Chapter 342

Li Zhuiyuan was held in Chen Xiyuan's arms.

The scenery on both sides sped by.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't understand why Chen Xiyuan was doing this.

It wasn't until the young man saw her eyes that he understood.

Chen Xiyuan's gaze was both firm and unfocused, indicating that, despite her severe injuries, she was currently sustained purely by a survival instinct. Her consciousness was blurred; taking him away wasn't a calculated or deliberate plan, but rather...

Pure kindness.

He was now carried along by her benevolence.

It was truly hard to imagine that someone like her was involved in the 'River Trials' and had managed to reach this point, participating in the same 'wave' as him.

Therefore, it was perfectly normal for the group led by the white-haired young man to try to kill her under the guise of a 'mistake'.

In her current state, due to her nature, she still possessed significant weaknesses. If her character were to be tempered and transformed, how many people on the entire river would be able to suppress her?

Given the precedent of the three Dragon Kings of the Chen family, if a talented successor from the Chen family were allowed to rise successfully, everyone else wouldn't just be out of the game; they'd lose any sense of participation whatsoever.

Communication at this moment was meaningless. Most absurdly, influenced by the domain she had unleashed around them, Li Zhuiyuan couldn't even move his body or open his mouth.

Chen Xiyuan was fleeing towards the more suburban areas.

The optimal choice would have been to go to a densely populated urban area, where it would be easier to hide and where pursuers would be hesitant to act due to collateral damage.

However, she didn't choose this, likely unwilling to involve innocent people.

Finally, Chen Xiyuan reached her limit.

Ahead was a small river.

Earlier, she had easily crossed wider rivers, but now, she couldn't cross this one.

The domain she had maintained for so long finally dissipated. Chen Xiyuan used the last of her strength to counteract Li Zhuiyuan's momentum, allowing him to land safely and uninjured by the riverbank.

She herself completely lost control and plunged into the river.

Li Zhuiyuan stood up, looking at Chen Xiyuan floating on the river ahead.

The young man first spread his hand. Two sets of cards flew out, landing before him and quickly forming into human figures. Then, two identical auras descended, splitting the Zeng General into two, and their eyes opened.

"Master!"

"Master!"

"Change your title."

Both Zeng Generals showed identical expressions of confusion, clearly unsure what title to use instead.

"Ask Tongzi."

"Yes."

"Yes."

The two Zeng Generals nodded. It seemed they would have to find time to fight Tongzi again.

The young man pointed the fingertips of both hands at each Zeng General. Activating the "Liu Clan Aura-Sensing Art," he simulated Chen Xiyuan's aura onto the two talisman armors using feng shui atmospheric principles.

"Split up. Incense, formation flags, and talisman needles are all inside you. Calculate your timing, discard your aura halfway through, then return here to find me. Remember, don't get lost."

Talisman armors were not easy to make; losing one meant one less. The sponsorship fee from the Zhao family of Jiujiang had been used up after making the armors and repairing the dojo.

It would be truly difficult to find another treasure vault of the same level next time. Even harder was needing to happen to have a high-ranking informant to open the door and guide the way.

"Yes."

"Yes."

The two Zeng Generals quickly departed, each heading in a different direction.

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze returned to Chen Xiyuan. A circle of crimson had already spread on the river surface around her.

The young man took off his backpack, removed his clothes, and walked into the water.

After swimming to Chen Xiyuan, he reached out, grabbed her ankle, and brought her back to the shore.

It was only because Li Zhuiyuan had such a strong foundation; another child his age wouldn't have had the strength to retrieve a floating body from the river alone.

He took a towel from his bag, quickly dried himself, and put his clothes back on.

With a "pssh" sound, he opened a can of Jianlibao. The young man squatted beside Chen Xiyuan, sipping his drink while conducting an examination.

The good news was she wasn't dead yet.

The bad news was she was close to dying.

