Ji Yunshu paused briefly before finally removing the golden mask from her face.

The dark red scar had already scabbed over at both ends—in just another day or two, it would fade away completely.

Muruo stroked his chin, examining her face for a moment with narrowed eyes before nodding. “It seems the injury on your face will heal very soon.”

But Ji Yunshu didn’t care much about it, putting the mask back on.

Muruo swirled the delicate wine flask in his hand, glancing at Ji Yunshu with eyes filled with a playful gleam.

“One doesn’t visit a temple without a reason. Miss Ji, are you here today for a consultation? Or for treatment?”

Getting straight to the point!

Ji Yunshu didn’t like beating around the bush either. She straightened up and said seriously, “I’ve come to present Young Master Muruo with a difficult case.”

“A difficult case? Let’s hear it!”

“Young Master Muruo is a divine physician. You even asserted that the injury on my face could be cured, so I imagine there’s no illness under heaven you cannot handle.”

“From your tone, beautiful lady, it sounds like you’re flattering me?” He raised an eyebrow.

That peach-blossom face of his overflowed with an incredibly frivolous smile.

Were all of Jingrong’s friends this flippant?

Never mind, never mind—the important matter came first.

She politely pursed her lips and continued, “Young Master Muruo, if you can truly cure this troublesome case I’ve brought, then saying I’m flattering you would not be an exaggeration.”

“A troublesome case? Now you’ve piqued my interest. Tell me about it.”

But Ji Yunshu didn’t answer immediately!

Instead, she turned to look at Wei Yi and said gently, “Wei Yi, give Young Master Muruo the gift you selected.”

“Give it to him?”

Ji Yunshu nodded.

Wei Yi puffed out his cheeks and reluctantly took out the exquisite brocade box, pushing it toward Muruo.

“Here!”

Muruo was completely bewildered. He looked at it, opened it, and the jade hairpin inside came into view!

“…”

He frowned!

“This is what Wei Yi selected to give you,” Ji Yunshu explained.

Hey, hey, hey—I’m a man!

Muruo’s eyes widened considerably.

Seeing that he didn’t respond, Wei Yi thought he didn’t like it and was about to reach out to take it back, but he was a step too slow.

Muruo moved the box to one side!

His handsome eyes lifted deeply as he said, “This item is so exquisite that young ladies would love it. Not bad. Next time I see one of those rouge-wearing beauties at the Drunken Red Pavilion, I’ll give this hairpin to her as a gift—it’s sure to win a smile from a beauty.”

How embarrassing!

But since he’d accepted the gift, naturally he had to get to work!

Ji Yunshu said, “Young Master Muruo has miraculous healing hands and is called a divine physician. Now that you’ve accepted the gift, you’ve essentially agreed to my request.”

Well, well—she was actually playing him!

Muruo held the jade hairpin in his hand, examining it carefully and holding it up to the light.

Mm, it was top-quality merchandise.

He said casually, “If you want me to treat this, it will be difficult!”

Difficult!

This word coming from Muruo’s mouth was light yet cold!

Ji Yunshu furrowed her delicate brows. “Young Master Muruo knows what I want to say?”

Muruo breathed on the jade hairpin and wiped it with his sleeve before finally putting it back in the box. To prevent Wei Yi from taking it back, he simply tucked the box into his sleeve.

Then he lifted the wine flask and poured a mouthful into his mouth.

Only then did he turn his gaze to Wei Yi, narrowing his eyes and speaking slowly.

“Madness is easy enough to cure, but dementia—that’s difficult!”

“It can’t be cured?”

“Difficult! I didn’t say it can’t be cured!” Muruo wore a contemplative expression.

Ji Yunshu’s heart tightened. With a glimmer of hope, she turned to Wei Yi and said, “Wei Yi, go wait downstairs for me, all right?”

“All right. Then I’ll wait downstairs for Shu’er. Shu’er, don’t abandon me—let’s go home together.”

“Mm!”

Only then did he feel reassured and go downstairs.

After Wei Yi left, Ji Yunshu asked Muruo, “Can you truly cure this illness?”

“Difficult!”

Again, that word “difficult.”

