Genshin Impact: I Am a Slime

Not sure about the inside of the house.

Huixin gently placed the empty medicine bowl on the low table by the bedside, making a soft clinking sound. Then she picked up a clean, plain-colored silk handkerchief and gently wiped away the remaining medicine stains from the corners of her father's mouth.

After doing all this, Huixin did not step back. Instead, she leaned forward slightly, her voice very low, as if carefully choosing her words:

"Father, Lord Yelan and Lord Keqing are still investigating outside. Is there anyone you care about? Or have you encountered anything unusual recently?"

Uncle Tian leaned back on the soft pillows, his gaze not focused on his daughter's face, but rather past her to the old scroll depicting the landscape of Liyue hanging on the opposite wall of the room.

The room was filled with a strong medicinal smell, mixed with the faint, bitter scent of Atractylodes macrocephala, and a damp night breeze drifting in from outside the window.

Uncle Tian remained silent for longer than Huixin had anticipated, so long that even Zhongli, who was standing quietly by the window, seemed to turn his gaze away from the night outside and focus on the old man's profile.

Finally, Uncle Tian slowly shook his head.

This movement aggravated his weak neck, causing a muffled cough that had been suppressed deep in his throat. Uncle Tian tried to raise his hand to cover his mouth, but his hand was too weak to move. He could only lift it slightly. Huixin quickly patted his back to help him.

"Well, I don't have anyone I suspect."

Uncle Tian's voice sounded dry and tired, as if it had been sanded with sandpaper.

“I’ve lived this long and never imagined I would suffer such a terrible fate. Besides, I’ve always been fairly decent in my interactions with people and have never made such a deep-seated grudge that would take my life.”

Uncle Tian spoke in a flat, unassuming tone, as if recounting an old story unrelated to himself. But deep within his worldly-wise eyes, something extremely subtle seemed to freeze for a moment.

It was neither anger nor fear, but rather an indescribable understanding and sorrow.

How could he not guess who the poisoner was?

However... when Huixin asked, Uncle Tian hesitated.

What if? What if it's not as easy as it seems?
Zhong Li, standing by the window, clearly captured the almost imperceptible moment of pause in Tian Shu's expression.

Zhongli broke her silence and took a tiny step forward. The hem of her long black robe remained almost perfectly still. Her voice was not loud, but it carried a peculiar penetrating power, steadily cutting into the heavy atmosphere between father and daughter.

"Tian Shu Xing is recovering from his illness, but he is deficient in both qi and blood, and his mind is weary."

“Tracing the source and apprehending the culprit is a mentally and physically exhausting task. Forcing it at this moment may not be beneficial to recovery.”

His gaze shifted to the worried Huixin, his tone gentle yet containing an undeniable certainty.

“Miss Ningguang is in charge of the central government and has keen insight. Lord Yuhengxing is decisive and efficient. Entrusting this matter to the two of them will surely bring clarity to the situation. Miss Huixin, it would be best to let your father rest and recuperate for now.”

Looking at her father's pale, almost transparent face and the fine beads of sweat on his forehead, at his lips trembling slightly from coughing, and then at Mr. Zhongli's calm and steady expression, Huixin finally gave up and loosened her grip.

She lowered her head, avoiding Zhongli's gaze, her voice tinged with a barely perceptible sob and a deep sense of helplessness:

“…Mr. Zhongli is right, Father, you…you should rest well and not think about anything.”

Huixin reached out and carefully pulled the thin blanket over her father up, tucking the corners of the blanket in.

Just then.

"Tap, tap, tap."

A few distinct yet urgent knocks suddenly broke the stillness and medicinal scent in the ward.

"Please come in."

Bai Zhu, who had been standing in front of the small table in the room as if organizing medicinal herbs but was actually silently observing everything, spoke up at the right time.

The door was pushed open, bringing in a night breeze carrying the chill of the mountains and fields.

A purple figure swept in almost with the sound of the door opening, moving with lightning speed. The newcomer was none other than Ke Qing, the Star of Jade Balance.

Her long purple hair, tied back, was slightly disheveled from running. A few strands were damp with sweat, clinging to her smooth forehead and slightly flushed cheeks. The hem and cuffs of her practical outfit still had fresh mud and grass clippings on them, indicating that she had rushed from the mountains and fields without even having time to straighten her clothes.

