Medicine

Zhang Jingyi’s movements faltered for a moment, appearing intensely resistant, but she eventually forced herself to stop in her tracks.

The old man stood up, fished a small jar of ointment from his pocket, and handed it to her. "As a host, I certainly cannot neglect a guest who has come from afar. After hearing about your situation this morning, I made a point of bringing this ointment back when I went into town. It is specially prepared by a renowned local doctor; it should be of help to you."

The group exchanged glances, their eyes converging on the jar of ointment.

Yun Xian studied the old man’s expression, keenly catching a flash of emotion in his eyes as he handed over the jar—it looked like... a sense of anticipation. Yet, his expression quickly returned to normal, wearing a kindly smile, appearing for all the world like an elder concerned for the younger generation.

Zhang Jingyi clearly hesitated, but after only a brief moment, she took the ointment. Without even a word of thanks, she picked up her rice bowl and hurried back upstairs.

After dinner, Yun Xian and the little girl returned to their room. As soon as they pushed open the door, they were met with a heavy, cloying fragrance.

Zhang Jingyi was sitting before the vanity, her back to them, dipping her fingers into the milky-white paste and carefully applying it to her face.

Yun Xian stepped closer and glanced at the jar—the milky substance shimmered with a strange luster, its texture excessively thick, almost like melting wax as it warmed.

The air was permeated with a cloying sweetness that felt as if it could seep into one’s very bones.

Her gaze shifted upward, landing on Zhang Jingyi’s terrifying face.

"Are you really going to use that?" she asked in a low voice.

Zhang Jingyi’s hand paused for a flicker of a second, but she soon continued, applying the cream even more meticulously.

Yun Xian saw that the emotions in her eyes were incredibly complex—despair, obsession, and madness intertwined. She looked like someone driven to an absolute limit, teetering on the edge of delirium.

Yun Xian opened her mouth to speak, but finally, she could only let out a sigh.

—The night grew deeper.

Yun Xian lay in bed, the cloying scent of the ointment still clinging to her nostrils, thick enough to be suffocating. She closed her eyes, her mind a chaotic blur, and drifted into a heavy, sinking dream.

—The dining table was laden with food, steam rising from white porcelain bowls. Everything was so familiar, as if carefully peeled away from her own memories.

Yun Xian sat on a small wooden chair, her legs dangling, unable to reach the floor. Her mother sat beside her, looking at her tenderly, scooping up a bit of fish with a spoon and blowing on it gently before holding it to her lips. "Xiao Xian, eat more."

Her father sat opposite, flipping through a newspaper, glancing up at her from time to time with a smile at the corners of his mouth. "You've grown taller lately."

Yun Xian blinked, looking down at her own short legs and the princess dress she was wearing, feeling that something was not quite right.

The scene was too beautiful—so beautiful that it felt... unreal.

Tick—tock—

The sound of the clock echoed clearly in the air, but beyond that, everything fell into an eerie silence.

She suddenly had a strong premonition—something was coming.

She held her breath and turned her head stiffly, her gaze falling on the ajar door.

Something was shifting in the crack of the door.

"Creak—"

The door was pushed open. A figure stood in the shadows of the doorway, tall and gaunt, features obscured.

Yun Xian’s breath hitched.

The shadow stepped inside slowly, its movements light, as if it were floating above the floor, completely soundless.

She turned to look at her mother, wanting to speak, but her throat felt blocked by something, unable to produce a single sound.

Her mother continued to smile; her father continued to read the newspaper. Their actions remained unchanged, as if they were completely unaware of the shadow’s presence.

But Yun Xian saw that the shadow was already standing behind them.

The next second, a flash of silver blade!

*Squelch—*

The blade pierced her mother’s back without resistance, sinking deep into her body.

Yun Xian’s eyes widened, her body writhing as she tried to scream, but her voice remained trapped.

Her mother’s smile froze on her face. The fish in the bowl swayed slightly, and sauce dripped onto the table, blooming into a pool of crimson.

Her father continued to flip the newspaper, and in the next heartbeat, the blade pierced his chest as well!

Yun Xian lunged forward frantically, desperate to push the figure away, but her limbs felt bound by an invisible force, unable to move at all.

The shadow turned its head slowly.

—Its face was blank. No eyes, no nose, no mouth—only a smooth, pale expanse of skin.

It just stood there, quietly "watching" Yun Xian. Even without features, she could feel that it was smiling.

Her mind exploded with a roar, tears streaming uncontrollably. She struggled frantically, yet remained paralyzed.

No! This isn't right! This isn't real!

Suddenly, the scene before her flickered—

She opened her eyes, gasping for air.

The room was bathed in soft light, the air filled with a sense of warmth. By her bed, her mother was looking at her with concern, gently touching her forehead. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Yun Xian froze, tears falling in thick streams down her cheeks. She threw herself into her mother’s arms, holding her tightly, the terror in her heart easing just a fraction.

Her mother patted her back gently, soothing her tenderly. "It’s all right now, Mommy is here."

She leaned down and kissed Yun Xian’s forehead. "Come on, Daddy is waiting for us to eat."

Yun Xian sniffled, letting her mother hold her as they walked toward the dining table.

Her father was indeed sitting at the table, smiling at her, flipping through the newspaper just as he always did.

Yun Xian tried hard to calm herself, but just as she sat down, she felt the air behind her go stagnant.

She turned her head stiffly.

That person was there again.

He stood on the other side of the table, raised his blade, and thrust it straight toward her father and mother!

Yun Xian lunged in horror, trying to stop him, but no matter how hard she tried, her body remained bound, unable to move.

She struggled desperately, watching helplessly as the blade pierced through her parents’ bodies—

Suddenly, the blade shifted direction, thrusting straight toward her own chest!

*Squelch—*

An agonizing pain tore through her entire being, and Yun Xian snapped her eyes open!

The room was deathly quiet. Morning light spilled in through the gap in the curtains, and the cloying, sweet fragrance still lingered in the air, stirring an inexplicable agitation.

She panted heavily, her forehead drenched in cold sweat, her fingers gripping the quilt tightly. Calm and agitation warred within her chest. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot, dark resentment churning in their depths.

The obsession with revenge was like a cold venomous snake, coiled tightly deep within her mind, tightening its grip, nearly shattering her reason bit by bit.

She closed her eyes, trying to steady her mind.

The little girl leaned against the headboard, watching her quietly, her eyes heavy with sleep. Zhang Jingyi had also been awakened by the movement; she rubbed her eyes groggily and stretched her limbs lazily.

Just as she was about to get up, Yun Xian’s peripheral vision inadvertently swept across her face—

Her movements froze instantly, her pupils contracting sharply.