Lin Yanxi waved her hand dismissively and said casually,
“I’m fine. Just a little hungry. Get me something to eat.”
Too weak.
This body was simply far too weak.
It even felt weaker than the body she had in her previous life. Back then, although her body had been frail and sickly, years of medicine and cultivation techniques had at least allowed her to perform acupuncture and transfer qi with ease.
But this body now…
If she had to do this two more times, Lin Wanxin would not even need to make a move against her—she would kill herself first.
The thought only strengthened Lin Yanxi’s determination to cultivate properly. She could no longer remain complacent.
“At a time like this, you’re still thinking about food?” Concubine Liu scolded affectionately. “Your complexion looks terrible. Should we call a doctor to examine you?”
“No need.”
“Then—”
“I’m going back to Xiyan Pavilion. Unless something important happens, don’t call for me.”
After saying that, Lin Yanxi turned and left.
As for Shi Rong outside—still glaring furiously with bulging eyes—Lin Yanxi did not even spare her a glance before walking away directly.
Not long after Lin Yanxi had returned to Xiyan Pavilion to rest, Concubine Liu sent someone with a message saying that Lin Hongyuan had already regained consciousness.
However, Madam Shi was still standing stiffly in the room, unable to move, and they wanted to know what should be done.
Lin Yanxi shut her doors and circulated the complete cycle of her Pure Yang cultivation method.
By the time she opened her eyes again, the sky outside had already turned pitch black.
She slowly exhaled a long breath of turbid air. Her condition had fully recovered, and even her body felt much lighter.
She was not worried about Lin Hongyuan’s condition at all.
What truly puzzled her was why he had gone alone to that abandoned temple.
Filled with questions, she was just about to go find Lin Hongyuan and ask about it when voices outside caught her attention.
“I already said our young miss is resting, so Miss Wanxin should please return,” Cui Zhi said firmly.
Lin Wanxin herself remained silent, but her personal maid Lian’er spoke sharply instead.
“You’ve got quite the nerve to disrespect the eldest miss!”
Lian’er deliberately emphasized the words eldest miss, her tone full of arrogance and superiority.
“I said our young miss is resting. Whatever it is can wait until she wakes up,” Cui Zhi replied, chin lifted high, refusing to lose in terms of momentum.
“She inexplicably rendered Madam unable to speak or move, and Madam has been standing in the courtyard all afternoon. Madam’s health has never been good. If something happens to her, can your young miss bear the responsibility?”
Cui Zhi hesitated briefly.
She naturally knew about the matter, but without Lin Yanxi’s orders, she absolutely would not allow anyone into Xiyan Pavilion.
“Move aside, or I’ll ask Second Miss to come out personally,” Lian’er declared self-righteously.
Lin Wanxin still said nothing, which clearly meant she approved.
“No,” Cui Zhi rejected flatly. “Without my young miss’s orders, no one may enter.”
“Fine. Since you won’t move, don’t blame me for being rude. If this matter reaches Madam, the one who suffers will still be your young miss.”
The moment Lian’er finished speaking, she lunged forward and raised her hand to strike Cui Zhi.
Creak—
The door suddenly opened.
Lin Yanxi stepped out impatiently and shouted,
“What are you yelling for? Anyone who didn’t know better would think ghosts were haunting the place in the middle of the night.”
Holding a silk handkerchief delicately, Lin Wanxin looked like a fragile beauty who might collapse with a gust of wind.
“Little sister should watch her words,” she said softly. “Nothing strange has ever happened in the residence.”
“Then why are you here? Looking to scavenge benefits?”
“I heard younger sister did something to Mother today. Mother hasn’t spoken all afternoon. Younger sister should go take a look.”
Only then did Lin Yanxi remember she had left Shi Rong immobilized in Concubine Liu’s room.
“Mother’s health has never been good. What if something happens to her?”
Lin Yanxi let out a mocking laugh.
“You should know better than anyone what Mother’s health is really like, shouldn’t you?”
Wasn’t the poison inside Shi Rong’s body placed there by this very woman standing in front of her?
And yet Shi Rong treasured Lin Wanxin so much that no one was allowed to wrong her.
If one day Shi Rong learned that the poison harming her body had been administered by the adopted daughter she cherished most, would she still dote on her like this?
Instead of caring for her own biological daughter, she fussed endlessly over an orphan she had taken in midway through life—all in the name of repaying a life-saving favor.
But who knew whether that so-called life-saving grace had been deliberately staged in the first place?
Lin Wanxin froze momentarily.
A voice in her heart suddenly questioned whether Lin Yanxi knew something.
But she quickly dismissed the thought.
She had hidden everything perfectly. There could not possibly be a third person in the world who knew.
Suppressing the abnormality in her expression, she smiled warmly.
“You’re right, little sister. I’ve been by Mother’s side caring for her all these years, so naturally I understand her condition better than you do.”
The implication was obvious:
Shi Rong valued her far more than Lin Yanxi, her own flesh and blood.
Lin Yanxi merely smiled without exposing anything.
In fact, she was somewhat looking forward to the day Shi Rong discovered that her beloved adopted daughter harbored sinister intentions.
She truly wondered what kind of reaction that would produce.
“Little sister,” Lin Wanxin continued gently, “I know Mother’s recent attitude has made you unhappy. But Mother is still an elder. Whatever grievances there are, we can discuss them openly. Please don’t continue making Mother suffer like this. If things spiral out of control, it’ll become difficult to clean up afterward.”
Every word carried subtle threats while simultaneously flaunting her sense of superiority before Lin Yanxi.
After all, what could feel more satisfying?
A biological daughter who had never received her mother’s affection, while she—an orphan—had gained endless care and devotion simply through a few calculated methods.
Just as the two remained locked in stalemate, Concubine Liu sent someone once again urging Lin Yanxi to come over.
Lin Yanxi shot Lin Wanxin a meaningful glance before leaving with Cui Zhi for Muya Pavilion.
Concubine Liu was waiting alone outside the courtyard.
The first thing she said upon seeing Lin Yanxi was,
“What took you so long?”
“Concubine Liu, we’ve only been apart for one afternoon, and you missed me this much already? I’m so touched, boo-hoo-hoo!”
Smack!
A palm landed directly on Lin Yanxi’s shoulder.
With a stern face, Concubine Liu snapped,
“Speak properly!”
Lin Yanxi inhaled sharply from the sting, yet two little dimples still appeared on her cheeks as she grinned rebelliously.
“Now this is the Concubine Liu I know.”
“Go inside quickly and deal with the mess you left behind yourself!”
Lin Yanxi rolled her eyes.
“What’s so difficult about it? Just remove the needle.”
Concubine Liu glared fiercely at her.
If it were truly that easy, would she still be this anxious?
That afternoon she had summoned several physicians, but every one of them had been helpless. They all said the needle technique was far too intricate and none of them dared remove it recklessly. One wrong move might leave Shi Rong bedridden and paralyzed forever.
The warning had terrified Shi Rong badly.
Unable to speak or move, she could only curse Lin Yanxi endlessly in her heart all afternoon long.
“Relax. It’s no big deal.”
Lin Yanxi brushed past Concubine Liu and walked directly into Muya Pavilion.
The moment she saw Shi Rong again, she was greeted with the same resentful glare.
Shi Rong was so furious her teeth were clenched tightly together.
That was currently the only movement she could manage.
Lin Yanxi raised her brows, deliberately screamed in fake fright, then complained pitifully,
“Concubine Liu, look at her eyes—they’re terrifying! I think I’d better go back and hide first!”