Despite having suffered inhuman torture, both physically and mentally, he still put on a brave face. Shi Xinxin found it hard to imagine the sheer willpower it must have taken.
Her eyes welled up. "Senior Brother, you must have had a very hard time these past days, haven't you?"
Yan Hao paused for a fleeting moment. He offered a faint smile. "Silly girl, I managed to get through it myself. Why do you seem more upset than I am?"
His tone made Shi Xinxin feel as though she had been transported back to their carefree days at the sect.
But those memories were merely illusions created by Elder Feng. The thought made Shi Xinxin clench her fists tightly.
She suddenly thought of something, her brow furrowing slightly.
"Senior Brother, then why are you still working under Elder Feng? You're even still his disciple?"
Mentioning this, Yan Hao fell silent.
"Senior Brother, I know everything now. There's nothing left to hide!" Shi Xinxin stated, enunciating each word.
Yan Hao let go of his reservations and spoke directly. "Because he planted a toxin in my body. This toxin could erupt at any time within five years. The mildest consequence is the toxin slowly spreading throughout my body, eventually leading to paralysis and a vegetative state. The worst is immediate death on the spot."
Hearing his calm voice, it felt as though her nerves had exploded. Shi Xinxin's body instantly grew cold. It took her a long while to find her own voice. "When did he plant it in you?"
Shi Xinxin harbored a sliver of hope. Perhaps Elder Feng had planted it a long time ago, and the deadline had just passed. Then Yan Hao wouldn't be in danger of dying now.
But Yan Hao shook his head, shattering all of Shi Xinxin's thoughts. "I calculated it. The toxin is set to erupt next month."
"Meaning, if I remain safe until next month, the toxin will completely dissipate in my body, and everything will be fine."
Shi Xinxin continued his words, her limbs turning icy. "Or, if this toxin is unstable in your body, you could die suddenly between this month and next month..."
"Yes," Yan Hao confirmed Shi Xinxin's words.
Shi Xinxin's heart plunged into an abyss.
Yan Hao smiled and tried to comfort her. "You don't have to think about the worst-case scenario for everything. After all, there's still a 50% chance the toxin won't erupt."
Shi Xinxin said, "But I've always disliked situations with no clear advantage. The other 50% is a significant factor, and we only have one chance."
Seeing her anxious and unsure of what to do, Yan Hao said slowly, "Don't worry. Over these five years, I've managed to research some medicines to delay the toxin's eruption. It should be able to suppress it."
Shi Xinxin suddenly had an idea, her eyes lighting up. "Yes, I can help you research medicines too!"
Seeing that she was no longer looking so dejected, Yan Hao's mood lightened considerably. He agreed with her. "That's right. With the two of us, the so-called genius physicians of the outside world, this mere toxin can't defeat us."
The oppressive atmosphere that had been on the verge of collapse finally eased at this moment. The sincerest trust and familial affection between them merged.
Shi Xinxin was a woman of action. She picked up her bag, rummaged for the pen and paper she always kept, and quickly began discussing the toxin with Yan Hao.
Once she engaged with medicine, Shi Xinxin transformed. She tied up her slightly messy hair, her face glowing with renewed vigor. She exuded a quiet composure, coupled with the serious and focused demeanor of someone at work.
When she was working, she was like a shining star, making it impossible for people not to notice her.
Yan Hao also quickly got into the topic, and they continued their discussion at the table from noon until evening.
It wasn't until Shi Xinxin noticed the sunset painting the sky outside the window that she realized the time. She put down her pen and stretched her aching back.
The desk, which had been clean and blank moments ago, was now covered with the results of their discussion. The papers were densely filled with research data, all pertaining to the toxin within Yan Hao's body.
However, Shi Xinxin hadn't expected the toxin to be so difficult to research. After a full two hours, she had only gained a preliminary understanding of it.
"Don't rush. Poisons are things that require a slow approach. If we rush the research, we might not get the results we want," Yan Hao said.
Shi Xinxin responded with a muffled "Mmm," though in her heart, she was still unsatisfied. She couldn't accept that her abilities only allowed her to achieve this much.
But reality dictated otherwise. Shi Xinxin finally remembered to check her phone, intending to take pictures of the research content. She saw countless messages on the screen and two missed calls from Sheng Chenjin.
She must have turned off her phone's ringer while researching, which was why she hadn't heard Sheng Chenjin's calls.
Yan Hao happened to glance at the phone screen. He turned and tidied up the things on the table. "It's getting late. You should go back and rest. We can continue our research when we have time."
"But..." Not having reached a conclusion, Shi Xinxin felt a pang of reluctance. She didn't want to stop midway.
Yan Hao, who had been with her at the sect for five whole years, knew exactly what she was thinking. He smiled. "Xinxin, you need to change your stubborn nature. Didn't I just say that rushing the research might be counterproductive if there are errors?"
It was indeed a valid point. Shi Xinxin's memory suddenly drifted back to a long time ago, perhaps when she and Yan Hao had conducted their first experiment. They had lacked any chemistry, with Yan Hao being meticulous but slow, while she was impatient but prone to errors.
When two people with such different personalities clashed, their fellow disciples had expected them to fail. To everyone's surprise, within just a few months, Shi Xinxin and Yan Hao had developed such a默契 (mòqì - unspoken understanding) that they complemented each other exceptionally well in their experiments.
The unwillingness in Shi Xinxin's heart dissipated with these memories. She nodded. "I know. I'll definitely remember. I'll strive to change my impatient nature."
Yan Hao smiled in satisfaction.
After bidding him farewell, Shi Xinxin stepped out of the hospital gates. Her mood was completely different from when she had entered. The heavy burden on her heart had finally lifted.
Shi Xinxin felt wonderfully refreshed. Although she still harbored many worries about the toxin in Yan Hao's body, he had said it himself that worrying too much and being impatient would only cause harm. So, Shi Xinxin pushed aside these distracting thoughts.
As she walked, she took out her phone and looked at the research content on the screen, trying to decipher further meaning from the complex formulas and experimental conclusions.