The doctor spent a full quarter of an hour examining Jiang Chuting. After releasing his hand, he stroked his beard, frowned in thought, and remained silent.
He had been practicing medicine for over thirty years and had seen all sorts of difficult and complicated cases, but this kind of severe abdominal pain with an extremely normal pulse was something he had never encountered before, and it was truly perplexing.
Jiang Chuting's body was almost curled up into a ball, her hair and clothes were soaked with cold sweat, and her eyes were staring blankly at the string of love beans on the pillow.
After obtaining his consent, the young apprentice at the clinic removed his mask, brought him a cloth to wipe his sweat, and took care of him.
His pain was definitely not feigned. The doctor asked Jiang Chuting, "Were there any signs before the abdominal pain? Or did you come into contact with anything unusual?"
Jiang Chuting moved his lips, struggling to utter, "No." But then he remembered the floral scent he had smelled before the attack, unsure if it counted, but decided to say it anyway. He was too weak to say more than two words: "Floral scent."
The doctor then asked, "Where did you smell it?"
"suburbs."
"Can you tell what flower it is that smells like?"
Jiang Chuting replied, "I don't know."
The doctor originally wanted to ask him more about the exact location, but seeing that he was trembling from the pain, he didn't press him and said, "I've prepared some painkillers for you. I'll ask you again after you've recovered a bit."
After the medicine was brewed, the young apprentice brought it to Jiang Chuting and fed it to him. After drinking it, he lay down for a while, and the pain gradually subsided. Although it still hurt, it was within his tolerance range, and he was able to sit up on his own.
Jiang Chuting was lost in thought as she picked up the bracelet when the doctor came over and sat down on the stool beside the bed. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm much better now, thank you." Jiang Chuting bowed slightly to express her gratitude.
"That's good." The doctor stroked his beard and smiled, then, without further ado, asked him the questions he had asked earlier. Jiang Chuting gave a rough description of the route and said, "By the way, there's a dilapidated Guanyin temple nearby."
The doctor pondered for a moment, "I might not be able to confirm if you mentioned other places, but there is a large patch of 'Lilac Red Flowers' on the hillside not far from Guanyin Temple. This flower has a strong fragrance, especially after rain. What you smelled was probably its scent. However, this flower is not poisonous."
Jiang Chuting understood. "So, it has nothing to do with the fragrance of flowers."
The doctor looked at him with a kind smile and said slowly, "Don't be in a hurry, let me finish. This flower is originally non-toxic, but it is incompatible with a certain medicinal herb called 'Wangxiancao' (望仙草).
"Wangxiancao?" Jiang Chuting had never heard of it.
"Yes, if you've taken the Wangxian Grass, no matter how much time has passed, you'll experience adverse reactions when you smell this Glazed Flower fragrance again. However... it shouldn't cause you this much pain. It's also possible that you accidentally overdosed."
Jiang Chuting didn't pay attention to why the doctor said "accidental ingestion," thinking that it was probably because the pills Lin Xuan forced him to take back then contained Wangxian grass, which was why he suddenly had an attack after smelling the fragrance of flowers.
Over the years, he had seen many doctors, but none of them could give him a clear answer. Unexpectedly, he had learned a clue. Jiang Chuting asked, "Doctor, what is the use of this 'Wangxian Grass'?" He wanted to know what Lin Xuan's intentions were.
"This 'Wangxian Grass' is extremely rare and precious. It's incredibly difficult to find even one plant, and only on Penglai Island, where legendary medicinal herbs abound, is it abundant." Penglai Island is a legendary, remote, and unreachable paradise located above the Qionghai Sea. It's said that the ancestors of its inhabitants were immortals, and gemstones and medicinal herbs are as common as roadside pebbles. However, ordinary people don't even know its exact location. No matter how many immortal herbs and medicinal herbs there are, they have no connection to the outside world. Therefore, the Wangxian Grass is indeed rare and precious. Having laid the groundwork, the doctor then told Jiang Chuting the greatest use of this rare medicinal herb, with measured tone, "This is a miraculous medicine for treating female infertility."
