Chapter 3

2

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Once inside, Nie Fan found that Lin Xinyan’s room was full of dolls from cartoons beneath the bright yellow lights. Each were exquisite and adorable, but also unique and eccentric—just like Lin Xinyan’s own personality: mischievous, cheeky and a hint of boldness.

The bathroom was at a corner of the room, separated by frosted glass.

Lin Xinyan was groaning inside.

“Are you alright, Lin Xinyan?” Nie Fan hesitated for a moment before knocking on the bathroom door.

“I fell. I couldn’t feel anything in my legs—I can’t get up!” She sounded tearful, as it was natural for anyone who lost sensation of their legs to be terrified.

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Nie Fan gave the door a shove, but realized that it was locked from the inside.

“Could you put on a towel and open the door?” He asked anxiously. Uncle Lin had been kind to him, and he was therefore obliged to take care of Lin Xinyan. After all, he wouldn’t be able to face Uncle Lin if anything happened to her.

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“No, I can’t…” Lin Xinyan sobbed, attempting to stand up. She could not help but panic because she still couldn’t feel her legs.

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Meanwhile, since saving her was most important and the emergency of the situation took precedence, Nie Fan firmly pushed with a low cry, and the lock of the bathroom broke apart with a clang.

Prone on the floor, Lin Xinyan was left blank for a moment as she watched Nie Fan entered, not expecting him to do that. Crying out in her surprise, she quickly covered herself with her hands.

Nie Fan looked around to find that the bathroom was itself a mess. Lin Xinyan was leaning on the bathtub, her beautifully lined neck and collarbone exposed as she covered her chest with her white willowy hand, although she was hardly shielding her virtue. Her flawless smooth skin was like white jade, whereas her face was faintly scarlet in embarrassment. Most of her dripping wet hair was behind her back, adding to her devilish charm.

Be that as it may, Nie Fan did not have the time to enjoy the view. He handily pulled down a towel from a hanger and covered her.

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“What happened to you?” he asked, crouching.

Even as she tugged at the towel so that it sheltered her body, Lin Xinyan was utterly confused. Nie Fan was ever so close, and all she had between him and herself was just a towel—her skin hence reddened unusually as her chest heaved from her nervousness. Still, that was when she felt a sharp pain in her waist and she could not stop herself from groaning in pain, her brows tightening into a knot. “I slipped when I tried to stand up and couldn’t feel the lower half of my body. Am I paralyzed, Nie Fan?”

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Even as she uttered those words, Lin Xinyan’s face went pale white and her tears were streaming.

“Where did you fall?” Nie Fan patiently asked. “Did you have medical checkups on your feet before?”

“I hit my knee in the bathtub just now… There was nothing when I checked in the hospital, but I couldn’t summon any strength in my leg when I tried to stand just now and simply dropped down,” she replied in fear and helplessness.

Getting the gist of it, Nie Fan reached out with his right hand and calmed her. “Don’t move.”

Despite having a towel, most of Lin Xinyan’s thighs were still revealed—long, tight, and slick white, it had a crystalline luster that leaves the heart throbbing.

“What are you trying to do?” Lin Xinyan’s cheeks went full red as Nie Fan reached out towards her. The fact that just one towel separated them left her feeling very naked under his gaze, and her heart was at once an indescribable wreck of nervousness, panic, and embarrassment.

The sight of her blushing, her damp wet hair hanging before her chest, the ripples of her starry eyes and alluring exposure would leave anyone’s heart racing. Nie Fan had to admit then that she was much more beautiful than any lady he had ever encountered before.

“Relax!” Nie Fan growled as he cleared away all extra thoughts, and put his right hand on her inner thigh to feel for a beating in her pulse.

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Lin Xinyan stiffly refrained from speaking when she saw his serious look. He appeared as calm and composed as an experienced doctor right then, which in turn slowly calmed her even if the bizarre sensation on her feet left her heart palpitating quietly.

