novelhk Chapter 517: The Mysterious Woman
Chapter 517: The Mysterious Woman
The woman suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with surprise and fear.
His pupils dilated instantly, like two bright pearls shrouded in sudden darkness: "Poison? I don't know what you mean by that, nor do I know anything about Five Stone Powder."
Fang Xiaoxiao sighed softly, the sigh seeming to travel through a thousand years of time, carrying endless vicissitudes and pity: "Five Stone Powder is a substance that can cause hallucinations and excitement, but long-term use will cause great damage to the body. The sores on your face are very likely caused by this."
The woman's eyes widened in astonishment, as if she had heard the most unbelievable thing in the world.
Her lips trembled slightly, and her voice also trembled: "I have never heard of such a poison, let alone intended to ingest it."
Fang Xiaoxiao stood up, her skirt swaying gently in the breeze like a lotus leaf.
She paced slowly around the room, the wooden floor beneath her feet creaking softly, as if telling a story of bygone years.
Her gaze would sometimes fall on the bottles and jars on the medicine cabinet, and sometimes on the ancient medical books hanging on the wall, as she pondered various possibilities.
Suddenly, she stopped and her gaze sharpened as she looked at the woman again.
His gaze seemed to penetrate the woman's soul and see through all her secrets: "Does anyone in your social circle have similar fetishes?"
Or do you frequently attend special parties where someone offers you unknown substances to consume?
The woman tried hard to recall, her eyes revealing a hint of confusion and fear.
Her fingers gripped the armrests of the chair tightly, her fingertips turning pale from the force: "I often meet with some sisters, sometimes we drink fine wine and eat delicate pastries, but I have never taken anything strange."
Fang Xiaoxiao walked up to the woman, squatted down, and took the woman's hand.
Her hands were warm and soft, as if they could convey endless strength and comfort: "Young lady, please think about it again. This is related to the diagnosis and treatment of your illness, so you must not hide anything from her."
The woman's eyes grew even more anxious and helpless as she once again fell into deep recollection.
Fine beads of sweat glistened on her forehead in the sunlight.
After a long while, she seemed to suddenly remember something, a hint of panic and regret flashing in her eyes: "Several months ago, at a gathering, a friend brought a powder that said could make people forget their troubles. Everyone tried it, and so did I..."
Fang Xiao's eyes lit up, as if she had seen a glimmer of light in the darkness: "That is very likely the Five-Stone Powder. Miss, did you feel anything special after you took it?"
The woman's voice grew even lower, as if it came from a distant valley, filled with deep self-reproach and regret: "At the time, I only felt feverish and unusually excited, as if I were on a cloud, but afterwards I felt extremely tired and uncomfortable."
Fang Xiaoxiao nodded slightly, her eyes revealing a hint of determination and decisiveness.
"This is the effect of Five-Stone Powder."
"Young lady, do you know that once you get involved with this stuff, it's like sinking into a quagmire—you can't get out."
Tears welled up in the woman's eyes and rolled down her cheeks like pearls from a broken string.
Her shoulders trembled violently, and her cries echoed through the lobby: "I really didn't know it was such a terrible poison. What am I going to do now?"
Fang Xiaoxiao gently wiped away the woman's tears, her movements as gentle as a spring breeze caressing flower petals.
Her voice was full of gentleness and comfort: "Don't be afraid, young lady. Now that we have found the root cause, I will do my best to cure you. But from today onwards, you must completely sever your ties with the Five-Stone Powder, otherwise this illness will be difficult to cure."
The woman gripped Fang Xiaoxiao's hand tightly, as if she had grasped the last straw.
Her eyes were filled with hope and dependence: "As long as you can heal my face and restore me to my former self, I'll do anything you ask, young lady."
Fang Xiaoxiao pondered for a moment, then walked to the medicine cabinet and skillfully selected various medicinal herbs.
Her movements were fluid and graceful, as if she were playing a beautiful piece of music.
"First, I will prepare some heat-clearing and detoxifying herbs for you, which you need to take on time."
At the same time, I will prepare a special ointment for you to apply to the affected area daily.
During this period, you should eat a light diet, avoiding spicy and greasy foods, and make sure you get enough sleep.
The woman nodded repeatedly, a glimmer of hope igniting in her eyes, like a star in the night, faint yet full of power.
In the days that followed, the woman came to Lingxi Pavilion for treatment every day on time.
As soon as the morning sun shines on the street, the woman's figure appears at the entrance of Lingxi Pavilion.
Fang Xiaoxiao closely monitored the changes in her condition. Every slight improvement made her feel gratified, and every setback made her adjust the prescription and treatment plan more carefully.
In the first few days, the woman's condition did not improve significantly.
The boils remained red, swollen, and painful, as if stubbornly resisting the power of treatment.
The woman became increasingly anxious, her eyes filled with unease and fear.
"Young lady, don't be impatient. Healing takes time. As long as you follow my instructions, you will gradually recover."
Fang Xiaoxiao always comforted her patiently in this way.
Her voice was like a gentle spring breeze, soft and warm, soothing the woman's inner anxiety.
As time went by, about half a month later, the boils on the woman's face began to gradually close. No new pus was flowing out, and the redness and swelling subsided considerably.
The once ferocious sores began to soften, like a tamed beast.
The woman saw hope and was filled with gratitude towards Fang Xiaoxiao: "Miss Fang, thanks to you, I feel like my face can be saved."
Fang Xiaoxiao smiled and said, "This is only a preliminary improvement. We still need to continue treatment and must not let our guard down."
However, just as the woman's condition was gradually stabilizing, new problems arose.
Due to long-term use of Wushisan (a traditional Chinese medicine), the woman's body had become dependent on it, and the sudden withdrawal caused her to experience a series of withdrawal symptoms.
One night, the woman was tormented by intense pain and discomfort and could not sleep.
She trembled all over at times, like a leaf falling in the autumn wind.
Sometimes she would break out in a cold sweat, soaking her silk pajamas.
Painful groans emanated from her room, echoing in the silent night air.
"Miss Fang, I...I'm really feeling terrible."
The woman spoke weakly, her voice filled with despair and helplessness.
Fang Xiaoxiao stayed by her side, never leaving her for a moment.
She gently and attentively wiped away the woman's sweat with a soft towel.
Her eyes were full of determination and encouragement: "Girl, you must hang in there. This is a necessary process in quitting drugs. As long as you get through this, you will be completely free from its shackles."