Chapter 2260

Jin Chen suddenly gave a light laugh, breaking the heavy atmosphere.

He walked to the bedside, quietly hooked Nan Yixing's finger, his voice lazy, looking at the Chief Physician, "I won't give him blood; you handle it yourself."

The Chief Physician opened his mouth, then finally let his hand drop wearily.

He glanced at Nan Yixing's stern profile, then at Jin Chen's playful smile, and finally sighed, "Let's first use Physician Nan's acupuncture technique."

Nan Yixing said no more, silver needles flying at his fingertips, precisely piercing Jin Que's acupoints.

Each needle that fell carried a force driven by private motives, causing severe pain.

Jin Que nearly fainted again.

After the gu worms in Jin Que's body stabilized, Nan Yixing and Jin Chen didn't linger a moment longer, turning and leaving.

Unexpectedly, just as they returned to Holy Son Tower, Jin Chen was embraced fully by Nan Yixing.

Jin Chen, unprepared, staggered half a step back, raised his hand to loosely support Nan Yixing's waist, his tone inevitably tinged with teasing.

"Older Brother, you care so much."

"After going to the Forbidden Land, first find a way to dispel the gu; what I'm looking for isn't urgent."

Nan Yixing didn't admit it, but he couldn't hide his hoarse voice and the affection in his eyes never shown to outsiders.

"Mm… good." Jin Chen thought, nodded, his fingertip brushing the vermilion on Nan Yixing's brow, and smiled, "Rest assured, Older Brother, I won't let you be widowed."

Nan Yixing gave him an annoyed glance, "Indeed, there's no problem, and you still have the mood to joke."

【Detected Villain Heartthrob Value +7, total 57!】

Having said that, he went upstairs, Jin Chen followed behind with his hands behind his back, his braid swaying with a jingling sound, quite satisfied.

Outside Holy Son Tower, the Miao women happened to see this scene, all smiling softly, "The Young Master and Physician Nan are really sweet."

"Yeah, the Young Master gave the silver bracelet to Physician Nan on the very first day; we didn't even get a chance."

"I only hope Physician Nan doesn't disappoint the Young Master's heart, don't let the Young Master end up like Asha……"

The girls suddenly fell silent, looking with a hint of complexity at the pale woman standing below Holy Son Tower.

"Asha, do you want the Young Master to decide for you?" they asked, "The Young Master is still the Holy Son; he will surely help you."

Asha had dark circles under her eyes, her lips a dark hue, looking somewhat sinister yet very beautiful.

Hearing that, she shook her head and softly said, "Forget it, I'll go home first."

Asha said, "I feel that he's disobedient again."

The leading tall Miao woman immediately said, "Then you hurry off."

——

The next day, at Spirit Herb Hall, deep at night.

Nan Yixing was adding the final pinch of astragalus to the medicine cauldron; the window paper reflected his lowered brows, and the firelight made the silver bracelet on his wrist glimmer faintly.

This decoction was brewed to strengthen Jin Chen's body; no carelessness allowed.

"Eldest Senior Brother!"

Chu Wan's knock on the door sounded, "Someone seeks medical aid!"

Pushing open the door, the night wind swept in the damp earth scent.

In the courtyard, a stranger youth lay on the blue stone slabs, his short sleeve soaked halfway by dew, still wearing a wristwatch, appearing to be from outside the mountains.

That person's face was frighteningly bluish-white, his eye sockets sunken, his lips tinged with an abnormal purple.

Fan Ruoxi had already crouched beside the youth, trying to help him up.

The youth trembled all over, his fingers dug deep into the stone cracks, "Save… save me……"

"First, give him a Nourishing Qi Pill." Nan Yixing stepped forward quickly; under the moonlight his face was calm and gentle, his brow naturally bearing compassion.

He placed his hand on the youth's wrist pulse; the throbbing felt at his fingertips was rapid yet feeble.

Fan Ruoxi took a celadon bottle from his waist pouch and poured out a dark‑red pill.

