Qi Huan returned to her room, retrieved all the medical books she had copied from her storage space, and carried the thick stack to the main hall in the front courtyard.
She got straight to the point, "I can lend you these medical books, but you must help me treat someone."
Upon hearing this, Shen Jueming stood up, his smile as refreshing as a clear breeze under a bright moon.
"As a physician, treating illnesses and saving lives is my unshirkable duty. We can discuss the medical books later. For now, Miss Qi, please lead me to the patient."
He agreed so quickly, it was like a whirlwind.
Everyone was taken aback.
"Why does it feel easier to get the Medical Saint to treat someone than an ordinary doctor?"
"Is this really the Medical Saint?"
"He doesn't seem like the Medical Saint, more like a living Buddha." He was a bit too enthusiastic.
...
Yan Jiu, Yan Ge, and Seventeen Yan whispered among themselves.
Qi Huan caught every word they said, and couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth.
Could this be what they call—what comes too easily isn't treasured?
Nevertheless, a doctor offering his services shouldn't be turned down.
Whether he's a donkey or a horse, we'll find out once we take him for a ride.
She collected herself and said sweetly, "Dr. Shen's compassion as a physician is deeply appreciated. Please, this way."
"You're too kind, Miss Qi." Shen Jueming smiled modestly and was about to step forward when he noticed from the corner of his eye that Gu Ziling was still standing dazed.
"Ziling?"
"Ziling?"
He called out several times before Gu Ziling, her eyes complex with emotion, snapped back to reality.
"Ziling, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"
Gu Ziling shook her head woodenly, ignoring his concerned gaze, and instead reminded him, "Senior brother... Miss Qi is waiting for you."
Seeing that her tone was normal and she didn't appear unwell, Shen Jueming let out a small sigh of relief and caught up with Qi Huan.
They passed through an ornate gate and walked for about fifteen minutes before arriving at a stunningly beautiful small courtyard.
Qi Huan invited him in.
At the same time, she signaled with her eyes to Yan Jiu and Seventeen Yan to flank them on both sides, preventing any potential ill intentions towards Li Shuchen.
Inside the room, Li Shuchen's handsome face was hidden behind a grotesque mask, but his tall figure and otherworldly aura immediately revealed that he was no ordinary person.
Despite this, Shen Jueming's expression remained unchanged.
He didn't have much curiosity. In his eyes, people were divided into two categories:
Those who were sick.
And those who weren't.
He opened his medical kit, walked to the bedside, and began examining Li Shuchen carefully and thoroughly.
Qi Huan left Yan Jiu and Seventeen Yan to keep watch and sent Gu Ziling out, lest she catch a glimpse of Li Shuchen's abs.
Her possessiveness was that strong. Every inch beneath Li Shuchen's clothes belonged to her, not for others to see.
She invited Gu Ziling for tea and pastries, but noticed that Gu Ziling's gaze kept lingering on her face, her eyes filled with deep scrutiny.
Qi Huan looked back, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
Seeing this, Gu Ziling bit into a pastry, swallowed, and said softly, "Your name is Qi Huan?"
"Are all these medical books left to you by your father?"
Her rapid-fire questions made Qi Huan suspicious.
Qi Huan carefully searched through the increasingly blurry memories of the original owner of her body, and after confirming that she had no connection with Gu Ziling, she felt more confident.
She took a small sip of jasmine tea and replied gracefully, "That's correct."
"If you don't believe me, you can ask him yourself."
"......"
Qi Yue had already passed away, how could she ask him?
Gu Ziling lowered her eyes, then looked up again and said, "The man inside, what's your relationship with him?"
"Whatever relationship he and I might have seems to be of no concern to Miss Gu."
If it weren't for the fact that she was Shen Jueming's junior sister, Qi Huan would have been tempted to ask if her house was by the sea, given how nosy she was being.
Clearly, Gu Ziling was not satisfied with her answer.
Gu Ziling took another bite of the pastry, munching away. She thought to herself: This is really delicious.
Gu Ziling wasn't stupid; on the contrary, she was quite clever. She quickly realized that her questions were indeed abrupt.
To Qi Huan, she was nothing more than a sudden, unfamiliar visitor.
Eating her delicious pastries, drinking her fragrant tea, and chattering away, trying to pry into her private affairs.
But Gu Ziling had no intention of stopping.
She quickly finished the pastries on her plate and gulped down her tea in one go.
Then, she calmly said, "My senior brother can't save the man in that room."
"At most, he can delay his death by a few years."
She cackled, "Miss Qi, do you know? This poison is called 'Incurable.'"
"The victim's blood slowly freezes throughout their body, until they die in agony. The man in there must have some skill, perhaps due to his inner energy, allowing him to survive until now. But he's not comfortable; living is worse than death for him."
"Not only does he fear the cold, but his entire body feels like it's being stabbed by countless needles, a dense, excruciating pain."
"If you truly care for him, you might as well give him a quick death now."
......
"Are you finished?" Qi Huan's usually smiling eyes turned cold, her tone frosty as she asked, "How do you know all this so clearly?"
"Because I concocted this poison, of course."
Gu Ziling played with her fingers, saying nonchalantly, "This poison is quite valuable. I sold it for a hundred taels of silver back then."
"I'll pay two hundred taels for the antidote."
For Li Shuchen's sake, Qi Huan didn't haggle, directly doubling the price.
However, Gu Ziling laughed even louder: "I never make antidotes."
"There's not a single person in this world worth me making an antidote for."
At this moment, Shen Jueming walked out, looking at her disapprovingly: "Ziling, I've told you before, whatever you want, your senior brother will give you. Why don't you listen when I tell you not to sell poisons to harm people?!"
"Not listening, not listening, senior brother's preaching falls on deaf ears."
Gu Ziling was utterly tired of his endless lecturing. After talking back, she gave Qi Huan a meaningful smile.
"Qi Huan, until we meet again."
With that, she vanished from everyone's sight in the blink of an eye, taking advantage of their momentary surprise.
Yan Ge ran off in pursuit.
Shen Jueming shook his head: "Ziling's lightness skill is exceptional. You won't be able to catch her."
Seventeen Yan chimed in: "The people Gu Ziling, the Venomous Hand, has offended could form a circle around Yunzhou City if they held hands. If her lightness skill wasn't good, she'd have been killed eight hundred times over by now. Yan Ge definitely can't catch up."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Jiu swiftly grabbed Shen Jueming from behind, saying smugly: "I've caught her senior brother, she'll definitely come back."
Shen Jueming calmly refuted, "I'm not that important."
Then, he lifted his head again and said with dignity, "Since it was my junior sister who administered the poison, I will naturally take full responsibility. I will do my utmost to cure the poisoned young master."
"And I won't charge any fee," he added.
He considered it as atonement for his junior sister's wrongdoing.
Shen Jueming was a believer in Buddha. He silently chanted "Amitabha" and prayed that Buddha would not blame his junior sister. He would atone for all the sins she had committed.
His gaze was clear, his white robes as pure as snow. His entire being exuded a calm demeanor, radiating a gentle, compassionate light.
Yan Jiu awkwardly withdrew his hand and instead blocked the doorway.
Shen Jueming stayed behind.
He researched the detoxification method day and night, eventually forcing the toxins in Li Shuchen's body down to his legs.
The system lamented, "Host, Li Shuchen is lame again! If you can cure his legs once more, I'll reward you ten thousand points!"
Qi Huan helplessly waited for the dead of night and recreated the scene of their first meeting. She thoroughly examined all three of his legs, but to no avail.
She said dejectedly, "It's different this time. I can't cure him."
