Chapter 116: Xu Yue Asks for Help

"Uh... This... this isn’t a good idea, is it?!"

Xu Yue froze the moment she heard Yang Xun’s suggestion, and a deep sense of embarrassment flooded her already flushed, beautiful face.

Although she and Yang Xun were legally married, their relationship over the past two years had been in name only.

Forget being intimate; they had barely even held hands.

Have Yang Xun help her... take care of her needs now?

That’s just too...

The mere thought of that scenario made Xu Yue’s skin crawl. She wished she could find a hole to crawl into and disappear.

Yang Xun could see her predicament. He didn’t press the issue. Instead, he took a deep breath and said with a serious expression, "If you don’t want my help, I can teach you a technique. But if you do it yourself, it might not be effective."

"A technique?"

Xu Yue faltered for a moment, then looked up at Yang Xun.

Yang Xun nodded and said grimly, "The technique is called the Meridian Fire-igniting Technique. It’s a special acupressure massage method that, combined with a specific breathing rhythm, can guide the stagnant, fiery energy out of your body and alleviate your current symptoms."

"However, this technique requires great skill to be fully effective. Since you’re just learning, the results might be significantly diminished, or it might not work at all."

Xu Yue bit her lip. After a moment of silence, she nodded.

"I... I’ll try it myself."

Her voice was quiet when she said it, but her tone was firm and resolute.

Yang Xun didn’t argue. "Alright, then. Go ahead."

He then taught Xu Yue the essentials of the Meridian Fire-igniting Technique, carefully and step by step.

From the location of the acupressure points to the pressure of the touch and the rhythm of the breathing, he explained every detail with perfect clarity.

Xu Yue listened with intense focus, her eyes glued to Yang Xun’s hands as she silently memorized each step.

After he finished teaching her, Yang Xun stood up and clapped his hands together. "Alright, I’ve taught you everything. Give it a try."

Despite his words, he didn’t leave immediately. He simply stood there, watching her.

Xu Yue waited a couple of seconds. Seeing that he had no intention of leaving, her beautiful face flushed slightly, and her voice grew tense. "Could... could you step out for a moment?"

"Ah!"

It finally dawned on Yang Xun that it wasn’t exactly appropriate for him to stand there and watch Xu Yue... do her thing.

He quickly turned and strode toward the door. "Take your time," he said as he walked. "Call me if anything happens."

With that, he pulled open the door to the lounge, slipped out, and gently pulled it shut behind him.

"PHEW!!"

The moment he stepped out of the lounge, Yang Xun let out a long, heavy breath.

The image of Xu Yue inside—feverish and flushed—was seared into his mind.

To see a woman who was normally so cold and proud show such a vulnerable, helpless expression was, to be honest, quite a shock to the system.

’If something could happen between us, it would be pure bliss.’

’Sigh... what am I thinking...?’

Yang Xun shook his head, clearing the messy images from his mind.

"Xiaoxun!"

A voice called out from the end of the hallway. Yang Xun turned to see Murong Wei hurrying toward him, her face etched with concern.

"How is she? Is President Xu’s condition stable?"

Murong Wei reached Yang Xun and asked anxiously.

"She’s out of immediate danger for now."

Yang Xun waved a hand, his tone light. "She just needs to rest for a bit. She should be fine after a while."

"Oh, that’s good!" Murong Wei patted her chest, finally breathing a sigh of relief. She then looked at Yang Xun curiously. "By the way, Xiaoxun, what exactly is your relationship with President Xu? How do you two know each other?"

Yang Xun thought for a moment and decided against revealing that they were married.

After all, Xu Yue had told Murong Wei they were "friends," so he had to play along. Otherwise, it would make things incredibly awkward for Xu Yue.

"We’re just friends," Yang Xun said casually.

Murong Wei didn’t seem suspicious. She just nodded and didn’t press the matter further.

Then, her expression shifted, and she lowered her voice. "Right, Xiaoxun, I have some good news for you."

