The Sickly Senior Sister Ran Away After We Got Intimate - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: No Wonder It Felt So Real and the Touch Was So Good.

A flash of panic flickered in Wen Yingyi’s eyes. She lowered her head, her hands lightly kneading her hem; when she looked up again, her expression had returned to normal.

With unfazed composure, she said, “Last night, I know not whom Junior Sister was dreaming of, but she kept murmuring that person’s name, saying how much they looked after her. I pondered it but could not understand—Junior Sister has never been down the mountain, so where could she have met someone named—”

“Named what?” Chang Nong’s face turned cold. She leaned in close to He Chen and asked tensely, “Did you sneak down the mountain in secret?”

“No, no! Without Master’s permission, how would I dare leave the mountain on my own?” He Chen shook her head and waved her hands frantically. She certainly wanted to, but no one was willing to take her, and she didn’t dare go by herself.

Wen Yingyi paused, recalling the tone He Chen used when calling out to the cloth tiger. “Wen—Wen? Yes, someone named Wenwen. I could not hear clearly, so I moved closer. Unfortunately, Junior Sister’s strength is great; a momentary lapse in my vigilance allowed her to succeed.”

“Who is Wenwen?” Chang Nong asked again.

“Wenwen?” He Chen froze.

Wenwen? Could it be that what I called out last night was ‘Wen Wen’ (Wen Yingyi’s nickname)?!

So, the person I embraced last night was Senior Sister, not Wenwen the doll. As the thought crossed He Chen’s mind, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly. No wonder it felt so real, and the “hand-feel” was so good; even the scent was richer than the doll’s. If…

What am I thinking! He Chen suddenly shook her head vigorously, a faint blush rising on her face.

By now, the truth was out. Yet she was too ashamed to admit it; she feared that if she confessed, she would become a laughingstock. Moreover, with her Coming-of-Age ceremony approaching, she absolutely could not let her reputation be ruined by this matter.

“Wenwen—” He Chen pondered for a moment, forcing a smile as she said, “Wenwen… Wenwen is Senior Sister—”

“Huh?” Everyone in the room turned to stare at her before she could finish.

“I-I haven’t finished! Wenwen is that cloth tiger Eldest Senior Sister gave me before. I thought… I thought it looked quite gentle (Wen Jing), so I named it Wenwen.”

After explaining, He Chen nodded and turned to Wen Yingyi, emphasizing, “It’s not a person! Senior Sister, don’t misunderstand.”

Chang Nong breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. She instructed Bu Lanfang, “Pass the word down: have them go down the mountain tomorrow to buy some marrow bones and pig trotters. Slaughter a few free-range chickens as well. From now on, prepare more meat dishes for the three daily meals.”

“Thank you, Master!” He Chen immediately beamed with joy, unable to stop herself from swallowing her saliva.

“Alright, the dried fruit has been delivered. Go back and study your books. In two days, for the monthly exam, I shall test you personally. If there is no progress at all, you will have a bitter time of it!”

Having spoken, Chang Nong waved them away and turned toward her chair. After only two steps, she suddenly turned back and asked, “Have you studied? Are your transcriptions finished?”

He Chen, who was immersed in fantasies of delicious food, froze at these words. She hurriedly nodded. “I’ve studied, and the transcriptions are done.”

Once He Chen and Bu Lanfang had departed, Chang Nong told Wen Yingyi to close the door and called her forward.

Chang Nong wore a smile, though a hint of seriousness hid between her brows. After a moment of silence, she said, “During this seclusion, I finally found some clues from the fragmented ancient texts. The miasma poison in your body is very likely the Ice Miasma.”

She lightly patted Wen Yingyi’s hand and continued, “However, the texts are incomplete. They only record that the Ice Insect loves cold and fears heat. It takes three years to reach adulthood. During the larval stage, it flares up once every six months; as it grows into a juvenile, it is once every two months.”

“Over the past six months, your flare-ups have become frequent, occurring once a month. It seems it has reached the adult stage.”

