Chapter 169: Saving Little Seven (2)

The small knife slowly sliced open the already scarred wound. Dark blood quickly flowed upward, and the moment it touched the hot water, the blood emitted black smoke. The smoke dispersed rapidly, vanishing in an instant.

Everyone was tense, their hearts pounding in their throats, their eyes never leaving the darkened little hand. The fresh blood was gradually released, and the poison began to flow out slowly. When the black blood was fully drained, bright red blood followed.

The Elder Immortal quickly said, “Hurry, bring me some herbs and a strip of gauze.”

Xiao Bei immediately fetched the items from the table and handed them to the Elder Immortal, feeling extremely anxious. It was like witnessing a small surgery. Before, minor injuries didn’t seem like a big deal, but now even a small wound could be fatal. They had to be very careful.

Xiao Qi still bit her lip tightly, the blood on her lips having dried up. Mo Lan looked at her with a pang of sympathy, gently touching Xiao Qi’s sweat-soaked forehead. The bulging veins looked frightening, and beads of sweat dripped down sporadically.

The Elder Immortal swiftly applied the ground herbal paste mixed with its juice onto the wound. After spreading it evenly, he covered it with gauze, wrapping it several times, sealing it tightly with a butterfly knot.

Finally, it was done. The Elder Immortal exhaled heavily, then looked directly at Xiao Qi. He handed a tissue to Mo Lan to wipe away her sweat. Looking at this fierce young woman he had just met, he sighed softly. Everything was fate.

“Wait a moment. I’ll write out some prescriptions. You need to change her dressing twice daily. Make sure to watch for any fever, as the wound hasn’t been disinfected. I’m allergic to anti-inflammatory medicine, and she must avoid water for now.” Having given his instructions, the Elder Immortal sat down at the table and began writing the prescriptions, beads of sweat covering his brow. Just seeing him sitting there showed how exhausted he was.

Mo Lan nodded fervently, looking at Xiao Qi, who was now out of immediate danger, and let out a sigh of relief. She sat down, glancing at the messy floor but unwilling to tidy up. She just wanted to rest, feeling hungry and craving something to eat.

Her stomach cooperated, growling loudly. Seeing Mo Lan’s state, Xiao Bei brought over some snacks from the table and poured two cups of water—one for Xiao Qi and one for Mo Lan.

Xiao Qi drank her water and quietly closed her eyes. Finally, she could sleep. She was so tired, so exhausted, longing for a good rest.

Mo Lan ate two pieces of the snacks but still felt hungry and kept eating. There was no time to worry about her appearance—she just ignored it.

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“Where is Sister Qianyin? Is she alright? Does everyone who hasn’t returned still mean they’re safe?” Seeing that nothing else was happening, Xiao Bei began asking about Qianyin. He felt something was off.

“Hmm,” Mo Lan tried to speak but choked on the snack in her mouth, hurriedly patting her chest. The choking was so uncomfortable that tears nearly fell.

Everyone else stared at Mo Lan in shock, wondering why she was so tense.

Mo Lan finally caught her breath and, facing their scrutinizing gazes, smiled awkwardly. Then she stood up, bowing slightly in apology. “Something happened. Qianyin ran off again. I can’t find her, and she’s not answering her phone.”

The others—Dong, Nan, Xi, Bei—could already guess the situation and felt choked with frustration. They didn’t know how to scold Mo Lan. They had all been diligently caring for Elder Mo, but why hadn’t they taken better care of Qianyin?

The Elder Immortal didn’t know what to say either, his head aching. Lately, troubles kept piling up, nothing going smoothly. He was already worried about Qianyin, and now she’d run off again. Where could that girl be?

“I’m really sorry. I know I didn’t take good care of her. It’s our fault. An Feng and Boss Jin are still at the auction; they’re looking for Qianyin.” Mo Lan knew her promises were worthless. She had always owed Qianyin, often wondering what was wrong with her to be so harsh to that girl.

“Tell the truth. How did you make her run off? Is she safe?” The Elder Immortal decided to step in, not wanting the four of them to clash with Mo Lan. They already had enough troubles.

Mo Lan reluctantly revealed everything. After finishing, she took a sip of water, bracing herself for the scolding.

Surprisingly, no one spoke—not even Dong, Nan, Xi, or Bei. They all strode out quickly. The Elder Immortal remained seated quietly, head bowed, sighing several times.

Mo Lan didn’t hear any sounds, and when she looked up, she saw they had left. The Elder Immortal was busy with his own matters. Feeling helpless but wanting to help, she fetched some water, washed Xiao Qi’s face, and tidied up the scattered things on the floor.

Outside, as she watered the newly planted herbs, occasionally pulling weeds to relax, she realized that returning to the Mo family plunged her into yet another chaos.

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Qianyin walked alone along the road, tears sliding down her face onto her clothes. Cars sped by, and passersby walked quickly. Occasionally someone whistled, but no one dared to get out and follow this beautiful girl.

A dark cloud drifted across the sky, moving slowly with the clouds, stopping and starting, tears falling from time to time. Qianyin walked until she almost felt numb, staring at the endless road ahead. She began to wonder if she still had any reason to stay.

Night gradually fell. After walking for so long, she found herself in an unfamiliar place. Turning back, she realized no footprints were left behind on the path she had come.

She slowly retraced her steps, seeing a different scene—the nighttime splendor of Ximen City, with its own charm. Passersby smiled contentedly, as if they had all experienced many joyful moments.

Qianyin found it ironic, lowering her head and looking at the small path ahead, stepping carefully, each step echoing in her heart. Yet her heart still belonged to that person. The farther she walked, the farther she felt from him, never able to reach his side.

Raising her head, she found Han suddenly beside her. She didn’t know how long he had been following or how long she had been walking. Hastily wiping her tears, she stubbornly lifted her chin. After holding back the tears, she looked directly at Han.

“How long have you been following me? Why did you come?” Qianyin’s voice was choked and hoarse, clearly from crying for a long time. Her nose sniffled intermittently, and her red eyes evoked pity.

“I started following you the moment you got on the road. How long do you think I’ve been following?” Han said helplessly. He had sneaked out without informing the boss, just to spend a little time alone with her. Unfortunately, that woman’s eyes never saw him.

“Why did you come looking for me? Aren’t you busy working for the boss? Can you tell me your purpose? Also, did you take the Seven-Colored Jade?”

“Qianyin, I can’t tell you.” Han was helpless. He couldn’t reveal the boss’s secrets. But he would never harm Qianyin—he could guarantee that with his life.