Secret Recipe | Chapter 97 | The Human Test Subject | Novela.app

Blessings never come in pairs, and misfortunes never come alone. These eight words were the perfect portrayal of the Su family’s current state. The expected rise to glory had not arrived; instead, the family had been struck by a succession of upheavals in just a few short days. First, they were embroiled in a murder case, leading to a thorough investigation of the entire household. Then, the Old Madam, who had just celebrated her eightieth birthday, died a sudden and unexplained death. Due to the family’s circumstances, they did not even dare to hold a grand funeral, hanging only a few paper lanterns before their gates. Some said the reason the Su family was in such a hurried, wretched state was not entirely due to their misfortunes, but because the murderer held in the Governor’s yamen was none other than the deceased Old Madam herself. However, this claim held little water—no matter how robust the Old Madam’s health had been, she was eighty years old; how could she have killed someone in the middle of the street? Others said that this was precisely the strangeness of the case, which was why the new Commander was being so cautious, delaying any public announcement regarding the progress or results of the investigation. The matter soon spread throughout Jiu’gao City, becoming the subject of heated discussion in every street and alley. Yet, the Su residence at the center of this storm was currently so desolate it could have grown a layer of frost in the middle of midsummer. White lanterns swayed silently under the eaves. The bronze bells at the corners of the roof had been removed, leaving the courtyard in a deathly silence. Guo Rengui, dressed in hemp mourning clothes, had wailed and caused a scene for half the day before "happening" to faint, remaining unconscious even now. Left with no choice, Lu Zican and the others had summoned the maids from the inner courtyard for questioning one by one, not even exempting Su Rin’s legal wife, who lived in seclusion and spent her days chanting Buddhist sutras. The female members of the household moved in and out with sorrowful expressions, while the men seemed to have reached a tacit agreement, each remaining behind closed doors and refusing to see anyone. When questioned, each had their own excuse, making it impossible to find fault. The maids and servants watched everything with vacant expressions; many among them still refused to believe what was happening—they could not believe Su Rin was in prison, that He Yuanzhou was dead, or that the Su family could no longer provide them protection. But Qin Jiuye knew the truth all too well. She had confirmed it with her own eyes. He Yuanzhou’s death had come too suddenly. Only after repeated confirmations with the coroner did she accept the fact: there were no other external injuries on He Yuanzhou’s body. She had indeed died a sudden death, rather than being assassinated by some martial arts expert. However, according to the soldiers on guard that day, He Yuanzhou had struggled violently for the duration of a quarter-hour before dying, which did not rule out other possibilities. For instance, silencing a witness. Killing did not necessarily require blood. For a poisoner who knew how to adjust the dosage, even the most brilliant coroner might not be able to find a clue. Qin Jiuye looked toward the maid named Meichong, who was currently kneeling in the center of the ancestral hall, while Lu Zican’s continuous questioning rang in her ears. She could tell from the woman’s well-maintained hair and hands that this head maid of Su Muzhi had once been quite influential. She must have been a power to be reckoned with in the inner quarters; aside from the Master and the Old Madam, few would have dared to give her a hard time. Now, however, the situation had reversed, and even a petty man like Guo Rengui could take the opportunity to trample on her, pushing her forward to take the fall. Meichong bit her lip from beginning to end, not even noticing when she drew blood. Seeing this, Qin Jiuye sighed. While Lu Zican was checking the records with his subordinates, she stepped forward and handed the woman a handkerchief. Meichong looked up at her but did not take it, instead raising her own hand to wipe her mouth. "You needn't put on such an act. Ask whatever you wish to ask." Qin Jiuye did not force the matter and withdrew her hand, getting straight to the point. "You said earlier that the Old Madam’s daily life and diet were handled by Xinyu. Aside from her, did truly no one else have a hand in it?" "You don't believe me?" Meichong’s lips curled into a mocking smile, though her voice betrayed an unmaskable exhaustion. "That girl Xinyu looks decent on the outside, but she is actually the most ruthless of all. She never shares anything she gets her hands on with others. But I’ve seen many like her; how could I let her run wild in the back courtyard? I’ve been keeping an eye on her for a long time." As a servant of the household, her master had been charged with a crime and her own future was precarious, yet she had not seized the opportunity to absolve herself. This actually made Qin Jiuye trust her words a bit more. "I believe you. What you