Счастье совсем рядом, за следующим поворотом

Глава 33

I turned to him, feigning surprise. "Oh my! Pharmacist Shen, it's you! I'm so sorry, it was just a reflex." I smiled and stepped forward to help him up.

He bent over, clutching his stomach, and glared at me fiercely before shoving the medicine into my hand and gritting his teeth, "Feed him this."

I frowned as I looked at the greenish-black herbal soup in the bowl and asked, "What is this?"

"Poison!" Shen Qing said irritably, "I'll poison him for you!"

I exclaimed happily, "Oh! Pharmacist Shen is so kind and understanding! Thank you so much!" I carried the medicine to the bedside, helped him up with one hand, and said to the oblivious Shen Qing, "Could you please help me up, Pharmacist Shen?"

He came over reluctantly and supported Yan Shu from behind.

I smelled the herbal medicine, and it almost made me vomit. I covered my nose and asked, "Will this work?"

"What do you mean by 'works'?" Shen Qing was very dissatisfied with my questioning of his medical skills. He glanced at me and said, "Don't I know what tricks a master like to use? As long as you can get him to drink this medicine, I guarantee he'll be lively and energetic again in no time."

I expressed my doubts, and he also doubted whether I could get Yan Shu to drink it. He chuckled and said, "Our priest's self-protection ability is not to be underestimated. He never needs the medicine I prescribe for a cold or flu. He just has the willpower to get through it. I'm just afraid that one day someone might poison him with a dose of medicine."

I despise Shen Qing's behavior of bullying the sick and disabled, so I ignored him, took my medicine, pried open the priest's mouth with one hand, and poured it into his mouth with the other.

"I said..." Shen Qing interrupted again, as if to say the worst, "Don't you have a gentler way of giving me the medicine?"

I stopped and looked at him. "How about you try something gentle?"

He paused for a moment, then muttered under his breath, "How rude."

If I could, I'd love to smash a bowl over his head!

I grabbed the priest's chin and forced it down his throat. He vomited it all out. Shen Qing laughed and said, "See? I told you it wouldn't work..."

"Shut up!" I couldn't help but glare at him, then poured the medicine down his throat again. Suddenly, I lifted Yan Shu's chin, and he choked on it. I glared at Shen Qing, who was about to speak, but he opened his mouth and then swallowed it back down.

I lifted Yan Shu's chin and slowly poured the medicine in, saying, "Yan Shu, I am Su Xie, I want to save you... Believe me, this medicine is not poisonous, Yan Shu?"

I watched as his throat moved slightly, and he swallowed the medicine. I couldn't help but smile, and continued to force-feed him the medicine, coaxing him, "Yan Shu, you believe me, right? I tasted it for you, there's absolutely no poison."

He could hear me speaking and swallowed the medicine little by little.

Shen Qing clicked her tongue at me, "Oh my, I didn't expect that you and Yan Shu would be hooking up after such a short time."

I promptly smashed an empty bowl over there.

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After I returned, I followed Chang Huan's instructions and paid a respectful visit to the old cult leader. I listened to his endless complaints about the lack of meat at meals, the boredom of the Left Protector, the docility of Little Darling, the bleak future of the Demonic Cult, and his painstaking efforts as both father and mother to the cult.

Finally, after I summarized how the trip to Licheng was all thanks to the young master's wisdom and intelligence, the old leader was satisfied and let me go. Before leaving, he specifically instructed me: "Don't let my little darling get too close to the Ruan family in the future."

I was taken aback. My burgeoning curiosity compelled me to ask, but Changhuan had specifically instructed me outside the hall that the old sect leader was unpredictable and that I must be careful with my words and actions, and ask as few questions as possible... I was conflicted, but I agreed, bowed, and took my leave.

This made me feel depressed all the way back, and I had no appetite even when faced with a table full of delicious food.

Chang Huan hesitated several times before finally asking me, "Is something on your mind, young lady?"

I poked at the sweet and sour fish in front of me and asked him sullenly, "Do you know what the young master's relationship is with the Ruan family?"

Chang Huan shook her head, served me the food, and said, "The reason a secret is a secret is that it is not meant to be known by others. The more you know, the greater the danger. It is best if you do not inquire about it, young lady."

I knew he would say that... but he didn't know that I had a passionate love of gossip, and my greatest hobby in life was listening to strange tales of people in the martial arts world and the romantic legends of emperors and concubines in the palace.

I slumped onto the table, feeling dejected, and said, "Every master has a secret past... It's such a pity if it's not passed down to future generations."

Suddenly, someone outside the door said with a smile, "What's so regrettable?"

