Volume 3, Chapter 170 – She Has a Cleanliness Obsession

“Yu Lizhi?” Chi Xiyan repeated the name in her mouth.

This name was unexpectedly not so unpleasant.

Chi Xiyan had thought this girl’s name would be something like Cuihua or Zhaodi.

“If Sister Chi doesn’t mind, you can also call me by my childhood name, Zhizhi.” Lu Zhuxin said softly.

Zhizhi? Chi Zhizhi? This name also seemed quite nice. Chi Xiyan thought.

No, wait. Why was she thinking about this now?

This girl called Yu Lizhi couldn’t yet be directly confirmed as the Chi family’s eldest young lady.

The matter of her possibly being the Chi family’s eldest young lady was just Qin Qingfen’s word alone. And the basis for Qin Qingfen’s judgment of this girl’s identity was merely that hairpin that almost no one had seen.

Before finding enough evidence to prove the girl before her was the Chi family’s legitimate daughter who had been missing for over ten years, Chi Xiyan couldn’t treat her as the true Chi family young lady.

“Sister Chi, where do you want to take me?”

Lu Zhuxin tilted her head slightly, asking Chi Xiyan.

“I’ll first take you away from here, to a place with fewer people, and then talk with you…” Chi Xiyan’s words suddenly stopped at this moment.

Just as Chi Xiyan was speaking with the girl before her, from the corner of her eye she suddenly noticed several suspicious figures in the crowd.

“Chi family shadow guards…” Chi Xiyan murmured.

Having been the Chi family’s eldest young lady for so many years, she was naturally familiar with the Chi family’s shadow guards.

This was a special force that only took orders from the Chi family head.

If shadow guards appeared here, then it meant Chi Xiyan’s earlier speculation was correct.

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In the pawnshop, it seemed only Qin Qingfen had recognized the jade hairpin on Yu Lizhi’s head. But in reality, the Chi family’s shadow guards had also noticed Yu Lizhi’s existence.

The Chi family shadow guards were now also secretly investigating Yu Lizhi’s identity.

If this identity could be confirmed without error, then Old Master Chi would bring Yu Lizhi back home.

In that case, Yu Lizhi would also transform from a poor country girl into a prestigious family’s young lady.

The enormous sum of over twenty taels that had driven Yu Lizhi to desperation earlier would no longer be a problem.

“Hehe…” Chi Xiyan chuckled softly.

Earlier, Chi Xiyan had followed Yu Lizhi into Five Immortals House because she didn’t want to use those kinds of underhanded methods against such an innocent girl, like those inner-court poisonous women she hated most.

Chi Xiyan also had her own pride and bottom lines.

As for whether she would regret today’s choice in the future? Chi Xiyan wasn’t clear about that.

But at least now, Chi Xiyan felt she hadn’t fallen so low as to need to use such methods.

“Zhizhi, huh.” Chi Xiyan said, “Then I’ll call you Zhizhi.”

“Mm! Alright.” The black-haired girl nodded emphatically.

Chi Xiyan smiled lightly and continued, “Actually, I’m an alchemist, and I also have some understanding of medical principles.”

The black-haired girl’s eyes widened instantly, those dark pupils filling with delight. “Really? Sister Chi, you’re really an alchemist?”

Chi Xiyan nodded. “Of course. I have no need to lie to you about such things.”

The black-haired girl’s face filled with joy. She unconsciously stepped forward, wanting to grab Chi Xiyan’s sleeve. “Sister Chi, does this mean you’re willing to help treat my mother? Can my mother be saved?!”

Chi Xiyan hadn’t expected the girl before her to ask immediately. She imperceptibly furrowed her brow, instinctively taking half a step back, skillfully avoiding the girl’s close approach.

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Lu Zhuxin noticed Chi Xiyan’s small movement and laughed lightly to herself.

Chi Xiyan had a cleanliness obsession. She hated dirty, messy, ugly people, and also hated when people got too close to her.

It was only because “Yu Lizhi’s” face was beautiful. If it were someone else suddenly approaching Chi Xiyan like this, they would probably have been kicked away by Chi Xiyan long ago.

But it didn’t matter. She would make Chi Xiyan gradually get used to this closeness.

