The Sickly Senior Sister Ran Away After We Got Intimate - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: The Bite Marks Instantly Leap Into View

“This—” Xiang Qingqing looked conflicted and advised, “Eldest Senior Sister is at Master’s residence right now. Won’t you just make her angrier if you go there? It’s better if Junior Sister stays put.”

She had always feared Wen Yingyi. Although her fear was subjective, she wasn’t exaggerating. This morning, Wen Yingyi’s gaze was like a blade; a single glance was enough to send shivers down one’s spine. Her words seemed casual, but they struck where it hurt. Recalling it now, Xiang Qingqing still felt a lingering dread.

“Master has been in seclusion for a long time and emerges today. As Master’s beloved disciple, it is only right that I go visit.” He Chen was focused solely on apologizing and couldn’t listen to advice. She twisted the hem of her clothes, her expression full of unease.

“Master has emerged several times before, and I never saw Junior Sister being this diligent,” Xiang Qingqing said bluntly. “Besides, Master’s favorite disciple is Eldest Senior Sister. Every time she comes out, she sees Eldest Senior Sister first, then the rest of us.”

Xiang Qingqing was timid and didn’t dare defy Wen Yingyi’s instructions. She thought to herself that if she really delivered He Chen there, there would likely be hell to pay. She dithered for a moment, her gaze falling on He Chen. Seeing the girl rubbing her waist, she suddenly remembered that she was an accomplice in He Chen’s injury and was equally to blame.

The injury on the arm was hidden in the sleeve and hard to notice, but a waist injury would be exposed the moment she started walking.

She can’t go! Xiang Qingqing shook her head violently. Then, remembering that the monthly examination was approaching and the transcriptions weren’t finished, she used it as an excuse to decline. She asked, “The monthly exam is coming up; have you two finished your transcriptions?”

Knowing Bu Lanfang was clever and more hardworking than the rest, this question was specifically targeted at He Chen.

Bu Lanfang nodded. “I finished them two days ago.”

“Ah! Oh no! I was in such a rush I forgot about that!” He Chen was vexed; she had actually forgotten such an important matter.

Hearing this, Xiang Qingqing felt a sense of relief. “Then Junior Sister definitely can’t go. If Master asks, how will you answer? If Master finds out you had no time for transcriptions but had time to catch rabbits…”

“You’re right!” He Chen felt Xiang Qingqing’s logic was sound. After pondering for a moment, her face lit up with joy. “If Master asks, I’ll just say I finished them before I got injured! As for how I got hurt—if I don’t say anything and you don’t say anything, how would Master know?”

As He Chen spoke, her mind raced. Usually, her transcription insights were mostly copied from others. Since Wen Yingyi was currently angry, she clearly couldn’t ask her. With two Senior Sisters right in front of her, she naturally had to start with them. Then, considering she was injured and couldn’t move easily, and Master’s residence was quite far, she needed someone to support her.

Noticing Xiang Qingqing’s fear of Wen Yingyi, her eyes darted around as she hatched a plan. But before she could speak, Xiang Qingqing said, “Don’t forget, Junior Sister, Eldest Senior Sister also knows the truth. She’s still angry; she probably won’t help you.”

Would she expose me?

“How about this: Third Senior Sister will support me to go find Master, and Second Senior Sister can go back first. My hand is still injured and I can’t write yet, so I’ll trouble Second Senior Sister to do my transcriptions for me. How about it?”

After making the suggestion, He Chen glanced at Xiang Qingqing. Seeing her hesitation and fearing she might refuse, she added, “Once I’m better, I’m willing to work like a horse for Second Senior Sister, at your total beck and call.”

Upon hearing this, the weight in Xiang Qingqing’s heart finally lifted. Although she hadn’t successfully stopped He Chen, since she wasn’t going herself, the accountability wouldn’t fall on her, and she wouldn’t have to deal with Wen Yingyi. She was secretly delighted but put on a reluctant front. “I suppose that works. Third Junior Sister, what do you think?”

Bu Lanfang paused slightly, a faint smile touching her lips. She nodded. “We’ll do as Little Junior Sister says. I’ve missed Master as well.”

He Chen took the opportunity to add, “Oh, and Second Senior Sister, when you write mine, try to imitate my handwriting as much as possible. I have a schoolwork notebook in my room with a little bit already written. You just need to continue from there, just try to mimic my style.”

Xiang Qingqing sighed. “I know, I’ll try my best.”

Inside Hall Master Chang Nong’s Residence.

Upon entering the house, Wen Yingyi first arranged the washed fruit on the tea table, lit the sandalwood incense, brewed fresh tea, and finally watered the potted plants one by one.