Jiang Chuting had a thousand guesses in his mind, but he never expected it to be used for this purpose, and he was stunned.
It's for treating female infertility. He's a man, so why would Lin Xuan give him this medicine?
The doctor found a picture book, pointed to the page describing the herb Wangxiancao, and said, "This is what it looks like. Think carefully, have you ever mistakenly taken it before?"
Jiang Chuting: "Years ago, I did indeed swallow a pill of unknown medicinal properties. At the time, I experienced abdominal pain similar to today's, which lasted for more than three hours. Now that I think about it, it must have been..."
"Pills? There must be something else mixed in, otherwise taking just this one medicine wouldn't cause so much pain." The doctor understood that he had no idea what he had swallowed, and didn't bother asking him about the pill's formula. After a moment of contemplation, he simply said, "In my opinion, whatever else is mixed in, your sudden abdominal pain is definitely related to the scent of the glass flower. As long as you pay more attention to avoiding this flower in the future, you should be fine."
It seems there's no other way. Jiang Chuting thanked him sincerely again.
The doctor told him to lie down and rest, but Jiang Chuting suddenly remembered something, called out to him, and after a moment's pause, asked, "Excuse me, who brought me here?"
The doctor replied, "The two young masters are both quite handsome, but they left as soon as they arrived. If you want to thank them, you probably won't be able to find them."
Jiang Chuting tentatively asked, "Is one of them wearing a purple robe with arrow-shaped sleeves, with short hair, and looking about sixteen or seventeen years old?"
"Yes," the doctor said in surprise, "You know him?"
Jiang Chuting forced a smile and said softly, "I know him, but we're not very close."
He really thought he was hallucinating because of the pain, but it turned out he really had met Lin Zhi.
He heard Lin Zhi coldly say not to worry about it, and that someone else had argued about something and carried him there. Lin Zhi truly loathed him to the core.
Jiang Chuting stared at the bright red love beans in her hand, feeling a stinging pain in her eyes.
Jiang Chuting lay in bed for another half an hour to recover, then asked the doctor to draw pictures of the glazed red flower and the fairy grass. He then left with his still weak and unsteady steps.
He was soaked in sweat and his clothes were covered in mud. He found a nearby inn and prepared to take a hot bath and change his clothes.
Unexpectedly, things turned out to be so coincidental. Just as he was led to the door by the waiter, Lin Zhi and Zhao Chengyang came out of the next room.
We met unexpectedly.
Lin Zhi seemed a little surprised, and paused for a moment when he saw him, but quickly turned cold and looked away, as if he didn't want to look at him again.
Zhao Chengyang ignored him, his eyes lighting up as he greeted Jiang Chuting, "It's you! How are you? Are you alright?"
Jiang Chuting didn't go in immediately because she wanted to thank him. A soft light shone in her eyes behind the mask. "I'm alright now. I know it was you, young master, who saved me. Thank you so much."
"It's alright, it's alright, don't mention it. I'm just glad you're alright." Zhao Chengyang waved his hand with a smile, then suddenly realized, "Wait a minute, how did you recognize me?"
Logically speaking, he was almost half-conscious at that time, and after being taken to the clinic, he left immediately. How could he possibly remember his face?
Jiang Chuting explained, "We met once before at Jingfeng Teahouse."
"Jing... Jingfeng Teahouse?" Zhao Chengyang's smile grew increasingly stiff as he glanced back at Lin Zhi beside him. He remembered—wasn't the person he'd met at Jingfeng Teahouse the one who had seduced Lin Zhi's father, causing a scene that was known throughout the martial arts world? He suddenly understood why Lin Zhi had told him to leave it alone.
However, he always felt that this person wasn't the shameless, dissolute, and frivolous person the rumors described, and didn't seem too bad. Of course, he wouldn't dare say such things to Lin Zhi's face, or he'd get beaten up.
