Chapter Fifty-Six: The Foul-Smelling Slime

The air was saturated with a stench so foul and fishy that even covering one’s nose offered no respite; the odor invaded relentlessly. “Boss, I can’t take it anymore,” Zhou Jinfan finally burst out, unable to endure any longer. Clutching his nose and mouth, he rushed from the room, gulping down fresh air—only to discover, to his shock, that the yard outside was equally engulfed by the smell.

It was as if a cloud of toxic gas had descended, pursuing him wherever he went. Only Xie Qingtang remained unperturbed, standing in the room as she watched the man retch up that strange viscous fluid. When the man finally ceased vomiting and his belly had shrunk somewhat, Xie Qingtang nodded lightly and withdrew the silver needle from his abdomen.

Once everything had settled, Xie Qingtang stepped out of the room. Tiger strode up to her at once, anxiety etched on his face. “Doctor, how is my brother?”

“For now, his condition has stabilized. But to cure his parasite infection completely, I must know exactly what type of parasite he has. Only then can I prescribe the right medicine.” Xie Qingtang spoke calmly.

Just now, she had used her needle technique to expel some of the fluid that nourished the parasites within him, and had carefully collected a sample in a small vial. Had anyone in the yard seen Xie Qingtang stoically squat down and scoop up the vile mucus, which had sent them fleeing, they would surely have been awed by her composure.

Though their brother was not yet healed, Xie Qingtang had given them hope. Tiger and his companions were visibly moved, especially Tiger, who grasped Xie Qingtang’s hand and said gratefully, “Doctor, thank you so much. I shouldn’t have caused trouble for Chunshan Hall before. Rest assured, I’ll never do it again. If you ever need my help, just ask.”

Looking at the man before her—who had once effortlessly hauled Zhou Jinfan from behind the medicine cabinet—Xie Qingtang’s eyes glimmered. Such innate strength was rare indeed.

That probing look made Tiger freeze, his dark face flushing red as he lowered his head in embarrassment. The tall, burly man, towering over Xie Qingtang, had never looked so bashful—so much so that Xie Qingtang herself was momentarily taken aback.

As the atmosphere between them grew increasingly strange, Gu Xiuqin, seated in his wheelchair, appeared in the yard, his eyes narrowed as he observed the scene. He spoke coolly, “It seems I’ve come at the wrong time.”

For reasons unknown, his words snapped Xie Qingtang and Tiger out of their awkward daze. Xie Qingtang withdrew her hand and addressed Gu Xiuqin, “What brings you here?”

She had asked casually, but Gu Xiuqin’s expression grew darker, his brows arching as his gaze lingered on Tiger. He said coldly, “So, I really did come at the wrong time? You didn’t want me here, did you?”

At his words, Xie Qingtang sensed something amiss and glanced at him with surprise. “Gu Xiuqin, what nonsense are you talking about? I only asked why you came—whether it was for medicine or a consultation.”

“My allergy symptoms are nearly gone,” Gu Xiuqin replied after a long pause.

Xie Qingtang nodded. “Since you’re here, there’s something I need to discuss with you. Let’s talk in the front hall.” With that, they walked toward the hall, and after a moment’s hesitation, Tiger and his companions followed.

Xie Qingtang told them, “Your brother will need to stay here for about a month. I’ll treat him gradually, since after half a year of parasite infection, his body is severely depleted. Even after removing the parasites, he’ll need medicine to restore his health.”

“All right, Doctor. Understood. If there’s nothing else, we’ll head back now.” Tiger nodded, planning to fetch Yun Niang to care for their brother, since none of them knew how to nurse a patient.

Xie Qingtang nodded, and once they’d left, she turned to Gu Xiuqin. “Take off your shirt so I can have a look.”

“A young lady shouldn’t say such bold things,” Gu Xiuqin said, frowning at her bluntness, clearly uneasy.

Xie Qingtang rolled her eyes. “I am a proper practitioner of Chinese medicine. What’s wrong with what I said? I only want you to take your shirt off so I can check your allergy symptoms—it’s you who’s twisting it.”

“Miss Xie is right, Mr. Gu,” Li Zhao, standing nearby, chimed in for some reason. The next instant, Gu Xiuqin’s cold gaze silenced him.

Li Zhao shut his mouth at once. Xie Qingtang approached Gu Xiuqin. “If you’re embarrassed, just roll up your sleeve. I only need a glance.”

Previously, Gu Xiuqin’s face had scarcely shown signs of allergy; the worst symptoms were on his body. This time, he did not refuse. He rolled up his sleeve, exposing his arm. Xie Qingtang examined it, nodding as she said, “The symptoms are much improved. With another week of medicine, you’ll be fully recovered. But I must ensure that the medicine I’ve prescribed for your allergy doesn’t conflict with the tonic for your health; otherwise, it could affect your future male function, which would be troublesome.”

As she spoke, she moved behind the consultation table, muttering to herself as she wrote out the prescription, paying no heed to Gu Xiuqin, who was still standing there.

At her words, Gu Xiuqin’s face turned ashen. Though he knew Xie Qingtang was a physician, she was still a woman—and not only had she examined his body, she kept teasing him about it at every opportunity. Truly intolerable.