53 “Dad, Mom and I are back to save you.”
On a rainy day, a strong wind was blowing outside, and the muffled thunder in the sky foreshadowed an impending storm.
The chubby boy sat on the rocking horse, wagging his tail and staring ahead while giggling. His special little coffee table was filled with fruit platters and cheese sticks that Pei Yiyan had just cut.
After forcing himself to finish all of this, Pei Yiyan, whose old ailment had flared up, was in so much pain that his face turned pale. In the past years, he had taken too many painkillers, and his body had developed a resistance to them, so the painkillers at home were of no use to him.
He was glad that the child liked to contradict him and turned the TV volume up a bit, so that the sound of his deep breathing wouldn't reach Xixi's ears.
He had his back to the four-year-old girl, his tall figure slightly hunched, and his tone as lazy as ever:
"Xixi, Daddy's going back to his room to answer a phone call. You watch TV quietly, don't run around or jump, and don't play with plugs or wires."
Did you hear that?
Immersed in the TV, Xi Xi waved her hand impatiently: "I know, I know."
Pei Yiyan didn't say anything more and went straight to the bedroom. Although he tried his best to maintain his balance, the pain from the cut made him feel like a little mermaid walking on a knife's edge. Every step was excruciating. His skin and flesh were torn open by the sharp knife tip, revealing a bloody hole.
He staggered back to his room, closed the door, leaned against the headboard, and gasped for breath. His back seemed to be bent under the weight of something heavy, making him gasp for air.
Pei Yiyan understood his body; he knew that as long as he could endure the most difficult first two hours, the pain would gradually subside, and he had long been prepared.
This time, for some reason, the pain was more intense and piercing than before. Perhaps it was because I had been living too comfortably for the past year or so, which lowered my pain tolerance.
Pei Yiyan gritted his teeth, letting sweat drip from his forehead. He bit his pale lips, refusing to utter a single painful groan.
After struggling to get used to it for a while, he removed the metal prosthetic leg with trembling hands. Such a simple action had exhausted all his strength. He collapsed onto the bed, buried his head in the soft blankets, and his body trembled uncontrollably.
"dad?"
The calls he vaguely heard jolted Pei Yiyan awake, and he sat up abruptly.
"What's up?"
His hoarse voice and pale face startled Xixi. The little girl ran to the bedside and stared at him nervously: "Daddy, are you sick?"
Pei Yiyan couldn't muster a single expression: "No, I'm just sleepy and need to rest for a while."
The lame excuse couldn't fool Xixi. She was originally a ginseng baby who specialized in treating illnesses. Her eyesight was far superior to a CT scan. She could tell whether someone was sick or not with just one glance.
Xi Xi frowned and looked at her father disapprovingly: "You are not allowed to lie. Xi Xi is not a little fool."
As she spoke, the child raised her lotus root-like arms, and her long, smooth, black hair instantly transformed into ginseng whiskers. Pei Yiyan immediately understood her intention.
Without saying a word, he pressed down on the child's hand: "Don't pull it out!"
Pei Yiyan knew that the little girl's ginseng rootlets were limited in number, and that her magic power would be weakened by one point for each one she plucked, unlike what she herself said was easy. Besides, this little pain was not worth wasting a ginseng rootlet on her; he could endure it.
Xi Xi's chubby face fell: "Why not, Daddy? Xi Xi wants to help you get treatment!"
"I don't need your treatment, go do your thing."
The chubby boy under his command ignored him and struggled with all his might, almost breaking free.
Just then, Xixi's dark eyes suddenly widened.
Staring blankly, he saw black threads, tinged with blood, emerge from Pei Yiyan's legs. Instead of spreading out to form a thick mist as before, they turned into a spider web and tightly bound his legs.
Xi Xi had never seen such a bizarre scene before, and her legs involuntarily took a small step back.
Pei Yiyan felt extremely distressed looking at the little girl's terrified expression. Embarrassed, he pulled the blanket over the severed limb and gritted his teeth, ordering:
"go out."
"Dad, your legs, your legs!"
"You've seen my legs before, haven't you? Didn't you say you weren't afraid?"
Pei Yiyan's eyes were slightly red. If he could see what was happening now, he would definitely choose to flee in panic.
“Xixi isn’t afraid, not at all.” The little one was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. “Dad, let go quickly, Xixi wants to chase away the black lines.”
"Forget about it, I will not accept your ginseng whiskers."
Pei Yiyan had already planned that once he got through this, he would go to the hospital to get a stronger painkiller, as he trusted modern medicine.
Xi Xi didn't understand why her dearest father wouldn't accept her help. Her ginseng rootlets were very clean, not dirty at all. Her father could cure his illness simply by holding them in his mouth; it wouldn't be much trouble.
Xi Xi stood there helplessly, tears streaming down her face, hugging Pei Yiyan and revealing her plump white arms, saying hurriedly:
"Daddy, bite me! It'll stop hurting after you bite me!"
The flesh and blood of a baby ginseng is as precious as the flesh of Tang Sanzang. Hundreds or thousands of years ago, it was a highly sought-after medicinal material for cultivation. Legend has it that eating a bite of the flesh of a thousand-year-old baby ginseng can cure all diseases, grant immortality, and allow one to ascend to heaven in broad daylight.
Although Xixi is only three hundred years old, prolonging her life is by no means a problem.
Pei Yiyan was well aware of Xixi's value, yet he remained unmoved.
The boy with bloodshot eyes trembled slightly, remained silent for a long time, and then suddenly said coldly, "Get out! You're just getting in the way here."
Xi Xi couldn't help but shudder.
She had never seen such a terrible father.
At this moment, Pei Yiyan was in so much pain that he was somewhat delirious, like a ferocious beast trying to suppress its rage, making people afraid to approach him.
Xi Xi bit her lower lip timidly, clenched her little fists, and ran out of the room without looking back, slamming the door shut.
He was clearly very angry.
As soon as the little girl left, a certain string in Pei Yiyan's heart loosened. He curled up into a ball, the veins on his arm holding his right leg bulging, and a broken, low groan escaped from his throat, unable to bear it any longer.
His temples were soaked with sweat, and red beads of blood gradually seeped from his lips.
It hurts so much.
"Xiao Hei, Xi Xi needs your help." Xi Xi rushed to the fleeceflower vine on the balcony, waving her little hand frantically for help.
Sensing Xixi's call, the He Shou Wu vine flashed a soft white light, and the next second, Xiao Hei, wearing his underwear on the outside, appeared.
He stepped forward happily: "Xixi, what's the urgent matter that you need to see me about?"
Xi Xi: "I need to go out to find my mother. Could you please take me to her house?"
Xiao Hei's ability to burrow underground and become invisible is Xi Xi's weakness. She must use Xiao Hei's power to teleport to the Meng family and seek her mother's help.
Xiao Hei's first reaction was surprise: "You're going back to Baicao Mountain? Why? It's so much fun down here, it's so boring up here."
"What the hell? It's not Baicao Mountain, it's my mother's home at the foot of the mountain."
Xi Xi rolled her eyes. All she does all day is play, she's not serious at all.
Xiao Hei scratched his head in confusion: "Then I have no idea where I am. Right, aren't there flying sedan chairs everywhere here that you can ride in?"
"It's too slow, Daddy will be in so much pain."
"What?"
Xi Xi stomped her foot angrily, her eyes red: "Dad is sick, his feet hurt and he won't let me get treatment. I'm going to call Mom to deal with him, hmph."
Upon hearing that Pei Yiyan was in trouble, Xiao Hei turned around and squatted down without saying a word: "Come on up, I'll take you to find Madam!"
Xi Xi jumped onto his back, and the two little monsters vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Xiao Hei had seen Meng Zhiyao before and had recorded her scent up close. Relying on his powerful sense of smell, he made his way unimpeded to the Meng family's door and slipped inside using invisibility.
Meng Zhiyao's house is a detached villa. Although it only has three floors, each floor has more than a dozen rooms of different sizes. The two little monsters who had just arrived could not pinpoint Meng Zhiyao's location, and finding her was like navigating a maze.
Just then, melodious piano music suddenly drifted from the second floor.
Xi Xi's confused expression froze for a moment, then her face lit up with joy. It must be her mother giving her directions.
The music, mixed with the sound of rain, was slightly noisy, but it didn't affect Xixi's search. Just before the last note fell, two beams of light suddenly lit up the music room.
The little girl who emerged from the pale green light was covered in moisture.
"Mother!"
"Xi Xi?"
The chubby little girl leaped into Meng Zhiyao's arms, her small body trembling slightly, accompanied by a delicate sob:
"Mom, Dad is sick. Dad is very sick. He is crying."
Xi Xi sniffled, feeling wronged: "He doesn't want Xi Xi to help him, and he's even mean to Xi Xi. He's become unlovable."
Before Meng Zhi could recover from her surprise, her heart sank. Without asking for details, she picked up the child and walked out.
She patted her back to comfort her: "Mommy knows, don't be afraid, Mommy will go home with you and deal with him."
The little girl raised her round head, tears still in her eyes, and pouted as she reminded him, "Then be gentle when you tidy up, Daddy is a patient."
Meng Zhi chuckled: "Okay, I'll listen to Xi Xi."
With her mother's support, Xixi snuggled into her arms. Meng Zhiyao felt the soft, sobbing little one in her arms and her heart softened. She couldn't help but quicken her pace.
Little Black followed closely behind.
"Madam, do you need any help? I can take you and Xixi underground; we'll be home in no time."
Meng Zhiyao's mind stirred slightly; in this situation, relying on the little demon's power was the optimal solution.
When it rains, it pours.
"Yaoyao?" It was Song Ling's voice.
Meng Zhi swallowed the words that were about to come out, and suddenly met Song Ling's questioning gaze.
Xi Xi shrank back in fear.
Song Ling recognized Xi Xi, whom he had met once before, and frowned slightly: "Isn't this the Pei family's daughter? Why are you holding her? Is that kid here too?"
“No.” Meng Zhiyao hugged Xixi tightly. “I get along well with this little girl. She came to play with me. I just taught her to play the piano.”
Song Ling then looked at Xiao Hei, who hadn't managed to disappear in time, and asked again, "Who is that kid cosplaying Superman?"
“Xi Xi’s cousin.” Meng Zhi shook her head and made up a lie without batting an eye, “It’s dangerous for the little girl to come out alone, so her brother came along with her.”
Meng Zhiyao knew that Song Ling still had countless questions waiting for her, and if she stayed any longer, she would not be able to get away. Every minute that wasted would be detrimental to the current situation.
She was carrying one in her arms and holding the other's hand, walking quickly as she talked.
"Mom, I'm taking them to KFC. I'll be back later."
After saying this, she was already downstairs. Song Ling was dumbfounded. How come this girl is getting more and more impulsive? But she does look a lot like her when she was young.
Before Pei Yiyan fell into a coma, the image of the child stumbling around kept replaying in his mind. It was the first time he had been so fierce to her, and the little girl would probably be angry and ignore him for days. He should think about how to coax her first.
Pei Yiyan tried to distract himself to lessen the pain, his chest heaving less and less, and he looked lifeless.
Clang!
"Dad, Mom and I are back to save you."
The man on the bed jolted; it wasn't a hallucination or a delusion. He abruptly opened his eyes, and there stood the little dumpling who had returned, right beside the bed, along with...
A girl, soaking wet, her face flushed, but her eyes filled with worry.
Are you alright?
"Not good."
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