Chapter 834: Surrounded by Beauties, Bloodshot Eyes!
The deep, agonizing grimace twisting Shen Anyu's handsome features chipped away at Murong Jieyu's initial surge of shame and indignation. As she watched his brows furrow in what looked like unbearable torment, the rigid tension in her shoulders melted.
'Will this really make him feel better?'she murmured in the quiet sanctuary of her own mind. Her thick eyelashes fluttered, betraying a deep, uncharacteristic shyness. Yet, despite the heat pooling in her cheeks, she didn't push his wandering hand away.'What a good woman,'Shen Anyu mused inwardly. He was, of course, entirely lucid. The pained grimace was nothing more than a masterclass in deception, a flawless display of micro-expressions designed to evoke maximum sympathy. Even he was mildly surprised by his success; the usually untouchable Goddess Doctor actually hadn't shoved him aside.'Speaking of which, a favorability rating of seventy-four is nothing to scoff at.'
He didn't push his luck any further. For now, he was still a critically ill patient clinging to unconsciousness.
Sensing his stillness, Murong Jieyu let out a quiet, trembling breath. Swallowing her lingering humiliation, she retrieved her silver needles. It was time to administer the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles.
Time trickled by in the hushed wooden cabin. Under her careful care, Shen Anyu's scorching body temperature began to recede, and his ragged breathing smoothed into a peaceful rhythm. In truth, this miraculous recovery had little to do with the legendary acupuncture technique. Instead, Shen Anyu was quietly circulating the volatile, excessive Life Qi rampaging through his meridians, actively absorbing it to temper and reinforce his internal organs. He hadn't been genuinely injured in the first place—merely suffering a temporary imbalance between the Qi of Life and Death.
Still, the Goddess Doctor's legendary technique wasn't entirely useless. Though Murong Jieyu couldn't diagnose the exact nature of his bizarre affliction, her peerless talent with the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles helped stabilize his surging blood and erratic energy, smoothing his internal pathways.
Two and a half hours later, Shen Anyu's eyelids twitched. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking against the soft light.
"Thank goodness, you're finally awake!" Murong Jieyu gasped, her voice trembling with genuine relief and excitement.
"Miss Murong... thank you for—eh?" Shen Anyu began, playing the part of the grateful, disoriented patient to perfection, before his expression suddenly froze.
Having endured his touch for over two hours, Murong Jieyu had almost grown numb to the sensation. It took her a fatal second to process his sudden silence. Following his wide-eyed gaze downward, the fair, jade-like skin of her neck and face ignited into a brilliant, burning crimson.
Shen Anyu's large, masculine hand was still resting firmly against the soft, generous swell of her chest—and worse, it was being actively held in place by Murong Jieyu's own left hand.
Meeting Shen Anyu's shocked, complex stare, the dignified doctor felt tears prick the corners of her eyes.
'I'm not! It's not me! No, this isn't what I wanted!' she wailed in her mind, her thoughts spiraling into absolute, incoherent panic.
It was over. Her pristine image in Shen Anyu's heart was completely shattered. During their very first encounter, driven by the aphrodisiac effects of the medicine used to cure the Black Poison Iron Sand Palm, she had acted like a drunken degenerate, hooking his chin and forcing kisses onto his lips. And now? Now it looked exactly as if she had deliberately dragged his hand onto her own body while he was unconscious!
'I'm not that kind of woman! It's a misunderstanding! A terrible misunderstanding!' The universally revered, elegant Goddess Doctor was no lecherous hooligan!
"Murong Jieyu... I understand," Shen Anyu said, nodding with deep, solemn gravity.
'No! What do you understand?! You've misunderstood completely!'
Her pretty face felt like it was on fire, practically radiating steam as she met his resolute gaze. "Shen Anyu, you—you—you—it's not what you think!" she stammered, her usual eloquence reduced to a stuttering mess. "You've misunderstood, truly! I—I just wanted to help you feel better, it wasn't intentional..."
A fleeting glint of amusement danced in Shen Anyu's eyes as he watched the peerless beauty unravel.
