Chapter 58: Warmth in the Secluded Depths

The patient surnamed Zhao woke up.

Far from showing the anticipated weakness, he opened his eyes wide, his gaze burning like a torch, fixing directly on Qu Wanqing. His eyes seemed tempered in ice, sharp enough to slice her open.

The air in the room froze instantly, a sense of tension weaving like an invisible net to envelop everyone present.

Qu Wanqing felt entirely ill at ease, as though targeted by a venomous snake, breaking out in goosebumps all over.

"You... you're awake?" Doctor Li broke the silence first, a trace of imperceptible tremor in his tone. He seemed to harbor a certain dread toward the patient.

Ignoring Doctor Li, the patient continued to glare fixedly at Qu Wanqing. After a long moment, his thin lips parted, and a low, icy voice issued forth, carrying a chilling coercion: "Why were you prying into my secret?"

He was awake?

And acting so...

Full of vitality?

Qu Wanqing raved wildly in her heart while maintaining a calm exterior, forcing out what she hoped was a friendly smile. "This... er... young master, you've misunderstood. I was merely—"

"Misunderstood?" The patient sneered, cutting Qu Wanqing off. "Do you take me for a fool who would believe such a clumsy lie?"

"I truly harbor no malice!" Qu Wanqing grew anxious. Surely she couldn't confess that she had transmigrated into a book, or that she was investigating a case solely to resolve a second-marriage crisis?

Who on earth would believe such a tale!

"I... I was only—"

"Only what?" The patient pressed closer step by step, his tone growing increasingly frosty. "Only hoping to take advantage of my unconscious state to steal my secrets?"

"I did nothing of the sort!" Qu Wanqing felt even more wronged than Dou E; she could jump into the Yellow River and still fail to wash herself clean!

Her heart pounded frantically, and her palms began to break into a sweat.

Why were the people of ancient times so impossible to communicate with?

"Then what were you doing acting all sneaky?" The patient's gaze was like a knife, scraping painfully against Qu Wanqing.

"I..." Qu Wanqing was momentarily struck dumb. She certainly couldn't blurt out that she was investigating a case, could she?

The patient slowly sat upright, looking down at Qu Wanqing from his superior height as a chilling arc formed at the corner of his lips. "It seems you refuse to shed tears until you see the coffin."

Jiang Yu stepped forward, placing himself before Qu Wanqing like a towering mountain to shield her behind him.

He met the patient's gaze directly, his eyes as sharp as a falcon's. "Young master, please mind your words. Wanqing bears no ill intent. We merely happened to stumble upon some... unusual aspects of your establishment. If you insist on pursuing this course, it is unlikely to benefit you in any way."

The patient paused slightly, clearly caught off guard by Jiang Yu's formidable stance.

He looked Jiang Yu up and down. Jiang Yu's bearing was as steady as a rock, commanding without anger, which involuntarily caused a flicker of insecurity within him.

"Unusual aspects?" The patient repeated, his tone softening fractionally. "What did you discover?"

A meaningful smile touched the corner of Jiang Yu's lips. "For instance, why are the patients in your establishment perpetually unconscious? Or perhaps, why are the medicinal herbs here so peculiar that even an experienced physician has never heard of them?"

The patient's expression shifted slightly, his eyes flickering with uncertainty.

Seeming to weigh the pros and cons, he finally drew a deep breath and spoke in a low voice: "I can tell you certain things, but you must guarantee my safety."

Jiang Yu nodded slightly. "Naturally."

He turned to look at Qu Wanqing, gently stroking her hair as he murmured softly, "Do not be afraid. I will protect you."

A delicate blush bloomed across Qu Wanqing's cheeks, her heart drumming a frantic rhythm.

She lowered her head shyly, feeling the warmth of Jiang Yu's palm, and a warm current surged through her heart.

The surrounding fragrance of herbs seemed to grow cozier, and the air filled with an ambiguous sweetness.

Their eyes met, exchanging a silent dialogue where everything remained unspoken.

Suddenly, Doctor Li coughed heavily, shattering the tender atmosphere. "Ahem, the two of you, this is hardly the place for courting..."

The medical hall suddenly trembled violently, resembling a giant beast turning over deep beneath the earth, letting out a muffled roar.

Dust rained down from the ceiling rafters, and the medicine cabinets toppled like dominoes, sending jars and bottles crashing to the floor with a series of sharp, crisp sounds. The scent of herbs mingled with the smell of dust, filling the air and tickling the throat with irritation.

Caught completely off guard, Qu Wanqing stumbled and nearly fell, but Jiang Yu reacted with lightning speed, catching her by the waist and pulling her securely into his embrace.

"Hold onto me tightly!" Jiang Yu growled low against her ear. His voice was swallowed by the deafening tremors, yet it transmitted clearly into her consciousness.

Qu Wanqing gripped Jiang Yu's sleeve tightly, feeling his arm as solid as steel, which afforded her an immense sense of security.

Everything around them shook violently as if the end of the world had arrived, yet she felt a strange sense of peace. As long as Jiang Yu was here, it seemed there was nothing she needed to fear.

"What is happening?!" Doctor Li's voice held genuine terror as he collapsed to the floor, his face devoid of color.

"Do not panic!" Jiang Yu scanned his surroundings with composure and calm, attempting to determine the source of the shaking.

"Wanqing, did you notice any anomalies?"

Resisting her dizziness, Qu Wanqing strained to observe the surrounding environment.

Suddenly, her gaze locked onto an inconspicuous incense burner in the corner. Its base appeared somewhat loose, and it was emitting a faint, strange fragrance.

"That incense burner!" she cried out, pointing toward it.

Following her line of sight, Jiang Yu immediately grasped her intent.

Pulling Qu Wanqing along, he carefully navigated around the fallen medicine cabinets and strode toward the burner.

Upon approaching it, he discovered a hidden button carved with a bizarre symbol nestled on the base of the burner.

"It's a mechanism!" Without hesitation, Jiang Yu pressed the button. With a sharp click, the shaking of the medical hall ceased abruptly. Everything returned to stillness, as though the violent tremors had merely been a hallucination.

Still shaken, the others looked toward Qu Wanqing and Jiang Yu, while Doctor Li grew so emotional tears welled in his aged eyes. "My deepest thanks to the two of you for saving our lives! This old man is endlessly grateful!"

Qu Wanqing smiled modestly, though inwardly she felt exceedingly pleased—this maneuver had practically been textbook-level execution!

However, at that very moment, a figure slowly materialized in the doorway.

It was Miss Bai. She had arrived, staring at Jiang Yu with a complex gaze while an unreadable smile tugged at the corners of her lips...

"Jiang Yu..."