Qin Liuxi strode in uninvited, and Mrs. Zhou hastily followed suit, barely reacting in time.
Qi Qian, however, appeared somewhat puzzled. He caught Qin Liuxi's barely audible words, a sense of malevolence?
"This room is so chilly, and the odor is quite unpleasant," murmured Ding Sumin, pressing close to Madam Ding's side. She involuntarily rubbed her arms.
Madam Ding furrowed her brows, fingering her prayer beads on her wrist. For some inexplicable reason, she felt uncomfortable the moment she stepped into the room, contemplating turning back.
Ignoring the room's chill, Qin Liuxi seemed to know the layout as if by instinct. Upon entering, he strode directly to the bedroom. Meanwhile, his fingers moved subtly, and incantations escaped his lips.
Upon reaching the bedroom, his steps halted, a brow arched.
"Has your husband said anything upon regaining consciousness?" Qin Liuxi inquired of Mrs. Zhou, who trailed behind him.
Mrs. Zhou, displeased with Qin Liuxi's intrusion, hesitated at his question.
"Has he mentioned difficulty breathing, chest discomfort, or the sensation of a heavy weight or strangulation around the neck?"
Mrs. Zhou's face paled, her eyes widening in shock. How did he know?
Qin Liuxi smirked, casting a glance at the head of the bed before turning to the emaciated figure lying upon it. "Is such a man worthy of your self-sacrifice?"
Mrs. Zhou, thinking Qin Liuxi referred to her husband's skeletal appearance, replied, "He's only become this thin due to illness. Are you truly a doctor? Can you save him? I can offer a substantial reward if you can."
"No cure," Qin Liuxi replied, his gaze disdainful and cold. "He will undoubtedly perish within three days."
The crowd was stunned.
"He hasn't even examined the patient; how can he make such a conclusive statement?"
"If a person is destined to meet their end, no amount of medical attention can save them. Or rather, if he could be saved, I wouldn't do it," Qin Liuxi declared coldly. "He isn't worthy."
"But isn't this turning a blind eye to someone's death?" Ding Sumin exclaimed in horror, shocked by his callousness.
Qi Qian cast a cold glance in her direction.
Ding Sumin froze under his gaze, her complexion turning pallid.
Qin Liuxi chuckled. "Turning a blind eye? You could say that."
Rescuing someone burdened with such karmic debts would only diminish her blessings.
"That's enough!" Mrs. Zhou seethed, standing in front of her husband's bed and pointing towards the door. "I don't need your help. Please leave."
Without a word, Qin Liuxi walked out. After a few steps, he paused, then turned back. "Did your husband ever mention his deep affection for you, how he preferred adopting orphans rather than having concubines? But did he mention the son he's already chosen, a child of five, fated to him?
Mrs. Zhou was dumbfounded.
"And did he disclose his past marriage? His current affair?" Qin Liuxi dropped these bombshells before saying, "If you knew these things, could you still offer your life in exchange?"
Mrs. Zhou collapsed to the ground, her face a mask of shock, while Madam Ding and the others were left with a flurry of questions. What did these revelations mean?
As they gazed at the astonished Mrs. Zhou and the cold, unyielding Qin Liuxi, a chill swept through them, leaving them feeling unnaturally cold from head to toe.