I Snatched the Male Lead’s "Cool Novel" Script - Chapter 5

Yan Yu forced herself to quickly digest the current situation; right now, the most urgent matter was Lu Jia’s safety.

“Can you take me to see Lu Jia now?”

“In such a hurry?” Yin Beiqing rose leisurely, taking over ten seconds just to amble from the bedside to the table. She poured herself a cup of tea. “Rushing to see it one last time?”

“I might be able to save it.” Yan Yu felt her heart stifle at the woman’s unhurried manner. Summoning courage from who-knows-where, she grabbed Yin Beiqing’s wrist and pulled her toward the door. “Can we hurry? You can drink tea anytime.”

Yin Beiqing was very averse to others touching her body, yet when Yan Yu grabbed her wrist, she didn’t shake her off immediately. She actually froze for a moment.

This person’s hand was completely different from her own; there were no calluses, and the fingertips and palm were soft to the touch, though her temperature was a bit chilly.

“You have quite the nerve, sickly girl.”

If this had been their first meeting, Yan Yu would have folded and begged for mercy. But now, her mind was solely on saving Lu Jia. Forget grabbing a wrist—she’d dare to ride on Yin Beiqing’s head if she had to.

She remembered back during her residency, when a thug held a dagger to her waist, threatening her to let an experienced senior doctor handle their boss’s trauma instead. Even then, she had continued treating the wound without changing her expression.

“It is only because you are merciful and approachable, Valley Lord, that I dare to speak plainly so as not to delay important matters.”

Yin Beiqing arched an eyebrow. She understood the implication: Yan Yu was flattering her with these two words to shut her up, making it easier to commit these overstepping acts since Yin Beiqing couldn’t move against her right now.

After all, everyone knew that the contract mark of Langdie Valley was more effective than an imperial life-saving talisman.

“It isn’t dead yet.”

Even if it isn’t dead now, after being ‘treated’ by your people, it’ll surely be destined for the afterlife.

“I know… Cough, cough!” Yin Beiqing’s strides were too large. Yan Yu followed in a rush and couldn’t help but lower her head and cough several times, a metallic tang of blood filling her throat.

Hearing this, Yin Beiqing frowned and stopped. Thinking she was being squeezed for space, Yan Yu hurried to say, “I covered it. I didn’t spit on the floor.”

“Raise your arms,” Yin Beiqing said with a cold face.

“Huh?”

Seeing that Yan Yu hadn’t followed her instructions, Yin Beiqing lost her patience. She reached out, grabbed the girl by the waist, and hoisted her horizontally over her shoulder.

That familiar posture caused Yan Yu’s fragile abdomen to suffer another heavy blow. She nearly lost her breath and departed for the heavens right then and there.

Do all you people in Langdie Valley use a standardized ‘carrying’ technique specifically designed to ruin me?

Yin Beiqing possessed a modicum of conscience when dealing with non-human creatures. Not only had she given Lu Jia pills to supplement Qi and stop bleeding, but she had also summoned someone to treat its wounds.

Sitting by the bed behind a curtain was a silver-haired woman named Ruan Yuemian, known by the title “The Puppeteer.”

Langdie Valley had Two Great Guardians and Five Little Vajras, all of whom were Grade A Beast Masters. However, the former were superior, with soul power very close to Special Grade; promotion for them was only a matter of time.

Ruan Yuemian was one of the Two Great Guardians. She was born with a unique constitution; like a gecko, she possessed powerful self-regenerative abilities at an incredible speed. If you cut off her arm, a new one would grow back instantly.

She ground her own bones into several fine needles and used silk thread soaked in blood and dried in the sun to reconnect the severed limbs of living people. Whether it was hands, feet, or heads, as long as the gap was sewn and the patient rested for a few weeks, the wounded could move as nimbly as before. Thus, she was given the nickname “The Puppeteer.”

People outside the Valley couldn’t hire her even if they spent their entire fortunes. Only Yin Beiqing treated her like a heartless seamstress, frequently dragging back subordinates with severed limbs and ordering her to sew them back together.

There were four or five medicine jars on the table. Yan Yu walked over and smelled them one by one, frowning and shaking her head. They were all potent tonics. Right now, Lu Jia had lost too much blood and suffered lung damage; these medicines would only accelerate blood flow, which was like adding fuel to the fire. If she didn’t do something, it probably wouldn’t last until evening.

“Is it sewn up?” Yin Beiqing stood behind Ruan Yuemian with her hands behind her back.

At the sound, Ruan Yuemian turned around. With thin eyebrows, a high bridge to her nose, and pale thin lips, she possessed a cold aura. Her black eyes were as pure as if soaked in ink, with no discernible line between the pupil and the iris. Looking at them for too long was somewhat unsettling.

“Yes.” She packed up her tools, her voice steady. “But it won’t live.”