“Ahem…” Chi Xiyan coughed lightly, as if nothing had just happened, and continued, “I can’t guarantee I’ll definitely be able to cure your mother, because I’m just an alchemist, not a physician focused on medical practice… There are many difficult and complicated illnesses in this world. Even physicians focused on medical practice can’t guarantee they can cure all ailments.”

As she spoke, Chi Xiyan’s face gradually became serious. “Before treating your mother, I must make this clear to you in advance. I can only guarantee I’ll do everything I can to save her…”

The black-haired girl pressed her lips together and was silent for a moment. After a while, she nodded emphatically again. “I understand, Sister Chi. That you’re willing to help me is already the greatest surprise for me today.”

“If my mother ultimately can’t be saved…” The black-haired girl lowered her eyes. “Then that’s my mother’s fate. I won’t resent anyone.”

Chi Xiyan said, “As long as you understand. Then I don’t need to say more. Take me to see your mother.”

“Alright, Sister Chi.” The black-haired girl nodded, then quickly walked toward the street. “Sister Chi, follow me. My home is this way.”

Chi Xiyan looked at the black-haired girl’s back, her expression somewhat complex.

This girl was truly too naive.

Didn’t she doubt at all why Chi Xiyan would suddenly change her mind?

This foolish girl was truly the type who would help count the money even after being sold.

Chi Xiyan’s sudden offer to treat Yu Lizhi’s mother naturally had a reason.

It was because of those Chi family shadow guards.

Since those shadow guards had seen Chi Xiyan and Yu Lizhi standing together, it wouldn’t be long before Old Master Chi also learned of this.

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If earlier, when Chi Xiyan hadn’t yet exposed her whereabouts, she had chosen to stand by and not enter Five Immortals House, then no one would have known Chi Xiyan had ever seen Yu Lizhi.

But now, since Chi Xiyan had already made her choice and been noticed by the Chi family shadow guards, she had to start considering what came next.

If Yu Lizhi really would be brought back to the Chi family by Old Master Chi to be a wealthy young lady, how could Chi Xiyan gain the greatest benefit from this matter?

A thought suddenly sprouted in Chi Xiyan’s heart.

Yu Lizhi might be able to become an aid for her to gain even more control over the Chi family.

…

Yu Lizhi’s home wasn’t in the commandery city, but in the city outskirts.

Chi Xiyan kept following her.

All along the way, watching the road gradually become rough, with pedestrians around gradually becoming sparse, Chi Xiyan’s expression also gradually became less pleasant.

This was a dilapidated village settlement located in the city outskirts. Very few people lived here.

The houses in the village were also earthen houses built with mud bricks, with simple thatch roofs.

Could people really live in this kind of house?

At a glance, everything was the kind of thing Chi Xiyan usually found difficult to imagine.

“Sister Chi… we’ve arrived.” Lu Zhuxin pointed to one of the thatched earthen houses. “That’s where my mother and I currently live.”

Chi Xiyan furrowed her brow. She said incredulously, “You grew up in this kind of place?”

“Ah… no, I didn’t grow up here…”

The black-haired girl’s expression changed slightly as she lowered her eyes.

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“My family was originally in Nanhe Commandery. Because of some troubles in Nanhe Commandery, we fled… we wandered and drifted to Beihe Commandery.”

Her voice was somewhat low. “My father died early, leaving only my mother and me to depend on each other… Ending up here is also because there was really nowhere else to go.”

Chi Xiyan frowned wordlessly.

She knew this girl’s life wasn’t going well, but she hadn’t expected it to be even more miserable than she’d imagined.

“…Sister Chi, there I go saying unnecessary things again.” The black-haired girl forced a stiff smile. “How could I leave a guest standing outside in the yard?”

The black-haired girl quickly walked into the courtyard and brought out a crooked wooden bench. “Sister Chi, please come in and sit down to rest. I’ll go check on my mother.”

Chi Xiyan looked at the dilapidated earthen house before her and the muddy yellow earth courtyard.

She held up her skirt hem, her eyes showing some hesitation.

She had a cleanliness obsession. She couldn’t bear this kind of dirty, messy environment.

“Mother! I’ve found a physician who can treat you.”

The black-haired girl pushed open the door and entered the inner room.

At this moment, Chi Xiyan heard the girl’s scream.

“Mother! What’s wrong, Mother! Wake up quickly!”

“Help! Sister Chi, quickly come save my mother!”

Something happened?

Chi Xiyan looked toward the interior with surprise.