She snatched the torch from Tian Dazhuang's hand, brought it close to the ground, illuminating a few dark, blackish stains:
"Is this blood?" She had just keenly caught the scent of blood.
Under the torchlight, the dark black turned a bright red—it was indeed blood.
Tian Dazhuang grew anxious: "Could it be a wild animal?"
Qin Sang couldn't be sure:
"Only a few drops. It could also be from Eldest Girl's foot being scraped by a stone."
Tian Yougen nodded:
"Da Zhuang, don't panic. There's blood, and it's fresh, which means we're searching in the right direction. If it were a wild animal, there would likely be dragging marks. Let's spread out and look around for other traces, like torn clothing or fabric."
Da Zhuang was extremely worried, but still held onto hope and obediently went to search. Qin Sang, holding the torch, looked around and found a few more drops of blood on the path, along with a patch of flattened grass by the roadside.
"Eldest Girl? Are you down there?" Qin Sang waved the torch, but visibility was limited. She could only see it was a slope. If someone had rolled down, there was no telling how far they might have gone.
There was no response, but Qin Sang felt these marks didn't appear for no reason:
"Look at these broken branches. Don't they look like they snapped from someone stepping into thin air? I suspect Eldest Girl accidentally stepped wrong, twisted her ankle, and fell. Da Zhuang, take the torch and go down carefully to check."
Hearing this, Tian Yougen added:
"Da Zhuang, I'll go down with you."
Tian Dazhuang, who doted on his daughter, now hearing there was hope, took the torch without another word and started down the slope first.
Qin Sang waited above, watching the torchlight steadily descend, a wave of worry rising in her heart.
A quarter of an hour later, Qin Sang heard Tian Dazhuang's voice:
"Mother, we found Eldest Girl. She's alive."
Only then did Qin Sang's anxious heart settle. After all, this was the Original Owner's own granddaughter. If anything had happened to Eldest Girl, she would have been saddled with the vile reputation of causing her granddaughter's death—a label she'd never shake off.
Now that Eldest Girl was alive, other minor matters could be dealt with gradually.
"Good. Be careful, don't get hurt."
Qin Sang called down towards the bottom of the slope.
Knowing the girl was alive made the waiting time feel less interminable.
When Tian Dazhuang appeared on the mountain path carrying Eldest Girl on his back, with Tian Yougen holding the torch, Qin Sang immediately asked:
"How is she? Is she injured?"
Seeing Qin Sang approach, Eldest Girl, lying on Tian Dazhuang's back, buried her small face into her father's shoulder. It was Tian Dazhuang who answered:
"Mother, Eldest Girl says her ankle hurts, and the sole of her foot is scraped raw."
Qin Sang felt it; Eldest Girl's ankle was dislocated.
She came from a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. Her grandfather was the village's old Chinese medicine doctor, and as a child, she had followed him all over the mountains collecting herbs and making medicinal plasters.
Her father knew bone-setting, and she had learned from him too. However, with the times changing, the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine was far slower than Western medicine, and barefoot doctors weren't socially recognized. Her father had sent Qin Sang to medical school. But after seven years of study and seven years after graduation, without connections or a network in society, she could only work as an intern even in a third-tier hospital. Thinking about it was enough to bring tears to her eyes.
"You keep carrying her well. Let's head to the cave first; it's not safe here. The villagers still don't know the news."
Tian Dazhuang nodded, tightening his grip. Tian Yougen led the way with the torch. Going downhill was much faster than going up. In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they were back. Qin Sang handed the gong to Tian Yougen and told her eldest son to carefully sit Eldest Girl on a rock:
"Paternal uncle, quickly sound the gong to let everyone know she's been found and to come back soon."
"Eldest Girl, Grandma will press your foot a bit. It's alright, it won't hurt after a touch."
Unexpectedly, the little girl pulled her foot back, her face full of fear:
"No need, Grandma. I... I'm fine."
Qin Sang touched her own face. Could it be that her gentle expression...
Qin Sang gently lifted the little girl's foot and massaged it, actually using a deft wrist technique. She completely missed the look of astonishment in the three pairs of eyes watching her.
Especially Eldest Girl—Grandma was actually touching her foot and massaging it.
It was precisely because she was in shock that she didn't even have time to react to the momentary pain of the bone-setting; the sensation passed before she could register it.
