Liu Pucheng and the others returned to the Hall of a Thousand Gold, only to find Aru and many disciples looking anxious. The hall, usually bustling, was eerily deserted.

After all, having a corpse displayed at the entrance of the Hall of a Thousand Gold gave everyone pause. Since the authorities had summoned them, not everyone from the Hall could go; moreover, they still had inpatients, especially Mrs.

Xie in critical care, so Aru and the others had stayed behind. Seeing Liu Pucheng and the others enter, Aru and the remaining group rushed forward, eager to question them but hesitant, their faces etched with worry.

“It’s settled,” Liu Pucheng said. “It was ruled a non-survivable injury from severe trauma.

It has nothing to do with us.” Huh? Aru and the others froze.

“Nothing to do with us?” Hu San couldn't help but ask, thinking he misheard. “Yes,” Liu Pucheng replied, finding their expressions strange.

“Of course, it’s settled. It definitely had nothing to do with us.” “But… Master she…” Hu San began, pointing toward the inner room.

Silence fell as a woman’s weeping drifted from inside. Wasn't this sorrowful crying a sign that she had been wrongly accused and punished?

Just as everyone exchanged bewildered glances, Qi Yue’s crying abruptly stopped, and she burst out of the room. “Grab your gear!

We’re going to settle this with that family!” she shouted. Everyone in the hall stared, but Hu San was the first to react.

“What are you waiting for! Let’s go!” he yelled.

Liu Pucheng couldn't stop them; a whole crowd bolted out. However, they returned quickly.

“They ran away!” Hu San shouted furiously from inside the room. “Ran away?” the disciples who hadn’t left asked in surprise.

“They buried the dead person haphazardly without proper rites, and the entire family fled—even the neighbors didn't know!” Hu San roared. “Guilty conscience!” the disciples cursed angrily.

“Now everyone sees their true colors, right?” Hearing this, Hu San deflated again. “No, the neighbors said they were afraid of retaliation…” he admitted.

Everyone cautiously turned to look at Qi Yue. Perhaps the exertion of the outing had brought a flush to her cheeks; she seemed invigorated.

“They got lucky this time, but I doubt they’ll be so lucky every time!” she declared, clapping her hands. “Alright, anyone who stands by the river is bound to get their shoes wet.

We were unlucky this time; next time, fortune will favor us. Don’t worry.” We worry about you… The disciples didn't know what to say, but seeing the woman regain her spirit made them happy.

“Yes,” they answered in a resounding chorus. As night descended, everyone was still busy in Mrs.

Xie’s ward. “There was some… oozing bleeding this afternoon,” Aru reported.

“It’s fine, just a small amount. Pack it with gauze,” Qi Yue instructed.

With her there, everyone felt reassured, and they carried out the tasks accordingly. Soon, the bleeding around Mrs.

Xie’s incision stopped. “Teacher, you should rest tonight.

I’ll stay here,” Qi Yue told Liu Pucheng. Liu Pucheng looked at her and nodded.

When Old Madam Xie entered, Qi Yue and Aru were examining suction techniques, while Chang Yuncheng sat quietly to the side, observing. Mrs.

Xie, previously in a coma, woke briefly at that moment. Unable to speak, she could only look at Chang Yuncheng and weep.

Seeing Mrs. Xie awake, Qi Yue turned and slipped out.

Watching her retreating figure, Old Madam Xie’s expression grew complicated. “A’ru, can Zhenmei eat anything yet?” she asked, turning to Aru.

A’ru paused momentarily. Noticing A’ru’s hesitation, Old Madam Xie quickly turned to Chang Yuncheng.

“Go ask Miss Qi.” Chang Yuncheng hesitated slightly. “Do you want your mother to starve to death?

What use is standing around here all day!” Old Madam Xie hissed softly. Only then did Chang Yuncheng rise and walk out.

Mrs. Xie watched him leave, her expression tense.

Old Madam Xie took her hand firmly. “Zhenmei, does it still hurt?

What do you feel like eating?” she asked gently. “You gave your mother such a scare…” With her soothing words, Mrs.

Xie’s agitation gradually subsided. Chang Yuncheng emerged to find Qi Yue standing in the courtyard, gazing up at the night sky.

He stopped a few steps behind her. Qi Yue seemed unaware of his presence, continuing to look silently at the stars.

“When you were away, did you miss home?” she suddenly asked. “Yes,” Chang Yuncheng replied, a simple word, without further elaboration.

“That’s good,” Qi Yue smiled. “When you miss home, you can always return.

That kind of longing must have a sweetness mixed in with the bitterness, no?” That depends on who I’m missing, Chang Yuncheng thought, remaining silent. Qi Yue also fell silent, continuing to watch the night sky; a comfortable quiet settled between them.

“What happened with that matter, I didn’t mean to look down on you,” Chang Yuncheng murmured quietly. “If it hadn’t been for my mother’s incident…” “Without your mother, I wouldn’t have been able to save that person either,” Qi Yue countered.

“I caused you more trouble again,” Chang Yuncheng said quietly after a pause. “That’s why I say,” Qi Yue turned to him, “the layman watches the excitement, but we experts watch the technique.

What should have been simple was turned into this mess by you outsiders…” Chang Yuncheng said nothing. Qi Yue looked at him and sighed, a sound of resignation.

“Is trouble involving two people better than trouble involving one?” she asked. “Yes,” Chang Yuncheng confirmed.

Qi Yue glared at him, then ultimately shook her head and smiled faintly. “It’s nothing, really.

There will always be trouble,” she said, turning back to the night sky. “People fear the unknown and the new.

If the cure always works, it's divine skill; if it fails once, it becomes sorcery.” Having said this, she flicked her wrist. “But if it sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t, then it’s just medicine,” she stated.

