Ye Jinxiu’s expression was a bit odd. “Is that really all there is to it? No other plans?”
Lin Huanhuan snapped back, “Of course that’s all! What else did you think it would be? That my real goal is to save you? Don’t make me laugh!”
Based on your behavior so far, that might not be impossible either. On the surface, Ye Jinxiu remained composed, but inside she was having different thoughts.
Lin Huanhuan also observed her without giving anything away, thinking to herself: This little girl can’t have figured something out, can she? No, I definitely can’t let her see through me. I have to reinforce the impression I’ve given her.
“Hmph! I, your Young Lady, am an extremely selfish and domineering person. Anything I like is for me alone—not even a stray glance in my heart is acceptable.”
“You belong to me, and everything about you should be mine. That Youquan Spirit Vein is part of you; those people from White Tiger Hall have no right to take it. I’d never give them the chance. That’s why I’m doing this.”
Lin Huanhuan deliberately put on an extremely fierce expression, staring straight at Ye Jinxiu’s face. “So, do you understand? You’d best accept your fate early. It’s the only thing you should do!”
Ye Jinxiu bowed her head, her expression hidden, making no sound at all. It was like silent resistance—or maybe acquiescence. Lin Huanhuan decided it must be resistance, and had to be!
That should settle things.
Lin Huanhuan spoke again. “In a moment, I’m going to threaten that Ghost Doctor. Don’t say a word—just watch how I do it, unless you want your Youquan Spirit Vein stripped away.”
Ye Jinxiu nodded in agreement, but a question lingered in her mind: What exactly is the Youquan Spirit Vein? If it’s some kind of special physique, why hasn’t she ever felt it all these years? Even she herself didn’t know there was something like that in her body—so how did those people from White Tiger Hall know?
After a long while, the soundly sleeping Ghost Doctor Li Jiu finally began to stir. His eyes were cloudy, his gaze unfocused, still unable to make sense of the situation before him.
“What’s going on? Why am I here?”
“Oh, right.”
In a flash, Ghost Doctor Li Jiu recalled everything that had just happened. “I was here to help someone extract the Youquan Spirit Vein, then ran into a fan of mine, put on a blindfold to perform a trick, and then I fainted.”
“Someone attacked me! I have to get out of here!”
As he gathered his thoughts, Ghost Doctor Li Jiu’s face changed dramatically and he immediately tried to get up and run. But as soon as he put strength into his legs, he realized he was tightly bound. It was only then that he understood—he was actually tied up.
At that moment, he noticed the young girl not far away, looking at him with a playful expression, as if he were a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
My fate is sealed!
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu’s heart was filled with despair as he forced a smile. “Little Lin, weren’t you my fan? Why did you tie me up?”
“Even if you really admire me, isn’t this going a bit far? What do you want? Whatever I have, I’ll give it to you, okay?”
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu’s face was full of forced smiles, all to please her.
Lin Huanhuan smiled faintly. “I have a rather unique hobby. When it comes to idols I admire, I like to dry them out, use special methods to preserve them, and store them in my collection. I call it the ‘specimen making’ method.”
“Surely, senior, you won’t mind that?”
As soon as she said this, Ghost Doctor Li Jiu was so terrified his soul nearly left his body. “Let’s not joke about that, little one. That’s really not funny.”
Seeing that her intimidation was enough, Lin Huanhuan finally got down to business.
“It really is a joke, so please don’t mind, senior. But there is something I’d like to discuss, and I hope you’ll agree. I’d be very grateful.”
You call this a discussion? You knocked this old man out and tied me up—what kind of discussion is this? This is outright coercion!
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu felt indignant but didn’t dare show it. His life was in her hands, so he quickly agreed, “Okay, okay, as long as you’re joking. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it.”
Lin Huanhuan’s lips curled up slightly as she asked, “Is it possible to transplant something like a Spirit Vein using Spirit Threads instead?”
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu thought about it for a while, then finally replied, “It is possible, but the Spirit Vein is really just a hidden meridian in the body. If you graft a thread in its place, the rejection will be very strong and could cause serious consequences.”
Lin Huanhuan looked unconcerned. “It’s fine. That person won’t mind.”
“And who is that person?” Ghost Doctor Li Jiu already had a guess, but still asked out of habit.
“Of course it’s that sissy outside. He wants a Spirit Vein transplant, right? I’ll swap in Spirit Thread for him. It’s all the same. He shouldn’t mind.” Lin Huanhuan said casually.
“No way!”
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu suddenly gritted his teeth and refused. “Last time I was out drinking and didn’t have money to pay, it was Young Master Huang who covered the bill for me and kept me from being arrested. I owe him a debt—I absolutely can’t harm him!”
“So you really do have principles.”
Lin Huanhuan was a bit surprised. Ghost Doctor Li Jiu closed his eyes and stretched out his neck. “No matter what, I won’t do it.”
Suddenly, Lin Huanhuan gave a strange smile and asked, “Do you feel stiff, uncomfortable all over, and your heart beating faster?”
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu tried to sense his body and realized it was just as she said. Immediately, his face filled with terror. “What’s happening? What did you do to me?”
Lin Huanhuan sneered, “You didn’t really think I did nothing while you were unconscious, did you?”
“Might as well tell you—I poisoned you with a very obscure toxin. If you don’t get the antidote within three days, your organs will rot and you’ll dissolve into a puddle of pus. And it’s not instantaneous—it takes half a day of agony.”
“So now I’ll ask you, will you risk your own life to save that sissy’s?”
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu’s aged face changed several times before he finally sighed deeply. “Fine, I agree. Young Master Huang, forgive me—I’ve let you down.”
Though he felt guilty, once the ropes were untied and he received the Spirit Thread from Lin Huanhuan, Ghost Doctor Li Jiu moved quickly, immediately getting to work with the Spirit Thread, careful not to be discovered.
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu, just like in the original, is eccentric but deeply values loyalty. Yet in the end, when faced with danger, most people instinctively protect themselves—especially if it doesn’t mean truly sacrificing their companions.
Sitting to the side and having witnessed the entire process, Ye Jinxiu’s lips twitched. She lowered her voice in disbelief. “You’re just tricking him like that—are you sure it’s okay?”
She knew perfectly well that Lin Huanhuan hadn’t poisoned him at all. She’d been teasing her the whole time earlier!
“What if he figures it out and tells the people from White Tiger Hall after he leaves? Wouldn’t we be exposed?”
“What’s to be afraid of? When people scare themselves, the more they think about it, the more frightened they get. He’s not going to figure it out so easily. By the time he realizes the truth, it’ll be too late.”
So, is it the same, or at least similar, for me too? Ye Jinxiu looked at Lin Huanhuan’s face, thinking this to herself.