The youth shuddered as he swallowed, his Adam's apple struggling to roll twice.

"What happened?" Nan Yixing's voice was unhurried, yet inexplicably reassuring.

He noticed a few strange leaves stuck to the youth's collar, not a variety commonly found near the village.

The youth was about to speak when he suddenly burst into violent coughing, dark‑tinged blood seeping from between his fingers.

Nan Yixing frowned slightly, took a needle from his wrist, and turned to Chu Wan, "Go prepare a calming decoction."

When the medicine bowl was emptied, the youth's trembling fingers finally steadied a bit.

He curled up in the bamboo chair, holding the hot tea Chu Wan brought; the rising steam blurred his pallid face.

"My name is Song Xi; I was originally a painter sketching outdoors beyond the mountains…" Song Xi's voice hoarse, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the rim of the tea cup, "That day by the stream I met Asha, who brought me into the village."

His gaze dazed for a moment, as if lost in some sweet yet painful memory, "Asha taught me to sing Miao songs and showed me the fireflies in the mountains……"

"At first we had happy days, but later……"

Song Xi's voice suddenly trembled, the tea splashed onto the back of his hand without him noticing, "She said she wants to marry me, wants me to stay forever in the stockade!"

He jerked his head up, his eye sockets red, "But I still have family outside the mountains, I, I just want to Go Back and See..."

Fan Ruoxi was adding Mugwort to the medicine cauldron; hearing this, his hand paused, he exchanged a glance with Chu Wan, then looked toward Nan Yixing.

Nan Yixing lowered his eyes without changing expression, the medicine fragrance slowly permeated the room.

Song Xi suddenly clutched his chest, curling up into a ball, "That night I said I wanted to leave, she gave me a bowl of sweet wine."

Beads of sweat the size of beans appeared on his forehead, he tremulously tore open his collar, revealing a strange black mark on his chest, "When I woke up again, I had this……"

Nan Yixing's eyes darkened, Fan Ruoxi's fingertip pressed that mark, "Good heavens."

Song Xi suddenly sucked in a cold breath, the pain turning his face deathly pale.

"As long as I think about leaving the stockade, even just a thought..."

Song Xi gritted his teeth, his voice choked with sobs, "It hurts here as if being pierced by millions of needles, A Sha said, this is a love gu."

Outside the window, a silver bell's light chime suddenly came, and Song Xi shrank back like a startled bird.

Nan Yixing looked toward the window.

Under the moonlight, the figure of a Miao woman in indigo clothing appeared and disappeared, the silver bell in her hair jingling in the night wind.

"Damn, she came that fast." Chu Wan was startled, went to the window to look, and said, "I've seen her; she... isn't she actually nice?"

A commotion came from outside the courtyard.

Jin Chen lifted the bamboo curtain and stepped inside, followed by several Miao girls.

A Sha walked in front, her indigo skirt sweeping the threshold, picking up a bit of night dew.

"Young Master Song, why are you running around again?" she said softly, yet it made Song Xi, who was hiding behind Nan Yixing, shudder violently.

Nan Yixing clearly saw Song Xi trembling.

Fan Ruoxi shifted to block him, but saw Song Xi as if pulled by something, staggering toward A Sha.

On Song Xi's wrist, an indigo-colored marking appeared and faded.

Jin Chen sat down in a chair, propping his face with his hand, puzzled: "How did Brother bring him to Spirit Grass Hall?"

"He collapsed in front of the courtyard, almost losing his life," Nan Yixing said.

The tall Miao woman beside him snorted coldly, "That's what he deserves!"

A Sha reached out and touched Song Xi's deathly pale face, her fingertips brushing away the cold sweat on his forehead.

Song Xi wanted to dodge, but his body involuntarily moved toward her.

"A Sha softly hushed, covering his trembling lips, 'Let Doctor Nan see the joke, Young Master Song never listens.'"

Chu Wan silently stepped back, her heart stunned.

The night wind stirred the herbs under the eaves, making a rustling sound.

Jin Chen watched the scene thoughtfully.