Lan Yuxi's lips curved slightly. "Sister-in-law, please don't worry. I'll take care of Uncle-Master's illness. But you have to listen to me."
Madam Duan nodded vigorously. "Listen! We'll listen to you!"
"I'll start by giving Uncle-Master a few acupuncture needles. Please prepare a pen and paper for me. I need to write a prescription."
"Okay, I'll get them ready right away!" Madam Duan hurried out.
Lan Yuxi mouthed something to Nan Xiao. Nan Xiao's eyes widened slightly, and he took out his phone to make a call.
"Master, could you bring Zhao Zhao and Mu Mu over? Uncle-Master wants to see the children... Yes, just bring the children yourself."
Duan Family Head looked over with a grave expression.
Lan Yuxi held up a golden needle, blocking his sight. "Uncle-Master, I'm giving you acupuncture. It won't hurt, so you don't need to be nervous."
"Is there something you're hiding from me?"
"I'm not trying to hide anything. It's just that some things can only be said between you and Master," Lan Yuxi said, reaching out to undo Duan Family Head's buttons. "Uncle-Master, you're just suffering from a common stroke, yet it's been recurring for so long. Don't you find that strange?"
A cold glint flashed in Duan Family Head's eyes. "Someone doesn't want me to live!"
Lan Yuxi heard footsteps and inserted a golden needle.
Madam Duan, holding paper and pen, hurried in. Seeing Lan Yuxi giving acupuncture, she dared not speak and stood quietly by, waiting.
After Lan Yuxi inserted twenty-eight golden needles, she took the paper and pen and quickly wrote out a prescription, handing it to Madam Duan. "Sister-in-law, please arrange for someone to buy the medicine."
"Alright. I'll make the arrangements now." Madam Duan took the prescription and rushed out.
After Madam Duan left, Lan Yuxi took out her phone and sent a WeChat message.
"Grandpa Master, don't worry. My mother is very capable! She'll definitely cure Grandpa Master Three!" Mu Mu's childish voice came from outside the door.
Duan Family Head looked towards the door with anticipation. Soon, a pair of children who looked like they had stepped out of a painting, holding Old Duan's hand, walked in.
"Hello, Grandpa Master Three~"
"Hello, Grandpa Master Three!"
The two little ones, seeing Duan Family Head receiving acupuncture, dared not approach and bowed from the center of the room.
Duan Family Head smiled benevolently. "Good! Very good! Second Brother, could you get me that pair of jade lockets to give to the children?"
Old Duan paused slightly. "Such precious items, let's forget about them. Just give them something else."
"No, I must give them that!"
"Just don't regret it after you give it away!"
Old Duan said, taking a key from under Duan Family Head's pillow and quickly entering the inner room. Moments later, he returned with a small sandalwood box.
Old Duan smiled and handed the box over. "Zhao Zhao, Mu Mu, this is the token of love between your Grandpa Master Three and Grandma Master Three. He's treasured it for so many years, and he didn't even give it to his own grandson, but he's giving it to you. You can see how much he likes you."
Zhao Zhao pulled Mu Mu back a step. "A gentleman does not take what others love."
Duan Family Head chuckled upon hearing this, but then remembered he was still receiving acupuncture and quickly suppressed it.
Old Duan affectionately stroked Zhao Zhao's head. "It's alright. Since your Grandpa Master Three is giving it to you, it means you two are his favorites now."
Zhao Zhao and Mu Mu simultaneously looked up at Lan Yuxi.
Lan Yuxi smiled. "Take what Grandpa Master Three is giving you."
"Thank you, Grandpa Master Three~"
"Thank you, Grandpa Master Three!"
After thanking him, the two little ones took the box from Old Duan.
Lan Yuxi smiled and said, "Zhao Zhao, take your sister to play in the next room for a while. Mom has something to discuss with your Grandpa Master."
Zhao Zhao nodded obediently, took his sister's hand, and went to the adjacent room.
Old Duan watched the two children leave before turning back to Lan Yuxi. "Can you cure your Third Uncle-Master's poison?"
Duan Family Head looked over in surprise.
Nan Xiao also looked at his Master. "You've known for a long time?"
Lan Yuxi spoke up. "Master not only knew, but he's also been detoxifying Third Uncle-Master all along. Otherwise, Third Uncle-Master wouldn't have held on until we arrived."
Duan Family Head, his eyes red, looked at Old Duan. "No wonder you've been getting thinner over the past six months... so you were using your own blood to save me."
Old Duan waved his hand impatiently. "Don't get all emotional there. If you dislodge the needles again, you'll truly be meeting your ancestors!"
Duan Family Head immediately fell silent.
Nan Xiao held Lan Yuxi's hand and asked in a low voice, "How did you know it was Master detoxifying your Third Uncle-Master?"
"The year you were bitten by a snake, Master cut his wrist and used his blood to detoxify you. But he told me that no one, not even you, could speak of it, or he would be in mortal danger. I was afraid for Master's safety, so I never said anything. Just now, when I felt Third Uncle-Master's pulse, I found that although he was poisoned, the poison never flared up, so I knew Master must be using his blood to detoxify him."
Nan Xiao looked at Old Duan gratefully. "Thank you, Master."
"There's no point in saying that. You are my only disciple, and I treat you like my own son. Forget giving you a mouthful of blood, I'd willingly give my old life!"
Old Duan then looked at Lan Yuxi. "Girl, I've always wondered why I could save Nan Xiao, but not your Third Uncle-Master?"
"The poison your Third Uncle-Master is suffering from is hundreds, even thousands, of times stronger than snake venom. If you hadn't been feeding him your blood, he would have died from the poison long ago."
Lan Yuxi frowned and took Old Duan's emaciated hand, pulling up his sleeve.
Nan Xiao looked at the dozens of scars, large and small, on his Master's arm, his eyes turning red before he looked away.
Lan Yuxi, frowning, scolded, "Are you foolish? Why didn't you look for me! If you had called me earlier, you wouldn't have suffered so much."
Old Duan sighed and pulled his sleeve down to cover the scars. "This is a family disgrace, and I didn't want it to spread. More importantly, until I find out who wants to harm your Third Uncle-Master, I didn't want you and Xiao'er to get entangled in this dispute."
"And how are your investigations going?"
"The Eldest and Second couple can be ruled out. I've also investigated several of the younger generation, and found nothing. I suspect it was done by a servant in the household, but I have no proof."
Lan Yuxi narrowed her eyes slightly. "Master, do you trust me? If you do, give me twenty-four hours, and I'll investigate this matter."
Old Duan flatly refused. "No. We don't even know who the culprit is yet. Before you find out who it is, what if they harm your entire family of four!"
Lan Yuxi let out a cold laugh. "Don't worry, if they want to harm us, they don't have the capability!"
Old Duan said sternly, "You stubborn girl, why are you so disobedient!"
Nan Xiao, seeing that his Master was genuinely angry, quickly explained, "Master, Xi Bao isn't disobedient, she has the ability. Even the President seeks her help when he encounters difficult matters."