Chang Yuncheng remained quiet. “Where did you get hurt?” Qi Yue asked.

The question was sudden, making Chang Yuncheng start. “No merit falls from the sky for free.

You must have been injured, haven’t you?” Qi Yue pressed. Chang Yuncheng finally reacted, a warmth rising uncomfortably in his chest.

“It’s nothing,” he said, looking away. “Just a surface wound.” Qi Yue didn't press further.

Silence returned between them. “Take care of yourself,” Qi Yue said next.

“You too,” Chang Yuncheng returned. Qi Yue smiled then, taking a few steps closer and lightly patting Chang Yuncheng’s arm.

“It’s not so bad. Life is quite exciting, isn’t it?

Gains follow losses. Even though we both lost face and took the blame, you gained the father you always dreamed of, and I got the chance to advance from mere spirit to true human form.

Truly cause for celebration,” she laughed. “Congratulations.” With that, she walked away.

As Qi Yue passed by him, Chang Yuncheng felt an inexplicable hollowness and instinctively reached out to grab her. Qi Yue paused, slightly startled, and turned her head to look at him.

“Yue Niang,” Chang Yuncheng looked at her, calling out softly, his voice trembling. “I, I, I…” He felt the hand gripping his wrist shaking slightly, a searing warmth burning through his clothes.

In the end, after several starts, nothing coherent came out. Qi Yue smiled at him, placed her hand over his, patted it once, then lowered her gaze and withdrew her hand.

When Qi Yue stepped back into the ward, Mrs. Xie had fallen back into a deep sleep.

“Yue Niang, why is she still sleeping?” Old Madam Xie asked with deep worry. “It’s normal.

First, because of the illness itself, and second, Doctor Liu administered pain medication, so she sleeps longer. She’ll be fine in three days,” Qi Yue assured her while reviewing the blood pressure and intake/output records A’ru had noted.

“Then how will she eat?” Old Madam Xie pressed again. Chang Yuncheng entered the room at that moment as well.

“We’ll have to use nasogastric feeding,” Qi Yue explained, looking at the sleeping Mrs. Xie.

Nasogastric feeding? “It means feeding nourishment through the nose,” Qi Yue said, demonstrating with her hands.

Feeding through the nose… Old Madam Xie winced, pain showing on her face. How uncomfortable it must be to choke on food going into the nose, let alone feeding that way… “Once she is completely alert, she can eat normally through her mouth,” Qi Yue comforted her.

“Don't worry; it will be fine.” Old Madam Xie sighed softly. Worrying served no purpose now; all hope rested solely on this woman.

“Madam, you should also get some rest. Your health… isn’t ideal after all.

The nurses here can take care of everything…” Qi Yue added kindly. Old Madam Xie felt a slight ache in her heart.

“Alright, I understand. Thank you very much,” she said, nodding.

Qi Yue turned away from her and walked out with A’ru. The interior and exterior sank into the quiet of the night.

“Grandmother, you should sleep,” Chang Yuncheng said, personally moving to prepare the bedding on his side. “How was it?” Old Madam Xie seized his arm eagerly.

“What do you mean, how was it?” Chang Yuncheng asked, confused. Old Madam Xie tutted sharply.

“Didn’t you say something to Yue Niang?” she asked. Chang Yuncheng lowered his head, continuing to spread the covers.

“Say what,” he replied coolly. Old Madam Xie slapped his arm.

“Tell her how much you miss her!” she insisted. Chang Yuncheng instinctively touched the arm where Old Madam Xie had struck him—the same place the other woman had touched him moments ago… She had smiled brightly, like a star in the night sky, her warm, soft hand resting on his arm… intimate yet unrestrained… For her, such a monumental event seemed to have left barely a trace… Instead, she remained full of hope and forward momentum.

Where did such immense strength come from in that seemingly frail body? “I’m talking to you!

Why are you spacing out again!” Old Madam Xie slapped him once more. Chang Yuncheng withdrew his hand, having finished making the bed.

He stood straight. “Why bring that up,” he said.

“It wouldn’t be good for her.” “How could it not be good? This is precisely an opportunity…” Old Madam Xie began, but Chang Yuncheng cut her off.

“Grandmother,” he slightly raised his voice, glanced toward Mrs. Xie, and then lowered it again.

“Please let her go.” Let her go… “She’s already been through enough because of us…” Chang Yuncheng murmured quietly. Already unlucky enough… Old Madam Xie stopped speaking and looked over at Mrs.

Xie as well. “You sleep first.

I’ll sit outside for a while,” Chang Yuncheng said, then turned and quickly walked out. Old Madam Xie watched his hurried departure and let out a heavy sigh before lying down.

Because of the incident, nearly all the inpatients had left the clinic. Fewer patients meant fewer disciples on night duty, and the usual late-night studying over snacks was absent.

The courtyard felt quiet and desolate. Chang Yuncheng slowly sat down on a nearby step.

He pulled something from his robe and held it in his hand. In the faint light cast by a lantern swaying in the breeze, he could see it was a small gourd.

Of the three gourds he had requested from Prince Qinghe, only two remained; one was stored away, and this one he kept close to his body. Though he didn't know its significance, he found comfort holding it, as if it kept the emptiness at bay.

“Ha, ha, I get it… like this… replace it with an air bladder…” Suddenly, Qi Yue’s laughter drifted from a nearby room. Chang Yuncheng looked over, spotting a large room a short distance away illuminated by several lamps.

Shadows of people, some standing, some seated, were reflected on the window lattices. “…Master, Master… and tubes… pig intestines could work too…” “…The key is the seal…” The voices drifted intermittently through the night wind, waxing and waning.

A faint smile touched Chang Yuncheng’s lips as he rotated the gourd in his hand, his gaze fixed on the shadows reflected in the lattice window.