For Yunge, living in the Xu Family was both joyful and unsettling. Everyone in the household was easy to get along with, which was a novel and delightful experience for Yunge, who had grown up with only her father as company. The two Xu ladies and Qin Zheng treated her with great care. Though she often felt frustrated at having to learn so many things she had never known before—sometimes even berating herself for being so slow—the Xu aunts and Qin Zheng never lost patience with her and often comforted her instead.
What truly weighed on Yunge, however, was that her instinctive wariness of Xu Qingchen during their journey had been correct—because… most of the Xu Family was afraid of him too. And Xu Qingchen really was terrifying… Even though he was still ill and as weak as a kitten, while she was strong and skilled in martial arts, she was still afraid of him.
"Yunge… Yunge…"
In the study, Yunge was diligently copying the calligraphy left by Qingchen Gongzi. Hearing Qin Zheng’s voice, she lifted her head and absentmindedly wiped her cheek with her hand, smearing a streak of black ink across her fair, delicate face—though the girl herself remained blissfully unaware.
"Zheng'er… jiejie…"
Standing at the door, Qin Zheng couldn’t help but cover her lips with a light laugh at the sight of the dazed girl behind the desk. "Yunge, what are you doing?"
Pouting slightly, Yunge replied in a pitiful voice, "I’m practicing calligraphy."
Qin Zheng stepped forward and examined Yunge’s handwriting with a smile. "Your writing has improved so much—it’s very good now. Why keep practicing?" Coming from a scholarly family and once renowned as a talented lady in Chu Jing, Qin Zheng’s praise meant Yunge’s calligraphy was truly presentable.
In a small voice, Yunge muttered, "Xu Qingchen said practicing calligraphy tempers the mind." Her big, pitiful eyes blinked up at Qin Zheng, as if screaming I don’t want to write anymore without actually saying it.
Seeing Yunge’s woeful expression, Qin Zheng could only sigh helplessly. Though Yunge could be mischievous at times, she was usually so obedient it was heartbreaking. Even Madam Xu had begun to feel that Yunge’s unquestioning obedience to Qingchen Gongzi was a bit much. Yet no matter how much Yunge disliked the tasks he assigned, if Xu Qingchen said to do it, she would carry them out without the slightest deviation.
With a soft chuckle, Qin Zheng took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the ink from Yunge’s face. "Yunge is already so well-behaved—why must you shut yourself in every day to 'temper your mind'? I’m going shopping with Ting'er and Tianxiang. Why don’t you come along?"
Only when she saw the ink staining Qin Zheng’s pristine handkerchief did Yunge realize she had made a mess of herself. She quickly took the handkerchief and wiped her face herself. Qin Zheng’s invitation was tempting, but when she glanced at the half-finished calligraphy on the desk, her pretty face fell. If Xu Qingchen found out she had abandoned her practice halfway to go out, he would surely punish her by doubling the amount—her fingers would break!
"Come on, let’s go. I’ll talk to Qingchen Gongzi for you, alright? He’s always reasonable. How can a young girl be expected to sit still at home all day?" Still smiling, Qin Zheng took Yunge’s hand and pulled her toward the door.
Just as they stepped out of the study, they ran straight into Qingchen Gongzi himself.
"Di mei, where are you two off to?"Though his smile was as warm as a spring breeze, Yunge reacted as if a mouse spotting a cat, quickly hiding behind Qin Zheng. Seeing this, Xu Qingchen's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes darkened slightly. Qin Zheng, oblivious to the tension between them, smiled brightly and said, "Brother, I was just looking for you. Ting'er, Tianxiang, Wuyou, and I were planning to go out for a stroll, and we thought we'd take Yunge along. She’s been cooped up in the estate all this time, never going anywhere—look how pale her little face has become."
In truth, Yunge wasn’t pale at all, but Qin Zheng’s words made Xu Qingchen realize that Yunge’s smile wasn’t as radiant as it had been before coming to Li Cheng. She also seemed to avoid him whenever possible. Qingchen Gongzi found this rather baffling. Back when he was recuperating in the valley, he and Yunge had gotten along splendidly, and she had been quite affectionate toward him. But after leaving the valley, for no apparent reason, she had grown fearful of him. Despite his legendary charm, which had never failed him before, no matter how kindly he treated her, Yunge remained obedient and deferential, as if awaiting instructions.
After a brief silence, Xu Qingchen glanced at Yunge’s large, hopeful eyes peeking out from behind Qin Zheng and sighed inwardly. "You can’t go out today," he said.
Yunge’s bright eyes instantly dimmed. Xu Qingchen continued, "Mister Shen Yang is here and wishes to see you."
