Xie Zhifei understood immediately.

According to usual practice, Yan Sanhe would always negotiate terms with the other party before investigating a deceased person’s heart demon.

This time, due to the emergency, she’d skipped that step.

But skipping it didn’t mean it wasn’t happening.

“Brother, tell Eldest Brother Zhu that Yan Sanhe isn’t dissolving thoughts and resolving demons for them for free—there are conditions.”

Xie Erli quickly responded, “Don’t worry, I know, I understand.”

“Xie Zhifei, have Buyan carry me.”

“I’ll carry you.”

Xie Zhifei turned his head, saying in a low voice, “My back is broader than hers—you’ll be more comfortable.”

Right, my back isn’t comfortable.

Li Buyan glanced over at Young Master Pei with a haunting look.

Yet even so, there was someone who refused to get down!

Young Master Pei’s face flushed even redder. He wanted to find a hole to crawl into, but his heart refused to yield, secretly retorting:

“This young master is avoiding danger, understand?”

…

The group had traveled in silence on the way there, and on the return journey, not a single person spoke either.

Zhu Qing and Huangqi remained in the dark.

Li Buyan was pondering why Old Master Zhu’s heart demon was a blood moon.

Young Master Pei, recalling what he’d just witnessed, shuddered again.

Xie Zhifei remained silent because of the person on his back—she weighed too little.

When they were young, this girl had often asked him to carry her.

He’d squat down halfway, and she’d jump up—heavy as a pig, requiring every ounce of his strength.

“Can you eat a little less?”

“No.”

She’d been perfectly justified. “Father says I need to eat more—I’m too thin.”

He’d gritted his teeth in frustration. “Eat, eat, eat—eat until you become a pig and see if anyone will marry you.”

“Can’t even carry your sister, and you want to carry a wife?”

She’d snorted. “Brother, you might end up a bachelor.”

So many years had passed in a flash. Now she was as light as a feather. He didn’t want to scold her, didn’t dare scold her—he only wanted to lower himself and coax gently:

Be good, can you eat a bit more?

Yan Sanhe’s silence stemmed from thinking about the shock the blood moon had brought her in the black mist.

It was an enormous blood moon that appeared directly above her head, staining the entire sky red.

A strange feeling rose from the depths of Yan Sanhe’s heart—perhaps it was panic, or perhaps it was terror.

She didn’t know how to describe this feeling. It was as if in the next instant, that blood moon would open its bloody maw and swallow her whole.

The crow with human-like eyes cried out a few more times, flapping its wings and fleeing as if in escape.

She gasped with difficulty, then lowered her head and asked softly, “Is this your heart demon?”

Old Master Zhu seemed to understand her words and closed his eyes: Yes, this is my heart demon.

“It’s so different from the heart demons I’ve resolved before. How could it be this strange?” Yan Sanhe said to herself.

Just then, a wave of intense fatigue surged over her again, and she fell back into unconsciousness.

…

Xie Erli watched the two carriages depart, then turned and entered Zhu Manor. He hadn’t walked far when he saw Madam Zhu anxiously waiting by the roadside.

“Has Miss Yan left?”

“Yes.”

Xie Erli walked over. Looking around to ensure no one was nearby, he lowered his head and said in a hushed voice, “Father’s heart demon is a blood moon.”

A blood moon?

Madam Zhu’s heart jumped. “How could it be that thing?” That wasn’t anything good!

How could Xie Erli possibly answer?

“Go back first and tell Mother. I still have matters to discuss with Eldest Brother and Second Brother. After we’re done, I won’t come by to pay my respects to Mother.”

Madam Zhu looked at the man’s face that had thinned a full circle, feeling guilt rise in her heart.

Ever since Father had fallen ill, as the eldest son-in-law, he’d often attended at the bedside.

After Father died, so many strange things had happened in the manor. Then Third Brother left the capital, Second Brother was in despair, Eldest Brother fell ill—and it was still this eldest son-in-law running around handling everything.

