Jax and Kyron got along very well. Both of them used swords, and as their conversation grew more animated, they forgot about eating and decided to spar. Rhett had always wanted to learn more about Jax and didn't stop them.
Kai was young and full of energy, so he fully supported Jax in giving the Phoenix Mountain people a lesson. The two of them drew their swords and started fighting. They were both agile, and the hall was just big enough for them to move freely.
Minnie held her chopsticks in her right hand and stared fixedly at the two people dodging and striking in front of her. Their dazzling movements and the flashing swords made her dizzy. She felt like her eyes couldn't keep up, and her head was starting to spin.
Was this real? Real martial arts? A live version? Was this not the set of some ancient drama?
Minnie slowly turned her head to look around. Then her eyes met Sanruwi's cold gaze, and she instinctively smiled. Sanruwi's face showed disgust again, so Minnie turned away.
Rhett, on the other hand, was smiling brightly. "Miss Minnie, try this wine. It's a fruit wine from Phoenix Mountain. You can't find it anywhere else."
"I don't drink alcohol." Minnie had never touched a drop in her life.
Even when going out with friends or colleagues, she only ate and never drank, not even beer. "Don't worry, this wine won't make you drunk. All the women here on Phoenix Mountain love it."
He filled her cup to the brim in front of her.
Minnie stared blankly, then took a sip. It was sour and sweet, and tasted just like juice. Rhett was overjoyed to see her drink it.
He had always been thinking about how to please Minnie but never had a good opportunity. Now he was even more eager, constantly offering wine and dishes, being very attentive.
Minnie didn't want to think too much, so she let go and enjoyed the food and drink. Rhett focused entirely on Minnie, while she buried herself in the meal.
Kai cheered loudly. Xiren watched with a smile. Sanruwi frowned, clearly impatient, while Jax and Kyron were fighting fiercely.
After drinking over half a pot of fruit wine, Minnie's face felt hot, and she started feeling light-headed. The heavy pressure that had been weighing on her chest earlier had somehow vanished.
She smiled as she watched the flashing swords in the middle of the room. In reality, she couldn't see much with her vision. But the two moving figures were graceful and attractive, very pleasing to the eye.
The two who had been sparring stopped at the same time. They sheathed their swords, smiled at each other, and sat down together like old friends reuniting.
"Kyron, isn't your family from Xuzhou? Why did you come to Phoenix Mountain?" Jax was curious why someone like Kyron, from a rich and well-educated family, would become an outlaw.
Kyron was a year older than Jax, so Jax called him brother. "Haha, it was all because of Erina. When I said I wanted to marry into Phoenix Mountain, my mother almost kicked me out."
Kyron wasn't embarrassed and laughed as he spoke. Jax couldn't help but laugh too.
Of course, the Wu family didn't want their child to marry into such a remote place. But looking at Kyron's clothes, which seemed ordinary at first glance but were made from expensive silk, it was clear his family had real wealth.
When Kyron first entered the martial world, he traveled around. Once, while escorting a merchant caravan through Phoenix Mountain, he met Erina.
The caravan had already paid for safe passage. But Erina took a liking to Kyron and teased him.
Angry, Kyron fought her. At first, they were evenly matched, but then he tricked her and injured her arm.
Even while injured, Erina held onto his wrist tightly. Kyron was still in shock from hurting her, and just like that, he was dragged up Phoenix Mountain without knowing how it happened.
Jax was surprised. "And you just stayed?"
Kyron smiled. "You don't know Erina's shameless nature. Once she sticks to you, it's worse than glue."
Xiren, hearing him talk about her wife like that, coughed lightly. Kyron winked at Jax with a look that said, you get it.
The spar between Jax and Kyron had lifted the mood. Even Kai felt less hostile toward the Phoenix Mountain people.
Everyone was drinking and chatting happily. Only Sanruwi remained cold and distant.
He didn't drink, and Rhett and the others didn't dare to push him, afraid to offend the famous doctor. Once everyone had eaten and drunk their fill and were sipping tea, the servant who took care of Boss Hayes's wife came to fetch Sanruwi.
Jax thought Boss Hayes had shown surprising patience by not calling Sanruwi over immediately. Though Sanruwi was very interested in the poison, Jax worried that his temper might cause conflict with Boss Hayes.
