The Double

"Later, when the kitchen sent hot soup, I got up to get some, and when I turned around, I saw County Magistrate Xue sitting on the ground, the stool also overturned. It might have been because he didn’t stand firmly when he got up, you know, people can get dizzy when they suddenly stand up as they get older. I saw him just sitting there, not getting up, and I was afraid he had hurt himself, so I hurried over to help him. I got quite a fright when I saw him; there was a gash on his head, and he was bleeding quite a bit."

Jiang Li, upon hearing this, couldn’t help but ask, "How could it be so serious? Is he all right now?"

"I was also startled, but who knew when Old Man Xue saw me coming, he suddenly asked me, ’Who are you? Jiang Li,’" he scratched his head, "you see, Old Man Xue’s face at that time, it was truly frightening. These days he often asks people that question, but today his tone was really strange. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but anyway, I told him I was Ye Mingyu, and he asked me where we were. I told him it was Yanjing City. Then, he insisted on standing up by himself without my help."

Jiang Li said, "He stood up by himself?"

"Yes, indeed. I thought maybe Old Man Xue was feeling better and didn’t want to be assisted, but after taking just a few steps, he collapsed. It scared me so much that I immediately sent for Doctor Situ. I thought with Old Man Xue acting so strangely today, something bad must not happen. Miss Situ arrived quickly, but after she came, she only told me to ask you to come at once."

Jiang Li was listening intently, knowing that if Situ Jiuyue said so, something must be seriously wrong with Xue Huaiyuan.

As she pondered, Situ Jiuyue’s voice came from inside the house, "Has Jiang Li arrived? If so, come in quickly."

"See, she is calling for you, hurry in," Ye Mingyu said.

Jiang Li then entered the house with Ye Mingyu.

The curtains in the house were drawn, probably at Situ Jiuyue’s direction. Although it was daytime, lamps were lit, making the room bright. The scent of calming incense lingered in the air. Jiang Li walked to the bedside where Situ Jiuyue was sitting, with Hai Tang standing next to her. Hai Tang was looking down, her eyes red as if she had been crying.