Volume 3, Chapter 174 – The Jade Hairpin

Sisters from different parents.

Heh! That was really true.

“Sister Chi.” The black-haired country girl lowered her head slightly, calling out softly to Chi Xiyan.

Chi Xiyan looked at her, her gaze also softening considerably.

Because of this dao contract’s existence, the girl before her had become completely bound to her.

Under the contract seal’s constraints, Yu Lizhi couldn’t betray Chi Xiyan, nor could she harbor different intentions toward her.

She could be her most trusted person.

Before this, the Chi family’s direct bloodline had still been the person most likely to threaten Chi Xiyan.

“Zhizhi, I’ll begin treating your mother now.” As Chi Xiyan spoke, she retrieved her silver needles from her storage space.

“Her condition is too dangerous. I need to perform emergency treatment with acupuncture first.”

“Let her lie flat on the bed.”

Lu Zhuxin obeyed and straightened the old woman before her.

Chi Xiyan took a gentle breath. The elegant bamboo fragrance was refreshing to the mind.

Chi Xiyan even felt her spiritual power circulating more smoothly than usual.

Was it because she’d just resolved a hidden trouble?

Chi Xiyan laughed inwardly, infusing spiritual power into the silver needles.

Her fingertip flicked lightly.

With a soft ding, the silver needle in Chi Xiyan’s hand transformed into a snow-colored thread at this moment, pinned into the old woman’s body before her with mysterious finger force.

Lu Zhuxin sat to the side, propping up her face with her hand, watching quietly.

Ordinary people might find it difficult to perceive Chi Xiyan’s movements, but for Lu Zhuxin, who possessed Eighth Realm cultivation, it wasn’t a problem at all.

In the original text, scenes directly depicting Chi Xiyan saving people were actually quite rare.

As the Fated Protagonist’s monetary cheat, Chi Xiyan’s medical skills only existed as background.

When this setting was used most frequently was actually when she employed acupuncture and medicine on the bed to enhance pleasure and duration.

Mm, and frequency too.

After all, the original text was just a harem smut novel Lu Zhuxin had fantasized.

Now watching Chi Xiyan perform acupuncture to save someone up close was also a very novel experience for Lu Zhuxin.

The original text described how Chi Xiyan looked beautiful when saving people.

When she activated Medical Immortal Valley’s secret techniques, beautiful frost flowers would appear, like a celestial maiden descending to the mortal world.

The origin of the title “Fairy Xiyan” also came from this.

Lu Zhuxin confirmed this point at this moment. Not one of the Fated Female Leads had poor looks.

Chi Xiyan’s appearance when seriously saving people also truly resembled a benevolent fairy.

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This old woman’s condition seemed even more serious than anticipated. Chi Xiyan appeared extremely strained when casting her techniques to save her.

Lu Zhuxin could see fine beads of sweat emerging from her forehead.

Her eyes remained focused on the old woman before her, her fingertips connected to snow-colored threads.

Condensed ice flowers evaporated in the air, but soon new frost crystals formed again.

This process continued for nearly an hour.

Lu Zhuxin could see Chi Xiyan’s complexion had become much paler than before.

Thin gauze clung to her snow-tender skin with sweat, inexplicably giving off an alluring feeling.

Even her eyelashes were stained with fine beads of sweat.

Lu Zhuxin could sense Chi Xiyan’s breathing had become much more disordered than before.

This hour of continuously displaying Medical Immortal Valley’s secret techniques brought Chi Xiyan enormous burden.

Lu Zhuxin knew this was Chi Xiyan’s nature.

If she didn’t want to act, that would be one thing, but since she’d agreed to Yu Lizhi to save her mother, she would definitely use all her strength.

Another hour passed.

Chi Xiyan’s fingers moved rhythmically. The snow-colored threads withdrew from the old woman’s body with the silver needles.

“Hah…” Chi Xiyan took a deep breath.

“Alright, her condition has been temporarily stabilized now. She won’t continue deteriorating.”

Chi Xiyan straightened her body. She originally wanted to give Yu Lizhi a few more instructions on methods to care for the patient.

But suddenly, a wave of dizziness abruptly transmitted through her mind.

Chi Xiyan felt her vision go dark. Her whole body was exhausted, as if she’d lost all strength, staggering backward two steps.

However, she didn’t fall to the ground.

Lu Zhuxin gently supported her from behind.

“Sister Chi, are you alright?”

The black-haired country girl spoke with a worried expression. She took out a handkerchief washed until it was nearly white, gently wiping the fine sweat from Chi Xiyan’s forehead.

“…” Chi Xiyan barely circulated the depleted spiritual power within her body.

