The Wei family courtyard wasn’t big, but it was enough.
Hui Niang was capable, knew how to live. The courtyard was swept clean and tidy. For the sake of walking in the snow conveniently, she even shoveled out a path.
The eastern corner was fenced with a railing, and inside were five chickens being raised.
On the western side, which was the direction leaning against the old house, a persimmon tree was planted—was a good place for escaping the summer heat.
The branches and leaves had already all fallen, but the persimmons were each plump and juicy, hanging up there. Estimating, it wouldn’t be long before they could be eaten.
Wei Zhao was silent for a long while.
The last time Yu Tingwan and Li Lian’s conversation, he had overheard a bit, and also knew that Yu Tingwan was anxious to get married.
But… clearly knowing he’s a pit, and still wants to jump in, really is rare.
There was still no color on his face.
Beside him, the medicine pot was bubbling and boiling, the bitter scent of the medicine curling around the tip of the nose.
From the stove room came Hui Niang’s voice.
She was speaking to Yu Tingwan.
“This morning, Doctor Qian came carrying his medicine box on his back. Took A’Lang’s pulse again. He said A’Lang’s pulse in these past days isn’t as messy as before, so he changed all the usual prescriptions.”
This could be considered a good thing.
She saw the porridge was a little cold, so she restarted the fire to heat it up.
In Hui Niang’s eyes appeared a trace of a smile: “A’Lang was very cooperative.”
When taking the pulse, looking, listening, asking, and touching were all indispensable.
If it were before, no matter what Old Man Qian said, Wei Zhao would treat him like air.
But this morning, Old Man Qian asked a question, and Wei Zhao answered!
For example…
Old Man Qian: “How have your moods been these days?”
How? Every day wants to die.
Wei Zhao faintly: “Good.”
Old Man Qian, suspicious: “You brat, talking nonsense, aren’t you? Your pulse is telling me—really not good.”
Wei Zhao didn’t feel guilty for being seen through, tugged at the corner of his lips, weakly said: “Your medical skills aren’t up to par, and you’re asking me?”
And another example…
Old Man Qian: “Any discomfort in the body?”
Five organs and six bowels feel like they’ve been heavily stirred by sharp blades, hurts fiercely, even coughed up blood several times at night.
Wei Zhao’s body was weak. Without showing anything on the surface, he pressed on the acupuncture point, forced out a fake pulse: “Very good.”
Every question got a reply, it’s just—every reply wasn’t honest.
But Hui Niang didn’t know that!
While she was heating the porridge, she also steamed a coarse wheat momo [馍馍 — Northern Chinese steamed bun, usually made from wheat flour]. She smiled and said to Yu Tingwan who was inside the courtyard:
“I just hope that one day, he can fully recover, and be peaceful and harmonious with you.”
Yu Tingwan lowered her head to look at Wei Zhao, who was sitting in a daze.
She didn’t seem shy at all, and lightly kicked the tip of Wei Zhao’s shoe.
“Heard that?”
Wei Zhao furrowed his brows and retracted his foot slightly.
Yu Tingwan didn’t take it to heart either, and casually picked up the prescription on the table and glanced at it. She didn’t understand it, couldn’t see any clue, and put it back again.
But someone could understand it.
Wei Zhao had marched and fought in battles, and was often injured. So he had followed the military medics and learned some basics.
In truth… he was well-versed in medical principles.
He could even write prescriptions for himself.
But Wei Zhao didn’t.
Wei Zhao clearly knew that his body was beginning to wither at a very fast pace.
Yet he let it be, even looked forward to the arrival of that day.
And yet, unexpectedly, he ran into the Wei family couple who brought him back, and unexpectedly, Yu Tingwan said she wanted to marry him.
He really couldn’t understand it.
Wei Zhao’s voice was faint: “Which part of me did you take a liking to?”
If it had been the former him, with noble status, illustrious military merits, and was a great favorite in front of the emperor. The girls who wanted to marry him were not few in number, but too many to count.
But the him now—besides a face, what did he have left?
Who would’ve thought, Yu Tingwan was silent for even longer than him.
Yu Tingwan felt that he probably didn’t want to know.
But the young girl was honest. Since Wei Zhao had rarely opened his mouth to ask, it wouldn’t be good if she hid something.
They were to be husband and wife in the future.
