Huan Tong carried Lin Qingyu back into the room and placed him on the luohan. Lin Qingyu then asked him to take out the medicine box from the cabinet and look for the medicine for bruises and sprains. Hua Lu saw that Lin Qingyu was in so much pain that he was bursting out in a cold sweat. She said anxiously, âShould I go look for a doctor for Shaojun?â
Huan Tong took off Lin Qingyuâs shoe and said, âWhat nonsense are you saying? My familyâs Young Master is the best doctor there is.â
Lin Qingyu poured the potion onto his palm and rubbed it on the sprained part. The light medicinal fragrance spread through the room.
Hua Lu said, âShaojun, should I help you rub it? I can massage it for you.â
âNo need.â Lin Qingyu endured the pain, âGo and get a basin of well water. Then soak a handkerchief in it. I still have to apply a cold compress for half an hour after using the medicine.â
Lin Qingyu rubbed the injured part. He then suddenly felt that the room was too quiet â Where was that person who talked the most?
Lin Qingyu raised his head and saw Lu Wancheng sitting by the table; his expression dark and unhappy.
Thinking about how Lu Wancheng almost fell, Lin Qingyu asked him, âAre you bruised anywhere?â
Lu Wancheng shook his head and said, âIs your injury okay?â
âItâs nothing serious. It should be all better after resting it for three days.â
Lu Wancheng smiled. âThatâs good.â
Lin Qingyu said dully, âOriginally, I only had to rest my sprain for two days. But then you dropped me like thatâŠâ
Lu Wancheng hid his face, feeling pained. âDonât say it. Itâs my fault.â
In order to make up for his fault, Lu Wancheng generously gave up his wheelchair to Lin Qingyu. However, Lin Qingyu didnât appreciate the gesture. He simply had Huan Tong serve him by his side. He had Huan Tong fetch whatever he needed. When walking was unavoidable, he had Huan Tong support him as he did so.
Hua Lu was waiting for Lu Wancheng to drink the medicine when she caught sight of Lin Qingyu. Lin Qingyu was slowly walking with one hand on the table and Huan Tong supporting him on his other side. He had on a simple white robe, with his long hair falling on his shoulders and his brows furrowed slightly. The image he made caused pity to rise in Hua Luâs little girlâs heart.
Lu Wancheng asked, drawing out his words, âDoes he look good?â
Hua Lu nodded honestly, âHe does! An injured Shaojun looks different from how he usually is.â
Lu Wancheng looked at Lin Qingyu and drank the terribly bitter medicine in one go. âThis is called â battle-damaged beauty â.â
Once night fell, Lin Qingyu lay on the luohan, reading as usual. Sounds of a body turning over could be heard from time to time on the big bed behind the screen. The noise made it impossible for Lin Qingyu to read at ease. Normally, Lu Wancheng would already be dead asleep at this time. He had no idea what had gotten into the other today.
Hearing another sigh, Lin Qingyu asked, âYoung Master Hou, indifferent to fame and fortune, taking no account of gains or losses, what could possible make you frown with worry and moan and groan so late into the night?â
After a period of silence, Lu Wanchengâs figure, slowly sitting up, appeared against the screen. In a miserable and desolate tone, he said, âI canât even f*ckingâŠcarry you?â
Lin Qingyu: ââŠâ Was Lu Wancheng losing sleep over this kind of thing?
Lu Wancheng said quietly, âThis is more terrifying than a ghost story.â
These words roused Lin Qingyuâs curiosity. âWhere did you get the confidence to think that you could carry me.â
Lu Wancheng couldnât understand, âYour waist is so thin. You definitely donât weigh that much. How could I possibly not carry you?â
Lin Qingyu didnât feel like attending to Lu Wanchengâs inexplicable ego. He said frankly, âWith the body you have now, just walking for too long leaves you gasping for breath. Hua Lu is stronger than you. Young Master Hou, people should know their own limits.â
âItâs infuriating.â Lu Wancheng pounded the bed repeatedly, âEven Huan Tong can do it, but I canât?â
âHuan Tong has been doing heavy work for many years. In what aspect do you think youâre better?â
Lu Wancheng angrily got out of bed. In passing, he draped the fox fur robe over his shoulders and walked out from behind the screen. âI am taller than him.â
Lin Qingyu put down the book and looked at him. âYoung Master Hou.â
âWhat?â
Lin Qingyu perfectly imitated Lu Wanchengâs tone, âBehave with integrity, try not to compete with others.â
Lu Wancheng was momentarily at a loss for words. He had completely lost the power to refute. Lin Qingyuâs lips couldnât help curling up seeing his defeated expression.