"What good news?" Yang Xun’s eyes lit up.

"The medicinal ingredients for the Crimson Sun Pill that you asked me to collect have all arrived."

A smile appeared on Murong Wei’s face. "Once you’re done helping President Xu, you can come to my office to pick them up."

"Okay!"

Yang Xun nodded emphatically. "Don’t worry, Professor. I’ll definitely refine the Crimson Sun Pill for you in the shortest time possible."

"Then I’ll be counting on you!"

Murong Wei smiled, then, as if remembering something, she added in a low voice, "Xiaoxun, if you can cure my strange illness, I can help you obtain the Thousand-Year-Old Ice Cocoon. I’ve already sounded out my father-in-law, and there’s a very good chance!"

"That’s fantastic! Thank you so much, Professor!"

Hearing this, Yang Xun’s face lit up with excitement, a wide grin spreading across it.

"Don’t be so formal. I’m the one who needs your help with my illness, after all!"

Murong Wei chuckled and waved her hand. She glanced at her watch, and her expression turned hurried. "Alright, I have a few more patients to see, so I can’t stay. You wait here for President Xu. There’s no rush for the ingredients; just come find me when you’re done."

"Okay!"

Yang Xun nodded.

Murong Wei gave a slight nod, then turned and walked briskly down the hallway, quickly disappearing around a corner.

The hallway fell silent, leaving Yang Xun standing alone outside the lounge door.

He stuck his hands in his pockets, leaned his back against the wall, and waited quietly.

About five minutes later, Yang Xun’s gaze fell on the closed lounge door, and his brow began to furrow slightly.

’There’s been no sound from inside. What’s going on with Xu Yue?’

’Did the technique I taught her even work?’

After a moment’s hesitation, Yang Xun circulated his True Qi, infusing a strand of pure Inner Strength into his ears. His hearing was instantly magnified several times over.

Every sound from within the lounge became as clear as if someone had turned up the volume, pouring distinctly into his ears.

The first thing he heard was the sound of rapid, ragged breathing.

Immediately after, an extremely faint sound drifted from behind the door.

"Nghh~~"

It was Xu Yue’s voice, trembling with extreme suppression and laced with a hint of stifled pain.

Though the sound was incredibly soft and faint, to Yang Xun’s True Qi-enhanced hearing, it was perfectly clear.

"Nghh~~ Mmm~~"

This time, the sound was longer, the end of it rising slightly with an undeniably sensual note.

Standing outside the door, Yang Xun froze as if his pressure points had been sealed, rooted to the spot.

The wicked fire in his belly felt as though it had been doused with a bucket of gasoline, and flames of desire shot straight up.

"Mmph..."

Xu Yue’s voice changed from a low, restrained moan to a whimper tinged with frustration.

It sounded pained—not like pleasure, but more like... a struggle.

Yang Xun’s heart clenched.

’It seems the effect wasn’t ideal.’

’Because Xu Yue had just learned the Meridian Fire-igniting Technique, she couldn’t possibly use it effectively. She probably won’t be able to solve this on her own.’

The seconds ticked by, one by one.

In the blink of an eye, half an hour had slipped away.

The sounds from behind the door were intermittent. Xu Yue’s gasps grew more hurried, more erratic, and increasingly laced with obvious pain.

Yang Xun leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, his brow knitted with a grave expression.

"RING RING RING!!"

Just then, the phone in his pocket suddenly began to vibrate.

Yang Xun paused, pulling out his phone to look at the screen.

The caller ID showed Xu Yue.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Yang Xun hit the answer key and pressed the phone to his ear.

There were two seconds of silence on the other end.

Then, Xu Yue’s voice came through—breathy, halting, and incredibly hoarse.

"Are... are you gone?"

"Not yet."

Yang Xun did his best to keep his voice calm. "I’m waiting for you at the door."

"Can you... come in and help me?"

After a moment of silence, Xu Yue’s trembling voice came again. "I... I really can’t do it myself!!"