Then there should be no reservations.
“To tell you the truth.”
Yu Tingwan: “I didn’t take a liking to you.”
Wei Zhao heard her soft voice say: “But I took a liking to your mother.”
Wei Zhao: …
A bit ridiculous.
Yu Tingwan leaned closer: “Why aren’t you speaking? Even if there are other reasons behind it, but since I’m going to be your wife, I’ll still care about you.”
Don’t want to talk.
He really was idle, to actually talk to her about these things.
Wei Zhao raised his hand, brought the cooked medicine to his lips and slowly drank it down. The thick brown decoction slid past his tongue, yet he seemed unable to perceive the bitterness.
Yu Tingwan was surprised.
“Why are you drinking medicine now?”
She was very pleased by this: “This is how it should be. These medicines were all bought with money—only if you take them will you get better. You’re already about to start a family, you should be more steady, can’t be as willful as before.”
Yu Tingwan hoped Wei Zhao could keep this up!
But Wei Zhao’s eyelids drooped, weakly said: “In the newly written prescription, there are a few ingredients that don’t match the illness. The dosage is also too aggressive—taking it will make the injuries worse.”
That’s right.
The prescription Old Man Qian wrote was still under his guidance, step by step.
Wei Zhao was very satisfied with this.
Yu Tingwan: ??
She was a little doubtful.
But Old Man Qian’s medical skills truly couldn’t be called good.
Previously Hu Dazhu caught cold from the wind, took medicine for half a month and didn’t see improvement. In the end he still had to go to the county to see a proper doctor.
Yu Tingwan hesitated: “If it worsens, what will happen?”
Wei Zhao stood up, not wanting to talk to Yu Tingwan, and was about to return to the room.
But he wanted Yu Tingwan to grow some intention to retreat—don’t come bothering him again.
The wound on his chest had become inflamed and swollen; with his movement, it both itched and hurt. He coughed lowly, the taste of blood rising up his throat, the tremor in his chest cavity brought pain to his expression.
Wei Zhao stopped in front of Yu Tingwan, face pale as death, the corner of his lips oozing glaring bright red blood. Drip drip it fell, dyeing the snow red.
Yet he curved his lips: “Just like this.”
The young girl’s pupils contracted, flustered: “How could it be like this?”
“Is there really something wrong with the medicine? How do you know that?”
She anxiously tried to support Wei Zhao to sit down first: “Is anywhere in your body feeling unwell? Don’t scare me. I’ll go find Old Man Qian right now!”
“You absolutely must not let anything happen.”
But Wei Zhao turned his body to the side to avoid, pulling distance between himself and Yu Tingwan.
He glanced at Yu Tingwan faintly, his tone not fluctuating in the slightest: “Fuss over nothing.”
Yu Tingwan: ???
You’re really irritating, do you know that!
If the medicine were good, Wei Zhao wouldn’t drink it.
It’s just a pity that Old Man Qian wouldn’t prescribe him poison.
His will was dispirited, he tugged at the corner of his lips, and there wasn’t the slightest trace of vitality in his eyes: “Did you see? I could die at any moment. Why bother tying up your latter half of life?”
Yu Tingwan furrowed her brows and quickly came to a realization.
“This isn’t a big deal.”
She held her patience and spoke to him in a warm voice: “Don’t worry.”
“As long as you’re alive, I’m willing to serve you.”
Serving tea, pouring water—those were things she could do.
She would also do them wholeheartedly.
With another man in the household, even if his body wasn’t good, and he cost money—at least there was something to look forward to. Yu Tingwan still didn’t want anything bad to happen to him.
“If one day you really don’t make it through, I…”
Under Wei Zhao’s deep and dark eyes, Yu Tingwan slowly said:
“You can rest assured, I will definitely treat your father and mother with proper filial piety in your place.”
In the future, she also wouldn’t remarry. That would at least be living up to Wei Shen.
Wei Zhao: …
He really laughed from anger.
Yu Tingwan, talking to herself: “You and I teaming up to get by in life—isn’t that pretty good?”
Wei Zhao, weakly: “Not good.”
Yu Tingwan: ???
She pressed her lips together, a little unhappy.
But she also couldn’t argue with a sickly person.
Yu Tingwan could only speak to him in a small voice.
“I can pretend I didn’t hear that.”