Jiang Chuting noticed his sudden embarrassment, so she didn't bother him any longer. She nodded slightly, didn't even glance at Lin Zhi, and went into the house first, closing the door behind her.
After soaking in hot water for a while and changing into dry clothes, Jiang Chuting packed her things, intending to check out and find another inn.
Lin Zhi didn't like him, so he should avoid her. Just as he was about to open the door, he heard Lin Zhi and Zhao Chengyang talking closer. They must have just come up from downstairs after dinner and were chatting as they walked.
Jiang Chuting withdrew her hand, intending to wait until they entered the room before going out herself.
Outside, Zhao Chengyang's voice came: "The matter hasn't been investigated yet, and you're already leaving?"
Lin Zhi: "The day I agreed to meet Chu Ran is approaching, I have to rush back to Xiangsi Xiaozhu."
Zhao Chengyang said, "Isn't there still two or three days left? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Lin Zhi: "I can wait for him, but I can't make him wait for me. I'd better hurry back."
Zhao Chengyang sighed and reminded her, "Don't blame me for being nosy, but Chu Ran is acting so mysteriously. I always feel like he's deliberately hiding something from you. You met him ten years ago, he must be at least twenty-seven or twenty-eight now, right? Still not married? Who would believe that? Lin Zhi, as a friend, I'm reminding you to be careful and wary of him, lest you be deceived."
Lin Zhi immediately said, "What's there to be wary of? I begged him to let me meet him. He's a good person. Besides, even if he killed me, I would be willing to accept it, let alone lie to me."
"...You're hopeless."
For some reason, Jiang Chuting felt a pang of fear after hearing this conversation. She lowered her eyes and stared blankly at her toes.
As the two passed by his door, they seemed to deliberately stop talking and fell silent.
Jiang Chuting sat back down at the table, and only breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Lin Zhi and Zhao Chengyang leave.
Lin Zhi left, so there was no need for him to hide anymore. He lay down on the bed, exhausted.
After my mind calmed down, something suddenly came to mind.
He was suffering from the same unbearable abdominal pain, and no symptoms could be found... His situation was somewhat similar to that of the male prostitute from before.
However, it's still different. He has fewer seizures and there's nothing growing in his abdomen. Besides, Lin Xuan has been dead for many years, so he can't harm these people.
The next morning, his abdominal pain had subsided. He returned to the place where he had fainted the day before and found a large patch of red lilac flowers nearby, with a rich fragrance, just like the scent he had smelled before.
After confirming everything, Jiang Chuting was even more confused. If Lin Xuan wanted to harm him, why didn't he just give him poison, but instead used these strange pills? What other things were mixed into the pills? What unpredictable effects would they have on his body?
He couldn't understand it, and no one could tell him.
Jiang Chuting knew that Lin Zhi had already gone back to wait for him, but he still went to Xiangsi Xiaozhu on the afternoon of the agreed day.
Lin Zhi, who had been all smiles when she saw him, quickly noticed something was wrong and asked anxiously, "What's wrong? You don't look well, and you look like you've lost weight. Are you sick? Where does it hurt? I'll go and get a doctor to take a look."
He was about to give instructions to the servants when Jiang Chuting quickly stopped him, saying, "No need, I just caught a cold and I'm fine now."
Just a few days ago, she refused to help him in his time of need, but today she's all tense because of his pale face. Jiang Chuting thought that after so much time, she should have gotten used to Lin Zhi's fickle attitude, but she still couldn't help feeling a pang of bitterness in her heart.
"But I'm very worried about you. Let's go see a doctor."
His eyes were filled with earnest concern, and Jiang Chuting smiled faintly and said, "Really, there's no need. I'm fine now. How have you been lately? Have you heard anything?"
"Yes." Lin Zhi didn't immediately say what the news was, but instead added, "Don't force yourself. If you feel unwell, you must tell me."