say sounds much more credible than Guo Rengui’s words." After a moment of reflection, Qin Jiuye suddenly remembered something. "When Kang Renshou came to perform the consultation earlier, he should have issued a prescription, yet I didn't see it in the medical records. Do you know where that prescription is? Was it hidden away by Xinyu?" Meichong’s expression visibly faltered, and she spoke in a somewhat sluggish tone. "There was no prescription." Qin Jiuye was stunned, her premonition growing stronger. She pressed further, "How could there be no prescription?" Lu Zican also leaned in at this point, only to hear Meichong continue. "Because Mr. Kang gave pills directly. He said they were 'Yang-Restoring Pills' unique to Huichun Tang, extremely precious. Only one pill could be taken per day, and he said they could alleviate the symptoms immediately..." Hearing this, Lu Zican clearly realized something as well, his expression changing instantly. "Where are those Yang-Restoring Pills now?" Meichong paused and spoke truthfully. "He kept them in a golden gourd. Xinyu was looking after it before; even I couldn't touch it." Qin Jiuye stepped back in realization, thinking to herself that everything she had deduced was falling into place. However, with Xinyu’s current whereabouts unknown, the golden gourd was naturally impossible to trace. But from the manner of He Yuanzhou’s death, it wasn't hard to infer that the gourd contained no "Yang-Restoring Pills," but rather a lethal poison. By controlling the dosage, the poison could not only suppress symptoms in the short term but also kill the person like boiling a frog in lukewarm water—a method that achieved two goals at once. The questioning ceased, and Meichong was led away, leaving only Qin Jiuye and Lu Zican in the empty ancestral hall. Qin Jiuye sat in a high-quality, exquisitely carved sandalwood chair in the center of the hall, her thoughts troubled. After a long while, she murmured, "I originally thought Kang Renshou made some kind of decision after examining He Yuanzhou’s condition, but now it seems that wasn't the case at all. He went to the consultation carrying that golden gourd, which means he had murderous intent from the very beginning. He—or rather, the person behind him and Xinyu—never intended to let He Yuanzhou live to cause more trouble." Lu Zican’s face was also haggard. In just a few days, his small notebook was nearly full. He frowned, his voice filled with doubt. "But if that’s the case, wouldn't it have been safer to let Xinyu do it directly? No matter how difficult He Yuanzhou was to deal with, killing her shouldn't have been hard for a martial arts assassin." "Perhaps they didn't want to expose their hidden mole? Or perhaps the person behind the scenes doubted Xinyu and felt she was incompetent?" As Qin Jiuye spoke, she felt her own reasoning was a bit forced and shook her head. Between two evils, one chooses the lesser. An assassination could always be covered up; why go to the trouble of dragging a pawn like Kang Renshou into the game? And after Kang Renshou died, Xinyu didn't flee immediately, which showed she wasn't uneasy about it. So what role did Kang Renshou actually play? He was a pharmacy manager, not an expert in the art of killing. Was he really just there to deliver poison? "Wait." Qin Jiuye suddenly stood up from the chair, standing still for a moment before speaking slowly. "Kang Renshou was a pharmacy manager, a physician. How could we forget that?" Lu Zican was still confused. "Are you saying Kang Renshou really went there for a consultation?" "Exactly. The so-called consultation wasn't just a front. It’s just that before sending Kang Renshou, the person behind this already knew He Yuanzhou’s illness was extremely dangerous. So, on one hand, they wanted Kang Renshou to observe and record the progression and symptoms of her illness, and on the other, they wanted him to judge the situation and, if necessary, silence her without leaving a trace." Lu Zican finally looked enlightened. He pulled out his notebook and flipped through his previous notes, his voice unable to hide his excitement. "But they didn't want to expose themselves, so they sought someone like Kang Renshou, who is far removed from the martial world! That’s why they used the Tingfeng Hall to relay the mission, and why they planted a mole like Xinyu in the Su residence so early! Xinyu entered the Su residence over half a year ago. Looking at it this way, that person chose their target a long time ago!" Lu Zican spoke rapidly, but Qin Jiuye’s voice began to sound strained. "Yes. The Su family was in the game from the very beginning. Even if Su Rin hadn't taken the bait the first time, they would have had other moves waiting for him." Perhaps it wasn't just the Su family. She had an even bolder, more terrifying association. Why would a person, knowing something was dangerous, give it to another and record all the symptoms after they were affected? If there was no personal grudge, there was only one possibility: because they were conducting an experiment. They were using these living human lives to conduct an experiment, and He Yuanzhou was one of the test subjects. Since it was an experiment, selecting only one test subject was clearly