Although Li Zhuiyuan had executed the "rescue" operation perfectly, he had underestimated the group's destructive power and overestimated Chen Xiyuan's resilience.

She had actually been relying on her domain to hold on to her last breath. Now that the domain had dissipated, her injuries could no longer be suppressed.

External injuries weren't difficult to treat; his companions often sustained such injuries, so the young man had extensive experience in this area.

However, her problem lay in her meridians; they were almost completely severed.

For an ordinary person with such an injury, they would at best become a completely paralyzed invalid.

She was different.

At the breaks in her meridians, Li Zhuiyuan discovered shattered blue dots, which should have been fragments or remnants of her domain.

Logically, this shouldn't have happened.

A domain was not something one could cultivate merely by training bones and muscles; otherwise, the Qin family would be perfectly suited for it.

The young man analyzed that she must have forcibly drawn her domain, which should have been released externally, into her body to stabilize herself and ensure she could continue to function despite her severe injuries.

The side effects of this method had now appeared.

If her meridians couldn't be repaired in time, allowing these blue dots to be expelled and dissipate naturally, they would gradually go out of control within her body.

At that point, she would swell up, her body becoming like a long-floating corpse, resembling meat jelly—no, worse than a mere corpse, she would explode.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the unconscious woman before him, imagining the scene of her exploding.

It wouldn't be a single explosion; one blue dot exploding would trigger another.

In other words, Chen Xiyuan would explode continuously, like a firecracker, once, twice, thrice, four times...

Until, in the end, absolutely nothing would be left.

There were methods in the martial world for rejoining tendons and meridians, but this was an ancient craft, not something that could be learned merely by reading theories. Moreover, it required significant talent.

If A-Li were given enough time to learn and practice, she should be able to reach that level. A-Li's aptitude in this area was something even Li Zhuiyuan admired.

After all, if he had a choice, Li Zhuiyuan wouldn't want A-Li to toil making things by hand for him. But with increasingly sophisticated tools and higher demands for manual craftsmanship, Li Zhuiyuan truly couldn't manage without A-Li. Most of the time, he was relegated to design and assisting.

Of course, even taking Chen Xiyuan back to Nantong, his hometown, wasn't realistic now. Even without considering the 'River Trial' factor, there wasn't enough time.

Rather than waiting for A-Li to master it, it would be better to find an open area, tie Chen Xiyuan to a wooden pole, and let her explode more conveniently into the sky.

Li Zhuiyuan: "You're really lucky."

The young man picked up Chen Xiyuan on his back and walked away from the riverbank.

She wasn't heavy, and with significant blood loss, she felt even lighter.

Though he "carried" her, he could only lift half her body; her legs still dragged on the ground.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't think he was short; he thought her legs were too long.

Ahead was a melon field. Li Zhuiyuan carried her into a simple melon shed.

Inside, there was a bed with an old straw mat, a pot, bowls, a small stove made of bricks, and in a corner, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar in soda bottles.

After placing Chen Xiyuan on the mat, Li Zhuiyuan went to the river to get water. He returned, started a fire, boiled the water, and took out various pills to add for concocting a medicinal brew.

While the medicine was brewing, the young man took out some medicinal powder and applied it to Chen Xiyuan's wounds all over her body.

Then he poured the concocted medicine into a bowl and fed it to her.

It was manageable; even though she was unconscious, she still swallowed instinctively, saving a lot of trouble.

After feeding her the medicine, Li Zhuiyuan cleaned the bloodstains from Chen Xiyuan's body, making her look less gruesome and more like someone simply ill and unconscious.

As for concealing her aura, one needed an aura to conceal. She was now barely breathing, in a state like a living dead person, which saved him trouble. Furthermore, Li Zhuiyuan also placed a "Heart Calming Talisman" on her chest, as a final layer of insurance. After doing all this, Li Zhuiyuan was about to prepare some instant vegetable packs and compressed biscuits for himself when he heard approaching footsteps.

