“Weren’t you supposed to have recovered? Why are you feeling so bad at night?” Jia Yufang asked.
Zhu Yun didn’t want to respond.
Just now, Luo Yan had wiped scented ash over his lips and spread stone indigo under his eyes.
He looked like he was on the brink of death, and the smell was harsh.
Luo Yan had no choice but to speak for him. “Grandmother, Ayun wants to go to the medical hall.”
“If you’re feeling unwell, you should go see the doctor,” Jia Yufang nodded. “Your Uncle Tian Quan is heading to town tomorrow to buy supplies. You can take his ox cart.”
She straightened her posture and said obediently, “I’ll accompany Ayun.”
“That won’t do.”
Though she had agreed to take Zhu Yun in, since his background was uncertain, Jia Yufang wasn’t comfortable with Luo Yan tagging along.
She reassured her, “Your Uncle Tian Quan will take Brother Yun there, and bring him back after the treatment.”
Fortunately, Luo Yan was prepared for this.
She dabbed at her eyes with the ginger water handkerchief and then looked up, tearful and aggrieved. “Grandmother~”
What else could Jia Yufang say?
She waved her hand dismissively, “Fine, fine, the three of us will go together.”
……
Before going to sleep, Luo Yan came to the study to remove Zhu Yun’s makeup.
Looking at the water that still looked gray after washing twice, he scowled and began to doubt how he’d been fooled before.
Maybe Liu Changsheng was right—this house was haunted, very strange.
“Do you know the Laifu Tavern?” Luo Yan wiped away the dark circles for him and said with longing, “It’s said to have been opened by the former Crown Princess. There’s one here in town too.”
Hearing the excitement in her voice, Zhu Yun sneered, “Seems like your real reason for wanting to go to town isn’t to find a doctor, but to eat, drink, and have fun.”
Luo Yan wouldn’t admit it, blinking innocently, “My health isn’t good either. Grandmother asked me to go along, so how could it be ‘just for fun’?”
He snorted coldly and didn’t argue.
Luo Yan asked again, “Since you recognized that box of secret manuals and pills, it means you’re very experienced. Where have you been before? What have you done for fun?”
“I don’t know.”
Thinking he was hiding things, she angrily threw down the handkerchief, splashing water onto his face. “Don’t know, don’t know—you’re no fun at all.”
“……”
After reaching the A-rank level, the people he killed were all well-known figures in the martial world, whose whereabouts were hard to find and usually hidden deep in the mountains—hardly the sort to “play around.”
As for towns, he visited them often when first entering the Jianghu, but that was for killing and treasure hunting, not “playing.”
Zhu Yun glanced at her sideways, already imagining how tomorrow, once they arrived in town, some people would make a fuss about wanting to eat things they rarely had, and if they had the energy, they’d want to roam every street and alley.
Her face would surely wear a smile, as if everything was extremely fun.
After venting, Luo Yan nervously wiped his face with a clean handkerchief and negotiated, “I heard we have to leave before dawn. If I don’t wake up, remember to come and get me.”
He said slowly and clearly, “Depends, on, my, mood.”
“……”
We’re done!
Done right now!
…..
Before dawn, Jia Yufang was already up. She first placed the steaming basket on the stove, then shook Luo Yan awake, tying her hair neatly before returning to the room to get embroidery supplies and a mat she had prepared earlier.
Zhu Yun had gone to the mountains for morning training earlier.
After washing, seeing Luo Yan still unmoving, he went into her room and found her slumped awkwardly on the bed.
“Get up.”
Luo Yan couldn’t open her eyes but sat up with his arm supporting her, yawning repeatedly.
He deliberately said, “If you’re this tired, maybe it’s better not to go today.”
“I’m going. How could I not go?” Luo Yan finally had some clarity and pointed to the jewelry on the bedside, “Hide these two on you.”
Zhu Yun stood rooted.
She skillfully cupped her fists in a bow, “Please, please.”
“……”
Soon, Gu Yu’s father arrived. Jia Yufang invited him inside for breakfast.
As for the two younger ones, they had agreed last night to keep their stomachs empty for the trip to town.
Wang Tian Quan learned from his son that the Jia family had another eldest grandson.
Seeing Zhu Yun, who looked like the proper elder brother to Luo Yan, he sincerely said, “Auntie Fang, you’re so fortunate. Your grandchildren all look like immortals.”
Luo Yan chuckled behind, “If you looked uglier, Uncle Tian Quan might not believe it.”
Zhu Yun ignored the teasing and focused on wrapping his sword carefully with cloth strips.
After breakfast, Jia Yufang laid the mat on the ox cart, just enough for two to sit. She called out, “Don’t keep your Uncle Tian Quan waiting.”
“Coming, coming.”
Luo Yan hid the armlet and jade bracelet inside her sleeves. Afraid Grandmother would notice, she climbed up nimbly without waiting for help.
Seeing the mat next to her empty, she knew it was reserved for Zhu Yun.
Wang Tian Quan latched the door and laughed, “Your grandmother really dotes on the children.”
Jia Yufang teased back, “Learned it all from your Wang family. Whenever we send Gu Feng off, there are always three or four layers of mats.”
“Not true.”
Luo Yan glanced at the beaming Uncle Tian Quan, then leaned over to whisper to Zhu Yun, “Big Brother Gu Feng is a scholar. The Liu family doesn’t want him to get any smell of blood on him, so they specially prepared this carriage for his transport.”
The ox cart was small, and the mountain wind blew Luo Yan’s long hair all over Zhu Yun’s face.
He irritably brushed it aside, the scent of hair tonic lingering on his nose.