Jiang Chuting nodded helplessly, "I understand." Usually, he was like a child, always acting spoiled, but at this moment, he seemed more like an elder.
Seeing that he agreed, Lin Zhi seemed a little relieved. He led him inside to sit down, poured him tea, and then told him about his subordinate being killed and the murderer leaving a pattern on the corpse.
Jiang Chuting never expected that her desire to investigate this matter would lead to a death, and she couldn't help but sigh.
"Look, this is the pattern." Lin Zhi had already drawn the picture from memory and showed it to Jiang Chuting. Jiang Chuting reached out to take it, and Lin Zhi immediately noticed the red bracelet hidden under his sleeve. The corners of his mouth turned up high, and his eyes sparkled as he stared intently at Jiang Chuting's face.
Jiang Chuting was focused on the pattern and didn't notice his gaze. After a moment's thought, she said, "This... looks like a tree."
Lin Zhilian agreed, "You think the same way I do. I think it's probably a totem that symbolizes something, or a family crest."
Jiang Chuting tilted her head and examined the clues intently for a moment. The fact that the murderer left clues so blatantly meant either that they had powerful backing and were using them to warn or threaten the others to stop investigating, or that they were deliberately trying to confuse the public and lead them in the wrong direction.
Even after years of wandering the world, he had never seen any major family whose symbol was a tree...
Jiang Chuting thought for a moment, then looked up at Lin Zhi and said, "You've helped me a lot these past few days. Let's bring back those people we sent out. The enemy has already noticed our actions. If we stay any longer, they'll just keep dying one by one."
Lin Zhi immediately understood what he meant and asked, "So you still plan to investigate yourself?"
Jiang Chuting nodded, and Lin Zhi immediately said, "Alright, I'll go with you."
Jiang Chuting's eyes flickered slightly, and his mouth had just opened when Lin Zhi seemed to anticipate what he was about to say. She reached out and covered his mouth, baring her fangs in a feigned fierce manner, and said, "You're not allowed to refuse, you're not allowed to leave me, and you're not allowed to speak!"
Jiang Chuting gazed at him silently with her dark eyes.
Lin Zhi's eyes reddened, and she let go of his hand, throwing herself into his arms. She said sadly, "Chu Ran, I just want to stay with you more. Please don't abandon me. Please."
In fact, Jiang Chuting planned to take this opportunity to completely sever ties with Lin Zhi and never see him again. But after his pleading, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
Jiang Chuting sighed silently. He always felt utterly helpless when it came to this child.
Moreover, compared to Lin Zhi, who was cold and hateful towards him, he found it hard to let go of this warm, cheerful, and affectionate Lin Zhi.
This is not a good thing for them.
Patting his head, Jiang Chuting whispered, "Okay, I promise you."
That night, Jiang Chuting stayed at Xiangsi Xiaozhu. Lin Zhi had someone bring a bunch of books, all of which recorded the family crests and totems of various families. The two of them flipped through the pages by candlelight, trying to find the origin of the tree.
Lin Zhi actually found it after flipping through the pages until his head was throbbing, his eyes were sore, and his neck was stiff.
He perked up, placed the book in front of Jiang Chuting, and exclaimed excitedly, "Look, isn't it exactly the same?"
The drawing in the book was indeed exactly the same as Lin Zhi's previous sketch. Jiang Chuting was slightly surprised and read out the three words next to it: "Penglai Island?"
It turned out to be a totem of Penglai Island.
Jiang Chuting then looked at the annotation below and realized that the picture really was a tree, but not an ordinary tree, but a thousand-year-old divine tree on Penglai Island.
It is said to be the only thing left behind by the immortal ancestors of Penglai Island that still retains some immortal energy. It is the faith of all the people on the island and has been used as a totem for hundreds of years.
Lin Zhi couldn't help but ask Jiang Chuting, "Chu Ran, do you believe in the existence of Penglai Island?"
