Chapter Two: Return

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Five years later.

“Little Qingcheng!” The white-bearded old man waved to her.

Song Qingcheng set down her medical book and walked over. “What is it, Grandpa? Where are you going to practice medicine today?”

Song Qingcheng had learned a great deal of medicine from Grandpa Medicine Valley. In her spare time, she followed him into the countryside, treating the poor free of charge and saving many lives.

Unfortunately, she could not learn martial arts.

According to Grandpa Medicine Valley, the meridians in her body had been injured when she was a child, making martial training unsuitable for her. In the end, she had no choice but to give it up.

Grandpa Medicine Valley waved his hand. “Your aunt sent a letter. She says she misses you and would like to invite you to the capital for a visit.”

In the five years since leaving, Song Qingcheng had never once returned. She was afraid she might run into Shen Runzhi.

“All right. I understand, Grandpa.” Song Qingcheng sighed. She had, after all, received kindness from the Shen family. At the very least, she should go back and see them. As long as she did not stay long, she ought not to encounter Shen Runzhi.

At this time, Shen Runzhi was still in Han City on official business. It would take him at least five days to return. If she left quickly enough, she should be able to avoid him.

After packing her luggage, Song Qingcheng leaned back inside the carriage and watched her maid brew tea and pour water. An inexplicable unease stirred in her heart.

“Peach Blossom, do you believe that someone can suddenly fall in love with another person for no reason at all?” Unable to settle her thoughts, Song Qingcheng sought conversation with her.

In her previous life, she had barely interacted with Shen Runzhi. She truly could not understand what about her had attracted him so much that he had tried to seize her in marriage.

“I don’t believe it. If you like someone, you must have noticed something good about her. Otherwise, what would there be to like?” Peach Blossom thought for a moment before replying.

Song Qingcheng lowered her eyes. Reflecting on her former life, she realized that she knew pitifully little about Shen Runzhi. She had no idea where his feelings for her had come from.

Forget it. She would take things one step at a time. There was no need to torment herself with such thoughts.

The carriage jolted onward until it reached the outskirts, where it suddenly came to a stop. Peach Blossom climbed down to investigate. “I’ll go and see what happened.”

After Peach Blossom left the carriage, silence followed.

Song Qingcheng’s heart began to pound. A surge of unease swept through her. She lifted the curtain to look outside, and a cloud of powder was flung toward her, instantly entering her nose and mouth.

“Cough, cough… Man-Eater Poison.” Supporting herself with one hand against the ground, Song Qingcheng coughed twice and identified the poison.

Only after studying medicine had Song Qingcheng learned the cause of her death in her previous life: she had been poisoned by Man-Eater Poison, which had gradually destroyed her internal organs.

For the first six months after being poisoned, the body showed no symptoms, and even a physician could detect nothing amiss. The poison concealed itself within the body, slowly damaging the organs. By the time symptoms appeared, it was already time to claim the victim’s life.

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“Why is this happening again?” Song Qingcheng could not understand. She had clearly kept far away from the capital, so why was someone still trying to harm her?

What, exactly, did the person behind this hope to achieve?

Before she could think it through, Peach Blossom came running back in tears.

“Miss! Sob… Are you all right, Miss? They kidnapped me, and I couldn’t protect you!”

After scattering the powder on Song Qingcheng, those people had released Peach Blossom.

“Be careful. There’s poison here.” Song Qingcheng held Peach Blossom back, preventing her from touching it. Otherwise, her life would be in danger.

Man-Eater Poison required Snow Plum Grass as a catalyst. The herb was unique to the Western Regions and had been presented to the imperial family as tribute several years ago. She did not know whether it was still there.

Song Qingcheng had a feeling that she would not be able to return to Medicine Valley for the time being.

“Poison? Miss, are you all right? Do you feel unwell anywhere?” Tears continued to fall from Peach Blossom’s eyes as she nervously seized Song Qingcheng’s hand.

“I’m fine. Have you forgotten that your miss knows medicine? A little trick like this can’t harm me.” After comforting Peach Blossom, Song Qingcheng adjusted the carriage and continued on her way.

