Hidden Shadow – CH 017

Chapter Seventeen: Are You Sick?

“It’s the dried fruit on the table,” An Jiu said to Mei Jiu unhappily. “You’ve dulled my senses!”

When An Jiu was not in control of her body, she could only passively perceive Mei Jiu’s feelings. She could see, but not see what she wanted to see; she could hear, but not hear what she wanted to hear. If she had not received special training, she definitely would not have been able to endure this torment. An Jiu was fairly satisfied with this body. Aside from her weak constitution, her eyesight, hearing, and limb dexterity were all excellent. It was just that Mei Jiu was too slow to utilize her abilities effectively.

“Are you sick?” Mo Sigui stared intently at Mei Jiu.

Was this an insult? Mei Jiu frowned. “What do you mean, Cousin?”

Mo Sigui lightly landed on the chair next to Mei Jiu from the roof beam, squatted down, and grabbed her wrist.

“You pervert!” Mei Jiu struggled, but Mo Sigui’s fingers were like iron clamps, impossible to break free from.

Mo Sigui carefully examined Mei Jiu’s face.

“Wen-Cui, pull him away right now!” Mei Ruyan shouted sternly.

Wen-Cui not only disobeyed the order but also earnestly asked Mo Sigui, “Is there anything wrong with my young lady’s health?”

Mo Sigui released her hand and shook his head. “Her emotions are unpredictable, and her personality is peculiar. At first, I suspected she had lost her mind, but judging from her pulse, apart from some internal heat, there’s nothing unusual. You personally serve Fourteenth Young Lady; have you noticed anything strange?”

“You are the one who’s lost your mind! Your frivolous behavior is unacceptable for inclusion in the family register, yet you still show no remorse!” Mei Jiu said sharply.

Mo Sigui scrutinized the girl carefully. The girl before him was clearly all bark and no bite, completely unlike the confident arrogance that had shone through her eyes that day.

Could she be possessed?

Mo Sigui squatted on the chair, hands clasped, staring at her.

“Wen-Cui!” Mei Ruyan roared, “Pull him away right now! Are you deliberately trying to shun us sisters who are new here?!”

“Fifteenth Young Lady, you flatter me.” Wen-Cui bowed, not reaching out to pull Mo Sigui away. “Young Master, this is improper.”

Mo Sigui did not turn around. “Because of her, I cannot even attend the clan school. Not throwing her in the water shows my class and manners. What’s wrong with glaring at her? Will she die?”

Mei Ruyan was furious. “If you were not so morally corrupt, how could you not get into the clan school? You flirt with others; do you expect them to obediently let you flirt with them? You deserve it!”

Mei Jiu gripped the hem of her clothes tightly. She was partly at fault, but Mei Ruyan’s words also held true.

An Jiu yawned. “This kid’s asking for trouble. We’ve already offended him; let’s kick him in the water. Eating crabs is the real priority.”

“I do not want to eat anymore.” Mei Jiu stood up.

An Jiu immediately erupted: “Believe it or not, I will kill your whole family!”

Mei Jiu’s lips tightened into a thin line, and she sat down again, looking aggrieved.

Mo Sigui asked with interest, “What? Changed your mind so quickly?”

The crabs were not ready yet, but some river delicacies were already on the table. Mei Jiu choked out, “Sister, let’s eat.”

“Alright.” Mei Ruyan was also startled by her appearance. If she did not want to eat, why force herself like this?

Mo Sigui was not interested in the food; he only wanted to figure out the secret behind Mei Jiu’s personality change. “Were you frightened or heartbroken recently?”

Mei Jiu ignored him, putting food into her mouth like a puppet.

“Do you ever lose consciousness?”

“Hey, do not rush to eat… Do you often lose control of your emotions…?”

“Do you usually sleep well?”

“When you were little, did your mother often beat you? When she beat you, did you really want to fight back?”

…Mei Jiu’s eyes were downcast, tears streaming down her face, mixing with the food in her mouth, tasting salty and bitter, starting from the back of her tongue.

An Jiu was slightly taken aback.

“Hey? Do not cry; tell your brother what’s bothering you!” Mo Sigui leaned forward.

An Jiu suddenly controlled Mei Jiu’s body to stand up and, with a spinning kick, sent Mo Sigui flying into the lake! Then she automatically relinquished control.

Mei Jiu’s body went limp, and she fell backward.

Wen-Cui quickly reached out to support her, but Mei Jiu remained immersed in her grief, sobbing in Wen-Cui’s arms. Although she had not lived the life of a pampered young lady, under her mother’s care, she had never suffered any hardship. Unlike now, she lived in constant fear, unable to do this or that! Even whether she ate or not was not up to her…

Mei Jiu grew increasingly heartbroken. “I miss my mother, sob sob…”

Wen-Cui was stunned by the scene for a long while before she came to her senses. “Young Lady, Young Lady, let’s go back now. I will send someone to fetch Lady Yan.”

Mei Jiu was already dazed from crying, nodding haphazardly.

An Jiu felt the numbness of crying without becoming agitated or speaking. It felt as if she had not cried so freely in centuries, yet this feeling was so familiar when it suddenly came. Those old, untouchable wounds were suddenly ripped open, first with numbness, then with increasing pain.

Wen-Cui carried Mei Jiu on her back, with Mei Ruyan following behind. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mo Sigui grabbing the railing and climbing up, so she turned and shoved him hard when no one was looking.

“Ah!” Mo Sigui’s scream was drowned out by the sound of water.

Mei Ruyan grabbed a handful of candied fruit from the table and threw it down before quickly catching up.

Wen-Bi whispered, “Young Lady, what you are doing is not kind.”

Mei Ruyan said, “If you had not betrayed me, no one would have known. It was him over there asking all sorts of questions that made my sister cry.”

Wen-Bi said nothing more.

When they returned to Yuwei Residence, Mei Jiu had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Wen-Cui took her pulse and, knowing she was alright, asked everyone to leave.

Once outside the room, Mei Ruyan politely asked, “Sister Wen-Cui, why did you not stop him just now?”

“Fifteenth Young Lady refers to the young master?” Wen-Cui smiled faintly. “Fifteenth Young Lady does not know that the young master’s medical skills are unparalleled in Bianjing. It was precisely because of this that the head of the family made an exception and allowed him to become Elder Qi’s disciple. Elder Qi’s medical skills are so powerful that they can ‘bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded.’ He only comes out of Mei Mansion when someone in the royal family is in critical condition. The young master is easygoing, but he never lies when it comes to healing.”

Mei Ruyan’s heart skipped a beat. She secretly regretted her impulsiveness, having offended a divine physician. Who has not gotten sick sometimes? Besides, the Mei family had some curse on their children; who knew when she might need his help? Although she was not afraid of dying a few years earlier, who would not want to live a few more years?

“I see. I was too hasty and misunderstood Sister Wen-Cui,” Mei Ruyan said apologetically.

Wen-Cui always wore a humble smile, but her demeanor was never one of servility or arrogance. “Fifteenth Young Lady, you are too kind.”

“If that’s the case, why are they so adamant about not being allowed to be included in the family register?” Mei Ruyan did not believe that the Mei family would give up on a renowned physician over such a trivial matter.