Chapter 55: I’m Even Willing to Risk My Life for You

She understood.

Perhaps he was having another episode, imagining himself as some miracle doctor.

Yu Tingwan chose not to expose him. “How many days left?”

Wei Zhao lifted his gaze to meet hers, his tone calm. “No more than ten days.”

Well then.. He was being so harsh he’d even curse himself.

“I’ll leave before then.”

Yu Tingwan asked, “Where will you go?”

Wei Zhao lowered his eyes. “I certainly can’t die in your Wei family’s house.”

“Yu Tingwan.”

He suddenly called her name.

Wei Zhao said softly, “While you’re still young, remarry.”

A vibrant young lady like her could make a good life anywhere.

Yu Tingwan: …

He hadn’t even closed his eyes yet, and here he was giving his last wishes?

Noticing he had only taken two sips of porridge, leaving most untouched, she sighed inwardly.

She pushed the rice cake under Wei Zhao’s nose, then casually extended her arm, pulling up her sleeve to reveal a small section of her lily-white wrist.

“Then, husband, examine me as well.”

Wei Zhao frowned.

He really didn’t want to.

But seeing the young lady was about to punch him again in impatience—

Reluctantly, Wei Zhao placed his index and middle fingers on her wrist to check her pulse.

There was a delayed pulse, indicating internal cold stagnation. The qi was stagnant, and blood flow was poor.

Yu Tingwan’s eyes curved into a smile, not expecting him to say anything.

“Open your mouth.”

Wei Zhao: “Let me see your tongue.”

Yu Tingwan willingly complied.

Though she wore no rouge or powder, her lips were naturally red and moist. Sitting across from him, she showed no shyness at all as she obediently stuck out her soft little tongue.

Wei Zhao took note and withdrew his hand.

“You often have cold limbs, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.”

He had diagnosed this accurately.

Every time fragments of memories flooded her mind, they would disturb her nerves. The tragedies of her past life felt as if she was reliving them all over again.

It always took her a long time to recover.

“Long-term liver stagnation has led to trapped pathogenic heat.”

Wei Zhao continued indifferently, “You suffered a serious illness before that damaged your vital energy. Years of poor nutrition left you undernourished. Overwork has exhausted both your body and mind.”

Yu Tingwan looked at Wei Zhao in disbelief.

She had indeed suffered a severe illness. After falling into the water and being rescued, she had run a persistent high fever that nearly took her life.

At the Hu family, she had worked endlessly. Whenever Hu Dazhu wasn’t around, she was busy from dawn till dusk.

“I never expected…”

“Husband must have inquired about my past to understand me so well!”

Wei Zhao: ???

Yu Tingwan smiled at him. “From now on, if husband wants to know anything, just ask me directly.”

No, he didn’t want to know.

Yu Tingwan: “I will tell you everything, holding nothing back.”

She was determined to make sure Wei Shen understood her completely!

He continued indifferently, “I don’t treat women’s ailments. However, from your pulse, I can tell your monthly cycle is irregular. Light flow, with soreness in your lower back and knees, and abdominal bloating.”

Yu Tingwan: ???

Could Wei Shen actually know medicine?

But how could a man speak so calmly about such private matters?

Even Yu Tingwan felt her ears growing hot.

She consoled herself—it’s nothing, Wei Shen was her husband, so it wasn’t inappropriate.

Yu Tingwan just felt a little awkward. Only a little.

Wei Shouzhong returned an hour later.

A pot of Laba porridge was simmering in the kitchen, its rich fragrance filling the air. The porridge was thick and hearty.

Hearing movement, Hui Niang and Yu Tingwan stepped out of the kitchen, only to find Wei Shouzhong carrying a child, with the tall, robust Hunter Peng standing beside him.

Wei Shouzhong smiled. “I thought it wouldn’t be right to trouble Brother Peng during the New Year festivities and planned to ask him after the celebrations. But he said there was no need to delay—he’ll set out today.”

Not just Hui Niang, but even Yu Tingwan was surprised.

Since he had offered, how could they be so insensitive as to refuse when they knew what was at stake?