“It should exist.” Jiang Chuting looked back at him and said gently, “I’ve heard some traveling merchants say that Penglai Island sends people out about once every year or two to exchange gems, pearls and other precious stones for goods or food. I’ve seen those gems, and they certainly don’t seem to be from the outside world.”
"But to this day, it seems that no one has actually been there."
“Because it’s impossible to get there,” Jiang Chuting said. “Many people who coveted the island’s wealth secretly followed the islanders’ large ships, trying to find out the exact location of Penglai Island in Qionghai. However, not only did they fail, but many ships sank and many lives were lost as a result.”
"If no one has been there, how would anyone know that this totem is really from Penglai Island?"
“I only just remembered it myself. The traveling merchants also mentioned that the islanders’ large ships flew flags with a tree on them. So, it shouldn’t be a mistake.” Jiang Chuting said, glancing down at the screen. Suddenly, she frowned and uttered two words: “Sacrifice?”
Lin Zhi had suspected this before, so he quickly leaned over to look. The two were already very close, and he suddenly pressed closer, bumping into Jiang Chuting's head with a thud.
Jiang Chuting subconsciously turned her head to look at him, wanting to ask him if it hurt, but suddenly felt a warm and refreshing breath brush against her lips, both itchy and numb.
Lin Zhi's lips and his lips were only a fist's distance apart.
Jiang Chuting froze. Lin Zhiming stared straight into his eyes and laughed, "I almost kissed you."
Jiang Chuting's heart skipped a beat. He quickly looked away and lowered his head to read, but couldn't take in a single word. He thought to himself that Lin Zhi didn't like men at all. He could always joke around without any guard up, but it always made him feel uneasy, afraid that his "homosexual" identity would inadvertently bother him.
"Chu Ran." Lin Zhi suddenly called his name, her tone softening and her voice lower, with a fleeting gentleness: "Do you know, I've always felt that your eyes..."
"What's wrong with my eyes?" Jiang Chuting finally looked up at him, her expression puzzled.
Lin Zhi turned slightly to the side, rested her chin on her hand, and gazed at him with fascination. "Your eyes are beautiful, like... two pools of sweet wine hidden inside, gentle and sweet, intoxicating, they're stealing my soul."
He started exaggerating again, which dispelled Jiang Chuting's initial unease. She chuckled and said, "It's not as exaggerated as you say." If he were really as handsome as he described, why hadn't he ever given him a second glance when he saw his original face? It was simply because he liked "Chu Ran" that he thought everything about him was perfect.
"I'm not exaggerating, I'm telling the truth! Anyway, in my heart, you're perfect in every way." She finished speaking and smiled sweetly, her eyes crinkling.
"Okay, I understand... Let's continue. Look here." Jiang Chuting pointed to that passage in the book, trying to get his attention back. Fortunately, Lin Zhi listened to him and stopped stubbornly praising him. Instead, he quickly got into the reading and focused on it.
After quickly scanning the text, Lin Zhi said, "It's one thing to ask for living people to commit suicide as sacrifices, but the fact that it's all voluntary, are these people out of their minds? Weren't the ancestors of Penglai Island supposed to be immortals? Shouldn't immortals be holy and elegant? Why would they leave behind such a vile custom?"
Jiang Chuting said softly, "The power of extreme faith can make people completely dedicate themselves, which is not uncommon."
Lin Zhi scoffed: "But if they've been sacrificed for hundreds of years, most of those who were mentally damaged are probably dead by now. Those who are still alive are all smart people, so I'm afraid no one would be willing to do it now."
What was originally a very serious matter turned into a shock when Lin Zhi said it. Jiang Chuting couldn't help but twitch her lips slightly and let out a very short sound that was both a sigh and a laugh.
Lin Zhi continued, "Perhaps that's why they reached out to the outside world, using the strange disease to force them to commit suicide, which could be considered a voluntary act."