insufficient to obtain reliable results. They would need more diverse participants, preferably those who were physically strong and had high endurance. Like people of the martial world. So it wasn't just the Su family. Yuan Shuqing, the Master of the Fangwai Temple who died miserably on Qingping Road; the martial artists killing each other in the Treasure Mirage Pavilion; Li Qiao, who encountered the mysterious young master... they were all the same. They weren't lucky recipients of miraculous elixirs, but carefully selected test subjects. Someone was hiding in an invisible corner, coldly watching them go from "deficient" to "complete," from gravely ill to "cured," and then from "completeness" and "recovery" toward utter ruin. Back then, in order to force Su Rin out, she had fabricated a rumor saying that the item from Yuan Shuqing’s treasure chest in the Treasure Mirage Pavilion had ultimately fallen into the Su family’s hands. It had been a flight of fancy, but who would have thought it would become a self-fulfilling prophecy, inadvertently revealing the truth so early? This series of events was not only likely the work of the same person, but a meticulously arranged, purposeful game of chess. The one holding the pieces was not reacting to moves, but had placed the stones and set the tone long ago, determined to push everything toward a predetermined conclusion. A layer of cold sweat broke out on Qin Jiuye’s neck. She stared at the row of pale paper lanterns under the eaves outside the window, suddenly feeling as if they were expressionless human faces staring back at her in the wind. Lu Zican was still deep in thought over his notebook, agonizing over the last few questions that had no answers. "So what exactly does this mastermind want to do? And where did they come into contact with a strange disease like He Yuanzhou’s?" Qin Jiuye blinked, her voice unconsciously flowing from the depths of her throat. "Two possibilities. One, they have seen other patients, so they are familiar with the symptoms this disease might produce. The other... they are a patient themselves." "Well said." Qiu Ling’s voice rang out unexpectedly behind her. Qin Jiuye, who had been staring out the window, was startled. She turned to find the young Commander standing at the door; he seemed to have been there for a long time. She regained her composure and quickly lowered her head in a salute. "What I just said was merely wild speculation. I spoke out of turn; please do not take offense, Commander." "If what you said is wild speculation, then the case files of the Governor’s yamen are a stack of waste paper, and the runners scurrying inside and outside the court can all be called useless trash." Despite her heavy heart, Qin Jiuye couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth upon hearing such a blunt disparagement of Magistrate Fan. However, she quickly suppressed that bit of amusement and looked up. The man before her still had that serious, cold appearance, but after the twists and turns of the investigation these past few days, he was far from the high-spirited man she had first met. He looked possessed by an indescribable exhaustion. Yet, perhaps because of this exhaustion, the overbearing aura he carried when speaking to her had weakened significantly, replaced by a hint of approachability. After all, they had both been tormented by this headless case. Lu Zican, observing the situation from the side, waited a long while before coughing lightly and asking, "Has the Commander come because there is new progress?" Qiu Ling nodded, but his gaze was fixed on Qin Jiuye. "Gao Quan has found that secret formula in Su Rin’s room. Would you like to go take a look together?" Qin Jiuye nodded, then realized something and felt it might be inappropriate, so she added politely, "It is my duty. The Commander need only give the order." But she didn't know if it was her imagination, but after she said this, the man’s face did not seem to show any more satisfaction. In the next moment, Qiu Ling turned and walked quickly toward the courtyard. She had no choice but to follow with Lu Zican. ****** ****** ****** The so-called "Su Rin’s room" referred to his study. This study was located in a corner on the east side of the main courtyard. It looked unremarkable, yet normally only Su Rin was allowed to enter. Besides the Su family’s business ledgers, the room also housed many divine statues. Qin Jiuye looked them over one by one and found she didn't recognize a single one. Many of those statues were mottled and damaged, clearly relics of the previous dynasty or even older artifacts. Though they varied in form and had weathered many ages, they still possessed a solemn and quiet aura. Yet, no matter how impartial or lofty they appeared, they were the vessels for the deepest desires of the mortal world. And regardless of what Su Rin had prayed for, judging by his end today, these deities had not granted his requests. When Qin Jiuye withdrew her gaze, Gao Quan had already walked to a low couch in the corner of the room. He explained as he lifted the couch board, fishing out a chased bronze box from a gap against the wall. "Su Rin built a fire-wall for heating in the study, but because no one usually lives