This was her first time attempting several continuous hours of acupuncture treatment. Such treatment consumed enormous amounts of her mental energy and spiritual power.

Now she felt her body was as if it had been hollowed out, empty, weary, dizzy and lightheaded.

She’d never felt this uncomfortable before.

Just when she felt extremely unwell, she suddenly caught that fresh, sweet bamboo fragrance again.

What surprised Chi Xiyan was that after smelling this pleasant scent, the exhaustion and dizziness brought by overdrafting her spiritual power and mental energy were actually relieved considerably.

Chi Xiyan opened her eyes. She saw Yu Lizhi gently and carefully helping her wipe her sweat with the handkerchief.

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That delicate little face was filled with worry.

At this moment, Yu Lizhi was very close to Chi Xiyan.

The instinct to reject outsiders’ contact made Chi Xiyan want to push her away the instant she saw Yu Lizhi approach so closely.

But the comfort that fresh fragrance brought her made her reluctant to push her away.

This made Chi Xiyan feel conflicted and uncomfortable.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly.

“Zhizhi…”

“What is it, Sister Chi? I’m here.”

Chi Xiyan pressed her lips together. With just a gentle breath, that fresh bamboo fragrance would burrow into her nostrils on its own.

This girl was really too close. But precisely because she was close, Chi Xiyan could smell the fragrance on Yu Lizhi even more clearly.

Clearly a girl who grew up in an impoverished family, yet she had such a pleasant smell on her body.

This kind of naturally fragrant constitution was truly enviable.

Sure enough, that fraud from before had premeditated everything. He must have discovered this girl’s naturally fragrant constitution.

For men, this girl was simply the most perfect bed companion.

She didn’t know which aristocratic family’s young master would benefit if Yu Lizhi were truly brought back to the Chi family in the future.

Thinking of this, Chi Xiyan suddenly frowned again.

Yu Lizhi’s marriage arrangement was also an extremely important bargaining chip. She couldn’t let Old Master Chi arrange it casually.

However, considering these things now was perhaps a bit too early.

“Ah… Zhizhi.” Chi Xiyan sighed lightly and said softly, “From now on, if I don’t allow it, try not to get so close to me.”

“This is for my sake, and also for your safety… Can you understand?”

As an alchemist, using poison was Chi Xiyan’s most basic defensive measure.

If this girl continued approaching her so carelessly, if something really happened one day, there wouldn’t even be a place to cry.

“Mm… Since Sister Chi doesn’t like Zhizhi getting close, then Zhizhi will just try to stay farther away from Sister.” Yu Lizhi said weakly.

“…” Chi Xiyan covered her forehead. This girl seemed to have misunderstood something.

She continued, “I don’t mean to dislike you. It’s just that I personally don’t like outsiders getting close… This applies to everyone.”

Only after she finished speaking did she see Chi Xiyan’s complexion improve somewhat.

“I misunderstood Sister.” The girl pressed her lips together. Her feet stepped back slightly two steps as she put away the sweat-dampened handkerchief.

After Yu Lizhi retreated, Chi Xiyan very clearly felt that the fragrance enveloping her weakened somewhat.

This actually caused a sense of emptiness to rise in her heart.

Chi Xiyan looked at Yu Lizhi, her eyes somewhat inexplicable.

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She forcibly suppressed that hint of dependence that rose in her heart.

“Your mother’s condition has been temporarily stabilized, but this is only temporary.”

“For further treatment, many rare medicinal materials will still be needed as support.”

“Tonight, you’ll stay here first to take care of her.”

“By tomorrow… near the manor, I’ll find you a clean place to live.” Chi Xiyan’s gaze swept over the surrounding environment as she said with furrowed brows, “This place isn’t suitable for long-term living, and it’s even less conducive to patient recovery.”

“Oh, right.” Chi Xiyan remembered something else. She emphasized, “I’ll have someone go to Five Immortals House to redeem your contract, so you don’t need to worry about Five Immortals House anymore.”

“Mm, mm.” The black-haired country girl nodded repeatedly.

Chi Xiyan also pulled Yu Lizhi aside to emphasize key points for caring for the patient.

“Make her take this pill somehow. It can maintain her stamina and prevent the life force in her body from dissipating.”

“Mm, mm.”

“Tomorrow, I’ll bring medicine from the Chi family. With the Chi family’s medicinal materials as support, the hope of saving your mother will increase greatly.”

“Mm, mm.” The black-haired girl continued nodding.

Seeing Yu Lizhi so obedient, Chi Xiyan pressed her lips and pondered for a moment. Her gaze looked toward the white jade hairpin on the black-haired girl’s head.

