Hello, Welcome to Merit Supermarket (SUPERMARKET)
Several days had passed since He Suisui last visited the supermarket.
According to Jiang Chenyi's speculation, she should have found her biological parents by now. So, when he saw her calling, his first thought was that she wanted to thank him.
This was a common practice among clients after a transaction.
However, after answering the call and listening to He Suisui's tearful voice, Jiang Chenyi's expression gradually turned serious.
She wanted to make another transaction—this time, to save the other girl whose fate had been exchanged with hers.
"Mr. Jiang, you once said that I have deep Merit reserves, so I should still qualify for a second transaction, right?" The girl's voice on the other end of the phone was filled with unease.
Jiang Chenyi paused for a moment, and just as He Suisui thought he was about to refuse, she heard the young man let out a long sigh.
"Let me make one thing clear beforehand. If it's a matter of saving a life, the price will be very high."
Jiang Chenyi sat on the chaise lounge with half of his face hidden in the dim light.
His eyes now held a hint of scrutiny that wasn't there before: "If the person is suffering from a terminal illness and is beyond cure, what’s needed won’t just be Merit Points."
He paused with his tone seeming almost airy: "Are you sure?"
His tone caught the attention of Huo Yunxi, who was nearby.
The tall man walked over as a trace of concern appeared in his gaze as he looked at Jiang Chenyi.
Instinct told Huo Yunxi that Jiang Chenyi’s mood didn’t seem to be very good at the moment.
Meanwhile, at the Capital Hospital, He Suisui’s hand hanging by her side instinctively clenched into a fist.
She wasn’t foolish; she could hear the faint warning and displeasure in Jiang Chenyi’s words.
Perhaps he thought she was being too greedy.
But even if she was misunderstood, He Suisui had no intention of giving up on this last hope.
"Sigh... I understand. Human life has always been the most precious. But I still want to ask you to come to the Capital and take a look at her condition. If a transaction is possible, we’ll do whatever it takes, no matter the cost. If it’s not…"
The girl forced a bitter smile, sniffled, and tried to make her tone sound a bit lighter: "If it’s not possible, then just consider it an invitation for you to visit the Capital for a trip. I’ll cover all the expenses—flights, hotels, food, and entertainment!"
He Suisui’s words made He Suihua turn away to secretly wipe the tears from his face.
His younger sister was truly willing to go bankrupt to save someone for his sake.
The day after the transaction ended, He Suisui and her brother rushed to the Capital Hospital and found the ward where their younger sister was staying.
But upon arriving, they learned from the nurse that the patient had been moved to the ICU.
It turned out that just as they were boarding the plane, their younger sister suddenly had an episode, and her heart rate nearly dropped to zero.
If it weren’t for the nurse noticing in time and quickly calling the doctor to resuscitate her, she might have been lying in the morgue by now.
They rushed to the ICU floor, only to find several people waiting outside their younger sister’s room.
Their expressions were almost identical to He Suisui’s—filled with worry, tension, and fear.
The first thing He Suisui noticed was a couple standing closest to the observation window in the crowd.
They were the two people she had seen in her dream. They… must be her biological parents.
Perhaps it was the pull of blood ties, but the anxious couple waiting outside the room suddenly shifted their gaze and instantly locked eyes with He Suisui.
Seeing a face that combined all the best features of herself and her husband, the woman froze in place.
The others noticed the couple’s unusual reaction and followed their gaze, only to see a face that looked eerily familiar.
This face…
They glanced at He Suisui, then back at the couple in front of them, and their minds went blank.
Wait, could someone explain why this girl looked so much like their family?
He Suisui pursed her lips.
She and her brother walked up to the couple with her eyes filled with unease.
All the mental preparation she had done crumbled in an instant.
After a moment of staring at each other, the woman across from her couldn’t hold back any longer. She reached out and touched He Suisui’s face and her voice trembling as she asked, “You… what’s your name, little girl?”
Under the gaze of those eyes, the woman couldn’t help but choke up: “Child, can you tell me… when is your birthday?”
He Suihua glanced at his stunned sister, then at their younger sister lying in the hospital bed. Seeing the pain and conflict in He Suisui’s eyes, he spoke up: “She is your biological daughter. The one in the hospital bed is my younger sister.”
What?
His words shocked everyone present.
“Brother! Are you abandoning me?” He Suisui instinctively grabbed her brother’s hand as panic surged in her heart.
