Chapter 83: Antiques

Everyone on the scene was utterly stunned.

The Chen family, who had earlier looked down on Zeng Xiaofan, now treated him with reverence as though he were a divine being.

“Miracle doctor!”

“Miracle doctor!”

“This is simply unbelievable!”

“There really was something evil in her!”

“And he even brought the madam back from the brink of death!”

“He is truly a being beyond mortal understanding!”

Completely won over, the crowd burst into enthusiastic applause and cheers.

Wang Yanfen, now fully recovered, hurried up to Zeng Xiaofan and bowed graciously.

“Thank you, Master Zeng, for saving my life.”

“Thank you... If it hadn’t been for you... I would have... I would have been done for!”

“I’m sorry. I was wrong to mistrust you before!”

Chen Jianghe strode forward as well and bowed low before Zeng Xiaofan.

“Master Zeng, I won’t waste words.”

“From this day on, anything that concerns you concerns me, Chen Jianghe.”

“I hear you plan to develop agriculture in your hometown. Whatever support you need in policy, just say the word.”

“Also, please accept this one million as your medical fee.”

As he spoke, Chen Jianghe forcibly pressed a bank card into Zeng Xiaofan’s hand and said solemnly:

“Master Zeng saved my wife’s life. No amount would be too much, but you know my position—my salary is limited.”

“This one million was savings from my wife’s family business over the years. Please don’t think it is too little.”

Then he added with sincere earnestness:

“I may not be able to give you much money, but if you need anything, you can come to me.”

“I’ll do everything I can to help you solve it.”

Before Zeng Xiaofan could reply, Fan Bing had already been slightly moved. She knew very well that for someone of Chen Jianghe’s standing, a mere million was nothing.

But precisely because his status was unusual, he would normally never dare pull out cash and offer it so directly to thank someone, for fear of provoking gossip and misunderstanding.

The fact that he was willing to take such a risk today and hand over a million to Zeng Xiaofan was proof enough that Zeng Xiaofan now held an extraordinary place in his heart.

Zeng Xiaofan simply smiled and waved it off lightly.

“No need for money.”

“I said before that she only needs to be my maid for half a year.”

As he spoke, he pointed at Chen Lini. Chen Lini’s fair face flushed bright red at once.

“You...”

“You...”

“Humph!”

She stammered for a long while and still could not manage a second sentence. After all, she had agreed to it in front of everyone, and it was indeed difficult to go back on her word now. She could only stamp her foot and turn away.

Chen Jianghe laughed heartily and said in a loud voice:

“It is rare for Master Zeng to think so highly of my daughter. Don’t worry, even if you take the money, she will still serve you as a maid for half a year!”

“No, to be precise, she’ll be your personal maid. On call at any time!”

“Dad!”

“You... how can you turn your elbow outward like that!”

Chen Lini grew even more bashful, stamped her foot again, and stormed off in a huff.

Her little lifted backside, huffily trembling, drew smiles from everyone present.

Zeng Xiaofan also shook his head with a smile.

“In that case, I shall accept with gratitude.”

He took Chen Jianghe’s bank card, then frowned slightly.

“Where did you get this thing?”

“The evil thing that invaded the madam’s body earlier came here because of it.”

As he spoke, Zeng Xiaofan picked up the jade rod and held it out for the couple to see. It was thick at one end and thin at the other, carved with cloudlike spiral patterns, and the head was engraved with a rather menacing likeness of a bearded old man.

The beard lines and cloud motifs were arranged with delicate density, and the surface felt distinctly uneven to the touch.

Chen Jianghe looked at it and shook his head slightly.

“What is this thing?”

“I’ve never seen it before.”

Wang Yanfen’s pretty face reddened a little as she also shook her head.

“I’m not very sure what it is either. It was sent up by one of the people below, saying it was some sort of antique.”

“I touched it... it seemed to be jade, so I just put it on a high cabinet and kept it.”

Zeng Xiaofan nodded upon hearing this and said calmly,

“So you really don’t know where it came from.”

“No wonder.”

“But then again, if you had known its origin, you probably wouldn’t have left it in the living room, where so many eyes could see it.”

“Master Zeng, what exactly is this thing? Is there something special about it?” Chen Jianghe asked in confusion.

Zeng Xiaofan nodded and said a little awkwardly,

“This thing is called an intimacy rod.”

“It was something lonely women in ancient times used... to relieve themselves.”

“Ah!”

Wang Yanfen cried out in mortified embarrassment at once.

“You... what did you say...?”

“You mean this is something ancient women used to... cough...”

“That thing?”

Zeng Xiaofan also nodded with some embarrassment.

“Yes... It is said that Pan Jinlian and Ximen Qing in ancient times were very fond of using this thing...”

“So it was also nicknamed the sister-in-law’s delight... or the widower’s companion...”

Zeng Xiaofan explained slowly:

“Therefore, it was already an obscene and wicked object to begin with. And this intimacy rod was taken from an underworld tomb.”

“Looking at the jade pattern and the signs of age on it, it may well have had several female owners before it was buried.”

“It was likely an item from the imperial palace.”

“Think about it: in the cold, lonely chambers of the harem, where the women were full of longing and resentment, and could never see a man in ordinary life, wouldn’t they have used an intimacy rod for amusement night after night?”

“The more female owners this thing had passed through, the more likely it was to become spiritually attuned. Then, after accumulating resentment for years in an underworld tomb and absorbing the yin energy of heaven and earth, it gradually transformed into something supremely lustful and profoundly evil.”

“You brought such a thing into your home. How could the women of the household possibly be safe?”

Zeng Xiaofan shook his head.

“Luckily I arrived in time this once. Otherwise, after this evil object drained you to death, its power would have doubled at once. By then, if it turned its attention to your daughter Chen Lini, the consequences would be unthinkable.”

“Oh!”

Wang Yanfen was so ashamed she could not even lift her head. At the thought that she had even touched the jade’s patterns before, she wished she could smash herself to death on the spot.

Recalling those scenes she had once believed were merely dreams, only to realize they had all been real manifestations of evil possession, Wang Yanfen felt more and more unable to face anyone.

But then she thought of how her daughter had nearly been harmed as well, and a chill of lingering fear swept through her. Quickly, she seized Zeng Xiaofan’s hand and asked anxiously,

“Master Zeng... then... then how is Lini now?”

“She... she’s still a virgin... surely her body hasn’t already been violated by that evil thing?”

Zeng Xiaofan shook his head slightly.

“No, not yet. Though this object is wicked, it is not so easy to use against a virgin.”

“Virginity itself represents purity, and it has a certain restraining effect on such evil things. That is why it first had to drain your vitality. Once you were dead, it could truly invade your daughter.”