Seeking Medical Help at Eighteen

Bai Xuehua gently patted Xiao Yun’er’s shoulder and said, “Don’t be afraid. What happened next?”
Xiao Yun’er replied, “After that, I don’t really know. The next thing I remember is waking up in bed, with a sister as beautiful as a celestial maiden sitting beside me.” As she spoke, Xiao Yun’er looked Bai Xuehua up and down and added, “That celestial sister was as beautiful as you.”
Bai Xuehua gave a wry smile. “Do I really look beautiful in my current state?”
Xiao Yun’er laughed. “To be honest, you do look a bit of a mess right now, but that’s because you’re injured. If you put on some lovely clothes, I’m sure you’d look stunning.”
She then sighed softly. “I wonder if I’ll ever get to see you dress up in beautiful clothes again.”
Bai Xuehua was surprised. “Why do you say that? Do you think my injuries won’t heal? That I’ll never have the chance to wear pretty clothes again?”
Xiao Yun’er said, “Sister Xue, when you recover, you’re definitely going to leave me, aren’t you? Once you’re gone, how will I ever see you dressed up?”
Bai Xuehua was taken aback. Yes, once she was healed, how many things awaited her! So many people in the Bai family depended on her; so many grudges in the martial world remained unresolved.
The martial world—when you are in it, your heart is no longer your own. Bai Xuehua, will you ever have the chance to leave the world of Jianghu? Her foster father, Bai Ying, always said, “Personal feelings are small, the family’s matters are great. Every member of the Bai family must put the family first.” She could never abandon the Bai family.
Bai Xuehua felt a strange sense of melancholy. With a soft sigh, she said, “Yun’er, you have your celestial sister. Someday, you’ll forget about me. Besides, my injuries are so severe that perhaps I have no future at all.”
Xiao Yun’er quickly protested, “No, as long as we find my sister Ling, you’ll definitely get better!”
Bai Xuehua asked, “Where is your sister Ling? Will she be willing to help me?”
Xiao Yun’er replied, “Of course. Sister Ling is so kind; she’ll definitely save you. Don’t worry.”
Bai Xuehua said, “Yun’er, can you tell me your sister Ling’s story?”
Xiao Yun’er nodded. “Of course. Sister Ling is incredibly kind and beautiful, like a fairy. Ever since she saved me from a wolf’s jaws, we’ve been good friends. She taught me to read and write, and showed me all the herbs in the mountains. In all the time I’ve known her, I’ve never seen her angry. Sometimes I’d break her things, but she would always smile calmly. Her words were always gentle and soft, never harsh. No matter what I did wrong, she greeted me with patient, gentle smiles, as if nothing could wipe the joy from her face. In my heart, I’ve long since thought of her as a fairy sister.”

As Bai Xuehua listened to Xiao Yun’er speak about her sister Ling, she saw the warmth on Yun’er’s face, the emotion in her eyes, and the dreamy look in her expression. Clearly, Yun’er adored her sister Ling deeply.
Bai Xuehua found herself just as entranced. She wondered, “Is this Ling woman truly so kind, so serene in the face of all things? Who is she? Who is she supposed to be?”
In her heart, Bai Xuehua silently considered all the renowned women of the martial world, especially those mentioned in Madame Baihua’s “Catalogue of Famous Flowers,” but she could not guess who it might be.
Bai Xuehua was also puzzled by her own eagerness to know the story between Xiao Yun’er and her sister Ling. It was like the tale of a hero, wounded and saved by a beautiful maiden, falling for her—only to learn that her heart belonged to someone else. Such feelings were too complex to put into words.
Seeing a strange glimmer in Bai Xuehua’s eyes, Xiao Yun’er made a mischievous face. Unable to help herself, Bai Xuehua asked, “Xiao Yun’er, have you fallen in love with your sister Ling?”
Xiao Yun’er laughed. “Of course! She’s as lovely as a celestial maiden—who wouldn’t love her? Besides, she saved my life and taught me so much. She’s practically my teacher. How could I ever forget her kindness?”
Bai Xuehua thought that it made sense for Xiao Yun’er to be so enchanted by her sister Ling—this mysterious Ling girl had already become the fairy of Yun’er’s heart. Yet she couldn’t understand why this woman would teach Yun’er so much.
If it was out of loneliness, why would she choose to live alone in a remote mountain cave? Bai Xuehua had so many questions she couldn’t answer; her thoughts surged, leaving her restless for a long while.
Xiao Yun’er, seeing her lost in thought by the fire, said, “Dear sister, don’t worry about your wounds. Tomorrow I’ll take you to meet her, and you’ll be healed.”
The next day, before dawn, Xiao Yun’er set out with Bai Xuehua. They struggled through the dense forest, winding through mountains and valleys. The place where Xiao Yun’er’s sister Ling lived was incredibly hard to find. Anyone unfamiliar with the route would never discover it.
Here and there in the forest were traces of wild animals’ footprints. Xiao Yun’er was a little frightened at first, but seeing Bai Xuehua so calm, she found courage in her companion’s composure.
Bai Xuehua’s injuries made every step painful. She gritted her teeth and pressed on, not knowing how far they had traveled after half a day’s journey. Suddenly, Xiao Yun’er said, “Sister Xue, do you see the cliff ahead? Sister Ling lives in a cave halfway up. We’re almost there.”
Bai Xuehua could scarcely imagine a young, beautiful woman living alone in a mountain cave, far from the world. How many secrets must she hold?

Bai Xuehua forced herself to walk to the foot of the cliff. She watched as Xiao Yun’er grabbed a thick mountain vine and climbed up. After ascending a few dozen feet, she disappeared from view.
Bai Xuehua realized this was because a huge boulder blocked the entrance to the cave; unless you climbed up yourself, you’d never find it.
After a while, Xiao Yun’er poked her head out and called down, “Sister Xue, I found a rope for you. Tie it around yourself, and I’ll help pull you up.” Bai Xuehua secured the rope, gripped the vine tightly, and struggled upward.
Following Xiao Yun’er to the cave entrance, she found the interior spacious, with plenty of sunlight, making it bright, dry, and tidy.
Within were a stone table, a stone pit, and wooden chairs—simple, rough furniture, yet possessing a certain natural charm. On the table lay some ancient books, and most striking of all, a zither. Clearly, the woman who lived here had chosen seclusion to cultivate herself, far removed from worldly affairs. What kind of woman was she?
Sister Ling was not home. After entering the cave, Xiao Yun’er immediately opened a wooden chest she found inside.
She said to Bai Xuehua, “Sister Xue, all of Sister Ling’s medicines are kept here. There must be something to heal your wounds.” As she spoke, she opened the chest.
A strong medicinal fragrance wafted out. Inside were bottles upon bottles of pills, each labeled with its ingredients and effects.
Xiao Yun’er selected a few bottles for treating injuries and handed them to Bai Xuehua. “Sister Xue, do you think these will help?”
Bai Xuehua saw that most of the medicines contained rare ingredients like snow lotus from the Tianshan Mountains and wild ginseng from beyond the borders—precious herbs known for healing both internal and external injuries. With the help of such medicine, she believed her wounds would heal. Taking the pills, Bai Xuehua sat down to meditate and focus on her recovery.