Ke Qing's bright purple eyes swept across the room in an instant, her gaze landing precisely on Uncle Tian, ​​who was leaning against the headboard.

When Ke Qing saw that Uncle Tian, ​​though weak, had opened his eyes, her tense shoulders instantly relaxed, and the burning anxiety deep in her eyes was immediately replaced by a relieved surprise and concern.

"Uncle Tian!"

Ke Qing's voice was clearly panting as she hurried to the bedside, not even having time to formally greet Zhong Li and Bai Shu.

"You're awake! That's wonderful!"

When Keqing received the news from Bubulu that Uncle Tian had awakened, she was in Qingce Village tracking a clue that might lead to the whereabouts of the murderer. She immediately changed direction without hesitation and rushed back to Liyue Harbor as quickly as possible.

The girl hurriedly nodded in greeting to Zhongli and Baishu, and before they could even respond, she quickly went to Tian Shuxing's bedside.

Ke Qing leaned forward slightly, her purple eyes fixed on Tian Shu's pale face, her voice tense with urgency.

"Uncle Tian, ​​how are you feeling? Have you remembered anything? For example, were there any unusual people or events before or after the poisoning? Or do you have any suspects in mind?"

Ke Qing's gaze was intense, a mixture of anxiety about solving the case and worry about the old man's health. Hui Xin stood aside, watching Ke Qing ask almost the same question as herself, seeing the undisguised eagerness and excitement on Ke Qing's face, and then looked at her father.

Uncle Tian leaned back on the pillow, listening to Ke Qing's rapid-fire questions. Something seemed to sink into his cloudy eyes. When his lips moved slightly, the name Zhi Yi lingered on his tongue, but was suppressed by some invisible force.

In the end, Uncle Tian only shook his head slightly, his voice even weaker than before:

"...No, I really don't know, and I haven't noticed anything unusual."

Having obtained no valuable clues, a fleeting hint of disappointment flashed in Keqing's eyes, but she quickly suppressed it. She straightened her back, trying to make her voice sound more steady and reassuring:
"Then don't worry about it, Uncle Tian. The most important thing now is to get well. Leave the investigation of the murderer to me and Ye Lan."

Keqing specifically mentioned Yelan's name, trying to reassure Uncle Tian.

But upon hearing Ye Lan's name, Uncle Tian's eyelids, which had been slightly closed, twitched almost imperceptibly, and his brows furrowed for a fleeting moment before relaxing again, so quickly that it seemed like an illusion.

"With you and Ye Lan working together, the truth will surely come out soon... Then I will rest here and recuperate for a while."

Uncle Tian spoke slowly, his fingers unconsciously curling up as he gripped the corner of the sheet, his tone sounding as if he had finally let go of a heavy burden.

Ke Qing nodded, then carefully examined Uncle Tian's complexion to confirm that he did indeed need rest before turning around and turning her gaze to Zhong Li, who had been standing quietly by the window.

"Thanks to Mr. Zhongli, if it weren't for the miraculous effects of the ancient prescription he treasured, Uncle Tian would probably..."

"The Seven Stars of Liyue will forever remember this kindness."

Ke Qing's face showed heartfelt gratitude, and her tone became much more solemn. She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was self-evident.

Although Ningguang was investigating at the place where Uncle Tian had the accident, she had obviously shared the information she knew with Keqing. Apart from a few people who were not in the port, the Seven Stars always shared information with each other.

Zhongli bowed slightly, his posture humble, his tone as calm and composed as ever.

"Yuhengxing, you flatter me. The prescription is a legacy from the ancestors of Wangshengtang. I am merely keeping it safe. It is an honor for Wangshengtang to use this to help Lord Tianshuxing overcome the danger, and it is also a testament to Lord Tianshuxing's great fortune."

"Sir, you are too modest."

Ke Qing nodded her thanks again. With the unfinished investigation on her mind, and seeing that Uncle Tian looked tired, she decided not to stay any longer.

After exchanging a few brief pleasantries with Zhongli and Baishu, Keqing didn't linger any longer and turned to walk out the door.

Yuhengxing's steps still carried her characteristic nimbleness, but with a touch more composure than when she arrived. Her purple figure quickly disappeared into the night outside the door. (End of Chapter)