Chapter 3

At noon, the medical hall prepared some food specifically for Huo Shu. With the place bustling with activity, the only doctor on duty was Huang Yingsheng, accompanied by an elderly pharmacist and a medicine boy who attended to the patients.

Since Huang Yingsheng was busy writing prescriptions and attending to patients, he couldn’t join Huo Shu for lunch. Thus, Huo Shu ended up dining alone.

The meal was served on a square table by the window in the guest area. It consisted of several small blue ceramic dishes, each about the size of a palm. Despite their small size, there was a variety of dishes, making the table look abundant.

Huo Shu had seen similar decorative ceramic dishes in the northern territories, but they were usually reserved for high-ranking officials or military camps. They were rarely used and highly valued due to their fragility.

However, in Jiangnan, these items were more common and less expensive, even the more finely crafted ones.

As the medicine boy opened the window, sunlight flooded the table, illuminating the dishes and enhancing their appeal.

This was Huo Shu’s first meal since arriving in Tongzhou.

There were three meat dishes on the table: a whole fish, roasted lamb, and duck meat. Additionally, there were two seasonal vegetable dishes: lotus root and bamboo shoots. Lastly, there was a pot of soup whose ingredients Huo Shu couldn’t identify.

The food was likely ordered from a nearby restaurant by Huang Yingsheng.

After the medicine boy finished setting the table, he left the room. Huo Shu wasted no time and started eating, enjoying a variety of Jiangnan delicacies that he had never experienced before.

After resting for a while in the room, Huo Shu felt restless. He couldn’t sit still any longer.

Since there was water nearby, he went to the stable and washed his horse. There was only one donkey in the stable, which Huang Yingsheng used to transport medicinal herbs. Keeping large livestock was expensive and required a lot of care, so ordinary families couldn’t afford it.

He had nothing to do, so after grooming his black horse until it was clean and shiny, he also took the opportunity to wash the donkey.

The water in the Tongzhou River flowed continuously, seeming to slow down time.

After washing the horse, Huo Shu wandered outside for a while, listening to the enthusiastic discussions of the people in the city about who had succeeded again, lucky ones, and so on.

The streets were bustling regardless of the time of day.

He took a stroll until the sun began to set before returning to Huang Ji’s clinic.

Busy all day, the apprentice finally hung up the “closed” sign and was closing the wooden board doors.

Huang Yinsheng stood at the door with a furrowed brow, along with the pharmacist.

“Did you deliver the message?”

“I already had the master who drives the ox cart in the village deliver the message. I told him to say that Taoge came to the clinic to help, got tired, and stayed overnight, and he’ll go back tomorrow morning.”

Huang Yinsheng nodded with his hands behind his back. “Good, that way his parents won’t worry and rush here, causing unnecessary stress. With the autumn harvest approaching, there’s so much to attend to in the village.”

The pharmacist agreed.

“I checked on Taoge earlier, the fever has subsided, but he still complains of discomfort.”

Huang Yinsheng remembered Taoge’s fever from earlier and frowned. “He’s such a big child, yet still goes to the riverbank to play, how dangerous! If anything happens to him, it’ll be a big problem.”

The pharmacist chuckled. “Today is the Autumn Imperial Examination announcement. Taoge naturally wants to take a look. He’s not just playing around. Taoge is a good kid, you know.”

Huang Yinsheng suddenly remembered something. “I got distracted and forgot about this.”

He sighed. “Whether he passes or not is already determined in the examination hall. There’s no need to rush for the results.”

“The child from the You family is indeed talented, but he seems to focus solely on his studies, which may not be good in other aspects. I always feel that the child’s mind is not simple, but unfortunately, Taoge’s parents favor him.”

“Don’t just focus on Lijing and me. Look at the entire Lishe County, who doesn’t value scholars? You worry about Taoge because you care for him, but Lijing has a keen eye. If You Jialang doesn’t succeed this time, it’ll be a loss!”

The pharmacist smiled. “He’ll be a Jinshi in the future. Although Taoge is physically weak, he’s lucky.”

Huang Yinsheng’s worried expression turned into astonishment. “Is that true?”

“I saw the list with my own eyes, written in red and black, it’s unmistakable!”

“If You Jialang has this ability, then there’s nothing more for me to say.”

Just as he finished speaking, Huang Yinsheng saw someone approaching. He stopped talking and said, “Huo Yishi is back and is preparing dinner.”

Huo Shu didn’t know what the two were talking about, but seeing Huang Yinsheng’s good mood, he nodded slightly and went into the house as instructed.

By this time, the fire in the backyard stove had been lit, and smoke was rising. It seemed they were preparing dinner.

People who went out in the evening were all returning, usually making it the time when families were most complete, making dinner the most abundant meal of the day.

The shop was closed, so there was time to cook.

“Huang Qiguo, I really want to eat Dongan chicken.”

“Your body is weak now, you can’t eat such spicy food. I’ve already cooked porridge for you. Wait until your body is better before you eat it again.”

“I don’t often stay overnight at Auntie’s place. When can I eat it again?”

As Huo Shu approached the door, he heard the voices coming from the kitchen. He glanced over and it sounded like the young man’s voice.

