Chapter 341

Ting Yu Xuan

Looking at the cup of tea Ye Qingran handed over to him, Fu Hanxiu fell into silence.

Through the drifting steam, the face opposite him was aloof and detached, completely different from when he faced Wuhen.

"Today, thank you, National Master, for stepping in to resolve my predicament." Even the words spoken were full of distance, making Fu Hanxiu feel very uncomfortable.

"No need for courtesy." He answered stiffly, brow furrowed.

Ye Qingran lightly raised her eyebrows and continued, "May I ask, National Master, do you have plans to marry a woman?"

Fu Hanxiu nearly choked on the tea.

What does this woman mean?

Is she so eager to push him out?

This realization made Fu Hanxiu quite displeased.

Ye Qingran, however, was observing Fu Hanxiu's reaction. She thought: if Fu Hanxiu had such intentions, he would find another woman, start a family, and naturally have other offspring; would he then pay less attention to Xiao Chen? At that point, as long as she strove, perhaps he would relent and hand Xiao Chen over to her to raise.

"Yes!" he said, the single word uttered with a hint of gritted teeth.

Ye Qingran's eyes lit up.

Seeing the woman's bright eyes, Fu Hanxiu's face darkened. She really was eager to push him out and then get together with Wuhen, that Wild Man!

The aloof Emperor Sovereign had become so petty as to start being jealous of himself.

Then congratulations, National Master!

Fu Hanxiu: "......"

This heartless woman—he would someday be angered to death by her!

Seeing the woman opposite him laughing so happily, Fu Hanxiu narrowed his eyes, a sharp glint flashing in his deep pupils as the corner of his lips curled into a sinister arc, "If I say the woman I wish to marry is you?"

Ye Qingran: "???"

The smile on her face faded, "National Master, don't joke; between us it's impossible."

Impossible?

In this lifetime, you can only be my woman!

Fu Hanxiu silently thought in his heart, a hint of obsession showing in his eyes. This woman wants to be with other men, unless he dies!

Impossible? How could it be impossible? Our age difference isn't big, our status isn't vastly different, and we both have a child—it's practically perfect, what do you say?

But, National Master, you also know that I am together with Wuhen.

When Wuhen was mentioned, Fu Hanxiu felt a bit guilty.

He dared not imagine—if Ye Qingran knew that Wuhen and he were actually the same person, would she kill him?

"Wuhen? He's inferior to me in every way—what do you see in him?" This question, Fu Hanxiu was genuinely curious. Although Wuhen is his disguise, his appearance and status are far inferior to the National Master. Yet Ye Qingran, between them, chose Wuhen.

He didn't know whether to feel relieved or distressed. Relieved that the person Ye Qingran chose was still him; distressed that Ye Qingran actually looked down on his true appearance, instead favoring his disguised look.

Ye Qingran, not particularly concerned, smiled faintly, a hint of ethereality in her gaze: "Perhaps it's because his appearance and status are not as good as yours." If there were two such people before her, her feelings toward them would be the same, but if one made her feel more real, she would unhesitatingly choose that more real person.

Someone like her, who has been to high mountains and low valleys, witnessed too many ebbs and flows, understands even more clearly that all that prosperity and splendor are merely empty flowers blooming atop smoke and clouds; the most beautiful scenery often appears after washing away makeup, and plain simplicity is the true meaning of life.

Fu Hanxiu stared.

Is it him, hiding too deeply, not giving her enough sense of security?

Ye Qingran did not want to linger on this topic; she stared directly at Fu Hanxiu, seeing he was handsome and graceful, yet his breath revealed a hint of weakness.

She couldn't help but recall that night when she entered the National Master's residence to steal the Imperial Flower—he had looked exactly like that.

So, he is... a Fallen Mortal?

"National Master, your condition seems off," she said calmly.

Fu Hanxiu nodded, not hiding anything from Ye Qingran: "Today I am in a Fallen Mortal state, my Mysterious Force has lost ninety percent."

Fallen Mortal? Mysterious Force lost ninety percent?

Ye Qingran's eyes flashed, and suddenly inspiration struck.

She suddenly thought of two ways to prevent her child from being snatched. One was to take advantage of Fu Hanxiu's current loss of ninety percent of his Mysterious Force, seize his illness to take his life!

But this wild idea was quickly rejected by Ye Qingran.

After all, this man is the father of her child; if she killed him, wouldn't she become her child's enemy?

Then, only the second method remained to be considered.

"National Master, if you trust me, I can examine you..."

Examine him?

Fu Hanxiu shook his head, "No need, I've been infected with the Mysterious Parasite, there's no cure." Seems afraid Ye Qingran would worry for him, he added, "Rest assured, I won't die. It's just that I become a Fallen Mortal every month." What Fu Hanxiu didn't say was that, as time passed, from previously becoming a Fallen Mortal once at a fixed time each month, it has now begun to occur at irregular intervals; after a while, likely he will be a Fallen Mortal more than one day each month, and eventually he will permanently remain in the Fallen Mortal state, becoming a cripple.

A flicker of coldness passed through Fu Hanxiu's eyes.

Mysterious Parasite?

Ye Qingran's heart stirred slightly.

As the Valley Master of the Medicine King Valley, how could she not know what a Mysterious Parasite is?

The Mysterious Parasite differs from ordinary parasites. Ordinary parasites reside in the flesh, using the meridians as a breeding ground and feeding on blood. The Mysterious Parasite exists as a spiritual entity, illusory and ethereal—let alone driving it out or killing it, one cannot even find it.

Moreover, this kind of Mysterious Parasite is domineering and vicious, making it hard to defend against; once implanted, unless one's strength is strong enough to reach a certain realm, it is difficult to eradicate.

Correspondingly, such Mysterious Parasites are extremely rare, whether breeding them or implanting them into a host is very difficult.

In other words, ordinary people are not yet qualified to enjoy the treatment of a Mysterious Parasite.

"Indeed, he is the Emperor Sovereign at the pinnacle of the Contention for the Deer!" Ye Qingran felt in her heart.

However, speaking of which, she has only seen such a Mysterious Parasite in ancient texts, and in recent years has never encountered a case; Fu Hanxiu is the first. She currently only knows how to transfer it, and still does not know how to exterminate it.

"National Master, if you don't mind, may I take your pulse?"

Fu Hanxiu always felt that today's Ye Qingran was somewhat strange.

"Do you know medical arts?"

"I know a little; I once studied under a very capable master." That statement is true. Whether in China or in this world, she was fortunate to encounter her benefactor.

However, this world's benefactor is now imprisoned...

Fu Hanxiu extended his arm, his tone carrying a hint of indulgence, "Then I'll trouble Miss Ye." She is willing to touch him, and he would gladly accept.

Ye Qingran rose, sat on the stool beside Fu Hanxiu, and extended her hand to rest on his wrist.

Mysterious Gu, being a spiritual body—existing in some form of energy—is actually hard to detect via pulse-taking. However, Fu Hanxiu happens to be in a Fallen Mortal state, so he can be examined a little.

Her slender, jade-like hand felt cool; Fu Hanxiu instantly tensed all over.

He secretly cursed himself for being lacklustre. Clearly they had kissed before; now she merely touches his hand, and he gets this worked up?

She lowered her gaze slightly, her brows relaxed. He stared at her without blinking.

He knew she was beautiful, the kind of striking looks that dazzle at first glance and never grow tiresome no matter how long you look.

After a moment, Ye Qingran withdrew her hand.