Love like the Galaxy : Five Years Apart

Chapter -3

Shaoshang stirred and attempted to rise, but her weakened state caused her to lose balance. She almost fell off the bed. The man rushed towards her but hesitated for a second.

"What's the rush?" he asked, settling back into his seat after assisting her.

Shaoshang perched on the edge of the bed, her back supported by the wall, and fell into a momentary silence. Unknown to her, for the first time in two months, Ling Buyi's presence failed to invade her thoughts upon waking. She cast her eyes upon the man before her and inquired, "What happened to me?"

"I'm supposed to answer your question, but it hardly seems fair if you can ignore mine," he retorted, rising from his seat with purpose.

"Drink this. Your health is in a very bad state," he urged, returning with a bowl.

"What is this?", Shaoshang questioned.

"Just drink it quickly while it's hot. It won't be effective if it gets cold," he replied with confidence.

With resolve, Shaoshang downed the liquid in a single gulp. Though slightly bitter, it was bearable, and she awaited an explanation.

"What was that?" she inquired, her gaze fixed upon him.

Taking a seat on the bed, he replied, "That was Ziranmu's tonic. Your immunity..." Before he could finish, Shaoshang's shock cut him off.

"What! Where did you find it?" A flicker of Niao Niao appeared as she exclaimed.

"Calm down! CALM DOWN!" he exclaimed, trying to steady her.

"Calm down!" he repeated firmly. "I collected them from the highest point of this mountain." Pausing for a moment, he continued in a thinking tone, "I had around 15 of them. Now I have 5 left."

Shaoshang was left in awe. Such a precious and rare flower, and he had used them on a stranger. She questioned him, "You used them on me? Why? Those flowers are exceptionally rare and valuable."

He settled back, meeting her gaze with unwavering determination. "Your life is more important than those flowers. Yes, they are precious, but aren't they meant to heal people?".

Shaoshang was in deep thought that why would someone care about anyone without expecting anything in return.

No one cared about her and the only person she thought did , broke her in a way that neither she can hate him nor love him .

She knew something was wrong but she also knew that she is incapable of doing anything. Neither she can run nor she can fight . She decided to keep her guard up.

Is he a rebel?
He looks like a soldier though.
But why would he use such precious flowers for me ?

She was so deep in her thoughts that she forgot to notice the man pointing a knife towards her .

Shaoshang's eyes remained fixed on the knife, her mind consumed by the realization that there was no way out. This was her fate-death awaited her without any explanation, without the chance to confront Ling Buyi about the pain he caused her or to shout at him for abandoning her.

In that fleeting moment, as she closed her eyes, Shaoshang found herself longing to live. Dreams of learning medicine, building things, and experiencing the beauty of life surged within her.

Suddenly, the man's voice broke the silence. "Here. Keep it." His unexpected words startled Shaoshang, and her gaze shifted to the knife. She couldn't believe what she was hearing-did he just return the same knife she always carried with her?

Confusion clouded Shaoshang's thoughts. Is this man really as innocent as he appears? First, he used rare flowers, and now this. What does he truly want?

But Shaoshang couldn't forget the reason for her journey-to obtain Ziranmu. In a bold move, she mustered her courage and asked, "Can you give me the remaining flowers?"

"They won't be enough to heal you," he cautioned.

"I still want them. Can you please give them to me? I will pay you," she persisted.

He laughed, a sound that held a touch of amusement. "Nature is free for all. If you need them, then take them. But I must warn you, they won't be sufficient."

Shaoshang nodded, her heart brimming with gratitude as he handed her the precious flowers.

"Here," he said, his eyes meeting hers.

Shaoshang accepted the flowers with a sense of accomplishment, her goal finally achieved.

"Do you know how to use them?" he inquired.

"One must boil the whole flower and, as you said, drink it while it's hot," she replied.

He crossed his arms, his demeanor displaying a hint of arrogance and pride. "Do you know why it's called the rarest of rare?"

"Because it is difficult to find," she ventured.

"Yes, but there's more to it. This flower has 14 petals, and only 2 are used for making tonics," he revealed.

Curiosity overcame Shaoshang as she bombarded him with more questions, some seemed laughable, yet he answered them all patiently.

"Can you tell me one more thing?" she asked.

"I'll try my best," he replied.

"What should someone do if they are diligently taking their meals and medicines but their health isn't improving?"

"Eating all the meals doesn't guarantee true nourishment. Merely consuming them doesn't suffice. Food is supposed to energize and satiate the soul... The problem doesn't lie in the food or the medicine, but in the person's mind," he explained, his gaze filled with sympathy.

"But it won't help you in that situation. Yes, your immunity needs it, but it won't make you eat or help the medicines work."

Her hope slightly wavered, yet she pressed on, seeking guidance. "So, what should I do?" she inquired.

" Since you are eating all your meals and still not improving...... "--- He thought for a while and said , " You will find my solution dumb but it works. Only eat when your body wants to . Only eat when you can't think about anything but food . "

" Will it work? " She asked

"Medicines can heal wounds to some extent, but it ultimately depends on how much you care about your own well-being," he advised.

He rose to his feet, his attention drawn outside. "It's almost time for the sunset!" he exclaimed, glancing back at her. "Want to go outside to witness it?"

Shaoshang nodded.With the sunset, a new beginning awaits Shaoshang.