“What you said is possible,” Jiang Chuting said softly. “But they’re not necessarily out of their minds. The environment in which a person grows up can easily influence their thinking. If someone is forced to accept certain ideas from everyone around them from a young age, over time, they will not only firmly believe that what they have received is an inviolable truth, but they will also feel that anything contrary to their theories is absurd and incomprehensible. As a result, they will hold onto their beliefs even more firmly and will not change them, continuing to pass them on to the next generation. This kind of invisible force is terrifying.”
Lin Zhi had been nodding incessantly, but suddenly the man's words reminded him of himself. His eyes flickered with a thoughtful expression, then he quickly frowned, dismissing the nascent doubt. He didn't believe he disliked or misunderstood the man because of any indoctrination. After all, it was a fact that the man had shamelessly seduced his father.
"So, do you think this matter has anything to do with Penglai Island?"
Jiang Chuting closed the book and said, "Although the totem is real, we can't completely believe the sacrificial offering. After all, we haven't personally gone to Penglai Island to verify it, and it might all be fabricated based on rumors. Moreover, people don't necessarily have to travel thousands of miles to come here for a human sacrifice, but we can't deny it entirely either. In short, we can't draw any conclusions before we've investigated everything."
"Yes! You're right!" Lin Zhi nodded and said succinctly, "Anyway, no matter how you investigate, I'll always be there for you."
Jiang Chuting smiled at him, and Lin Zhiye tilted his head and smiled brightly back. After smiling, he rubbed his eyes sleepily, a very childlike action.
"Tired?" Jiang Chuting grabbed his hand, preventing him from rubbing it.
Lin Zhi hummed in response, and Jiang Chuting said softly, "It's getting late, go and rest."
Lin Zhi leaned on his shoulder, wrapped her arms around his neck, took a deep breath, closed her eyes happily, and said, "It's so nice to be able to sleep with you again."
Exhausted from studying late into the night, the two of them fell asleep shortly after getting into bed.
The day before, Lin Zhi had already given the order, as Jiang Chuting had instructed, to recall all the people he had sent to various brothels to gather information. That morning, a few of the people who lived nearby returned to report to him. Lin Zhi gave them a few brief instructions and then dismissed them, returning to his room.
Jiang Chuting was packing her things when she accidentally pulled out a piece of paper tucked into her clothes. The paper fell to the ground, and Lin Zhi rushed forward to pick it up. "What's this drawing...?"
"There's nothing wrong with saying this," Jiang Chuting replied. "It's Wangxiancao, a very rare and hard-to-find medicinal herb." This was exactly the picture he had drawn by the doctor at the clinic.
"Difficult to find?" Lin Zhi laughed and said, "I saw it when I was a child, it was a huge area. How could it be difficult to find?"
Jiang Chuting was taken aback. His first reaction was that the doctor had mistaken him for someone else, after all, the doctor had described the Wangxian Grass as extremely rare. "Are you sure the one you've seen looks like this?"
Lin Zhi said with certainty, "Of course I'm absolutely certain, it's exactly the same as in this painting. When I was a child, I accidentally wandered into a medicinal herb garden and was chased by someone with a knife. In my panic, I rolled down a hillside and got my face scratched by poisonous plants, which is how you saved me. I've seen plenty of this 'Wangxian Grass' in the medicinal herb garden."
Seeing that Jiang Chuting was still skeptical, Lin Zhi added, "Don't worry, don't worry, I remember it very well, I would never be wrong."
He assured her repeatedly, and Jiang Chuting, of course, believed him, but she still felt that something was amiss.
Jiang Chuting couldn't help but ask, "Do you remember where that herb garden is? Take me there."
“I can take you there, but it’s no use now. I went to check it out before I left home, and it’s all gone now, just a wasteland.” Actually, when Lin Zhi returned home that year, he told his grandmother Lin Xuan about how he had broken into someone’s herb garden and been chased by someone with a knife. He remembered that his grandmother’s face was very cold, and she said, “I will handle it,” and then locked him up.
