traveling.

Su Liang lay on the sandy beach, holding the bamboo shoot, and looked up at the sky, “Little God, what do you suppose the Great God is doing right now?”

When Qiao Cong returned by boat, he saw someone on the beach from afar. As he got closer, he saw Su Liang sitting cross-legged on the sandy beach, with a small mound of sand in front of her and a bamboo shoot on it. It looked strange…

As the boat landed, Qiao Cong came over with a large bamboo basket on his back, “What are you doing?”

Su Liang stood up with the bamboo shoot in her arms and smiled, “Sir Qiao is back. I noticed we didn’t have many fresh ingredients at home, so I wanted to dig up some bamboo shoots but accidentally ended up here.”

Qiao Cong’s eyes fell on the bamboo shoot and asked with a frown, “Is it edible?”

Su Liang shook her head, “It’s not edible; it’s too old.” This was her friend.

Then, Su Liang followed Qiao Cong back through the bamboo forest. Along the way, Qiao Cong noticed the markings Su Liang had made on the bamboo shoots. Su Liang explained that it was because she was afraid of getting lost and not being able to find her way back.

Qiao Cong had brought back a rib and a large piece of lean meat, as well as some vegetables that Su Liang had seen in Jiaye City. Considering the time it took for his round trip, either Qiao Cong’s boat was as fast as flying, or the source of the ingredients was not as far away as Su Liang thought.

Seeing Qiao Cong hand her two paper-wrapped packages, Su Liang caught them and asked, “What is this?”

“Vegetables,” Qiao Cong answered succinctly.

Su Liang opened the packages to find seeds for planting vegetables. She had suggested planting vegetables, and the old man took it to heart.

“That’s great.” Su Liang laughed, “We’ll plant the vegetables tomorrow morning, and they’ll sprout soon.”

Hearing “we,” Qiao Cong shook his head, “You.”

“Anyway, Qiao Cong’s granddaughter hasn’t come yet, and there’s nothing else to do. I have experience in this area and can teach Qiao Cong, so after I leave, you can continue planting on your own.” Su Liang laughed.

Qiao Cong squinted at Su Liang, “Aren’t you afraid you can’t leave?”

Su Liang shook her head, “I can’t find a reason for Qiao Cong to kill me.”

For dinner, Su Liang stewed a pot of ribs and also made meat pies.

During the meal, the bamboo shoot was next to her.

Qiao Cong glanced at it, “Why not throw it away?

Su Liang gently touched the cleaned bamboo shoot, “This is my friend.”

Qiao Cong narrowed his eyes again, and finally couldn’t help but mock,

“Childish.”

Su Liang laughed lightly, “I’ll take it as a compliment from Qiao Cong that I’m young.”

After dinner, Su Liang proposed that Qiao Cong give her some guidance on her swordsmanship.

Perhaps because he had accepted her meal, Qiao Cong agreed without hesitation.

As the moon rose, Qiao Cong and Su Liang each held a bamboo stick, standing opposite each other in the courtyard.

“I’ve learned the Luoying Swordsmanship from Gu Ling, but I haven’t mastered it yet. I hope Qiao Cong can give me more guidance.” With that, Su Liang attacked Qiao Cong.

After three moves, Su Liang looked at the broken bamboo stick in her hand and sighed, “Compared to Qiao Cong’s swordsmanship, I’m just a piece of trash.”

“Your foundation is not bad.” Qiao Cong picked up another bamboo stick and handed it to Su Liang, “Luoying Swordsmanship is not suitable for you. I’ll teach you another swordsmanship.”

Su Liang’s eyes lit up, “Can I worship you as my master? Then I’ll be my man’s master.”

Qiao Cong shook his head, “I don’t accept disciples. Focus!”

Su Liang concentrated, “Yes, master.”

Qiao Cong didn’t correct her but began to demonstrate another set of swordsmanship to Su Liang.

The moon was bright, and the bamboo forest quiet.

Su Liang followed Qiao Cong’s moves and practiced the new swordsmanship once.

After demonstrating, Qiao Cong dropped the bamboo stick and left, “Only once.

If you can’t learn it, forget it.”

Su Liang didn’t respond but immediately recalled the sword techniques just now and went through them again. And then, again.

Qiao Cong stood by the window and watched. Su Liang practiced in the moonlight until midnight. Her moves were error-free and getting more and more skilled.

In the end, Su Liang put down the bamboo stick, picked up the bamboo shoot on the wooden table in the courtyard, “Little God, it’s time for us to sleep.” Qiao Cong silently closed the window.

‘Master, aren’t you asleep yet? I want to go to the beach to watch the sunrise tomorrow morning. If you’re worried, we can go together.” Su Liang’s voice was cheerful.

Two low, aged words came from Qiao Cong’s room, “Plant vegetables.”

Su Liang coughed lightly, “I forgot. Plant vegetables tomorrow morning, and watch the sunrise the day after tomorrow.”

The small courtyard finally regained its tranquility. Su Liang lay on the bed with the bamboo shoot on the stool beside her. She whispered, “Although that old man is eccentric, he’s much better than that hypocritical and disgusting pervert Nangong Lin. I should be safe as long as I don’t provoke his grandchildren, and life shouldn’t be too hard. Little God, I’m off to meet Great God in my dreams. I really hope I can return to the Great God before you grow old, and then we can eat you together. Great God loves bamboo shoots stir-fried with bacon….”