Chapter 56: So Sour

Madam Gao frowned deeply. "So careless! How does this look?"

The maid's footing was unsteady; as she stepped back, she fell directly to the ground, her eyes still filled with shock and horror as she looked at Madam Gao.

"Madam, your... your face!"

"What's wrong with my face?" Madam Gao raised her hand to touch it, but suddenly realized the sensation beneath her fingers was strange.

The skin, which should have been smooth, felt bumpy and extremely coarse to the touch.

Her heart sank instantly.

At this moment, the attention of everyone at the banquet was drawn toward them. Upon seeing Madam Gao's current appearance, they were all stunned on the spot.

Sensing that the atmosphere had turned sour, Madam Gao grew panicked and turned to Ye Heng for help. "Master, I—"

Ye Heng's eyelid twitched.

At some unknown point, dense red rashes had appeared all over Madam Gao's face and neck!

Feeling an inexplicable itch on her face, Madam Gao couldn't help but reach out and scratch.

Wherever she scratched, flat bumps grew at a speed visible to the naked eye, varying in shades of dark red and purple, looking utterly gruesome.

The hair on Ye Heng's body stood on end. He immediately took two steps back, keeping a wide distance as if Madam Gao were some kind of unclean entity, terrified of being contaminated.

"Someone! Escort Madam back to her room!"

Madam Gao did not yet know what was happening, but hearing Ye Heng order her to leave the scene, she grew increasingly frantic.

She, too, felt the uneven texture on her face, her voice trembling. "I... how can this be happening to me!"

It was bad enough not to touch it, but the more she touched, the itchier it became. A piercing, maddening itch, like ants crawling under her skin, surged forth, forcing Madam Gao to scratch her face with increasing intensity.

The scene was truly bizarre and eerie.

Ye Heng felt a profound sense of humiliation—so many colleagues were present! He had no idea how they would gossip about this scene in private!

He barked at the maid, "What are you standing there for!"

The maid scrambled up from the ground in a panic. She stole a quick glance at Madam Gao's current state, her heart numbing with fear, and approached timidly.

However, before she could touch Madam Gao, a gentle and clear female voice suddenly drifted over.

"Has Second Aunt suffered an acute ailment?"

Madam Gao looked up in a panic, meeting a pair of dark, warm eyes.

"Perhaps we should ask Imperial Physician Zhang to take a look?"

This reminder snapped Ye Heng into action, and he immediately shouted urgently, "Imperial Physician Zhang!"

...

Madam Gao was eventually taken to the side hall, with Imperial Physician Zhang and others following closely behind.

Because he still had to host the remaining guests, Ye Heng did not follow.

However, this small interlude had already caused a subtle shift in the atmosphere of the banquet.

Xiao Wu sat beside Ye Chutang, tilting her small head to glance toward the side hall, her eyes appearing timid.

Ye Chutang stroked her small face and whispered comfortingly, "Don't be afraid, Xiao Wu. Second Aunt just had a sudden medical issue; it shouldn't be anything serious."

Hearing this, many people recalled the sight of Madam Gao's face covered in red, swollen rashes. Looking back at the meticulously prepared dishes, they completely lost their appetite.

Who could have imagined such a thing would happen in the midst of such a fine occasion?

Ye Heng also felt extremely distressed.

Although Madam Gao came from a humble background and was somewhat petty, she was blessed with a charming and beautiful appearance and was well-maintained. One could still see traces of her youthful prettiness, and Ye Shixian had inherited that beauty.

He had originally intended for today's family banquet to strengthen their connections, but who knew such an incident would occur!

How would others view them now?

He had lost all face!

...

In the side hall, Madam Gao saw herself in the mirror and recoiled in terror.

"What... what is going on!? How did my face become like this!?"

In her panic, she turned and gripped Ye Shixian's hand tightly.

"Xian'er! Xian'er!"

Ye Shixian's eyes flickered. She calmly disentangled her hand and patted her mother's arm with a handkerchief.

"Mother, please don't panic. Imperial Physician Zhang is here; let him examine you."

Only then was Madam Gao able to force herself to calm down, though her heart was still thumping wildly.

The moment she thought of the ghost-like face she had seen in the mirror, she felt like she wanted to die!