Everything was prepared, but seeing as it wasn’t yet time for Chang Nong to emerge, she sat in a chair to rest. She was anxious to confirm the strange nature of the “Ten Thousand Wonders Bone-Eroding Pill” and had come early to wait. Having not eaten breakfast, her stomach was growling with hunger. Though her eyes were closed, she couldn’t sleep, so she simply peeled a banana to eat.

Just as she bit into the last piece and had barely chewed twice, she heard a faint movement from the secret chamber. She hurriedly rose, placed the banana peel on the tea table, and walked quickly toward the chamber door.

In her haste, her skirt swept across the table, knocking the banana peel onto the floor.

Wen Yingyi stood before the secret chamber door, wiped the corners of her mouth, and tucked her hair forward, pressing it down.

With a “creak,” the door slowly opened, and Chang Nong stepped out. Wen Yingyi rushed forward to support her, calling softly, “Master—”

“Mmm.” Chang Nong looked at Wen Yingyi, her gaze lingering and wandering over her for a long time. She asked, “Did you run into any troublesome matters while I was away?”

Wen Yingyi didn’t usually present herself like this. Her eyes were bloodshot, surrounded by dark circles, showing extreme exhaustion. Her dark hair wasn’t neatly styled as usual; parts of it fell to her waist while others were draped over her chest, as if she were intentionally trying to hide something. Her complexion was never great, but today it was even worse. Clearly, something had happened.

“No,” Wen Yingyi denied softly, pursing her lips. She avoided Chang Nong’s gaze, then added after a pause, “It’s just that Little Junior Sister accidentally fell and sustained some injuries. Fortunately, it’s nothing serious.”

He Chen’s injury would take time to heal, and with the monthly exam approaching, she would eventually have to see Chang Nong anyway. Wen Yingyi knew she couldn’t hide it. However, the reason for the injury could be glossed over. Chang Nong placed extreme importance on the medicinal fields; if she knew they were destroyed because of a wild rabbit, there would surely be punishment. It was better to confess first to seize the initiative. The Coming-of-Age ceremony happens only once in a lifetime; it should be spent happily. If she were punished just before it, how could she be joyful?

“A minor injury?” Chang Nong asked back.

“Mmm. She’s still a child at heart, after all. Once she was hurt, she took the chance to throw a tantrum. Last night she made a scene, refusing to sleep alone, and stayed at my place. Because of her fuss, I didn’t sleep well either,” Wen Yingyi explained.

Last night, her body had nearly spiraled out of control. She had relied entirely on meditation to regulate her breath until the latter half of the night to barely suppress it, after which she spent a long time writing. With no sleep, her energy was naturally flagging. Sensing something was off in Chang Nong’s gaze, she simply combined truth and lies to explain.

What she didn’t realize was that her superfluous explanation didn’t convince Chang Nong; instead, it piqued her suspicion. A person who was usually taciturn and rarely concerned with trivialities—someone who spoke little even with her peers—now sounded like she was trying too hard to cover something up.

“It seems that girl has caused you trouble again,” Chang Nong looked at her and said helplessly. “She’ll be fifteen in a few days; it’s time she grew up. Don’t spoil her anymore.”

Wen Yingyi bowed her head. “Yes. I’ve already notified Second Junior Sister; we indeed cannot spoil her further.”

Chang Nong nodded with satisfaction. “Did the miasma poison trigger early?”

This was Chang Nong’s primary concern. Her frequent seclusions were all to find a breakthrough for the poison in Wen Yingyi’s body. Every time the poison flared up, Chang Nong would apply acupuncture and give her a Mind-Concentrating Pill, allowing her to pass through safely each time. However, the flare-ups were becoming increasingly irregular. To find a solution sooner, she had to retreat frequently.

Before this seclusion, she had noticed an abnormality in Wen Yingyi’s pulse. Realizing no one else could perform the acupuncture and that the pill alone might not suppress it, she had left the ancestral “Ten Thousand Wonders Bone-Eroding Pill.” For twenty years, her research into the poison had yielded little, and she found no clues in ancient texts. Before retreating, she harbored a sliver of hope that Wen Yingyi could endure the ordeal through sheer will, repeatedly instructing her to only take the pill as a last resort.

As she spoke, Chang Nong reached out and grabbed Wen Yingyi’s hand, pulling up her sleeve. A row of clearly visible bite marks instantly leaped into view.

Wen Yingyi hadn’t expected Chang Nong to suddenly grab her hand. She froze and tried to pull back, but Chang Nong held firm, immediately taking her pulse. “Did you bite yourself?”

As soon as the question was asked, Chang Nong’s brow began to furrow, her expression turning grave. Wen Yingyi gave a light nod, only to hear Chang Nong sigh.

“You took the Ten Thousand Wonders Bone-Eroding Pill after all?”

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