Just as he was about to retaliate by messing up her hair, Luo Yan sat up on her knees and chirped busily to the front.
Her long hair, like a sly fish, slipped easily from his hands.
Zhu Yun curled his fingers, his gaze darkening.
“Ayun, Ayun, did you hear that?” She cupped her hands by his ear, afraid the wind would scatter her words. “There are two bookstores, three teahouses, and four pawnshops in town. So many!”
He didn’t respond, just raised his eyelids slightly, his expression colder than usual.
But that didn’t dampen Luo Yan’s enthusiasm one bit.
She leaned forward again, and after listening, squeezed up to him and babbled, “Wow, Grandmother is taking embroidery to Sheng the Wealthy’s house. We can sneak off to the street while she’s there.”
The girl’s smile was pure and innocent, gradually merging with another face in Zhu Yun’s memory.
After a long while, he averted his gaze, darkening his expression.
Even the dull Luo Yan sensed something was off.
Tilting her head, she examined him and asked, “Ayun, are you car sick?”
“No.” Zhu Yun closed his eyes and made up a random excuse, “I’m hungry.”
She believed him, “Hang in there a bit longer. I’ll take you to eat something delicious later.”
“Hmm.”
As his energy waned, Luo Yan scanned him up and down, thinking maybe he really was hungry.
Comforting herself, she leaned on Jia Yufang’s shoulder and gave a delicate yawn. “Grandmother, remember to wake me when we see the city gates.”
….
Chunmei Town.
Wang Tian Quan dropped off the three of them at the medical hall and arranged a time to pick them up before leaving leisurely.
Dr. Liu wasn’t working today, but the attendant recognized Jia Yufang and greeted them respectfully.
Jia Yufang took out two palm-sized cloth bags filled with snacks and told the children, “I’ll go deliver the embroidery first, then come back to take you to the tavern.”
The attendant offered hot tea and chatted warmly, “If you’re ever hungry or thirsty, just let us know. The backyard has everything ready.”
Luo Yan rubbed her face and lowered the corners of her lips.
“Don’t worry, Grandmother. We won’t wander off.”
After seeing Jia Yufang off, she skillfully tied a pouch and, seeing Zhu Yun still standing like a wooden post, tied one on his waist too. “Use this to settle your stomach first.”
He snapped back to reality, glanced down, and raised his chin. “Go ahead.”
At this time, the medical hall hadn’t opened yet.
The gray-bearded Ning Doctor was sitting in the back room sorting herbs.
Seeing someone lift the curtain, he signaled the apprentice to light a lamp.
Ning Doctor was Liu Doctor’s teacher.
Although the hall was run by others, he was repeatedly told to take good care of the benefactor’s young lady, so he politely invited Luo Yan to sit.
He first asked her age, then about her diet over the past month, examined her tongue coating and whites of her eyes, and finally took her pulse.
Strange.
Ning Doctor had heard of her symptoms before.
They said it was congenital, “As long as you take good care, although there’s no cure, there’s no danger to life.”
Luo Yan wasn’t surprised.
She smiled brightly at Zhu Yun, her eyes and brows full of satisfaction.
He looked at her steadily, then extended his hand to the old doctor.
“Ah.” Ning Doctor frowned, then reached out to pinch Zhu Yun’s shoulder and arm. Just as Luo Yan’s heart jumped to her throat, he gasped, “Yin and yang balanced, internal organs harmonious, bones remarkable—rare material seen once in a hundred years.”
Luo Yan: “……”
Startled to death.
The doctor continued, “But old wounds left untreated tend to become stubborn ailments. Now, take off your coat.”
Zhu Yun was surprised the old man actually had some skill and cooperated by removing his outer robe.
Then, reaching for the tie on his inner shirt, he hesitated and looked at his shadow. “I want to loosen my clothes.”
“I know.” Luo Yan looked innocent. “You’re not taking everything off. Are you shy?”
“……”
Ning Doctor then spoke: “Miss, please wait outside.”
Reluctantly, she got up and saw the doctor opening a needle case, silver needles gleaming.
She turned pale with fright and comforted Zhu Yun, “Don’t be scared. I heard acupuncture doesn’t hurt.”
Zhu Yun’s patience ran out, urging her to leave quickly.
Ning Doctor joked, “Ungrateful boy, your sister cares about you.”
After carefully cleaning the wounds on his back, which were generally fine, he finally lived up to the Liu family’s expectations.
“All done. Take this prescription to get your medicine.”
When Zhu Yun returned to the main hall, Luo Yan was already drinking hot medicinal porridge, laughing uproariously at the attendant’s stories.
She was liked everywhere she went.
“Ayun, Ayun.” Whether it was Luo Yan’s sharp eyes or Zhu Yun’s alertness, she suddenly ran over like a gust of wind. “Brother Yang said there’s a pawnshop on the next street.”
So the two of them left the medical hall side by side, but Zhu Yun stopped at the teahouse entrance.
“You’ve always wanted to listen to storytellers. Give me your things.”
Luo Yan was slightly taken aback—not because she suspected he would run off with the money, since all the really valuable things were left at home.
She asked, “Can’t I come along?”
“You’re a young lady. It’s easy for them to lowball you if you come.”
She looked at the sword wrapped in cloth strips, which made it look even more imposing, and silently removed the armlet and other items.
Zhu Yun led her to a front seat, glancing coldly around until the crowd showed signs of fear before lowering his gaze. “Alright.”
Luo Yan felt uneasy and asked up at him, “Will you come back?”
He was silent for a few seconds, then broke free from her grip and walked away without looking back.