here, it was almost never lit. He hid this thing in a gap in the wall. It took us quite a while to find it." It turned out that even an arrogant wealthy man like Su Rin was no more clever at hiding things than a poor person like her—it was nothing more than finding a crack between bricks to stuff things into. Just like the mystery of the secret formula; it only seemed full of eerie points now because the clues were just beginning to emerge and the full picture could not be seen. She was a physician, best at peeling back layers to find the root cause. She must not let fear or cowardice take hold at the start; that would be falling into a trap. Thinking this, Qin Jiuye felt much calmer. At Qiu Ling’s signal, Gao Quan pulled over a large purple elm desk from the study and carefully placed the square box on it. Qin Jiuye and Lu Zican gathered around. Gao Quan took out a dagger and deftly pried off the lock on the bronze box. When the box opened, everyone present was stunned. Inside the box was not a formula written on paper, but a palm-sized cinnabar-red porcelain bottle. Aside from the color being eerily vibrant, it looked no different from an ordinary pill bottle. Qin Jiuye stared at the small porcelain bottle, inexplicably dazed. This bottle... had she seen it somewhere before? "This... this is the secret formula? Aren't formulas supposed to be written on paper?" Lu Zican’s surprised voice rang out, interrupting Qin Jiuye’s thoughts. Recalling Su Rin’s words in the dungeon, she spoke with a hint of understanding. "Perhaps the reason a secret formula is called a secret formula is precisely because it is never written on paper or recorded." Gao Quan was also looking at the porcelain bottle with his arms crossed, but he did not take another step forward, seemingly unwilling to get close. "What kind of formula could be so effective after just one use?" Qin Jiuye was also very curious about this question. To attract business or establish a reputation, many pharmacies or famous doctors would have their own secret formulas. But many of these so-called secret formulas were merely appropriate and accurate adjustments made to existing medications. An experienced physician could see the trick with a careful look. However, there were rules in the trade; as long as it wasn't too excessive, they wouldn't investigate or expose each other. Qin Jiuye thought for a moment, then turned to Lu Zican. "May I take a closer look at the contents of this bottle?" "You may. Wait a moment." As Lu Zican spoke, he pulled out a small handkerchief from somewhere, carefully picked up the bottle, and examined it closely. After confirming that the porcelain bottle was indeed just an ordinary bottle with no other strange features, he handed it to Qin Jiuye. Once Qin Jiuye had it in her hand, she examined it from all angles. She didn't think the bottle had any mechanisms; she just hoped to find some clues on the bottle itself. Although she wasn't in the medicinal herb business, she was in the clinic trade. She had seen basically all the medicine bottles and jars circulating in Longshu and even the Jiao Prefecture area, but the shape and color of this one were very unfamiliar. There were no markings on the bottom or body of the bottle. After checking the exterior, Qin Jiuye gently pulled out the wax plug at the mouth of the bottle and leaned in to sniff it, then couldn't help but frown. There wasn't a hint of medicinal scent in the bottle, only an indescribable, strange smell. She used the light to peer intently into the bottle. It was empty; not a trace of the secret formula remained. Perhaps seeing her solemn silence, Qiu Ling couldn't help but ask, "Well?" Qin Jiuye placed the bottle back into the box and spoke truthfully. "I have no leads." Lu Zican crossed his arms and stood up, looking at Qin Jiuye with some suspicion. "Doesn't Miss Qin run a pharmacy? You should recognize many medicinal herbs. How could you not even smell a single one? Could it be you're playing games with us?" Being questioned for no reason, Qin Jiuye didn't get anxious or angry. She just stood two or three steps away from Lu Zican and twitched her nose. "Adjutant Lu used osmanthus oil to groom his beard this morning, drank bitter tea, and ate some fried biscuits with dipping sauce and plain noodles. Am I correct?" Lu Zican was instantly stunned. Seeing this, Gao Quan couldn't help but let out a light chuckle. Qin Jiuye calmly rubbed her nose, her expression carrying the aura of an old traveling doctor. Her nose had been certified by the entire village of Suiqing back then. When she was young, Qin Sanyou wanted her to learn a craft to make a living, so he invited no fewer than dozens of various experts and craftsmen to test her talent. It was said she was very clumsy then—not only were her hands and feet uncoordinated, but she took a long time to remember things other children could easily memorize. Only her nose was exceptionally sharp; she could always smell many subtle scents. In the end, Qin Sanyou only found two paths for her: one was to replace a hunting dog and follow hunters into the mountains to catch river deer and pick mushrooms, and the other was to apprentice under a physician. Qin Jiuye felt that as a human, it was better not