Fan Zhuo stood up, pushing the medicinal cuisine that had turned cold away from him.
“If my real identity was a case of planting the dove in the magpie’s nest, and Fan Jin is actually from the Fan Family’s bloodline, would they still think the same?”
Jun Wu Xie’s eyebrow raised up high. She was hearing some interesting news.
Fan Zhuo’s eyes were still on Jun Wu Xie, and the smile in his eyes were deepening.
“Father and Big Brother are both very good people. Without them, I would no longer exist in this world. Planting the dove in the magpie’s nest was solely in return for a favour they received. After the matter with the Ning Family is fully resolved, this privileged identity of being the legitimate son of the Headmaster’s must naturally be returned.”
Hence, that fact that he would put up with everything in silence, was in consideration for the feelings of the Fan father and son, in repayment for their selfless act of benevolence.
Jun Wu Xie tilted her head and stared at Fan Zhuo. It would seem that before Fan Zhuo met her, he had already given up all hope of surviving through it. He must have known his body would not be able to drag on much longer and was trying his best to come up with ways to let the Fan father and son detect the malicious intentions of the Ning father and daughter.
Using his own limited lifespan in repayment for bringing him up.
This youth, was rather interesting.
Volume 6
Chapter 533: “Seeking Torment, In a Pair (1)”
Fan Jin found Gong Cheng Lei very quickly, and the answers he got from him, left him in a state of shock.
He gathered that Ning Rui had been helping Fan Qi to source out tonics suitable for recuperation for many years and Ning Rui had frequently visited Fan Qi’s personal kitchen. When he thought back to Jun Wu Xie’s guess, Fan Jin had to seriously consider that possibility no matter how much he hated to.
Ning Xin had masterminded an attempt on his life, and her father could very possibly be the very culprit to have drugged Fan Zhuo’s meals to kill him.
Fan Jin was greatly shocked and heavily devastated. He could not make himself imagine that the two people he had trusted so much all this time and treated almost like family members would deliberately plot to kill him and Fan Zhuo.
With a numbed and heavy heart, Fan Jin brought and shared his findings with Jun Xie and Fan Zhuo before he left with heavy steps.
He needed time, to digest all that he had found out today.
“The shock must have hit my brother quite hard this time.” Fan Zhuo sighed and lamented as he saw the downcast figure of his brother as he walked away into the distance.
Jun Wu Xie was sitting off one end of the bamboo bench in the yard of the bamboo grove and Lord Meh Meh was happily chomping up the fresh green grass around her feet.
“A time will always come, when you have to wake up from your dream.” Jun Wu Xie said, cradling the little black cat in her arms.
Fan Jin’s character had always been like this. He tended to beautify everything around him. And because of that, he was always brimming with enthusiasm and even when all the rumours about Jun Xie had dragged his name into the mud, he had not cared a whittle and still fiercely defended Jun Xie.
That character trait was both good to have, and bad to possess.
In days of peace, people like that would be greatly revered, but when faced in situations when one was surrounded by danger, they were most easily killed.
“What should my brother do from here on? My father’s character is exactly the same as his. Unless he is convinced himself of the suspicions, even if my brother and I tell it to him, he would not suspect his own fellow disciple.” Fan Zhuo found a spot under the shade to sit down, feeling rather helpless on how to handle the Fan father and son. If not for their overly trusting nature, they would have discovered the Ning father and daughter’s scheme much earlier.
“We wait and see.” Jun Wu Xie did not intend to interfere much.
It did not matter to her how the Fan father and son reacted, she decided as long as she knew what she needed to do, that was enough.
Fan Zhuo smiled, and as he stared at the hot noon sun, his heart warmed.
When Ning Xin appeared once again at the little bamboo grove, the smile was still on Fan Zhuo’s face, as his smiling eyes fell on the figure of a youth standing behind Ning Xin.
“Big Brother Zhuo. This is Yin Yan from the Spirit Healer faculty. He was roommates with Little Xie previously and he sort of misses Little Xie after having not seen him for such a long period and so I brought him along with me. Hope we are not imposing on you much.” Ning Xin exclaimed, smiling extra sweetly. After being snubbed the last time, she had needed two days to recover before she was able to make herself come here once again.