“It’s nothing too serious. All you need is to take it easy for one month or two—try not to take too many baths from now on, or don’t soaking in the bathtub for too long if you have too,” Nie Fan told her then.

It was just a minor ailment caused by excessive hygiene.

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“You know medicine?” Lin Xinyan asked in surprise. Nie Fan did not resemble a doctor of western medicine, but his methods were not quite the same as Chinese medicine either. Most doctors trained in Chinese medicine tend to read the pulse on the wrist, and she never heard of someone who could read the pulse on a thigh.

“I know just a little. Here, let me help you up—it’s bad if you keep lying down on the floor.” Nie Fan told her, unwilling to say much about his methodology.

“Okay.” Lin Xinyan calmed down when she heard that it was nothing serious, also realizing then that it was a rather awkward situation. With just a towel covering her and her limbs hanging out, it would fall off if she was caught off guard for a moment.

“I’ll move you to your bed.”

Lin Xinyan felt her body become light just as she tried to reply—she was picked up in one swift stroke: she did not expect him to be so strong, not to mention that his broad chest gave her a sense of security.

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For his part, Nie Fan could feel a faint sweetness sneaked into his nostrils, and he could not help but look down at her. The towel was only shielding some of her more important parts, and on its fringes were her round and slim shoulders. The distinct curves and outlines that protruded from beneath the towel were elegant, while her soft snow-white long legs were perfect and natural, although one wouldn’t bear to look at the dark bruise on the knee. That being said, as his right hand carried her by her buttocks, he could not help but be surprised that the brat was quite perky.

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Still, the thought was gone as soon as it came. Nie Fan gradually calmed when he remembered what Lin Quan told him during the day.

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Nie Fan, Nie Fan. Why would you come up with such unrealistic thoughts? He laughed at himself inwardly as he put Lin Xinyan on her bed.

Once on it, Lin Xinyan quickly pulled the blanket over her. She had felt his hand touching the bare skin of her bottom, the rough texture of his skin in turn making her itch a little.

Could he have seen something?

Her cheeks became hot as she remembered the scene just a moment ago, because that was the very first time that she had such intimate contact with a man. As such, her heart could not help but stir.

Nie Fan did not appear as despicable as he was when he was a child then.

“Anyway, the spot you knocked doesn’t look serious—a little ointment should do the trick. Where’s the first aid box in the house?”

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“The cabinet beside the living room.” Lin Xinyan said, lowering her head since she was afraid to look at him at the moment.

Nie Fan quickly brought the first aid box and took out a bottle, rubbed it hot on his hands and told her, “It would hurt a little. Try to bear with it.”

Lin Xinyan grimaced, her eyes showing a hint of fear. Nonetheless, she gritted her teeth and nodded, looking ready to just go for it.

Nie Fan looked at her with a smile and gently rubbed the ointment on her knee bruise, and then massaging it patiently. The skin his palm was touching was delicate and smooth as if he were touching the finest silk. His heart skipped a beat then despite his extraordinary composure, and he quickly lowered his eyes and stopped thinking too much in his embarrassment.

On the other hand, Lin Xinyan was blushing again as she felt his hands rubbing her knee incessantly. Nie Fan’s technique appeared professional and his massage hit the spot, and the pain was also bearable. She hence did her best to bite her lower lip so that she did not make a sound, but the occasional groan she let out left herself blushing even harder.

As she sneaked a look up at Nie Fan to find that he was not really reacting and concentrating on his work, she discreetly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Alright, rub it twice again tomorrow and it would be more or less done.” Nie Fan rubbed his hands, and then brought a rather worn bag from his own room.

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“What’s that for?” Lin Xinyan asked, staring at the bag which appeared heavy despite being not too large.

“Needles.”

Nie Fan smiled and opened the bag, and Lin Xinyan discovered in shock that it was full of uncountable golden needles of different sizes, with some having bizarre shapes.

