’What a jinx.’

Chen Yi thought, pausing his steps to let Cui’er go on ahead.

"I’m going to grab something. You and Juan’er go boil some water and have it ready."

"Yes, Young Master."

After giving the order, Chen Yi turned back to his room in the wooden building, retrieved his acupuncture kit, and tucked it into his robes.

Xiao Wuge saw him come out and couldn’t help but ask, "Brother-in-law, should we notify that Divine Doctor Ma?"

Chen Yi replied that it wasn’t necessary for now, then headed toward Jiaxing Garden.

For an ordinary person, a minor cold would be no big deal.

But Xiao Wan’er’s constitution was special.

With her profoundly cold body, which was already riddled with drafts, a single cold was considered a severe illness.

Fortunately, he had previously prescribed a Yang Storage Formula for Xiao Wan’er through Ma Liangcai; otherwise, her condition would be even worse.

「A short while later.」

Chen Yi arrived at Jiaxing Garden and saw Cui’er and Juan’er in a frantic flurry.

One was boiling water while the other was using a towel to wipe the sweat from Xiao Wan’er.

Meanwhile, Xiao Wan’er was lying listlessly on the bed, sweat beading uncontrollably on her forehead and two unnatural crimson flushes on her cheeks.

Not only that, but her eyelids twitched from time to time, and her lips parted and closed, a clear sign that she was losing consciousness.

When Cui’er saw him appear at the door, she was on the verge of tears.

"Young Master, I... should I go notify the Old Master?"

"Miss... she was still awake just now. She said she wanted to rest, but by the time I went to get you, she... she..."

Chen Yi waved his hand and offered a reassuring lie. "There’s no need for now."

"The formula Divine Doctor Ma prescribed for Big Sister before was quite effective. It shouldn’t be anything serious. Let me take a look first."

As he spoke, he walked straight into the room, a faint glow flickering in his eyes.

He used his Qi Observation Skill.

He saw that the yang energy Xiao Wan’er had accumulated from several days of medicine was already gone, and her entire aura was as black and glossy as ink.

Seeing this, Chen Yi didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward, disregarding the propriety between men and women, and placed his hand on her wrist.

"This..."

Cui’er and Juan’er, who had been anxious just a moment ago, were both stunned by the sight.

After exchanging a look, they both tacitly fell silent.

’A doctor’s heart is like a parent’s... A doctor’s heart is like a parent’s... The Young Master, he...’

’We should just wait for Miss to wake up and decide.’

A moment later, after confirming Xiao Wan’er’s condition, Chen Yi’s slightly furrowed brow relaxed.

"It’s nothing serious, just a common cold."

Hearing this, Cui’er and Juan’er both breathed a sigh of relief. "That’s good."

"That puts our minds at ease."

’At ease?’

’At ease my ass.’

What Chen Yi had just said was merely an excuse to calm them down.

In truth, Xiao Wan’er was already showing symptoms of "qi collapse."

If not for his sufficient skill in the Medical Dao and the fact that he happened to be in the residence, Xiao Wan’er would have passed on within two hours.

With these thoughts in mind, Chen Yi gave his orders, "Cui’er, go get a brush and paper, write down a prescription, and then go to the Medicine Hall to fetch the herbs."

"Okay."

Once Cui’er had written it down and confirmed it was correct, she hurried out of Jiaxing Garden.

Chen Yi then instructed Juan’er to open the windows for ventilation and move the stove outside to boil water.

「After sending them both away.」

Chen Yi looked at Xiao Wan’er on the bed, hesitated for a moment, and then whispered a few words.

They were mostly phrases like "desperate times call for desperate measures" and "forgive my offense."

In any case, there was no response.

Seeing this, Chen Yi lifted the pink blanket, revealing Xiao Wan’er’s body, clad only in a thin undergarment.

She was already drenched in sweat, so much so that even the simple silk undergarment was soaked through, clinging tightly to her delicate and shapely figure.

"Ahem."

Chen Yi rubbed his nose and muttered, "...so fragrant."

Just then, feeling the chill on her body, Xiao Wan’er seemed to sense something and groggily opened her eyes to look at him.

Their eyes met.

Taken aback, Chen Yi raised a hand and waved it in front of her eyes. "Big Sister, can you see me?"

A hazy veil seemed to cover Xiao Wan’er’s clear, bright eyes, which moved slightly to follow his hand.

After a good while, she parted her crimson lips. "Brother... Brother-in-law?"

"Yes."

"What... what’s happening to me?"

"You caught a chill."

"Oh... I’m a little cold..."

"It’ll be over soon. Get some sleep."

Xiao Wan’er hummed in agreement and obediently closed her eyes, though she continued to mumble something incoherently.

Her voice was intermittent and barely audible.

"Brother... Brother-in-law, can you tell me... that poem... was it written about... me?"

"I... I hope it wasn’t, but I also hope..."

"I hope..."

Xiao Wan’er never finished saying what she hoped for before she fell unconscious again.

Chen Yi looked at her haggard yet lovely and pitiable face, remained silent for a moment, and then sighed.

"That poem... it was indeed written for you."

With that, Chen Yi steadied his mind, took the Silver Needles from his robes, and began performing acupuncture on her.

Thirteen needles in a row, each one sealing a point where her qi was dissipating.

Immediately after, he used his True Essence to meticulously regulate the acupoints and meridians in Xiao Wan’er’s body.

He only stopped when his Qi Observation Skill showed that some of the cold qi in Xiao Wan’er’s body had dissipated, yang energy was beginning to form, and her aura had gradually stabilized.

Chen Yi put away his Silver Needles and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Just as he was about to cover Xiao Wan’er with the blanket, he heard Juan’er’s trembling voice from behind him:

"Y-Young Master, you... you, you, you..."

Chen Yi glanced back, calmly rising to his feet. "I just took Big Sister’s pulse again."

"Only then did I understand why her condition wasn’t improving."

He paused briefly, his tone turning serious. "Look at her. Her clothes are soaked through. How is she supposed to get better like this?"

Hearing this, Juan’er looked at him suspiciously, then at Xiao Wan’er, whose breathing was now steady and whose complexion had improved greatly. She quickly bowed.

"Forgive me, Young Master. Juan’er didn’t realize... Juan’er..."