This time, she had brought along Yin Yan, and she was very clear what she wanted to achieve here today.
Fan Zhuo smiled good naturedly but Yin Yan’s face took on a rather dark expression as his eyes stared piercingly at Fan Zhuo, the enmity in them obvious.
Ning Xin betrothal to Fan Zhuo had happened quite some time ago and word of it had leaked into the Zephyr Academy. But as Ning Xin had very rarely interacted with Fan Zhuo, the matter of the betrothal had slowly faded and almost forgotten. Yin Yan had admired Ning Xin for a long time now and had been earnestly hoping to win the beauty’s heart. But now, he had actually been brought all the way here to see Fan Zhuo, which tore at his heart mercilessly, and he really could not find it within himself to smile at the person before him.
His eyes surveyed Fan Zhuo up and down, and a mocking laugh sounded in his heart.
So what is he is the son of the Headmaster? He is still a piece of useless trash that already has a foot in Death’s door. A guy who is about to die anytime, cannot be worthy of Ning Xin in anyway!
He completely disregarded Fan Zhuo in his heart, and his face did not show much respect either. His disdain showed outwardly undisguised, and he deemed Fan Zhuo to be beneath his notice.
Volume 6
Chapter 534: “Seeking Torment, In a Pair (2)”
Fan Zhuo was just as cordial as he always was, as if he was totally oblivious to Yin Yan’s uncivil behavior and he courteously invited the two of them in for tea.
Ning Xin sat for a while but when she saw no sign of Jun Xie, she began to grow anxious and said: “Why isn’t Little Xie here?”
Fan Zhuo replied easily: “I think he should be in his room.”
“Little Xie seems to like peace and quiet. Little Yan stayed together with Little Xie for a period before, he must have missed Little Xie after so long.” Ning Xin said smilingly as she looked at Yin Yan. Yin Yan’s expression froze, he was extremely reluctant, but when he remembered Ning Xin’s earlier orders, he had no choice but to mutter noncommittally:
“Mmm.”
He had never lived under the same roof with Jun Xie before. The first night that Jun Xie was admitted into the academy, Yin Yan had not gone back to the dorms. And when he got back, Jun Xie had already moved out.
It could be said besides the first time they met, Yin Yan had never seen Jun Xie in the dormitory again.
Fan Zhuo only laughed and did not say anything in reply.
Ning Xin tried all ways and means in various attempts to make Fan Zhuo invite Jun Xie over but Fan Zhuo didn’t seem the get the hint and only smiled at her and spoke about everything else except for Jun Xie.
Ning Xin was getting more and more anxious but she did not dare make her intentions too clear and abrupt.
It was even more infuriating for Yin Yan. He was forced to witness Ning Xin defer gently to Fan Zhuo and spoke in a soft demure voice, in an intimate manner, which shattered Yin Yan’s heart to pieces.
It was only after many hours that Jun Wu Xie finally appeared, and Ning Xin and Yin Yan felt a sudden wave of relief wash over them.
“Little Xie.” Once Ning Xin saw Jun Xie, she immediately put on her best smile and discreetly prodded Yin Yan on his arm
. Yin Yan’s expression was rather stony when he saw Jun Xie. His mind was suddenly filled with the scene that he witnessed in the Battle Spirits Forest that day and his mouth felt to have been sealed tight, his lips turning purple.
Jun Wu Xie glanced once at Ning Xin very briefly and proceeded to walk over to a chair on one side to take a seat. Lord Meh Meh’s hooves tapped on the ground as it followed obediently behind her and when it saw Ning Xin and Yin Yan, its tiny body suddenly stopped.
It remembered that youth, it had disturbed its rest just the other day.
“Meh!”
[Feedtress! Bad people here!]
Yin Yan’s face darkened as he looked at the tiny sheep staring angrily at him, and a twitch started to tug at a corner of his mouth. “So this is the Spirit Beast that Little Xie brought back from the Battle Spirits Forest? It’s….. rather cute.”
As he could not find himself liking Jun Xie a single bit, Yin Yan grabbed at any topic at hand to attempt to strike up a conversation.
