“Alright, alright, it’s getting late. You have work tomorrow, so hurry back and rest.”

“School matters aren’t urgent. How about I stay here tonight to look after them? You should go back, have a good shower, and get some sleep. Look, you’ve been worn out these past few days.”

“That’s not appropriate.”

“Jiayi, trust me, I can do it.”

“What I mean is, my parents are already unwell and find it hard to sleep at night. If we add your snoring to that, they’ll be even more uncomfortable.”

“Ah, so that’s it.” Fatty Wu nodded awkwardly. “That’s true, indeed.”

“Alright, I’m used to your snoring; it feels strange when I don’t hear it for a while. But my parents are patients now. Please go back. My parents appreciate your kindness.”

“Okay, I’ll head back then. Oh, right, tomorrow I’ll try again to invite that old Taoist priest. My colleagues say he’s very effective, so we could ask him to come take a look. It’s just that he’s quite busy, so it depends on his availability.”

“Didn’t you say you also invited an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor?”

“We should invite both. Since the hospital hasn’t been able to cure them for so long, we should try a few different methods.”

“Okay, whatever you say.”

Watching her boyfriend walk downstairs, Zheng Jiayi silently turned and returned to the ward first.

In the ward, her parents were still groaning. It had been several days since their admission, and the two elderly people’s consciousness remained a mix of clear and hazy moments.

Carrying the thermos, she went to the easternmost side of the floor to get hot water. As she walked back, Zheng Jiayi saw a young woman with a hiking backpack standing by her parents’ ward door, checking the room number.

“Excuse me, may I ask who you are?”

Yin Meng turned her head to Zheng Jiayi and said, “I’m the person Counselor Wu asked to come see the patients.”

Zheng Jiayi said incredulously, “You’re so young?”

“My master had something to attend to, so he sent me to take a look first.”

“But my boyfriend just left, shouldn’t you have…”

“My master only gave me the ward address. If you don’t trust me, I can leave right now.”

Though she said she would leave, her body had already turned sideways, and her right leg was slightly bent, ready to seize the other person and force her into the ward for a quick examination.

“Please come in.”

Zheng Jiayi opened the door and invited Yin Meng into the ward.

Besides the smell of disinfectant, the ward was also filled with a strong, fishy, rotten odor.

Yin Meng walked directly to the bedside and began observing the condition of the two elderly people.

She didn’t actually know how to treat illnesses.

She could formulate poisons; that was her talent.

Brief special training had awakened her perception of poisons, but it was clearly unrealistic to hope for someone to become a “famous doctor” in such a short time.

However, she could smell that the two elderly people were indeed poisoned, and the hospital’s diagnosis of food poisoning was quite apt.

Yet, she couldn’t distinguish what kind of poison it was.

No big deal, she could just try them one by one.

Yin Meng flipped her left hand, revealing a toad resting in her palm.

She had just caught it from the hospital pond; its belly was pulsing, full of vitality.

Zheng Jiayi, who was about to pour water for Yin Meng, gasped, covering her mouth.

Yin Meng chanted something to the toad, then reached out and tapped its belly. She then pulled out an incense stick, rubbed its tip with her fingertips, causing the outer layer to peel off and white smoke to rise.

After inserting the incense stick into the toad’s mouth, Yin Meng placed the incense-holding toad on the bedside table.

Next, Yin Meng pulled out a stack of different colored paper slips from her pocket. She took out a black one first, then with a flick of her right hand, a blade appeared, and she unhesitatingly sliced Zheng Jiayi’s father’s arm.

A cut appeared, and blood flowed out.

Yin Meng dabbed the black paper with blood, then placed the paper over the incense stick, allowing the incense to burn a hole through the blood-stained black paper.

The toad remained unresponsive.

Not corpse poison.

Yin Meng took out another purple paper slip, and to get fresh blood, she again used the blade to make a new cut on Zheng Jiayi’s father’s arm.

After collecting the blood, she followed the same procedure, letting the incense burn a hole in the paper.

The toad remained calm.

Not Gu poison.

Yin Meng then took out a blue paper slip. Before making a new incision, she glanced at Zheng Jiayi standing beside her.

