Chapter 170

Words : 1346 Updated : Oct 9th, 2025

Ji Nian went to inform the teacher for the next class. The teacher came over to check He Xiang's condition and was startled: "He's burning up pretty badly. Take him to the infirmary right away. If it’s serious, send him to the hospital immediately." Worried that Ji Nian might struggle alone, the teacher asked another student to accompany her in taking He Xiang to the infirmary. Once they arrived, Ji Nian sent the other student away. The teacher took He Xiang's temperature and found that his fever wasn’t too high. 37.5°C. Logically, it shouldn’t have caused such severe symptoms. After giving He Xiang some medicine, the teacher told Ji Nian to call if anything happened. Then, the teacher drew the curtain closed. After everyone left, Ji Nian’s expression, once innocent and childlike, turned cold with hidden worry. That day, she went back and tested the blood from when she had been poisoned. Comparing it with the system’s previous test results, she had already figured out the effects of the poison. In the early stages, the symptoms mimic a low-grade fever, making it seem like a simple cold. However, the toxin was already aggressively attacking the nervous system. By the next day, the person would be dead. It was another insidious poison disguised as a common illness. Ji Nian was certain this poison was from the same person who had poisoned Chen Mo. The only difference was that this poison acted faster. Looking at He Xiang lying on the bed, his eyes half-open and his face flushed red, Ji Nian thought: He was innocent, even acting out of kindness. If Ji Nian didn’t have the antidote, He Xiang would have died quietly, and no one would have known. His grandmother, who lay in a hospital bed with so many hopes for her grandson and actively sought treatment every day, would have been devastated upon hearing the news. [He did it on purpose.] [Last time, he didn’t succeed. He didn’t doubt the poison’s effectiveness but suspected you had something to counteract it. So, this time, he used He Xiang, who has a good relationship with you, to test whether you really have the means to detoxify.] The system spoke up. It didn’t underestimate Ji Nian just because she was a child. The perpetrator was quite cunning. But Ji Nian was thinking about something else. If Shen Qingtang hadn’t gone to her grandparents’ place and if she had been closer to Ji Nian, would the perpetrator have chosen Shen Qingtang as the target instead? Unlike before, the system didn’t ask Ji Nian if she wanted to save He Xiang. Seeing Ji Nian take out her small lipstick and switch it to the spray mode, the system already knew the answer. Besides... Ji Nian had no intention of hiding it. ... He Xiang felt hot... as if he had been thrown into a furnace, not just hot but also in pain. Every part of his body felt like it was being pricked by needles, the pain so intense he wanted to scream and wail, but everything was swallowed by the heat, leaving him voiceless. He thought he could endure it, believing it would pass if he just held on, but the discomfort only grew worse. The pain became so unbearable that he couldn’t even think. It hurt so much... it was so hot... G‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍randma... In moments of utter helplessness, people often call out for their closest relatives. He Xiang, overwhelmed by the pain, even began calling for his mother, who had passed away many years ago. Just then, the unbearable heat seemed to subside. He Xiang struggled to open his eyes— And unexpectedly met a pair of emerald-green eyes. In those clear, lake-like eyes, he saw his own reflection. He Xiang’s eyes shot open— “You’re awake?” Hearing the voice, the school nurse walked over and felt his forehead. “Your temperature has gone down. The medicine must be working.” He Xiang slowly pressed his lips together, his voice hoarse when he spoke: “...Teacher, who brought me here?” “A little girl with green eyes. She and another student brought you here. The girl left after your fever went down.” “Even though the fever has subsided, it might come back. I suggest you go to the hospital for a check-up.” “It might be the flu. The flu has been pretty severe lately.” He Xiang nodded, but he had no intention of going to the hospital. He didn’t feel unwell anymore, as if everything had just been a bad dream. Honestly, he had no idea what had happened. One moment he was in agony, the next he was awake. And... Those emerald-green eyes that had interrupted all his discomfort in the dream. Was that... Ji Nian? ... “Report.” He Xiang appeared at the classroom door. Teacher Li, standing at the podium, looked at him. Seeing that He Xiang’s steps were steady and his expression normal, she motioned for him to come in quickly. With her usual calm demeanor, she called on a student to stand up and read a passage from the textbook. Below, Ji Nian lowered her head to look at her textbook, thinking to herself, *He’s really good at pretending.* In reality, where no one could see, Teacher Li’s left hand, hanging by her side, was trembling uncontrollably. No one knew that beneath her gentle exterior, Teacher Li’s blood was boiling with intensity. After school that evening, Ji Nian once again got into the Chen Family’s car. During this time, she hadn’t seen any sign of the Ji Family. Every time the child walked to the school gate, she would look around, but when she didn’t see the familiar car, her expression would turn despondent, and she would lower her head. Back at home, Chen Mo, who had regained some ability to stand, wiped Ji Nian’s face and hands. “Do you want to do your homework first, or would you like to play for a bit?” “Your uncle bought a new game. I think you’ll like it.” Ji Nian said she wanted to do her homework first. Ji Nian’s room was the brightest in the house, decorated in a French country style with playful, childlike elements. The wallpaper featured little rabbits, giving it an overwhelmingly cute, girly vibe. During this time, a maid brought in some fruit, and Chen Mo came in once to check her Chinese homework, asking about her progress. He praised Ji Nian for her improvement, then quietly left so as not to disturb her. As soon as Chen Mo left, Ji Nian quickly finished her homework, took out her laptop, and opened the proposal she had been working on. She typed away furiously. Occasionally, she would pause, instinctively wondering what Ji Tingzhou would think of this part. Realizing what she was thinking, Ji Nian paused for a moment, then silently continued writing. When it was time, she went downstairs to have dinner with Chen Mo. Five days passed like this. It was as if Ji Nian had been completely abandoned by the Ji Family. No one from the Ji Family came to check on her or even asked about her. Even the school principal, who knew Ji Nian’s background, hadn’t received a call from Ji Tingzhou in a long time. He frequently passed by the first-grade classroom, glancing at Ji Nian sitting at her desk. Finally, on Friday morning, the person who had been lying low couldn’t hold back any longer. “Ji Nian, I need your help with something. Can you come with me for a moment?” Teacher Li walked over to Ji Nian’s seat and asked in a gentle voice. Ji Nian looked up at her and smiled brightly: “Of course, Teacher.” She followed Teacher Li out of the classroom. He Xiang, who had just handed a newly written letter to the homeroom teacher to deliver, saw Ji Nian leaving with Teacher Li. For some reason, he suddenly had a bad feeling. After a moment’s thought, he decided to follow them.

Chapter 170

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