Wanting to ask, Qin Yuanxi only received an impatient look from Meng Xuan.
“All settled, why are you so anxious? It’s not like I’m going to eat someone.” Meng Xuan casually pulled up the thin shirt that had slipped down due to her exaggerated movements, a hint of disdain in her tone. “Hmph, I’ve got plenty of men here. Do you know why this place is called Cangnan Valley?”
“Why?”
Meng Yu leaned in and whispered, “Because my sister has hidden a lot of handsome guys here.”
The little girl was very lively. After knowing that they were staying, she took the initiative to arrange accommodation. “If you two are staying together, I’ll find a larger room for you, spacious.”
“But you can’t stay here for free. You have to do some work for my sister.”
“What kind of work?” Qin Yuanxi looked around the room, which had a touch of an exotic atmosphere. The Little Bamboo Pavilion was beautifully decorated, but his mind wasn’t focused on that now. He couldn’t be bothered with small talk with Meng Yu. He tossed a heavy money pouch over, enough to cover their expenses here for a year or two.
“Is this enough? If not, I can have someone bring more.”
Joke, what is his status now? He is the emperor of an ancient traditional feudal empire! The whole country is his. Is it about money?
“That’s a lot.” Meng Yu was surprised by the thick stack of silver notes in the money pouch. The young girl wasn’t very knowledgeable and had never seen such a generous amount before. Her face immediately lit up with a smile. “More than enough, absolutely. Then I won’t make you go fetch water.”
“Actually, fetching water isn’t a big deal. It’s just a bit far. You have to water the flowers my sister planted. It’s a bit troublesome, not every day though. But since you’re so wealthy, I can find someone else to do it. You guys rest well. I’ll go first.”
After settling in, they didn’t immediately start the treatment. Qin Yuanxi had approached Meng Xuan several times, and each time, Meng Xuan nonchalantly informed him that the timing wasn’t right and she needed to wait a bit longer. Qin Yuanxi, now growing impatient, couldn’t understand waiting any longer and felt the urge to pester Meng Xuan three times a day just to inquire about the elusive ‘right time.’
As Qin Yuanxi’s frequent visits to Meng Xuan increased, Zhao Tuo became increasingly displeased. Though he didn’t voice his discontent directly, his facial expressions started turning sour. After yet another fruitless attempt, Zhao Tuo couldn’t contain himself any longer.
With a swift motion, his long sword slammed onto the table, causing the water in the cup to ripple three times. Seeing him losing his temper, Qin Yuanxi quickly attempted to defuse the situation and take him back, but Zhao Tuo was not easily appeased. He cast a cold glance at Meng Xuan, a hint of threat in his tone. “You have no martial skills, and are no match for me. If you play any tricks, you won’t escape my notice!”
“I’m not playing any tricks,” Meng Xuan instinctively distanced herself, leaning against the window, her expression clearly nervous. She seemed ready to jump out the window at any moment. “To induce hypnosis, I need a calming incense. It has to be freshly prepared, and his situation is rather complex. The incense used is not ordinary; the ingredients for it have just finished roasting. Can’t you give me some time?”
Looking at Qin Yuanxi, she explained, “There’s absolutely no trickery. At most, in three days, when I have the incense mix ready, I’ll inform you.”
“Or, you can take him for a stroll in the valley for now? The scenery is quite nice here. Relax a bit. Don’t always focus on me. Really, it’s good for everyone.” Meng Xuan thought for a moment and added, “Even though I appreciate handsome men, you two aren’t my cup of tea. You can trust me.”
With a disdainful grunt, Zhao Tuo sheathed his sword and pulled Qin Yuanxi back to their room.
Watching their retreating figures, Meng Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.
“Sister, why are you so afraid of that cold-faced guy?” Meng Yu hung upside down at the window. “Although you don’t have martial skills, you can still drug him. The two of us working together, can’t we defeat him?”
“You should learn from your setbacks.” Meng Xuan reached through the window, gently touching her sister’s face. “And you, don’t rely on your skills to create trouble all the time. The world outside is vast, with many people more formidable than you and many others you’ll never understand or see through. Ah Yu, be good, go to the back and check on sister’s incense ingredients.”
“Sister.” Meng Yu wanted to say something more, but seeing her sister’s expression, she wisely kept silent and went to help with the chores.
When Meng Xuan said three days, she meant three days. Meng Xuan kept her word, possibly under Zhao Tuo’s threat, fearing trouble for herself. On the third day at noon, she confidently took the initiative to visit.
She had changed into another outfit, replacing the sheer veil with a simple white dress. There was no makeup on her face, and her long hair was tied behind her, devoid of any adornments. Carrying an incense pouch, Meng Xuan walked in, and Qin Yuanxi almost didn’t recognize her. In this new attire, Meng Xuan seemed even more ethereal, with less of that breathtaking beauty. It was just a change of clothes, but the edges on her demeanor had softened, making her more approachable.
Of course, compared to her previously aggressively attractive appearance, this was just a relative difference.
“Are you two ready?”
Meng Xuan took off a pendant from her neck and said to Qin Yuanxi, “For hypnosis, we need a quiet space. Please make it convenient.”
“Understood.”
As Qin Yuanxi stood up to leave, his wrist was grabbed by Zhao Tuo. “You’re not allowed to go.”
“Be good.” Qin Yuanxi hurriedly patted his hand, soothing him. “I can’t be here during the treatment. Listen, it’s nothing serious. I’ll be right outside. If anything happens, I’ll come in immediately.”
However, these words didn’t seem very convincing. Zhao Tuo kept a tight grip, and Qin Yuanxi had no choice but to continue persuading. “You know, during this kind of treatment, no outsiders are allowed. She’s the physician, and you need your own space to open up about what’s inside. It’ll be quick, really. If anything, just call me, and I’ll be right there, okay?”
After some persuasion, Zhao Tuo finally released his grip. Before leaving, Qin Yuanxi hesitated and gave Zhao Tuo a quick kiss on the tip of his toe, then stood guard at the door with a sense of unease.
But he didn’t stay for very long. In the time it took to finish a cup of tea, Meng Xuan came out from the room. The door opened, and Meng Xuan looked somewhat helpless. “It’s not working. You better come in.”
“When you’re not around, he doesn’t relax at all. He’s all tense. Even with the incense, I couldn’t get him to relax. Having you around might help a bit.”
Upon entering, Qin Yuanxi indeed found Zhao Tuo lying on the soft mattress with wide-open eyes, still holding a long sword. It was a defensive posture, and in such a state, how could psychological counseling be done?
“Is this… okay?”
Qin Yuanxi didn’t understand this, but on TV, psychologists didn’t have a third person present during conversations or hypnosis. Has anyone ever seen a patient bring their lover to a psychologist? In essence, this illness was his own, and he needed to confront his own world. Was it appropriate to have a third person present?
“What else can we do?” Meng Xuan was frustrated. “In this situation, even if I could get him to relax and undergo hypnosis, what if he suddenly goes berserk halfway and harms me? What then?”
That made sense.
Qin Yuanxi had no choice but to approach, taking the long sword from Zhao Tuo’s hand. Zhao Tuo wasn’t very willing, reluctant to give it up, but under Qin Yuanxi’s insistence, he eventually let go.
“Is it okay if I sit here? Will there be any problems?”
“Well, you…” Meng Xuan was also facing this situation for the first time. Seeing Zhao Tuo’s gaze following Qin Yuanxi, she immediately made a decision. “You sit on my right, yes, right here, closer.”
It was indeed close, close enough for Zhao Tuo to reach out and hold him. The warmth in the palms was scorching, and Qin Yuanxi, watching the hands intertwined, found it hard to be resolute. “Is this really okay?”
“What’s okay or not? Let’s just start like this.” Meng Xuan lit the incense again, adjusted the lighting in the room, and once again dangled the pendant in front of Zhao Tuo. At the same time, she hummed an unknown lullaby.
Qin Yuanxi felt a bit nervous; it was his first time dealing with something like this. Whether it was because of the incense, the lullaby, or the warmth in their palms, he could feel that Zhao Tuo seemed genuinely relaxed. Sensing Zhao Tuo’s ease, Qin Yuanxi also became less tense and took a breath.
The hypnosis proceeded normally. Meng Xuan created a good atmosphere, and she began asking Zhao Tuo some simple and basic questions, like casual chitchat. Meng Xuan intentionally lowered her voice, and with her unique, husky, and aged tone, it felt like she was narrating a story.
However, when Meng Xuan touched on the topic of Lu Bohuan, the hypnosis abruptly came to a halt.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
