NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13: The Secret Letter
Chapter 13: The Secret Letter
“Are you really just a physician?”
After a long silence, Ji Wutong finally voiced the question that had been weighing on her mind.
Lin Mu was far too enigmatic.
Whether it was his connections, his standing in Yanshan City, or that entire cabinet filled with martial arts manuals and medical texts—
All of it far exceeded what an ordinary clinic physician should possess.
And yet, Ji Wutong couldn’t find any concrete evidence that Lin Mu was hiding his true identity.
Everything she had witnessed these past few days only reinforced the fact that Lin Mu was, indeed, just a simple clinic physician.
No—he wasn’t even an ordinary physician.
Because he was also blind.
“If not, what do you think I am?”
Hearing her question, Lin Mu chuckled in response.
“You’re my benefactor, and a well-known philanthropist in Yanshan City.”
“Isn’t that enough?”
“Mn~ It’s enough.”
Ji Wutong laughed lightly and nodded.
She had been overcomplicating things.
She was here to repay a debt, not to dig into Lin Mu’s secrets.
If he didn’t want to tell her, that was perfectly reasonable.
At this realization, she exhaled slowly—though a faint, inexplicable disappointment lingered in her heart.
But why she felt this contradiction, even she didn’t know.
“Actually…”
Just then, Lin Mu spoke again, his tone unhurried.
“I never meant to hide anything from you.”
“Nor was there any need to.”
“I really am just a physician. It’s just that I’ve saved quite a few people, and they’re grateful, that’s all.”
“Besides, I don’t even remember how many I’ve treated, let alone their backgrounds.”
Here, he smiled faintly.
Over the years, many had sought out the Benevolent Clinic in secret, pleading for Old Master’s help.
But the Old Master turned them all away—only for Lin Mu to treat them in the shadows.
Among those he had saved were numerous influential figures from both the imperial court and the martial world.
And before leaving, every one of them vowed they owed Lin Mu a debt, to be repaid someday.
Old Man Li, the notorious bandit, was one such person.
So were Elder Xianyun and Monk Yehe.
But Lin Mu had never expected repayment—just as he had never expected Ji Wutong’s gratitude.
Hearing his explanation, the disappointment in Ji Wutong’s heart finally began to fade.
So he hadn’t been keeping secrets from her deliberately.
The following days passed uneventfully at the clinic.
The patients gradually grew accustomed to Ji Wutong’s presence.
Soon, the entire city knew that the Benevolent Clinic had gained a mysterious woman of extraordinary grace—Wutong.
And that she shared a rather close relationship with Lin Mu.
“Could this ‘Wutong’ be the Demon Sect’s Holy Maiden?”
Within the Gu family estate, Elder Ku Die of the Emei Sect sat in the courtyard, addressing Xianyun and Yehe.
The three had been dispatched by Prince Qi to track down the Holy Maiden’s whereabouts in the Northern Frontier.
The last clue pointed squarely to Yanshan City.
Yet at her question, Elder Xianyun and Monk Yehe answered in unison:
“Impossible.”
“You’re so certain—why?”
Elder Ku Die frowned in confusion.
“To be frank,” Elder Xianyun stroked his beard, chuckling, “Miss Wutong is the daughter of an old friend.”
“She’s suffered from chronic illness since childhood, which is why I referred her to the Benevolent Clinic for treatment.”
“Is that true?”
Though long acquainted with the two, Elder Ku Die had never heard this before and remained skeptical.
“Amitabha. Monks do not lie.”
Monk Yehe nodded solemnly beside them.
Of course, those words had all come from his senior brother—he himself bore no responsibility.
Only after Monk Yehe’s assurance did Elder Ku Die reluctantly accept the explanation, temporarily abandoning her suspicions of Ji Wutong.
“Then where is the Demon Sect’s Holy Maiden hiding?”
She murmured to herself, brow furrowed.
Late that night, a secret letter was nailed to the Benevolent Clinic’s door.
Ji Wutong reacted swiftly, retrieving it before anyone else noticed and bringing it to Lin Mu, reading its contents aloud.
“So, Elder Xianyun and Monk Yehe must have guessed my identity.”
“Yet they’re going out of their way to cover for me.”
Tossing the letter into the furnace, Ji Wutong couldn’t help but marvel.
“How ironic—our Demon Sect tried recruiting them multiple times, to no avail.”
“And now, they’re actively aiding me, the Holy Maiden.”
“Lin Mu, your influence is truly remarkable.”
“The Demon Sect only offered empty promises. I saved their lives—naturally, there’s no comparison.”
Lin Mu grinned playfully, feigning pride.
But truthfully, even he was surprised by their willingness to help.
It seemed these two were worth befriending after all.
“Any leads on that traitor in the Demon Sect?”
Once the banter subsided, Lin Mu turned serious.
“None.” Ji Wutong shook her head helplessly.
“There are countless Demon Sect members hiding in the Northern Frontier, not to mention dozens of elders.”
“Rooting out the traitor quietly won’t be easy.”
For now, Lin Mu had no solutions either and could only console her.
“Then don’t act rashly. This isn’t something to rush.”
“Perhaps in time, the traitor will come to us.”
“I suppose that’s all we can do.”
Ji Wutong nodded slightly, though the worry in her eyes remained.
But the next moment, she suddenly perked up.
“Oh! I learned a few new dishes yesterday~”
“Are you hungry? Should I cook for you?”
Lin Mu didn’t answer immediately, instead listening to the silence outside—it was clearly the dead of night.
“Isn’t it a bit late for that?”
“Not at all! It’s still early~”
Ji Wutong glanced at the pitch-black sky, then added with feigned innocence,
“Besides, the moon is so full tonight. Keep me company while I admire it!”
“Asking a blind man to ‘admire the moon’ with you—really now.”
“Well, I am making you new dishes as compensation! So, are you eating or not?”
Her tone carried a clear threat.
“Fine, go ahead.”
Lin Mu conceded with a resigned smile.
If he refused, he doubted he’d get any sleep tonight.
Ji Wutong worked quickly.
Soon, the rhythmic sounds of chopping echoed from the kitchen.
Tap-tap-tap—chop-chop-chop!
Before long, the aroma of stir-fried dishes filled the air.
Lin Mu sniffed twice, then frowned.
Why did this smell so… familiar?
When Ji Wutong brought out four small dishes, his suspicions were confirmed.
“You learned these from my notes, didn’t you?”
“Mm-hm~” Ji Wutong arched a brow, impressed. “Your nose is sharper than I thought~”