Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Both Ai Liu and the dazed Daniu stared at Shengsheng Zhou in disbelief.
Their son had a carbuncle.
Once a person developed such a thing, there was no surviving it.
The old physician at the foot of the mountain had taken a single look, shaken his head, and told them to prepare for the boy’s funeral. He had said with his own mouth that the illness was terminal. It could not be cured.
The couple had already surrendered every last shred of hope.
Yet this young woman, whom they had only just rescued, was now claiming with complete confidence that she could save him.
She could save the child they cherished more than their own lives?
Tears spilled from Ai’s eyes. She immediately tried to kneel, but quick-eyed Shengsheng caught her by the arms.
“Auntie, please don’t kneel! Wait–why did you believe me so easily?”
Daniu rose and came toward them. At Ai’s urging, he too prepared to drop to his knees.
“Miss, I believe you,” Ai cried. “I believe you wouldn’t see us in such misery and lie to our faces. Please save him. He is our only child…”
Daniu had never imagined the young woman they sheltered might have the power to rescue his son. He struck his forehead directly against the floor.
A man’s knees were said to be worth gold.
But before he was a proud man, Daniu was a father who had reached the end of every road.
Shengsheng could not bear the sight. She persuaded them both to wait outside, claiming that she needed the proper conditions to treat the child.
More importantly, there were certain things they could not be allowed to see.
Back when Shengsheng had diligently played the role of the original palace maid, she had earned System Points as rewards. She was only a minor servant, not some grand heroine, and she had never needed to redeem anything. Thus, the points had simply continued accumulating.
At last, they had a purpose.
“A-Pang, do you have an ointment or some kind of medicine that can cure a carbuncle?”
A-Pang floated sleepily out of her hair, yawning. They narrowed their eyes at the boy on the bed.
[Even in your own era, Shengsheng, this would require surgery.]
Shengsheng panicked.
“What? Then what am I supposed to do? I already promised Auntie I could help!”
A-Pang raised one chubby, furry finger and waved it back and forth.
[Pay attention. I said it would require surgery *in your era*. In the interstellar age, this is nothing but a minor ailment. I can redeem medicine from that period.]
A realization struck Shengsheng.
“Wait, A-Pang. Does this mean I actually got the all-powerful heroine’s script where I use an absurd cheat ability to build a new civilization?”
A-Pang stared at her in silence.
[Weapons that violate the historical setting, including nuclear and atomic bombs, are forbidden.]
“Fine. Then redeem some interstellar medicine that can cure him.”
Shengsheng stepped closer and touched the boy’s deathly pale face. His skin burned beneath her fingers.
He would not last much longer.
[Understood, Host. Please check your delivery.]
A syringe filled with faintly luminous white fluid dropped into her hand.
Shengsheng carefully read the instructions, found the worst part of the boy’s leg, and pushed in the needle.
The medicine came from a distant age of astonishing technology, and the results were worthy of it. As soon as the fluid entered his body, the diseased swelling began to recede before her eyes. Dead flesh sloughed away at alarming speed. The sight was somewhat nauseating, but fresh pink skin soon grew in its place.
Thank heaven she had sent the parents outside. Had they witnessed such a scene, they might have fainted on the spot.
Even without seeing the treatment itself, Ai and Daniu froze when they returned and found their son whole, as though the carbuncle had never existed. They looked at Shengsheng as if she were a living immortal.
It took her considerable effort to escape their overwhelming gratitude.
Heavens. She could not use this ability casually in the future. If the wrong person discovered it, her little life would be in terrible danger.
Only after the couple recovered from their shock and assured themselves that they were not dreaming did Ai’s expression turn strange.
Her inner voice held a puzzled question she did not dare ask aloud.
Miss Shengsheng possessed such extraordinary skill. Why, then, had she not treated her husband, who was covered in wounds?
Even if a physician could not heal herself, surely she could still heal her spouse.
Had Shengsheng Zhou heard Ai Liu’s question, she would have answered with a disdainful expression.
Why should she?
She still had not forgiven that wretch Siran Ming for the fourteen slaps he owed her. He was lucky she had not left him outside for the wolves.
Treat him?
Who would do such a thing?
Even Siran himself would not dare indulge in so preposterous a dream.
***
When Shengsheng returned to the little storeroom, Siran had not awakened.
None of his limbs had shifted so much as an inch. A thick quilt covered in enormous flowers–sewn by Ai herself–was tucked around him. His handsome face was bloodless, and if not for the faint rise and fall of his chest, he might have been mistaken for a corpse.
Healing Ai and Daniu’s son did not erase the debt Shengsheng owed them. Their kindness still deserved repayment.
She removed her shoes and climbed onto the bed. Carefully, she lifted Siran’s quilt.
His wounds had already been dressed, but Shengsheng had not dared change his clothes. Something about them might reveal his true identity.
She felt around his waist, then let out a long, melancholy sigh.
What sort of emperor traveled without so much as a jade pendant?
After searching him from head to toe and finding nothing valuable, she noticed the elegant line of his neck. An idea came to her.
She slowly reached toward him.
Her fingertips had barely brushed his skin when a long, powerful hand snapped around her wrist.
Shengsheng found herself staring into a pair of deep black eyes.
She glanced down at her position–her entire body was practically sprawled over his–and offered an awkward smile.
Before she could invent an explanation, the man beneath her asked hoarsely, “Who are you?”
His gaze remained as oppressive as ever, but the confusion within it betrayed his condition at once.
Shengsheng froze.
This scene had never appeared in the original novel, but she immediately realized what she had triggered.
Without the slightest hesitation, she twisted her face into a tearful expression and cried, “My son! You’re finally awake! Your mother has been worried sick!”
Siran stared at her.
After a long silence, weary resignation crossed his face.
“Young lady,” he said gently, “I may remember nothing at present, but I am not a fool. You are so young. How could you possibly be my mother?”
Shengsheng scrambled off him and rubbed her nose.
Fine.
He had merely lost his memory. Unfortunately, stupidity had not been included.
“All right, then. How much do you remember?”
*Once I know what you remember, I can fabricate my identity accordingly. Ha! It’s not as if you’ll know any better.*
Siran’s already-clouded mind went blank for a moment.
Why could he hear her voice in his head when her lips had not moved?
He pondered the matter, then lowered his eyes and answered weakly, “I remember nothing.”
Truthfully, the pitiful expression looked so out of place on Siran’s face that Shengsheng felt faintly nauseated.
Siran, who heard that thought perfectly clearly, fell silent.
“Well, if you don’t remember anything, I certainly can’t lie to you, can I?”
Shengsheng sighed as though burdened by sorrow. She sat on a little stool beside the wooden bed, propped up her chin, and regarded him mournfully.
“The truth is, you are a servant of my household. Bandits injured you while you were protecting me. I saved your life, which is the only reason you didn’t die.”
She was about to add that she did not expect him to repay her with his body–obediently waiting on her hand and foot would be enough–when footsteps sounded outside.
Someone knocked several times, then pushed open the door.
Ai’s delighted voice came from behind Shengsheng.
“Oh! Miss Shengsheng, your husband is awake!”
Siran’s thoughtful gaze settled on Shengsheng.