Chapter 42: with translation of chapter title

Doctor Lin, whose heart had softened a little, reverted once more to his original unsmiling, ice‑cold‑eyed Experiment Maniac self.

Hmph, continue the experiment.

Ye Xi'an sensed that Lin Zhi Jing had suddenly become displeased; she promptly sat properly on the bench, placed her hands neatly on her knees, and waited for his next move.

Lin Zhi Jing took a wooden hammer from the medicine cabinet, his heavy gaze lingering sticky‑sweet on Ye Xi'an.

Under Ye Xi'an's uneasy gaze, he lowered himself extremely slowly into a half‑kneel before her, the stiff fabric of his lab coat rubbing against her cotton trousers and producing a soft swishing sound.

His squatting body almost pressed together with Ye Xi'an's legs; he smoothed up the pant leg rolled to his calf, revealing a calf with perfectly feminine curves.

He lifted the wooden hammer and lightly tapped Ye Xi'an's calf.

Do you feel anything?

At the instant the hammer struck her calf, Ye Xi'an felt only a tingling, itchy sensation; she almost burst out laughing, wanting to lift the struck leg and kick Lin Zhi Jing away.

But she dared not laugh, nor would she actually do anything to Lin Zhi Jing, for fear of revealing her immunity to the drug.

Ye Xi'an put on a blank expression, shaking her head: "I feel nothing, Doctor Lin; your painkiller is still pretty effective."

Lin Zhi Jing curled his lips into a somewhat wicked smile; although his painkiller works faster than ordinary anesthetics, it isn't strong enough to knock someone out the moment it's injected.

That Ye Xi'an is definitely pretending now.

Lin Zhi Jing gave an alluring smile; he wanted to see how long Ye Xi'an could keep up the act.

He thought that to himself, but his face remained solemn.

Maybe this testing method isn't effective; let's change it—take off your shoes and lie on the bed.

Ye Xi'an blinked, wondering why she had to take off her shoes.

Thinking that, she asked: "Why take off the shoes?"

Lin Zhi Jing lifted his head, his eyes flashing with conspiratorial light, his tone somewhat teasing.

"I need to take off your shoes to test whether your feet have sensation."

"Huh?" Ye Xi'an tilted her head, brows slightly furrowed: "Why must we use the feet? Pinching your arm or leg would work just as well."

Lin Zhi Jing explained solemnly: "The nerve endings on the soles are the most sensitive; if there's no feeling there, then it truly means you feel nothing."

He paused, his gaze toward Ye Xi'an seeming to see through everything: "Moreover, the feet are the easiest place to expose genuine sensation; if someone tried to fake it, they'd surely give themselves away."

Ye Xi'an felt guilty under his stare; could Lin Zhi Jing already have seen through her act?

No, no; I showed no expression just now, so how could he tell? He must be bluffing me.

Thinking that, Ye Xi'an stiffened her neck and said stubbornly: "Oh really? Then we'd better give it a proper try."

Saying that, Ye Xi'an began to bend over to take off her shoes.

Just a second before she moved, Lin Zhi Jing suddenly spoke: "Do you still have the strength to take off your shoes yourself?"

That sentence made Ye Xi'an's hair feel like it was about to explode, and the little person in her heart instantly slumped.

Right, she has no sensation now—how could she possibly take off her shoes herself?

Besides, can someone without sensation even speak?

But she just spoke a moment ago, and Lin Zhi Jing didn't object, so speaking should be possible, right?

She said, lacking confidence, in a soft voice: "Hehehe, I said I couldn't move, so I can't take off my shoes."

Lin Zhi Jing smiled, his eye‑bags puffing out: "No problem, I'll help you take them off."

His gaze fell on her fair ankle, the corner of his mouth hinting at a sly smile.

He gently took hold, gripped the shoe's heel, and gave a downward push, pulling the tattered shoes off.

A strong foot odor hit his face, making Lin Zhi Jing feel as if his eyes would go blind.

Ye Xi'an naturally smelled it too, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

The Original Owner never bathed, let alone washed her feet; the first time she smelled it, she almost threw up.

But she had no extra money to buy new shoes, so she could only endure the disgust and keep wearing them.

"Doctor Lin, are you alright? If not, we could just change the testing spot—worst case, you could use a bit more force."

Lin Zhi Jing gritted his teeth, said nothing, merely set Ye Xi'an's foot down gently and left.

When he returned, he held a steaming basin of water and a bar of green soap.

Lin Zhi Jing placed the basin beside Ye Xi'an's feet, cupped her soles, and soaked both feet in the water.

The water temperature was just right; Ye Xi'an felt so comfortable her eyes narrowed, for she hadn't enjoyed a warm foot soak in ages.

Lin Zhi Jing's warm palms rubbed gently and meticulously over every part of Ye Xi'an's feet, not even skipping the spaces between her toes.

Ye Xi'an lowered her head, gazing at his profile; sunlight outside the window cast a shadow beneath his lashes, his slightly red lips lightly pursed, making him look especially gentle.

This inexplicably reminded her of a public service announcement: "Mother Washing Feet".

Feeling moved, she wondered what to do, as tears threatened to spill.

After washing her feet once, Lin Zhi Jing prepared to lather again, but upon lifting his head he saw Ye Xi'an's overwrought, moved expression; he instantly pretended not to have seen it, lowering his head while his mouth twitched uncontrollably.

Doctor Lin was now deep in self‑moved feeling: "Although females don't need to fuss over appearance, the body is your own."

"Foot odor usually stems from excessive sweating and bacterial growth on the feet, and may accompany skin problems. Once the reagent test is done, I'll give you a thorough check‑up."

Ye Xi'an felt a bit embarrassed; in truth, she simply hadn't washed her feet in a long time.

"All washed up."

"All washed up."

Having just said that, Lin Zhi Jing lifted Ye Xi'an from the bench and gently placed her on the bed beside Bao Jing; fortunately Ye Xi'an's willpower was firm, so she didn't cry out in fright.

Lin Zhi Jing leaned over, bracing his hands on either side of Ye Xi'an's shoulders; in his ascetic lenses her current form was reflected, his gaze landing on her lips as he smiled somewhat cruelly.

"I'm about to begin the test; later you'd better really feel whether you have any sensation."

Watching Lin Zhi Jing's perverse demeanor, Ye Xi'an involuntarily swallowed, gripped the white sheet beneath her in fear, and silently told herself that even if her foot were chopped off later, she'd still claim she felt nothing.

Lin Zhi Jing rose, his eyes flashing with a hint of mischief.

He grasped at empty air, and a teaching rod appeared in his hand; the higher it went, the sharper it became, until it was as thin as a needle.

The thin, soft tip of the teaching rod brushed over Ye Xi'an's snow-white soles, instantly arousing an itch that made one's scalp tingle.

The palm beneath also clenched tightly, and the neat bedsheet wrinkled into grooves.

To keep from laughing out loud, Ye Xi'an bit the tip of her tongue, the pain making her eyes red.

(End of chapter)