"Eldest Girl, does it still hurt?"
Qin Sang released her hand and asked.
Eldest Girl tentatively moved her ankle and answered in a timid, low voice:
"It doesn't hurt much anymore, Grandma."
Tian Dazhuang was both shocked and delighted. Tian Yougen's gaze fell deeply upon Qin Sang:
"Tian Qinshi, you know bone-setting?"
Qin Sang had no intention of hiding it. To rehabilitate the Original Body's evil reputation, knowing medicine was definitely a plus:
"Long River learned a bit from the Military Doctor in the army before and taught me."
The Original Owner's husband was already dead. Even if others doubted, there was no one to ask.
Tian Yougen didn't suspect anything: "So Long River taught you. With this skill, you'll never go hungry."
The sound of the gong echoed far and wide. The three of them waited where they were. Only then did Tian Dazhuang have the peace of mind to ask Eldest Girl:
"Eldest Girl, didn't I tell you to stay in the cave? Why did you run up the mountain?"
Eldest Girl's little face was dirty as she answered timidly:
"I saw a rabbit and wanted to catch it... so Father could take it to town to sell for money... but I accidentally stepped wrong, twisted my ankle, and couldn't... couldn't climb back up."
By the end, Eldest Girl hung her head anxiously, feeling she had caused a terrible disaster.
Tian Yougen smiled faintly beside them:
"Eldest Girl is thoughtful. But rabbits aren't that easy to catch. Luckily your Grandma noticed the traces, or we might never have found you. By the way, why didn't you answer when we called from the slope earlier? You should have been able to hear from that spot."
Eldest Girl stiffened, instinctively glanced at the Grandma before her, and quickly lowered her head again.
Qin Sang understood. Catching a rabbit to sell meant she wouldn't have to be sold. And hearing her voice from the slope, Eldest Girl probably thought she had come to catch and sell her, which was why she didn't dare respond.
The Original Owner truly was a sinner.
The time it takes for one incense stick to burn later, everyone had returned. The group went back to Tianjia Village. Many women were waiting outside the courtyard gate, eager to see the commotion. Now seeing Eldest Girl safe and sound, and catching sight of Qin Sang, they quickly scattered.
Seeing everyone about to leave, Qin Sang asked Eldest Daughter-in-law if the meal was ready. Receiving an affirmative reply, she hurriedly said:
"Everyone worked hard today. When it's time for the evening meal, I'll call everyone who helped. You must all be hungry by now. I had my daughter-in-law cook some food. Please, don't be shy, come in and have a bowl."
Everyone was taken aback by her words.
They were all country folk. In their homes, it was usually two meals a day of thin gruel, sometimes with wild vegetables, grass roots, or tree bark. Now, with the severe drought and no harvest from the fields, an extra mouth to feed might mean going hungry the next meal. So, even between the closest families, when visiting and seeing it's mealtime, people would consciously head home.
Moreover, everyone knew Qin Sang's sharp-tongued, mean-spirited nature. Today, she was the one who found the girl; they had just run around a bit. Usually, just passing by her courtyard would earn them a scolding for disturbing her chickens' egg-laying. Who would dare eat at her house?
So, they all politely declined, saying they had food waiting at home and that Qin Sang shouldn't be so courteous.
Qin Sang knew the Original Body was not well-regarded, but rehabilitation started today. They had to eat this meal:
"Please, don't refuse. Our family can't offer any other thanks, only this meal. Besides, I already had my daughter-in-law start cooking when we left. In this weather, if it's cooked and not eaten, it'll spoil before the night is over."
Zhou Dahua, who had been happily crying while holding her daughter, wiped her tears and also said to everyone:
"Yes, the food is all cooked. Please, have a bite."
The villagers exchanged glances and then hesitantly entered the courtyard.
The village women, who had already eaten, whispered outside the courtyard:
"Do you know why Eldest Girl got lost? I heard it's because there's no money to buy rice, and they were going to sell Eldest Girl for grain."
"Sister-in-law Tian, what kind of person is she normally? Don't you know? Would she kindly invite people to eat? Being offered a sip of water would be a miracle."
"A meal at Sister-in-law Tian's house isn't so easily eaten. She might just show up at your doorstep tomorrow with her whole family, asking you to share your rations."