The street outside Medicine Hall was crowded. Yue Zilan stood quietly at the edge, her eyes watching the scene unfold.
In the middle of the crowd, a young man knelt on the dusty ground. His arms held a pale girl tightly against his chest. Her lips were blue, her breath faint and shallow, as if it might vanish at any moment.
"Doctor! Please! I beg you, save her!" the youth cried out. His forehead struck the wooden step again and again in desperate kowtows. His voice cracked, filled with grief and panic.
The door of the medical shop creaked open. An old physician stood inside. His robe was neat, but his face carried unease. He looked at the siblings for a long moment before shaking his head.
"I cannot help her," he said. His voice was heavy, almost guilty. Then, without another word, he shut the door. The bolt slid into place with a dull clack.
"Anything! I'll do anything!" The young man slammed his fists against the door until his knuckles bled. "Please, she's all I have left! Just save her!" His voice broke, echoing down the street.
But the door did not open again.
The crowd sighed. Some shook their heads, others whispered quietly.
"Pitiful… truly pitiful."
"They say their father offended a powerful official. He was executed without trial."
"Yes, and the mother… unable to endure the blow, she followed him soon after."
"Only the siblings remain. And now this girl…"
Another voice lowered, yet still carried clearly enough for all to hear.
"I heard it was the relatives. Jealous, hateful people. They said cruel words, calling the siblings bad luck. When the brother wasn't home, they pushed the girl near the pond. She struggled, but they laughed and left her there. By the time someone pulled her out, she had already lost consciousness."
"Tch… such evil. To bully a helpless girl right after her parents were died… is there no limit?"
Three days unconscious. Even if there's hope, who dares to help? The official who ruined their family still holds power.
"Exactly. Even the doctor is afraid. To treat her would be to offend that man."
Their words carried pity, but also helplessness. None dared step forward.
The young man pressed his forehead against the doorframe, his shoulders shaking. "Sister… please, don't leave me too," he whispered hoarsely. Tears dripped onto the girl's pale cheeks. She lay limp in his arms, her chest barely moving.
The crowd only watched.
At that moment, a calm voice broke through the noise.
"Hey, kid. If you want to save her, come with me."
The young man froze. Slowly, he lifted his head. His bloodshot eyes met the gaze of the speaker.
Before him stood a girl in plain robes. Her face was dull, her features ordinary, she was so young and Yet her eyes were steady, her voice clear and unshaken.
"You…" His lips trembled. He stared at her, stunned.
Around them, the onlookers whispered again.
"Who is that girl?"
"She looks younger than him. Did you hear what she called him? Kid!"
"How strange… why would he listen to her?"
"Perhaps despair makes people mad."
The young man heard their voices, but they blurred into nothing. His gaze shifted to the shut door of the medical hall. That was the place he had placed all his hopes in—yet it was closed to him. His heart was filled with despair, heavy like iron chains dragging him down.
But the girl's voice… it was like a spark in the darkness. Calm, certain, and unshaken.
He looked down at his sister. Her breath was faint, slipping further with every moment. He could not wait any longer.
Something deep inside told him this stranger's words were his last chance.
Clenching his teeth, he tightened his hold on his sister and struggled to his feet. His legs shook beneath the weight, but his eyes fixed firmly on the girl's back as she turned to walk away.
The crowd parted. Some sighed, some shook their heads, others murmured in disbelief.
But the young man no longer cared.
He did not know who she was. He did not know if she spoke the truth.
But in that moment, with his sister's life slipping away in his arms, he chose to believe.
Step by step, staggering but unyielding, he followed Yue Zilan into the crowd.