Soon after, an old, wrinkled hand grasped the edge of the melon shed, followed by an old woman's face slowly peering in.

She must have seen the signs of human activity inside the shed and realized someone was there, so she approached cautiously.

The old woman looked at Li Zhuiyuan, then at Chen Xiyuan on the mat, and was so startled that she immediately let go and ran away.

Li Zhuiyuan took money from his bag, preparing it.

At that moment, Zeng General returned, transforming into a card and reappearing in the young man's hand.

Not long after, the old woman returned, bringing an old man with her.

The old man was very thin, his limbs like straw, yet he still gave an impression of sturdy health. However, they hadn't come to settle accounts.

The old man held a bag of noodles, and the old woman carried a black plastic bag.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!"

The old man was mute, gesturing continuously with his hands.

The old woman squatted down and emptied the contents of the black plastic bag; it was full of medicine.

A small portion came in medicine boxes, but most were in small white paper bags, similar to those used by photo studios for pictures.

For ordinary people, a whole box of medicine was too expensive, and often they wouldn't need to take that much to get better, so clinics would sell loose medicine like this.

However, these small yellow and white pills were mostly for headaches, fevers, and diarrhea; they were useless here.

The old woman pointed at the medicine on the ground, then at the unconscious Chen Xiyuan on the mat:

"Take medicine... for sickness... take medicine... and it'll be fine... bitter... good..."

The old woman wasn't stuttering.

Li Zhuiyuan had noticed when she first came alone that she had an intellectual disability.

That's why Li Zhuiyuan hadn't stopped her earlier, but waited for her to bring her family before he offered money.

He had used their things without permission and soiled their mat, so he naturally owed them compensation.

However, they clearly had no intention of asking for compensation. The old man began to prepare food, boiling noodles.

The old woman continued to insist that Li Zhuiyuan choose some of the pills for Chen Xiyuan to take. In her understanding, all illnesses in the world could be cured simply by taking these bitter little pills.

Li Zhuiyuan humored the old woman, choosing a few berberine tablets for Chen Xiyuan to take.

Seeing this, the old woman clapped her hands happily, even hopping a few times.

Berberine was for diarrhea; its side effect was typically constipation.

After putting the noodles in the pot, the old man ran out again, picked some vegetables from his own garden, washed them by the river, brought them back, broke them up, and put them in the pot.

He didn't stop there; he picked several melons from the field and offered them to Li Zhuiyuan.

Seeing Li Zhuiyuan politely wave his hand, the old man simply cut open the melon himself and offered it to him again with genuine warmth.

In their eyes, Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan were likely a mother and son, or perhaps siblings, who had fled from trouble.

They were actively offering all the help they could, and from start to finish, they showed no indication of expecting payment.

After finishing the noodles, Li Zhuiyuan asked them where he could find a vehicle—a car or van wasn't necessary, a tractor would do.

To save Chen Xiyuan's life, he needed to get into the city, near the hospital he'd visited his first time in Luoyang.

When describing it, he had to use gestures and sound effects.

The old woman immediately understood, nodding vigorously and patting her chest.

The old man was deaf and mute, with a slightly poorer understanding, so the old woman had to describe it to him using their unique sign language.

After understanding, the old man hesitated for a moment, then nodded emphatically and went out with the old woman.

When the old man returned, he was pulling the cart he usually used to transport melons.

After placing Chen Xiyuan on the melon cart, Li Zhuiyuan tried to pull it, but the old man refused. He put a strap across his chest, gripped the handlebars with both hands, and steadily walked forward.

They passed through a small country lane and reached a village. Ahead, a tractor came rumbling out, and the old woman was standing happily in its rear bed, waving her hand.

The man driving the tractor stopped the vehicle and made a hand gesture indicating a number to the old man. The old man nodded repeatedly. This meant the tractor had been called for a fee.

Chen Xiyuan was placed onto the tractor. Li Zhuiyuan told the driver the location of the hospital. It was perfectly normal for a sick or injured person to go to a hospital. The driver nodded, turned the tractor around, and drove off.