Outsiders might mistake Ruan Yuemian for a healer and project an image of benevolence onto her, but the truth was the opposite. She was particularly indifferent toward life and death. Forget a beast pet—even if her own blood relative were lying there, her emotions wouldn’t flicker when saying the words “won’t live.”

To her, the only difference between people and objects was that the former could move and were more troublesome.

“Let me take a look.” Yan Yu stepped forward and lifted the curtain.

Lu Jia was curled up, its lips discolored and its breathing visibly difficult. The scales on its back had lost their luster, becoming dry and damaged—omens of failing vital signs.

The severed horn on its head had been stitched together. Thanks to the pills, the surface wounds on the skin had also improved, but it still appeared to be in immense pain.

Yan Yu first examined the horn. Ruan Yuemian’s craftsmanship was skilled but somewhat rough; it would likely leave an unsightly scar once healed.

The wound smelled of disinfecting herbs, which functioned similarly to alcohol.

Lu Jia’s injuries were too severe, and its own soul power and healing capacity were low. Ruan Yuemian was powerless and could only feed it a few pain-killing pills as a final mercy.

Yan Yu pressed on several spots on Lu Jia’s abdomen. Finding that it didn’t have a strong pain response, she nodded.

Considering the time constraints, Yan Yu planned to perform an emergency non-sterile surgery. She rolled up her sleeves, gently laid Lu Jia flat, wrapped a handkerchief around her nose and mouth, and habitually reached out her palm to the person beside her.

When nothing was placed in her hand for a while, Yan Yu suddenly realized something and looked up. She wasn’t in a hospital, and the person standing next to her wasn’t a colleague helping with tools.

Sure enough, Yin Beiqing and Ruan Yuemian were staring at her expressionlessly. Their eyes seemed to have already concluded that this person definitely had something wrong with her head.

“I wanted to ask if there’s a small dagger or a blade I could borrow.”

Ruan Yuemian spoke bluntly, “No.”

All her medical blades were made from her own bones; she never lent them to outsiders.

Yan Yu turned a hopeful gaze toward Yin Beiqing. The latter gave a light huff and flicked her wrist. Her wide sleeve was like Doraemon’s pocket; several blades, daggers, and various hidden weapons of different sizes clattered out.

Yan Yu rose to gather them, wiped them down with disinfecting herb juice, and lined them up. Then she picked one that felt right, placed her index finger on the back of the blade, and pressed her left hand near Lu Jia’s sixth rib to find the right position.

Lu Jia’s entire body was covered in scales, especially those on its back, which were as hard as stone. Even its soft belly had a thin layer of scales. Yan Yu cleared a patch of skin, and with a gentle dip of her wrist, the blade sank in. Because the skin was so thick, it took some effort to cut, but fortunately, the knife Yin Beiqing provided was sharp and didn’t hinder her movements much.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Ruan Yuemian spoke up.

Yan Yu’s expression didn’t change; her movements remained fast and steady. “Saving it.”

She wore a flat face, her serious profile adding a touch of sternness and detachment.

Smelling the blood, Yin Beiqing frowned and took a step back. Perhaps having witnessed this sickly girl’s ability to change faces rapidly, she was no longer surprised by any outrageous thing she did.

“I’ve met over a hundred Imperial Arts masters, but I’ve never seen anyone ‘save a life’ like this. Do you think it isn’t dying fast enough?” Ruan Yuemian said.

Yan Yu didn’t answer. She used a clean cotton cloth to soak up some fluid and lowered her head to carefully search for the wound in the lungs.

Several of Lu Jia’s ribs were broken, and with the massive accumulation of fluid in the chest, there was a high probability its lungs had been punctured. For a normal human, this would be fatal within half an hour. Fortunately, the original owner hadn’t mistreated this beast pet, feeding it all sorts of rare spiritual herbs and pills, making its self-healing ability superior to average pets. That was why it had held on until now.

“Needle and thread.” Yan Yu reached out again.

Ruan Yuemian looked at the fair palm extended before her, hesitated for a moment, and turned her gaze to ask for Yin Beiqing’s opinion.

Every one of her bone needles was obtained through the intense pain of breaking her own bones and meticulously grinding them for a week. A single knuckle could only produce five needles; she used them with extreme care.

Normally, she wouldn’t have spared Yan Yu a glance. But now that Yin Beiqing had given her the contract mark, it meant she was recognized as one of their own. Her attitude toward Yan Yu depended on Yin Beiqing’s mood.

“Give them to her.” Yin Beiqing tilted her chin. She wanted to see what kind of tricks this sickly girl could pull off—whether she was truly a Goddess from the heavens or just a charlatan.

Yan Yu took the needle and thread, thanked Ruan Yuemian, and began to stitch Lu Jia up.

The bone needle was a bit thick, which affected the flexibility of her movements. Sewing the skin was fine, but suturing the lung wound required caution. By the time she finished the delicate work, she was sweating profusely.