Actually, Lin Qingyu smiled a lot, but most of the time it was a bitter smile or a sneer. It was the first time Lu Wancheng saw him with a smile like this.
Lin Qingyu was half lying on the luohan, under the dim lights, with his long strands of hair hanging down on his chest, holding a book in his hand, shaking off all wariness and indifference, and smiling as he quietly watched him.
Lu Wancheng suddenly understood what was meant by âbeauty is in bone-deep, not skin-deep.â He couldnât help lowering his voice, for fear of disturbing Lin Qingyu, âAre you still in pain?â
Lin Qingyuâs shifted his attention back to the book. âItâs fine.â
Lu Wancheng sat down on the edge of the luohan and said, âYouâre a patient now too. Get onto the bed and sleep.â
Lin Qingyu thought that Lu Wancheng was going to exchange with him; he would get the bed and Lu Wancheng would sleep on the luohan. âNo, your illness is more serious than mine.â
Lu Wancheng said as though it were natural, âSo, Iâll also sleep in bed.â
Lin Qingyuâs fingertip paused. He gave a direct refusal, âNo.â
âNeither of us are gay, so what are you afraid of?â
Lin Qingyu calmly turned a page, âIâm afraid youâre going to trap my hair.â
Lu Wancheng never expected that Lin Qingyu would use this excuse to reject him, and he couldnât help smiling as he said, âBut youâve never shared a bed with me, what makes you think Iâll get your hair trapped?â
âBecause your sleeping posture is terrible.â
âThen try it with me anyway. Youâll know once you give it a try.â
âI wonât.â
âYouâre being too much.â Lu Wancheng accused, âYou shouldnât mix who I am in reality with who I am in your imaginationâŠâ
Lin Qingyu raised his eyes to look at him, pretending to be cold and stern, he said, âYoung Master Hou, if you spout any more nonsense, you better believe Iâm going to make you unable to spit out even a single word for the next three days.â
âI believe you, I believe you. Why wouldnât I believe you?â Lu Wancheng cursed and went back to lie down in bed. âYouâre the vicious beauty who would dare to attack even the Crown Prince. What is there that you canât do?â
Lin Qingyuâs injury reached Liang Shiâs ears. Liang Shi then sent a maid to inquire about his condition. This was done simply for the sake of appearances. There was also an unfamiliar maid who came to the Blue Wind Pavilion to deliver some medical plasters to Lin Qingyu. She said that this was a secret recipe passed down within their Yiniang's family and that it had miraculous effects on sprains.
Lin Qingyu asked, âYour Yiniang?â
âThat would be Sleeping Moon Zhai's Pan Yiniang,â the maid said with a smile. âShaojun probably has yet to see yet.â
Among the wealthy families of the capital, Nanâan Houâs inner house was considered to be quite sparse. Aside from his wife, Nanâan Hou had only two or three concubines. Liang Shi managed them properly and the concubines knew their place. Although Lin Qingyu was the Shaojun, he was still a man, after all. Distinctions are made between the sexes and apart from when celebrating the New Year, he generally wouldnât see these concubines face to face.
Lin Qingyu took a sniff of the ointment. It was indeed good medical plaster, but he and Pan Yiniang were complete stranger and he didnât want to owe this favor.
Lin Qingyu was about to refuse when Lu Wancheng walked out of the inner hall and spoke for him, âLeave the medicine here. Please thank Pan Yiniang for us.â
Because there were others around, Lin Qingyu didnât say anything. After the maid left, without waiting for Lin Qingyuâs question, Lu Wancheng said, âPan Yiniang doesnât have any bad intentions. Sheâs timid and honest. You can give her some face, and maybe sheâll join your camp in the future.â
Lin Qingyu asked, âYoung Master Hou has never inquired about the matters of the inner house before. How could you tell whoâs good and whoâs bad?â
Lu Wancheng veiled his words in half-truths and half-lies, âBecause I, like Dayuâs National Teacher, can read the stars and predict the future.â
Lin Qingyu: ââŠâ
Lin Qingyu has been married for some time already, and he knew that although Lu Wancheng looked unreliable, he has never been malicious towards him. Among the hundreds of people in the Nanâan Hou Mansion, only Lu Wancheng was barely worthy of his trust. How could he not want to get along peacefully with Lu Wancheng? But⊠Lu Wancheng could only bring himself to be serious for three minutes before his inexplicable bad habit of making irresponsible remarks reared its head!