Clutching her chest, Song Qingcheng took out the jade pendant her parents had left behind. Confusion clouded her eyes.

Father, Mother… did you truly die of illness?

…

“You girl. The moment you went to Medicine Valley, you vanished without a trace. You didn’t even know enough to come back and visit your aunt.” Madam Shen pretended to be angry as she teased Song Qingcheng.

“Please don’t be angry, Aunt. See? I’ve come to visit you now.” Song Qingcheng clung coquettishly to Madam Shen’s arm.

Being beside Madam Shen gave her a sense of security, allowing her to relax without realizing it.

“You.” Madam Shen shook her head fondly and patted the back of Song Qingcheng’s hand. Then, remembering something, she said, “Oh, right. Your Brother Shen has returned. He’s outside buying you a present.”

Song Qingcheng paused, scarcely able to believe it. “Wasn’t Brother Shen in Han City? When did he manage to come back?”

Her hands and feet turned cold. Recalling Shen Runzhi’s madness in her previous life, she nervously swallowed. She was not yet ready to see him again.

Her heart pounded wildly. Even after she reached the dining table, she could not calm herself. Song Qingcheng lowered her eyes toward the tabletop, lost in thought, when a cold hand suddenly touched her ear.

“I…” Startled, Song Qingcheng instinctively tried to pull away, but another hand held her in place.

“Don’t move, Yaoyao. It’s a gift for you.”

A pale green earring was fastened to her ear. Clenching her palm, Song Qingcheng suppressed the urge to flee and allowed him to put it on her.

His fingertips brushed lightly against the pendant. Unable to restrain herself, Song Qingcheng rose and retreated two steps.

“Thank you, Brother Shen. I’ll give you this calming sachet in return.”

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Holding it out with both hands, Song Qingcheng lifted her eyes to study Shen Runzhi’s expression, missing not the slightest change.

Inside the calming sachet was the medicine Shen Runzhi had forced down her throat in her previous life. One of its ingredients clashed with Man-Eater Poison, causing her to vomit blood violently after drinking it.

Her body had already been on the verge of death. The medicine had merely hastened the end.

She wanted to know whether her death had anything to do with him.

Shen Runzhi’s eyes gleamed, and he could not conceal his delight. His large hand enfolded Song Qingcheng’s slender fingers as he slowly accepted the sachet.

“Yaoyao, why have you stopped calling me Brother Shen?”

When they had been young, Song Qingcheng had just entered the Shen residence. The first person she had ever addressed was Shen Runzhi. That single call—Brother Shen—had found its way into someone’s heart.

“The journey must have been tiring. You should eat first.” Song Qingcheng stumbled over her words and changed the subject.

Meeting Shen Runzhi’s gaze, she could not bring herself to utter even half a word of that familiar address. The intense possessiveness in his eyes was impossible to conceal.

His dark gaze lingered on Song Qingcheng before he turned and smiled gently.

“What Yaoyao cares about is whether I’m hungry? As a matter of fact, I am.”

Song Qingcheng lowered her head and bit her red lip, a flush spreading across her face. His words brought back the memory of the forcibly stolen kiss from her previous life.

Enough. What nonsense are you thinking, Song Qingcheng?

She despised herself for it.

Once everyone had taken their seats, Song Qingcheng found the meal difficult to endure. Shen Runzhi sat opposite her, his gaze drifting toward her from time to time, as though he might devour her the very next moment.

Whenever he placed food in her bowl, she obediently ate it. She did not know why, but every dish happened to be something she liked.

Curious, Song Qingcheng glanced at him and happened to meet his smiling eyes. Frightened, she immediately lowered her head.

Madam Shen patted her husband’s hand and said with satisfaction, “How wonderful. Once Qingcheng marries, with Runzhi supporting her from behind, I’ll have nothing left to worry about.”

Master Shen nodded. “Indeed. Her Majesty the Empress is holding a banquet tomorrow and has invited Qingcheng. Perhaps she can meet a suitable young man there.”

Shen Runzhi’s fingers tightened imperceptibly around his chopsticks. Pretending to sound casual, he said, “Yaoyao has only just returned home and must be exhausted. Let’s decline the invitation on her behalf.”

“I’m going.”