Married Thrice to Salted Fish

8

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, “Should I go look for a doctor for Shaojun?”

Huan Tong took off Lin Qingyu’s shoe and said, “What nonsense are you saying? My family’s Young Master is the best doctor there is.”

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, “Shaojun, should I help you rub it? I can massage it for you.”

“No need.” Lin Qingyu endured the pain, “Go 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.”

Lin Qingyu rubbed the injured part. He then suddenly felt that the room was too quiet — 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, “Are you bruised anywhere?”

Lu Wancheng shook his head and said, “Is your injury okay?”

“It’s nothing serious. It should be all better after resting it for three days.”

Lu Wancheng smiled. “That’s good.”

Lin Qingyu said dully, “Originally, I only had to rest my sprain for two days. But then you dropped me like that…”

Lu Wancheng hid his face, feeling pained. “Don’t say it. It’s my fault.”

In order to make up for his fault, Lu Wancheng generously gave up his wheelchair to Lin Qingyu. However, Lin Qingyu didn’t 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 Lu’s little girl’s heart.

Lu Wancheng asked, drawing out his words, “Does he look good?”

Hua Lu nodded honestly, “He does! An injured Shaojun looks different from how he usually is.”

Lu Wancheng looked at Lin Qingyu and drank the terribly bitter medicine in one go. “This is called ‘ battle-damaged beauty ‘.”

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, “Young 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?”

After a period of silence, Lu Wancheng’s figure, slowly sitting up, appeared against the screen. In a miserable and desolate tone, he said, “I can’t even f*cking…carry you?”

Lin Qingyu: “…” Was Lu Wancheng losing sleep over this kind of thing?

Lu Wancheng said quietly, “This is more terrifying than a ghost story.”

These words roused Lin Qingyu’s curiosity. “Where did you get the confidence to think that you could carry me.”

Lu Wancheng couldn’t understand, “Your waist is so thin. You definitely don’t weigh that much. How could I possibly not carry you?”

Lin Qingyu didn’t feel like attending to Lu Wancheng’s inexplicable ego. He said frankly, “With 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.”

“It’s infuriating.” Lu Wancheng pounded the bed repeatedly, “Even Huan Tong can do it, but I can’t?”

“Huan Tong has been doing heavy work for many years. In what aspect do you think you’re better?”

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. “I am taller than him.”

Lin Qingyu put down the book and looked at him. “Young Master Hou.”

“What?”

Lin Qingyu perfectly imitated Lu Wancheng’s tone, “Behave with integrity, try not to compete with others.”

Lu Wancheng was momentarily at a loss for words. He had completely lost the power to refute. Lin Qingyu’s lips couldn’t 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 “beauty is in bone-deep, not skin-deep.” He couldn’t help lowering his voice, for fear of disturbing Lin Qingyu, “Are you still in pain?”

Lin Qingyu’s shifted his attention back to the book. “It’s fine.”

Lu Wancheng sat down on the edge of the luohan and said, “You’re a patient now too. Get onto the bed and sleep.”

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. “No, your illness is more serious than mine.”

Lu Wancheng said as though it were natural, “So, I’ll also sleep in bed.”

Lin Qingyu’s fingertip paused. He gave a direct refusal, “No.”

“Neither of us are gay, so what are you afraid of?”

Lin Qingyu calmly turned a page, “I’m afraid you’re going to trap my hair.”

Lu Wancheng never expected that Lin Qingyu would use this excuse to reject him, and he couldn’t help smiling as he said, “But you’ve never shared a bed with me, what makes you think I’ll get your hair trapped?”

“Because your sleeping posture is terrible.”

“Then try it with me anyway. You’ll know once you give it a try.”

“I won’t.”

“You’re being too much.” Lu Wancheng accused, “You shouldn’t mix who I am in reality with who I am in your imagination…”

Lin Qingyu raised his eyes to look at him, pretending to be cold and stern, he said, “Young Master Hou, if you spout any more nonsense, you better believe I’m going to make you unable to spit out even a single word for the next three days.”

“I believe you, I believe you. Why wouldn’t I believe you?” Lu Wancheng cursed and went back to lie down in bed. “You’re the vicious beauty who would dare to attack even the Crown Prince. What is there that you can’t do?”

Lin Qingyu’s injury reached Liang Shi’s 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, “Your Yiniang?”

“That would be Sleeping Moon Zhai's Pan Yiniang,” the maid said with a smile. “Shaojun probably has yet to see yet.”

Among the wealthy families of the capital, Nan’an Hou’s inner house was considered to be quite sparse. Aside from his wife, Nan’an 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 wouldn’t 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 didn’t want to owe this favor.

Lin Qingyu was about to refuse when Lu Wancheng walked out of the inner hall and spoke for him, “Leave the medicine here. Please thank Pan Yiniang for us.”

Because there were others around, Lin Qingyu didn’t say anything. After the maid left, without waiting for Lin Qingyu’s question, Lu Wancheng said, “Pan Yiniang doesn’t have any bad intentions. She’s timid and honest. You can give her some face, and maybe she’ll join your camp in the future.”

