If you were cold and aloof in your past life, why are you crying in this one?

For this trip, the Xi family brought along two pharmacists, Doctor Gu and Doctor Zheng, just in case.

At this moment, Mr. Gu removed his fingers from Xi Lingxian's wrist.

Doctor Zheng stood to the side, his brows furrowed, and asked in a low voice, "How is it?"

Mr. Gu looked down at the hand that had been used to take his pulse, unable to explain why; Doctor Meng, brought by the Wang family, stepped forward one by one.

The three of them gathered together to discuss the matter.

"The pulse is floating and weak, weak and scattered... In my thirty years of medical practice, I have never seen anything like it."

"It's not poison. There are no pulse signs of poisoning."

"The drug has entered the bloodstream, but there is no reaction in the internal organs. This is illogical."

"It's like some kind of... mind-controlling thing. I've only ever seen similar descriptions in medical books, never witnessed it myself."

An invisible gloom instantly enveloped the cabin, the atmosphere so heavy it was suffocating.

Xi Rui stood by the couch, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. Several times he tried to ask, "What's going on?" but Xi Jian stopped him with a single look.

Xi Wen leaned against the cabin wall, his face ashen, his gaze never leaving the pale face on the bed.

Xi Song stood in the corner, her face as white as paper, biting her lip tightly.

Everyone is waiting for an answer.

It was separated from the outside room only by a half-closed hatch.

The moment Chang'an lifted the curtain, she saw Wang Jue sitting on the soft couch.

His back was bent, his hands hung down on his knees, and his whole body was like a shell that had been emptied of support, lying loosely on the couch.

His pupils were unfocused, and there was nothing in them.

Chang'an paused for a moment.

He had followed the young master for more than ten years, from Jiankang to Kuaiji, from the imperial court to the frontier, and he had seen all kinds of storms.

The young master had been shot by an arrow and stabbed, yet he remained unfazed when impeached by his political enemies and calmly dealt with the emperor's suspicions.

I have never seen the young master look so panicked and helpless before.

Chang'an opened his mouth, as if to say something. But the words caught in his throat.

The doctors' hushed conversation could be heard from inside the room, intermittent and indistinct.

Occasionally, words like "never seen before" or "unable to make up one's mind" would float out, like cold raindrops, hitting Wang Jue one after another.

Wang Jue closed his eyes briefly.

The scene before my eyes rushed in like a tide, showing her lying there.

Her face—pale, bloodless, lifeless.

The last time he saw her in his previous life was superimposed on the image of her.

Who would make a move at this time? Xiao Yun, or someone else?

When Xi Rui came out from the inner room, this was the scene he saw.

"Brother Qingyu?" Xi Rui called out tentatively.

Wang Jue acted as if she hadn't heard anything, her eyes still fixed on the ground.

Xi Rui raised his voice slightly: "Qingyu?"

Wang Jue moved his jaw slightly, slowly raised his head, and looked at Xi Rui.

Why do you look so pale?

Xi Rui never really believed that Wang Jue had any genuine feelings for his sister; he thought the marriage between the two families was just a charade for mutual benefit.

But seeing Wang Jue's expression now shattered his previous understanding.

Things happened so suddenly that Xi Rui didn't know what to say or do.

Xi Lingxian was pulled back to consciousness by a suppressed cry.

Her eyelids felt heavy, and it took her a lot of effort to open them even a crack.

The view was of the cabin ceiling, dimly lit by candlelight, with the ship gently rocking.

"He's awake! He's awake! He's awake!" Xi Song's voice was almost explosive.

Xi Jian placed his hand on her forehead; his palm was dry and warm, and trembling slightly.

"Fanfan," her father's voice was hoarse, "Do you still recognize your father?"

The person on the bed nodded gently.

Her gaze shifted from her father to Xi Rui and Xi Wen, then landed on Xi Song, and she even curved the corners of her mouth into a slight smile.

It looks no different from before.

I recognize them all. They're all doing well.

Wang Jue stood at the cabin door, his knuckles white from clenching his fists under his sleeves.

A cold wind swept into the cabin, making Xi Lingxian shiver. She looked at the person at the cabin door with dissatisfaction.