The old man and old woman stood in place, watching.

Then, they seemed to discover something and ran after the tractor again, each holding up money—the money the young man had secretly put in their pockets had been found.

But they didn't run far before stopping, gasping for breath.

The tractor driver didn't notice them behind and continued driving.

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at Chen Xiyuan, then, imitating the gesture she had made to Tan Wenbin in the soup shop, he waved his hand to the old man and old woman.

Heaven has eyes; otherwise, so many terrifying beings wouldn't all fear the Heavenly Dao.

But it must be very busy; in many places, it actually doesn't see. The saying "good begets good, evil begets evil" is sometimes not accurate.

So Li Zhuiyuan waved his hand a few more times.

"Hey, pay more attention."

Li Zhuiyuan didn't ask the tractor driver to drive into the hospital, but rather to stop at the alley entrance across the street.

After getting off, the tractor driver asked Li Zhuiyuan for the fare.

"They'll give it to you."

"One's simple-minded, one's deaf. What if I don't get the money?"

"How much?"

The driver named a price, double what he had gestured to the old man earlier.

Li Zhuiyuan paid the money.

The driver, smoking a cigarette, smiled and drove away on his tractor.

Li Zhuiyuan, carrying Chen Xiyuan on his back, had just entered the alley when he encountered two heavily made-up women. With exclamations of "Oh dear!", they proactively ran over to help support her.

One asked, "What happened?"

The other asked, "Should we take her to the hospital?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "It's nothing. My sister just has low blood sugar."

The two women helped Chen Xiyuan walk further into the alley.

Along the way, they passed many small massage parlors, where several women stood at their doorways waiting for business. Seeing the situation, they all inquired what was wrong. The two women answered, as Li Zhuiyuan had instructed, that it was low blood sugar.

Soon, Li Zhuiyuan's hands were filled with candies and sponge cakes, and his pockets were stuffed with them too—all their usual snacks.

Li Zhuiyuan had rarely experienced such a scene before.

Mainly, his image and Chen Xiyuan's current state created a very convincing combination.

It was already afternoon, nearing dusk, and the alley was approaching its busiest time of day.

All the colorful signboard lights had come on, making the entire alley sparkle.

Inside the narrow windows of Yaoji Tailor Shop, the mother of the small inn owner upstairs, the old woman, was doing mending.

Women had many clothes, which were easily worn out, so there was a great demand for mending.

Some people simply didn't know how to sew;

Some who once knew how were now out of practice, and besides, their skill was nowhere near the old woman's, whose repairs were utterly invisible;

Some were very skilled in needlework, but not *this kind* of needlework.

The old woman charged very little, just a symbolic amount, so she was very popular in this alley. Even during "off-peak" times, besides those who came for mending, a group of people would bring plastic stools and sit by her shop entrance, chatting with her. If they had disputes, they would also ask her to mediate.

Those in this line of work generally didn't operate in their hometowns, so the women here were mostly outsiders. With the old woman, they found a sense of belonging. The old woman also enjoyed this life; her son had long urged her to close the tailor shop, as it didn't earn much, and she deserved to rest.

But she was unwilling. She had experienced liveliness before, she couldn't bear to lose this lively atmosphere, and she enjoyed the feeling of being needed.

She still remembered how, as a young girl, she was led by the Young Mistress's hand to the needlework courtyard.

In front of all the embroiderers, the Young Mistress stripped the clothes off the madam in charge, who had bullied her and tried to force her to marry her son, then hung her up and whipped her.

As she whipped, she cursed:

"The master of this house is named Liu. Are you named Liu? How dare you bully people here? Hmph, it's a good thing you're not named Liu. If someone named Liu dared to bully people like this, what I'd be holding today wouldn't be a whip, but a sword. I'd lop off their head and offer it in the ancestral hall, to let our ancestors see what kind of degenerate has emerged among their descendants!"

