Courtyard House: Starting by inheriting the tradition and suppressing the barbarians.

Several days have passed in the blink of an eye.

Although the calendar shows that spring has already begun.

But the chill in Beijing was even more biting than the dead of winter.

This protracted famine seemed to be drying up people's very bones.

In the courtyard, the tree bark had been gnawed off by the children, and the rats had all moved away.

The Jia family had reached the point of utter desperation!

Jia Dongxu was paralyzed in bed, and could only drink watery wild vegetable soup every day, groaning from hunger.

Bang Geng's vitality was damaged because he had secretly eaten a laxative bun last time, and he had also been starving for a long time.

Now, he's so thin he looks like a monkey, and he always has a gloomy face and doesn't say a word.

Qin Huairu looked at the empty rice jar, rubbed her rumbling stomach, and finally her defenses crumbled.

Sha Zhu has been completely drained; Xu Damao is the type who won't act until he sees a clear benefit.

Yi Zhonghai, once a respected elder, is now struggling to make ends meet...

Her gaze eventually fell on the Li family's backyard, a place that resembled a paradise.

"Li Xuan..."

Qin Huairu gritted her teeth.

Despite the previous tense situation.

But it's for survival, for the sake of the children!

Even if she had to lose all face, she had to get some food out of Li Xuan!

"If the hard approach doesn't work, then let's try the soft approach."

"I refuse to believe that he would just stand by and watch me die, even in this state!"

Looking at her haggard but still charming face in the mirror, Qin Huairu hatched a plan.

......

It was evening.

Li Xuan came home from get off work.

He's a big shot at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital now.

Even now, there is a great famine.

However, he was still able to rely on his superb medical skills and the medicinal herbs he obtained from the space.

He saved many patients suffering from complications caused by malnutrition and was highly respected in the area.

At this moment, Li Xuan had just entered the front yard and passed through the hanging flower gate.

He saw Qin Huairu leaning against the wall, swaying unsteadily in the middle of the road.

That's the only way back to the backyard.

Seeing Li Xuan approach, Qin Huairu's eyes narrowed as she calculated the distance.

"Ouch..."

She let out a weak groan and her body slumped to the ground.

It fell right next to the front wheel of Li Xuan's bicycle.

If Li Xuan hadn't braked in time...

Or if you instinctively reach out to help, you'll fall right into her trap!

Either you're liable for compensation for hitting someone!

Either you'll become attached to skin-to-skin contact!

"squeak!"

Li Xuan reacted with lightning speed; he squeezed the brakes and brought the bicycle to a steady stop half a meter away from Qin Huairu.

He braced himself on one leg, coldly watching Qin Huairu lying on the ground.

A sweep of mental energy.

Haha, my heart is beating strong!

Although her Qi and blood were a bit weak, she was definitely not at the point of fainting.

With acting skills like that, it's a waste that she's not acting in movies.

"Qin Huairu, it's freezing cold outside, the ground is chilly, stop acting," Li Xuan said calmly.

Qin Huairu lay motionless on the ground, only emitting faint breathing sounds.

"Xiao Xuan... Sister... Sister is so hungry..."

"I feel weak all over, and I'm dizzy. Please... help me..."

She deliberately pulled her collar a little open, revealing her collarbone, and spoke in a mournful and plaintive voice.

Trying to awaken a man's innate protective instincts!

It was time to leave work, and many people in the compound were returning home.

Upon seeing this, they all gathered around.

"Oh, what's going on?"

"Qin Huairu fainted?"

"He looks like he fainted from hunger. These days, who isn't hungry?"

"Li Xuan, you're a doctor too, hurry up and help! Saving lives is the priority!"

Sha Zhu suddenly appeared out of nowhere and saw Qin Huairu lying on the ground. He was so heartbroken that he stomped his feet!

But because he was afraid of being tricked before, he didn't dare to step forward rashly.

Li Xuan glanced at the neighbors around him, then at Qin Huairu, who was still pretending to be dead on the ground, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips.

