A group of people left the audition site. Chu Yi said something to Lin Hang, then turned around and got into the Fu Family’s car.
No one knew what brand the Fu Family’s car was, but it had a high chassis and a spacious interior, even featuring a small reception table inside.
Chu Yi sat on one side, while Ouyang Yuyuan and the Fu Family member sat opposite him. Fu Huaiyan seemed a bit afraid of Chu Yi and timidly squeezed behind Ouyang Yuyuan’s shoulder, completely ignoring the fact that he was half a head taller than Ouyang Yuyuan when seated.
He blinked his big eyes, his face handsome and resolute, yet his expression was like that of a child who hadn’t grown up.
“How about it, Yi Ge? Does this guy still have hope?” Ouyang Yuyuan asked helplessly, glancing at Fu Huaiyan.
To be honest, over this period, he had developed feelings for this “little kid.” Although the other party sometimes stubbornly made him roll his eyes in exasperation, feeling like he might die of anger at any moment, Ouyang Yuyuan felt like he had raised a son when Fu Huaiyan was obedient—especially when he lounged on the sofa unwilling to move and bossed him around to fetch tea or water, or even peel melon seeds and fruits one by one. That serious expression was a little cute.
As soon as Ouyang Yuyuan asked his question, the Fu Family steward sitting nearby straightened up, perked up his ears, and leaned over halfway.
Chu Yi said, “We can give it a try.”
As he spoke, he pinched out a yellow talisman. Without any visible activation, he slapped it onto Fu Huaiyan’s forehead. The talisman paper instantly turned into golden dust and vanished.
“Wow, Yi Ge, what kind of talisman is that? So magical!” Ouyang Yuyuan’s eyes widened.
The Fu Family steward showed no particular reaction. After their Eldest Young Master had his accident, they had invited many sorcerers, each displaying their unique skills. He had seen plenty of methods, and Chu Yi’s trick wasn’t too special.
“Disease-Removing Talisman.” Chu Yi glanced at the steward. “But for ordinary people, it doesn’t have such a strong effect. The golden threads fade slowly and disappear, drawing out the source of the illness—like pulling a thread to remove the disease.”
As Chu Yi explained, the Fu Family steward nodded, his favorable impression of Chu Yi increasing another layer. Steady and calm, without boastful nonsense—for someone his age, it was a rare good quality.
Soon, Fu Huaiyan blinked his eyes. The dazed look in them faded, replaced by cold sobriety and clarity.
He glanced at Ouyang Yuyuan squeezed together with him, his brows unconsciously furrowing. But upon recognizing that he was clinging to Ouyang Yuyuan, he showed some astonishment and quickly retreated to his own spot. “You are—?”
Hey, he actually started disliking him! Ouyang Yuyuan kept a straight face. “I’m your dad, good son. Come on, call me daddy!”
“You!” Fu Huaiyan’s face darkened as he was about to get angry, but the Fu Family steward had already excitedly leaned in. “Eldest Young Master, you’re awake!”
“Uncle Ping!” Fu Huaiyan’s expression froze, as if some images flashed through his mind. He snapped back and anxiously said, “Uncle Ping, quickly send people to rescue…”
A black mist clouded his mind. Fu Huaiyan gritted his teeth, veins bulging. When he opened his eyes again, he had reverted to that ignorant three-year-old child.
He probably felt that Uncle Ping was too close and got scared, even reaching out to push the other’s face.
“Yanyan is scared~” Fu Huaiyan buried his head into Ouyang Yuyuan’s arms. Ouyang Yuyuan rolled his eyes toward the sky and generously patted his handsome face. “Good son, don’t be afraid!”
Uncle Ping, caught off guard, was pushed to the ground, but he didn’t care about himself. Instead, he turned to Chu Yi. “Mr. Chu, why did our Eldest Young Master… why did he revert again?!”
After saying that, he glared at Ouyang Yuyuan: This guy is taking advantage of our Eldest Young Master!
But he clearly had experience. When their Eldest Young Master turned into a three-year-old child, he couldn’t compete with Ouyang Yuyuan at all and could only look away, out of sight, out of mind.
“As long as Mr. Chu can cure our Eldest Young Master, name your price, no matter how much!” Uncle Ping said with his head lowered.
He might have taken Chu Yi for one of those jianghu sorcerers who tested with inferior talisman paper first, then haggled for a higher price later.
“It’s not a matter of money. Even if I use another Disease-Removing Talisman on him, he won’t stay clear-headed for more than a few seconds. The effect of the Disease-Removing Talisman will only get worse. My suggestion is to hold off for now and save it for the critical moment.”
As for the rescue that Young Master Fu had mentioned, it was probably because his memories were still stuck at that time. Chu Yi looked thoughtfully at Fu Huaiyan. “How long has he been like this?”
“About a year. Last winter, our Eldest Young Master led a team on a secret mission to Liang Province. During it, team members went missing one after another. Because the Wild Forest is full of swamps and miasma, after considering it, the Eldest Young Master left the main force behind and only took a few elite members to track and rescue. When he returned, he was the only one left, and he had become like this.” Uncle Ping immediately replied.
A year had passed; those who were meant to sacrifice had likely done so long ago. As for the swamp miasma, it matched one of the scenarios Chu Yi had considered. The terrain fit, the symptoms fit—it was probably close to the truth.
