Reborn Heiress: Seeking Revenge
Chapter 19: Pulling Out Hair_1

Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Pulling Out Hair_1

Seated in the Dual Lacquer posture, Shangguan You practiced the methods of the Medicine King Canon until her body felt exceptionally comfortable. Only then did she take a bath and once again grapple with her books. Balancing her cultivation practice with her studies yielded better results, a principle Shangguan You naturally understood.

After that day’s failed attempt at concocting elixirs, she immersed herself in the alchemy room right after school, incessantly crafting various elixirs. Failure was the mother of success. Despite several botched attempts and countless wasted herbs, her first batch of elixirs was finally successful. Youth-preserving Pills, Health Pills, and antiseptic medicine—she had practiced making ten of each.

Not knowing whether the effects were as miraculous as the Medicine King Canon claimed, she naturally sought someone on whom to test her creations.

On a night when the wind howled fiercely and the moon hid behind the clouds, a petite figure slipped gently out of the second-floor window of the villa, moving lightly and agilely. In a matter of seconds, she had evaded the Hidden Guards lurking in the shadows as well as the cameras, and with fluid movements, she vaulted over the surrounding wall and ran toward a secluded alley.

The newcomer was none other than Shangguan You. In her search for someone to test her elixirs, she naturally sought out the most chaotic and accident-prone locations. And indeed, the most chaotic places were invariably near entertainment venues—nightclubs and bars. She had learned about these from Zhu Li; Shangguan You had never visited B City in her previous life, and the original owner of her body had suffered from severe social anxiety, completely unaware of such places.

Before even reaching the entertainment district, Shangguan You found her target.

In a damp and gloomy alleyway just short of the entertainment district, a dark figure was huddled into a ball, hiding in a corner. A heap of trash was piled in front of him, and a nearby sewer opening partially concealed his body. As Shangguan You entered the alley, she was drawn to a pair of tear-filled, innocent eyes reminiscent of a deer’s. The sight of these eyes inexplicably stirred a few strands of compassion in Shangguan You’s detached heart.

The face of this ’deer’ was covered in blood, his hair as unkempt as wild grass, and his clothes were in tatters, stained with dried blood, their original appearance indiscernible. His body trembled constantly, revealing his fear and innocence.

Looking down from her slightly elevated position at the person trembling in the corner, Shangguan You crouched, her deep eyes examining him. The sight of such a pitiful figure, seemingly left to perish on his own, ignited a strong desire within her—She wanted him to work for her, to devote his life to her.

"I can save you. Are you willing to come with me?" her slightly cold voice echoed in the dark alley, sealing the intertwined fate of the two for life.

"Mhm," he replied softly, his clear eyes filled with a hint of fear, so moist it seemed he might cry at any moment.

"I won’t hurt you. I will heal you, and I can even avenge you. But on one condition: you must be loyal to me. Your life must belong to me forever. Do you agree?"

Shangguan You spoke again, her tone more solemn. Since her rebirth, her heart had been cold. Looking at the helpless person before her, she inexplicably thought of her past self.

"Consider it carefully. If you agree, you will lose your freedom, but you will gain everything that people in this world desire. And I will not tolerate betrayal. I demand absolute loyalty."

"As long as you can avenge me, my life will always be yours," he said, his voice slightly hoarse.

"Good. Let’s go. We’re going home," Shangguan You said with a gentle smile, helping the filthy young man off the ground. Looking into his eyes, she had initially thought he was younger than her, but to her surprise, he was a head taller.

Appearances can indeed be deceiving, and the sea cannot be measured in buckets.

"I am Shangguan You. What’s your name?"

"Zhuge Feng."

"Nice name." I wonder if you have the potential to be a Zhuge Liang, she thought. "Eat this." She fed a small Medicinal Pill into the boy’s mouth. It was a Health Pill, which could cure minor illnesses and pains. Since the boy was weak all over, perhaps eating it would be effective. As for his wounds, it’s better to go home, let him take a bath, and then tend to them slowly.

But what would Auntie Zhang think of me bringing a stranger home in the dead of night? Still, I can’t just leave him behind. Where could the boy go? Surely I can’t just toss him into my space, can I?

Carefully climbing back through the window into her room, Shangguan You drew some Spring Water from her space and poured it into the bathtub. She then hauled Zhuge Feng into the bathroom.

"Ouch!" Zhuge Feng cried out as the Spring Water touched his skin, his face scrunching up in pain. His body was riddled with wounds—knife cuts, sword slashes, and even a bullet still lodged in his arm. He had barely evaded his pursuers and arrived in B City with serious injuries, only to take another bullet. He had thought tonight would surely be his last, never expecting to be saved by a girl of fifteen or sixteen.

All the way there, much of his weight had leaned on Shangguan You. Now that his mind relaxed, he felt even weaker, his body utterly spent. If not for the Medicinal Pill she had given him, he would have probably passed out by now.

"Useless," Shangguan You snapped, watching him sweat profusely, tears welling in his eyes. With a few quick RIPS, she tore off what was left of his tattered clothes. Ever since studying the Medicine King Canon, her vision, reflexes, and even her body’s agility had improved significantly. Handling an injured person was nothing to her.

She easily pushed his large body completely into the water. Seeing the deep, bone-revealing wounds on his chest and back—inflamed and oozing pus—Shangguan You involuntarily gasped. This man I picked up, just who did he offend? Why isn’t there a single intact spot on his entire body? And that dark wound on his arm is still bleeding; it looks fresh.

"You..." Zhuge Feng’s face flushed. He’d grown to this age and never encountered such a rough woman.

"Shut up if you don’t want to die. You’re filthy. Did you crawl out of a pile of trash?" Shangguan You murmured while carefully washing his body, taking care to avoid the wounds.

As Zhuge Feng heard her remarks, tears welled up in his clear eyes, and his face bore the look of a wronged child, his body trembling even more. Even though her touch was gentle and light, the sensation in his wounds was still excruciatingly painful.