"Help me? That won't do."

Li Xuan said loudly, "I'm a doctor, I have experience."

"The cause of this sudden fainting is unknown."

"If you rashly help him up, it could easily cause cerebral congestion or secondary injury such as fractures!"

"This must be handled professionally!"

"Then... what should we do?" Sha Zhu asked anxiously.

"Don't worry, I have a way."

Li Xuan took out an acupuncture kit from his satchel and slowly opened it.

Inside were rows of silver needles, gleaming coldly in the setting sun.

Li Xuan pulled out the longest and thickest needle from among them.

This is usually used for pricking the thigh or for bloodletting.

"Sister Qin has a condition called 'corpse syncope,' which is commonly known as qi and blood attacking the heart."

"A strong stimulus is needed to wake them up!"

Li Xuan held the long needle and waved it in front of Qin Huairu.

Although Qin Huairu had her eyes closed, one could still feel the chilling aura emanating from her.

"With this needle, pierce straight into the philtrum, inserting it three-tenths of an inch deep!"

"Pull the needle into Yongquan again, and I guarantee the disease will be cured!"

"It might hurt a little, Sister Qin, please bear with it."

Qin Huairu, who was lying on the ground, twitched her eyelids upon hearing this.

Such a thick needle?

Should we thrust in even deeper?

Is this saving lives or killing people?

"Everyone, move aside, don't get splattered with blood."

Li Xuan solemnly waved everyone away.

Then he half-squatted down, took the needle, aimed it at Qin Huairu's philtrum, and made as if he was about to stab it hard!

"Bear with it, Sister Qin, it'll be ready soon!"

The needle tip was about to pierce the skin!

The intense fear finally overcame Qin Huairu's acting skills.

"what!"

Qin Huairu let out a scream.

Her body, as if it were spring-loaded, instantly sprang up from the ground!

Its movements were so agile, faster than a rabbit!

She covered her mouth, took several steps back in fear, and looked at Li Xuan with a wary expression.

"Whoa!"

The entire neighborhood was stunned by this "resurrection" scene.

"Awake? You're awake already?"

"A miracle doctor! The patient woke up before the needles were even inserted?"

"What kind of miracle doctor is he! Can't you tell? He's faking it!"

"If she were really dizzy, could she jump that high?"

Li Xuan put away the silver needles, stood up, and looked at Qin Huairu with a half-smile.

"Wow, Sister Qin, you're pretty agile!"

"Didn't you just faint from hunger?"

"With your jumping ability, you could easily win a prize in a sports meet."

"Looks like you're not hungry?"

Qin Huairu's face turned a deep shade of liver, filled with shame and indignation.

Looking at the mocking and disdainful looks from her neighbors, she wished she could disappear into the ground.

Especially Sha Zhu, who stared at her with his mouth agape, "Sister Qin, you...you're faking it?"

"I...I..."

Qin Huairu was speechless and unable to defend herself.

She wanted to explain that she was genuinely hungry, but that jump she had just made was far too convincing.

"Li Xuan! You're bullying me!"

In the end, all she could do was stomp her feet, cover her face, and run back to the Central Court in tears.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

A burst of laughter erupted in the courtyard.

Xu Damao laughed the loudest: "Serves you right! That's what you call running into a tough nut to crack when you're trying to scam someone!"

"Trying to cling to Master Xuan? Don't you even know your own worth!"

Li Xuan clapped his hands and pushed the cart further into the backyard.

As he passed by Sha Zhu, he paused and said casually, "Sha Zhu, did you see that?"

"This is your goddess!"

"They'll act out any kind of drama just to stutter."

"Your food container is so small, you could at least make a sound feeding a dog, but feeding her? You wouldn't even see a splash."

Sha Zhu stood there, staring in the direction where Qin Huairu had disappeared, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Although he really wanted to defend Sister Qin.

But what he just witnessed was truly disheartening.

"Could what Xu Damao said be true?"

"Has Sister Qin been using me all along?"

......