Volume 1, Chapter 3: An Inexplicable Sense of Familiarity

Gu Chenxiao turned around and saw the little girl handing him a triangular folded talisman paper.

Her beautiful, clear apricot-shaped eyes looked at his face. “Take this. When you reach the third intersection, ask the driver to wait five seconds before moving.”

Gu Chenxiao frowned, feeling uneasy about her mysterious gesture.

But recalling his previous experience of being struck by lightning, he accepted the talisman and slipped it into the breast pocket of his suit.

“All right, thank you.” The little girl meant well, and he wouldn’t be ungrateful by refusing.

He opened the car door and got in. After the driver started, as they turned at the intersection, Gu Chenxiao caught sight through the rearview mirror of a business car stopping beside the little girl.

His eyes scanned the car’s license plate, and for some reason, he felt a peculiar familiarity.

Before he could think further, his phone vibrated suddenly in his bag.

It was a call from Grandma Gu.

Her voice sounded excited. “Chenxiao, I heard the master’s junior disciple came to see you, is it true?”

“Mm.” Gu Chenxiao responded coldly.

Grandma Gu immediately became animated. “Eighteen years have passed, and she finally came. How does the little girl look? What about her personality? When are you planning the wedding? Let me tell you, the master saved your life; you must treat the girl well, do you understand?”

The old lady rambled on with a tone full of satisfaction.

For some reason, ever since Old Nine took the master’s medicine, although his illness was cured, he developed an allergy to women.

For all these years, aside from the women in their own family, Old Nine couldn’t be near a single woman outside.

He was forced to live a life of restraint and purity, while rumors spread around that he was impotent.

Thinking of this, Grandma Gu hurriedly asked again, “By the way, Chenxiao, have you told the little girl about your allergy to women?”

Allergy?!

At her mention, Gu Chenxiao suddenly realized that despite spending so much time alone with the little girl, he hadn’t once had a reaction!

His condition was strange from the start; he wasn’t allergic to women as a child. It only appeared after taking the old Taoist’s medicine and becoming engaged to his disciple.

He even once suspected that the old Taoist poisoned his medicine to force him to marry his disciple.

Now, thinking about it, that possibility seemed very likely!

But uncertain matters like this, Gu Chenxiao kept to himself.

He simply said, “Not yet. I’ll tell her when the time is right.”

“Mm!” Grandma Gu didn’t press further. “That Taoist is highly skilled; his disciple probably has good medical abilities too. Let her have a look; maybe she can cure you. By the way, bring the little girl to the old residence tonight. Your sisters all want to meet her and discuss your wedding.”

Though most of the Gu family had nearly forgotten about the engagement, Grandpa and Grandma Gu always remembered and awaited Yan Chu’s arrival.

The older one gets, the more superstitious they become, especially when it concerns their son’s life. They were increasingly eager to finalize this marriage.

Upon hearing the little girl had come, they were determined to promptly arrange the wedding.

Gu Chenxiao understood Grandma Gu’s intentions and said, “Yan Chu is still young; I’m not ready to hold the wedding yet, but—”

Before he could finish, a sudden burning sensation flared in his chest, so intense he nearly dropped his phone.

Raising his gaze, he noticed the red light ahead was about to turn green, and the surrounding buildings reminded him that this must be the third intersection Yan Chu mentioned earlier.

Just as the driver was about to move, Gu Chenxiao urgently commanded, “Wait!”

Even Grandma Gu on the other end was startled by his sharp tone.

The driver, confused, obediently stopped.

One, two, three, four, five...

Gu Chenxiao silently counted five seconds, about to speak, when a large truck suddenly lost control and barreled out from the side lane.

Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash!

One collision after another, the truck smashed into seven or eight vehicles that had started through the green light at the intersection.

Chaos erupted; many drivers stopped spontaneously to help, while others hurriedly dialed emergency and traffic police numbers.

The driver was drenched in cold sweat.

If it weren’t for Old Nine’s intervention, they would have been among the wrecked cars.

Gu Chenxiao’s shock and fear were no less than the driver’s. He frantically reached into his chest pocket, only to find it empty—just a handful of ashes remained.

It was Yan Chu who had saved him!

*

At this moment, Yan Chu had followed the car to a private villa.

From afar, she saw two elderly people with graying hair waiting in the front courtyard. Upon seeing the car arrive, they hurried forward.

“Are you the master Taoist Tian Heng’s last disciple?” Elder Liu looked at the young girl stepping out of the car with some doubt.

“Hello, Grandpa Liu. My name is Yan Chu.” Knowing that Elder Liu had once helped her master, Yan Chu spoke with utmost respect.

Elder Liu hadn’t expected the master’s last disciple to be such a young girl.

However, the master Taoist Tian Heng was a formidable figure; surely, his last disciple wouldn’t be weak.

Elder Liu immediately softened his expression and looked at Yan Chu with eager eyes. “Thank you for coming. My grandson’s illness depends entirely on you.”

With that, he invited Yan Chu into the living room.

Inside, a middle-aged couple sat on the sofa with a child about ten years old, watching television.

They were taken aback when Yan Chu entered behind Elder Liu and then exchanged doubtful glances with each other.

But Elder Liu nodded at them reassuringly.

The couple was stunned—this girl who looked barely grown up was the master’s last disciple their father had spoken of?

So young? Could she really solve their son’s problem?

They weren’t sure, but since the elder had specially sent for her, there was little doubt.

Now, they had no choice but to try everything.

“Master Yan...”

Yan Chu smiled, interrupting gently, “Grandpa Liu, since you and my master are friends, you’re like my elder. Please just call me Yan Chu; there’s no need for formalities.”

Elder Liu felt awkward calling such a young girl ‘Master,’ so he readily agreed. “Little Yan, this is my grandson. Please take a look and see if he’s...”

The middle-aged couple immediately stood to give space, and Yan Chu sat down beside the boy without hesitation.

“Mom...” The boy seemed shy and nervous, glancing at Yan Chu with a timid look, then seeking comfort from his mother.

Mrs. Liu gave him a reassuring smile. “Luo, don’t be afraid. This sister isn’t a bad person. Grandpa asked her to come and help you.”

Liu Luo looked at Yan Chu curiously. “Sister, can you really cure me?”