Her usually shy brother, however, was unusually firm this time: “I’m not abandoning you, but this is the truth. I can’t hide the truth.”
Earlier on the plane, He Suisui had told him about her dream. She was truly worried that her biological sister might be suffering in another family.
But now, it seemed this family had a pretty good atmosphere.
And judging by their clothing, the family seemed quite wealthy.
So it wasn’t her biological sister who had suffered in place of Suisui, but Suisui who had suffered in place of her biological sister!
The one who should feel guilty wasn’t He Suisui—it was him!
So, he couldn’t keep this truth hidden any longer. Even if… his younger sister would resent him, even if she would hate him, he couldn’t let the mistake continue.
What belongs to whom should be clear!
As for his sister’s illness, he would do everything in his power to treat her.
He had raised his sister before, and now he could heal his biological sister!
He Suisui understood her brother’s meaning all too well.
She clung tightly to his arm and unwilling to let go: “Brother, I don’t mind…”
And her arm, too, was held tightly by the woman, who refused to let go.
"Wait a moment, let's verify this matter first!" The other relatives behind them quickly spoke up. Although He Suisui's face was sufficient evidence, for the sake of both families, it would be better to conduct a scientific DNA test.
He Suisui was pulled away by the woman to undergo the test. She kept looking back, only to see He Suihua waving at her: "Go ahead, I'll stay here."
Assured by her brother, He Suisui stopped struggling.
This scene made the woman's heart ache even more.
A group of others also followed with their curiosity piqued.
After they all left, He Suihua turned to the man who had been silent all along—he must be the adoptive father of his younger sister.
"What's wrong with her?" He Suihua's eyes were filled with concern.
What illness had his younger sister contracted? Why did it seem so severe?
The man sighed and shook his head. Under He Suihua's anxious gaze, he explained, "We don't know. No symptoms have been detected. She started gradually weakening over half a year ago."
They had sought out the best doctors and even brought in specialists from abroad, but the cause remained elusive.
"Miao Miao has already received three critical condition notices this month…" The usually stoic and restrained man couldn't hold back anymore as he covered his face and sob softly.
At first, they thought it was just a common fever, but when it persisted for half a month without subsiding, they realized something was wrong.
They finally found a reliable traditional Chinese doctor, and after some treatment, they thought she was on the road to recovery. But not long after, she collapsed again.
Then came the first critical condition notice…
He Suihua felt as if the sky was falling. He had just found his younger sister—was he about to lose another family member?
Several men stared blankly at the girl on the hospital bed with tears glistening in their eyes.
Not long after, He Suisui returned with the woman, and the relationship between the two seemed to have grown closer.
Seeing that the girl in the hospital room was still in stable condition, some relatives suggested that the couple take He Suisui aside to have a proper conversation, while they stayed in the room to wait.
The couple hesitated for a moment but decided it would be best to clarify things as soon as possible.
Finally, the three of them went up to the rooftop.
While He Suisui and the woman were undergoing the test, He Suisui had already described the scenes she had dreamed of.
This made the woman's expression particularly grave and serious.
So, once they reached the rooftop, she immediately spoke to her husband: "Our child has been targeted for a long time."
Seeing that He Suisui didn't understand—after all, the test results hadn't even come out yet—the woman revealed the entire truth.
It turned out that no one had neglected her during childbirth. Instead, her labor had been extremely sudden, and the only guard had gone out to call her husband, which was why the scene in He Suisui's dream had occurred.
Later, they discovered that the guard had been bribed and had never actually called her husband. Otherwise, how could those people have dared to barge into the hospital's newborn ward!
"Moreover, after that, Miao Miao was deliberately pushed several times—someone was trying to kill her!"
The dream matched the reality, and it was clear that someone had been targeting their family all along.
This was why the woman had so easily believed He Suisui.
Perhaps it was the confirmation that her daughter had indeed been accidentally swapped that the woman began to explain the family situation to He Suisui.
"We are the He family, and our home is here in the capital." she said while tightly holding He Suisui's hand.
The He family had generations of soldiers, with countless medals and military honors.
She was the only girl in the family and the only child of this couple.
Upon hearing this, He Suisui's first reaction wasn't to marvel at her newfound privileged background, but to recall what Jiang Chenyi had said about accumulated virtue.
Was it because generations of her ancestors had been soldiers that they had accumulated so much virtue?