"Murong Jieyu, thank you for saving my life. You've made such a tremendous sacrifice for my sake; I will take responsibility," he declared in a deep, unwavering voice, suddenly clasping her slightly cold, trembling hands.
"Eh? Responsibility?" She froze, utterly stunned.
"Yes. A man's responsibility," Shen Anyu said righteously. "Since you have treated me with such deep affection, I, Shen Anyu, will never let you down. If I do, may the heavens strike me with five bolts of lightning."
Before her shattered brain could reboot, he leaned forward and pressed a gentle, lingering kiss to her lips.
Murong Jieyu's red lips parted slightly in shock. Her mind completely flatlined.
What was happening? He wanted to take responsibility?! They had only known each other for half a day!
Her thoughts were a chaotic storm. While she undeniably harbored a growing affection for him, he already had Liu Ruyan and Zhong Lingyin by his side. Rumors even tied him to her Fourth Junior Sister, Ye Liyou, and Seventh Junior Sister, Yang Luoluo. How could she possibly compete with her own martial sisters for a man?
Besides, he was definitely overthinking this! She wasn't the one who initiated the contact. It was his hand that had wandered, and she had only pinned it down to stop him from interfering with the delicate acupuncture process!
"Shen Anyu..." She took a desperate breath, trying to compose herself and clear the air.
"Yan'er, Lingyin, I'm awake," Shen Anyu called out toward the wooden door, his voice carrying effortlessly. Liu Ruyan's soundproof barrier didn't impede him in the slightest.
The moment his words faded, the door burst open. Two graceful figures rushed into the cabin, their exquisite faces painted with overwhelming relief.
"Brother Shen, you're awake! Thank the heavens, you scared me to death..." Zhong Lingyin threw herself toward the edge of the wooden couch, her eyes red-rimmed and brimming with unshed tears.
"Whew..." Liu Ruyan, who had been half a step behind, abruptly halted her frantic sprint. Her charming, fox-like eyes swept over Shen Anyu from head to toe, and a heavy sigh of relief escaped her lips.
'Thank goodness. This scoundrel has the devil's own luck. He didn't suffer any permanent damage,' she thought.
Still harboring a trace of anxiety, Liu Ruyan turned her gaze to the doctor. "Murong Jieyu, how is his condition?"
Zhong Lingyin quickly looked up as well, her voice pleading. "Sister Mu, how is Brother Shen's body?"
Murong Jieyu bit her lower lip, her eyes darting toward Shen Anyu. She looked as though she wanted to say something but swallowed the words. In front of the other two women, she couldn't possibly explain the mortifying misunderstanding that had just occurred. 'I'll have to explain it to him when we're alone,' she decided.
Forcing her professional composure back into place, she answered, "Shen Anyu's cultivation is deep, and his physical constitution is extraordinary. He has already recovered and should face no lasting issues. However, he still needs to be kept under observation for a short period to ensure there are no hidden dangers."
Hearing the doctor's cautious caveat, Liu Ruyan and Zhong Lingyin immediately tensed up again.
Shen Anyu offered them a warm, reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I know my own body perfectly well. Murong Jieyu's medical skills are unmatched. I'm already fine."
"Hmph, don't try to play the tough guy. Listen to the doctor," Liu Ruyan scolded, rolling her eyes at him with affectionate annoyance.
Zhong Lingyin nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes, Sister Yan'er is right! Brother Shen, you need to rest more."
Shen Anyu chuckled, offering a helpless shrug. Faced with the unified front of the three stunning women, he could only concede. "Alright, alright. I'll listen to you three worrywarts."
Liu Ruyan and Zhong Lingyin both scoffed playfully at the nickname.
Meanwhile, Murong Jieyu's pretty face flushed a deep pink, her heart skipping a treacherous beat. 'Am I one of his worrywarts too?' She stole a guilty glance at Liu Ruyan and Zhong Lingyin, who seemed perfectly natural in their roles, and a deep sense of impostor syndrome washed over her.
Outside the cabin, hidden in the shadows, Xiao Fan watched the scene unfold. Seeing Shen Anyu perfectly fine and happily surrounded by the three stunning women, his eyes practically split open, bleeding with pure, unadulterated rage.
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