TRT -Chapter 40 Detoxification

…All the preparations and emergency measures had been meticulously arranged. Did he really have to be this cautious even when meeting his own brother? I sneered inwardly. Big Fox, you really live a tiring life.

“Let’s go.”

With one arm around me and the other holding the reins, Big Fox’s horse shot forward like an arrow released from a bow…

When we reached the shabby hut where we had stayed a few days ago, Guo’er was nowhere to be seen. The place was empty. Had they already moved to a clinic in the city?

Just as I was wondering, a loud shout interrupted my thoughts.

“Xiao Bai—?!”

I turned around and saw the auntie who had helped us before, wobbling over with her round belly and tiny shuffling steps.

“Auntie?”

“It really is Xiao Bai? Aiyo~~ You’re dressed so prettily now, I almost didn’t recognize you!” She slapped her apron and started chattering nonstop.

“Auntie, about A-Hei and A-Jin…”

“So Xiao Bai is actually a girl? Aiya, you’re so capable, I never noticed! Clothes really make the person. I knew you weren’t ordinary! Could you be a young lady from a wealthy family? Just look at your bearing…”

“A-Auntie, let’s talk about that later. I’m in a hurry…”

“Aiya! Is this young master your man? Aiyo, he really is handsome and extraordinary! Xiao Bai, listen to me—being born well isn’t as good as marrying well. Good men are rare these days, you must hold on tight…”

“Auntie!!!”

My hair practically stood on end. Meanwhile, Big Fox sat on the horse holding me, smiling kindly and benevolently…

After much effort, I finally managed to ask the overexcited auntie where Guo’er had gone. I immediately kicked Big Fox and rushed toward the clinic. He sent a secret guard with the antidote to follow me, then headed for the West City government office where the Sixth Prince was staying.

When I burst into the clinic, I crashed straight into someone who was frowning in deep thought. As soon as we recognized each other, we threw ourselves into each other’s arms and cried our eyes out.

“My poor little You, you’ve lost so much weight! Look at this waist! Look at these elbows! You’re so skinny”

“Minmin~~ My poor Minmin, you’ve gotten so dark! Look at these panda arms! Look at this tire neck! You’re so black~~”

…………-_-…………

“You two, come in.”

A cold, calm voice.

Oh my God! Had I been traveling too long and started hallucinating?!

I turned around wide-eyed—and my eyes widened even more.

“Guo—Guo—Guo’er?!”

It was him! It was really him! (Please sing this line.)

Although he had grown much thinner, although he looked pale, although he was coughing, although he leaned weakly against the doorframe—he was standing there, awake!

His eyes were clear and bright, calm and composed.

My handsome, elegant, quiet, disciplined, hardworking Guo’er—worthy of being one of China’s Top Ten Youths!

“Guo’er…”

I looked at him with misty eyes, thousands of words stuck in my throat. I simply stood up, opened my arms, and ran over to hug him.

Nestled in his arms, rubbing my head against him, I muttered stupidly:

“You’re awake…”

“Mm.”

He gently held me, smoothed my hair, then closed his eyes again, clearly exhausted.

“What’s wrong with him?” I asked softly, looking at Guo’er sleeping on the bed.

“I’ve neutralized the Deadly Powder, so he was able to wake up. He’s just extremely weak. Now that he has the Fourth Prince’s antidote, he should recover fully when he wakes up.”

“What about that new poison formed by mixing the two?” I asked.

“Not solved.”

“What?! Then… won’t it harm him? Don’t tell me he’ll lose his memory or something cliché!”

“Maybe… he’ll lose all his martial arts.”

He looked apologetically at Guo’er.

“But it’s better than losing his life.”

“What?! Lose his martial arts? That’s even more cliché than amnesia! Without martial arts, is he still Guo’er?!”

I couldn’t accept it.

“No! You must find a way to cure it!”

“Even if you say so, I still need a way. Mixed poisons can’t be cured with mixed medicine. If only we had Qianshun Pill…”

“What’s that?”

“My master’s secret medicine. It neutralizes all drugs. But… he won’t pass it on, and he travels constantly. We don’t know where to find him.”

I slammed the table and stood up.

“Even if we have to search the ends of the earth, we’ll find him! When Guo’er wakes up, we’ll set out and search the entire Houming inch by inch!”

Later, while packing slowly behind the clinic, I noticed the streets were orderly. Looks like Big Fox and his brother had reached an agreement.

I didn’t care. As long as the refugees were settled, it was fine.

While packing, two old sachets fell out.

My eyes lit up instantly.

!!!!

I sprinted to the front of the clinic and grabbed him by the collar, too excited to speak.

“What is it? Calm down!”

I grabbed a cup of tea and gulped it down.

“I… I found the Qianshun Pill!”

I slapped a flat little bottle onto the table.

“This is… your master’s?”

“Yes! Remember he gave me a sachet and said to open it in times of great danger? This bottle was inside! Open it!”

He nervously broke the wax seal.

Eleven pills of different colors and sizes spilled out.

I stared like a lottery winner waiting for results.

“Did we win? Did we win?!”

“This is…”

He widened his eyes.

“This one treats colds.”

My face collapsed.

He continued:

“This is for headaches. This for diarrhea. This for athlete’s foot. This for heatstroke…”

My face grew darker with each word.

You damn quack doctor!!!

“But…”

He suddenly smiled.

“This last one… is Qianshun Pill.”

“Fine. I’ll leave you a whole corpse.”

I happily fed Guo’er the medicine, unaware of the dark expression behind me.

Why?

Besides one Qianshun Pill, the rest were five pairs of deadly poisons and antidotes.

Master… what do you want Minmin to do with these?

After Guo’er took the pill, I leaned by his bed and remembered the sachet the old monk had given me.

Might as well open it too.

I opened it.

Nothing inside.

Cold sweat broke out.

Could it be… paper?!

I tore it open completely.

Inside the lining were four embroidered words:

“Choose Your Partner Carefully.”

……

I’m going to stab him!
I’m going to stab him!
I’m going to stab him!!!

You two old bastards are both playing with me!!!

Amid my furious shouting, Guo’er finally came back to life, full of energy.