After parting with the Xiao Family, Lin Wanwan carried little Qingyu and led the group of servants through the gate of the medical house. She felt a gaze upon her in the shadows and turned to look, but saw nothing unusual apart from the curiosity seekers scattered around who had watched the spectacle. Where Daoist Sun and the others had stood earlier, now no one remained. "Madam, what is it? Did you leave anything behind?" Hua Nong asked curiously. Lin Wanwan frowned slightly, then shook her head, withdrew her gaze, and said, "It’s nothing, let’s go." Shortly after she left, three figures emerged from the shadows of the medical hall. The one leading them was Xiao Yixun, clad entirely in white. She softly said while gazing in the direction Lin Wanwan had disappeared, "She possesses medical skills. Ah Qing, did you see that?" The mute maid Ah Qing stood silently in her shadow without the slightest response, like a statue. Anyone who didn’t know any better would assume she’s not only mute but also deaf, otherwise, she would react to her mistress’s question. A hoarse voice emanated from the dark corner, "I saw it. That girl sews flesh and skin like a garment with blood all over, without changing her face. Stitch by stitch, she’s a bad seamstress but possibly a good medical worker." The person was a peculiar figure standing to Xiao Yixun’s rear left. This person had extremely ugly features, wearing a pointed black cloth hat with a padded crown, exquisitely embroidered at the brim and a dyed wax strap hanging down to her legs. Her attire was rich in various accessories and bright colors, unlike Han clothing, seeming more like the dress of the Southern Barbarians of Lingnan Road. Latest content publıshed on 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝕟𝕖𝕥 Extremely beautiful and extremely ugly alike are both hard to gauge in age. It’s cruel to stare at an ugly person for long, so others never looked directly at her. Xiao Yixun seemed accustomed to her harsh voice, as if it had been scraped by a knife, and said calmly, "Witch, even the Divine Doctor Sun is helpless." Called Witch by others, the odd woman revealed a strange and unsettling smile and said, "Little Miss, I told you before, human medicine is useless. Neither the bald monks nor the Daoists’ worshipped idols work. Only the Gu worms I raise might bring hope, but you wouldn’t heed my words." Upon hearing this, Xiao Yixun remained silent, and after a long pause, she sighed, "My eyes hurt." The mute maid Ah Qing, who had been practically invisible, now swiftly took a white silk band from her bosom, standing behind Xiao Yixun to bind her eyes, keeping out the outside light. "Let’s go back, come again tomorrow." Xiao Yixun ordered indifferently, taking a hood from Ah Qing’s hand, which she wore on her head, covering herself entirely, before stepping over the threshold of the medical hall. The other two similarly put on their hoods silently and followed closely. Though they appeared to walk slowly, their speed was swift; within just a few steps, they had crossed the courtyard gate. Ah Qing curled her little finger and blew a harsh, piercing whistle. A black dot rapidly dove down from the sky moments later, landing directly on Ah Qing’s raised left arm, which was wrapped with a thick piece of leather. Simultaneously, with a "pop," a rigid snake fell to the ground in front of the three of them. It was unclear where it had been seized from, and having failed to hide well during hibernation, it would easily meet its end. Through the hood came Xiao Yixun’s detached voice, "I hate snakes; don’t catch them again." The hawk with jade claws whiter than snow flapped its wings twice, emitting a series of "Ah-coo-da" cries, seemingly in response. The Witch chuckled raspily, swiftly snatching up the snake with both hands like lightning, tucking it inside her hood, disappearing from view. The three walked briskly, zigzagging, managing to avoid everyone. On the mountain path outside the Daoist temple, a giant with white eyes and bristly beard was waiting, his back bound with a seating frame. Upon seeing Xiao Yixun approach, the giant knelt on one knee and bowed his back. Ah Qing helped Xiao Yixun onto the seat. Once comfortably seated, the giant with white eyes rose effortlessly, gliding with ease down the mountain. Ah Qing and the Witch followed closely, one on each side, half a step behind. Though their legs varied greatly in length, their strides were miraculously uniform, as if measured out beforehand. Those encountering the four on the mountain path hurriedly allowed them to pass, suppressing their breath as they went by, only muttering quietly to each other in disbelief once sufficiently distant, "Lord Lao! This blind giant can actually carry people walking on roads, isn’t he afraid of falling off the mountain?" A stone came flying from an unknown source, hitting the speaker’s mouth unexpectedly, causing him to cry out in pain, disgorging a tooth along with a small stone bloodily into his palm. His companion, witnessing this, quickly covered his own mouth, panic-stricken and unsure what to do. Xiao Yixun descended the mountain, while Lin Wanwan, whom she had deliberately avoided, emerged from the Daoist temple’s classroom and the home for the elderly, entering the Plum Garden. The Plum Garden had few people because a merit box stationed at the entrance deterred entry, alongside a small Daoist guarding it. Hua Nong stepped forward to place several golden melon seeds into the box as the group leisurely entered the plum grove’s paths. Lin Wanwan, inhaling the faint fragrance in the air and listening to the sound of snow shifting, couldn’t resist the inspiration and began to test Qingyu, "Little Yu-er, how does the poem about Snow Plum go? Do you remember it? Recite it for mommy?" Initially delighted by playing with snow on plum blossoms, little Qingyu widened her eyes suddenly, her smile freezing, staring blankly at Lin Wanwan, opening her small mouth but not producing any sound. After a long wait without hearing a word from her, Lin Wanwan started her off, "Plum and snow vie for spring..." In an instant, Qingyu used her small hand to cover Lin Wanwan’s mouth, her eyes brimming with pride, "Oh! I know, I know! Plum and snow vie for spring, not lowering their dignity. Mere evaluation! Plum... Plum... Mommy, what comes after plum?" Defeated by her miserable recital, Lin Wanwan hugged her little body tight, laughing, "Oh my dear, still going on about mere evaluation..." "Ah! Mommy can’t laugh at me!" Qingyu immediately protested, interrupting Lin Wanwan, as she was now at the age of developing self-esteem, detesting jokes from her mother. Lin Wanwan chuckled indulgently, coaxing, "I wasn’t laughing at you. The following is ’Plum must yield three parts white to snow, yet snow loses a segment of fragrance to plum.’ You see, isn’t that exactly how this garden is?" "What a fine line, ’Plum must yield three parts white to snow, yet snow loses a segment of fragrance to plum.’" A voice, laughter-laden, rang from deep within the plum grove.