Qin Yulian's exclamation drew the gazes of many.
Jiang Yonghe became more conscious. She quickly touched her own face, as if frightened by something, let out an "Ah!" and immediately jerked her hand away.
Why did the feel of her face become so bad...
Before, even without a mirror, she knew her face was smooth and delicate to the touch, but just now, the sensation transmitted to her palm felt like she was touching a pig's head.
"Oh my goodness, if I didn't know it was Jiang Yonghe, I wouldn't recognize her now. How did her face swell up like that?"
"It must be the effect of the venom."
"I wonder if the swelling will go down. It won't stay like this forever, will it? That would be too disgusting."
Hearing the discussions about her appearance, panic rose in Jiang Yonghe's heart. She hurriedly said to Qin Yulian, "Mom, give me a mirror..."
Qin Yulian frowned, a trace of disgust in her eyes. "...Yonghe, maybe you shouldn't look right now. I'm afraid you'll be scared by your own appearance."
Jiang Yonghe's heart sank. What on earth did her face look like now?
The authoritative doctor glanced at Jiang Yonghe and answered Qin Yulian, "There's no helping it. Your daughter was poisoned too deeply, and treatment wasn't administered promptly. The venom has already spread to her head. Although I've done my utmost to treat and detoxify her, my medical skills ultimately cannot compare to Miss Jiang Youli's. Therefore, the residual toxicity will cause relatively severe after-effects for her. The swelling and puffiness of her feet is just one aspect; her legs will very likely experience intermittent numbness as well. Further after-effects will require close observation."
Qin Yulian quickly pressed, "Doctor, will my daughter's face be able to reduce the swelling?"
The authoritative doctor told the truth: "The swelling will go down once the residual toxins in her body are expelled. As long as the toxicity remains in the body, there's no way to return to how she was before."
Qin Yulian staggered slightly. Steadying herself, she quickly said, "Doctor, is there no way for you to completely expel the residual toxins for my daughter?"
The authoritative doctor replied gravely, "This toxicity has spread through the bloodstream. To completely cleanse it, one could perhaps try the method of a full blood exchange."
Before Qin Yulian could speak, Jiang Yonghe immediately pleaded urgently, "Mom, I want the blood exchange..."
She absolutely could not bear to live with an ugly face! That would be worse than death for her!
The authoritative doctor said, "A full blood exchange is not a conventional medical procedure. It's used in medicine for specific therapeutic purposes, such as severe poisoning, certain autoimmune diseases, or blood disorders. In a case like your daughter's, the personal cost to bear might be extremely high, and sufficient blood for the replacement would also be required."
Qin Yulian hurriedly said, "Money is not a problem, and we will find a way to get the blood!"
"For Jiang Yonghe's condition, a full blood exchange won't work either. The toxicity isn't just lingering in her blood; it has also seeped into her skin tissue. The longer it's delayed, the more her skin will fester." Jiang Youli slowly pushed Qi Huan, who was sitting in a wheelchair, towards Jiang Yonghe and stated this fact in an exaggerated tone.
At the thought of her skin festering, Jiang Yonghe trembled all over in fear. She bit her lip hard and shook her head, "No, I don't want to become like that! I don't want to become a monster!"
As she spoke, her gaze met Qi Huan's beautiful eyes. It was as if she saw her own ugly self reflected in his dark pupils. Jiang Yonghe quickly covered her face and begged, "Brother Qi Huan, don't look at me..."
Qi Huan just gave her a detached glance before looking away, his expression showing no ripple of emotion. He simply didn't care about Jiang Yonghe's face. When it was pretty, he couldn't be bothered to look more, let alone now in its swollen, unsightly state.
In her panic and helplessness, Jiang Yonghe thought of something. She looked up at Jiang Youli and pleaded bitterly, "Jiang Youli, can you help me detoxify... I beg you..."
Jiang Youli said in a tone of regret, "Originally, when I gave you the chance, it would have been timely to detoxify you then. It's a pity you didn't seize that opportunity."
Despair filled Jiang Yonghe's eyes. How could she have known back then that she might end up disfigured!
Seeing Jiang Yonghe looking as if struck by lightning, Jiang Youli, perfectly satisfied, pushed Qi Huan towards the stage.
Qi Huan asked, "Little Li'er, I'm curious. Was Jiang Yonghe being bitten a coincidence, or...?"
"I did it." Jiang Youli answered Qi Huan without hesitation. "I controlled that poisonous scorpion specifically to bite Jiang Yonghe. How could I possibly let her off on such a great opportunity?"
Just as he thought.
Qi Huan's gaze held a smile of having already guessed. "A pity it didn't succeed in making her confess to plotting against you."
Jiang Youli chuckled lightly and said, "It doesn't matter. Learning that she might be disfigured will probably make Jiang Yonghe regret it for the rest of her life. Every day from now on, she'll think it would have been better to just confess back then. For her, that is the real top-tier torment."
After Jiang Youli and Qi Huan left, looking at her adopted daughter Jiang Yonghe's unbearable-to-look-at face, Qin Yulian suppressed the nausea in her heart and comforted her, "Yonghe, don't panic just yet. Jiang Youli's words aren't necessarily reliable. Let's go to the hospital first and try the blood exchange!"
Tears welled up in Jiang Yonghe's eyes as she nodded weakly, "...Okay."
Before, when Jiang Yonghe cried, it was described as pear blossoms bathed in rain, pitiful and touching. But now, crying with a face swollen like a pig's head only made her seem affected and artificial.
Those young masters who had once held some fondness for Jiang Yonghe nearly vomited.
"Looking at her for one more second feels like dirtying my eyes. Let's go, let's go, not watching anymore."
"If even the blood exchange is useless, with that face now, she's completely ruined."
"Hmph, serves her right. She has only herself to blame, or rather, blame Jiang Xing for insisting on collaborating with that good-for-nothing Qi Yue to stage this whole act to frame Jiang Youli."
The other onlooking guests also dispersed one by one, returning to their respective seats.
Jiang Yonghe could no longer bear these disdainful looks and urged anxiously, "Mom... can we go to the hospital right now, please!"
Qin Yulian was also anxious to get Jiang Xing to the hospital, so she nodded, "Okay, we'll go to the hospital now."
Although the commotion caused by the poisonous insects and snakes was significant, thanks to Old Master Qi and Qi Huan's timely handling, the evacuation and protective measures were well-executed. Therefore, the engagement banquet venue remained largely clean and tidy as before.
On the stage, Qi Huan apologized to the guests below, "I am very sorry that the esteemed guests attending Little Li'er and my engagement banquet tonight were frightened. I also thank you all for being willing to stay and continue to witness our engagement ceremony."
After speaking, he took out an exquisitely designed ring box from his pocket, opening it reverently before Jiang Youli, his dark eyes brimming with intense affection.
"Little Li'er, meeting you during the most disheartening time of my life is the greatest fortune of my lifetime. Before meeting you, I didn't understand what love was. After meeting you, I believe in love at first sight. Today, in front of so many witnesses, I want to give myself to you. Will you accept me?"
