“Given the old man’s condition, drinking really isn’t advisable.” Feng Jiu’er poured Tang Xiaohua another cup of chrysanthemum tea.

“But this small amount of wine isn’t poison. To say that these few taels of wine affected half a year’s worth of treatment—that’s simply not possible.”

“That’s good to hear.” Tang Xiaohua nodded and picked up the chrysanthemum tea Feng Jiu’er had poured for her.

“By the way, what exactly are your intentions in coming to our household? You really can’t tell me now?”

Feng Jiu’er met Tang Xiaohua’s gaze and shook her head lightly. “Intentions would be putting it too strongly. I just want to trouble you all for some help with something.”

Tang Xiaohua narrowed her eyes slightly. “Looking for someone? Gathering information? Or wanting to do some big business deal?”

“Big business deal?” Feng Jiu’er raised an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth curving up slightly. “So your family has big business deals going on?”

“It wouldn’t be… something shady, would it?”

“How could it be?” Tang Xiaohua withdrew her gaze and picked up her cup. “Go on, tell me what you need—just say it.”

“I’m looking for someone, but it’s a serious matter—it’s better discussed in a couple of days.” Feng Jiu’er said softly.

“I’m not in a hurry, so why are you? Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to help with murder or arson.”

Feng Jiu’er looked up at Yue Qinchun approaching and waved her over.

“Little sister Qinchun, come here.”

Feng Jiu’er withdrew her gaze and glanced at Tang Xiaohua.

“Don’t overthink it. With so many people waiting for me to see them as patients, I still came here to keep you company—what more could you want?”

“Good.” Tang Xiaohua picked up her cup, the corner of her mouth lifting again into a pleased smile. “Tonight, we won’t stop until we’re drunk!”

“Sister Hua, can you even get drunk on chrysanthemum tea?” Xiao Yingtao said with a smile.

“One need not be drunk on wine to feel intoxicated.” Tang Xiaohua looked at Jian Yi approaching, her face full of admiration.

“Such a handsome man, and you’re all just letting him go to waste—isn’t that a shame?”

“It’s not that we’re letting him go to waste. It’s that ordinary people can’t have him, and the person who could have him doesn’t want him.” Xiao Yingtao also glanced up at Jian Yi.

“Jian Yi only listens to Jiu’er. Unfortunately, Jiu’er’s heart already belongs to someone else. Jian Yi is actually quite pitiable.”

“Such a handsome man, and you’re letting him suffer in vain—aren’t you committing a sin?” Tang Xiaohua withdrew her gaze, staring at Feng Jiu’er.

“By the way, is your man devastatingly handsome? Could he possibly be even more beautiful than Jian Yi? How could that be possible?”

“That young man Jian Yi is the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.”

As Tang Xiaohua lifted her cup, a tall figure appeared in her mind.

He was righteous, imposing, and very handsome too. Most importantly, he had cherished her deeply—no matter what she did wrong, he protected her unconditionally.

Unfortunately, another woman had now appeared by his side, a woman she despised intensely.

At this moment, she no longer wanted to call him “husband” as she once had, preferring instead to call him by name directly, because she felt he no longer deserved that title.

Tang Xiaohua frowned slightly, lifted her cup, and once again drained the tea inside.

The manner was quite bold, as if what was in the cup wasn’t chrysanthemum tea but strong liquor.

“Mother, Sister Jiu’er, Sister Yingtao.” Yue Qinchun, her small face slightly flushed, arrived beside Tang Xiaohua and sat down.

“Little sister Qinchun, come, this pastry is delicious,” Xiao Yingtao said with a smile, looking at Yue Qinchun. “Although, this is your home—you’ve probably had plenty already.”

Yue Qinchun smiled at Xiao Yingtao and nodded slightly. “Sister Yingtao, don’t be polite! Just treat this place as your own home.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Yue Qinchun looked up at Jian Yi, who had just arrived and hadn’t yet sat down.

“Elder Brother Jian Yi, please, have a seat too.”

“Sit,” Feng Jiu’er said, pulling out the chair beside her.

Jian Yi nodded and sat down, his gaze barely leaving Feng Jiu’er.

Tang Xiaohua glanced at Jian Yi and Feng Jiu’er, shaking her head. “Don’t be so formal, everyone! Our meeting was also a matter of fate.”

“Today, let’s treat this as a celebration of our meeting and getting to know each other. Come, don’t be shy!”

“Qinchun, your mother’s gotten drunk before she’s even had any wine,” Feng Jiu’er said with a smile.

“Qinchun, go have someone prepare some good wine. Your mother wants to have a few drinks with your Sister Jiu’er and Sister Yingtao.” Tang Xiaohua waved her hand.

“Yes, Mother.” Yue Qinchun nodded and stood, stepping out.

Before long, Yue Qinchun returned with two servant boys, bringing some wine with them.

In the small courtyard, laughter rang out continuously, adding a touch of joy to a household that had been quiet for so long.

Night fell, and at some point, the people beneath the pavilion finally dispersed.

The moon was bright, the stars sparse, and the woods behind the mountain were utterly silent.

Suddenly, a dark shadow slipped away from the back courtyard, vanishing into the woods in the blink of an eye.

Two or three hours later, a faint white light began to appear on the eastern horizon.

A woman dressed in black climbed in through a window and entered a room.

The person lying on the bed heard the sound and sat up.

“Why did it take so long?” Yang Hong asked in a deep voice.

“Miss.” The woman in black pulled down the black gauze covering her face and immediately went to pour herself a cup of tea.

Even though the tea had long since gone cold, she gulped down two cups in quick succession.

The woman in black set down the tea and looked at the person sitting on the bed.

“You’re so flustered—what on earth happened? Wasn’t I just asking you to bring back a snake?” Yang Hong stared at the woman in black, her voice growing even deeper.

“Miss.” The woman in black replied. “There were no snakes. Not a single one!”

“Not just snakes—not chickens, rabbits, birds, nothing that moves. Not a single one.”

“I don’t know what happened last night either—nothing at all, the woods were dead silent, I have no idea why.”

“How is that possible?” Yang Hong frowned tightly and stood up. “Are you sure you weren’t off playing around somewhere and didn’t actually go look?”

“Miss, I didn’t.” The woman in black shook her head. “I really went searching—how could I have gone off to play?”

“The woods behind the mountain usually have plenty of game. Catching a snake wouldn’t take much time at all. Miss, I really did go look.”

“From last night until now, two or three hours, and not a single thing I could squeeze blood from.”

Yang Hong took a deep breath and turned to look out the window.

“It will be dawn soon. No matter what, you need to bring me back some blood. Without blood, how am I supposed to treat the old man?”

“Do I really have to cut my own blood? Hurry, why are you still standing there? If there’s truly nothing else, bring me a bowl of your own blood.”

“No matter what, I need to use ‘my heart’s blood’ to treat the old man today. Since this woman with the surname Long really is a physician, I can’t wait any longer.”

The woman in black took a deep breath and nodded.

“Yes, Miss. I’ll go right now.”

“Remember, if you still can’t find anything, use your own blood. Don’t think I’m joking!” Yang Hong said coldly.

“Yes.”

The woman in black nodded, turned, and leapt out the window, disappearing toward the side chambers.