“Little Meh, come.” Jun Wu Xie did not even bother to look at Yin Yan and waved at Lord Meh Meh. Lord Meh Meh’s hooves tapped on the ground once again and stopped beside Jun Wu Xie’s feet. Jun Wu Xie reached down and carried the tiny sheep into her arms and the sheep continued to stare angrily at Yin Yan.
[Bad egg! Eat you up!]
“Ahem, Little Xie, when do you intend to come back to the dormitories?” Yin Yan was sitting on pins as he had been rather badly shocked by the scene in the Battle Spirits Forest. He no longer dared to act rashly before Jun Xie now.
Jun Wu Xie lifted her eyes and watched Yin Yan squirm under her stare but he was still trying to appear enthusiastic. After a while, Jun Wu Xie finally said:
“Who are you?”
Yin Yan stony expression turned green upon hearing Jun Xie’s words.
Ning Xin was suddenly taken aback. She had not expected Jun Xie not to know Yin Yan.
How was that possible!?
Hadn’t Jun Xie been snubbing her because of Yin Yan all this while? Why was Jun Xie looking like he did not know Yin Yan at all?
“Little Xie, don’t you recognize Yin Yan? He shared the same room with you in the dormitories before you know?” Ning Xin prompted gently with a smile, as she carefully observed Jun Xie’s reaction.
Volume 6
Chapter 535: “Seeking Torment, In a Pair (3)”
“Little Xie, don’t you remember Yin Yan? The two of you had lived under the same roof before.” Ning Xin said with an uncomfortable laugh, carefully observing Jun Xie’s reaction.
“No.” Jun Wu Xie replied, without even lifting her head.
Yin Yan felt his a burning sensation forming on his cheeks. Ning Xin had just been telling Fan Zhuo how close he was to Jun Xie and in just the next moment, Jun Xie was saying he did not even know him. The slap that came with that snub immediately crushed the courage that Yin Yan had worked so hard to summon up to come here.
At that moment, Yin Yan and Ning Xin wished the floor would just swallow them up. They had been so sure that Jun Xie’s hostility towards them had been because of Yin Yan but from the way things were looking, that was not the case at all.
And Yin Yan had been trying so hard to convince himself that he must realise and submit himself to the circumstances and bow down to Jun Xie for the moment.
However, he had not expected himself to be so far beneath Jun Xie’s notice and was a person he did not even remember.
Silence suddenly pervaded the bamboo hut. Yin Yan’s head hung low in humiliation and the smile on Ning Xin’s face was frozen as the two of them squirmed under the deafening silence.
Fan Zhuo was sitting on the side and he did not seem to have noticed the predicament the two visitors were in as he asked in perplexed consternation: “You don’t recognise him? That couldn’t be, Ning Xin was telling me that you and Yin Yan enjoy a rather close relationship and he came all the way here to see you as he missed you terribly. Little Xie, you must really think hard, and do not dismiss it so trivially.”
Fan Zhuo’s voice was gentle, his expression concerned and caring.
However, both Ning Xin and Yin Yan would rather he not say anything at that moment!
If Fan Zhuo had not said all that, Jun Xie would not have known about their intentions. But since Fan Zhuo had said it, Jun Xie would naturally realise that the two of them had shamelessly come trying to establish a relationship with him and failed miserably, getting themselves badly snubbed.
At that moment, all traces of her smile disappeared from Ning Xin’s face. She saw that Jun Xie was staring at her with a gaze that made her feel extremely uncomfortable and under that gaze, she felt as if her pretenses were being peeled off layer by layer, making her feel rather unsettled.
The seat under her grew uncomfortable and all the words she had prepared so carefully died within her. Jun Xie’s single cold “No” had thrown all her plans into disarray.
She didn’t know how to carry on with the act.
To make things worse, Fan Zhuo had brought the matter up which had made Ning Xin greatly humiliated.
This time, Ning Xin could not stay seated there a moment longer. Her back stiffened and she suddenly stood up, her face a pale mask as she hurriedly bade farewell and took her leave, hastening her way out. She did not even bother to say anything about seeing them again this time.
Yin Yan followed quickly behind her without a word running out of the bamboo hut as if chased by a ferocious beast.