Zheng Jiayi covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide. She was terrified and found it incredible, but she neither screamed nor stopped Yin Meng. In fact, when she noticed Yin Meng’s gaze, she even showed a look of encouragement and gratitude.

This was a sensible woman; she didn’t understand the method, but she knew this was a medical treatment.

A new cut was made, blood was collected, and the paper was placed over the incense tip. As the hole burned through, the toad began to croak at a high frequency.

It’s demon poison.

Now that the type of poison was identified, there was a corresponding solution. Her method was simple and unique: fighting poison with poison.

Yin Meng asked, “Can you catch toads?”

“Huh? I… I’ve never caught one, but I can go try.” Zheng Jiayi said firmly.

“Never mind, I’ll go. If I’m too far away while you’re holding this toad, it might lose control.”

“Oh, okay.”

Zheng Jiayi stepped forward, doing her best to overcome her strong internal aversion, and grasped the toad with both hands.

Yin Meng went to the ward window, opened it, and jumped out.

The pond was right below; this was faster than taking the stairs.

Staring at the window through which the person had disappeared, Zheng Jiayi felt like she was dreaming tonight.

Soon after, Yin Meng climbed back through the window, holding another toad in her hand.

Next, she began feeding poison to the toad’s mouth. This was a paralyzing poison, similar to “Mafeisan” (an ancient anesthetic), but with significant side effects that could easily damage a person’s brain.

Therefore, she intentionally reduced the dosage.

After feeding poison to both toads, Yin Meng used the blade to cut a fingernail-sized square from the upper arms of Zheng Jiayi’s father and mother, effectively carving out a piece of raw flesh.

“This…” Zheng Jiayi still held back, saying nothing.

Someone who could jump from the fourth floor and then climb back up, she didn’t think could be mentally ill.

“Come, lend a hand.”

Yin Meng positioned one toad’s mouth over Zheng Jiayi’s father’s wound.

Zheng Jiayi stepped forward and supported the toad, keeping it sucking on the wound.

Yin Meng, meanwhile, aimed the other toad at Zheng Jiayi’s mother’s wound.

“Gulp… gulp… gulp…”

At first, blackness continuously spread from the wounds in all directions, but soon, it rapidly compressed back.

The bellies of the two toads also swelled higher and larger, like two angry pufferfish.

When the toads reached their limit of endurance, Yin Meng tossed the toad in her hand away. Around the original wound, a circle of fish scales appeared.

Yin Meng reached out and grabbed it, pulling outwards, and at the same time pushed Zheng Jiayi away, causing the toad in her hand to also fall off. A circle of fish scales also appeared around her father’s wound, which Yin Meng also grabbed with her other hand.

Then, Yin Meng lunged forward, like someone intensely pulling a rowing machine during a workout.

“Whoosh… whoosh…”

From the wounds on Zheng Jiayi’s father and mother, Yin Meng pulled out two fish-scale lines, each a full two meters long.

When she reached the end of the pull, Yin Meng exerted herself with determination. Due to the limited space in the ward, she simply leaned forward, simultaneously tensing her arms and performing a front flip in place.

“Snap! Snap.”

The two fish-scale lines broke off.

Zheng Jiayi’s father and mother sat up from their beds almost simultaneously, mouths agape, with blue mist spewing from their eyes, ears, mouths, and noses.

Then, they both fell back, lying down on their beds again.

Their breathing became smooth, and in their unconscious state, their faces no longer showed pain, but rather a sense of relief from ultimate liberation.

Yin Meng took out a snakeskin bag from her pack, rolled up the fish-scale lines, and threw them inside.

The two large-bellied toads had now deflated; not only were they not dead, but they also seemed very excited.

Yin Meng held them to her nose and sniffed, confirming that the toxins she had fed them earlier had neutralized the demon poison, and they were now harmless.

She walked to the window, dropped them down, and with two “plop” sounds, they returned to the pond.

“Thank you, you worked hard.” Zheng Jiayi bowed to Yin Meng.