He slowed his pace and approached a few steps.

Steam rose from the stove, and the fire crackled.

The apprentice who delivered the food today was cutting vegetables at the stove, while a fluffy figure sat on a low stool beside the stove.

Covered in a cloak and hat, his expression couldn’t be seen, only a pair of fair hands reached out, elbows on his knees, warming them by the fire.

“Next time, I’ll cook lunch for you when you come over.”

“The clinic is busy during the day, there’s no time to cook.”

“My dear child, if I had let you eat the chicken today, Doctor Huang would have kicked me out.”

“After the sun sets, it’s indeed not as warm as during the day, but it’s not cold enough to require a fire,” Huo Shu raised his eyebrows slightly, indicating that he was indeed quite ill, but his appetite was still good. He even knew to pester others for East Anzi chicken.

Without disturbing anyone, he turned back to his room.

Huo Shu tidied up his belongings in the room, preparing to set out early every day.

As he was folding and packing the clothes he had changed out of today, there was a knock at the door.

His brow furrowed slightly, he got up to open the door, but the first glance out the door revealed no one.

Lowering his gaze, he noticed a furry cloak standing at the door.

“This… the cloak, return it to the righteous one.”

The neatly folded cloak was handed to him. Huo Shu remained calm, lowering his eyes as he watched the boy who was too embarrassed to look at him directly.

Seeing that he didn’t take it, the boy gently raised it a bit higher to hand it over.

Huo Shu looked at the small box about the size of a palm on the cloak and asked, “What’s this?”

“Thanks to the righteous one for saving my life today and for not sparing the effort to bring me back. I, a humble boy, have nothing to offer in return, so I’ve made some ointments and medicinal water for external use for injuries, hoping to repay the righteousness of the righteous one.”

According to the etiquette he had learned since childhood, he shouldn’t have had contact with unfamiliar men; but out of gratitude, since he had saved him and brought him back, it was only right to personally thank him.

Hearing that the man hadn’t left and was still staying in the courtyard, he got up from the bed, tidied up a bit, and sorted out his plain cloak, waiting for the man to return what was rightfully his.

“I hope the righteous one doesn’t mind.”

Huo Shu lowered his gaze, looking at the boy in front of him wearing a windproof vest of enamel color over the ordinary autumn clothes, along with a winter-use fur-trimmed cloak.

“He was completely covered, only revealing a small face, looking like he was enduring winter. And there was still some unnatural blush on his face, likely from the fever earlier that hadn’t completely subsided yet, making him appear flushed.

His voice wasn’t as clear as during the day, becoming hoarse.

The soft white bun suddenly turned into a longevity peach.

“Doctor Huang has already thanked you, there’s no need for further gratitude,” Huo Shu took the plain cloak, saying so, but still took the box along with it.

He could indeed make use of these external medicines, which made him somewhat interested.

Seemingly more out of habit than concern, he asked, “Are you okay?”

Ji Taoyu felt a sense of indifference from this person, as if others’ life or death had nothing to do with him. The fact that he could save him and still ask such a question was surprising enough.

He earnestly replied, “I had a fever earlier, took medicine, and slept for a while. I’m much better now.”

Huo Shu could tell that he still didn’t look quite well now, indicating how uncomfortable he must have been earlier.

Seeing someone suffer like this, he unexpectedly felt a hint of remorse. If he had known about his condition earlier, he would have immediately jumped into the water to save him.

Seeing Huo Shu not saying anything, Ji Taoyu adjusted his cloak and softly said, “Then, I won’t disturb you.”

As he finished speaking, Taoyu prepared to slip away in his cloak. But as he reached the door, a voice suddenly sounded from behind.

“Oh, by the way, what’s your name?”

Ji Taoyu hesitated for a moment. He wanted to answer but then thought of You Erlang.

He had almost lost his life today for not making it onto the list. At that time, whether You Erlang succeeded or not, it wouldn’t be appropriate to go congratulate or console him.

But now that he had recovered from the fever and his mind was clearer, Huang Qi had told him that You Erlang not only made it onto the list but also had a decent ranking. Although he was physically uncomfortable, he was happy in his heart.

His marriage to You Erlang was no secret. Since he was young, his mother and father had mentioned it to him, and You Erlang had treated him fairly well, occasionally giving him books and small items. Although they weren’t deeply in love, they both understood the marriage between them.

Now that both of them were of marrying age, and his father had long planned to arrange this marriage once You Erlang made it onto the list, being from a scholarly family, he couldn’t afford to be known by a stranger who had saved him from the water, let alone disclose his name.

Ji Taoyu turned without being rude but still tilted his head slightly, “I have no luck with names, it’s nothing impressive. It’s better for the recipient of the kindness to remain anonymous, but the noble one’s surname and prestigious name should be known.”

Huo Shu stood at the door, silently watching Ji Taoyu. He seemed like a weak young man, but he was quite articulate.

He didn’t speak further, turning directly back into the room.

Ji Taoyu heard the door close with a click. He looked up and stared at the closed door, feeling a bit puzzled.

Did… did he get angry?

He gripped his clothes, then, what should he do?