Missing Thoughts

Mei Chengyu was amused by Yu Sui's answer. "You'd better remember that."

Yu Sui nodded repeatedly.

She focused on eating. Seeing that Yu Sui had shed her fatigue and was full of energy again, Mei Chengyu stopped paying attention. He stood up and said, "Clean it up yourself. I'm leaving."

Yu Sui: "Okay."

She ate slowly and calmly, taking her time to finish everything in the food box before tidying it up and closing the lid.

Yu Sui took out her Listening Wind Ruler and opened it. There were quite a few messages, the most recent one from Zhongli Que.

She seemed very anxious.

"Sui Sui, are you alright?"

"I couldn't sleep after I divined. I have a bad feeling something is going to happen."

"Are you studying?"

"Sui Sui!"

Yu Sui gently rubbed the edge of the Listening Wind Ruler with her finger, gazing at the message for a long time before replying, "I'm fine."

Qingyang Imperial Capital.

Before noon, the youngest daughter of the Zhongli family's Second Master suddenly fell ill. She fainted while eating with her mother. Yesterday, this cousin had invited Zhongli Que to the Military School's Chongtai today. Upon hearing that she had fainted, Zhongli Que immediately got up and rushed to Second Master Zhongli's house.

Many female family members of the Zhongli family were already waiting outside.

When Zhongli Que and her mother arrived, they saw her Second Aunt crying with red eyes, sitting by the bed and weeping as she looked at her unconscious daughter.

Zhongli Que's mother, Madam Sun, sat beside Second Aunt and placed her hand on her back to comfort her, asking softly, "What did the doctor say?"

A maid beside them hesitated to speak.

Second Aunt looked at Madam Sun with teary eyes, grabbed her sleeve tightly, and choked out, "The doctor in the mansion examined her but said this is not something a normal practitioner can solve. We need to invite a medical practitioner, but if the news of Xu'er being treated by a medical practitioner gets out..."

She couldn't bear to think about what would happen next.

Madam Sun gently comforted her, "A person's life is at stake. If we are so concerned about appearances that even seeking medical treatment is hindered, that would be absurd."

"Where is Second Master?" she asked.

Second Aunt wiped her tears and said, "He is still teaching at the Military School's Chongtai. I've already sent someone to notify him."

Madam Sun looked at Zhongli Xu on the bed, her face pale and lips dry, her breathing weak. She felt they couldn't delay and decisively said, "Go and invite a medical practitioner. Xianglin, send someone to invite Miss Chu. See if she is available now. If not, go and invite Practitioner Zhang."

Zhongli Que was stunned. Miss Chu?

Was it the Little Medical Saint rumored in the Imperial Capital recently?

Xianglin returned not long after leaving and said, "Madam, Miss Chu said she'll be here immediately."

Madam Sun said, "Send someone to escort her."

Xianglin nodded in agreement and withdrew to fetch her.

Madam Sun held Second Aunt's hand and reassured her, "This Miss Chu is the Little Medical Saint rumored in the Imperial Capital recently. Her name is Chu Jin. I knew her before she was known as the Little Medical Saint. This child is kind-hearted, discreet, skilled in medicine, and very responsible towards her patients. Don't worry, she'll be fine."

Second Aunt looked at her unconscious daughter with a pale face, her eyes filled with tears, and nodded.

Zhongli Que stepped forward and asked softly, "Mother, how do you know Miss Chu?"

Madam Sun stood up and pulled her to the side before explaining in a low voice, "Last spring, your Third Aunt and I went to Antan Mountain to offer incense. We were caught in a heavy rain, which caused the miasma on Antan Mountain to erupt. Your Third Aunt and I, along with our entourage, inhaled the miasma and had difficulty breathing, almost losing our lives. Miss Chu saved us. At that time, she was still cultivating on Antan Mountain and had not yet come to the Imperial Capital."

Zhongli Que had no idea that this Miss Chu had such an encounter with her mother.

"The old injury I sustained when I saved your father has also been greatly alleviated by Miss Chu," Madam Sun sighed softly. "Miss Chu is also a pitiable person. It's not easy for her to make her way alone in the Imperial Capital. I trust her character. Even if something happens to your cousin today, she won't speak of it."

Zhongli Que nodded.