Upon hearing that the poison had been identified as the Ice Miasma, a spark flashed in Wen Yingyi’s eyes. For the first time in twenty years, hope felt tangible. But when she heard it was already in the adult stage, the light in her eyes instantly died out.

Full of doubts, she couldn’t help but ask, “Master, why did it take twenty years to reach adulthood?”

Chang Nong explained, “I suspect that the consistent acupuncture over these twenty years, combined with the suppression from the Mind-Concentrating Pills, caused its development to be delayed.”

She didn’t have the heart to tell her the full truth. While the texts were indeed fragmented, the records concerning the Ice Insect were far more extensive than what she had just said.

Once the Ice Insect reaches adulthood, it is extremely difficult to kill. If the one who cast the curse controls it from nearby, Wen Yingyi will lose consciousness and become a puppet, her body controlled by the insect until she eventually loses all five senses, leaving her at someone else’s mercy.

Fortunately, the caster’s control over the Ice Insect has a distance limit; as long as Wen Yingyi stays within the Hall, she remains safe. However, for every day the insect is not removed, she must endure another day of agony. If the Ice Insect develops fully, it will gradually take over her body, turning her into a “miasma bed” to breed the next generation. Time was running out.

“The texts are incomplete, so the cure is unknown. Removing the miasma might require starting with the one who cast it…” Wen Yingyi murmured to herself, a sudden wave of sorrow washing over her.

Over the past twenty years, she had grown accustomed to and accepted her broken body. She never dared to wish for a long life. But just now, hearing that a clue had been found, she actually felt a stroke of luck and a strong urge to survive.

Twenty years had passed since the curse was cast; she didn’t even know if the perpetrator was still alive. And someone capable of such a sinister act—even if found—would likely be unwilling to remove the poison for her.

Thinking of this, Wen Yingyi couldn’t help but shake her head with a bitter smile, mocking herself for having such delusions. Since birth, her life had been in the hands of the King of Hell. If the King wanted her dead at the third watch, how could she live until the fifth? To have survived until now was already a blessing; how could she dare to have other extravagant hopes?

Living until today had been hard, but she had endured. From now on, she would take it one step at a time and cease harboring greedy thoughts, lest she fall into even greater disappointment. To her, having no expectations meant there would be no letdown. Every extra day lived was a day earned.

Chang Nong saw Wen Yingyi’s sorrow and felt heartbroken. She consoled her, “As long as I am here, I will not let anything happen to you. Even if I am gone, the next Hall Master will continue to perform your acupuncture and search for a cure. You needn’t worry, Yi’er.”

“Thank you, Master. I have come to terms with it. My current state is not bad. With a little effort to overcome the difficulties, I am content just to serve by your side.”

Chang Nong suddenly remembered the matter of the medicine and cautioned, “By the way, keep that pill with you, but remember not to take it again.”

“Its effects linger in the body unlike other pills, which are absorbed within two days. I do not know exactly how long it will remain. For the time being, try to avoid physical contact with other disciples to prevent ‘restlessness’ of the heart.”

Restlessness of the heart?

Wen Yingyi was stunned for a moment, then understood the underlying meaning. She replied, “Understood.”

Chang Nong had spoken euphemistically; she was actually worried that while the medicine’s effects hadn’t worn off, Wen Yingyi’s body would remain sensitive. If she had contact with others, an accident might occur.

Though she gave these instructions, she knew in her heart that Wen Yingyi possessed immense self-control and was not that kind of person. She had shared a bed with He Chen on the day she took it and had not lost her composure at the critical moment; now that the effects were fading, it was even less likely to happen.

The warning was born of caution, but it was not redundant. Wen Yingyi loved quiet and was a woman of few words who disliked physical contact; she wouldn’t actively provoke others. But He Chen was different—she was naturally active and had been clingy toward Wen Yingyi since childhood. Without a reminder, Chang Nong feared that if He Chen didn’t know the inside story, she wouldn’t stay away, which posed a significant hidden risk.

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