Chapter 52: Marrow Cleansing Pill

Xu Ying shook her head, “I don’t know!”

Huo Chen’s face showed discomfort, but Old Hui nuzzled him with its head to indicate it was okay.

When Xu Jing and Xu Xue arrived and saw Old Hui on the ground, they were scared out of their wits and hid behind Xu Ying, “Sister (Yingying), let’s go back!”

Seeing the blood, the wild boars, and the chaos in the bushes in the distance, it was clear a bloody battle had just taken place.

Thinking of Huo Chen having killed three wild boars made Xu Jing and Xu Xue even more frightened.

Old Hui was quickly fine again. As it stood up this time, its spirits visibly brighter, as if it had returned to its younger days.

Huo Chen glanced casually then quickly turned his head to look again. He thought he had been mistaken, but it seemed Old Hui indeed looked much more spirited, and its fur even seemed brighter than before.

He felt puzzled but did not say more. He turned to Xu Ying and said, “I’m sorry, I was really too anxious just now.”

Xu Ying waved her hand. Old Hui was like a parent to Huo Chen—if she had seen her own parents looking like they were about to die, she probably would have also lashed out at the people around them.

This made Huo Chen feel even more embarrassed.

Xu Ying, with the support of Xu Jing and Xu Xue, walked down the mountain.

Huo Chen carried a young wild boar on one shoulder and dragged a large one in the other hand, while Old Hui bit another wild boar cub and walked with them down the mountain.

“Yingying, look how strong Huo Chen is!” said Xu Jing. She had been about to say ‘wolf cub’ but, fearing Huo Chen might hit her, changed her address instantly.

Xu Ying had long been accustomed to this. She had seen Huo Chen lift things weighing several hundred pounds before, as easily as if he were lifting a little child.

Xu Xue looked at Huo Chen with envy. If only she had such strength, then she could help her mother more and make her life easier.

“People are born with superhuman strength; we can’t envy that,” Xu Ying said with a smile, then suddenly felt a sharp pain in her stomach and furrowed her brows.

Xu Jing curled her lips. What superhuman strength? That’s just brute strength. The villagers say it’s a bad omen.

And her foolish cousin actually dares to associate with Huo Chen?

She looked at Xu Ying’s pale face with curiosity, “What’s the matter with you? You were fine when we went up the mountain earlier. You weren’t hit by a wild boar when we came down just now, were you?”

Xu Ying shook her head and whispered in her ear.

Xu Jing immediately understood and looked at her cousin with a face full of sympathy, “That’s very tough of you. When I get my period, it hardly hurts at all.”

Xu Ying nodded. It varied from person to person; her periods hurt before, but not as severely as this time.

Xu Jing sighed, “When we get back, we’ll have Aunt look for a doctor for you. You can’t keep suffering like this.”

“Okay!”

Huo Chen followed behind, looking at Xu Ying’s pained expression, and felt uncomfortable. He asked, “Xu Ying, where are you hurt? You need to bandage it up quickly. You can’t just let it bleed; otherwise, you’ll bleed dry and die.”

Xu Jing and Xu Xue couldn’t help but laugh when they heard his ridiculous concern.

Huo Chen said seriously, “I’m not joking.”

Maybe because he had grown up drinking Old Hui’s milk as a child, his nose was more sensitive than the average person’s, and he could smell the continuous scent of blood on Xu Ying.

It had been flowing for so long; no wonder he was uncomfortable. If it continued, she would be lifeless.

Huo Chen grew up without a mother, and Granny Huo hadn’t taught him much about the affairs between men and women.

Now he didn’t know what was wrong with Xu Ying.@@novelbin@@

Xu Ying’s face flushed with annoyance at Huo Chen’s comment, “I’m on my period, I’m not going to die!”

Even though she knew he was concerned about her, Xu Ying was still frustrated.

What kind of man chases after a woman on her period telling her she’s going to die?

Xu Jing and Xu Xue were shocked by Xu Ying’s blunt words.

Xu Jing tugged at Xu Ying, “How can you say those things out loud?”

A girl’s reputation is of utmost importance.

Xu Ying rolled her eyes, “If I don’t tell him, he’ll absolutely drag me to the hospital. And believe me, next he’ll be asking what a period is.”

Xu Jing was momentarily stunned, only to see Huo Chen persisting, “What’s a period?”

Xu Jing was dumbfounded, “Huo Chen, are you deliberately teasing my cousin?”

Xu Xue was also unhappy.

Huo Chen, upon hearing this, looked utterly panicked; how could he tease Xu Ying? He was genuinely concerned for her.

And so, Xu Ying gave Huo Chen a biology lesson.

She kept talking until Huo Chen’s face turned beet red, shaking his head he said, “I got it, no need to explain further.”

Xu Jing and Xu Xue looked at Huo Chen, who now didn’t seem scared at all—just like any normal person, albeit a bit stronger.

Xu Jing even started to tease Huo Chen, “Huo Chen, if this isn’t teasing my cousin, what is? Who else would keep on asking about such things?”

Huo Chen was so nervous his teeth were chattering, “I… I didn’t mean to, I really didn’t understand this!”

Xu Jing wanted to continue teasing him but was stopped by her own cousin.

In the time it took for their conversation, they had already reached the bottom of the mountain, passing through the fields on their way back to the village.

At that moment, everyone in the fields was working when someone with sharp eyes spotted the group and pointed towards Huo Chen and the girls, shouting, “Look at the wolf cub, caught a wild pig, and there are several daughters from the team leader’s family.”

The person spoke with excitement; the wolf cub had caught several wild pigs, and they were going to have meat to eat.

In the Yushan Commune, the rule was, whoever hunted big game had to share it, divided by the number of people; any surplus could be bought with money or offset with work points.

But there would also be compensation for the hunter; otherwise, who would be willing to share anything for free?

Mr. Xu’s family, upon hearing this, all turned their heads towards Huo Chen and the others.

“Oh dear, has my eldest daughter been injured?” Mrs. Xu was frantic, quickening her pace toward Xu Ying.

Mr. Xu was also clearly worried.

Mainly because Xu Ying was being supported by Xu Jing and Xu Xue. If there wasn’t anything wrong, why would she need to be helped along?

Mr. Xu looked around with a stern face, “What are you looking at? Get back to work and finish up, we’ll be distributing the meat this afternoon.”

As soon as the team leader spoke, everyone’s face lit up with smiles, and they all worked even harder.

They hadn’t had meat in so long, and the thought of eating meat made everyone visibly excited.

Mrs. Xu ran to her daughter, anxiously asking, “Daughter, where do you feel uncomfortable?”

Huo Chen blurted out, “She’s on her period, hurry and take her back.”

Mrs. Xu froze in shock, her face turning a myriad of colors.

Mrs. Xu gave Huo Chen a glare and called for Eldest Son to carry Xu Ying back home.

Old Hui looked in the direction Xu Ying was leaving, his expression one of reluctance, even lifting his head and howling sadly a few times.

Only then did Mrs. Xu notice Old Hui, and she jumped back in fright, “Xu Jing, Xu Xue, hurry home now.”

Each of them was hanging around with Huo Chen, not even afraid of getting hit.

Mrs. Xu now looked at Huo Chen with nothing but displeasure; the audacity of this young man to know about her daughter’s period. And the girl herself, how could she discuss such matters with a man?

Before leaving, Mrs. Xu gave Huo Chen a fierce glare.

Huo Chen, clueless, touched his nose and continued dragging the wild pig down the mountain.

He just happened to run into Mr. Xu, who instructed him to pull the pig to the wheat field at the village entrance. It was a broad and open area, convenient for meat distribution later.