Only after the two had left, Fan Zhuo suddenly broke out into laughter, unable to hold himself back anymore.
“Ning Xin must be getting anxious. She doesn’t seem to be able to hold back anymore. I would have thought that she would be struggling a little while more but she seems to have reached her limit today.” Fan Zhuo swirled the tea in his teacup, as his smile began to reach his eyes.
As they had grown up together from a young age, he naturally knew Ning Xin’s character only too well. She might seem gentle and adorable on the outside, but on the inside she possessed a very high sense of self esteem, and was extremely self absorbed. Jun Xie’s repeated and unrestrained slaps to her face must really have driven Ning Xin almost to madness.
Jun Wu Xie raised an eyebrow. She did not feel that she had said anything harsh.
“Since they came to us asking for torment, shouldn’t I grant them their wish?”
She had not even made her move and Ning Xin had been so eager to come to their door asking to be tormented, why should she refuse them?
Fan Zhuo laughed lightly, and rested his chin in his palm, as he stared at Jun Xie with his head tilted.
“I am getting really curious what really happened in the Battle Spirits Forest that it can make such a conceited and self centred person to discard her pride and come try win you over. I could sense the extremely strong hatred she had for you but she suppressed and hid her rage as she put on an amicable smile in front of you. I am guessing there is something she needs from you?”
Volume 6
Chapter 536: “Seeking Torment, In a Pair (4)”
Jun Wu Xie stared at Fan Zhuo and she had to admit that Fan Zhuo had a brain that was much more intelligent than his blockhead of a brother’s. He had not needed any prompting to be able to see and understand the whole situation clearly.
“But she isn’t that dense either, after having been snubbed so unceremoniously two times in a row by you, I’m sure she would have understood by now that she would not be getting what she is seeking from you.” Fan Zhuo said as if talking to himself, but having gotten used to Jun Xie’s usual silence, he wasn’t feeling too bothered about it.
“She might just be a little intelligent, but do not forget that she still has a old and crafty father. If they are not able to gain what they seek from the target, they will plot to get rid of it altogether. Please be a bit more careful of everything around you.”
“I know.” Jun Wu Xie nodded slightly. She wasn’t fearful that Ning Rui would make his move, but she w
as afraid that he would hold back and that would make it a lot less fun.
“My body has been feeling much better recently and if Little Xie doesn’t have too much on his hands to do in the academy, would you accompany me out on a short trip?” Fan Zhuo asked, pushing the other issues away from his mind.
“Where?”
“Auction house.”
Jun Wu Xie raised an eyebrow. She had intended to make a trip to the auction house. When they had been in the Battle Spirits Forest, she had amassed quite a load of spirit stones with Qiao Chu and the others and had been looking for an opportunity to go to the auction house to sell them, but had not found a chance to do it. Fan Zhuo’s suggestion had suddenly reminded her about it.
“I have something I need to buy, would you accompany me? You should know, with my body in this condition, my father and brother would not readily allow me to go out alone. And if we allow them to arrange for escorts, they will surely be overprotective and make it meaningless for me by having a whole bunch of people to watch my every move. But if you are with me, Father and my brother would be a lot less worried.” Fan Zhuo gave Jun Xie an extremely gentle smile. Over this period, after seeing that he had shown great improvements in his recuperation, Fan Qi had been more left more assured or he would have arranged for another person to come look after Fan Zhuo after Ah Jing was driven away.
Because Fan Zhuo’s health had dramatically improved, Fan Qi had begun to trust in Jun Xie’s skills in Medicine a little and even though the two of them had never met, Fan Qi was full of praise for Jun Xie.
“For your trip, having me alone with you might not be adequate.” Jun Wu Xie did not immediately give Fan Zhuo a straight answer. Although the Fan father and son believed that Jun Xie could completely heal Fan Zhuo, they still would be allow him to bring Fan Zhuo out galavanting alone.
It might be easy to convince Fan Jin as he had witnessed Jun Wu Xie’s powers in the Battle Spirits Forest and might not be too worried, but Fan Qi would surely be a lot harder to convince.
Genius Doctor: Black Belly Miss Volume 6 Page 10