"Are you okay?" the woman asked gently with her eyes soft yet cautious, as if worried she might hurt her.
After a moment of silence, He Suisui opened her mouth: "My name is He Suisui. The first time I found out I wasn't my parents' biological child was..." She then recounted her own story.
Hearing that her parents had passed away before she reached adulthood, the He couple was instantly heartbroken.
"Then, while filming a variety show, someone told me he could help me find you. I originally didn't plan to come and reunite with you, and just wanted to meet... But seeing her lying in the hospital bed reminded me of how my parents looked before they passed away, and my brother couldn't bear it either, so we came."
Father He and Mother He instinctively asked, "A Celestial Master?"
"I don't know if he's a Celestial Master, but he's really a good person. Even after trading Merit, it didn't bring any negative effects."
As she spoke, she slightly furrowed her brows: "Can I know what exactly is wrong with her?"
Father He repeated what he had previously told He Suihua. Hearing that no cause could be found despite all investigations, He Suisui wanted to recommend Jiang Chenyi to the couple.
However, they didn't seem to hold much hope for He Suisui's recommendation.
"Until... just now, my younger sister had another episode. It was as if someone had drained her blood, and we could only keep her alive by continuously transfusing blood."
"We really have no other options." With two episodes in three days, and if this continues, perhaps...
After listening, Jiang Chenyi slightly raised his eyebrows: "I understand. I'll go there now."
After hanging up the phone, he stood still for a while until Huo Yunxi patted him: "What's wrong?"
Jiang Chenyi looked up with his tone somewhat ominous: "I have a feeling that we might encounter something not so good."
This "not so good" wasn't directed at He Suisui, but rather the request she made gave Jiang Chenyi a bad feeling.
"What kind of feeling?" Huo Yunxi pressed as his muscles tensed slightly.
Jiang Chenyi slowly shook his head.
He couldn't confirm it himself.
His mood was complicated. It was filled with a sense of loathing and irritation, like before meeting someone he disliked.
And this feeling grew stronger as they got closer to the capital.
Throughout the journey, Jiang Chenyi, usually gentle, kept a tense expression, and did not smile once.
His state also affected Huo Yunxi, who remained vigilant about their surroundings from the moment they landed, not even having the chance to admire the capital's bustling scenery.
Upon arriving at the hospital room, He Suisui immediately rushed towards Jiang Chenyi and wanted to grasp the young man's hand.
However, this time, as soon as she approached him, an arm blocked her path.
Looking up, He Suisui saw a strange man standing between her and Jiang Chenyi with his eyes wary as he looked down at her.
For a moment, she felt like a deer being stared at by a wolf and the approaching aura of death making it hard for her to breathe.
Fortunately, Jiang Chenyi held Huo Yunxi's arm: "Don't be nervous, she's the victim."
At this moment, Father He also grabbed his biological daughter and pulled her behind him.
The other relatives of the He family gathered around with their gazes sharp as they looked at Huo Yunxi.
Yet, despite their numbers, their presence couldn't match Huo Yunxi's alone.
Seeing the situation at a standstill, He Suisui quickly explained: "Wait, this is someone I invited. He might be able to save Miao Miao!"
She darted out from behind Father He, then grabbed Jiang Chenyi's arm, and led him to the observation window before pointing at the barely breathing girl inside: "It's her, Mr. Jiang. Can she still be saved?"
Jiang Chenyi glanced at the girl inside as his brow immediately furrowing and his expression turning extremely grim.
"What's wrong..." He Suisui felt uneasy.
It was the first time she had seen Jiang Chenyi with such a troubled expression.
Not only her, but Huo Yunxi had also never seen Jiang Chenyi look so grave.
"She's not sick; she's being haunted by malevolent energy."
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Chenyi's pupils rapidly turned a light golden color. Through his pupils, He Suisui saw a girl tightly wrapped in dense black mist.
He Suisui was startled by the sight and instinctively stepped back, but she didn't notice someone behind her and collided hard with them, causing both to fall backward.
Luckily, Jiang Chenyi was close by and reached out to pull her up.
But the young man behind her wasn't so fortunate as he landed squarely on his bottom.
"Ouch!" The man clutched his buttocks in pain while feeling as though his tailbone had nearly cracked.
Jiang Chenyi glanced at him, and with that look, he noticed something amiss.
