Hidden Shadow – CH 271

Chapter Two-Hundred-Seventy-One: Impulsiveness

Before Mo Sigui concocted the antidote, he sent Mei Yanran and An Jiu to kidnap all the Shadows from the plum blossoms and bring them back to the island, where they were given a drug.

After understanding its effects, An Jiu took it upon herself to call it “Zombie Powder,” but Mo Sigui insisted on calling it “One Night to Resolve Past Sorrows,” complaining that An Jiu had desecrated his medicine. Finally, Mei Yanran suggested the name “Severing Past Desires,” and the two put aside their dispute.

Severing Past Desires was actually a memory-interfering drug; after taking it, people would forget their past lives.

Perhaps the drug’s potency was too strong, because after taking it, even the six people’s agility was somewhat weakened. Previously, they could use their light-footed skills to walk on water, but now they were even less agile than An Jiu, who had no internal energy.

Since acquiring these six people, the medicine apprentice was overjoyed, feeling that he would no longer have to be bossed around by the Divine Physician!

Initially, he did have two days of peace, but after two days, the tragedy returned.

An Jiu was practicing Plum Blossom Fist in the courtyard while Mei Yanran prepared lunch, occasionally giving her pointers. The weather was fine, and the atmosphere was leisurely. The figure of the medicine boy could be seen darting about, sometimes here, sometimes there.

If the medicine boy dared to slack off, Mo Sigui would not get angry but would simply tease him with medicine.

An Jiu completely ignored everything else, but using medicine on someone close to her touched a raw nerve.

An Jiu entered the house and sat down coldly opposite Mo Sigui.

Mo Sigui was engrossed in arranging herbs, glancing up briefly at her, but remaining silent.

An Jiu did not speak either. When she had stayed for a while, she would silently stand beside him, and when she got tired of standing, she would lean against his desk, lingering around him like a vengeful ghost.

Mo Sigui felt a chill run down his spine and finally could not help but slam the medicine bottle on the table. “An Jiu, what exactly do you want?”

“I have something to say after you are done,” An Jiu said coldly.

Mo Sigui, sensing her off-key tone, momentarily forgot his anger. “Go on,” he said.

“That medicine boy is with you. You did not even give him a name, and you are using him to test medicine?” An Jiu stared at him intently.

Mo Sigui leaned back. “Who said he does not have a name? He’s called Xiao Yao. Besides, that’s how my old man always did it when he taught me to use medicine. The medicine I used on Xiao Yao is a formula I developed a long time ago. I do not think there’s any need for further testing.”

An Jiu realized she had misunderstood him and felt relieved. “That’s good. But is that what you call a name?”

There were six secret guards of the Konghe Army. Their names were First Medicine, Second Medicine, Third Medicine, Fourth Medicine, Fifth Medicine, and Sixth Medicine.

“How can I waste my precious energy on such nonsense?” Since suffering from severe insomnia, Mo Sigui’s energy had diminished considerably. Three years ago, he might have spent some time pondering these things on a whim, but not now.

An Jiu interrupted, and he happened to have a moment to rest, pouring himself a glass of water and taking a few sips. “Why did you decide to play the good guy?”

Good guy? Those two words had absolutely nothing to do with her. An Jiu suddenly remembered seeing a movie but could not recall the plot. However, one line resonated deeply with her current state of mind: “I’ve always wanted to be a good person, but fate has not given me the chance.”

Mo Sigui paused. He clicked his tongue. “Tch, such emotionally charged words do not sound like something someone like you would say.”

“I have many feelings too.” Sometimes she felt like she was being crushed by those so-called feelings.

“Let’s leave the past aside. Have you ever liked anyone? Hated anyone? Have you ever had any regrets?” Mo Sigui asked.

An Jiu pondered for a moment. “From the first time I saw you, I was very interested. After getting to know you better, I realized my judgment was indeed correct… You really need a good talking to.”

“Good judgment?” Mo Sigui scoffed, his contempt for her blatant.

“I like…” An Jiu started to list names on her fingers but realized that almost none of them could be categorized as “likes.”

With Mei Jiu, it was a bond forged through shared hardship, but An Jiu did not particularly admire or like her personally. With Mei Yanran, it was more to fill a hidden regret in her heart. The others were mostly just casual acquaintances.

“Chu Dingjiang.” After saying these three syllables, An Jiu nodded, confirming her statement.

“What kind of liking? Wanting to be his wife…” Mo Sigui was interrupted by An Jiu before he could finish, “No.”

“Then it is friendship?” Mo Sigui rarely showed such interest in things outside of medicine, but he could not imagine what it would be like for An Jiu to fall in love with someone.

“Am I friends with you?” An Jiu needed a point of reference.

Mo Sigui nodded speechlessly.

“No,” An Jiu said.

She and Chu Dingjiang had a kind of “almost lovers” relationship, but she did not even know what a lover was, let alone something less than lovers.

“Sometimes when I think about it alone, I feel a little impulsive towards him,” An Jiu honestly confessed. “But I’ve never felt that impulsiveness when I see him.”

Mo Sigui was stunned for a long time before she came to her senses. He clicked his tongue, and after a while, he dryly praised, “You used those two ‘impulses’ so well…”

“I guess you could call it liking him?” An Jiu asked.

Mo Sigui summarized that she just had a good impression of Chu Dingjiang and occasionally thought about doing that with him, but she had never thought about marrying him…

“You were not actually a man, were you?” Mo Sigui finally found an explanation.

But An Jiu immediately denied it. “No.”

“Then…” Mo Sigui slapped his thigh. “You are just a little impulsive; you have not actually done anything. It must be that Chu Dingjiang seems unreliable.”

Mo Sigui disliked Chu Dingjiang, but to be honest, that person seemed quite stable and capable of handling all sorts of things.

An Jiu shook her head. “I do not want to marry anyone.”

“I think so too.” Mo Sigui smoothed his temple. “Even someone as handsome and talented as me, who has already surpassed you, did not inspire you to marry. No one else will ever catch your eye.”

“I thought you’d come up with something serious!” An Jiu said, slightly displeased, turning and striding out the door.

Da Jiu followed behind, thumping along. Xiao Yue lay on the couch, chin raised, watching Da Jiu with a haughty and aloof air. Once the room was quiet again, she lazily lay back down.

Mo Sigui sat at his desk, repeatedly adjusting and experimenting with a prescription.

He took a small amount of the ground medicine and dripped a drop of Mei Yanran’s blood onto it. The powder turned black visibly and then emitted a strong, foul odor!

Mo Sigui’s expression changed drastically.

Outside, Mei Yanran had just finished cooking. Seeing An Jiu and Da Jiu came out, she said, “Come and eat.”

“Alright.” An Jiu walked over, but Da Jiu jumped up even faster than her.

Mei Yanran looked at the lively Da Jiu and smiled. Just as she was about to bend down to pet its head, Mo Sigui rushed out of the house like a gust of wind. “Auntie, let me see your eyes.”