Shaking his head slightly, he said, “This type of dementia—Master Wei doesn’t have the full condition. Listening to him speak, he’s quite proper and orderly, just with a bit of foolishness mixed in. If it’s congenital, it’s difficult—it might take decades of treatment before it improves. If it’s acquired—caused by shock or external force—it’s also difficult. It might improve in a few months, or it might take several years.”

Ji Yunshu understood clearly enough.

She bit her lip. “If Young Master Muruo can cure Wei Yi, I will be eternally grateful.”

“Ten or twenty years—can you wait?”

“I can wait!”

“Good!” Muruo agreed with a single word, leaning forward with a conditional tone as he said, “However, when I treat illnesses, I never do it for gratitude.”

Ji Yunshu paused briefly, then asked tentatively, “How much silver?”

“Not for silver.”

“Treasures?”

“Not for treasures.”

“Then… what do you want?”

“You!”

He hooked his index finger, pointing directly at Ji Yunshu.

“Me?”

Ji Yunshu’s expression froze!

Their gazes locked. After a moment, Muruo smiled. “Just teasing you. If I wanted you, Jingrong would kill me!”

Ji Yunshu was speechless!

After a moment, Muruo said seriously, “Right now, I haven’t decided what I want yet. Consider it that Miss Ji owes me a favor. How about that?”

Wasn’t that essentially letting him name his conditions later?

But for Wei Yi’s sake, she would do anything.

So she nodded. “All right. As long as you can cure Wei Yi, I’ll owe you a favor.”

“What if I asked you to climb a mountain of swords or descend into a sea of fire—would you be willing?”

“Willing!”

“What if I asked you to live a life without joy—would you still be willing?”

“Willing!”

“Then, if I wanted your life—would you be willing to give it?”

“Willing!”

Three times “willing,” demonstrating her determination.

Such a woman, full of courage and spirit!

How could one not admire and appreciate her?

He finally understood why Jingrong was willing to rush into a sea of flames for this woman, disregarding even his own life.

The hazy drunkenness gradually dissipated in the cold wind, but Muruo seemed unaccustomed to the feeling of sobriety. Holding his wine flask, he began drinking again.

Laughing, he said, “Good. This difficult case—I’ll treat it!”

Ji Yunshu stood up and cupped her hands in the manner of a man showing respect.

Muruo added, “During this time, leave Wei Yi here at my Yuhua Pavilion. As it happens, I need someone to talk to, and I also need someone to pour my wine!”

With that, his swaying body collapsed onto the bamboo daybed.

His mouth continued mumbling something incoherent!

Ji Yunshu didn’t disturb his drunken dreams any further and went downstairs, where she saw Wei Yi sitting obediently in a chair waiting for her.

Seeing her come down, he immediately jumped to his feet.

“Shu’er, are we going home now?”

“Wei Yi, during this time, you need to stay here.”

Hearing this, Wei Yi’s face immediately fell.

Looking pitiful, he clutched Ji Yunshu’s arm and asked, “Why? Why can’t I go back with Shu’er? Is Shu’er abandoning me?”

“Of course not!” she replied resolutely. “Just think of it as staying here to keep Young Master Muruo company. Look at him—how pitiful he is, alone all day long.”

“But…”

“Wei Yi, will you talk with him? You know he’s all alone—it’s truly lonely. Just keep him company, and besides, I’ll come see you during this time too, all right?”

Ji Yunshu’s tone was gentle. Though Wei Yi was reluctant, he didn’t want to make her unhappy.

So he nodded unwillingly.

“Good boy!”

“Will Shu’er come every day?”

“Yes, I’ll come every day. You’ll stay here, and after a while, I’ll take you home.”

“Mm!”

Actually, leaving Wei Yi here was for the best. Recently there had been too many troubling matters—whether the Linjing Case or palace affairs—it would inevitably drag Wei Yi into them.

Instead, staying here would actually be safer.

After settling Wei Yi, Ji Yunshu left Yuhua Pavilion.

The guards were still waiting outside!

Just as she was about to head back in the direction of Prince Rong’s mansion, her gaze swept hurriedly across the crowd, and inadvertently, she caught sight of a familiar face!