Wood Carving

The atmosphere was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

The esteemed Professor Zhong, who was treated like an honored guest by many rich people, was actually knocked to the ground by a slap!

Lin Huilan swallowed hard, shocked by what she saw.

Just a moment ago, he had been beaming like an exemplary student, but now, all of a sudden...

It was clear this was someone who loved and hated with great passion!

Liu Xinxin instinctively wanted to curse, but seeing that Qin Xuan dared to hit even Professor Zhong, she instantly chickened out and swallowed her words.

Ignoring everyone's reactions, Qin Xuan strode over to Chen Yan's side.

Sensing the icy look in her eyes, Qin Xuan grinned foolishly, "Sorry for scaring you, let me help suppress your chill poison first."

Quickly, Qin Xuan took out his needle kit from his backpack.

After disinfecting, he prepared to perform acupuncture.

Zhong Shiren was no longer concerned about the pain in his body. He lay prostrate on the ground, staring fixedly at Qin Xuan.

He wanted to see what tricks this young man was trying to pull!

Fifteen minutes later.

Qin Xuan was drenched in sweat. As he stood up, he let out a big breath, clearly having expended considerable effort.

Meanwhile, Chen Yan, who had initially been trembling, was now gradually breaking into a sweat on her forehead after the acupuncture session.

In the heated room, she felt like her whole body was about to explode from the heat!

Seeing this, Lin Huilan grabbed Chen Yan tightly and wept with joy.

Liu Xinxin stood there, dumbstruck like a wooden chicken, as if her soul had left her body.

Zhong Shiren's reaction was even more dramatic!

"You, you, you..."

Zhong Shiren's hand trembled as he swallowed and said, "What kind of acupuncture is this? I've studied Chinese medicine for decades and never heard of such a thing! Who is your teacher?!"

"None of your business," Qin Xuan said impatiently.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't recognize Mount Tai just now. I thought since you're so young, there's no way you could..."

"Get out!"

Qin Xuan gave no opportunity for further ingratiation.

He had just come down the mountain today and was truly annoyed by them all. Talking as if they had eaten sh*t, no class at all!

Zhong Shiren was filled with disappointment.

He still wanted to continue cozying up to Qin Xuan and ask about that unfathomable acupuncture technique, but in the end he was intimidated by Qin Xuan's gaze and left dejectedly...

"Do you know what you're doing? That was Professor Zhong! Countless people want his favor but can't get it even if they kneel outside his door!" Liu Xinxin gritted her teeth, with ten thousand grass mud horses galloping through her heart.

"Alright Xinxin, don't say anything more," Lin Huilan said, unusually giving Liu Xinxin an annoyed look. She then took Qin Xuan's hand and said, "Little Xuan, the poison has been completely cured this time, right?"

"No..."

Qin Xuan shook his head, looking somewhat apologetic. "This chill poison is a bit strange. If it could be cured, my master wouldn't have deliberately held back ten years ago. For now I can only suppress it."

Lin Huilan sighed deeply. "How long can you suppress it this time?"

Qin Xuan said, "The situation is much more severe than ten years ago. It may frequently recur, anywhere from three months to ten or fifteen days, in short cyclical periods."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yan went limp.

But Lin Huilan remained calm. As she poured water for Qin Xuan, she smiled and said, "Little Xuan, I have an improper request."

"What is it, auntie?"

"Please stay and live here. From now on, I'll provide fully for your room and board, and treat you like my own son."

"..."

Liu Xinxin's eyes widened in shock.

This was her greatest fear, that Qin Xuan would end up freeloading here after he came.

She never imagined that Lin Huilan would take the initiative to propose this!

Chen Yan was even more flustered. Aside from her impressions, she was grateful to Qin Xuan for treating her illness, but having a man suddenly move into their home...the thought made her feel very awkward!

"I'm not sure that's appropriate," Qin Xuan said hesitantly.

"I know it puts you in an awkward position, but I'm really worried that Yan might have another attack someday when you're not around..."

Tears welled up in Lin Huilan's eyes. "Little Xuan, please don't take offense at my brazen request. But I have to bring up the favor your master once owed me. For that reason, please stay, okay?"

With the request phrased like that, Qin Xuan could not politely decline anymore. However, remembering his junior martial sister's expression when she said "you know" and looking at the charming Chen Yan before him, Qin Xuan felt vaguely guilty despite having no intentions of doing anything improper...

His face turned red again for no reason.

Seeing that Qin Xuan was no longer objecting, Lin Huilan was overjoyed. She quickly said, "Little Xuan, have a seat first. I'll go buy groceries right away and make a nice meal to welcome you!"

Lin Huilan nimbly went out the door, taking Liu Xinxin with her so the foul-mouthed girl wouldn't ruin Qin Xuan's mood.

Qin Xuan was somewhat touched by these small thoughtful gestures.

Soon, only Qin Xuan and Chen Yan were left in the living room.

The atmosphere was a little awkward.

Qin Xuan scratched his head, then seemed to remember something. He hurriedly took out a small wooden carving from his backpack and handed it to Chen Yan.

This carving was something Qin Xuan had started chiseling after Chen Yan left Dashuru Village all those years ago.

The carving resembled what Chen Yan looked like as a child, with about sixty to seventy percent likeness.

At the time, Qin Xuan had thought that if they were reunited someday in the future, he would give this gift to her.

Faced with the little wooden carving Qin Xuan held out, Chen Yan pursed her lips, seeming slightly hesitant, but eventually reached out to take it.

"How have you been these past few..."

"I'm going to rest in my room now, make yourself some tea," Chen Yan said briskly before turning around and heading back to her room, leaving Qin Xuan dumbfounded.

Of course he didn't know that in Liu Xinxin's exaggerated accounts, Chen Yan's impression of him had fallen to an extreme low.

Gratitude aside, Chen Yan was willing to repay Qin Xuan for treating her illness. But the trivial childhood connection from long ago was already gone...

Qin Xuan felt a little lost.

At heart he was still naive. Taking out this carving meant he still cherished their old ties.

On the way here, he had imagined countless scenarios for their reunion, yet never expected Chen Yan to be so cold...

"She's probably grown distant after all these years, that's normal," Qin Xuan consoled himself.

Just then, Chen Yan came out from her room, clearly also on her way to the bathroom.

Qin Xuan quickly moved aside to let her pass. As he walked by her room, he inadvertently noticed...

The little wooden carving he had just given her was now lying quietly in a waste paper basket!

She had thrown away his gift!

Why?

His hands had been cut over ten times while carving that object.

It represented the purest goodwill of a child's heart!

Qin Xuan was not furious or gritting his teeth, he just suddenly felt that everything seemed meaningless now.

At this time Chen Yan came out of the bathroom and saw Qin Xuan frozen outside her door.

Following his gaze, she saw the little wooden carving in the trash can and instinctively felt embarrassed.

But in the end she still said, "I'm sorry, I have a very negative impression of you. I don't want your things, but I'll repay you properly for curing my illness. My mom will do her utmost for that."

"You have a bad impression of me?" Qin Xuan frowned.

"I don't want to deceive you," Chen Yan said solemnly. "Tell me, what kind of decent man goes around hitting women?"