Feeling humiliated by this punishment, the madam cried and shouted that she would throw herself into a well to commit suicide.

The Young Mistress snorted coldly: "Go ahead, jump. Once you've drowned, your spirit can still meet me again, and you'll see how I'll continue to torment you."

The madam was so terrified she dared not wail anymore. She and her son knelt for three days and three nights in front of the young embroiderers' sleeping quarters, and were finally expelled from the household.

From then on, her life became much easier. Not only did no one dare bully her in the needlework courtyard, but even the high-ranking house-born young masters and mistresses, and even the legitimate young lords and ladies, would come to her for measurements, speaking with the utmost politeness.

She felt somewhat apprehensive, yet greatly enjoyed the feeling of making clothes. Many of the materials were so precious that most embroiderers in the world had never even seen them, let alone used them.

The garment she had made with the most care in her life was the Young Mistress's wedding dress.

Every stitch on the wedding dress was significant, symbolizing good fortune and a harmonious, joyful marriage.

Yet, the garment she had made the worst in her life was also that wedding dress.

She always felt it must have been when she was rushing to make the wedding dress, that she dozed off, lost focus, or miscounted a stitch, which led to what happened to the Young Mistress later…

At this thought, her eyes blurred.

The old woman reached for a white handkerchief nearby, dipped it in water, and wiped her eyes.

For some reason, all day today, she couldn't help but recall things from the past.

Perhaps it was because she was getting old.

They say that when people get old, whether standing or lying down, as long as they stop to rest, they start recalling past events, like pulling roasted peanuts from a pocket and shelling them when their mouth is idle.

After wiping away her tears, her vision cleared.

Through the shop window, the old woman saw the young man approaching, and behind him, Chen Xiyuan, supported by two women.

This was...

The old woman could tell at a glance from Chen Xiyuan's swaying posture that the young girl was severely injured.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Thank you. You can put my sister down here."

"You know Grandma Yao?"

"Grandma Yao, is this a relative of yours?"

Li Zhuiyuan nodded: "Yes, we're family."

Hearing this, the old woman immediately stood up and sternly retorted:

"I don't know you. What family?"

Injuries like these would be hard to inflict even with imprisonment and torture. Getting involved with someone like this could easily lead to societal trouble.

Moreover, as they drew closer, the old woman perceived the severity of the injuries even more clearly.

It was incredible that this girl was still alive with such severe injuries.

This indicated that the trouble might not be from ordinary society, but from the martial world.

Therefore, when Li Zhuiyuan claimed they were family, Yao Shan became agitated. What was the difference between this and having dirt thrown on her face?

The two women who had helped support Chen Xiyuan had never seen Grandma Yao so agitated and stern. They both looked at the young man with suspicious eyes. Just as they were about to speak up and help Grandma Yao continue her questioning, Li Zhuiyuan looked at the old woman in the window and said:

"I am from the Liu family."

Woman: "Liu? You're not a Yao!"

Another woman: "Then why did you say you were family with Grandma Yao?"

"Young master-in-law!!!"

Yaoji Inn didn't rent rooms by the hour, so by this time of day, there were generally no check-ins or check-outs.

This policy didn't significantly harm business, as guests chose to stay there primarily for the low price. Yaoji also had another advantage: it was quiet.

No one wanted to be getting ready for bed late at night only for the room next door to suddenly make *that kind* of noise. Not only did it disrupt sleep, but when frustration built up, one couldn't help but go down to find a massage parlor. Accounting for the time spent walking and going up and down stairs, one's wallet would certainly become lighter.

Yao Nianen checked the accounts and prepared to find his wife. It was almost dinnertime, a perfect opportunity for some affection.

Unexpectedly, his mother suddenly spoke, instructing him, his wife, and their two sons to go into the inner room to pack things.

His mother had a special room that family members were usually not allowed to enter freely. His mother would go in a few times a month, stay for a whole day, and not permit any disturbances.

While tidying the room, his wife touched the fabric on something:

"This fabric is really comfortable."

"Hasn't Mother made clothes for you?"

"I just said it was comfortable. Feel it yourself if you don't believe me."

"I've felt even more comfortable things."

"It must be very expensive, right?"

"Whether it's expensive or not, what does that have to do with us?"

"So I'm not even allowed to talk about it, huh? It's not like I wanted it."

Yao Nianen was a very filial son and obeyed his mother at home.

Logically, for the owner of an inn in such an alley, it would be incredibly easy to indulge. Yet, Yao Nianen had never patronized such establishments and maintained a very good relationship with his wife.

The old woman walked over and asked, "Are you done tidying up?"

"Mother, everything is tidied up just as you said."

"Good, then go out. Daughter-in-law, go downstairs and help carry someone up."

"Yes!"

The daughter-in-law had always been obedient in front of her mother-in-law, mainly because she respected her.

Low-class mothers-in-law liked to quarrel with their daughters-in-law over trivial matters. Yao Shan had lived in the Liu family mansion and had seen much of the inner household's affairs, so she naturally wasn't so narrow-minded.

"Mother, I'll go too."

"That's a young lady. Your hands are dirty."

Yao Nianen smiled awkwardly.

The daughter-in-law went downstairs to help Li Zhuiyuan carry Chen Xiyuan upstairs and into the room. Yao Shan pushed her son and his family all out, instructing them not to approach the area afterward.

After closing and locking the door, she wrapped it with silk threads of several colors.

She took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.

Yao Shan turned and knelt before Li Zhuiyuan.

"Greetings, young master-in-law!"

Li Zhuiyuan had been prepared, his hand ready, and stopped her in time.

"Grandma said the old customs are no longer in vogue."

"Young master-in-law, please let me kneel. I've waited for this day for a long time. I've always hoped to one day again pay respects to the Young Mistress… to Grandma Liu. I beg you, young master-in-law, to grant my wish."

Li Zhuiyuan pointed at the hairpin in the old woman's hair and said:

"Since Grandma gave you that, it means she considers you family. You are an elder. If you wish to burden me with such a grand gesture, then kneel."

Yao Shan was instantly frozen, neither kneeling nor standing.

After a moment, she pulled out the hairpin from her hair and asked, confused:

"Young master-in-law recognizes this hairpin?"

"Yes, I've seen A-Li wear it."

"Ah!"

Yao Shan clearly didn't know it was A-Li's hairpin.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have worn it casually.

"Young Mistress... How could Grandma Liu give me the Young Lady's item like this? I..."

The older members of the Liu family still habitually referred to Liu Yumei as "Young Mistress."

However, with Li Zhuiyuan present, calling her "Young Mistress" would mix up the generations.

From Yao Shan's address to him, it could be discerned that she wasn't aware of any inheritance.

Aunt Liu and Uncle Qin were house-born members of the core circles of the Qin and Liu families, respectively. Grandma Yao was clearly on the periphery.

In the martial world, the principles of inheritance surpassed those of bloodline. When Grandma Liu entrusted him with the inheritances of the two Dragon King lineages, she didn't ask him to change his surname or get engaged prematurely.

Therefore, theoretically, even A-Li, who possessed the bloodline of both families, would still rank after him in the order of the Qin and Liu families.

The title "young master-in-law" should not have been applied to Li Zhuiyuan within the Qin and Liu families.

If one were to be strict, in formal settings, Aunt Liu and Uncle Qin would address him as "Young Master." At the very least, they would call him "Young Master of the Main Family." However, Yao Shan's use of "young master-in-law" surely wasn't her own initiative. A-Li was still young; she couldn't have personally arranged a husband for A-Li.

So, unless there was an unexpected circumstance, it was likely that Grandma Liu herself used this term in her correspondence with Yao Shan.

Between sisters-in-law, especially elderly ones, there were no taboo topics.