âThen go and read the stars,â Lin Qingyu said indifferently, âand stop annoying me.â
Lu Wancheng simply pretended not to hear Lin Qingyuâs dismissal, and fiddled with the plasters sent by Pan Yiniang. He said, âDo you remember the acupuncture bag that I wanted to give you but you rejected ruthlessly? It was Pan Yiniang who had given that wedding gift. And it was one that she had sewn herself.â
Lin Qingyu was a little surprised. âIs that so?â
Were Pan Shi's repeated expressions of goodwill towards him truly just an expression of her good intentions, or did she have ulterior motives?
Lin Qingyu was pondering the matter when someone suddenly held his ankle and lifted it up. He locked eyes with Lu Wancheng and said, confused, âWhat are you doing?â
âHelping you apply the plaster.â
Lin Qingyu struggled a little, âNo need, let go.â
Lu Wancheng held his ankle to prevent him from moving, and said with a smile. âNo need to be polite. Iâve got my plaster sticking skills down pat, and I guarantee that Iâll stick them on beautifully.â
âGet off me.â Lin Qingyu used only seventy percent of his strength, and easily broke free from Lu Wanchengâs grip. With Huan Tongâs support, he stalked away.
Lu Wancheng looked down at his hand, grievance filling his eyes, an expression looking as though he were about to suffocate appearing on his face.
Lin Qingyuâs sprain healed after three days of recuperation. Lu Wancheng grew tired of listening to birdsong and got a myna from who knows where. The endless chatter as he undertook the meaningless task of teaching the bird to speak, was very irritating. Lin Qingyu took Huan Tong out of the Blue Wind Pavilion and taking advantage of the good spring weather, found an open space in the garden and began laying out medicinal herbs to dry.
Huan Tong spread out the medicinal herbs one by one and asked, âYoung Master, the Blue Wind Pavilionâs courtyard is so big and thereâs also enough sun, why donât we dry it there?â
Lin Qingyu said, âToo noisy, too many birds.â
Huan Tong grinned, âI think itâs fun. Young Master Hou has been teaching that myna bird to call out âDoctor Linâ.â Before, when the Young Master refused to let him come to the Hou Mansion, he thought life there was difficult. After coming, he found that it was quite enjoyable.
Young Master Hou had a distinguished status and has always been ill. Any good thing that comes to the Mansion are sent to their courtyard first. The courtyardâs servants too get to bask in this glory. Young Master Hou himself was also crafty and interesting. Although he was not in good health, he could always find something fun for him and he treated his familyâs Young Master well. This was already a blessing amidst the misfortune.
The two were drying the herbs when Huan Tong saw a girl in a pink short jacket and skirt coming towards them from a distance. He asked, âYoung Master, who is that?â
Lin Qingyu looked up. Behind the girl was a momo and a maid. She must be a mistress of the household. In the Nanâan Hou Mansion, there was only one mistress at around this age â The Second Young Lady of the Hou Mansion, Lu Wanchengâs half-sister, Lu Niantao.
Lu Niantao was born with bright eyes and pearly teeth. Her every move and action reflected her wealthy and noble upbringing. She slowly and unhurriedly approached Lin Qingyu. With a half-bow, she said, âGreetings, Sister-in-law.â
He had no wish to bother with Liang Shiâs daughter. But Lu Niantao was a girl, after all. He might as well show her a bit of face in front of the servants.
