Chapter 1: Xian’s Exam

“Xiaofan, why don’t we wait a little while longer?”
“I’m much too nervous right now~” Li Bixian said, swallowing hard as she gently pushed Zeng Xiaofan away.
“How about you start by just feeling around, getting familiar with the acupoints first?”
Zeng Xiaofan sighed softly and set down his tools.
“Alright, then... I’ll start by finding the acupoints on your body.”
“Yes, there’s no need to rush into this...”
“Mhm~ Let’s start with the hand, then~”
As she spoke, Li Bixian extended her delicate hand to Blind Xiaofan. He took her hand in his, gently tracing its contours.
“This is the Tiger’s Mouth...”
“This is the Lesser Marsh point...”
“This is the Pass Rushing point...”
As Zeng Xiaofan moved his fingers over Li Bixian’s hand, he named each acupoint he recognized.
So it was that, early this morning, Li Bixian had come to help Blind Xiaofan teach himself traditional medicine.
He had not always been blind; once, he was a university student studying Chinese medicine.
But later, trying to protect his girlfriend from some thugs, he was blinded by their cruelty and expelled from school as a result.
Once a promising young man, he lost his future, his sight, and his lover left him as well.
For a time, Zeng Xiaofan drifted aimlessly in the village, just barely getting by.
Li Bixian, meanwhile, was a famed beauty in the neighboring villages—a young widow. On her wedding day, her husband died of drink before they could even consummate the marriage.
Newly wed, she was made a widow and blamed by her in-laws for bringing bad luck, forced to return in disgrace to her family home.
It is said there is no end of gossip at a widow’s door, and for a woman as stunning as Li Bixian, there were countless men in the village who coveted her.
But she ignored them all, preferring to spend her days at Blind Xiaofan’s house, encouraging him to stand up again.
She urged him to continue his studies, to become a blind physician one day.
She even went so far as to let him practice acupuncture and recognize acupoints on her own body.
To avoid suspicion, the two often met in an abandoned farmhouse.
Today, as on many previous occasions, they were studying Chinese medicine together in the deserted house.
“Xianjie, thank you for letting me practice...”
Zeng Xiaofan was moved to the core. He only traced his hand up to her fragrant shoulder before stopping.
He did not dare go any further; beyond that lay her chest...
That, too, was a point of pride for Li Bixian. Not only was she beautiful enough to make flowers weep and fish dive,
her figure was breathtaking—tall and curvaceous, with a fullness that was simply unparalleled.
She glanced down at the exquisite curve just visible beneath her open collar,
then looked at honest-faced, blind Xiaofan, and sighed silently to herself:
“What a lovely sight—what a pity you cannot see it.”
“Ah?”
“What can’t I see?” Zeng Xiaofan asked in confusion.
Realizing she’d spoken her thoughts aloud, Li Bixian gave a playful, coquettish laugh.
“Hehe... I just said it’s a shame there are some beautiful sights you can’t see~”
Zeng Xiaofan shook his head with a bitter smile.
“That’s true. But I saw enough of the scenery before; it doesn’t really matter now.”
“No... I mean, you’ve never seen a view like this before.”
Li Bixian’s eyes glittered with mischief.
At her age, full of longing, she yearned for a passionate storm.
She glanced around to make sure they were alone, then her eyes softened with a tinge of seduction.
“Xiaofan, you’ve been practicing acupoints for quite a while now. How about a little test?”
“Sure! I promise I’ll get a perfect score!” Zeng Xiaofan grinned, patting his chest confidently.
A sly sparkle flashed in Li Bixian’s eyes as she said,
“Alright then. Next, wherever I guide your hand, you name the acupoint you touch. Is that okay?”
“No problem!”
Zeng Xiaofan was full of confidence; after all, he’d memorized most of the acupoints on her hands by heart.
But he never imagined that as he spoke, Li Bixian quietly slipped off her clothes.
A dazzling expanse of creamy skin appeared; any other man would have had a nosebleed at the sight.
But Zeng Xiaofan was blind, and so saw nothing at all.
Looking at his handsome face and slender fingers, Li Bixian felt a flush of embarrassment herself.
It was her first time baring herself before a man; the shame and thrill made her heart race, her cheeks flushed as red as if she’d been drinking.
“Xiaofan, here comes the first question~”
“What acupoint is this?”
She guided his hand gently onto her body.
Zeng Xiaofan, smiling and full of confidence, froze in shock the instant his palm met her skin.
He shuddered, as though struck by lightning, completely stunned.
“Ah!!!”
“Xian... Xianjie...”
“What... what are you doing?!”
“How could you let me...”
Zeng Xiaofan was flustered, overwhelmed with embarrassment. He hastily withdrew his hand, stammering in confusion.
Li Bixian only laughed more, her voice full of teasing delight.
“Silly boy, what did you think you were touching?”
“You’ve got the wrong idea, haven’t you?”
“That’s the breakfast I brought for you—warm, snowy white meat buns!”
With that, she pressed a real meat bun into his hand.
Zeng Xiaofan blushed furiously and let out a breath.
“Ahem... sorry...”
“I misunderstood... I thought...”
“Thought what? What did you think?”
Li Bixian poked his forehead playfully, scolding him,
“Were you planning to take advantage of me?”
“Where did you want to touch, hmm?”
“No, no, of course not!” Zeng Xiaofan stammered, mortified.
Li Bixian bent over with laughter, “Hahaha, oh, everyone knows you’re the most proper young man around.”
“Come on, have a bun. We’ve got a much deeper test to go next.”
“Remember, this time, you’re not allowed to withdraw your hand—no matter what you touch, you must feel carefully and not pull away until you’ve correctly identified it. Understood?”
She gave him a meaningful, mischievous look.
Zeng Xiaofan nodded.
“Alright! This time I won’t let go until I figure it out!”
“That’s more like it. I’m warning you first~”
Li Bixian bit her lip, hesitated a moment, then said coquettishly,
“Whatever you touch next, make sure you feel it carefully...”