Chapter 587: Chapter 587: Who Else Has Lived in Moon Village

Qiao Xi’s eyes gleamed with amusement as she looked into the laptop camera and said, “Are you afraid that Shu Xue is the next Xie Liuzheng? When a woman gets invested in her career, indeed, she doesn’t have room in her heart for a man anymore.”

Shu Xue and Zhou Yu had been going around in circles up until now, still not having settled on an official relationship status.

Shu Xue, following the medical team to Aid Africa, seemed to gradually regain the self-esteem she lost when dealing with Xie Liuzheng.

“Sister-in-law! Don’t jinx me, I can’t handle any more turbulence in my love life,” Zhou Yu jokingly protested, trying to divert Qiao Xi’s attention, “I just proposed to Shu Xue last time I flew to Africa.”

Qiao Xi hadn’t heard from Shu Xue about this and asked curiously, “Did she accept?”

“She rejected me, saying she needs to see my actions after she returns from her mission in Africa.”

There was a time when Shu Xue begged Zhou Yu to marry her, but he wouldn’t budge.

Now it was his turn to experience that feeling.

Qiao Xi teased him on purpose: “Isn’t this exactly to your liking? You didn’t want to get married before.”

“Sister-in-law, have mercy on me. It’s all because I was too young back then; now it’s like going through a funeral chasing after my wife,” Zhou Yu said with a grin, “But what about you and Huo Er? When are you planning to have kids?”

When the topic of having children came up, Qiao Xi turned to look at Huo Xingzhou.

Huo Xingzhou held her hand and pulled her into his arms to sit, saying, “Let’s leave having children to fate.”

He looked at Zhou Yu indifferently and added, “You’d better worry more about your own proposal, and make sure Shu Xue doesn’t fall for someone else. I recall there are many talented young men in the Aid Africa medical team with very good qualifications.”

“Huo Er! You really know how to hit where it hurts, I’m done talking with you guys.”

Zhou Yu promptly ended the video call.

The study became quiet.

Qiao Xi sat on Huo Xingzhou’s thighs, her nose filled with the warm aroma of soup and his subtle cool fragrance.

She suppressed her turbulent thoughts and said, “I saw you didn’t eat dinner, so I made you this noodle soup. My cooking might not be as good as Xiaoyun’s, but give it a try.”

Huo Xingzhou gently pinched the back of her hand, his gaze softening like melting ice and snow: “You cooked yourself? Your right arm is still injured; don’t do this again next time.”

“I feel the wound has scabbed over, it’s not so painful anymore. I can normally do these chores, and that recipe for the Jade Skin Ointment really is effective.”

“I’ll have Sun Weimeng grind herbal medicine for you tomorrow.”

“Why always order others around?” Qiao Xi stretched out her hand and tugged at his tie, “Can’t you grind it for me personally?”

“I can.”

Huo Xingzhou leaned into the nook of her shoulder, taking a deep breath with a hint of weariness.

Qiao Xi nudged him and said, “Eat something first, I won’t disturb you. I still have to continue studying the Spiritual Pivot Nine Needles; time waits for no one. Once I join the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, it might be another storm of struggles.”

She stood up from his embrace but was caught by Huo Xingzhou holding her wrist.

The man with deep eyes looked at her and said, “Qiao Xi, don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Though this is the Imperial Capital, I will go all out to protect you. I may not understand medical skills, nor do I have connections in that field. The only thing I can do is to start from business, and once we control the market for medicinal herbs… that should lend you some protection.”

There was a shimmer in Qiao Xi’s eyes: “You’re so good to me, it makes me feel guilty.”

“It was I who dragged you into this mess. If not for treating my legs, you and Grandpa Cheng might still be living peacefully in hiding. You wouldn’t have to face all these dangers.”

Huo Xingzhou’s voice was deep, carrying an inexplicable texture.

Qiao Xi’s mind heated up, and she almost blurted out the question in her heart.

But she held her tongue at the last moment.

She calmed her mind and said, “Go ahead and eat the noodles, and make sure to rest early after finishing your work.”

Having said that, she quickly walked out of the study and gently closed the door behind her.

Qiao Xi looked back at the tightly shut door, her fingers clenching into tight fists.

Her heart thudded wildly.

She had heard Zhou Yu’s words!

The snippets of conversation that had reached her ears were as shocking as a thunderclap on a spring day!

Zhou Yu said, “He used to live in Moon Village too.”

Qiao Xi covered her chest, trying to suppress the turmoil within.

Unfounded speculations surfaced in her mind…

Before, who also lived in Moon Village?

She only heard half the sentence.

Who were Zhou Yu and Xingzhou talking about in their discussions?

Linked to the abnormalities she recently noticed, that sentence struck her like thunder on a spring day! It dropped a stone in her heart, causing ripples that wouldn’t settle.

Qiao Xi took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing it.

Children do not speak of strange forces and spirits!

Her education was grounded in materialism based on physical reality, not on vague and nebulous speculations.

Although those speculations almost swayed her!

At that moment, her phone vibrated.

She glanced down and saw a text message from Xu Yunye, surprise flickering in her eyes.

The facts that were about to be established were overturned once again.

He said, the doctor who attended to the case years ago had already retired, and the medical records that were dug up did indeed confirm that the young man had died from a fall, resulting in ruptured organs.

Xu Yunye also mentioned that he had checked through the Liu Family’s channels and no one had discovered anything amiss.

Qiao Xi’s heart suddenly felt cold.

She walked down a dimly lit corridor, feeling engulfed in a dense fog.

…

Inside the study.

Xingzhou’s slender fingers picked up chopsticks, the temperature of the soup noodles just right.

He took a bite, head bowed.

The taste was homely and simple. The soup looked clear, but the sprinkled green onions on top were exceptionally fragrant, with a fried egg lying on it.

If it were Xiaoyun or Aunt Qian cooking, the bowl of noodles would have had more variety. The broth would definitely be made from beef bones or chicken, and the noodles would certainly be hand-rolled with specific requirements for moisture and firmness.

Even the cooking time for the noodles would be strictly controlled.

Xingzhou’s lips curved into a faint smile; this bowl of noodles was as simple as Qiao Xi herself, any artifice immediately apparent on the surface.

Boiled in plain water, the noodles held their own fragrance.

The thoughts she desperately tried to conceal were similarly laid bare.

The phone placed aside lit up, it was a reply from Zhou Yu: The doctor who had attended to Zhong Yi back then had been taken care of, and a false career history was created. No one would find anything upon investigation. It’s likely hopeless to try to uncover Zhong Yi’s identity through this channel.

Xingzhou replied briefly with an ‘okay’.

…

The next morning.

Qiao Xi rarely rested at home, the Zhong Family called to say there was no need for her to come in for study that day.

After a night’s rest, Huo Sijiao’s sprained ankle was well enough to walk on.

She saw Xiaoyun applying medicine to Qiao Xi in the living room and sat aside, chin in hand, observing.

Qiao Xi smiled and asked, “Where’s Young Master Sun?”

“He probably went to ‘accidentally’ run into Guan Jingtan early in the morning. I heard Guan Jingtan went to a figure skating competition. Scampering off to ‘bump into’ her, he wouldn’t even dare to come to the door and ask her out, what a coward!”

Huo Sijiao criticized unabashedly.

Qiao Xi’s lips curled up; neither the eldest brother nor the second brother should scorn the other.

She set the gauze she was holding aside.

On seeing her arm, Huo Sijiao exclaimed in shock, “Sister-in-law, your hand…”