When he grew a little older, he probably understood what "dealing with" meant, and he went to the herb garden to check it out. It had long been deserted, and there wasn't a soul in sight. Lin Zhi was afraid that this person would think his family's methods were cruel, so he deliberately kept it a secret.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chuting said, "Then forget it."
Seeing his expression, Lin Zhi asked, "What's wrong? Are you looking for this kind of medicinal herb? How much do you want? I can help you."
Jiang Chuting snapped out of her daze and shook her head: "No, I don't need this."
Lin Zhi hesitated, then stared at him for a moment before returning the blueprint to Jiang Chuting, who took it and put it away. If what Lin Zhi saw as a child was indeed a large patch of *Wangxiancao* (a type of medicinal herb), then someone must have meticulously cultivated it to sell at a high price, given its miraculous effects. The people inside were annoyed that Lin Zhi, a mere child, had barged in, and fearing he would damage the seedlings, they chased after him with all their might.
That's the only explanation.
Lin Zhi had already ordered everyone to be recalled, but less than half a day later, news came that two people had been killed before they could leave.
Jiang Chuting and Lin Zhi rushed over and found the two corpses lying in the same spot. The marks on their bodies were no longer the divine tree totem of Penglai Island, but two other different patterns.
Lin Zhi laughed in anger: "Are you kidding us!"
Jiang Chuting knew why he was angry.
Because one of them had a three-petaled flower mark on his face. The Lin family crest is a purple three-petaled flower.
"This is the symbol of our Lin family." Lin Zhi's eyes were filled with anger as he gritted his teeth and said, "Are you deliberately provoking me knowing my identity?"
It is clear that the Penglai Island totem they created earlier was mostly a deliberate attempt to make them waste their efforts.
Jiang Chuting was lost in thought and remained silent.
Lin Zhiwang stared at him for a moment, then her breath hitched and she suddenly felt uneasy. She grabbed his hand and asked, "Chu Ran, you don't really suspect me because of this, do you?"
Jiang Chuting looked back at him, but before she could speak, a dark shadow flashed in the distance. He quickly broke free from Lin Zhi's hand and chased after it.
After Jiang Chuting gave chase, the man in black suddenly stopped in front of him, turned around and waited for him, then raised his hands, signaling him not to make a move.
Jiang Chuting recognized him; this man was the same one he had chased when Baoqi's body was cremated last time.
He showed no hostility or murderous intent, as if he had something to say.
Seeing this, Jiang Chuting didn't get too close, nor did he draw his sword. He frowned and asked, "Did you kill those people?"
"No," the man in black said. "It has nothing to do with me, but I drew those patterns." Although he was wrapped up tightly, with only his eyes showing, and he deliberately lowered his voice, you could tell that he was still quite young.
Jiang Chuting found it strange and asked intently, "Why did you do this?"
For some reason, the man in black scoffed, "For no reason."
Hearing the commotion of someone else chasing after them, he quickened his pace and said to Jiang Chuting, "I wasn't really sure about your identity before, which is why I didn't speak to you rashly. But regardless, I still want to give you a heads-up today. The last person who tried to track you down and find evidence is dead, and I think he definitely doesn't want you involved. Remember, don't investigate anymore, otherwise, it won't do you any good."
It turns out someone had investigated this matter before and even lost their life because of it. Jiang Chuting pressed, "Who is this 'he' you're talking about?"
Is he someone I know? Why would he care about him? Or perhaps, this man in black has simply mistaken him for someone else?
Jiang Chuting was filled with doubt, but the man in black did not answer her question. Instead, he said, "Also, it's best to stay away from the person who was next to you just now." After saying that, he turned around and flew away.
His lightness skill was superb; he vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye. Jiang Chuting didn't chase after him, somewhat stunned. The person beside him—was he referring to Lin Zhi? What did he mean?
"Did you let him get away?" Lin Zhi caught up and stopped beside Jiang Chuting, asking him in surprise, "Were you talking just now? What did he say?"
