Двойная увертюра - Глава 48
33
[Expectations]
Xiao Dao and Xue Beifan ate the noodles and walked back carrying a large food box of dry-mixed beef noodles.
"You really are popular." Xue Beifan weighed the food box in his hand. "The owner would rather not charge you and give you the box for free."
"We need to return the food box tomorrow." Xiao Dao picked out two pears from a fruit stand by the roadside and asked Xue Beifan, "The people behind us keep following us, it's so annoying."
“It’s not difficult to get them to stop following, but Wei Xinjie and Cai Bian are two different kinds of people. Even if they can avoid Cai Bian, it doesn’t guarantee that Wei Xinjie won’t find Chonghua Gate.” As Xue Beifan spoke, he reached for a pear in Xiao Dao’s hand and tossed it into the crowd behind him.
A man caught the pear perfectly, and looked ahead awkwardly.
Xue Beifan smiled and said, "No need to follow. Let Wei Xinjie stay away from my wife... hiss."
Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Dao stepped on her, and Xue Beifan jumped twice, then pinched her cheek and ran away.
"Stop right there, you lecherous scoundrel!" Little Knife took off chasing after him, "Give me back my pear!"
The guard who had just been hit by Xue Beifan with a pear behind him was the head guard sent by Wei Xinjie. The other guards who were lying in ambush also turned around to look at him, as if to say – should they continue the pursuit?
The man frowned for a long time before waving his hand to signal everyone to go back, as they couldn't keep up with Xue Beifan.
When Xiao Dao returned to Chonghua's residence, he saw Xiao Yue sitting in the courtyard drinking tea with Chonghua and Hao Jinfeng.
Xue Beifan gave a brief account of the matter, and Hao Jinfeng nodded, "I inquired about it, and it is said that Cai Lian has indeed been having some bad luck lately. He took sick leave and wants to retire to the mountains, but unfortunately the Emperor sent Wei Xinjie to investigate him, and rumors keep circulating."
"Sigh, that's why!" Little Knife held the little yellow cat in his hands, rubbing it back and forth. "What goes around comes around, it's just a matter of time!"
"Should we go to the Zhai residence later to spy on them, or to make our way there openly?" Xiaoyue asked Xiaodao. "I just asked around on the street, and everyone says the Zhai family is a wealthy household, and they are very friendly and easy to get along with. Miss Zhai is especially praised for being well-educated and reasonable."
"Let's go legitimately," Xiao Dao said, patting Hao Jinfeng on the shoulder. "With Big Brother here, we'll say we're going to investigate a case!"
"Mmm." Hao Jinfeng nodded in agreement, praising to Xiao Dao, "These noodles are absolutely delicious!"
Enough of this digression, let's get to the point that when the lanterns were lit, Xiao Dao and his group went to the Zhai residence.
The entrance to the Zhai residence was rather deserted; the gates were closed early, and there wasn't even a gatekeeper. But judging from the wide gate and grand house, it was indeed a wealthy family.
After knocking for a long time, a man who looked like an old butler finally opened the door. Seeing that he didn't recognize the visitors, he asked, "Gentlemen, is there something you need?"
"Is the master of the house in attendance?" Hao Jinfeng inquired.
The official, presumably having received orders not to let anyone in, replied perfunctorily, "Please come back in a few days; the masters have been busy these days."
Just as he was about to close the door, Xiao Dao said softly, "Go tell your young lady that we might be able to cure Young Master Wen."
The official was slightly taken aback, then looked up and sized up Xiaodao. "Young lady is..."
Xiao Dao curled the corner of his mouth and said, "Go and tell him quickly, or your son-in-law will be dead if you delay the meeting."
"Good, good!" The official was so anxious that he didn't even close the gate before turning around and running back inside, shouting, "Miss! Miss!"
Xue Beifan crossed his arms and tilted his head to ask Xiao Dao, "Hey, what if you can't cure him after making such a guarantee?"
Xiao Dao reached out and poked him. "Look how honest you are. What's wrong with bragging at a time like this? It's not expected that you can't be cured. If you can be cured, you can walk around like a madman!"
Xue Beifan was both amused and exasperated. "You're like a crab."
One sentence was enough to make Xiao Dao pinch his arm again. Xiao Yue stood aside and watched, wondering to herself—Xiao Dao and Xue Bei Fan's relationship seemed to be better than before.
A moment later, a commotion of footsteps could be heard, and then the gate swung open, and a large group of family members helped a woman dressed in plain white outings out. The woman was petite and not very old, probably in her early twenties at most. Her face was almost as white as her clothes, her eyes were red and swollen, and she looked extremely haggard.
Xiao Dao was startled, thinking—good heavens! Could Wen Si have already kicked the bucket?!
The one being helped out was Miss Zhai. It was said that Wen Si was on his last breath and was on the verge of death. Miss Zhai was very devoted to him and heartbroken. She decided to stay with him until the end and then kill herself after he breathed his last.
The crowd ushered Xiaodao inside like a miracle doctor. Xiaodao was rather depressed; she had thought Wen Si could at least hold on for a few more days, but she never expected him to die tonight! What was she to do?
She subconsciously glanced at Xue Beifan beside her, who was winking at her with schadenfreude.
Once inside, Xiao Dao was hit by a strong, pungent incense smell and quickly waved his hand to shoo it away. "What's that smell?"
"It's the smell of incense," the official explained. "The son-in-law is possessed by an evil spirit, so..."
"It's so stuffy, you'll suffocate good people. What's with all this talk about being possessed?" Xiao Dao told everyone to quickly move everything out and open the doors and windows for ventilation.
Miss Zhai was quite decisive, or perhaps she trusted Xiao Dao, so she had everyone do as she was told.
Xiao Dao finally caught his breath and sat down by the bed to take Wen Si's pulse. Wen Si was ashen-faced at that moment, and Miss Zhai was absolutely right when she said he was barely clinging to life.
After taking the pulse for a while, Xiao Dao felt that something was wrong—Wen Si was indeed seriously ill, but he couldn't tell what was wrong with him, and his pulse was particularly strange.
Xiao Dao reached out and lifted his eyelids to take a look. Although she had studied under a renowned doctor, a divine doctor was not a god; a cure couldn't be achieved with just a glance. The Zhai family was so wealthy; they must have consulted countless doctors… What illness could it be?
Xiao Dao turned around and asked, "How long have you been sick?"
“More than a year.” The butler was already very familiar with Wen Si’s condition.
Xiao Dao reached out, "Do you still have all the prescriptions written by the doctors before?"
Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. The steward hurriedly ordered people to search, and they collected quite a few. Xiao Dao examined them one by one.
Xue Beifan quietly leaned closer and said, "Hey, look at this person. They were completely heartbroken, but you've rekindled their spirits. If you can't heal them and they fall back into despair, that would be a double blow. What a terrible thing!"
Xiao Dao was already impatient, and Xue Beifan even had time to joke around, which made her so angry that she chased him away, "Stop making trouble, go outside and wait!"
Xue Beifan shook his head and refused to leave. "I'll wait here. If someone dies, they might beat you to death, so I can drag you away!"