Chapter 45: Forty-five, is she her? Chapter 45: Forty-five, is she her? Yang Lisheng stood up and looked towards Mr. Qin and Liu Shanyue, “Mr. Qin, then we shall take our leave now.”
“Alright!” Mr. Qin and Liu Shanyue followed suit, standing up to escort Yang Lisheng and his party to the door.
“Xiao Ning, Grandpa Qin would like to thank you for this time. If you ever need anything, just feel free to ask,” Mr. Qin said cheerfully as he looked at Song Yan Ning, his eyes brimming with admiration. He had met many well-bred ladies, and though their looks might surpass Song Yan Ning’s, their temperament couldn’t match hers. Temperament was what he valued most.
Song Yufeng looked at Song Yan Ning in surprise. Mr. Qin was actually thanking Xiao Ning? How could that be? Given Mr. Qin’s status in Beijing, even a stomp of his foot could shake the city. Xiao Ning was just a child of seven or eight. What could she have done to deserve his thanks?
Song Yan Ning looked up and met Mr. Qin’s benevolent gaze, offering him a slight smile, “There’s no need for formality, Grandpa Qin.”
Seeing his daughter’s poised response, Song Yufeng’s eyes held a trace of astonishment. Even he dared not look directly into Mr. Qin’s eyes, yet his daughter was bold enough to make eye contact with him. This surprised him greatly and forced him to reevaluate his opinion of her.
Qin Yushen felt the car come to a stop and slowly opened his eyes. As he was about to open the car door, he saw Mr. Qin in the distance sending off guests, which raised his eyebrows in curiosity. It was rare for his grandfather to send off guests personally, even if they were his old friends.
Stepping out of the car, Qin Yushen walked towards the approaching Song Yan Ning and her party.
Stopping before Song Yan Ning and her group, Qin Yushen paused, giving them a polite smile, “Uncle Song!” Of those present, he only knew Song Yufeng.
“Xiao Shen is back,” Song Yufeng said with a smile, looking at Qin Yushen. He was quite fond of the boy and sincerely hoped he might one day become his son-in-law.
Qin Yushen nodded slightly, “Uncle Song, why don’t you stay a little longer?”
“There’s something I need to attend to today, Xiao Shen. Visit me when you have the time. I’ll be taking my leave now,” Song Yufeng said without introducing Song Yan Ning and the others to Qin Yushen. As he led them to his car, he knew about the arranged marriage between Xiao Ning and Xiao Shen, but that agreement had long been void, never really taken to heart by either the Song or Qin families.
“Goodbye, Uncle Song!” Qin Yushen said with a light smile, nodding to Song Yufeng, Yang Lisheng, and Li Meixiang and glancing at Song Yan Ning. His expression became slightly startled when he caught sight of her bright, star-like eyes.
As he watched Song Yan Ning and the others depart, Qin Yushen drew his gaze back and headed towards the house. The eyes of that little girl were very similar to the doctor’s. Could they be the same person?
Walking into the living room, seeing Liu Shanyue chatting with Mr. Qin, Qin Yushen greeted them, “Grandpa! Mom!”
“Xiao Shen, you’re back. Come and sit; Mom and Grandpa have something to tell you,” Liu Shanyue said with a smile, waving Qin Yushen over.
Qin Yushen nodded and sat down on the sofa.
“Xiao Shen, did you run into Uncle Song and the others when you just got back?” Liu Shanyue handed Qin Yushen a glass of water. He should have met them coming in.
“I did,” said Qin Yushen, taking a sip of water. These days, he had been searching for medicinal herbs, hoping to concoct an elixir to eradicate the poisonous insect inside his grandmother’s body. Despite scouring every pharmacy in Beijing and searching online, he had yet to gather all the necessary herbs. Therefore, he planned to find an excuse to leave after Grandpa Song’s birthday celebration. If he couldn’t find the missing herbs, he would have no choice but to travel to Miao Border—his grandmother’s rescue was a must.
“That little girl is Song Yan Ning. You visited her when she was born,” said Liu Shanyue, watching Qin Yushen for his reaction.
“Mhm,” Qin Yushen nodded, feeling a twinge of disappointment deep inside. If she was Song Yan Ning, then she likely wasn’t the doctor. Those admitted into Emperor Realm typically came from influential families or were highly capable themselves. The chance of her earning entry to Emperor Realm was slim.
Seeing no change in Qin Yushen’s expression, Liu Shanyue shook her head helplessly, “She treated your grandmother today.”
“She knows Medical Skill?” Qin Yushen’s eyes suddenly brightened. Was this a coincidence, or was she the doctor?
Liu Shanyue nodded, “She’s been learning Medical Skill from her maternal grandfather since she was young, and it’s said that she has even surpassed him. She identified the cause of your grandmother’s ailment today—she said there’s a Gu Worm inside her, and after Grandpa Song’s birthday feast is over, she plans to go look for the Golden Cicada Herb.”
“Golden Cicada Herb?” Qin Yushen narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze unreadable. He knew about the herb and that it could draw out the Gu Worm, but he couldn’t leave Beijing and didn’t want to expose himself, so he had been secretly looking for the medicinal herbs needed to make the elixir for his grandmother.
Liu Shanyue nodded once more, “She said the Golden Cicada Herb can only be found in Miao Border.”
“She’s going to Miao Border?” Qin Yushen looked astonished. No matter how skilled Song Yan Ning was in medicine, her age was a factor. Miao Border was fraught with danger, and even he was not completely certain of his safety there.
“I’ve already contacted Family Head Liu. He will arrange for the Qingshan Meeting to accompany the young miss there,” Mr. Qin said leisurely, setting down his teacup. If there were any other way, he wouldn’t let a young girl take such risks.
After pondering for a moment, Qin Yushen spoke up, “Grandpa, I want to go too.” He felt that there might be more to Song Yan Ning than met the eye, and he wanted to learn more about her. He was also eager to know if she was the same as the doctor—after all, their eyes were similar, and she knew Medical Skill.
“Xiao Shen, don’t be rash,” scolded Liu Shanyue gently. It wasn’t that she was reluctant to let Qin Yushen go, but she feared he might complicate matters. She had been told how perilous Miao Border was; and had it not been for securing the company of Liu Qingshan, she would have never agreed to let Song Yan Ning risk it. She was quite fond of Song Yan Ning, her prospective daughter-in-law.
“Mom, I’m not being impulsive. Grandmother is ill, and as her grandson, I should contribute. Don’t worry, I’ve learned some self-defense skills in Emperor Realm, and I won’t cause any trouble. I can also help protect Song Yan Ning. Grandpa, please let me go,” Qin Yushen appealed to Mr. Qin.