Chai Family Medical Clinic:
Tang Li helped Yuchi Shuang to the grape arbor in the courtyard and settled her down beneath it. Over the past few days, under Tang Li’s careful care, Yuchi Shuang’s injuries had improved greatly, and she could already get out of bed and walk around.
“Weren’t you keeping him company?”
Tang Li sighed and lowered her head, absentmindedly playing with the medicinal herbs laid out to dry.
“Divine Doctor Chai said he injured his head, and his back suffered severe burns. He has nightmares every night, and no one knows when he’ll wake up.”
If he had not shielded her from that burning beam that day, he would never have been hurt so badly…
“The two of you seem very devoted to each other as husband and wife.”
“It’s not… we… ah…”
Yuchi Shuang’s sudden remark left the girl in front of her completely flustered.
Ever since she and the masked man had fallen from the cliff and been rescued, she had cared for him day and night. Everyone in the clinic had simply assumed she was the man’s wife. She had explained it so many times she was exhausted.
Tang Li wanted to deny it, yet she feared revealing a flaw before Yuchi Shuang, once the saintess of the Virtuous Prince’s faction. Wen Shuyu’s identity and mission could not be exposed.
No one would trust a stranger so easily.
So Tang Li composed herself and said seriously, “In any case, we are not the kind of relationship you think.”
“Oh.”
Seeing Yuchi Shuang’s expression of apparent understanding only made Tang Li’s explanation feel even more tangled.
Footsteps sounded behind them.
“What are you talking about so happily?”
Tang Li turned, still searching for a way to steer the topic away, when Divine Doctor Chai arrived at the perfect moment. She immediately introduced him to Yuchi Shuang.
“This is the miracle doctor who saved both of us. Sister, you have been bedridden these past few days and haven’t met him yet.”
“Many thanks.”
Supporting herself up, Yuchi Shuang bowed respectfully to Chai Yixi. “For saving my life, I, Yuchi Shuang, will repay this debt one day.”
“All right, all right.”
Chai Yixi quickly helped the not yet recovered Yuchi Shuang sit back down and laughed.
“What repayment? It was only a small matter.”
“I’ve always been informal, just call me Brother Yixi.”
Yuchi Shuang nodded. Chai Yixi asked a few questions about her recovery and reminded her to rest well.
As they chatted, Divine Doctor Chai suddenly brought up the day he had seen Yuchi Shuang slay the Ghost Guanyin in the street.
“Miss Yuchi, no, Heroine Yuchi, you were incredible. Where did you learn that swish swish swish movement technique?”
The more he spoke, the more excited he became.
“You don’t know, the whole county yamen was helpless against it. You waved your hand and destroyed it. It was amazing!”
“…?”
That day, she had only just arrived in Wuyou Town and happened to encounter the troublesome Ghost Guanyin Gu. Without much thought, she had casually eliminated it.
Who could have imagined the townspeople would not only fail to thank her, but even throw vegetables at her. All these injuries were thanks to the county yamen.
Yuchi Shuang frowned slightly, her eyes full of confusion as she looked at Chai Yixi.
He hurried to explain.
“Heroine, don’t misunderstand, I’m not like those old-fashioned people in town who treat such things as taboo.
But don’t take it to heart. They were terrified, it wasn’t your fault.
And the officials were muddle-headed this time, using such harsh punishment on you. It’s not as though you’re one of those people…”
“What people?”
Yuchi Shuang pressed.
At once Chai Yixi’s face changed. Panic flashed across it. He nervously glanced around, then lowered his voice when he saw no fourth person nearby.
“The people of Mingyue Manor.”
Tang Li sharply noticed Yuchi Shuang stiffening.
Could this be connected to her identity as the saintess of the Virtuous Prince’s faction?
Unfortunately, the System had said the original novel focused almost entirely on how male lead Shen Mo doted on heroine Bai Luomei, showering her with sweet and painful romance for eight hundred chapters.
Very little was written about key supporting women. Only a passing mention said Yuchi Shuang had an extraordinary background.
In the original story, Shen Mo helped her overcome her inner demons, then successfully brought her under his command. With her aid, he defeated Wen Shuyu, the great villain, ascended as a powerful minister controlling the court, deposed the young emperor, and ended up embracing his beauty in a happy life.
If she could help Yuchi Shuang dispel her heart demon, could she rewrite the plot?
Shen Mo’s imperial dream would shatter and he would surely hate her, while Wen Shuyu would rise from villain to male lead. In a sense, wasn’t that also success?
Completing the System’s mission would be effortless.
At the thought, Tang Li coughed lightly and casually continued probing.
“Oh? And what does that have to do with my sister being injured?”
Chai Yixi immediately opened up.
“Well, you two are outsiders, so it makes sense you don’t know.
To explain their attitude, it goes back to an old matter.