to steal a dog’s job, so she chose the path of medicine. However, she didn't want to embarrass Lu Zican, so she returned to the topic at hand. "Nothing remains of the contents of this bottle. It is indeed difficult to distinguish by smell alone. Even if I were to force myself to name a few ingredients, it would be irresponsible." "Miss Qin is correct." The consistently silent Qiu Ling suddenly spoke, his voice sounding normal. "No matter what was once in this bottle, it should be considered a very dangerous substance. We cannot jump to conclusions, nor can we leave it be. In a moment, I will send men to take this bottle to the various pharmacies in the city to see if anyone recognizes it." Qin Jiuye hadn't expected Qiu Ling to speak up for her. Since a moment ago, she felt his attitude toward her had undergone a massive shift. It was as if she had stepped from a freezing place into a land as warm as spring; she still couldn't break the habit of being guarded, and her movements were somewhat at a loss. "What if they can't identify it?" Gao Quan chimed in, speaking quite boldly. "Miss Qin surely looked at the bottle carefully just now but still saw nothing. Besides, a bottle is just a bottle. In my opinion, we still need to spend more effort on the contents." This Gao Quan’s ability to seize an opportunity was much stronger than Lu Zican’s. This petty, bearded Adjutant Lu’s future was looking grim. Qin Jiuye was feeling somewhat sentimental when Qiu Ling suddenly turned his gaze toward her again. "Miss Qin, is that so?" The way he looked at her was also different from before. It was like a lake filled with starlight at the foot of a sacred mountain, quietly waiting for a passerby to make a wish. How could he look at her like that? This gaze, filled with expectation within the inquiry, was truly... too much pressure. Qin Jiuye felt her current situation was even less comfortable than when she was being met with cold glares. After a pause, she spoke with some difficulty. "The nature of the contents is unknown, but seeing as there is no residue at all, it was likely a liquid. However, it has been dry for a long time, and the scent has faded significantly. Moreover, it doesn't smell like any herbal scent I recognize. Instead, it smells like..." She stopped suddenly, as if she felt what she was about to say was absurd, yet within that absurdity lay some unbelievable possibilities. "Say whatever comes to mind, just as you were speaking to Zican in the ancestral hall earlier." As Qiu Ling’s words landed, Qin Jiuye couldn't help but glance at Lu Zican. After the interactions of the past few days, she had indeed grown closer to Lu Zican. That back-and-forth of deduction and discussion earlier was an atmosphere only friends could have. Lu Zican was also looking at her, clearly thinking of the same thing. But as soon as their eyes met, he quickly looked away and spoke to Qiu Ling. "Miss Qin and I were just... just discussing the case. We inevitably got a bit too immersed in the process. Other than that, there is nothing else." *Why are you explaining so hard? Are you that unwilling to be associated with me?* Qin Jiuye secretly rolled her eyes, then returned her gaze to the bottle. After some deliberation, she said, "I can try to verify my hypothesis, but I can't guarantee a conclusion." The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted it. Better to have one less thing to worry about. In this situation, if she hadn't spoken up, the other party wouldn't have said anything, and the matter might have eventually been dropped. But once she spoke, it would likely lead to endless trouble. Lu Zican, however, seemed very satisfied with her decision and straightened up. "It would be for the best if Miss Qin is willing to try. As they say, treat a dead horse as if it were alive..." As he spoke, he shifted his gaze away from the bottle. Looking up, he noticed the door to the study had opened a crack at some point. The tall, thin youth was standing by the door, only half his face visible. It was unclear how long he had been standing there. Lu Zican was startled, his tongue tripping. "Y-you... when did you get there?!" Before he could finish, Li Qiao pushed the door open and entered. His gaze swept over the cinnabar-red porcelain bottle in the center of the table, then he lowered his eyes, acting as if he couldn't see Lu Zican’s large frame. He bypassed him and came directly before Qin Jiuye. "I’ve been waiting since Sister left the house. You said you had things to tell me about the pharmacy; how did you forget so quickly?" She said she had things to tell him about the pharmacy? What things? Why didn't she remember? The hungover and amnesiac Qin Jiuye felt a surge of guilt, only finding her voice after a long while. "It wasn't anything important. You go back first; once I’ve handled things here..." However, before she could finish, the other party took another step forward and interrupted in a low voice. "Sister is the resident manager of Guoran Ju, yet you haven't gone back to check on it for days. I’ve come out of kindness to remind you, and to ask a question on behalf of those patients waiting for medicine: Has Manager Qin climbed the social ladder to the high officials from the capital