Yin Meng waved her hand, picked up her water cup, twisted open the lid, and took a sip of brown sugar water.

Zheng Jiayi asked, “Does this mean my parents are cured?”

Yin Meng shook her head, “It’s a temporary solution, not a fundamental cure. They’ll be fine for two months, but after that, the toxins will accumulate again, and they’ll relapse, making it even harder to remove.”

If she hadn’t come, based on the current situation, the two elderly people would have continued in this state for half a month before their health rapidly deteriorated.

“Then what should we do?”

“I know they fell ill after returning to their hometown to visit graves. How long were they there?”

“They stayed for two nights in their hometown.”

“Did they stay in your old family home?”

“The old house hasn’t been lived in for a long time; it would need cleaning, which is inconvenient. My parents stayed at my uncle’s house.”

“Did they also eat and sleep there?”

“Yes, they did.”

“If you want to cure your parents’ illness completely, take me back to your hometown, to your uncle’s house, so I can take a look. Can you do that?”

“Yes, when would be convenient for you?”

After witnessing such miraculous healing, Zheng Jiayi trusted Yin Meng completely.

“The sooner the better; I have many things to do.”

“Then first thing tomorrow morning, I’ll call my boyfriend. The earliest he can take leave and come here to take over caring for my parents is in the morning. So, we can go to the train station together at noon.”

“Alright.”

“Thank you.” Zheng Jiayi bowed to Yin Meng again.

Zheng Jiayi began to swiftly clean the ward.

Yin Meng stood nearby, as if suddenly remembering something, and asked, “Do you like small animals?”

“Yes, I do. Sometimes when I find poor stray animals on the road, I bring them home, bathe them, give them medicine, and after they’re cleaned up, I give them to neighbors or friends for adoption. Mainly because I already have three pets at home and can’t take in any more.”

“Do you usually go to orphanages?”

“I enjoy volunteering. How did you know?”

“Just asking.”

“Oh, right, what should I call you?”

“My name is Yin Meng.”

“Taoist Master Yin Meng.”

Yin Meng paused, surprised. Why “Taoist Master”? This didn’t match the ID card she was given when she set out.

“My master is an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor.”

“Huh?” Zheng Jiayi was very surprised. “You’re not the Taoist priest’s apprentice?”

“No.”

“I thought those methods just now were… so traditional Chinese medicine is also that powerful.”

“What’s with the ‘Taoist Master’ then?”

“My boyfriend and I discussed inviting a Taoist priest to perform a ritual, so I mistakenly thought the master you mentioned was that very effective old Taoist priest. I apologize, I misunderstood you.”

“No problem.”

Yin Meng lowered her head and took another sip of brown sugar water.

In other words, if she hadn’t come tonight, Fatty Wu would have brought an old Taoist priest later. If that priest truly had abilities, he should also have detected signs of the demon poison and would naturally have sought to find the root cause for a complete resolution.

Then he would have returned to the hometown with Zheng Jiayi.

After that, something might have happened, involving Fatty Wu, and then through Fatty Wu, involving herself and the others.

Before the operation, Brother Xiaoyuan specifically asked all of them to use this way of thinking for their respective lines of deduction, and Yin Meng was now doing just that.

Logically, from inviting the old Taoist priest, to the priest going to Min’an Town, investigating, an incident occurring, and then involving Fatty Wu – each step would be quite time-consuming. To complete all of it, it would take at least over a month.

This way, it would barely align with Xue Liangliang’s father’s birthday.

Yin Meng took out a notebook and pen from her bag and wrote down her thoughts.

This was Brother Xiaoyuan’s assigned homework, which needed to be turned in.

“If fate decreed our parting early, no need for you to feign a plea to stay. If love is eternally undying, how then could we ever break away?”

What was originally a somber gathering for three old classmates turned into a single’s revelry for four with Tan Wenbin’s arrival.

At Tan Wenbin’s request, the party venue changed from a melancholic pub to a boisterous KTV room.

Fan Shulin sat idly on the sofa chair, watching his two old classmates and Tan Wenbin sing with abandon. Anyone who didn’t know might have thought he was the one getting divorced today.

