Time Is Slow - Chapter 12
It was hot, burning hot.
Chi Can withdrew his hand, his brows furrowing deeply.
He stared intently at Qiao Zhao, his eyes as black as ink, revealing no emotion. After a while, as if out of charity, he extended his long fingers and gently poked her burning, flushed cheek with the tip of his finger.
To his surprise, the unconscious girl suddenly grabbed his hand.
Startled, Chi Can instinctively tried to pull away, but her grip only tightened. Her eyes remained closed, yet tears streamed silently down her face.
She wept without a sound, but the sorrow on her face was unmistakable—etched into every delicate feature. Suppressed and silent, her grief seemed magnified.
Chi Can wasn’t sure if it was out of softness or something else, but in the end, he didn’t move.
He let her hold his hand as she wept quietly. It wasn’t until hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor that he finally pulled away and turned his head.
When he saw Yang Houcheng stride in carrying an elderly man with white hair and beard over his shoulder, Chi Can raised an eyebrow. “That fast?”
Yang Houcheng grinned with excitement, setting the old man down in a chair. “That little girl’s luck is incredible! I hadn’t even reached the city gates when I ran into a great miracle doctor!”
A great miracle doctor?
Chi Can’s expression flickered with doubt as he turned his gaze toward the old man in the chair—only to find that the so-called miracle doctor was unconscious.
Chi Can shot another questioning look at Yang Houcheng.
Scratching his head, Yang Houcheng explained sheepishly, “You don’t understand. This Doctor Li has a notoriously eccentric temper. Even the Empress Dowager had to beg him repeatedly before he agreed to enter the palace for a consultation. I was worried he wouldn’t come willingly, so… I knocked him out.”
Chi Can’s brows twitched slightly, as if recalling something, then he suddenly turned to look at the unconscious old man and raised his voice. “Doctor Li? You mean that Doctor Li—the one who’s rumored to bring the dead back to life and mend broken bones like new?”
“That’s him! I saw him back when he treated the Empress Dowager in the palace. I can’t believe I went into the city to find a doctor for the little girl and just happened to run into him. Haha! Must be my good luck.”
Yang Houcheng was still feeling rather proud of his quick thinking—knocking the doctor out and carrying him off without hesitation.
Chi Can’s expression darkened as he sighed and asked, “Your martial arts haven’t deteriorated, have they?”
“Huh?”
“I don’t know about your luck, but trouble is definitely coming your way. If someone comes after you later, clean up your own mess.”
“No way—” Yang Houcheng glanced at Doctor Li.
“You really think a miracle doctor just fell into your lap like a meat pie? If you haven’t stirred up some serious trouble, I’d be amazed,” Chi Can said coolly.
“Hah! At least this young man has some self-awareness!”
A furious voice interrupted them as Doctor Li abruptly opened his eyes. He wobbled slightly as he stood, regained his balance, and immediately strode toward the door.
Yang Houcheng quickly blocked his way. “Doctor Li, do you remember me? That year, when you entered the palace—”
“Oh? So you do recognize me?” Doctor Li cut him off.
“Uh… yeah, I do,” Yang Houcheng admitted.
“And you still knocked me out?!” Doctor Li exploded with rage. Any semblance of the legendary sage-like healer was gone. With a flick of his hand, he scattered a handful of silver needles into the air like a deadly rain.
All he’d done was step outside the city to collect a medicinal herb! This reckless brat had walked past him without even a glance, then—bam!—suddenly struck him down. Absolutely infuriating!
“Please, physician! Calm down! We have a young lady who’s seriously ill, and we were in a hurry! That’s why we resorted to desperate measures!” Yang Houcheng dodged frantically, covering his head as he fled from the flying needles.
“I don’t care if it’s the Emperor himself—I refuse to treat her!” Doctor Li huffed, dusting off his robes. He took another step toward the door before pausing mid-stride. Casually, he added, “Oh, by the way, my needles are poisoned.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Yang Houcheng collapsed to the floor.
Chi Can’s expression changed instantly. He sprang to his feet and chased after the old doctor. “Doctor Li, please wait!”
As he moved, Doctor Li’s gaze shifted. His gaze landed on the unconscious girl lying on the bed.
Doctor Li’s footsteps faltered. He completely ignored Chi Can, who had stepped forward, and hurried straight to Qiao Zhao’s bedside, plopping down into a chair.
He stared at her intently, taking her pulse and examining her complexion, fully immersed in his own world.
Meanwhile, Chi Can bent down and pulled Yang Houcheng up, but in the next instant, he abruptly spun around, drawing the sword from his waist to meet an incoming attack.
Three men burst through the doorway, surrounding him. The already small room instantly became stifling and oppressive.
The moment their blades clashed, Chi Can knew he was in trouble.
These three were clearly elite assassins who were highly skilled, but more concerningly, they fought with complete disregard for their own lives. While Chi Can was no weakling, taking on three of them at once was beyond his ability.
What was their connection to Doctor Li?
The thought had barely crossed his mind when a sharp pain shot through his shoulder. He let out a muffled grunt.
Just then, Doctor Li’s irritated voice rang out: “If you’re going to fight, do it outside! Don’t interfere with my patient’s treatment!”
His words were like an incantation freezing everyone in place.
The three intruders instantly halted, and one of them spoke up. “We’re just relieved you’re safe, Doctor.”
As he said this, his gaze fell on the unconscious Yang Houcheng slumped in the chair. A cold glint of murder flickered in his eyes.
Unbelievable! They had been escorting Doctor Li to the capital, only for him to be snatched from under their noses by these nobodies?
If their master found out about this failure, they’d be lucky to die only once.
“Get out!” Doctor Li bellowed with authority.
The three men were exceptionally deferential to him. They immediately responded with a respectful “Yes,” before turning to leave, but not without dragging Chi Can and the unconscious Yang Houcheng along with them.
Once outside, facing the three men exuding murderous intent, Chi Can pressed a cloth to his wounded shoulder and smiled faintly. “There’s no need for hostility. Once the doctor has finished examining the patient, you’re free to take him.”
He gave the three a measured glance before continuing, “I’m guessing you’re also escorting Doctor Li for a medical consultation. Surely you wouldn’t want to complicate things further? We have no ulterior motives—our encounter with him was purely by chance, and we only sought his help for a patient. From the way things look, the doctor seems quite interested in our patient.
“Besides,” he added casually, “it wouldn’t be wise to attract the attention of the Jin Lin Guards, would it?”
His words carried three key implications: First, they were familiar with Doctor Li, implying they weren’t ordinary people. Killing them could bring serious trouble. Second, Physician Li was clearly invested in their patient; if they angered him now, their own problems could escalate. Third, the Jin Lin Guards were patrolling nearby. If they drew attention, it wouldn’t just be trouble, it could become an outright disaster.
In short, his message was clear: Let’s part on good terms. No one needs unnecessary trouble.
His words had the intended effect. The three assassins exchanged glances and silently sheathed their blades.
The Jin Lin Guards were in the city. If they really killed these people and ended up being pursued by those relentless watchdogs, it could spell disaster for their master. Their priority was ensuring Doctor Li’s safe return to the capital, anything else was negotiable.
With an unspoken truce established, both sides settled into a tense but quiet wait.
Inside the room, Doctor Li finally withdrew his needles.
Slowly, Qiao Zhao’s eyes fluttered open.
A familiar face came into view. Disoriented, she had no idea what day it was or where she was. Instinctively, she blurted out, “Li… Grandpa?”