and no longer cares for the poor folks in the village?" Qin Jiuye never expected him to suddenly say such things. This heavy accusation of social climbing weighed her down so much she couldn't straighten her back. "What are you talking about? Of course I care about the village and Guoran Ju. It’s just that I can't get away..." Halfway through her explanation, she realized her current guilt was baseless and straightened up again. "You are an assistant; shouldn't you be looking after the business at the pharmacy right now? Why are you standing here questioning me instead?" This time, Li Qiao did not speak. He slowly lowered his head, his soft hair sliding over his shoulders. He looked like a loyal house dog that had been scolded despite doing its duty. Qin Jiuye followed his gaze and saw that he was holding an oil bucket and a paper bundle. The paper bundle looked familiar—it was the wrapping from the sugar cake shop on Bobo Street. Lu Zican also noticed it. Terrifying memories of sugar cakes flooded his mind, and he retreated half a step as if facing a great enemy. Gao Quan also had a meaningful expression, while only Qiu Ling remained impassive, though his eyes turned cold in an instant. "The matter of the Su family is not yet clear. If someone is hiding in the shadows waiting for an opportunity, it might be unsafe for you to be alone..." "The Su family is involved in a major case overseen by the government; the Su residence is the site of a murder. What is your status that you dare to intrude? Or do you consider yourself related to this case, which is why you repeatedly show up at the door?" The youth looked up and smiled. "Does a brother need a reason to seek his sister?" As his voice landed, the atmosphere in the room instantly became somewhat tense. But Qin Jiuye’s mind wasn't on observing the situation at all. She looked at the sky outside, calculating the trouble of verifying that secret formula. "It’s getting late. I need to go back to Guoran Ju to get some things." As she spoke, she prepared to walk out the door. The youth beside her immediately prepared to follow. "I’ll go with Sister." At the same time, the young Commander who had been standing by the table suddenly appeared at the door. " I will take you by horse. It will be faster." The room fell silent again. Lu Zican, standing dumbfounded to the side, suddenly realized something and nodded like a chicken pecking at grain. "Exactly, exactly. Riding a horse is faster..." The youth gave the bearded Adjutant a cold glance. "My sister doesn't like riding horses." Before his words could land, Qiu Ling immediately said, "Walking is also fine." Qin Jiuye’s head throbbed. She shook her head and declined politely. "There’s no need for such trouble. I can go alone." "The matter of the Su family is not yet clear. If someone is hiding in the shadows waiting for an opportunity, it might be unsafe for you to be alone..." As Qiu Ling spoke, he stepped forward, only to be blocked by someone cutting across his path. "That makes sense. It’s safer to go with me. I know the road back to the village best." Li Qiao stood there with his hands on his hips, occupying the doorway and refusing to move. Seeing this, Lu Zican immediately stepped up. "The Commander means that it’s getting late. If there’s a delay, you’ll have to walk at night, and walking at night is even more unsafe..." The youth at the door looked up, his gaze like a fish-gutting knife scraping over Lu Zican. "The night roads of Jiu’gao City are so unsafe? I wonder what the Adjutants guarding the city are busy with?" Lu Zican’s face darkened. Before he could retort, the youth turned his spear toward Qiu Ling. "If the Commander is afraid of delaying the investigation, just say so. There’s no need to use caring for my sister as an excuse. If others hear of it, they might suspect you of being half-hearted—the marriage with the Su family hasn't been called off yet, and you're already entangled with another woman." "You!" Qiu Ling was clearly no match for the youth. His usually righteous and dignified face actually showed signs of shame and annoyance. However, the youth who had won the verbal battle turned around, only to find that Qin Jiuye was nowhere to be seen. She was small and thin; she had taken the opportunity to slip out. In the Su family’s gravel-paved courtyard, only a line of shallow footprints remained, cutting diagonally across the middle of the yard, showing the haste of the person who had left. Before the desk, Gao Quan, who had witnessed everything, shook his head. He looked at the three men who had finally quieted down, then clapped the black dust from the wall bricks off his hands and muttered to himself. "Are men always this troublesome and talkative?" *** **Glossary** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation ---|---|--- 还阳丹 | Yang-Restoring Pill | A pill claimed to have miraculous restorative properties. 朱红色瓷瓶 | Cinnabar-red porcelain bottle | The container found in Su Rin's study. 试验品 | Test subject | The realization that the victims are part of an experiment. 果然居 | Guoran Ju | Qin Jiuye's medical clinic. 木犀油 | Osmanthus oil | A fragrant oil used for grooming hair or beards. 紫榆 | Purple elm | A type of high-quality wood used for furniture.