“Zhizhi, that hairpin on your head… have you worn it since childhood?” Chi Xiyan asked.

“The hairpin?” The black-haired girl blinked. “Yes, I’ve worn it ever since I can remember.”

“Then you…” Chi Xiyan continued asking, “Do you know where this hairpin came from?”

“I know. Mother said that when she found me, this hairpin was placed beside me.” The black-haired girl thought for a while. “This hairpin should have been left to me by my birth parents.”

Chi Xiyan was astonished. “You’ve known since childhood that you were adopted?”

“Mm, I knew. Mother told me from the time I could remember.” The black-haired girl nodded. “She used to always remind me, saying this hairpin was very important to me and that I must protect it carefully no matter what.”

Speaking of this, the black-haired girl tilted her head slightly, looking at Chi Xiyan with a puzzled expression. “What’s wrong, Sister Chi? Do you like this hairpin?”

Chi Xiyan pondered for a moment. “Zhizhi, could you lend me that jade hairpin for a few days? I’ll return it to you after.”

A hint of surprise flashed through the black-haired girl’s eyes, but she still obediently pulled the jade hairpin from her hair.

“I’m already Sister Chi’s person. If Sister Chi truly likes this hairpin, giving it to Sister wouldn’t matter at all.”

Chi Xiyan accepted the jade hairpin, her hand rubbing its moist exterior, her eyes somewhat troubled.

She even inexplicably felt a sense of guilt.

“No need. This jade hairpin is very important to you. I won’t take your things.” Chi Xiyan said, suddenly gripping the jade hairpin tightly in her hand.

After obtaining everything she wanted, Chi Xiyan left this room.

Lu Zhuxin watched Chi Xiyan’s departing back, smiling lightly.

Handing the jade hairpin to Chi Xiyan, she wasn’t afraid of Chi Xiyan doing anything underhanded.

With that dao contract in hand, Yu Lizhi would become Chi Xiyan’s most useful chess piece. Chi Xiyan wouldn’t be foolish enough to cut off her own arm.

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What needed worry were actually other people.

Lu Zhuxin withdrew her gaze. She lowered her head slightly, looking at the pill in her hand.

This was the pill Chi Xiyan left before departing.

“A pill to preserve stamina and maintain life force?”

Lu Zhuxin laughed darkly. Her fingers squeezed lightly, and that pill worth a thousand gold instantly split in half.

Then Lu Zhuxin’s fingertip flicked lightly, using spiritual power to send half the pill into the old woman’s mouth.

The old woman in her coma showed a pained expression on her face. The pill’s medicinal power forcibly dissolved under Lu Zhuxin’s spiritual power’s urging.

As for the other half of the pill, under Lu Zhuxin’s spiritual power bombardment, it directly turned to powder.

Lu Zhuxin never planned to let Chi Xiyan save this old woman.

She wasn’t Yu Lizhi’s mother. Truly saving her would only expose Lu Zhuxin.

“Half a pill is enough.”

As Lu Zhuxin’s words fell, Hu Mei’er slowly revealed her form.

She said respectfully to Lu Zhuxin, “Your Majesty, Huang Huying sent word that someone has begun investigating Yu Lizhi’s past. They should be Chi family people.”

Lu Zhuxin wasn’t surprised. She smiled lightly.

“Release some of the information we prepared. Then it’s about time to prepare the later plan.”

“It’s time to let the Chi family know that the Chi family’s true eldest young lady should return.”

Lu Zhuxin’s eyes narrowed slightly as she looked toward the brightly lit commandery city in the distance.

“The Chi family’s muddy waters can start being stirred now.”

…

On the other side, not until nightfall did Chi Xiyan drag her weary body back to the Chi family.

The first thing Chi Xiyan did upon returning to the Chi family was bathe.

Only after washing her entire body with those precious bath essences worth a thousand gold did she feel the sour, musty smell on her body had weakened considerably.

Had to say, this was the most troublesome patient she’d encountered to treat.

Besides being extremely weak and seriously ill, the patient was also a mortal without cultivation or spiritual power. She simply couldn’t bear too much spiritual power infusion.

So when treating her with Medical Immortal Valley’s secret techniques, Chi Xiyan also had to carefully control the amount of spiritual power on the silver needles.

Precisely because of this, Chi Xiyan’s mental energy and spiritual power were overdrafted so severely.

Only after her body became fragrant again did Chi Xiyan end her bath, walking out of the bathroom with a comfortable expression.

However, for some reason, she always felt the fragrance she’d spent a fortune formulating was far inferior to that natural body fragrance she’d smelled on Yu Lizhi…

At this time, Qin Qingfen found Chi Xiyan. “Xiyan, how did your investigation of that girl go today?”