Yan Qi didn’t let her surprise show on her face. Keeping her emotions in check, she quickly composed herself.
Then, she turned her gaze to Bai Yuling, who stood beside the hospital bed, pretending she didn’t recognize her at all. While answering her question, she feigned confusion and asked,
“That’s right, I’m Hu Yao’er—the one who saved a lot of people at the train station the other day. Are you a relative of Wu Qingqing?”
Hearing Yan Qi’s response and confirming her identity, Bai Yuling couldn’t help but show a look of pleasant surprise on her face. She had only come here to wait for the mysterious songstress’s doctor friend, as mentioned the day before.
But remembering that Wu Qingqing beside her still didn’t know about what had happened to her father, Bai Yuling quickly suppressed her excitement and replied to Yan Qi, who was still standing at the door:
“No, I’m not her relative. I’m a new friend her father met through work last month.”
Yan Qi’s expression turned slightly puzzled at Bai Yuling’s answer.
She knew very well that Wu Qingqing’s father, Wu Laosan, had spent the entire previous month taking care of his leukemia-stricken daughter. Other than leaving the hospital to borrow money, he hadn’t had time for work—let alone meeting new friends because of it.
“Why is Bai Yuling lying to me?”
Just as this thought crossed Yan Qi’s mind, Bai Yuling, noticing the shift in her expression, quickly gave her a meaningful look and subtly gestured toward Wu Qingqing, who was still lying on the bed, her attention fixed on Yan Qi as if she were playing some kind of role-playing game.
Understanding Bai Yuling’s silent cue and glancing at the curious little girl, Yan Qi realized that the lie likely had something to do with Wu Qingqing.
Suppressing her surprise, she cleared her throat and continued speaking to Bai Yuling:
“Oh, so you’re a new friend of Uncle Wu’s? In that case, could you tell me your name?”
“I’m Bai Yuling—Bai as in ‘white,’ Yu as in ‘feather,’ Ling as in ‘spirit.’”
“Bai Yuling… Then, to be polite, I’ll call you Auntie Bai. Auntie Bai, do you know why I’m here today?”
“Of course. I already discussed it with Wu Qingqing’s father yesterday.”
Bai Yuling replied.
“You’ve already talked to Uncle Wu?”
Hearing this, Yan Qi couldn’t help but wonder inwardly how Bai Yuling had learned about her visit. But she decided not to press the matter now—she would ask for details after treating Wu Qingqing’s leukemia.
With that, she shifted her gaze away from Bai Yuling and turned to Wu Qingqing, who was still studying her with curious eyes.
Unsure whether the little girl would trust an unconventional-looking doctor like her, Yan Qi asked:
“Little Qingqing, do you believe I can cure your illness?”
Wu Qingqing stopped her scrutiny and, recalling what Bai Yuling had told her earlier, answered:
“Even though you look different from how I imagined a doctor with supernatural powers, I believe you can heal me.”
“You know I have supernatural powers? Who told you?”
“Auntie Bai told me yesterday.”
Wu Qingqing pointed at Bai Yuling beside her.
Hearing this and remembering Bai Yuling’s earlier words, Yan Qi no longer found the girl’s response strange.
“No wonder you trust me to treat you.”
Once she confirmed Wu Qingqing’s willingness, Yan Qi wasted no time. She soon turned to Bai Yuling, who was watching her intently, and said:
“Since you already know the situation, Auntie Bai, could you go fetch Wu Qingqing’s medical records for me?”
“Don’t worry, I already got them from the doctor earlier.”
“Oh, you already have them? Then let me take a look.”
A little surprised that Bai Yuling had prepared in advance, Yan Qi stepped into the room without hesitation and asked for the records.
Bai Yuling picked up the file from the bedside table and handed it to her.
Taking the medical records, Yan Qi quickly flipped through them.
After about ten minutes, she finished reviewing them and finalized a treatment plan in her mind. Closing the file, she turned back to Wu Qingqing, who was still staring at her curiously—though now with one hand slightly raised, as if wanting to do something but hesitating.
Puzzled, Yan Qi asked:
“Little Qingqing, what are you trying to do with your hand like that?”
Startled at being caught, Wu Qingqing fidgeted nervously. But unable to resist the temptation any longer, she mustered her courage and asked:
“Um… Fox Sister, can I touch your tail?”
“You want to touch my tail?”
Yan Qi glanced back at her own fluffy tail, surprised.
Wu Qingqing, her pale cheeks now tinged with a faint blush from embarrassment, nodded eagerly.
“Is that okay?”
Faced with the request from this adorable, albeit seriously ill, little girl, Yan Qi swished her tail thoughtfully. Seeing no harm in indulging her, she replied:
“Sure, but only if you promise to cooperate fully with my treatment afterward.”
“Okay! I’ll definitely cooperate!”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Wu Qingqing agreed.
Satisfied, Yan Qi turned and presented her tail to the girl.
Unable to hold back any longer, Wu Qingqing immediately reached out, hugging the soft, furry tail and stroking it lovingly.
“Fox Sister’s tail is so smooth… and it even smells like medicine. It’s amazing!”
Hugging the tail with a blissful expression, she couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.
Watching this, Bai Yuling—who, as a woman, also had little resistance to fluffy things—felt a strong urge to join in.
But remembering that Hu Yao’er was a supernatural healer with extraordinary powers, and that she had some inexplicable connection to Jizi Ge and the Empress Daoyan, Bai Yuling suppressed her desire.
Instead, she could only watch enviously as Wu Qingqing happily played with Yan Qi’s fox tail.