Zhou Zhi put down his chopsticks and handed Su Xiaolu a clean handkerchief.
Su Xiaolu took it and wiped her mouth. “Thank you.”
Zhou Zhi smiled. “No need to thank me. Since it’s a night scout, it’s just right to go at night. It’s still early. Take a rest. When the time comes, we’ll go together. Go in with Jin Wu. I’ll wait for you outside.”
Zhou Zhi had arranged it well. Su Xiaolu nodded in agreement.
It was only a quarter past eight, and there were still nearly four hours before midnight. It was good to rest first. Su Xiaolu also said to Zhou Zhi, “Then you should rest too.”
Zhou Zhi nodded and shouted, “Bring Miss Su to rest.”
It was a familiar face. Su Xiaolu remembered his name. His name was Jin Qi and he looked to be in his twenties.
Su Xiaolu followed him. Jin Qi should be an expert. He didn’t even make a sound when he walked. Su Xiaolu felt that his martial arts were above hers.
There were many experts around Zhou Zhi. The guards she saw were all experts.
Jin Qi brought Su Xiaolu to the courtyard and said to her, “Miss Su, please rest well. I’ll call you at midnight.”
Su Xiaolu cupped her hands at Jin Qi and nodded. “Okay, thank you.”
Jin Qi turned around and left. Su Xiaolu also entered the room.
The room was very simple, and the bedding was new.
Su Xiaolu fell asleep and circulated her Internal Breath in her body twice. She felt much more comfortable. Thinking of Zhou Zhi, Su Xiaolu had mixed feelings.
She felt that Zhou Zhi’s legs should be in pain after walking so much today. She could not help him with his legs. She could only make some medicine for him after this matter was over.
On the other side, Zhou Zhi was sitting on the bed. A doctor in his forties was changing his dressing.
The cold steel frame had been removed, and blood was seeping out of the bandages.
“Doctor Wu, please hurry up. I still have to go out at midnight.”
Zhou Zhi’s face was pale and his cheeks were covered in beads of sweat. However, his tone was very calm and it was hard to imagine what kind of pain he was enduring.
Doctor Wu frowned. “Master, you can’t go out at midnight. Your injuries are so serious that you have to recuperate for at least a month. It’s not good for your wounds to repeatedly rupture.”
Zhou Zhi’s legs were gone below the knees. Although he could walk, the pain he had to suffer was too great.
All these years, his wound had always healed and ruptured. Every time it ruptured, it was extremely dangerous. Sometimes, he even had to cut off some rotten flesh.
Doctor Wu hoped that Zhou Zhi would take it seriously. He looked at Zhou Zhi and said, “Master, if you really want to go out, let Jin Wu and the rest push you in a wooden wheelchair.”
Zhou Zhi gritted his teeth. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He swallowed and said calmly, “Help me bandage it. I know what to do.”
When Doctor Wu heard Zhou Zhi’s tone, he knew that he was not listening. Doctor Wu shook his head and sighed.
He used scissors to cut off all the gauze. The flesh stuck to the open wound was torn off by the gauze. He had to wash the wound and apply medicine before wrapping it layer by layer.
During this process, Zhou Zhi did not cry out in pain. Even though he was sweating profusely and shivering, he did not cry out in pain.
When the thick gauze bandaged the wound, Doctor Wu sighed again. “Master, although you don’t like to hear it, I still have to say it. Sit if you can. If too much rot and necrosis occur, the consequences will be very serious.”
If he did not let the wound heal, even if he changed the dressing often, it would not stop it from being infected and rotting. When the time came, his life would be in danger. In order to save his life, he could only amputate his limbs.
“I understand. You may leave.”
Zhou Zhi said calmly. He took the medicine bottle at the side and poured out a handful of pills. He poured them into his mouth and ate them.
His body was trembling. He held the edge of the bed and shouted to the outside, “Jin Wu, wake me up at midnight.”
“Yes.”
Jin Wu’s voice came from outside the door.
At the same time, there was also Doctor Wu’s angry voice. “Just let him be. I don’t care anymore.”
Zhou Zhi didn’t listen. Doctor Wu was really angry and left with a flick of his sleeves.
Jin Wu frowned with a helpless expression.
Zhou Zhi’s lips curled up slightly. He slowly lay down and closed his eyes to sleep. However, his legs were in pain and he did not fall asleep.
When the medicine took effect, the pain disappeared. He did not feel any pain. His legs were numb, so he took a nap.
At midnight, Jin Wu entered and woke Zhou Zhi up.
Zhou Zhi opened his eyes and sat up. He put the steel frame on his legs and put on his clothes. His cheeks were already sweating. Zhou Zhi said calmly, “Jin Wu, help me up.”
Jin Wu frowned and struggled. He said, “Master, Mr. Wu said that you shouldn’t walk now.”
Zhou Zhi still did not change his mind. He said calmly, “I know. Help me up. I’m going to be late.”
Of course, he knew about his legs. But now, he had to do this first. They were already gone. So what if they hurt?
Seeing that persuasion was useless, Jin Wu could only help Zhou Zhi up.
Zhou Zhi’s entire body trembled slightly. After a while, he calmed down and took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his cheeks and forehead before leaving.
On the way, Jin Wu supported him. When they arrived at the main room, Jin Wu let go. Zhou Zhi calmed himself down and then walked toward the main room.
“Xiaolu, did you sleep well?”
Zhou Zhi asked softly.
Su Xiaolu stood up and walked towards Zhou Zhi. She said, “Yes. Thank you. Let’s go now.”
Zhou Zhi stepped aside and let Su Xiaolu walk in front.
The two of them left the residence together. The carriage was already prepared.
There were two guards. One was Jin Qi and the other was Jin Wu.
After getting into the carriage, Zhou Zhi sat further away from Su Xiaolu.
He was afraid that Su Xiaolu would smell something. Fortunately, it was late at night. In the dim carriage, Su Xiaolu could not see his expression.
What Zhou Zhi did not know was that Su Xiaolu had a good sense of smell. She had long smelled the smell of medicine and blood on Zhou Zhi.
Su Xiaolu did not know how Zhou Zhi endured it. She could only pretend not to know anything.
When they arrived at the Li residence, Su Xiaolu said to Zhou Zhi, “Wait outside. I’ll go in first.”
It was already late at night. At this moment, Minister Li should be asleep.
Zhou Zhi nodded and instructed, “Alright, be careful. I’ll meet you here.”
Su Xiaolu got out of the carriage. Zhou Zhi instructed Jin Wu, “Jin Wu, go with her and listen to Miss Su’s instructions.”
Jin Wu accepted the order. “Yes.”
Jin Wu looked at Su Xiaolu and waited for her to speak.
Su Xiaolu looked at Jin Wu and said, “Then let’s go into the Li residence first.”
With that, Su Xiaolu flew to the roof of the Li residence first, followed by Jin Wu.
Zhou Zhi watched Su Xiaolu disappear before lowering the curtain and retracting his gaze. He took out the medicine bottle with trembling hands and poured a lot of pills into his mouth.
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