Lin Qingyu nodded lightly and said calmly, âSecond Young Lady Lu.â
Lu Niantao smiled and said, âSister-in-law, you can just call me Niantao. I am embarrassed, I have been meaning to pay a visit to Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law at the Blue Wind Pavilion. Itâs a pity that Eldest Brother is still sick and seems unwilling to be disturbed by others. Today, we finally get the chance to meet. As they say, Sister-in-law truly is -â Peerlessly magnificent, without equal in the worldâ.â
âSecond Young Lady Lu need not call me Sister-in-law.â
âBut⊠you are my sister-in-law.â Lu Niantao thought for a while, âOr, should I call you âLin Gegeâ?â
Lin Qingyu found both titles revolting. Lin Qingyu hesitated for a moment, and decided to take the lesser of the two evils, âThen you should call me Sister-in-law, after all.â
Lu Niantao said softly, âYes.â She saw the medicinal materials behind Lin Qingyu and asked, âSister-in-law, are you drying medicine?â
âEn.â
Lu Niantaoâs heart moved: âCould it be for Eldest Brother?â
All these herbs were medicinal materials listed on his fatherâs prescription. It was extremely difficult to prepare prescriptions, and every medicinal material had its own strict requirements. It would take at least more than a month from dispensing to finish the medicine. He spent so much time and energy on preparing this medicine, but he was merely just doing it for the sake of practice. Of course, if Lu Wancheng wanted to try the medicine for him once it was finished, it wasnât impossible.
Lin Qingyu did not respond and Lu Niantao took his silence as affirmation. âDoctor Zhang has been in charge of Eldest Brotherâs health since he was a child. It is Doctor Zhang who has the final say on what medicine he takes.â
Lin Qingyuâs patience has already been exhausted. âWhat do you want to say?â
âSister-in-law, do not get me wrong!â Lu Niantao seemed a little apprehensive. âI know that Sister-in-law cares about Eldest Brother and wants him to get better soon. Itâs just that Eldest Brotherâs body is very precious, not a wisp of sloppiness must be allowed. Even if Sister-in-law was born into a renowned family of medical experts, if you wish for Eldest Brother to take this medicine, it would be best to talk to Doctor Zhang first.â
Huan Tong said unhappily, âSecond Young Lady, not only has my familyâs Young Master already obtained the Masterâs teachings, but he has been made disciple by a miracle-working doctor. In terms of medical skills, that Doctor Zhang may not be as good as hunâŠâ
Lin Qingyu faintly felt that something was wrong, and interrupted, âHuan Tong.â
Huan Tong resentfully closed his mouth. Lin Qingyu said, âThis medicine is not for Young Master Hou, the second lady is overly-anxious.â
âNot for Eldest Brother? ThatâsâŠâ
âItâs getting late.â Lin Qingyu turned a deaf ear, âHuan Tong, pack up, weâre heading back to the Blue Wind Pavilion.â
When Lin Qingyu returned to the Blue Wind Pavilion, Lu Wanchengâs new favorite myna had already learned how to greet people. Lu Wancheng wound around Lin Qingyu, carrying it in his hand. Both man and bird kept calling out, âDoctor Lin, Doctor Linâ. Lin Qingyu wanted to poison both of them.
Lin Qingyu threatened, âIf you use your bird to bother me again, I will kill it and stew it into soup.â
âHow fierce, Doctor Lin.â Lu Wancheng handed the bird cage to Hua Lu, motioning her to carry it out. âWith how fierce you are, what girl would marry you once Iâm gone?â
Lin Qingyu said coldly, âYoung Master Hou need not worry about this. I will definitely marry a good person and during the Qingming Festival, I will bring my wife to visit Young Master Houâs grave.â
Lu Wancheng smiled and said, âThen you must remember to burn a lot of paper money. Iâm afraid I wonât have enough money down below.â
âOf course.â
After their agreement to burn paper money at his grave, Lin Qingyu moved on to discuss proper business and told Lu Wancheng about meeting Lu Niantao in the garden. âLu Niantao has repeatedly come to see you, but youâve avoided her every time using various reasons. Do you know something?â
âDidnât I tell you? I know a lot.â
On the table were Lin Qingyuâs freshly dried medicinal materials. Seeing something new, Lu Wancheng, being the type to touch things one shouldnât, went to grab a handful. Lin Qingyu slapped his hand away, âIs this also something that âthe starsâ told you?â
âThatâs right,â Lu Wancheng blew on the back of his reddening hand, âThe stars say that sheâs not a good person, so just ignore her.â