Chapter 115: A Worrying Sign

Before Zhang Shen could finish speaking, Gu Xixi suddenly lunged forward and hugged her.

Aunt, I miss you to death! I set off running back as soon as I woke up, only letting Blessing rest a little along the way; Blessing and I both miss home so much that even if it gets dark, we must keep going—we have to be home today!

Gu Xixi acted coquettish and poured out her words, indeed completely extinguishing Zhang Shen's little spark of anger, leaving only concern.

Good, my dear! You barely had any meat on you to begin with, and in just these few days, exhaustion has made your face slim down a whole circle!

Look at these icy little hands—you must be hungry. What do you want to eat? Aunt will make it for you right away!

With the moon high in the sky, Blessing munched on fodder mixed with bean-cake in its own wooden shed.

Gu Xixi sat beside the small stove in the kitchen, eating a bowl of steaming hot clear soup noodles.

The soup contained bok choy and dried tiny shrimp, light yet flavorful, and two poached eggs lay atop the noodles.

Gu Xixi noisily slurped the noodles, "It's so delicious—nothing beats home-cooked food."

Zhang Shen looked at her affectionately, "Eat slowly."

You said you'd be back in two or three days before you left this time, but you ended up being gone for a full six days.

If you don't come back tonight, no matter what, I'll have to go to Cloud Ridge County myself to look for you.

Gu Xixi swallowed a mouthful of soup and apologetically said, "Sorry for making you worry."

It's mainly because, before I went, I never imagined Cloud Ridge County's commerce would be so prosperous.

I bought quite a few good things to bring back; I'll sort them out slowly after dawn tomorrow.

Zhang Shen sighed and said, "These past few days, I've had Little Chen to thank for putting my mind at ease."

Otherwise I would have gone to look for you two days ago.

Gu Xixi glanced sideways, "What's wrong with him?"

Zhang Shen said, "He said, there are many out-of-town merchants in Cloud Ridge County; you must have been dazzled by those things."

He also said, "You're capable; you'll surely find your footing in unfamiliar places, so don't worry too much."

At most six days; if you still aren't back, he will definitely bring me to fetch you.

As soon as I lay down tonight, I've been uneasy, and yet you really did hurry back today.

Gu Xixi fell silent; the days had actually matched up to the minute?

Does Mu Nan Zhao truly understand her, or is it that his informants in Cloud Ridge County leaked the news?

Having eaten and drunk their fill, Gu Xixi and Zhang Shen tidied up the kitchen.

Upon coming out, she glanced at the west room; the lights were off and it was very quiet, and she couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled.

Mu Nan Zhao is highly alert and has always been a light sleeper.

Just when Gu Xixi returned, there was the braying of a donkey and the noise from stopping the cart.

Yet Mu Nan Zhao showed not the slightest movement.

Zhang Shen grabbed the just-filled hot water bottle and urged, "Hurry back to your room to sleep; I'll warm up the blankets for you."

After the two entered the room, Gu Xixi casually asked, "How has Chen Fang been lately?"

Zhang Shen, while making the bed, answered offhand, "Pretty good."

He goes to the village school early each morning, returns at noon, occasionally goes out—no one knows where, but it's basically no different from usual.

Gu Xixi didn't want to be too blunt, so she asked indirectly, "Has my master still been brewing those medicines for Chen Fang?"

Zhang Shen placed the pillow properly, sat up straight, and said, "Speaking of that, things have actually been a bit different."

Your master has been boiling more medicine lately, handfuls of medicinal herbs left in the pot.

Every night he watches Little Chen soak in the medicinal bath; I glanced once and it seemed he also needs acupuncture.

That medicinal smell is so strong it could cure someone.

Hearing this, Gu Xixi already felt something wasn't quite right.

But she didn't show it, only smiling and saying, "All right, you should get some sleep too—Shitou must already be fast asleep by now."

Zhang Shen headed out, saying, "This kid mentions you over a dozen times every day; I wonder how happy he'll be when he wakes up and sees you tomorrow morning."

After Zhang Shen left, Gu Xixi took off her clothes and slipped into bed, thinking that Mu Nan Zhao's condition might have worsened.

Her thoughts turned over and over, she had already imagined countless possibilities, and gradually drifted off to sleep.

The next morning at breakfast, Shitou happily chattered away with Gu Xixi about this and that.

Gu Xixi also distributed the gifts she had bought for everyone in Cloud Ridge County one by one.

Lao Langzhong's were naturally some medicinal herbs produced in the Western Regions.

Zhang Shen received a wool headscarf.

Shitou's were two delicate little trinkets with an exotic Western Regions style.

Mu Nan Zhao's was a Western Regions wolf-hair brush, with a handle made of yellow jade, feeling superb in the hand.

There were also nut candy, fig jam, air-dried beef, and steamed buns—food for the whole family to share.

Gu Xixi smiled and said to Mu Nan Zhao, "You're used to fine brushes and inkstones; thinking how you've had to make do with a child's-grade brush these past six months, I bought this one, hoping it will serve you well."

Mu Nan Zhao grabbed the brush to try it out, "Feel's not bad, thanks."

He said this, giving a soft little cough.

But that was just that single cough.

Gu Xixi didn't rush to return the peace buckle that Mu Nan Zhao had given her.

After the meal, waiting for Mu Nan Zhao and Shitou to go to the schoolhouse, Zhang Shen also went to the kitchen.

Gu Xixi turned to Lao Langzhong and asked, "Master, are you hiding something from me?"

Lao Langzhong's expression stiffened, then he laughed, "You just got back—what could I possibly be hiding from you? Don't guess wildly."

"No." Gu Xixi said solemnly, "When I came back last night, Chen Fang had no idea at all."

Has he recently become prone to drowsiness?

Besides, I just looked at his complexion—although his qi and blood are better than before, you can still see a bluish-white under his eyelids.

When I just handed him the brush, I noticed his breath was also a bit irregular, and it's not as strong as before.

Gu Xixi observed Lao Langzhong's expression.

She noticed that with each sentence she spoke, Lao Langzhong's expression grew a bit more gloomy.

Finally, Gu Xixi could basically confirm, "Has his poison worsened?"

Seeing that he could no longer hide it, Lao Langzhong nodded.

Gu Xixi then asked, "Did he ask you to help him hide this from me?"

Lao Langzhong nodded again.

Although Gu Xixi had made mental preparations the night before, upon confirming it now, her heart still felt as heavy as a large stone.

She lowered her head and remained silent for a long time, her voice so low it was barely audible.

"Master, do you know how much time he has left?"

Lao Langzhong let out a long sigh, "At the shortest, half a month; at the longest… maybe one or two months."

Since entering the book, Gu Xixi has never felt so miserable.

She never imagined that her arrival would change the entanglement between Gu Qingye and Mu Nan Zhao.

It also prevented Mu Nan Zhao, who could have detoxified, from doing so.

However, now is not the time to give up.

Gu Xixi composed herself and asked, "Master, how is the progress on preparing the antidote?"

Lao Langzhong said, "I have been testing the medicine on his body, and I am close to success, but…"

He furrowed his brows, "Now we only lack the final ingredient."

Gu Xixi saw hope and asked, "What medicine?"

Lao Langzhong sighed again, "Although we only lack one ingredient, I still cannot determine what it is."

Gu Xixi became anxious, "If you can't determine it, that means you've already narrowed down the options—list those medicines, and I'll go find them so we can test the antidote as soon as possible!"