The waiting time was excruciating. Everyone kept looking towards the door. It wasn't until Xianglin led in a graceful figure in white that Madam Sun's heart finally settled.

The young lady Xianglin brought was dressed in white, with a white sash against her dark attire. She moved with an ethereal grace. She walked past the screen and into the inner chamber. People glimpsed Miss Chu through the gauze curtain, with her delicate eyebrows and apricot eyes, smiling without speaking.

The first time Zhongli Que saw Chu Jin, she felt that the woman was naturally kind. When those clear black eyes looked at you, with just a glance and a shallow smile, you would feel a good impression of her.

Chu Jin bowed her head to the two ladies of the Zhongli family.

Second Aunt stood up, tears streaming down her face, and said, "Miss Chu, please save my Xu'er."

"Madam, do not worry," Chu Jin comforted softly. When she spoke, it was as if a spring breeze swept through their hearts, clearing away their worries and gloom, and injecting a sense of calm.

Chu Jin went to the bedside and sat down. She reached out and gently felt Zhongli Xu's forehead. Her fingertips gathered a stream of golden Five Elements Qi, which she lightly tapped on Zhongli Xu's forehead, the bridge of her nose, her eyes, her cheeks, and the sides of her ears to probe.

Zhongli Que was watching Chu Jin treat the patient with curiosity when her Listening Wind Ruler suddenly buzzed. She quickly retreated outside the chamber and, behind the screen, took out her Listening Wind Ruler and opened it. Seeing Yu Sui's message that she was fine, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you alright?" Zhongli Que asked.

Yu Sui briefly recounted what had happened last night and replied, "I've recovered my energy now."

Zhongli Que's eyes widened slightly as she read. She mentally cursed the people from the Agricultural School for being shameless, even their fill-in-the-blanks exercises were more forceful than usual. "How dare he say such things to you? He has no manners. He even spoke up for Lady Su, yet Lady Su never offered any explanation for their actions."

Her upbringing and manners prevented her from using more vulgar language. Although she was angry, she could only repeat those few words.

Yu Sui always felt like laughing whenever Zhongli Que scolded someone.

Zhongli Que couldn't hide her anger when she was upset. Sometimes, when she was furious, she would even stutter when cursing, speaking haltingly, her face puffed out in annoyance and hatred.

Yu Sui, seeing the repeated messages of "shameless" from Zhongli Que, could imagine her expression and couldn't help but laugh, holding her head.

Zhongli Que told Yu Sui that her cousin, Zhongli Xu, had fallen ill, and the Little Medical Saint from the Imperial Capital, Miss Chu, was helping to examine her.

"She looks only a few years older than us, yet she's already this capable." Zhongli Que's hand lightened as she filled in a crossword puzzle while talking about Chu Jin. "My mother said she's trustworthy, but I'd still trouble you, Sui Sui, to keep an eye on the Listening Wind Ruler for me, just in case."

Yu Sui: "Okay."

After a moment of thought, she asked again, "Didn't this Little Medical Saint visit Lady Su at the King's Mansion before?"

Zhongli Que replied, "The news from the King's Mansion said she only stayed for a short while and left because she couldn't treat Lady Su's old illness."

Lady Su's old illness was due to the Primordial Soil. She wondered if the Little Medical Saint had figured it out.

However, since the King's Mansion dared to let her leave, they probably hadn't.

Yu Sui rolled her eyes and opened the message interface for Old Man Yan, sending him a message.

Zhongli Que heard Chu Jin say to the two ladies, "The Five Elements Qi within her is chaotic, seemingly affected by some kind of toxin. Has she eaten anything in the past two days?"

Second Aunt's spirit lifted. "Go and bring everything the young lady has eaten in the past two days."

Chu Jin gently pressed Zhongli Xu's abdomen with her Five Elements Qi. Zhongli Xu frowned, groaning in discomfort. As Chu Jin continued to press, her expression gradually improved, and her tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed.

"I'll first soothe the chaotic Five Elements Qi within her. This will make her feel better." Chu Jin pondered for a moment, then looked at Madam Sun. "Madam, if you don't mind, could you tell me something?"

Madam Sun dismissed the maids, leaving only Second Aunt and Zhongli Que in the room. She then looked at Chu Jin and said, "Speak."

