Chapter 217 - 217 215 Fingers Too Clean

Words : 1325 Updated : Oct 3rd, 2025

217: Chapter 215: Fingers Too Clean 217: Chapter 215: Fingers Too Clean Baili An glanced at the young scholar and said, “Tonics are of no use if the body is too weak to absorb them, ginseng would be useless, but it might be worthwhile to buy some warming and nourishing food to make porridge and soup, which would benefit Miss Ji San’s recovery.” Ji Ting was infinitely grateful to Baili An, rambling with gratitude, “As long as my sister can recover, even if it costs me my bones, what do I have to regret? I will go borrow money immediately.” Baili An said, “Hmm, tonight everyone seems to be staying up for the New Year, and the medicine shops have not yet closed. You go first.” Ji Ting paused, stunned for a moment, then bowed and went out to borrow money. Ji Ying wiped away her tears, carefully tucking in her younger sister to protect her from the cold. Seeing that the little girl’s breathing was no longer intermittent but had become steady, and her face had gained a bit more lively color, the heavy stone in her heart finally fell. “Sir, for today’s great kindness, Ji Ying truly owes you a debt of gratitude that I could never repay even if I were to become your servant for life,” she said, her voice choked with emotion. “I never thought that in this city, there are still people who care about whether we live or die.” Hearing her sorrowful voice, Baili An did not offer comfort. Everyone has their own choices. From longing, expectation, to despair, and sadness. All because of one’s own decisions. Baili An would not inquire into others’ family and past matters. He took pen and paper from the desk, swiftly wrote a few lines, let them dry, folded them neatly, and took some Silver Taels from his purse. He handed them to her, instructing, “The paper lists some tonic herbs you need to buy. Keep this money safe. Try not to let your brother handle it, and buy the herbs yourself for your sister.” Ji Ying froze, not taking it immediately, looking at Baili An with a complex expression. Baili An shook his head and said, “If you want to protect your sister, you must be careful.” Ji Ying slowly bowed her head, her face sorrowful, but she finally took the paper and Silver Tael, unable to help asking, “Do you think my brother is untrustworthy?” Baili An replied, “I am just an outsider, what can I trust, but your brother’s hands are cleaner than yours, so it is best that you handle the purchasing of the medicines.” Ji Ting how could not understand his implication and quickly explained, “It’s not like that, my elder brother is a scholar. He recently managed to get admitted to Jinhua Academy, he has a bright future, his hands are meant for holding brushes and writing, not for cooking noodles or business trades.” Baili An smiled and did not argue further, only saying, “However you think in your heart, just act accordingly. It’s getting late, I shall take my leave now.” Ji Ying’s hand instinctively clenched the Silver Coin, but she carefully hid it in her sleeve, saying hurriedly, “It’s cold and deep into the night, if you don’t mind, may I make you a bowl of hot soup noodles?” Baili An replied, “Then please make two bowls of noodle soup, I will need to take them with me.” Ji Ying felt warmth in her heart, knowing he didn’t really want to eat but didn’t want her to think that tonight she was only passively accepting help. Despite his gentle and handsome appearance, there was a faint distance, as if it was hard to truly get close to his heart, but Ji Ying felt he was genuinely a considerate man. Holding the two bowls of hot soup noodles wrapped in thick oil paper, Baili An walked back through the snowy road with Lin Yuan and Guying. Lin Yuan was curious and asked, “Why didn’t you give the money directly to that scholar?” The heavy snow continued, yet it could not hide the poignant moonlight in Evernight City. Baili An seemed to be pondering deeply, his facial profile gently touched by the moonlight looked very tender. He said, “If he were a brother who genuinely cared for his sister, even if he couldn’t carry weight or handle things, he wouldn’t let her go out to do business on such a night. The night’s wind and snow were cold, the girl’s emotions were dripping with sadness, already on the verge of collapse, yet he comfortably read in the warm inner room. Lin Yuan, have you noticed? The girl on the bed had severely chapped lips. Even though she couldn’t eat, moistening her lips with some water shouldn’t have been difficult. This shows, that Ji Ting doesn’t really care much for his two sisters. He proposed to borrow money to buy ginseng, just because he saw my generosity in saving his sister and thought I was someone who would help others to the end. Since he saw me agree to help him borrow money for medicine, in his eyes, I would naturally not sit idly by and would be generously helpful once more.” At this point, Baili An chuckled lowly, rarely making a jest, he touched his stomach and said, “Unfortunately, it’s cold in here; where would so much warm-hearted blood come from?” Lin Yuan, feeling a pang of sadness and asked, “Then why didn’t you warn Miss Ji, what if that young man tricks her out of the money you gave her?” Baili An replied, “More words are of no use, she lives under the same roof as that young scholar, she understands better what kind of person her brother is. Just now she was defending her brother, because he is her brother. Now, she needs to save her sister, she knows without me saying what she should do.” Lin Yuan sighed, “Sometimes I really wonder, if your heart has eight holes.” Baili An said, “Living another life, not recalling memories of the past, one should live more clearly in this life.” Lin Yuan hesitated to speak further. Noticing this, Baili An asked, “Lin Yuan, if you have something to say, feel free to speak.” Lin Yuan paused, looked into his eyes and said, “I don’t know why, Si Chen, you give off the feeling of living very cautiously.” Baili An: “…” After a quiet moment, he softly asked, “Really?” Lin Yuan nodded, “It seems like you have a deep reverence for something ingrained in your bones, that reverence is so integral that even if you lost your memory, you’d still live earnestly and cautiously, as if subtly dreading and fearing that you might make a mistake.” She couldn’t express what kind of feeling it was, this earnest attitude towards life. Being cautious, meticulously observing every step, shouldn’t be a bad thing. However, the person beside her wasn’t an old man who had seen all the vicissitudes of life but a young man in his prime. This cautious and earnest way of living, though commanding respect, also broke her heart. Lin Yuan didn’t know what he had experienced in his previous life, nor what kind of family environment he had lived in, that made him so composed to near perfection. Without the impulsiveness and passion of a young person, he seemed to have grinded away the edges and sharpness that youth should possess. Born in this Mortal World, unlike others, unable to savor all the flavors of life, unable to touch the daylight of the city, waking up not knowing the moment of confusion and homelessness. He would not wallow in self-pity, clearly having a tumultuous heart, yet capable of remaining undisturbed.

Chapter 217 - 217 215 Fingers Too Clean

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