The other members of the He family quickly helped the man up. As he looked up, he saw a pair of strange eyes staring intently at him.
"Who have you all offended?"
The malevolent energy was like a black snake that connected to each of their chests.
If Jiang Chenyi wasn't mistaken, it was linked to their hearts.
It was only because they had enough Merit and the accumulated virtue left by their ancestors was extremely abundant that it prevented the black snake from advancing further.
But the girl inside wasn't so lucky.
She wasn't a biological child of the He family, so naturally, she couldn't benefit from the accumulated virtue of the He ancestors. Without enough accumulated virtue, she was slowly being consumed by the malevolent energy.
As for her ability to hold on until now, it was entirely due to the final protection of her deceased biological parents.
Thinking of this, he glanced at He Suisui.
He suddenly asked a question: "Do you know her?"
In his eyes, there was a very thin golden thread connecting the two girls.
But He Suisui shook her head in confusion: she didn't know the other girl.
Jiang Chenyi still insisted on his opinion.
He believed that the two children must have had contact before; otherwise, where did the golden thread come from?
However, this was not the most pressing matter at the moment.
"Open the door, I need to go in." he calmly stated his request.
But his words sounded extremely harsh to the He family: "No! If we let you in, what if you harm our younger sister?"
The person who spoke quickly explained to He Suisui, "Suisui, it's not that we don't trust you, but in these times, people's hearts are hard to predict. We..."
He Suisui understood their dilemma, but she had great faith in Jiang Chenyi. Moreover, judging by the young man's expression, he seemed very confident in saving Miao Miao!
"I am her biological brother, and I agree to let him in."
He Suihua, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke. As he said this, his eyes remained fixed on his younger sister in the hospital room.
"Let him go. Since no doctor can figure out the problem, it might not be an ordinary illness."
He trusted Jiang Chenyi. If it weren't for Jiang Chenyi's intervention, he might not have even known about his younger sister's death.
The other members of the He family wanted to say something, but this time, Mother He spoke up, "Let him try..."
They had been struggling for so long without any results. And seeing their adopted daughter gradually weaken, she could no longer afford to hesitate.
He Suisui pursed her lips and walked over to her biological mother to comfort her, "If Mr. Jiang hasn't refused, then there is still hope."
Mother He lowered her head and tightly grasped He Suisui's hand.
Although He Suisui was indeed her biological daughter, He Shumiao was also a child she had raised for over twenty years. She couldn't let go of either one.
In the end, the He family compromised.
Amidst the disapproving gazes of the medical staff, Jiang Chenyi put on an isolation gown and strode into the hospital room.
He approached the bed and looked down at the emaciated girl lying there.
Then, to the horrified expressions of everyone present, he abruptly pulled off the blanket covering the girl.
Sure enough, the malevolent energy was emanating from her heart that continuously drained her blood and vitality. If he had arrived even a day or half a day later, she would have been beyond saving.
One end of this malevolent energy floated into the air, seemingly being transmitted to the mastermind behind all this.
Jiang Chenyi quietly stared into the air. He wasn't a Celestial Master and couldn't understand what the other party was trying to do. Could it be that the other party was a "Hannibal" and using this method to consume humans?
If a Celestial Master were present, they would surely be able to see that the person behind this wanted to devour the entire He family.
Not just their Merit, but also the fate and lifespan of every member of the He family, all to be swallowed whole.
Jiang Chenyi slowly lowered his head and stared at the girl's chest for a while. Just as Father He and Mother He were beginning to lose patience, the young man inside snapped his fingers, and a golden pair of scissors appeared out of thin air that landed in his hand.
Then, holding the scissors, he made a cutting motion above the girl's chest.
To everyone else, it looked like he was cutting air, but only Jiang Chenyi knew that he was severing the long strand of malevolent energy outside her chest.
As soon as he cut it, a powerful gust of wind suddenly swept through the hospital room and blew all the instruments away.
In the midst of this chaos, Jiang Chenyi's position remained eerily quiet, and the hospital bed was completely still. The girl lying on it was safe and sound.
This scene sent shivers down the spines of the He family.
When the wind finally subsided, the girl's pale complexion began to show a hint of color. She slowly opened her eyes and saw the young man standing by her bedside.
Perhaps because she had just brushed with death, the girl seemed to see a halo of light surrounding the young man.
She blinked her eyes, but the vision remained unchanged.
