Chapter Seventeen
"It's the dried fruit on the table," An Jiu snapped irritably at Mei Jiu. "Your dullness is dragging down my sharpness!"
When An Jiu wasn’t in control of the body, she could only passively experience Mei Jiu’s sensations—seeing but unable to see what she wanted, hearing but unable to hear what she wanted. If not for her specialized training, she would never have endured such torment. An Jiu was fairly satisfied with this body—aside from its weak constitution, the vision, hearing, and flexibility were all excellent. It was just that Mei Jiu was too slow to make good use of them.
"Are you sick or something?" Mo Sigui stared unblinkingly at Mei Jiu.
Was that an insult? Mei Jiu frowned. "What do you mean, cousin?"
Mo Sigui drifted down from the rafters and landed lightly on the chair beside Mei Jiu, crouching down and grabbing her wrist in one swift motion.
"Pervert!" Mei Jiu struggled, but his fingers were like iron clamps—impossible to break free.
Mo Sigui studied her complexion carefully.
"Wen Cui, pull him away now!" Mei Ru Yan demanded sharply.
Instead of obeying, Wen Cui earnestly asked Mo Sigui, "Is there something wrong with my lady’s health?"
Mo Sigui released Mei Jiu’s wrist and shook his head. "Her moods are erratic, her temperament peculiar. At first, I suspected she might be suffering from madness, but her pulse shows nothing unusual aside from some internal heat. As her personal maid, have you noticed anything strange about her?"
"You’re the mad one! Too frivolous to be recorded in the clan registry, yet still unrepentant!" Mei Jiu retorted sharply.
Mo Sigui scrutinized her. The girl before him was clearly putting on a fierce front to mask her fear—nothing like the confident arrogance that had radiated from her eyes that day.
Could she be possessed?
Mo Sigui remained crouched on the chair, arms crossed, staring at her.
"Wen Cui!" Mei Ru Yan snapped. "Why haven’t you pulled him away yet? Are you deliberately slighting us because we’re new here?"
"You overstate the matter, Shishi Niang," Wen Cui said with a slight bow but made no move to intervene. "Young master, this behavior is improper."
Mo Sigui didn’t even glance back. "Because of her, I can’t even attend Clan School. The fact that I haven’t thrown her into the water shows my refinement and grace. What’s the harm in glaring at her a little? Will she die?"
Mei Ru Yan flared up. "If you weren’t morally deficient, why would you be barred from Clan School? Just because you harass someone, does that mean they should submit to it? You deserve it!"
Mei Jiu clutched the hem of her robe tightly. She was partly at fault in this matter, but Mei Ru Yan wasn’t wrong either.
An Jiu yawned. "This brat just needs a beating. Since we’ve already offended him, might as well kick him into the water. Eating crab is the real priority here."
"I don’t want to eat anymore," Mei Jiu said, standing up.
An Jiu immediately exploded. "Do you want me to kill your entire family?"
Mei Jiu pressed her lips into a thin line and sat back down, aggrieved.
Mo Sigui looked intrigued. "Oh? Changed your mind so quickly?"
The crabs weren’t ready yet, but some river delicacies had already been served. Mei Jiu sniffled. "Little sister, let’s just eat."
"Alright." Mei Ru Yan was startled by her demeanor. If she didn’t want to eat, why force herself like this?
Mo Sigui had no interest in the food—he only wanted to unravel the mystery of Mei Jiu’s shifting personality. "Have you suffered any fright recently? Or perhaps extreme grief?"
Mei Jiu ignored him, mechanically stuffing food into her mouth like a puppet.
"Do you ever experience gaps in your awareness?""Hey, don't just eat... Do you often lose control of your emotions normally..."
"How's your sleep usually?"
"When you were little, did your mother often hit you? When she did, did you feel a strong urge to resist inside?"
...
Mei Jiu lowered her eyes, tears dripping down one after another, mixing with the food in her mouth into a salty, bitter taste that spread from the root of her tongue.
An Jiu was slightly stunned.
"Eh? Don't cry! Tell your brother what's troubling you!" Mo Sigui leaned forward.
Suddenly, An Jiu took control of Mei Jiu's body, stood up, and delivered a spinning kick that sent Mo Sigui flying into the lake! Then she immediately relinquished control.
Mei Jiu's body went limp and she fell backward.
Wen Cui quickly reached out to support her. Lost in her sorrow, Mei Jiu buried herself in Wen Cui's embrace and sobbed—though she hadn't lived the life of a refined young lady, under her mother's care, she had never suffered such grievances before. Now, she was constantly frightened, restricted in everything she did—even whether she could eat was no longer her own choice...
The more Mei Jiu thought about it, the more heartbroken she became. "I miss my mother, wuwu..."
Wen Cui was stunned by what had just happened and took a moment to regain her composure. "Young mistress, young mistress, let's go back now. This servant will send someone to fetch Yan Niangzi."
Mei Jiu was already crying so hard her head felt muddled, so she nodded vaguely.
An Jiu felt the numbness that came with crying so intensely but didn't feel irritable or speak. It felt like centuries since she had cried so freely, yet the sensation was so familiar when it suddenly came. Old wounds she couldn't bear to touch were abruptly reopened—first came numbness, then increasing pain.
Wen Cui carried Mei Jiu on her back, with Mei Ru Yan following behind. Out of the corner of her eye, Mei Ru Yan noticed Mo Sigui grabbing the railing to climb up, so she took the chance when no one was looking to turn and give him a hard shove.
"Ah!" Mo Sigui's startled cry was drowned out by the splash.
Mei Ru Yan grabbed a handful of candied fruits from the table and threw them down before quickly catching up.
Wen Bi whispered, "Young mistress, that wasn't very kind of you."
Mei Ru Yan replied, "If you don't betray me, no one will know. It's all his fault for asking so many questions and making my sister cry."
Wen Bi said no more.
By the time they returned to Jade Serenity Residence, Mei Jiu had already fallen into a deep sleep.
Wen Cui checked her pulse and, knowing she was fine, asked everyone to leave.
Once outside, Mei Ru Yan asked politely, "Sister Wen Cui, why didn't you stop him earlier?"
"Does Shishi Niang mean the young master?" Wen Cui smiled faintly. "Shishi Niang may not know, but the young master's medical skills are unmatched in Bianjing. It was precisely for this reason that the family head made an exception to allow him to study under Elder Qi. Elder Qi's medical prowess can 'revive the dead and regrow flesh from bones.' He only leaves Plum Blossom Village when a member of the royal family is in critical condition. Though the young master is carefree by nature, he never jokes when it comes to treating patients."
Mei Ru Yan's heart skipped a beat, regretting her impulsiveness. She had just offended a Miracle Doctor—after all, who could avoid illness in this lifetime? Moreover, with the Mei Shi's so-called curse, there was no telling when she might need his help. Though she wasn't afraid of dying a few years early, who wouldn't want to live a little longer if possible?
"I see. It seems I was too hasty and misunderstood you, Sister Wen Cui," Mei Ru Yan said apologetically.
Wen Cui maintained a humble smile, but her attitude remained poised and dignified. "Shishi Niang is too kind.""In that case, how can they just decide not to include me in the family registry?" Mei Ru Yan couldn't believe Mei Shi would give up a Miracle Doctor over such a trivial matter.
(Happy Qixi Festival to all!!!!!)
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