Volume 1, Chapter 41: Her Perfume Lingers on the Sheets

Xu Ziyao’s thoughts were instantly pulled back to reality.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she shot Ye Tian a playful, reproachful glare. "Who’s craving your food? Don't look down on me so much; I’m not someone who can be won over by just any little snack..."

Ye Tian chuckled. "Oh? I thought you had a pretty good appetite last night. I assumed you were quite fond of the ingredients from these mountains..."

Recalling the delicious meal on the table last night, Xu Ziyao did, in fact, feel a bit hungry. Perhaps struck by a sudden thought, her face turned as red as a dishcloth, and she nervously changed the subject. "I saw you practicing earlier... was that Qi cultivation?"

Ye Tian didn't hide it, answering with a vague, non-committal smile: "I suppose one could say that, perhaps, roughly speaking."

*It really is Qi cultivation!*

Ignoring the qualifiers, Xu Ziyao felt a surge of excitement. It seemed her judgment hadn't been wrong. She immediately took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. "I’ve never seen real Qi cultivation before. Could you tell me what it’s actually like?"

Ye Tian smiled. He stood up and unhurriedly brushed the non-existent dust from his clothes. "What is called Qi cultivation is merely the process of drawing the vital energy of heaven and earth into the body through specific breathing techniques, then circulating it through the meridians to constantly temper oneself. It’s not as mysterious as you imagine."

Xu Ziyao asked eagerly, "Then how did you learn it? This can't be an ordinary technique, can it? How did you obtain it?"

Seeing her anxious expression, Ye Tian found it amusing. He smiled and said, "I once treated a severely injured martial arts master, and he was the one who passed down some Qi cultivation methods to me."

"A martial arts master?" Xu Ziyao was even more curious now. This master must have been a truly formidable expert! She just wondered what his identity and background might be... Would asking about his identity be a breach of etiquette?

Wait. She had investigated Ye Tian’s background before. He had just been released from prison! Before he was incarcerated, he had been nothing more than an ordinary househusband. He had never displayed exceptional martial prowess, nor had there been any record of him practicing medicine...

"You aren't just making this up, are you?" Xu Ziyao asked with a strange expression.

*You actually guessed it right...* Ye Tian thought to himself with a smirk. However, he had no intention of continuing the topic; fabricating too much would only lead to slips. Avoiding the question made him seem all the more mysterious.

On the walk back, Xu Ziyao hesitated for a long time before asking, as if casually: "Last night... did you see anything?"

Ye Tian turned his head to look at her, teasing, "I thought you wouldn't ask. Since you’re asking, I’ll answer truthfully: of course I saw."

"Ahhh!" Xu Ziyao felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She was mortified; if there had been a crack in the ground, she would have crawled into it.

Seeing her frozen in place, her face alternating between red and white, he couldn't help but find it strange. "I’ve discovered you have quite thin skin. It was just a nightmare that scared you to tears—even if I saw it, so what? It’s not like you’ll lose a piece of yourself."

"A nightmare?" Xu Ziyao, who had been ready to bury herself, suddenly looked up at Ye Tian.

"Yes, what else could it be if not a nightmare?" Ye Tian asked suspiciously.

Xu Ziyao nodded hurriedly. "Yes, I had a nightmare. You have no idea how terrifying it was; that’s why I was scared to tears."

"Look at you, clearly such a coward. When I came in, you even tried to chase me out. Seeing those dark circles under your eyes, you probably didn't sleep well last night..."

Not wanting to dwell on this topic, Xu Ziyao gave a sheepish smile and brushed it off. "It was actually fine. Let's head back and pack up."

Returning to the cottage and seeing the bedsheets and quilt covers drying outside, Ye Tian felt a flicker of confusion. Why had Xu Ziyao washed them so early in the morning? It reminded him of his own awkward teenage years, when he had secretly washed his sheets after his first wet dream.

Xu Ziyao glanced at him sideways. Seeing his thoughtful expression, she pretended to be calm and explained, "I slept in your bed, and my perfume must have rubbed off on the sheets, so I washed them. I didn't want your girlfriend, the one with the surname Li, to smell it and start any trouble."

Hearing this explanation, Ye Tian’s suspicions dissipated. It made sense; Xu Ziyao was a girl, after all, and couldn't have dirtied the sheets like a pubescent boy. Her stated reason was quite plausible.

Even so, he felt the need to clarify. "You’ve misunderstood my relationship with Li Qingcheng. We are merely business partners; there is no romantic involvement between us. You don't need to have any concerns."

"Oh, is that so!"

Xu Ziyao nodded, her mood inexplicably lightening. She wasn't sure if it was because she had successfully bluffed her way through, or because Ye Tian and Li Qingcheng weren't the couple she had assumed.

Back inside the cottage, Xu Ziyao finished packing and said to Ye Tian, "By the way, I’ve used the satellite phone to notify my family. I’ve called for a helicopter to pick me up, and it should be here soon. You..."

She had intended to ask Ye Tian to come down the mountain to treat her grandfather, but then she thought, *He is so powerful, will he really give me the face?*

"Me, what?"

Ye Tian had already guessed what she wanted to say but didn't point it out. Offering his services too readily wouldn't fit the persona he had cultivated. If he wanted to play the part of a divine doctor, he had to play it to the end.

"Ahem." Xu Ziyao cleared her throat and decided to be direct. "As I mentioned before, my grandfather was wounded on the battlefield, which left him with a severe, chronic condition. As he’s gotten older, the attacks have become more frequent, so he needs treatment as soon as possible. It’s just that his legs are infirm, making it difficult for him to come up the mountain. I would like to invite you to head down and treat him..."

"I see." Ye Tian nodded, non-committally.

*What does that nod mean? Is he agreeing or refusing? Or is he just putting on airs as a divine doctor?*

Seeing him sitting there so coolly, Xu Ziyao grew anxious. However, since she was the one asking for a favor, she couldn't boss him around as she might others. She had no choice but to put on a soft, girlish demeanor and plead, "Divine Doctor Ye, I beg you to show mercy and save my grandfather."

"Pfft."

Ye Tian was amused by her sudden shift into a sycophantic tone. He shook his head, pretending to be unable to resist her, and said, "Very well. General Xu’s service in defending the country is truly admirable. If I were to stick to rigid conventions, I fear I would be condemned by all. Today, I will make an exception and head down the mountain to diagnose General Xu!"

"It’s a deal!" Xu Ziyao was delighted.

Little did she know, Ye Tian had been planning to go down the mountain anyway. Since the Xu family had already arranged a helicopter, he might as well hitch a ride and take care of some business of his own.