I jumped up with a start and saw Ruan Lianhua peeking in from outside the door, smiling and asking, "What does Su Su want to know?"

Chang Huan quickly stood up and bowed, "Young Master."

Ruan Lianhua entered, her dimples sparkling. She sat down at the table and looked at the dishes on it, saying, "Su Su hasn't eaten either?"

He was obviously telling me that he hadn't eaten either; he's a foodie.

I asked Changhuan to add a bowl and chopsticks. I watched him examine the various dishes and decide which one to eat first. I frowned and asked, "Why did you come out?" Shouldn't you be staying in the forbidden area?

Ruan Lianhua picked up a slice of white meat and green bamboo shoots, looked up at me and smiled, "My father said that I can come and go freely in the church until the priest is restored." She pursed her lips, "This is all thanks to Su Su, who put in a good word for me." She picked up a slice of green bamboo shoots for me.

Huh? When have I ever said anything good about him?

I thought about it carefully and accepted it. As he ate his food, he casually asked me, "By the way, Su Su can ask me anything she wants to know."

My heart skipped a beat. I observed his expression, which remained calm and showed no unusual signs. Then I looked at Chang Huan, who was secretly shaking his head at me. I hesitated for a long time, straightened my clothes, and shushed, "Actually, it's nothing. I was just a little curious that your surname is Ruan. Ruan Bicheng's surname is also Ruan. What a coincidence..."

"What a coincidence." He picked up some food while looking at me with a smile. "According to the customs of the Central Plains, my mother is Brother Ruan's aunt, so I should call him... cousin, right?"

A bolt of lightning struck the top of my head, and I sat there, frozen and bewildered, watching his dimples ripple across his face. This can't be a joke, can it? How could he possibly tell me such a shocking secret so easily!

I controlled my agitated heart and asked as calmly as possible, "You mean... the sect leader's wife is Ruan Bicheng's father's sister?"

He thought for a moment, then nodded and smiled, "Yes, my mother's surname is Ruan, and her name is Yanyan. She is the old leader's sister."

Ruan Yanyan?! I know her! She was once the most beautiful woman in the martial arts world, but wasn't it rumored that she died when she was only sixteen? How did she become the wife of the leader of the Demonic Sect?

This is just too... damn exciting!

Overjoyed, I couldn't contain myself and eagerly asked, "Isn't it a rule in the sect that one must not have affairs with righteous people? How did the old sect leader manage to win over Madam Ruan?"

Chang Huan coughed lightly, and I quickly changed my words, "What I meant was... how did the old sect leader and Madam Ruan fall in love?"

Ruan Lianhua thought for a moment and was about to answer when a maidservant at the door announced, "Miss Su, Pharmacist Shen requests your presence."

"Wait a minute." I couldn't bother dealing with Shen Qing and eagerly waited for Ruan Lianhua to continue her recollection.

The maidservant knelt at the door with her head down and whispered, "Pharmacist Shen requests your presence now; the High Priest has awakened..."

"Yan Shu is awake?" I got up in surprise. Shen Qing's medicine really works. Sure enough, Yan Shu came back to life after just one dose.

After a moment's thought, I replied, "Go back and tell Shen Qing that I'm eating, and after I finish, I'll go see Yan Shu."

The maidservant wouldn't leave, "The High Priest refuses to take his medicine, and...and..."

"What else?" I just don't understand, now that you're awake, how much longer does it take to take medicine?

The maidservant choked up as she said, "They also executed two maidservants who were close to the high priest, saying that if Miss Su didn't go over, they would make me test the medicine..."

What a disaster! He just woke up, it's just taking some medicine, why is everyone so panicked? Is he so agitated because he wants me to go and test the medicine?

What's the point of saving him!

My interest was completely dampened, and I said sullenly, "I'll go with you now." Then I said to Ruan Lianhua, "Have Changhuan keep you company while you eat, I'll be back in a bit."

I was about to walk past him when Ruan Lianhua put down her chopsticks and said calmly, "I'll wait for you to come back so we can eat together."

I scratched my head, looking a little embarrassed. "I don't know when I'll be back yet, maybe a little late... You eat first, don't wait for me."

He lifted his thick eyelashes to look at me. "I'm not hungry."

His eyes softened my heart, so I reached out and patted his head, smiling, "Okay, I'll be back as soon as possible. Eat if you're hungry."

He pursed his lips, his eyes crinkling as he smiled at me, "Mm."