Ye Shixian stepped back to make room for Imperial Physician Zhang. "I'll have to trouble you."

Imperial Physician Zhang stepped forward to check Madam Gao's pulse. After a long silence, his brow furrowed even deeper.

"It looks like poisoning, but I have never seen anything like this... Madam, did you eat anything you shouldn't have recently? Or touch anything you shouldn't have?"

Madam Gao's mind was a mess. "No!"

She had been busy with the family banquet all day; she hadn't done anything else!

Imperial Physician Zhang's expression was hesitant. "This... could you think about it again?"

Madam Gao suddenly thought of something—

"Ye Chutang! It must be her!"

Imperial Physician Zhang was startled. "What?"

Madam Gao said indignantly, "I haven't done anything today, except for touching hands with her just now. If it wasn't her, then who—"

"Mother." Ye Shixian immediately interrupted her, casting a quick glance at Imperial Physician Zhang.

They were in front of an outsider; she couldn't let her speak so bluntly!

"Mother, perhaps you remembered incorrectly? There are many people in the house today; perhaps you accidentally touched something unclean without noticing?"

Imperial Physician Zhang kept his eyes lowered and his mind focused, acting as if he had heard nothing.

The Ye family was not as close to this niece they had so painstakingly brought back as they appeared on the surface.

An orphaned girl was indeed easy to bully; even if they threw this bucket of dirty water on her, she would have no way to defend herself.

But... the Heir of the Marquis of Dingbei was right here!

Anyone could hear the protective intent Ye Heng had shown toward Ye Chutang and her brother just now!

To recklessly offend Ye Chutang for the sake of Madam Gao would be nothing short of foolish!

Imperial Physician Zhang stroked his beard and said with difficulty, "My medical skills are limited, and I truly have not seen a case like yours. How about I prescribe a formula for you to try first? Or, perhaps, seek a more renowned expert?"

...

With Madam Gao's condition, the family banquet could not continue halfway through.

No one had the heart to stay, and before long, people began to rise and take their leave.

Ye Heng wanted to persuade them to stay, but he knew they were unwilling to remain. Moreover, since no one knew what was truly wrong with Madam Gao, he was also feeling extremely frustrated.

The banquet he had prepared so painstakingly was being wasted like this.

Suppressing his anger, Ye Heng personally saw the guests out.

Xu Fengchi approached Ye Chutang once again. Many words were stuck in his throat, but he did not know how to begin.

Given today's circumstances, it was not difficult to glimpse the precarious position Ye Chutang and her companions held within the Ye residence.

Although he could help, he could not guard them day and night.

Ultimately, he could only say, "Since you have just returned, get some good rest to recover your strength. When you have time, come visit our home; you are welcome anytime."

Ye Chutang performed a polite curtsy. "Thank you for your concern, Uncle Xu."

Xu Rongqing walked a few steps away but then turned back, looking at Ye Chutang and saying softly with concern, "Take care, Sister Chutang."

The corners of Ye Chutang's lips curled slightly as she nodded gently. "I know."

Only after the Xu family's carriage had driven away did Ye Chutang hear a familiar set of footsteps behind her.

She turned around. "Farewell, Heir."

Shen Yanchuan, whose foot had not yet crossed the threshold of the gate: "..."

He had only been asking a few more questions of Ye Heng when he happened upon this scene, only to be rushed out by people eager to see them gone.

"Doctor Ye has faced constant turmoil since returning to the capital. If there is anything you need help with, please do not hesitate to ask."

Ye Chutang met his gaze.

Could these disturbances be more troublesome than the trouble he had brought her?

She politely declined and handed him the carved rosewood box. "Thank you, Heir, but you have already paid the consultation fee, so you owe me nothing. Please take this gift back."

Shen Yanchuan raised an eyebrow.

"How can that be? Previously, Doctor Ye looked after your younger siblings alone while also treating me, a patient. It was truly hard work. It is only right to say thank you."

Ye Chutang: "..."

Lian Zhou looked down at the ground and wrinkled his nose.

Wait, why did this feel strangely sentimental...

"Ye Chutang!"

A figure came charging toward them—it was Ye Mingze.

His face was filled with rage as he pointed at Ye Chutang and shouted

"It was you!"