“You’re not sticking them into me, are you?” She asked, looking weirded out—she had seen those things and tv, but the thought of having your body covered in needles was still quite horrifying.

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“You could choose not to, but while your condition might not be matter much since you’re young, it would eventually become a problem as time goes on and not even syringes would help then.”

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“Is it really that serious?” Lin Xinyan asked, pulling a long face.

Nie Fan responded with a shrug and a calm smile. “I wouldn’t be bothered with the needle if it was someone else.”

“Wouldn’t it hurt?”

“It wouldn’t—you usually wouldn’t feel a thing. So? Dare to try?” He looked at her mischievously.

Trying to look brave, Lin Xinyan nodded after hesitating for a moment. “Nie Fan, how did you come to learn such a weird thing?” She then asked.

“It’s passed down in my family. Uncle Lin should know that my father is quite learned in the Esoteric Scripture of the Yellow Emperor, even asking my father to teach him. It’s just that Uncle Lin only learned the bare minimum. Anyway, the Scripture is divided into three parts: the first is Chinese medicine, the second is acupuncture while the third is Dao Yin…”

“What’s Dao Yin?”

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“It’s an ancient qi art used to strengthen the body, although it an art that’s almost lost.” Nie Fan grinned, drawing out three gold needles from the bag as he spoke and taking off the wax covers before masterfully poking them into Lin Xinyan’s feet and kneecap.

She had been ready to scream in pain when she saw him pierce her leg with the needles, only to realize then that it really did not hurt at all. All she felt was a numbness, as if her hair was being pulled.

“What do you feel?” Nie Fan asked, looking at her with a smile.

“It doesn’t hurt at all. It’s just a little numb and a little cold… hold on… I think I feel something in my leg! It’s like a little worm that keeps wiggling up… I can feel my leg now!” Lin Xinyan exclaimed in wonder and disbelief that three tiny needles could work so miraculously.

Later, as Nie Fan pulled out the three golden needles. “These three needles could only ease your condition for a while. But to cure it completely…” He said, trailing off as he eyed her.

“What should I do to cure it completely?” Lin Xinyan asked, rather interested in acupuncture now.

“The root of your condition is at your pelvis. Your veins aren’t flowing smoothly—there’s cold air accumulating in that spot.”

“Pelvis?” Lin Xinyan repeated, taken aback. She had been sparkling a moment, but now quickly shook her head. “No way.”

Needling the pelvic would mean letting Nie Fan see everything, and that would not do. After all, it was an accident when he caught a glimpse just now, not to mention that she had never been so close to a man, which was a far cry from taking off her pants to let him put some needles into her.

Nonetheless, Nie Fan smiled, having sterilized his golden needles with a special method and put them away. “I’m simply mentioning it,” he told her as he got to his feet. “It wouldn’t be a problem tonight, so rest up and it should ease tomorrow. Try to be active with you your legs, but don’t exercise too strenuously such as through dance or taekwondo.”

“Okay.” Lin Xinyan replied distractedly.

“I’m off, then.” Nie Fan said as he headed for the door.

“Nie Fan…” Lin Xinyan suddenly called out to him just as he was about to leave.

“What is it?” He asked, turning around.

“Thank you.” Lin Xinyan said gratefully—if not for him, she wouldn’t have known how to handle this emergency.

“You’re welcome, and I’m just doing what I should. I wouldn’t have the faintest idea if Uncle Lin offered me a place to stay anyway. You should sleep since you’re better now too. See you.” Nie Fan smiled lightly and closed the door behind him.

After watching him leave, Lin Xinyan lay under her blanket and flexed her feet: they felt much better although there was still a little curious sensation.

That being said, she was really scared out of her wits just now, and finally understood why her father admired Uncle Nie so much when she was still a child.

Now, she could not help but wonder what kind of a person Nie Fan actually was too—so many mysteries seemed to surround him.

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And then there was that moment when he pressed the needles into her: he had been so frighteningly calm, and she simply could not detect a single flutter of emotion in his eyes.