Lin Qingyu asked, “Young Master Hou has never inquired about the matters of the inner house before. How could you tell who’s good and who’s bad?”

Lu Wancheng veiled his words in half-truths and half-lies, “Because I, like Dayu’s National Teacher, can read the stars and predict the future.”

Lin Qingyu: “…”

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 Nan’an 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!

“Then go and read the stars,” Lin Qingyu said indifferently, “and stop annoying me.”

Lu Wancheng simply pretended not to hear Lin Qingyu’s dismissal, and fiddled with the plasters sent by Pan Yiniang. He said, “Do 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.”

Lin Qingyu was a little surprised. “Is that so?”

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, “What are you doing?”

“Helping you apply the plaster.”

Lin Qingyu struggled a little, “No need, let go.”

Lu Wancheng held his ankle to prevent him from moving, and said with a smile. “No need to be polite. I’ve got my plaster sticking skills down pat, and I guarantee that I’ll stick them on beautifully.”

“Get off me.” Lin Qingyu used only seventy percent of his strength, and easily broke free from Lu Wancheng’s grip. With Huan Tong’s 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 Qingyu’s 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, “Young Master, the Blue Wind Pavilion’s courtyard is so big and there’s also enough sun, why don’t we dry it there?”

Lin Qingyu said, “Too noisy, too many birds.”

Huan Tong grinned, “I think it’s fun. Young Master Hou has been teaching that myna bird to call out ‘Doctor Lin’.” 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 courtyard’s 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 family’s 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, “Young Master, who is that?”

Lin Qingyu looked up. Behind the girl was a momo and a maid. She must be a mistress of the household. In the Nan’an Hou Mansion, there was only one mistress at around this age — The Second Young Lady of the Hou Mansion, Lu Wancheng’s 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, “Greetings, Sister-in-law.”

He had no wish to bother with Liang Shi’s 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, “Second Young Lady Lu.”

Lu Niantao smiled and said, “Sister-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. It’s 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 -‘ Peerlessly magnificent, without equal in the world‘.”

“Second Young Lady Lu need not call me Sister-in-law.”

“But… you are my sister-in-law.” Lu Niantao thought for a while, “Or, should I call you ‘Lin Gege’?”

Lin Qingyu found both titles revolting. Lin Qingyu hesitated for a moment, and decided to take the lesser of the two evils, “Then you should call me Sister-in-law, after all.”

Lu Niantao said softly, “Yes.” She saw the medicinal materials behind Lin Qingyu and asked, “Sister-in-law, are you drying medicine?”

“En.”

Lu Niantao’s heart moved: “Could it be for Eldest Brother?”

All these herbs were medicinal materials listed on his father’s 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 wasn’t impossible.

Lin Qingyu did not respond and Lu Niantao took his silence as affirmation. “Doctor Zhang has been in charge of Eldest Brother’s health since he was a child. It is Doctor Zhang who has the final say on what medicine he takes.”

Lin Qingyu’s patience has already been exhausted. “What do you want to say?”

“Sister-in-law, do not get me wrong!” Lu Niantao seemed a little apprehensive. “I know that Sister-in-law cares about Eldest Brother and wants him to get better soon. It’s just that Eldest Brother’s 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.”

Huan Tong said unhappily, “Second Young Lady, not only has my family’s Young Master already obtained the Master’s 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 hun…”

Lin Qingyu faintly felt that something was wrong, and interrupted, “Huan Tong.”

Huan Tong resentfully closed his mouth. Lin Qingyu said, “This medicine is not for Young Master Hou, the second lady is overly-anxious.”

“Not for Eldest Brother? That’s…”

“It’s getting late.” Lin Qingyu turned a deaf ear, “Huan Tong, pack up, we’re heading back to the Blue Wind Pavilion.”

When Lin Qingyu returned to the Blue Wind Pavilion, Lu Wancheng’s 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, ‘Doctor Lin, Doctor Lin’. Lin Qingyu wanted to poison both of them.

Lin Qingyu threatened, “If you use your bird to bother me again, I will kill it and stew it into soup.”

“How fierce, Doctor Lin.” Lu Wancheng handed the bird cage to Hua Lu, motioning her to carry it out. “With how fierce you are, what girl would marry you once I’m gone?”

Lin Qingyu said coldly, “Young 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 Hou’s grave.”

Lu Wancheng smiled and said, “Then you must remember to burn a lot of paper money. I’m afraid I won’t have enough money down below.”

“Of course.”

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. “Lu Niantao has repeatedly come to see you, but you’ve avoided her every time using various reasons. Do you know something?”

“Didn’t I tell you? I know a lot.”

On the table were Lin Qingyu’s freshly dried medicinal materials. Seeing something new, Lu Wancheng, being the type to touch things one shouldn’t, went to grab a handful. Lin Qingyu slapped his hand away, “Is this also something that ‘the stars’ told you?”

“That’s right,” Lu Wancheng blew on the back of his reddening hand, “The stars say that she’s not a good person, so just ignore her.”

Lin Qingyu said, looking pensive, “I see.”

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

So one day–

Lin Qingyu looked at the soundly sleeping person sharing his bed, and sighed: As expected, my hair got trapped.