More than ten years ago, there were very few Gu spirits troubling Wuyou Town, because the foremost Gu extermination sect under heaven, Mingyue Manor, was here. The townspeople revered the Gu exterminators there, and life was peaceful.
But later, something earthshaking happened.
They say some unforgivable evil was committed and heaven sent retribution. Mingyue Manor was massacred overnight, corpses lay everywhere, blood dyed the mountain maples red.
That’s why the people here hate Gu exterminators so much.”
Patients outside the clinic called for Divine Doctor Chai. Before leaving, he suddenly seemed to recall something and added,
“My family’s second son lives in the east wing at the back. He has been frail since childhood and dislikes being disturbed… if you hear anything, ignore it.”
Tang Li readily agreed.
Every family had things they did not wish outsiders to know, and after all, they owed their rescue and shelter to Divine Doctor Chai.
Too much curiosity was rarely a good thing.
Night deepened into silence.
By day the clinic bustled endlessly with patients, but at night it grew quiet.
Pa!
A stray cat somehow entered the courtyard and knocked over the dried herbs beneath the grapevine.
Its green eyes flickered twice as it licked its paw, as if scenting something unusual.
With agile grace, it leapt onto the courtyard wall, followed the green tiled roof ridge, and slipped into the rear courtyard.
Its shadow flashed to the ground. Nose twitching, it circled, sniffing the scent of blood in the air.
After pacing several times, the wild cat stopped before the east wing.
The room was unusually decrepit, with a hole in the wall, looking like a forgotten storage room.
Yet strangely, a heavy new lock hung on the door.
The cat did not give up. Starving as it was, it would not abandon prey it had finally found.
Tail raised, it padded silently to the hole, crouched, poked half its head inside, and peered around.
Inside was complete darkness, utterly silent.
The cat relaxed.
It kicked hard with its hind legs and squeezed in.
At that moment, a withered hand seized it by the throat.
It lifted its head and met a pair of blood-red phoenix eyes.
At dawn, with a clear rooster’s crow, sunlight filtered through the papered window into the room.
A man lay quietly on the bed.
He was not old, yet there was nobility and warmth in his features. When he did not smile, he seemed colder, his hidden sharpness all the more apparent.
After a long slumber, the elegant fingers at his side twitched.
Wen Shuyu slowly opened his eyes. The delayed pain made his brows knit faintly.
“Mm…”
His head felt as though it were splitting apart, and countless needles of pain pricked his burned back.
Holding his head, he forced himself halfway upright.
Turning his head, he saw a woman sleeping soundly by his bedside.
She wore coarse cloth and a simple coiffure, utterly unlike the Madam Shen from his dreams.
Wen Shuyu felt dazed, unsure whether the dream had ended.
Or had he already descended into the underworld and entered the six paths of reincarnation?
Then why was Tang Li beside him?
He cautiously extended a hand, slowly approaching her face.
Just before touching her, he felt the warmth of her breath.
He was not dreaming. He was alive.
Tang Li truly had remained by his side, caring for him without removing her clothes.
Yet even in sleep, the woman was restless.
Listening closely, he heard her murmuring.
“Mm… Shen Mo… I regret it… I want to go home…”
Wen Shuyu’s outstretched hand froze in midair.
Regret?
Did she regret Shen Mo… or regret drawing close to him again and again?
Go home?
Did she not want to remain by his side?
Did she want to return to that home, the Shen residence?
Even asleep she whispered her husband’s name.
How much did she like him?
Now he was convinced he had survived and awakened from a dream, because only when awake did Tang Li not love him.
Wen Shuyu’s already pale face darkened.
He threw back the quilt and forced himself out of bed.
“Hiss…”
The wound on his back pulled. He faltered, breaking into cold sweat from pain.
Hearing movement, Tang Li startled awake.
Her sleepy eyes opened.
“Mm… you’re awake. Don’t move around. Divine Doctor Chai specifically said you need proper rest.”
“Tang Li.”
The masked man before her spoke in a hard voice, face gloomy, utterly unlike before the cliff fall.
After a long silence he forced out the words through clenched teeth, as if chewing them over and over before letting them emerge laden with hatred.
“…?”
Tang Li thought for a moment.
Was he angry because he had been injured shielding her?
His reddened eyes fixed on her as he gripped her shoulders.
“If you regret it, if you can’t let him go, then why do you keep approaching me, provoking me?”
“…”
After all this, Tang Li finally understood.
This fool had misunderstood and was losing his mind over it.
Taking a deep breath, she gently placed a hand on Wen Shuyu’s cheek and guided his gaze to her.
“Wen Shuyu.” She spoke each word slowly.
“I’m telling you seriously now, I do not love Shen Mo. I hate the Shen household.
The one I love is you.
I jumped off the cliff to save you.
That night I climbed over the wall in my past life because I wanted to see you.
I wanted that kiss at the gambling house.
I went to Wanshan Temple for you.
The one I have always loved is you, Wen Shuyu.”