Hui Niang stepped forward and brushed the snow off the child’s clothes. “Look how cold his little face is, all red. Come with Auntie to warm up by the fire.”

She turned apologetically to Hunter Peng. “We’re really troubling you.”

Hunter Peng said, “Auntie, don’t say that.”

Since his family’s troubles began, he hadn’t felt comfortable leaving the child at home, always taking him along into the deep mountains. The boy had suffered much hardship following him.

He wasn’t good at caring for children either, and the boy had grown up looking messier than other children his age.

“As a rough man, I can’t prepare a proper New Year’s feast. Every year my house is cold and empty. When Uncle mentioned this, I felt relieved and wondered if Yueshan could come eat New Year’s dinner here, with Auntie helping to look after him these few days.”

“How could you say such things?”

Hui Niang quickly replied, “I’ll clean up Xiao Niang’s room right away for Yueshan to stay in.”

“Mother, let me do it. You prepare more dried food for Father and Hunter Peng.”

Yu Tingwan had only taken a few steps when she suddenly remembered something.

Her expression grew serious.

“I heard there are signs of fierce beasts appearing around the outer mountain area. Brother Peng, taking Father might be dangerous—you must be careful.”

Hui Niang’s heart skipped a beat, and worry set in.

Hunter Peng, seeing she was unfamiliar, knew she must be Wei Shen’s new wife. “Who told you that?”

He went up the mountain daily—how had he not noticed?

“Aunt Wu’s son saw it with his own eyes.”

“Don’t take that seriously.”

“There are plenty of fierce beasts deep in the mountains, but they’ve never come out. If they had ventured beyond the outer areas, they would have already entered the village.”

That seemed reassuring enough.

Hui Niang let out a breath of relief. “It’s one thing to hear it from others, but Aunt Wu’s words can’t be trusted.”

The villagers couldn’t afford meat. Aunt Wu’s second son had learned some hunting skills—but only the basics. Getting one successful hunt in ten attempts was considered good.

Aunt Wu never went to the village head’s house for meat, instead always pushing her son to hunt more.

“The path is treacherous, and game isn’t easy to catch. Her son is lazy and deceives her.”

“He lies to her every year, and she believes it every time. Then she goes around telling everyone there are fierce beasts about.”

Yu Tingwan: ???

Fine, fine, fine.

So, the medicinal herb business could continue.

She absently finished tidying the room, then found time to check on Wei Zhao.

Wei Zhao had been drowsy these past few days, but his sleep was light. He had awakened at the first sound from the courtyard, though he hadn’t bothered to open his eyes.

Only when Yu Tingwan approached did he lift his eyelids.

The young woman thought he had just woken up.

She sat down on the bed.

“Husband.”

She took Wei Zhao’s hand.

“I won’t give up on you. Father is preparing to go deep into the mountains. So you must hold on too.”

Wei Zhao didn’t pull his hand away. His eyes seemed veiled with mist, concealing the deep sorrow within.

Yu Tingwan said, “Rather than just waiting at home, I’ll go into the mountains too.”

Not too deep—

Just to search for the ginseng that Doctor Qian mentioned.

Wei Zhao asked in a low voice, “It’s freezing, the snow is thick, and the mountain paths are treacherous. If you slip and fall, do you know what will happen?”

You’d call to heaven and earth, but neither would answer.

Wei Zhao: “Are you afraid?”

Yu Tingwan didn’t lie. “Yes.”

“I fear death more than anyone.”

That’s right.

Wei Zhao narrowed his eyes in satisfaction—only to hear her stubborn reply—

“But I still have to go.”

Yu Tingwan cleared her throat. “You probably don’t know, but fierce beasts have been appearing unpredictably near the outskirts lately.”

Wei Zhao: …

He had heard the conversation in the courtyard earlier.

Yu Tingwan spoke softly. “Wei Shen, I’m even willing to risk my life for you.”

Wei Zhao: …

His expression grew complex, his once-calm eyes darkening as he stared at her, her smiling face reflected within them.

Yu Tingwan’s expression turned serious. “So when you recover, if you dare do anything to wrong me… you’re finished.”