Chapter 389: Chapter 389: Originally Seeking Death

The moment Chun Hua landed, the small creature on her wrist suddenly tightened its grip.

Song Lianhe winced and raised her wrist.

Chun Hua lowered its head, its stare full of pressure. A low, guttural rumble, like a warning, sounded in its throat.

’I’ve never seen Chun Hua act like this. It’s just like its master.’

Chun Hua tapped the table rhythmically with its sharp beak. To her surprise, Little Lan crawled down from her wrist and slowly made its way to the spot Chun Hua had just touched. It curled into a ball and went perfectly still.

Song Lianhe’s eyes widened as she watched the scene in disbelief.

’Is Chun Hua really this capable?’

’It’s been hiding its true abilities all this time!’

Apparently satisfied with Little Lan’s submission, Chun Hua snatched it up in its beak, flapped its wings, and flew off.

“Hey! Where are you taking it?”

Song Lianhe was completely caught off guard. It was too late to give chase.

’Little Lan is highly toxic. What if it gets cornered and bites something?’

’But then again,’ she thought, ’Chun Hua is no ordinary creature either. It must have its reasons for taking Little Lan.’

’I should just wash up and go to bed. As for those two, they’ll have to fend for themselves.’

The next day, at the crack of dawn, Manager Meng came frantically knocking on Song Lianhe’s door.

“Doctor Song… something’s happened! Doctor Song!”

“What’s wrong?”

Song Lianhe threw a robe over her shoulders and hurriedly pulled open the door.

“Someone from the City Lord Mansion is here!”

By the time Song Lianhe arrived at the City Lord Mansion, the sky had fully brightened.

Ah Jun stood at her side, a medicine chest strapped to his back.

Yin Huan had originally intended to accompany her, but they couldn’t leave E Jintang alone at the clinic. He was simple-minded, and things could easily go wrong if no one was with him.

So, Ah Jun had volunteered to accompany her to the City Lord Mansion.

“Sister, why would the City Lord be looking for us?”

Ah Jun asked in a hushed voice as they waited outside the door.

Song Lianhe’s heart was pounding in her chest as well.

’Could our cover have been blown?’

Just then, the City Lord’s Attendant led them inside.

It wasn’t until she saw the City Lord that Song Lianhe finally understood why she’d been summoned.

’The City Lord has been poisoned.’

This was the conclusion she reached after taking his pulse and observing him.

As for how he was poisoned and with what? After seeing two tiny puncture marks in the webbing between his thumb and forefinger, Song Lianhe knew everything.

’So that’s why,’ she mused. ’Why else would Chun Hua show up out of nowhere and carry Little Lan away?’

’This was the reason all along!’

Duan Shanmian opened his eyes. Though his body was wracked by alternating waves of fiery heat and a chill so deep it was impossible to get warm, his gaze remained clear, cold, and steady.

Song Lianhe hadn’t expected the City Lord of Sishui City to be so young, and so strikingly handsome.

But his gaze was unnervingly cold—not merely icy, but utterly devoid of the warmth of a living person.

Her gaze swept over his hands, which were clenched tightly around the blanket. “I imagine the City Lord has already summoned every doctor in the city,” she said slowly. “And I’m sure they were all at a loss as to how to cure this poison.”

Duan Shanmian’s lips parted slightly, his voice weak and hoarse. “Can you cure it?”

Song Lianhe smiled. “I’ll do my best.”

Her words were modest, but her eyes were full of assertive confidence.

“City Lord, over the past two days, Doctor Song has…”

The Strategist leaned in and whispered, giving him a summary of Song Lianhe’s recent activities.

When he heard she had been holding free clinics and even providing medicine at no cost, Duan Shanmian regarded her in a new light. “Then I shall be in your care, Doctor Song.”

“Of course.”

Song Lianhe took out her silver needles, but the Strategist immediately moved to inspect them for poison. Duan Shanmian stopped him.