It was the first time Li Zhuiyuan learned that Grandma Liu privately referred to him as her "grandson-in-law."

Compared to Great-Grandfather, who would only secretly buy two colors of the same style of clothes, he now seemed conservative.

When Li Zhuiyuan stated he was from the Liu family, Yao Shan immediately believed him.

This was because she had been puzzled by Li Zhuiyuan's physique that morning; she had personally made clothes for him.

Having composed herself, Yao Shan asked Li Zhuiyuan:

"Young master-in-law, is there anything you need me to do?"

Li Zhuiyuan pointed at Chen Xiyuan, who was laid out on the tailor's table:

"Her meridians are all severed. Can you sew them back together?"

"Just sewing meridians?"

"Is it difficult?"

"No, it's simple. I've worked with all sorts of fabrics before, much more difficult than meridians."

"Thank you for your hard work."

"Young master-in-law, please don't say that. Being able to do something for you is my lifelong blessing."

Yao Shan took out her sewing box and began preparations. Neither the needles nor the threads inside were ordinary.

Besides, many of the fabrics stored there were so valuable that selling even a bolt would fetch an astronomical price.

Li Zhuiyuan asked, "Why do you live such a simple life?"

Yao Shan: "The Young Mistress once examined Nianen and said he had little good fortune, unable to withstand great wealth. He must cherish his blessings to live long."

Grandma Yao had a good family fortune. Anyone who had a good relationship with Liu Yumei wouldn't be doing poorly.

Li Zhuiyuan: "I've checked him. Your son has already passed that hurdle."

Yao Shan: "But our life now is already very good. He's called 'Boss, boss' every day, and our family has no shortage of income.

My daughter-in-law is healthy, and both grandsons are in school with good grades. This is already a very good life."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Yes, indeed."

Yao Shan was ready and began to apply the needles.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't interrupt her again. In fact, to avoid putting pressure on her, the young man deliberately sat in a corner, closed his eyes, and dozed off.

Night deepened.

Yao Shan put away her needlework, personally wiped Chen Xiyuan's body, and changed her clothes.

As she finished, a white handkerchief was offered from the side. Yao Shan paused, "Young master-in-law, are you awake?"

"Mm."

Yao Shan took the white handkerchief, put it away, and wiped the sweat from her face with her sleeve.

"Was it successful?"

"Replying to Young master-in-law, although the damage was severe, this girl's meridians are thick and robust, so mending them wasn't difficult."

"And her recovery afterward?"

"That won't be difficult either. Although I don't understand it myself, there should be a way for her to fully recover."

"Understood."

"Young master-in-law, I'll go down and have my daughter-in-law prepare a meal for you, then serve you."

"Let's eat together. We're family; it feels too formal, and I'm uncomfortable."

"Yes, young master-in-law."

Yao Shan untangled the silk threads on the door lock, opened the door, and exited the room.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Chen Xiyuan lying on the table and said:

"Since you're awake, stop pretending to be asleep."

Chen Xiyuan slowly opened her eyes. However, although she was awake, her gaze was still somewhat unfocused, clearly indicating that her consciousness hadn't fully recovered; it was similar to a normal person's half-asleep, half-awake state.

From this, it was clear that she had experienced too few life-or-death situations. She lacked the instinct to force herself to fully awaken quickly even with the slightest return of consciousness in an unfamiliar environment.

She wasn't a hothouse flower, but her domain was so powerful it was like a hothouse itself.

Even so, a hint of confusion still showed in her gaze as she looked at Li Zhuiyuan.

This made the young man wonder if his assessment of her at this stage was incorrect.

Li Zhuiyuan: "If you have anything to ask, go ahead."

Chen Xiyuan: "You're so young, and you're already a live-in son-in-law?"

"Snap!"

A sealing talisman was slapped onto Chen Xiyuan's forehead. She immediately closed her eyes and fainted.

"You should, perhaps, sleep a bit more."