Seeing that the girl had awakened, Jiang Chenyi decisively walked out and, under the hopeful gazes of everyone, poured a bucket of cold water: "This is only temporary. Someone wants to devour your entire family. Because she is not a true member of the He family, her condition appears the most severe."
He extended his hand and pointed at each member of the He family except for He Suisui: "You were spared from her fate because you have accumulated enough Merit. But even though you're fine now, none of you will live past ten years."
The mastermind behind this wanted to slowly consume the flesh and blood of the He family over time, so that when the entire family perished, it would simply be attributed to an infectious disease and avoid any major uproar.
But unfortunately for them, they had encountered Jiang Chenyi.
The young man's words tightened their hearts. Father He and Mother He quickly asked, "By 'temporary,' do you mean she will experience this again in the future?"
Jiang Chenyi took off his isolation gown then watched the medical staff rush in to check on the patients, and sat down on a chair outside before saying, "The other party's malevolent energy has deeply penetrated your hearts, including hers. I have only temporarily severed the malevolent energy, but the source has not been eradicated."
He Suisui hurriedly asked, "Can the supermarket eradicate it?"
She looked at Jiang Chenyi with nervous anticipation, and he did not disappoint her as he nodded to indicate that it was entirely possible.
"It requires a transaction, and the amount is not small. You should explain this to the He family personally."
He sensed that these people did not fully trust him, so he decided to leave this troublesome matter to He Suisui.
As for him, he lowered his head to look at the residual malevolent energy on his hand.
Huo Yunxi walked over and also saw the black, gooey substance on Jiang Chenyi's hand: "What is this? It's disgusting."
Those with abundant Merit naturally have an innate aversion to malevolent energy.
"I don't know who planted this malevolent energy into a human body, but it feels like this method... Do you think the other party might also be a Celestial Master?"
Faced with Jiang Chenyi's doubt, Huo Yunxi reminded him, "Didn't you exchange contact information with the Supervisor? Just ask and it will be clear."
If the other party is also a Celestial Master, then the He family's matter should fall under the jurisdiction of the Celestial Masters Association.
"That makes sense!"
He decisively called the Supervisor, who, upon learning that malevolent energy had been planted into human hearts, immediately became stern.
"Who was it planted in?" he asked.
"A He family in the capital. So far, seven or eight people have been affected."
"The He family..." The Supervisor muttered something under his breath, then said he would rush over tomorrow.
But his next words were somewhat hesitant: "Since the other party dared to use this method on so many people directly, it means the malevolent energy has been planted for some time. We can't be sure we can completely eradicate it..."
Before he could finish, Jiang Chenyi spoke up: "Then forget it. Leave the eradication to me. You focus on finding the mastermind behind this."
Since the other party was uncertain, it might as well be done by himself.
Among the seven members of the He family currently seen in the hospital, apart from He Suisui, the remaining six had already been targeted.
It was still unknown how the other members of the He family were faring.
After hanging up the phone, Jiang Chenyi relayed all the known information to Father He and Mother He.
He Suisui had also finished her explanation. Although they didn’t fully understand what the Merit Transaction was about, they no longer had any resistance to the transaction.
At that moment, the doctors concluded their examination and excitedly informed Father He and Mother He, "Congratulations, her body is gradually recovering. With some rest, she will be fully healed!"
He Shumiao had completely regained consciousness. Through the glass window, she looked at her family outside and gave a weak but radiant smile.
Father He and Mother He were initially overjoyed, but then they glanced at He Suisui and couldn’t help but show a hint of a bitter smile.
They didn’t know how to break the news to their adopted daughter.
What if she was deeply affected by the news and her health deteriorated again?
However, to everyone’s surprise, He Shumiao kept observing He Suisui through the glass and eventually revealed a delighted smile, "Ah! It’s you!"
He Suisui’s heart skipped a beat.
She hadn’t noticed it before when the other was lying in the hospital bed, but now that she smiled, a memory of a little girl in a white princess dress immediately surfaced in her mind.
"It’s you!" She stared wide-eyed at He Shumiao, then turned to look at Jiang Chenyi in disbelief.
So, Mr. Jiang was right. They truly had a connection from long ago.
He Suisui had always remembered that when she was five years old, she almost fell down the stairs at a small park. If it hadn’t been for a little girl who grabbed her hand, she wouldn’t be alive today.
And that girl was none other than He Shumiao!
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•