Just then, Hu Yiwei’s pager on his waist beeped. He put down the microphone and said, “I’ll go to the front desk to return a call.”

Tan Wenbin put his arm around his shoulder: “Let’s go together. I’ll get more drinks.”

The two left the private room and went to the front desk, where Hu Yiwei made his call.

After ordering beer, Tan Wenbin also asked for a pack of cigarettes so he could stay and listen in.

He tore open the pack, tapped it, pulled out two cigarettes, and offered one to Hu Yiwei. Hu Yiwei nodded with a smile, took it, and after he had it in his mouth, Tan Wenbin pulled out a lighter and lit it for him.

“Thanks, buddy…”

Just then, the call connected. As soon as the woman’s voice came through, Hu Yiwei’s entire expression changed.

Tan Wenbin silently lit one for himself.

He had stopped smoking long ago, after his rebellious and restless youth, but now he needed to create a plausible reason to listen to the phone conversation.

“Go on.”

“It’s fine, I’m listening.”

“Heh, now you’re too soft to say it? What were you doing before?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t be sad. I’m singing with my friends, celebrating being single again! Let me tell you, Zeng Miaomiao, even without you, I’ll be just fine!”

Tan Wenbin exhaled a smoke ring. To be honest, he could really empathize with Hu Yiwei. The two had gone from college sweethearts to marriage, only to be inexplicably told by their wives that they wanted a divorce and were returning to their hometowns.

Suddenly, Hu Yiwei froze.

Then, tears flowed, and he shouted excitedly into the phone:

“Zeng Miaomiao, you have no heart, you have no heart…”

The other end of the call disconnected. Hu Yiwei replaced the receiver, turned around, leaned his back against the front desk tiles, and slowly sank to the floor.

Tan Wenbin asked, “Brother Hu, what’s wrong? What happened?”

“Miaomiao said she found someone through a blind date in her hometown, and she’s getting married next month. Tell me, why, why, why is she doing this to me? Why is she so cruel!”

Tan Wenbin asked, “Did she know the person she’s marrying before?”

“No, they just met today through a blind date.”

“And you believed her just like that?”

“Huh?”

“Brother Hu, think about it yourself, isn’t that nonsense?”

“You mean they were already secretly involved? But when we divorced, I asked her, and she swore to me she wasn’t having an affair, she hadn’t cheated.”

“Brother Hu, what I mean is, you should go ask her yourself, go to her hometown and get to the bottom of it. Maybe she has something she can’t talk about. What do you think?”

“Go to her hometown and ask her?” Hu Yiwei’s eyes were full of confusion. “But I’ve already tried to win her back, it was no use.”

“Brother Hu, your marriage can end, but it shouldn’t end in confusion. You need clarity for yourself. Go ask her, and ask the person she’s going to marry. At least, next time you’re feeling down and want to drink away your sorrows, you’ll have something concrete to talk about.”

“Binbin… I don’t dare face her again, I feel terrible.”

“It’s alright. If you don’t dare go alone, I’ll go with you!”

With someone else’s encouragement, Hu Yiwei’s eyes gradually hardened. “Okay, next month, at her wedding, I’ll go and get some answers.”

Next month?

If I only go with you next month, Brother Yuan and the others might already be done and back.

“Brother Hu, you need to pull yourself together. Listen to me, let’s go tomorrow!”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yeah, think about it. There’s still a month. How much pain and frustration would you have to endure every single day? Would you even have the heart to work and live? It’s better to cut the Gordian knot, go early, ask early, and clear things up early. Your life can turn a new page sooner.”

Hu Yiwei nodded vigorously:

“Yes, you’re right. I’ll go to work tomorrow morning to ask for leave, then go find her in the afternoon, buddy, you…”

“I’ll go to school tomorrow morning to ask for leave, meet you at noon, and we’ll both set off in the afternoon!”

“Good brother!” Hu Yiwei excitedly grasped Tan Wenbin’s hand, tears and snot flowing again. “Our friendship all these years hasn’t been in vain, truly!”

“True brothers don’t say such things.”