Jiang Chuting was silent for a moment before saying, "Let's go back and talk about it first."
Inside the room, Jiang Chuting stared blankly at the candlelight. The more she learned, the more chaotic her thoughts became, and she wondered when the fog before her eyes would dissipate.
Jiang Chuting thought for a while and noticed that Lin Zhi, who usually loved to tease and pester him, was now looking dejected, with his face pressed against the table, staring at him with a deep gaze, without saying a word.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Chuting asked in surprise. "Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"
Reaching out to touch his forehead, Lin Zhi grabbed his hand and said in a hoarse voice, "I'm not feeling well."
Jiang Chuting assumed he was feeling unwell, so she leaned closer and asked, "Should we call a doctor?"
"No need." Lin Zhi finally straightened up and asked him, "What exactly did that man in black say to you?"
So that's what he cared about. Jiang Chuting said, "Didn't I already tell you? He just reminded us not to investigate any further."
"But I always feel there's something else you didn't tell me." On the table sat a vase with a narrow neck, containing a plump, pale yellow flower. Lin Zhi pulled the flower out, plucking the petals one by one as she lowered her head and muttered, "Why didn't you tell me? Are you wary of me, or do you suspect me?"
Jiang Chuting recalled his words at the inn.
"What's there to be wary of? He's a good person. Even if he kills me, I'll accept it willingly."
Lin Zhi trusted him so much, and when she sensed that he had something left unsaid, she was heartbroken.
"I didn't suspect you, nor did I guard against you. Don't overthink it." Jiang Chuting genuinely didn't suspect Lin Zhi. However, the man in black's final instruction for him to stay away from Lin Zhi led to two possible interpretations: either the matter might be related to the Lin family, or those words were just empty talk to separate them and make them give up the investigation. Telling the truth would only upset Lin Zhi, so he decided to let it go.
Lin Zhiyou angrily tore off the flower petals.
Jiang Chuting was afraid that he would hurt his hand on the thorns on the flower branch, so she reached out to pick it up, but she didn't expect to prick her own hand, and blood quickly appeared.
Lin Zhi disregarded her anger, grabbed his finger, put it in her mouth and sucked on it lightly, then asked in annoyance, "Does it hurt? Does it hurt?" She then breathed on his finger.
Jiang Chuting withdrew her hand, looked at him and smiled faintly, "It doesn't hurt." Compared to the abdominal pain of the past few days, this pain was like being gently caressed.
Jiang Chuting's throat tightened for a moment, then she looked at him and chuckled, "Is this little injury worth your concern? If I ever fall seriously injured, just don't ignore me." After saying that, she took a deep breath and abruptly looked away.
Lin Zhi asked curiously, "Chu Ran, what nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean by 'ignore'? Do you think I'm that kind of person? I would help even if I saw a stranger injured, let alone you. Also, what do you mean by 'serious injury'? It's bad luck! Stop talking nonsense, do you hear me?"
"Alright, I won't say anything more." Jiang Chuting picked up the teacup in front of her, took a sip of tea, her face calm, but her heart was filled with a trace of panic and uncertainty.
What's wrong with me? Why did I say those things just now?
That was really too careless, but fortunately Lin Zhi didn't notice anything unusual.
It took Jiang Chuting a while to calm his fluctuating emotions. When he turned around, he found Lin Zhi staring at him intently.
Sure enough, his earlier statement about feeling uneasy wasn't just about the man in black.
Jiang Chuting couldn't think of anything else she had done to upset him, so she softened her voice and asked, "Lin Zhi, is there anything else you want to ask me?"
"Yes, about the 'Wangxiancao' (望仙草)." Lin Zhixian hooked his own finger around Chu Ran's slender index finger, then slowly and tightly grasped it, staring at him expectantly as he asked in a low voice, "I've already looked it up. This medicine... is used to treat female infertility. Chu Ran, don't be angry, I just want to ask you, for whom are you inquiring about this medicine?"
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