CH 130

Villainous Fake Eunuch (7)

Song Xu Yi narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look. However, it seemed that the man had already let go of her waist and had turned to face the bawling man in front of him.

The burly man whimpered and took a step back, realizing that the person responsible for his current distress was the unassuming man who now stared at him with a cold, unwavering gaze. With trembling voice, he pleaded: “I was foolish and blinded by greed. Please forgive me, I won’t make the same mistake again.”

The man remained silent, watching the big man with an indifferent expression that made him seem more like a statue than a living being.

The burly man’s fear escalated, and he began to sweat profusely as he avoided the man’s gaze. Desperately seeking an ally, his eyes settled on Song Xu Yi standing behind the man. In a moment of realization, he blurted out, “I’ll move into that building! I’m willing to live there…”

The burly man wasted no time packing his belongings and scurried to move into the house rented by Song Xu Yi, as if he was fleeing for his life.

News of this sudden move spread like wildfire throughout Wangjiazhuang.

The villagers of Wangjiazhuang were stunned by this unexpected turn of events, as the burly man was notoriously difficult to deal with. Nobody had anticipated that he would agree to move in. What surprised them even more was that within a day, several villagers who were chronically ill and tended to roam aimlessly had also relocated to the outsider girl’s rented house.

The villagers began to wonder if this girl possessed some kind of miraculous healing powers and was genuinely committed to helping cure the people of Wangjiazhuang.

As fear and uncertainty gripped the villagers who were still shaken by the presence of the soldiers outside their village, they suddenly remembered that the girl was now under the care of the renowned benevolent doctor. They knew that he would never take any risks with the lives of the people.

Perhaps they really were determined to eradicate the epidemic that plagued their village.

With a few brave souls leading the way, several sick villagers voluntarily moved into Song Xu Yi’s rented house by evening.

Overjoyed by their willingness to cooperate, Song Xu Yi immediately put modern epidemic prevention and control measures into practice. She set up a large pot in the yard to sterilize the clothing of the newly arrived patients with hot water. She also provided them with simple masks that she had made herself, fumigated the yard with mugwort, and purchased a large amount of wine from the local winery. She then used repeated distillation methods to produce high-concentration alcohol for disinfection purposes.

Despite the financial strain that came with the sudden influx of patients, Song Xu Yi couldn’t help but feel elated as she watched the once-empty courtyard come to life.

“I owe it all to you,” she said, turning to the man who stood behind her with his arms folded. “Without your help, I doubt any of these people would have agreed to move here. I never thought you would come back!”

Wearing her homemade, rudimentary mask, Song Xu Yi’s eyes shone with admiration and gratitude as she gazed up at the man. In that moment, she looked like a young, endearing creature, full of innocence and hope.

“I delivered the message,”

The man’s fingers twitched, as he avoided Song Xu Yi’s grateful gaze. With a dry tone, he spoke up, “I had nothing else to do, so I came back.”

Hearing this, Song Xu Yi knew he was lying. She couldn’t help but wonder why Gu Ruyu knew her location, but didn’t bother to send anyone to check on her.

“What did Gu Ruyu say?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

“He didn’t say much. He just burned the letter after reading it,” the man replied, his eyes locked onto Song Xu Yi’s face, watching her reaction closely.

Song Xu Yi was taken aback by the news and her brows furrowed involuntarily. She couldn’t help but wonder why Gu Ruyu didn’t send anyone to check on her, despite knowing her location.

She decided not to dwell on it too much, however. Gu Ruyu was a man of great intellect, and his intentions were often difficult to discern.

Despite this, Song Xu Yi knew that if Gu Ruyu didn’t arrive soon, things could take a turn for the worse. Without his backing, she wouldn’t be able to prove her identity and the soldiers might carry out their threat to slaughter the village.

The only viable solution, for now, was to completely eliminate the epidemic.

As a result, Song Xu Yi found herself bound to the people of Wangjiazhuang, feeling a weighty responsibility for their welfare.

The pressure weighed heavily on her mind, prompting her to retreat to the medicine room to prepare herbal remedies for the afflicted villagers.

“Are you not afraid?” The man trailed behind her into the medicine room, his gaze lingering on her with mixed emotions. His tone was dry as he spoke, “If I’m not mistaken, you sought aid from someone named Gu Ruyu. You fled from him, so he may hold a grudge against you. Write a letter of apology, and perhaps he may extend his help to you.”

Song Xu Yi was taken aback by the man’s concern, feeling grateful for his thoughtfulness. Throughout their journey, she had sensed a warmth beneath his icy exterior. She didn’t wish to involve him in the complexities of court intrigue and concocted a tale to appease him, “In truth, I am not well-acquainted with Gu Ruyu. I merely attempted to contact him. From what I’ve heard, Gu Ruyu is a ruthless and vengeful individual. I don’t wish to make matters worse for myself.”

