I'm Feng Aotian—And I’m Running Away from My Wedding - Chapter 11

One hour later.

“Hah…” Li Baiying spat out the cloth strip she had chewed to shreds, trembling as she reached out her hand.

Almost simultaneously, a brand new cloth strip was placed between her fingers, which she then clenched tightly between her teeth with a ferocity that suggested some deep-seated grudge against it.

“Almost done,” Qin Yixiao said softly, unconsciously speeding up her movements.

Li Baiying gave a slight nod to show she heard. Her consciousness was completely blurred, sustained only by sheer willpower to keep from fainting.

The bitter scent of medicinal herbs filled her nostrils, making her feel as if she had been dragged out of a medicine jar, thoroughly marinated inside and out.

“Rest now. If all goes well, you’ll be able to walk by tomorrow.”

Qin Yixiao lifted the wooden bucket, which was more than half-filled with murky water buzzing densely with the chirping of insects. She placed it by the drainage ditch in the backyard, a cold glint flashing at her fingertips as she instantly reduced it all to ashes.

Moments later, she turned around as if nothing had happened and gently pushed open the slightly ajar wooden door.

Li Baiying had already fallen into a deep sleep. The thin quilt covering her back had slipped to the floor due to her restless movements, revealing the gruesome wounds. Although all the venomous insects had been removed, spiderweb-like cracks still exuded faint traces of black qi, continuously expelling residual toxins.

“This kind of poison…”

Her gaze sharpening, Qin Yixiao suddenly remembered something and took out a small vial to collect a sample of the toxic qi.

She seemed to have seen similar substances recorded in her family’s library.

…

Early the next morning.

Li Baiying was awakened by her biological clock, as she usually practiced martial arts in the courtyard at this hour.

Now, severely injured, exercise remained only a thought in her mind. Unable to stay idle, she pushed the door open and wandered aimlessly around the clinic.

Having rushed here in a hurry last night solely focused on detoxification, she had only noticed the two lanterns hanging at the entrance, similar to any ordinary clinic. Now, with a relaxed mind, she discovered that the backyard held hidden wonders.

For instance, beyond the medicinal herb garden bloomed vibrant flowers, their fragrance neutralizing the bitterness and lending an air of elegance. Bending over, she shuffled slowly until, with lightning speed, she reached out and caught a fluttering blue butterfly in her palm.

“Feeling better already?”

Hearing the familiar, calm tone, she froze mid-action and reluctantly turned to the speaker. “No, I just found lying in bed too boring.”

“If you don’t rest properly and your wounds worsen, you’ll have to endure last night’s scraping treatment all over again.”

Qin Yixiao frowned slightly, stepped forward, took the butterfly from her hand, and released it. “Come with me.”

“…Fine. You’re the physician. I’ll listen to you.”

Despite her strong reluctance, Li Baiying trudged slowly behind her. “You’ve managed the clinic quite well. These flowers clearly receive careful attention, their branches are neatly trimmed.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Qin Yixiao expressionlessly opened the door, watched her enter, then slammed it shut with a “bang,” leaving no room for negotiation.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting spots of light on the bed. Li Baiying sat blankly for a while, having just retrieved some newly bought dry rations from her bag when she heard a creak.

“Breakfast. Eat it while it’s hot.”

Qin Yixiao placed a tray with meat buns and plain congee on the table and was about to leave when Li Baiying grabbed her wrist.

“I forgot to mention yesterday, it’s been a full six years since we last saw each other, hasn’t it?” Li Baiying pulled over a long bench, completely ignoring the other’s cold expression, and instead pressed her down to sit beside her. “Let’s chat.”

Receiving no response, she wasn’t discouraged. She took a bite of a meat bun and continued on her own, “Is this clinic yours?”

“No, I only come here occasionally.”

“Seems like my luck is pretty good then.” Sensing the other’s reluctance to elaborate, she curled her lips into a bright smile. “Just happened to get assassinated, and just happened to run this way.”

“Assassination?”

Those one word finally elicited a different reaction from the young woman, who rarely pressed for details. “Who’s after you?”

“People in black cloaks and black hoods, weirdos.”

After saying this, Li Baiying suddenly slammed the table. “I should’ve pulled off their hoods to take a look before I left! Ugh, my first time disposing of bodies, and I made such a rookie mistake.”

“Most who take on assassination missions are death warriors. Even if you saw their faces, it’d be hard to trace them back,” Qin Yixiao remarked, observing her frustration and unwittingly adding a few more words. “What you really need to look for is a token.”

“I’ve got that. I stripped them clean, nothing fell out.”

With that, Li Baiying set aside her bun, stood up, and laid out a collection of peculiar medicine bottles on the table. “Here, just these.”

“They’re poisons,” Qin Yixiao confirmed after just a glance. “You should be glad that when you were shot yesterday, only one type was used.”

“So, they wanted me alive.”

Li Baiying immediately grasped her meaning, her expression darkening briefly. But after devouring the rest of her bun in large bites, she returned to her usual relaxed demeanor. “No big deal. I’ll fight them off, no matter how many come, treat them all the same.”

“Have you made any enemies?”

“No idea. Even if I did, they wouldn’t tell me to my face, would they?” Propping her chin, she thought seriously for a long while. “If you ask me, there are quite a few suspects.”

“For example, a certain cousin in the clan. Last time, she came to borrow some elixirs from me, and when I refused, she went around crying about how heartless I was. Later, I challenged her to a duel, and she’s been quiet ever since, no more hopping around in front of me.”

“Then there’s that one from your Qin family, name’s not important, the direct disciple whose Shadowless Bear I snatched six years ago. He sent me three challenge letters afterward, all full of arrogance, so I beat him down three times in the arena. In the end, he had to be carried back.”

“And also-”

Once she started, it seemed she could go on forever. In the end, Qin Yixiao couldn’t take it anymore and cut her off:

“Let me rephrase: who haven’t you offended?”

At this, Li Baiying suddenly fell silent. After a long pause, she looked up and said seriously, “You.”

“…”

The response was a slightly flustered glare from the young woman. “Do you not remember what happened six years ago?”

“How could I forget!” Li Baiying seemed oblivious to the implied meaning and declared confidently, “In the secret realm, we worked together seamlessly and later happily split the treasures. It was a win-win situation.”

“Get some rest. I’m leaving.”

Realizing that delving into the past was a mistake, Qin Yixiao stood up and unilaterally ended the conversation.

“Wait a moment!” Li Baiying swiftly grabbed her arm. “If you’re still upset about what happened before, I can apologize. I was indeed too impulsive back then and didn’t consider things from your perspective.”

“But this time, I swear nothing like that will happen again.”

“This time?”

“Mm.” She unfolded the map, pointing to the treasure hunting location. “I’ve looked into it beforehand. Besides rare treasures appearing, this place often yields spiritual herbs that can improve meridians. I thought if we could obtain a few, it would greatly benefit your future cultivation.”

So… that was the reason? Qin Yixiao stared coldly at her, trying to see through the facade. Yet Li Baiying remained completely open under her scrutiny, even blinking at her expectantly.

“This is a perfect win-win situation. After all, I’ve always wanted to work with you again.”

“You’re just after my treasure-hunting spirit fox, aren’t you?” The young woman let out a light laugh, her crimson lips parting slightly. “But I have no interest whatsoever.”

In the next instant, a dagger appeared in her hand, its chilling gleam pressing against Li Baiying’s neck as cold as her tone. “What exactly are you plotting?”