“Anyone who helps the common people must be a person of kindness and compassion.”

“City Lord…”

“Stand down.”

Though the Strategist disapproved, he knew his master’s temperament and had no choice but to step aside.

Song Lianhe found herself looking at Duan Shanmian with new respect. She couldn’t help but smile at him. “You’re very trusting, City Lord. What if this is all an act? What if I first built up a good name for myself, then had someone secretly poison you, only to then enter your mansion to ’cure’ you…”

Song Lianhe abruptly cut herself off.

’Crap!’

’My big mouth!’

The look in the Strategist’s eyes changed as he stared at her. Beside them, Ah Jun didn’t dare to breathe, already preparing to cover his sister’s escape at a moment’s notice.

“Heh…”

Duan Shanmian let out a low laugh. The sound was feeble, but a hint of amusement was still audible.

“You truly are an amusing person, Doctor Song.”

“Ha… haha…” Song Lianhe laughed awkwardly. “Just a joke. Trying to lighten the mood.”

Sensing her nervousness, Duan Shanmian said softly, “Even if you did have ulterior motives, Doctor Song, I would have nothing to fear.”

Song Lianhe froze. “Why?”

He slowly turned his head, his gaze flat and emotionless as he stared at a corner of the ceiling. “If I were to die, the people of this city would no longer have to suffer along with me.”

“Uh, City Lord, what do you mean by that?”

“Ahem!”

The Strategist coughed pointedly from the side.

“Hah. Zhu Liao, don’t worry. I have already given my word to the Prince, and I will keep my promise. As long as I live, I will protect Sishui City for him.”

Song Lianhe’s heart sank.

’Looking at Duan Shanmian again, it’s no wonder he seems so lifeless,’ she thought. ’Torn between a debt of gratitude and his duty… He must be in terrible pain.’

After that, only Song Lianhe and Duan Shanmian remained in the room.

Neither of them spoke during the treatment.

Suddenly, Song Lianhe caught a glimpse of Little Lan emerging from somewhere, and her eyes widened in shock.

Little Lan shook its head, seeming to yawn. It lazily turned, opened its mouth, and bit down on Duan Shanmian’s hand…

Song Lianhe reacted in an instant, placing a needle to provide cover for Little Lan’s action.

Only when Little Lan let go did she withdraw the needle.

As the Poisonous Insect King, Little Lan was naturally intelligent; it wouldn’t have been brought here by Chun Hua without reason.

After that one bite, Little Lan seemed to have exhausted its energy. Song Lianhe quickly held out her hand. The creature wobbled onto her wrist and hid inside her bracelet, settling down peacefully, not to move again.

Meanwhile, color began to slowly return to Duan Shanmian’s face. The poison was cured.

Song Lianhe let out a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from her brow.

To be honest, she had broken out in a cold sweat when Little Lan bit him.

When she looked up, she found Duan Shanmian staring at her unblinkingly.

His eyes were like ancient wells—calm and still, yet filled with a timeless wisdom that seemed to see through all pretense.

A flicker of guilt crossed Song Lianhe’s heart. She steadied herself and was about to speak when Duan Shanmian said in a low voice, “By saving me, you’ve lost your chance. From now on, Doctor Song, just stick to your duties as a physician. Do not get involved in anything else.”

Song Lianhe started, staring at him in a daze.

Duan Shanmian averted his gaze and closed his eyes.

“Zhu Liao, see Doctor Song out.”

“Yes.”

Zhu Liao entered from outside.

“Doctor Song, this way, please.”

Song Lianhe glanced one last time at Duan Shanmian before following Zhu Liao out.

Her expression was grim. Ah Jun stepped forward anxiously. “Sister, what’s wrong?”

“He knows who we are.”

Ah Jun’s eyes widened in alarm. “Then… does that mean we’re in danger?”

She slowly shook her head. “He summoned us because he wanted to die.”

“Huh?”

Ah Jun was completely baffled.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep