Chapter 9: On the Brink of Death

"Yiyi, don't be afraid. Physician Li will save you. Stay strong... Physician Li, please, save Yiyi! She's fading!" After whispering a few words of comfort to Lin Chuyi, the young apothecary immediately raised his voice and shouted.

Indeed, the woman lying there, covered in blood and on the verge of death, was none other than Lin Chuyi. After careful deliberation, she had concluded that this was the only effective way; she truly could not afford to wait in line.

As the crowd heard the young apothecary’s cries and realized the injured girl was Lin Chuyi, gasps of shock erupted through the room. No one had expected that the woman in such a state was the gentle and well-behaved Yiyi.

Dahan had already been preparing to head home, but upon hearing the commotion, his eyes widened. "What? That was Yiyi?" After a brief moment of shock, he leaned on his crutches and hurried back.

When the apothecary burst into the room carrying Lin Chuyi, Physician Li looked up. Seeing the blood-soaked figure in the boy's arms, he immediately commanded, "Quick, lay her on the table and close the door for now."

Obeying at once, the apothecary carefully placed Lin Chuyi on the examination table. He then rushed to the door, gave a few brief instructions, led the other two apprentices outside, and pulled the door shut with care.

Seeing the apothecary emerge, Dahan stepped forward and asked anxiously, "Lizi, why are you out here? How is Yiyi? Is she going to die from those injuries?"

Though Lizi was just as worried and deeply concerned for her safety, he snapped back irritably, "I am a man; it is naturally inappropriate for me to remain inside."

"Uh, but... Physician Li is a man too, isn't he?"

Lizi was already frazzled with worry, and hearing Dahan’s question, he lost his temper. "You blockhead! If Physician Li came out, who would be left to save Yiyi?"

Dahan was stunned by the outburst, but he soon realized the absurdity of his question. His face flushed with embarrassment.

Inside the room, Lin Chuyi lay quietly on the table, held in an awkward, strained position because Lizi had been in such a rush to set her down that her head was dangling off the edge.

*Darn you, Lizi, you’re killing me! Boo-hoo.*

Lin Chuyi cursed him silently in her heart. Holding this pose was incredibly exhausting; she felt as if her neck might snap. Time crawled by in her agonizing wait, and she was baffled as to why Physician Li had remained so silent for so long.

Lin Chuyi, of course, had no idea that Physician Li was standing right by the table, watching the struggle play out on her small face with an amused smile.

In truth, the moment Lizi had left the room, he had realized that Lin Chuyi was not actually unconscious. As a physician, he knew better than anyone whether a patient had truly fainted or not.

After a while, Physician Li finally spoke up. "Alright, you can stop pretending now." He had intended to wait a little longer, but seeing the pained, conflicted expression on her face, he simply didn't have the heart.

*Uh...*

Hearing his voice, Lin Chuyi couldn't help but crack one eye open. When she saw Physician Li standing there, staring straight at her, she squeezed her eyes shut again as tight as she could, determined to keep playing dead.

*It's over, it's all over. Has he discovered me? No, that can't be right. I'm covered in blood, and my act is so convincing—how could he possibly know? It must have been an auditory hallucination. It has to be.*