Returning home, Lin Fang found another elderly man in the house, chatting happily with Tong Shi. Lin Zhongsi sat beside them, silent and visibly irritated. The unfamiliar old man’s demeanor was entirely different from Lin Zhongsi’s—he exuded the air of a great scholar, yet with an inexplicable contradiction that somehow harmonized well, something Lin Fang couldn’t quite put her finger on.
Tong Shi beckoned to Lin Fang, “Fang’er, come and greet Master Shen.”
After bowing to Master Shen, Lin Fang sat beside Tong Shi, her large eyes fixed curiously on the old man. She wondered why there was suddenly a tutor in the house. Lin Wu hadn’t returned from school yet, and apart from herself, there were no other children of schooling age at home. Could he be here for her? But why would they suddenly decide to hire a tutor for her?
Master Shen was amused by her expression and asked with a smile, “Are you curious?”
Lin Fang nodded honestly. Master Shen explained, “Your second grandmother and I once studied under the same teacher. She specialized in gynecology, while I focused on detoxification. My line of work is relatively leisurely compared to hers, so I have plenty of time to travel and explore. I heard about this remote village being a blessed land and came to see for myself. To my surprise, I ran into your second grandfather. During our chat, I learned your second grandmother was here. After decades, for fellow disciples to reunite—it’s truly fate.”
“Hmph,” Lin Zhongsi snorted coldly, then strode out of the room, deliberately yanking the curtain aside so hard that a gust of cold wind rushed in, making Lin Fang shiver. She asked Tong Shi, “What’s wrong with Second Grandfather? Did someone upset him?”
Tong Shi pursed her lips, “Ignore him. He’s just being unreasonable.”
Master Shen chimed in, “Your second grandfather is jealous. Had he not intervened back then, the person before you now would be ‘Grandmother Shen’ instead of ‘Second Grandmother.’”
Huh? Gossip! Lin Fang’s eyes sparkled with amusement. Tong Shi scolded, “Why are you telling a child such things?”
Master Shen replied calmly, “To impart knowledge, mentor, and resolve doubts—that is a tutor’s duty. I’m merely resolving her doubts.”
Tong Shi scoffed, “Hmph! Just because your name is ‘Master Shen’ (Shen Fuzi), don’t actually think you’re a tutor (fuzi). What you do elsewhere is none of my concern, but if you mislead my granddaughter under this pretense, don’t expect me to let it slide. Fang’er, don’t be fooled. Master Shen is quite the actor.”
Ah, so that’s how it is. Lin Fang’s eyes curved into crescents. Tong Shi’s words clarified things—Master Shen’s name was indeed misleading. In this world, tutors were highly respected, their words almost as authoritative as imperial decrees. By introducing himself as “Master Shen,” people would naturally treat him with the reverence due to a tutor.
“Not necessarily,” Master Shen persisted shamelessly. “I heard Fang’er has started a school. This place has a pleasant environment—perfect for recuperation. If Fang’er doesn’t mind, I could stay and become a real tutor here, putting an end to my wandering.”
“Hah!” Tong Shi laughed in exasperation. “You never change, do you? Always deciding things unilaterally. Even if you want to be a tutor, Fang’er must agree first. It’s not as simple as declaring yourself one.”
“Hahahaha!” Lin Fang finally burst into laughter. These two, with a combined age of over 120, were bickering like children—truly proving the saying “the older, the more childlike.”
Master Shen, however, remained serious. “Fang’er, don’t laugh. You should genuinely consider my proposal. I’m not one of those rigid traditionalists who believe girls shouldn’t attend school. I’ve heard your school has mixed-gender classes, which can be inconvenient. Moreover, having only two young female tutors isn’t ideal. With an elderly male tutor like me, certain matters would be much easier to handle.”
This time, Tong Shi didn’t oppose him. Instead, she nodded. “Fang’er, Master Shen makes a valid point. You should consider it.”
Lin Fang nodded solemnly. But Master Shen’s next words left her speechless—after all this idle chatter, he finally remembered his original purpose: “Fang’er, come here. I came because I heard about your unusual health condition. Your second grandmother and I specialized in different areas of medicine. Together, we might be able to cure your chronic ailment.”
“Well?”
“I can confirm Fang’er has a rare poison in her system, but I can’t yet identify it. It’s something I’ve never encountered before.”
“What happens if it isn’t treated?”
“Her heart condition will worsen until it fails, leading to death.”
“Is there any way to alleviate it temporarily?”
“The poison has permeated her entire body. Blocking meridians is useless now. The only solution is to develop an antidote as quickly as possible.”
Though Master Shen often spoke frivolously, he never joked about medical diagnoses. Hearing this, Tong Shi urged anxiously, “Then hurry up and develop it!”
Master Shen nodded, then turned to Lin Fang. “Fang’er, to create an antidote, I’ll need to draw small amounts of your blood occasionally. Don’t worry—just a few drops each time. It won’t harm you.”
A few drops of blood? That was nothing. In her past life, medical checkups required drawing dozens of milliliters. Lin Fang nodded mechanically, still stunned by the revelation. When had she been poisoned? And with something so rare? She was always careful with her diet and couldn’t recall offending anyone. Who would want to poison her?
Seeing her shock, Tong Shi pulled her into a comforting embrace.
Leaning against her second grandmother, Lin Fang fell silent, her heart heavy with sorrow. She had thought rebirth changed everything—that she was incredibly lucky. But now, it seemed fate had only slightly deviated before returning to its original course.
What use was grief now? Having already grown accustomed to waiting for death in her past life, Lin Fang quickly steadied herself. She only begged Tong Shi and Master Shen not to tell her parents, to spare them worry. Both agreed silently.
Since Master Shen specialized in detoxification, Lin Fang also asked if he could treat Chen Dong’s condition. After examining Chen Dong, Master Shen confirmed he could detoxify him and improve his constitution. However, Chen Dong’s organs were severely damaged, making full recovery unlikely. Chen Dong accepted this calmly.
Summoning Da Lang—who had been sent by Tong Shi to accompany his wife—Master Shen instructed him to build a stone hut on the mountain for urgent use and a brick room at the school as his tutor’s quarters. Lin Fang was taken aback by his presumptuousness—she hadn’t even agreed to hire him yet! But since Tong Shi didn’t object, she silently acquiesced.
Meanwhile, Lin Zhongsi, still fuming, wandered aimlessly through the fields and eventually up the mountain, barging into the old monk’s meditation room. The monk sat silently in meditation, ignoring Lin Zhongsi’s calls. Undeterred, Lin Zhongsi ranted endlessly about Master Shen, calling him worthless and congratulating himself that his wife, Liu’er, had chosen him instead. “Serves that old fool right for ending up alone!” he muttered.
Lost in his tirade, he failed to notice the monk’s face suddenly flushing, sweat pouring down his cheeks. Only when the monk murmured weakly and collapsed did Lin Zhongsi realize something was wrong. He laid the monk flat, checked his pulse, and panicked at the chaotic meridians. After frantic efforts to stabilize him, Lin Zhongsi was drenched in sweat himself. “What a bizarre day,” he grumbled.
While Master Shen only knew Lin Fang was poisoned, the old monk knew exactly where the poison came from.
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