Thirty-nine

As I stepped into the courtyard, I heard Shen Qing's furious voice, "Yan Shu, you bastard! Don't be ungrateful! Do you think I wanted to save you?! If you weren't that person's doing, I wouldn't bother with you! If you want to kill someone or go crazy, go back to your room! Don't turn this into a battlefield! Yan Shu! I'm talking to you..."

Outside the house, a circle of maids knelt trembling, cleaning up the red and white corpses on the ground. I hurriedly stepped inside and saw Shen Qing clutching her chest, trembling with anger. As soon as she saw me, she opened fire on me, "Su Xie! Look what you've brought back!"

I rushed over, trying to soothe Shen Qing's breathing while saying with a forced smile, "Take a deep breath, take a deep breath, don't stoop to the level of a jerk..."

Shen Qing slapped my hand away and said aggrievedly, "I'm his savior, but when I talk to him, he won't even look at me!"

"Who forced you to save me?" Yan Shu looked over with a smile as he half-reclined on the couch. "You were so eager to save me, and now you have the nerve to call yourself my savior? I, Yan Shu, hate owing favors the most."

"Yan Shu, you bastard!" Shen Qing was so angry that she was about to rush over.

I hurriedly stopped him from harming himself and comforted him, saying, "Pharmacist Shen, he's heartless, ungrateful, and a complete scoundrel. Don't get angry; it'll hurt your health."

Shen Qing slapped my hand away, gritting his teeth, and said, "I'll prescribe a dose of deadly poison right now and kill him!" He turned and stormed out of the house, and I couldn't stop him. I could hear him shouting in the yard, "Heartless! None of you have any conscience!"

Pharmacist Shen is about to cry...

I shrank back, and when I turned my head, Yan Shu was still smiling sweetly, looking like he had nothing to do with me. I started to wonder a tiny bit which eye of mine I had been blind to save him.

"Come here." Yan Shu leaned back on the couch, his brows and eyes weary, but the corners of his lips curled up in a smug smile. "Thank you, Su Xie."

I sighed and went over, and he pointed to the edge of the bed and said, "Sit down next to me."

My scalp tingled with fear. I looked at Yan Shu in utter terror. Could it be that Shen Qing had given him the wrong medicine? Had it messed up his brain and caused him to suddenly change his personality?

"Priest..." I leaned closer to look at Yan Shu. His face looked a little haggard, but the bloodshot in his eyes had subsided, and they were clear and bright. He didn't seem to have suffered brain damage from a fever. "How are you feeling?"

He suddenly grabbed my wrist and yanked me hard, causing me to stumble and fall onto the couch. My knees throbbed with a sharp pain. When I looked up, I met his tired, smiling eyes. "What do you think? Want me to touch you?"

He took my hand and slowly moved it towards his forehead. I immediately pulled it back and said with a forced smile, "No need, no need. Since the High Priest is alright, I'll take my leave now."

He scrambled to his feet in a flurry, and just as he was about to turn around, Yan Shu suddenly spoke, "Stop."

I froze in my tracks, turned to him with a sly grin, and asked, "Is there anything else you need, High Priest?"

He frowned slightly. "Don't you like to call me Yan Shu?"

My heart skipped a beat. Was he planning to settle scores later? How petty of him... I didn't say anything bad about him when he was unconscious, did I?

He looked at me and said, "Come here, Su Xie."

No... He's so brutal. What if he gets angry and breaks my neck? I wouldn't even have a chance to fight back. It's better to stay as far away as possible.

I couldn't hold out any longer, and he looked at me with a smirk, "Are you that afraid of me? I'm not going to eat you."

You'll kill me...

When we were at an impasse, a maid brought in some medicine, knelt down a few steps away, and said timidly with her eyes downcast, "The medicine has been brewed again. Please take it, sir."

The maid was terrified and dared not step forward. Yan Shu looked at me leisurely and said, "Su Xie, why don't you bring it over?"

Hey! I did save you from danger, so even if I didn't do anything special, I still put in the effort! Why are you ordering me around like this?!

The young maid crawled to my side, held the medicine above her head, and said timidly, "Miss Su..."

Right now, I really wish Shen Qing would prescribe some poison and kill Yan Shu!

I brought the medicine to Yan Shu and handed it to him, saying with a smile, "Please take the medicine, High Priest."

He didn't take it, but instead looked up at me and said with a smile, "Test the medicine, see if it's poisonous."

"Why me?!" My anger flared up.

Yan Shu shrugged, looking quite aggrieved, and said, "I don't believe any of them, I only believe you."

Thank you for your trust! I really had the urge to smear all the medicine on his face, but seeing the thick bandage on his left forehead, I felt it was wrong to bully a disabled person.