"Miss Zhongli has a Five Elements Light Core, but she hasn't cultivated it, so there is still Five Elements Qi within her. Her breath has a faint floral scent, her eyes are cloudy, and her Five Elements Qi is in chaos. This is a reaction to drinking Earth Spirit Water," Chu Jin said softly. "And this Earth Spirit Water is the main ingredient for making Lan Poison."

On the Xuangu Continent, among the Six Kingdoms, there was a forbidden substance called Lan Poison.

It devoured one's reason and self, offering a moment of peace and beauty, making one addicted, and then taking everything away.

Whether it was a Normal Practitioner or a Nine Schools Practitioner, none could escape its tempting poison. That's why it was forbidden by the Six Kingdoms, who tried to destroy all Lan Poison in the world. Secretly possessing, selling, or consuming Lan Poison were all serious crimes, punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family.

Even if Zhongli Xu hadn't taken Lan Poison itself, but the Earth Spirit Water used to make it, it would still cause a huge stir in the Imperial Capital.

Madam Sun's expression changed slightly. She looked at Second Aunt, who swayed and murmured, "Impossible, how could she... I clearly..."

Chu Jin continued, "Fortunately, the amount was small. Perhaps she regretted it immediately after drinking it, or maybe it was an accidental ingestion. I will expel the residual toxins from her body today, and then she can be properly treated."

Second Aunt covered her face with her hands and began to sob.

Madam Sun supported her shoulder, urging her to calm down.

When Zhongli Family's Second Master returned and learned of the matter, he had a huge argument with Second Aunt.

"I told you long ago to control her! To stop her from running around. Now she's even daring to touch this kind of thing!" Zhongli Family's Second Master's veins bulged on his forehead, furious. "You've spoiled her so much that she's become lawless! I told her not to go out, but you often opened the back door for her. When she acts like this, defying all reason, don't you think about the consequences?!"

Second Aunt was already crying too hard to speak.

Madam Sun signaled Zhongli Que with her eyes to escort Chu Jin away first. Zhongli Que obediently complied, leading Chu Jin away.

Chu Jin smiled slightly at her and stood up to follow.

Zhongli Que led Chu Jin outside and said, "I didn't know Miss Chu saved my mother on Antan Mountain before. Now that I know, I must thank Miss Chu."

Chu Jin pursed her lips and smiled. "Madam Sun is kind and loving, and she has helped me a lot. If anything, it's Madam who has helped me more. I should be thanking Miss and Madam."

Zhongli Que listened to her speak, finding her gentle and pleasant, as if she couldn't get enough.

"I've troubled Miss Chu with my cousin's matter today as well." Zhongli Que looked at her elegantly. "If Miss Chu ever needs anything in the future, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Since Miss mentioned it, I do have one request." Chu Jin chuckled. "Madam Sun's old illness from her youth often causes her back and leg pain, especially on rainy days. When it's severe, even walking is difficult. It's inconvenient for her to come to me for massage and acupuncture frequently, and her mobility is also limited when it flares up."

"How about I teach you this set of techniques? You are always by Madam's side, so you can often give her massages to relieve her pain."

Zhongli Que was stunned. "This is the request you want to make?"

Chu Jin nodded gently, her eyes smiling as she looked at Zhongli Que. "Miss, what do you think?"

"But I..." Before Zhongli Que could voice her concerns, Chu Jin added, "These are just ordinary medical massage techniques and have nothing to do with Nine Schools Techniques. If you learn them for your mother, no one can gossip about it or use it to find fault with the Zhongli Family."

"Alright." Zhongli Que nodded. "I truly can't bear to see my mother in pain during the rainy season."

Chu Jin's eyes curved. "To prevent gossip, I'll have to trouble Miss to come to my medical clinic later."

It was indeed inconvenient for her to come to the Zhongli Family often, and doing so might arouse suspicion. It would be better for Zhongli Que to learn directly at her clinic. With many people around, it would be clear that Zhongli Que wasn't learning Nine Schools Techniques, but merely a few massage moves to alleviate her mother's suffering.

Zhongli Que lowered her head slightly. "It's no trouble. Then it's settled."

The sunlight hid in the sea of clouds, casting deep shadows on the ground.

Chu Jin got into the departing carriage and bid farewell to Zhongli Que, who stood at the entrance.

Zhongli Que gazed in the direction the carriage left for a long time. She was so gentle and understanding; no wonder my mother liked her so much.