“Rumors can often be misleading,” Song Xu Yi replied, unsure if it was just her imagination, but she felt the man’s countenance darken: “I have had brief dealings with Gu Ruyu, and he was exceedingly courteous, with the manner of a true gentleman. It’s possible that there has been a misunderstanding between the two of you–“

“That’s because you possess great skills, and Gu Ruyu may wish to enlist your aid,” Song Xu Yi recalled the cold and distant demeanor of Gu Ruyu from the previous owner’s memories, and the military order that he had yet to return with. She couldn’t help but let out a sigh: “Furthermore, he has already obtained what he desired from me, so he has no need to pretend to be civil anymore…”

The man opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but he ultimately remained silent. Suddenly, his expression grew icy and distant, enough to frighten anyone who saw it. Nonetheless, Song Xu Yi was now convinced of his good intentions and was unafraid of his cold exterior. In fact, she surmised that the man’s behavior was simply a result of his annoyance at not being able to assist her.

“Thank you very much,” Song Xu Yi turned to face the man, then offered him a bundle of homemade masks with a smile: “I know you are a decent individual, and while you may not fear this epidemic due to your considerable skill, I hope that you remain in good health, live a long life, and take care to practice preventative measures. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.”

The man looked at Song Xu Yi with an expressionless face, and his lips pursed together, refusing to take the mask she offered.

Although the man’s behavior puzzled Song Xu Yi, she assumed that he was highly skilled and might not need a mask. As she was about to withdraw her hand, the man suddenly grabbed it and said dryly, “I’ll wear it!”

Song Xu Yi wondered if the man’s reluctance to wear a mask had anything to do with his pride, but she didn’t want to push the issue. She allowed him to crouch down and help her put on the mask.

As she was securing the mask in place, Song Xu Yi noticed that the man’s chin was smooth and unblemished.

Perhaps it was her own mistake!

After assisting the man with the mask, covering the lower half of his face, his eyes seemed to sparkle and charm even more. Suddenly, Song Xu Yi met his gaze and her heart skipped a beat. She almost couldn’t bear to hold his gaze.

When Song Xu Yi asked about his plans to return to Wangjiazhuang in two weeks, she was pleasantly surprised.

With a skilled person like him in command, Song Xu Yi’s implementation of the measures became much more convenient.

In the past few days, there had been an influx of patients in the two buildings, and Song Xu Yi had been busy non-stop. Fortunately, the man was quick-witted and had learned the basics of diagnosis while following Song Xu Yi, which proved to be a great help to her.

Song Xu Yi was overflowing with gratitude towards the man, but she knew that she had nothing to offer in return. However, recalling that the man disliked coarse grains, she utilized the money she had left to purchase some ingredients, and spent time cooking a meal as a gesture of thanks.

The man was taken aback by Song Xu Yi’s kind gesture, and upon seeing the food that she had prepared, his previously stern countenance softened. During the meal, Song Xu Yi managed to inject some humor into the conversation, making the atmosphere much more pleasant. Nonetheless, the man brought up Gu Ruyu again, perhaps influenced by his striking yet aloof persona.

“You’re overexerting yourself,” the man’s gaze roamed over Song Xu Yi’s face, noticing the visible weight loss and dark circles under her eyes, and he pursed his lips. “Given your impressive culinary skills, have you thought about writing another letter to Gu Ruyu? Promise him a meal, and I guarantee he’ll assist you.”

“Master Zhao, Gu Ruyu is a person with intricate thoughts and schemes. I’m not equipped to handle his aid,” Song Xu Yi sighed, and once again explained her reluctance to accept help that came with Gu Ruyu’s involvement. She changed the subject and raised her glass, saying, “Let’s not dwell on unpleasant matters. I’d like to propose a toast to you instead!”

The man’s once-relaxed expression had turned cold once again, and he fixed a piercing gaze upon Song Xu Yi with a hint of ridicule. He drained his glass in a single gulp and poured another, his demeanor exuding a palpable sense of superiority.

Song Xu Yi brought her own glass to her lips, only belatedly realizing that this body had a low tolerance for alcohol. But since she had brought up the topic herself, she could only grit her teeth and gulp down the wine under the man’s icy glare.

Unwilling to take any chances with her own inexperience, Song Xu Yi had specifically purchased high-proof liquor to distill. However, she had not anticipated just how poorly her new body would handle the alcohol. As she drank, a feeling of nausea overtook her, leaving her smiling foolishly at the man sitting across from her.

The man had been drinking heavily to numb his pain, but when he caught sight of Song Xu Yi’s expression, and the flush on her cheeks, his eyes flickered as if he had recalled something. Suddenly, a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, transforming his previously sullen demeanor.

As Song Xu Yi raised her gaze to meet his, she found herself staring into a pair of sparkling eyes.

The author has something to say:

Gu Ruyu: You can run if you want to run, if you want me to save you, I’ll save you. Isn’t that embarrassing? At least ask me for help first…

Today, Little Gu is working hard to restore his reputation.