Chapter 35

“Manager, bad news! The crazy Young Marquis is here! He’s demanding you treat him again!”

An apprentice ran into the pharmacy room, his face full of desperation as he looked to Doctor Sun for help.

Doctor Sun couldn’t help but shudder.

“Take him to the room we specially prepared for him. That boy is truly one of a kind!”

“He’s already been taken there!”

“Alright, I’ll head over now.”

Doctor Sun reluctantly put down the jar of medicine in his hands, his face contorted in pain.

Jian Qiu chuckled, “Don’t spoil him too much! That rascal’s quirks are all because his grandfather pampers him endlessly!”

Xia Qingqing stood there, bewildered, watching the scene unfold. It seemed like this Young Marquis’s condition was far from ordinary.

“Ah! Qingqing, come with me to see this special patient! Maybe you can figure out a way to cure him!”

Seeing Xia Qingqing, Doctor Sun’s eyes lit up as though he had found a savior.

“Me?”

Although Xia Qingqing was curious about what Doctor Sun referred to as a “one-of-a-kind” patient, she glanced at Jian Qiu for approval. After all, she had just been tasked by the Empress Dowager to care for the Prince Xian. Would this cause any conflict?

Jian Qiu nodded. “Go ahead, girl. Better you help out than let the old marquis bother the matriarch again!”

“Alright, I’ll go take a look, but if I can’t cure him, don’t blame me! I’m just an amateur after all.”

Xia Qingqing clasped her hands in mock deference, laying down the ground rules upfront.

“Perfect! Who knows? Maybe seeing such an adorable young lady like you will change his attitude entirely!”

Relieved, Doctor Sun dragged Xia Qingqing toward the specially prepared room.

“Young Marquis, Doctor Sun will be here any moment! Please don’t stand on the windowsill; it’s dangerous! Come down, quickly!”

The apprentice tried to coax the Young Marquis away from the window.

Dressed in a luxurious robe, the Young Marquis sat on the windowsill, gazing melancholically at the blue sky with a pained expression.

“Fine, fine! What’s so wrong, anyway? It’s not my fault! She actually called me ‘greasy.’ Me? Greasy? Impossible! She’s just afraid of falling too deep for me. After all, who can resist my fatal charm?”

The Young Marquis muttered self-consolingly, biting his lip and clenching his fists before hopping down from the sill.

The apprentice shivered upon hearing the Young Marquis’s self-assurances. Hugging himself tightly, he muttered, “Why does it feel so cold today?”

Creak.

The door opened, and Xia Qingqing followed Doctor Sun into the room.

Wow!

The room was extravagant, filled with custom-made luxurious furniture. Even the wallpaper on the walls glittered faintly.

The display shelves were adorned with rare ornaments, and a tall, handsome youth stood by the shelves, toying with a delicate rabbit figurine.

When the Young Marquis turned to see Doctor Sun and the petite girl behind him, a mischievous smile curled on his lips.

“Doctor Sun, you’re even more of a big shot than I am, keeping me waiting this long! Did I not pay you enough silver? If not, I’ll ask my grandfather to send more through your old friend!”

Doctor Sun bowed obsequiously. “Young Marquis, greetings! Please, have a seat. I’ve brought a renowned physician to treat you. She’s guaranteed to cure you!”

Doctor Sun nudged Xia Qingqing forward and introduced her.

“Young Marquis, this is Qingqing. She comes from a family of legendary physicians. Let her take a look at your condition!”

The Young Marquis glanced at the petite Xia Qingqing and scoffed, a mocking smile on his lips. “Her? Fine. Let’s see what she can do!”

Xia Qingqing studied the Young Marquis’s arrogant demeanor. His air of entitlement made her itch to give him a good scolding.

It seemed that whether in ancient or modern times, wealth and power granted some people the luxury of indulgence—even in something as basic as healthcare.

Setting the rabbit down, the Young Marquis sat on a golden sandalwood chair. “Go on, then!”

Xia Qingqing sat across from him and began examining him.

“Aren’t you going to take my pulse? Or are you too captivated by my handsome face?”

The Young Marquis smirked as he noticed her scrutinizing gaze, his tone dripping with smugness.

Xia Qingqing flinched.

“Oh! I was just assessing your mental state first,” she replied seriously.

Her initial impression was correct: this Young Marquis was utterly absorbed in his own delusional narrative. His impressive family background had clearly shaped his arrogant worldview.

“My mental state?”

The Young Marquis frowned in confusion, echoing her words.

“Yes. It seems that not only is your body unwell, but every part of you is afflicted!”

Xia Qingqing grabbed his wrist and began taking his pulse.

Just as she suspected, his physical health was excellent. The real issue was his mind.

“Regardless of the illness, give it a cup of tea’s time, and I’ll be cured!”

The Young Marquis smirked, his tone commanding.

“Young Marquis, even if Hua Tuo himself were here, he couldn’t cure you in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea! If you want treatment, cooperate. If not, feel free to leave!”

Xia Qingqing was not about to coddle him.

“Playing hard to get?”

The Young Marquis chuckled knowingly.

Doctor Sun nearly fell over in shock.

“I’ve never met such a bold physician! Quite the feisty one, aren’t you?”

The Young Marquis leaned in closer, his mischievous grin widening. “Little doctor, I admit, your little tricks are quite charming!”

Xia Qingqing leaned back instinctively.

“Your condition is indeed severe. Now, tell me, where do you feel discomfort?”

Xia Qingqing put on a serious face. After all, if he was rich, she’d make sure to milk him for all he was worth.

“My shoulders feel so heavy!”

The Young Marquis sighed dramatically.

His attendant immediately stepped forward to massage his shoulders.

“Ah, it seems you carry a lot of weight on your shoulders!”

“Of course! I shoulder the entire Marquis household. Not just that—there’s also all the ladies of the capital!”

The Young Marquis held his forehead in exaggerated despair.

“Ah, so you have headaches too!”

“Naturally! Every time I go home, my grandfather drags me around to inspect all our shops, 20 estates, tens of thousands of acres of land, and even our cargo ships by the canal! Can you imagine how exhausting that is?”

Xia Qingqing crossed her arms, suppressing her glee. This was a walking goldmine, and she was going to “treat” him thoroughly.

He was… absurdly wealthy. To her, a struggling commoner, he was the epitome of extravagance.

“Alright, let me continue the examination.”

Xia Qingqing pulled out a custom-made stethoscope from her bag and placed it on his chest.

“Little doctor, what are you doing?”

The Young Marquis instinctively rested his hand on hers, gazing at her with a feigned look of affection.