Chapter 44: Fragrance

Only Huo Xing’Er frowned as she looked at the red string. She reached out, picked it up, and sniffed it lightly. Her expression changed slightly.

"Did you figure something out?" Wang Dongxue leaned close to her ear and asked quietly.

Huo Xing’Er shook her head lightly. "I couldn’t figure anything out. I just think this red string seems to have a scent!"

A scent?

Hearing this, Ji Youzhi snatched the red string from Huo Xing’Er’s hand. He held it under his nose and sniffed; his expression changed instantly.

He felt as if he had overlooked something crucial.

He then bolted outside.

"Where are you going? What did you find out?" Zhu Xiuxiu hurried to catch up.

Huo Xing’Er quickly grabbed her. "Old Seventh’s reputation as the Divine Hunter isn’t for show; he’s probably thought of a key point."

Only then did Zhu Xiuxiu stop herself from chasing after him.

As soon as Ji Youzhi opened the door, he saw Xiaosuisui hiding beneath the window.

Xiaosuisui was crouched down, muttering, "You can’t see me, you can’t see me, Seventh Uncle can’t see me!"

"Do you take me for a blind man?" Ji Youzhi suddenly found it amusing. This little girl was always hiding outside the window; he had known all along. He hadn’t come out only because they were at home, where she wouldn’t be in any danger.

"Seventh Uncle isn’t blind! He’ll never be blind!" Xiaosuisui chirped a blessing casually and turned to run.

Ji Youzhi grabbed her by her small collar, then took the red string from her wrist. He sniffed it and remarked, "It does indeed have a faint, fresh fragrance!"

He then said, "Seventh Uncle is taking this red string," and went to knock on Ji Youran’s door.

When the Ji family members came out of the room and saw Xiaosuisui, they were all startled. Her aunts exchanged glances.

"Weren’t you asleep?" Zhu Xiuxiu couldn’t help but blurt out.

Xiaosuisui giggled, scratching her little head. She looked down at her toes, twiddling her fingers, and said nothing.

The Old Madam glanced at her three daughters-in-law, then picked up the little girl and carried her back to her room. The three daughters-in-law immediately felt a pang of guilt. The Old Madam’s gaze clearly conveyed her thought:

Three adults, and you can’t even watch over one child!

Lying on the bed, Xiaosuisui looked tentatively at Old Madam Ji. "Grandma, did I cause trouble?"

Old Madam Ji stroked her small head and sighed. "Child, when we are born, we are all like blank sheets of paper. Every experience we have adds a stroke of color to that paper. The red string on your wrist is one such stroke of color on your paper."

Xiaosuisui nodded at the Old Madam’s words, whether she truly understood them or not, and slowly closed her eyes.

Wang Dongxue approached and whispered, "Mother."

The Old Madam rose and, with Wang Dongxue’s support, went to Ji Youran’s room.

Ji Youran looked at the two red strings, his expression solemn.

"These strings have been treated with special medicinal herbs to create a fragrance," Ji Youran explained. "This scent is undetectable unless one has a particularly sensitive nose for smells."

Hearing this, Ji Youzhi’s face showed an ’I knew it’ expression.

Ji Youran continued, "This fragrance is very similar to a type of Gu scent I’ve been researching recently!"

"Gu?" Everyone in the room exclaimed in unison, their faces instantly paling.

"Don’t tell me Suisui has been afflicted with Gu?" Old Madam Ji was agitated and slapped Ji Youran on the head.

"Mother! Please listen to what Second Brother has to say first." Ji Youyuan’s face was taut, his fists clenched tightly. Those who knew him well understood how furious he was.