This time she was cautious and didn’t dare ask these two big bosses to hand her a handkerchief. She lowered her head to wipe the sweat on her shoulder, then used the bone needle as a brace to bind the rib together and fix it in place.

Once everything was handled, Lu Jia’s breathing became noticeably smoother, and the sound was no longer so muffled and heavy.

Yan Yu asked for another piece of thread to close the surgical incision.

Having finished all this, she finally sighed in relief. The pills Ruan Yuemian had given Lu Jia were not only for pain but also had a sedative effect. It wouldn’t wake up until at least the middle of the night, so she would likely have to stay by this little thing’s side all night without leaving.

Yin Beiqing and Ruan Yuemian exchanged a glance. The former dropped her lazy demeanor, a hint of interest appearing in her eyes.

Although they didn’t understand Yan Yu’s techniques, they knew she was suturing the internal damage. Unlike Ruan Yuemian, she was sewing up the organs.

Such a bold move, performed with such practiced lack of hesitation, indicated she had done this many times before. Yet even the well-traveled Ruan Yuemian had never heard of such a treatment. Could it be true, as recorded in the ancient books, that this sickly girl possessed the power to bring back the dead?

“What kind of needle technique is this?” Ruan Yuemian leaned in close to Yan Yu, staring directly at her.

Yan Yu suddenly met those pitch-black eyes and almost cried out in fright. She caught her breath and asked, “You want to learn?”

Ruan Yuemian didn’t respond. She stared with her dark eyes for a few seconds before coldly looking away.

“One bone needle is ten Lu-coins. You used three; that’s thirty in total.” Ruan Yuemian walked out with her hands behind her back. As she passed Yin Beiqing, she tilted her head and said, “Deduct it directly from her monthly wages and give it to me.”

Yin Beiqing shrugged. “Aren’t you the one in charge of the money?”

“I’m telling you so you can inform her.”

Yan Yu pointed at herself. “I’m right here.”

Ruan Yuemian acted as if she heard nothing and left straight away.

Yan Yu was about to ask Yin Beiqing what Ruan Yuemian meant, but in the blink of an eye, the spot where Yin Beiqing had been standing was also empty.

She shook her head, not wanting to dwell on what was wrong with these two weirdos who changed faces faster than turning pages. She went to get a basin of water to wipe the blood and dirt off Lu Jia’s body.

It wasn’t until evening that a maid arrived to bring her food and a bottle of medicine.

Yan Yu ate a few bites and applied medicine to Lu Jia again. This room wasn’t large; it looked like a temporarily cleared-out storage room. The bed was also very small. With Lu Jia sleeping on it, Yan Yu had to curl up to lie down. She lay on her side facing Lu Jia, her heart only settling once she heard its steady breathing.

She remembered back in high school when she picked up an orange cat from the roadside. She had raised it secretly in a warehouse behind her parents’ backs, but it died of parvovirus not long after.

Though she hadn’t spent much time with that cat, the feeling of helplessness she felt while watching it wither and die had stayed with her for a long time.

Fortunately, it was different now.

She pressed her finger against Lu Jia’s twitching nose and gave it a gentle poke. “You will definitely get better. Don’t be afraid.”

As if hearing her words in its sleep, Lu Jia’s mouth twitched, and it unconsciously let out a few whimpers—helpless and pitiful, like it was seeking its master’s support.

“She’s gone. I’ll stay with you from now on.” Yan Yu took its scarred little paw in her hand. “Are you scared?”

In the story, the original host was captured and fed to the wolves on the day she tried to assassinate Yin Beiqing. There was no twist, no accident—she was a supporting character whose “lunch box” was handed out by the author in just two sentences.

Perhaps truly understanding Yan Yu’s words, a tear slid from the corner of Lu Jia’s eye, but its body instinctively sought a familiar scent, leaning closer to Yan Yu.

Yan Yu softened her breathing, not wanting to disturb it. She suddenly remembered that the original book mentioned Lu Jia loved the host singing lullabies. She cleared her throat and began to hum.

The last time Yan Yu had heard it was before elementary school. She didn’t remember the lyrics very well, so she just hummed the melody using nasal tones.

“Pan pan!”

Yan Yu stopped. She looked around the surroundings and found nothing unusual, yet she had heard the sound clearly.

It sounded like a child’s voice—crisp and full of energy.

After waiting for a long time, the sound didn’t reappear. Yan Yu figured she might actually be hallucinating and resumed humming.

“Paaaaa! Pan!”

This time, Yan Yu was one hundred percent certain she had heard it.

“Who are you?” She sat up and asked warily.

No one answered, but the beast mark on her forehead suddenly began to burn, as if something were trying to force its way out.

Remembering that Yin Beiqing’s beast soul had appeared in a similar fashion, Yan Yu immediately looked up. Sure enough, a cloud of white smoke was rapidly forming in the air.

It swirled once, spinning fast, and swayed side to side. As the outer smoke drifted away, it revealed a…

…meatball?