So he decided to go along. Minnie followed them too.
"Miss Minnie?" Jax noticed her fair face was now flushed, and her eyes looked a little watery. He realized she was slightly drunk.
Minnie nodded. Her steps were steady, and her speech was clear. "I want to go too. I want to see the strange patient. Is that okay?"
Her voice wasn't loud. She leaned close to Jax to speak, knowing Sanruwi didn't have a good temper, so she only dared talk to Jax.
Her breath brushed past Jax's ear. His face grew warm, and he shifted slightly to avoid her.
"Is that okay?" Minnie was still looking straight at him.
Jax nodded. Minnie smiled happily and followed him closely.
"By the way, don't call me Miss Minnie. It sounds weird." She scratched her head. "Just call me Minnie."
"Minnie?" Jax hesitated.
"Yeah, that's what all my friends call me. Just don't call me Miss Minnie. I call you Jax, right? Or should I call you Young Master Jax, or Hero Jax?"
Minnie frowned, her lips slightly pouting. "It just feels too awkward."
"No problem," Jax said kindly. "You can just call me by my name."
"Then you have to call me by my name too," Minnie said with a smile.
While they were talking, they arrived at the bedroom of Boss Hayes's wife. Sanruwi had already gone in ahead of them. When Minnie entered, she saw Sanruwi washing his hands in a wooden basin.
He dried them carefully with a clean cloth, then slowly rolled up his sleeves and sat down on a round stool by the bed. He placed a cloth between them and began checking the wife's pulse. Minnie sat with Jax to the side, calmly sipping tea.
Boss Hayes stood beside Sanruwi, staring at him anxiously, watching for any change in his expression. Sanruwi looked peaceful and focused like he was meditating. After a long while, he finally said, "Change hands."
Boss Hayes quickly tucked his wife's hand back under the covers and brought out the other one. Sanruwi returned to his meditative state. Minnie twitched her nose and turned her head, as if she was trying to smell something.
"What is it?" Jax asked. "I think I smell durian." "Durian?"
Minnie took a deep sniff. "That smelly smell. It's this one." Jax suddenly understood. "You mean thorn fruit."
"Thorn fruit?" Now Minnie was confused. Jax made a gesture with her hands. "It's about this big, yellow, with hard spikes. You can smell it from far away. My sister Yiying loves eating it."
Minnie laughed. "That's a good thing, very nourishing." "Nourishing?" "Yes. I heard that in Southeast Asia, women eat durian after giving birth to help their recovery. Mm, it's actually perfect for Erina right now."
While they chatted, they didn't notice Sanruwi's expression shift slightly. "Is it really that good?" Jax asked doubtfully. Minnie smiled. "One durian equals three chickens!"
"I had a friend who loved durian, but she ate so much that her gums swelled, she overheated, and had nosebleeds. She had to drink a ton of cooling tea to feel better..." Minnie was still talking when Sanruwi suddenly turned to look at her.
His eyes were cold. Minnie beamed at him, flashing her white teeth. Sanruwi's face darkened, like he had swallowed a fly. "I see," Jax laughed. "No wonder Yiying always says her teeth hurt after eating thorn fruit. She probably had too much."
Sanruwi lowered his gaze, his face solemn. "Divine doctor?" Boss Hayes finally couldn't help but speak up. Sanruwi pulled back his hand and slowly said, "I need to wash my hands."
Boss Hayes had a lot he wanted to say but held it in. After Sanruwi washed his hands again, Boss Hayes finally asked, "Divine doctor, my wife's illness…" Sanruwi calmly adjusted his sleeves without even glancing at Boss Hayes.
He only asked, "Boss Hayes, about your wife's illness, are you really sure you want to treat it?" This question made Boss Hayes pause. He had spent the past six months dragging famous doctors up the mountain.
He went to great lengths to invite Sanruwi here. All of it was for his wife's illness. He knew Sanruwi wouldn't say that for no reason. He immediately asked, "Divine doctor, what do you mean by that?"
Sanruwi narrowed his eyes and said lightly, "Phoenix Mountain, Phoenix Village, even a phoenix would struggle to survive. Yet your Phoenix Village really kept a phoenix alive." Boss Hayes's face changed instantly.