Old Master Qin said, “Then it should have stung you. Why did it sting her instead?”
Qin Xingyun said, “……”
Who exactly is your biological grandson?
“I… I lifted the clay jar. My little aunt came over and hit me, and then she got stung…”
Old Master Qin was furious. “She hit you to protect you! Otherwise, you’d still be standing here perfectly fine. How many times have I told you—don’t interfere with your little aunt’s matters! She locks her door every day precisely because she’s afraid of people like you messing around.”
He hurried out, so anxious he even forgot his walking cane.
When he reached the front courtyard room, the wooden door was locked, but the curtains were open. Through the window, everything inside was clearly visible.
The bed was neatly made, and the clay jar had been moved under the bed against the wall.
Su Manman was not inside.
“Grandpa, did little aunt go to the hospital by herself? I’ll go look for her,” Qin Xingyun said anxiously.
Old Master Qin scolded him. “Are your eyes worse than my old ones? There’s a note on the table—what does it say?”
Only then did Qin Xingyun notice the paper. On it were two crooked words: Do not search.
“Little aunt told us not to look for her… could she have gone somewhere to die?”
That was a poisonous scorpion sting—her hand had turned black and swollen instantly.
Old Master Qin slapped the back of Qin Xingyun’s head. “Shut up! What nonsense are you talking about?!”
Qin Xingyun: “……”
Old Master Qin said, “Even if she told us not to search, we still have to find her. Go call your uncle back and tell him your little aunt was stung by a scorpion and is missing.”
Qin Xingyun: “……What if uncle doesn’t believe me? You all didn’t believe me either.”
Old Master Qin snapped, “If I didn’t believe you, how would I be a leader? Go tell him. Whether he believes it or not is your problem. If your uncle can’t accept that your little aunt raises those things and doesn’t want her anymore—then you marry her.”
He turned and left.
Qin Xingyun: “……!!!”
……
After leaving home, Su Manman went straight to Yuyuan Mountain.
The hot spring water there, combined with her antidote, could remove the toxins the fastest.
After arriving, she bought a ticket and entered the bathing area.
She asked for a wooden basin, and in a private space, she filled it with hot spring water, dropped in medicinal pills, then took off her clothes and entered the pool. She placed her swollen, darkened hand into the basin to soak.
After an unknown amount of time, the numbness in her hand gradually returned.
She finally felt slightly relieved—and only then did she have time to think about Qin Xingyun.
Hateful and stupid man!
When she got back, she would definitely tell Qin Lin. Otherwise, he might end up as reckless as Qin Xingyun.
This time she was lucky—it was her who got hurt.
If it had been anyone else, they would have died on the spot.
……
Qin Xingyun rushed to the lakeside.
“Uncle! Something bad happened! Little aunt was stung by a scorpion and is missing!”
Qin Lin’s hand holding the fishing rod paused.
Qin Xingyun looked panicked, eyes red—he didn’t seem like he was lying.
“How did she get stung by a scorpion?”
Everyone around looked over.
Qin Xingyun quickly shifted blame. “I told you before, she keeps centipedes and scorpions, but you didn’t believe me. Today I went back and saw her door open. I wanted to prove it to you, so I touched the clay jar. Then a poisonous scorpion jumped out. Little aunt came in at that moment and got stung. I told Grandpa, and we were going to take her to the hospital—but she locked the door and left a note saying ‘Do not search.’ Grandpa said we must find her and told me to call you.”
Qin Lin’s expression turned cold. “If it was in a jar, why did you touch it? She must have been stung because she tried to save you!” He threw down the fishing rod and strode away.
After a few steps, he started running.
Qin Xingyun panicked. “Big brother, second brother, third brother—what do we do?!”
Qin Xingjian glared at him. “You troublemaker! I told you to just carry a bucket—why did you mess around?! Sidi, Pandi, take the things home. We’re going to find your aunt.”
“Okay!”
The group first went to nearby hospitals to search, but found nothing.
Then they asked around at bus stops.
“Have you seen a girl about this tall, wearing a white cotton jacket, black pants, two braids, very fair skin, big eyes…”
No one had seen her.
A food stall owner finally pointed a direction. “She went south.”
Qin Lin asked, “Do you remember which bus she took?”
“I didn’t notice that.”
They organized all southbound bus routes and questioned drivers separately.
By evening, they finally got a lead:
“That girl—I remember her. She got off at Yuyuan Mountain. Probably went to the hot springs.”
Qin Xingzhi said, “Uncle, there are no buses at this time. Come back with me to the unit—I’ll drive you there.”
Qin Lin’s anxiety had already turned into fear.
He knew a little about venomous bites—without treatment, they could be fatal.
She was just a young girl who had been stung and didn’t go to the hospital.
He couldn’t imagine how much pain she must be in.
His voice trembled: “Alright.”
“I’ll go too,” Qin Xingyun said helplessly.
It had been a whole day.
She had disappeared for an entire day.
……
Inside the hot spring pool.
Su Manman soaked from day to night, feeling dizzy and weak.
Fortunately, the poison had been neutralized—the swelling in her hand had gone down, but the skin was still black.
It would take at least two more days to fully recover.
She got dressed and walked out unsteadily, planning to check in for accommodation.
A familiar clear voice sounded.
“Manman.”
She turned her head.
Besides Qin Lin, Qin Xingzhi was there—and the culprit, Qin Xingyun.
She was surprised. “Brother? Xingzhi? How did you find me here?”
Qin Lin walked up to examine her. He was wearing black leather gloves.
Her face, once rosy, was now pale and weak, carrying a fragile beauty.
He felt immediate heartache. “You were stung by a scorpion—why didn’t you go to the hospital?”
Su Manman lowered her eyes. “So you know already.”
She stepped aside to a quieter place. “I’ll tell you the truth. That was my Gu worm. I have a way to treat it.”
“Gu?” Qin Lin asked. “The Gu from witchcraft?”
She nodded. “Yes. I didn’t mean to hide it from you. Your father said you’re highly educated and wouldn’t believe such things. I also didn’t want to scare you, so I kept it in my room.”
Village friends knew how dangerous those insects were and never approached them.
Only Qin Xingyun—knowing full well the danger—went ahead anyway.
Qin Lin: “……Unbelievable.”
Qin Xingzhi was also shocked—he couldn’t believe Gu really existed.
Su Manman said calmly, “But it’s true.”
Qin Lin asked worriedly, “Are you alright now? Should I take you to the hospital for a check-up?”
She looked up. “Aren’t you afraid?”
Qin Lin admitted honestly, “A little. But I just won’t touch it.”
Su Manman nodded seriously. “Right. Don’t touch it.”
She glared at Qin Xingyun. “Unlike him! I tried everything to stop him, but he insisted on courting death. If he hadn’t messed around and startled the scorpion, I wouldn’t have been stung—and I wouldn’t have spent fifteen yuan to use the hot spring water to detox. He must reimburse me!”
Qin Lin glanced at Qin Xingyun. “Did you hear that?”
Qin Xingyun muttered, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier it wasn’t allowed?”
Su Manman shot back, “Why should I tell you?”
Qin Xingyun: “……”