The heart was made of flesh.

Madam Zhu reached out and brushed the dust from the man’s robe, instructing, “Then return early. Remember to check on Huaizhou in Old Madam’s room.”

“Mm.”

Xie Erli was about to step away when he suddenly remembered something else. “Tomorrow, have Old Steward send some tonics to Miss Yan. She rushed over from such a distance—it wasn’t easy.”

“Don’t worry, I know.”

Only after confirming the man had no other instructions did Madam Zhu turn to leave. Thinking of Yan Sanhe, she couldn’t help muttering carefully:

“She said I’m thin, but I see she’s lost quite a bit of weight herself.”

Xie Erli had already walked several yards away, but hearing this, he turned to look at her retreating figure. The woman’s silhouette was slender and frail—she had indeed lost considerable weight.

Just then, Eldest Brother Zhu and Second Brother Zhu came hurrying from another bluestone path.

Drawing near, Eldest Brother Zhu asked urgently, “Where’s Miss Yan? Has she left?”

Xie Erli nodded. “My third brother carried her away.”

Both Zhu masters were no ordinary people. That single word “carried” told them Yan Sanhe had exhausted too much mental energy and was tired.

Originally they’d planned to begin dissolving thoughts and resolving demons tonight, but it seemed they could only wait until tomorrow.

“Brother.”

Xie Erli remembered Third Brother’s instruction. “Miss Yan’s dissolving of thoughts and resolving of demons comes with conditions.”

Zhu Yuanmo started. “What conditions?”

Xie Erli shook his head. “I don’t know the specifics, but as far as I know, the Ji family also…”

He didn’t continue, merely hinting.

Zhu Yuanmo thought for a moment. “Second Brother, go see her first thing tomorrow morning on my behalf.”

“Should I agree to everything?”

Second Brother Zhu’s sudden question stumped Eldest Brother Zhu.

The Zhu family was unlike others—some things only he had the authority to agree to.

“Then I’ll go myself.”

“Can Eldest Brother leave this manor?”

“Even if I can’t, I must go.”

Zhu Yuanmo patted Second Brother’s shoulder. “It won’t take long. Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.”

…

How Yan Sanhe returned home, how she got onto the bed, who helped remove her clothes—she knew none of it.

When she opened her eyes again, daylight was already bright.

She closed her eyes and checked her body, discovering that after sleeping, she felt much lighter. Only then did she stretch lazily and open her eyes.

Halfway through the stretch, she discovered someone at the bedside and jumped in fright.

“Why are you here?”

Xie Zhifei sat by the bed, his gaze steady and calm as he looked at her.

“Imperial Physician Pei just left.”

His voice was somewhat hoarse. “This morning Eldest Brother Zhu came by. Li Buyan tried to wake you—no matter what, you wouldn’t wake. Even pinching didn’t work. So why do you think I’m here?”

Really?

Yan Sanhe thought about it. “It should be because viewing Old Master Zhu’s heart demon yesterday consumed too much of my mental energy.”

“Li Buyan went to cook for you, Tangyuan is brewing medicine, Yunchuan is still a child, and Mingting is keeping Eldest Brother Zhu company.”

He didn’t mention himself.

As if he couldn’t accompany Eldest Brother Zhu and could only keep watch by the bedside.

Yan Sanhe’s gaze drifted toward the inner part of the bed. Yesterday he’d carried her on his back, today he was watching over her—if this continued, her spirit medium image would collapse.

“Go out first. I need to get up.”

“Yan Sanhe.”

He stood up, looking down at her from above, using a commanding tone.

“From now on, you’ll eat one more bowl of rice and drink one more bowl of soup every day. Stop treating your body like it doesn’t matter.”

Yan Sanhe watched this person’s angry retreating figure, thinking: What’s his problem? She was a short-lived ghost herself—how dare he lecture her?