Tan Wenbin pulled a roll of paper from the front desk and handed it to this “true brother” whom he had known for barely three hours:

“Here, Brother Hu, wipe your face.”

“I’ll go to the restroom and wash my face.”

After Hu Yiwei left, Tan Wenbin looked at the front desk attendant: “Could I have a piece of paper and borrow a pen, please? Thank you.”

Tan Wenbin wrote on the paper, “One month?”

It was clear that Hu Yiwei had not moved on from this relationship and marriage at all. So, after learning that his ex-wife was remarrying at lightning speed, he would definitely go to the scene eventually to get a clear answer.

If he hadn’t shown up, given Hu Yiwei’s personality, he would probably have waited until the wedding day to go.

In other words, he had advanced this process by a month.

Then, something happened to Hu Yiwei?

And after that, Fan Shulin contacted him, asking for help?

It didn’t necessarily have to be him; people like Run Sheng or A You, who have surgeries and hospital stays every now and then, could also be contacted, couldn’t they?

“Sigh, Brother Xiaoyuan is indeed Brother Xiaoyuan. Using this line of thought for deduction really feels like I’ve gained a huge advantage.”

At noon, Yin Meng and Zheng Jiayi boarded a train bound for Huangshan, while Tan Wenbin got into the small car Hu Yiwei had borrowed.

At the same time, Li Zhuiyuan and Run Sheng had already arrived at a memorial archway that read: Min’an Town.

The town was entirely of Huizhou architectural style, featuring stone bridges, a lake, pavilions, and long corridors. Surrounded by green mountains and farmland, every step offered a picturesque view, and enjoyment was found everywhere.

This was truly a great place for sketching.

Xue Liangliang had said his hometown was beautiful, and it truly was.

Actually, when Li Zhuiyuan first learned the place name “Min’an Town, Huangshan” in Fatty Wu’s office, he immediately thought of Xue Liangliang.

Last time, he and Engineer Luo had a meeting. Despite being busy, Engineer Luo managed to squeeze out half a day to go home and check on things, only to encounter Jingjing’s possession incident. After resolving that, the two of them rushed to Huangshan by car to attend the meeting.

He remembered Xue Liangliang saying then that it was close to home, and he could stop by his hometown after the meeting.

After confirming by phone that Xue Liangliang’s hometown was indeed “Min’an Town,” Li Zhuiyuan didn’t ask for further details, nor did he later page Xue Liangliang to inquire about his specific home address.

He knew Brother Liangliang was smart and might have already become suspicious. If he asked again, he was afraid Xue Liangliang would immediately realize something was wrong in his hometown.

Brother Liangliang was a very clear-headed person; he wouldn’t choose to force his way back at this time to cause trouble. So, Li Zhuiyuan wouldn’t need him to worry from afar; he would handle things himself.

The town had only one main street, with a few small shops. The rest of the residential houses were in the alleys on either side of the main street, living in separate households.

Li Zhuiyuan found a small shop, bought two bottles of drinks there, and then asked the shop owner, an auntie, where Xue Liangliang’s house was.

In those days, university students were highly valued. After he mentioned the university and Xue Liangliang’s name, the auntie enthusiastically led Li Zhuiyuan and Run Sheng into an alley, arriving at a house door.

The house door was wide open, and the auntie shouted in dialect to the inside, meaning that Liangliang’s friend had come to visit.

Xue Liangliang’s parents came out. The traces of time were visible on their faces, but their bodies were still strong. When Li Zhuiyuan finished introducing himself, the two elders said in unison:

“So you’re Xiaoyuan.”

Clearly, Xue Liangliang had mentioned him to his family members, and more than once.

Any potential distance or formality that might have existed vanished at that moment. Li Zhuiyuan and Run Sheng were warmly welcomed into the house, and the two elders began preparing food.

The old house must have been renovated a couple of years ago.

The interior furnishings were nothing special, similar to an ordinary household, but in some details, it was evident that while their life was simple, it was not at all difficult.

Xue Liangliang wasn’t overly obsessed with money, but that was based on the premise of meeting basic living needs. He surely sent money to his parents every month, but his parents still lived their familiar lifestyle, which made them feel comfortable.