Who is so ignorant of the rules?

Their eyes met.

"Is there anything else that's bothering you?" Wang Jue was still worried and stepped inside.

Xi Lingxian looked at the newcomer, then shrank further into the bed, her eyes filled with confusion and unfamiliarity. "You, who are you?"

His words stirred up a huge wave of discussion.

Xi Jian suddenly grabbed his daughter's shoulders, his expression stern: "Fanfan, what did you say?"

"Father, who is he?" She tilted her head, a hint of girlish innocence in her expression. "Is he my elder brother's close friend? Or Father's colleague?"

Xi Song and the others were stunned.

Xi Wen pointed to himself, "Sister-in-law, do you still recognize me?"

Without hesitation, the person on the bed replied, "Of course I know you, you're my sworn brother."

Xi Wen's expression suddenly became somewhat complicated.

Wang Jue's expression changed several times, but he was the most composed person among everyone present.

"Uncle, I... I have something I want to say to her alone."

Xi Jian said with a troubled expression, "Second Brother, as you can see, Fanfan's condition is not right."

"It is precisely because something is wrong that we need to find out the reason so that we can prescribe the right medicine."

Xi Jian hesitated.

Xi Lingxian felt that the man in front of her looked very fierce, and she shrank back and hugged Xi Jian's arm, "Father, don't go, I'm scared."

Wang Jue rubbed his index finger against the jade thumb ring, the surging restlessness and ruthlessness in his heart almost overwhelming him.

Is she afraid of him?

A man who used to dare slap him suddenly said he was afraid of him.

That's absolutely outrageous.

Mr. Zhou came running up, panting, and stepped forward quickly, bowing and saying, "Master Xi, young master, please calm down. In my humble opinion, Miss Xi's symptoms seem like she has been bewitched."

Poison?

Xi Lingxian was astonished by this.

She was perfectly fine, how could she have been cursed? This white-bearded old man is talking nonsense.

"If you don't believe me, you can have your maid examine Miss Xi's arm to see if there is a faint red line."

Everyone turned their backs, and Taozhi stepped forward and lifted her master's collar to check.

as predicted.

Xi Jian stood up abruptly, his face grim and ruthless. "Who is so vicious as to harm my precious daughter like this?"

Mr. Zhou remained unfazed. “The southern border region is home to many shamans and doctors skilled in Gu poison. I once traveled there and witnessed the great harm caused by Gu poison. Besides me, the person who has the closest ties with the Xi family is His Highness the Prince of Chenliu. He traveled to the southern border region in his youth, so it is impossible for him not to know the art of Gu poison.”

"Why would the Prince of Chenliu give Fanfan such a thing? What benefit would it bring him?"

Mr. Zhou slowly rose, his gaze lingering on Xi Lingxian for a long while. "Miss Xi remembers everyone, but not my young master?"

Xi Jian nodded, "Yes."

Mr. Zhou took a deep breath. "There are hundreds of types of Gu worms in southern Xinjiang, and their effects vary."

"But the most common poisons used on girls are the Forgetfulness Poison and the Devotion Poison."

Xi Rui was completely bewildered. "What's the use of the Forgetfulness Gu? And what is the Devotion Gu?"

"The Forgetfulness Gu severs the seven emotions and extinguishes the six desires of the person who is afflicted with it. They forget all the love and hate of their past lives, and from then on, they are heartless and emotionless, cold and indifferent throughout their lives, never developing any feelings for anyone."

"The Devoted Gu, a Gu worm that recognizes only its master throughout its life, instills a deep-seated obsession in the person afflicted. For the rest of their life, their eyes and heart are filled only with the master, all their affections are directed towards that master, their devotion unwavering until death."

Xi Rui got goosebumps. "Which one of me, my sister?"

Mr. Zhou, with his bushy beard and cryptic expression, said, "It's hard to say for sure what these symptoms are. They look like the Forgetfulness Gu, but the early stages of the Devotion Gu can also make the person cursed forget their past..."

Everyone turned to look at Xi Lingxian, whose eyes were filled with a clear, blank expression.

"...You've probably made that up?"

She muttered to herself.