Chapter 2 A kiss is needed to heal
Xie Mianmian looked at the person who came in and struggled frantically to get out of the quilt.
But the more flustered she became, the less her hands and feet obeyed her commands. Finally, Xie Mingyi stretched out her hands and peeled Xie Mianmian away.
Xie Mianmian pouted, crossed her legs and clamped them around Xie Mingyi's slender waist, then wrapped her small arms tightly around Xie Mingyi's neck, her tear-stained face pressed against Xie Mingyi's fragrant cheek.
"What's wrong, Mianmian, you little crybaby?" Xie Huaijin chuckled, pinching Mianmian's chubby cheeks.
"Second sister, third brother, sob sob... There are bad people!" Xie Mianmian sobbed as she spoke.
One moment she said she had drowned, the next she said the koi could talk, then she blew on Xie Mingyi's neck and said it would stop hurting, then she lay on Xie Huaijin's chest and listened to his strong heartbeat, saying, "Third Brother, don't die!"
Xie Huaijin was so angry he laughed. How come Xie Mingyi was telling him not to be in pain, but he was being told not to die? What an unlucky kid.
"Waaah, and there was the thin bucket, with a clinking sound, gurgling and splashing, waaah, and then I came back." Xie Mianmian rubbed her eyes and finally finished speaking.
But to adults, this long passage is just Xie Mianmian confusing nightmares with reality and talking nonsense.
"Okay, okay, we believe you. Mianmian is so amazing, she can come back by herself." Xie Mingyi coaxed her gently.
"Mianmian isn't that great, Xitong is," Xie Mianmian corrected.
"Alright, alright, this little bucket is the best!" Xie Mingyi said softly. "Let Grandpa Wang take a look at it for you, okay?"
Xie Mianmian nodded obediently.
Doctor Wang carefully took Xie Mianmian's pulse, his brows furrowed. He raised his hand and took her pulse again, his expression strange.
He called the two siblings aside and said seriously, "The fourth young lady's pulse indicates that her liver spirit is frightened and her spleen is overworked, causing palpitations and mental disturbance, as well as internal heat damaging her body fluids. I will prescribe some medicine to calm her spirit, nourish her mind, clear heat, and remove dampness."
Doctor Wang stroked his white beard. "But this is just excessive worry. Mental illness requires mental medicine."
"I will send you a calming talisman with a cinnabar seal later. You can place it under your pillow when you sleep tonight."
“We understand, Dr. Wang, please take care.” Xie Mingyi frowned.
"Our little sister has been too frightened by her afternoon nap and is overthinking things," Xie Huaijin said, clicking his tongue in surprise as he looked worriedly at Xie Mianmian, who had fallen asleep from crying.
Xie Mingyi held up a damp handkerchief and gently wiped Xie Mianmian's face, her tone full of self-reproach, "It's because we haven't cared for her enough. This child is sensitive, and she's been carrying so many burdens in her heart."
Her mother suffered a difficult childbirth when giving birth to Xie Mianmian. After giving birth, she experienced severe postpartum hemorrhage and soon passed away.
The father was heartbroken and buried himself in the affairs of the canal transport to numb himself. He dared not let himself have any free time to think about his mother. He rarely visited Xie Mianmian and only instructed the servants to take good care of her.
These three siblings were too busy with their own affairs, only managing to come and see Xie Mianmian occasionally. They didn't know how to play with children, and would just sit to the side, watching her entertain herself.
Like a pet raccoon kept in the mansion, the owner only comes to take her for a walk when he has time; most of the time, the raccoon is immersed in its own world.
"From now on, let Mianmian live with me," Xie Mingyi said with pity. "I wonder if Mianmian has memorized the Three Character Classic yet."
"The Thousand Character Classic, the Analects, and the Precepts for Women, as well as the Records of Noble Ladies, should also be arranged," Xie Mingyi murmured.
————
Xie Mianmian opened her eyes groggily, her light brown pupils unfocused. She stared blankly at the bluish-green gauze curtain above her head, her breath filled with the pleasant scent of sandalwood.
"It smells so good!" Xie Mianmian turned her head and rubbed her pillow contentedly. This is her second sister's room!
Xie Mianmian felt so happy, as happy as if she had eaten a piece of candy. As if she had thought of something, she reached into the small pocket hidden in her skirt and pulled out a piece of candy.
Xie Mianmian couldn't wait to stuff the candy into her mouth. She was even happier, her happiness doubled!
Suddenly a strange voice came to her mind, androgynous yet clearly articulated, which was very odd.
"Ding—Charging complete."
"The Mende system has finished loading."
Xie Mianmian: ! Fine bucket!
"Hello, host."
"This system requires sweets to power it, and during operation it will passively and randomly hear the prophetic thoughts of nearby animals."
"Then the koi I heard talking was its prophecy!" Xie Mianmian was shocked, then thought of the scene of her whole family's tragic death, and her heart began to ache again.
"What can I do?" Xie Mianmian pondered. According to the original plan, the voodoo doll would be found in her house tomorrow!
Xie Mianmian was so anxious that she was covered in sweat, her fingers unconsciously fidgeting with the blanket.
"The host can use their 'cuteness value' to get small animals to help them."
Small animals… Oh right, Xie Mianmian thought of something, and patted her little head with her chubby hand. She could have the small animals move that voodoo doll away!
"Little Bucket, you're so smart!" Xie Mianmian said with shining eyes.
When the child praised it in a soft, sweet voice, the system's data momentarily went haywire for a few seconds.
"What is 'Moe De' value?" Xie Mianmian tilted her head and asked in confusion.
"Each time you forcibly change an animal's behavior, it costs fifty points of 'Cute Virtue'. You can gain 'Cute Virtue' points every time you act cute, help someone successfully, or get a kiss."
"But on that day, no matter how many times a person kisses you, they can only get twenty points."
"Okay, I need to secretly move the doll and the secret letter away. I need... 100 points!" Xie Mianmian wasn't good at math, but she had heard her third brother say that two fifty-tael silver notes would equal 100 taels!
"How many kisses do we need for 100 points? One person gets 20 points, so two people would get..." Xie Mianmian counted on her fingers carefully, and after counting all ten fingers, she started counting her toes.
"Oh dear, I don't have enough toes either. Little bucket, could you lend me yours?"
"...You need five kisses."
"Little Bucket, you're so amazing! You have so many fingers to count, unlike me."
If the system had a physical form, I really wish it had many toes to dig into the ground; it would surely be able to excavate an unprecedentedly massive tomb.
It quickly diverted Xie Mianmian's attention, saying, "Friendly reminder: you need to eat four sweets a day to provide enough energy."
"Okay, let's kiss first." Xie Mianmian jumped off the bed, walked to the washbasin stand, picked up a handkerchief and wiped her little face clean.
Then she ran to the dressing table, picked up a box of Xie Mingyi's perfume and started applying it.
Xie Mianmian tried her best to stand on tiptoe, looking at the blurry bronze mirror. Her chubby little hands smeared in circles on her rosy cheeks. Finally, she patted her face with satisfaction. It was so fragrant and soft, it must be so easy to kiss.
Xie Mingyi came in when she heard the noise. She saw the little girl raise her face and say seriously, "Second sister, I need two kisses to get better in order to save this family."
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