The meal was abundant, especially the stinky mandarin fish, which was very flavorful.

After the meal, the four sat in the courtyard, chatting.

Li Zhuiyuan was not in a hurry to search around for information. Everyone had their own line to be responsible for, and it was most important to thoroughly explore their own line first.

Next month was Xue Liangliang’s father’s 50th birthday, and he planned a big celebration. When discussing this, the two elders were very happy.

At dusk, Xue Liangliang’s father took Li Zhuiyuan to the long corridor in town. It was by the river, and every day at this time, people gathered there to play chess, drink tea, and occasionally listen to storytellers.

Li Zhuiyuan felt as if he were on vacation.

During dinner, Li Zhuiyuan again talked about the birthday celebration, and at the same time inquired about some local customs.

When it was time to sleep, Li Zhuiyuan and Run Sheng stayed in Xue Liangliang’s room when he was home.

The old house, primarily of wooden construction, didn’t have very good soundproofing. Li Zhuiyuan’s hearing was also exceptionally sharp, so he could hear the conversation between the two elders in the next room crystal clear.

They talked about him, mainly praising the child’s good looks and intelligence, which served as an opening.

Then they focused on when Xue Liangliang would get married and when they would have grandchildren—this was likely the main topic of the elderly couple’s daily nighttime conversations.

Just as this old topic was winding down, Xue Liangliang’s mother suddenly said:

“I wonder when that expedition team will return. They’re all young kids; how could they be so brave as to go to that village?”

Xue Liangliang’s father seemed very annoyed by the topic and said:

“Stop talking about that. Go to sleep.”

Li Zhuiyuan opened his eyes: An expedition team?

“Brother Run Sheng, shall we go for a walk?”

Li Zhuiyuan knew Run Sheng wasn’t asleep because he wasn’t snoring.

“Okay.”

The two deliberately left the house quietly, went into the alley, and then from the alley to the main street.

At this time, all the shops on the street were closed, and there were few pedestrians. As they walked, they arrived at the archway at the entrance of the town.

“Logically, if everything went smoothly for them, they should be here by now. Brother Run Sheng, what time is it?”

Run Sheng looked at his watch and said, “11:48.”

“Let’s wait a bit longer, until midnight, then we’ll go back to sleep.”

Tan Wenbin sat in the car and asked, “We’re here, Brother Hu. Look at the archway ahead, Min’an Town.”

Hu Yiwei also let out a long sigh of relief. “Finally here. My back is killing me.”

Tan Wenbin checked the time in the car: “We’ve been driving for so long! It’s already 11:49.”

“If we hadn’t had a flat tire on the way, we could have arrived earlier.”

“So where are we staying tonight? Find a local’s house to spend the night?”

“No, I’m going straight to her house.”

Tan Wenbin nodded, saying nothing.

The car continued forward, passing through the deserted archway.

Yin Meng and Zheng Jiayi were sitting on an ox cart, driven by an old man. The cart was loaded with fertilizer and pesticides, and the two girls sat on top of these items.

The old man said, “Next time, young ladies, don’t travel so late. It’s not safe.”

“Got it, grandpa,” Zheng Jiayi replied with a smile.

“Alright, we’re here. Your house is in the front alley, right? My home is at the end of the town, so I’ll drop you off here.”

Zheng Jiayi took out her wallet, ready to pay.

“What money? Even though we don’t share the same surname, strictly speaking, I’m your grandfather’s generation. People would talk if you paid me,” the old man said, then continued driving his ox cart forward.

Yin Meng looked up at the archway above: Min’an Town.

Zheng Jiayi said, “Come on, I’ll take you to my uncle’s house.”

“Your uncle and aunt must be asleep by now, right?”

“Definitely. People in the countryside go to bed early. Let me see what time it is… Oh, it’s already 11:50.”

Li Zhuiyuan and Run Sheng waited under the archway until midnight, but no one arrived.

“Let’s go back to sleep.”

“Okay.”

As they turned to walk back, a gust of wind blew, rustling the treetops ahead and causing three leaves to fall.