"Mister Shen Yang?" Yunge blinked, then quickly understood. "You mean the renowned divine physician Shen Yang?" As someone studying medicine, Yunge naturally held great admiration for the famed physician. Though she knew Shen Yang was in Li Cheng, ever since arriving at the Xu Family, she had been occupied with learning etiquette and the various lessons assigned by Xu Qingchen, leaving her no time to sneak out and visit him.
Xu Qingchen nodded. "Would you like to meet him?"
"Of course! But why would Mister Shen come to see me personally?" Yunge replied eagerly, though puzzled. Shen Yang was a legendary physician, the chief doctor of Prince Ding's Estate, while she was just an unknown girl. How could he possibly know about her?
Xu Qingchen nodded again. "In that case, let’s go to the main hall. Princess Changle is also here."
In the hall, Shen Yang sat drinking tea, though his expression was far from that of a polite guest—his face was clouded with anger. Madam Xu sat beside him, her expression tinged with quiet resignation. Though Shen Yang was merely the royal physician of Prince Ding's Estate, he had once saved the prince’s life and held considerable prestige both in the estate and the Mo Family Army. Given his extraordinary medical skills, the Xu Family could not afford to slight him—especially since, in this matter, they were indeed at fault.
"Master, don’t frighten Yunge," Mo Wuyou said softly from her seat beside Shen Yang, covering her lips with a light laugh. She had met Yunge several times and had taken a liking to the sweet girl. She hadn’t expected Yunge to have any connection with her master, though.
Shen Yang snorted and muttered under his breath about daughters being disloyal. Mo Wuyou’s cheeks immediately flushed, and she dared not say another word."Aunt Xu, has the Divine Physician Shen really arrived?" Yunge's voice rang out before she even reached the doorway. Madam Xu smiled and beckoned her over, saying, "Yunge, come quickly. This is Divine Physician Shen Yang. Come and greet him properly."
Yunge stepped forward and performed a respectful bow. "Yunge pays her respects to Divine Physician Shen."
Shen Yang glanced down at Yunge, a flicker of warmth in his eyes. He nodded slightly and remarked, "Your manners are quite well-learned." Hearing this, Yunge lowered her head shyly and replied, "It was all taught to me by Aunt Xu and Sister Zheng'er." Initially, she had found learning these etiquettes rather tedious, but now that Shen Yang had praised her, she felt all the effort had been worth it. For some reason, she felt an inexplicable closeness to this seemingly ill-tempered Divine Physician, attributing it to her admiration for him.
Madam Xu pulled Yunge to her side with a smile. "Yunge is a clever and well-behaved child." Her words were sincere—she genuinely adored Yunge, not just because the girl had been brought home by her son, but also because Yunge's innocent and naive nature tugged at the heartstrings of the childless Madam Xu. Though she had a niece like Ye Li, whose calm and composed demeanor made her one of the most extraordinary women in the world, there was little Madam Xu could do to guide or assist her. In contrast, Yunge's purity and ignorance of the world evoked both worry and deep affection in her.
As they spoke, Xu Qingchen and Qin Zheng also arrived. At the sight of Xu Qingchen, Shen Yang's expression darkened again. He snorted coldly and turned away without a word. Unfazed, Xu Qingchen smiled faintly and asked, "Yunge, have you greeted Shen?"
Yunge glanced curiously at the suddenly displeased Shen Yang, then back at the smiling Xu Qingchen, and nodded cheerfully. "Yes, I have. Shen praised me."
Xu Qingchen's voice was gentle. "Is that so? Shen rarely offers praise. But Yunge, you mustn't become complacent."
Yunge nodded repeatedly, though her bright eyes were already fixed on Shen Yang. Ever since her father's passing, her medical studies had stagnated without guidance, leaving her to puzzle over uncertainties alone. The thought made her gaze at Shen Yang even more eagerly.
Noticing Yunge's undisguised admiration for Shen Yang, Xu Qingchen's expression darkened slightly as he addressed Shen Yang. "Shen, if you have something to say, Yunge is here now. Speak freely."
Shen Yang snorted again, though his gaze toward Yunge remained gentle. While he respected the Xu Family, he couldn't overlook their concealment of Yunge's true identity. Regardless, Yunge was a descendant of the Shen Family.
"Yunge, come here. This is a gift from me as a token of our meeting." Shen Yang handed her a simple jade box. Yunge hesitated and looked at Xu Qingchen, only accepting the box after he nodded—a reaction that caused Shen Yang's expression to darken once more.
Curious, Yunge opened the box to find a neatly arranged set of silver needles inside. Her face lit up, and she asked tentatively, "Are these... the Hibiscus Needles Father once mentioned?"Shen Yang nodded with a smile, "Indeed, these are the Hibiscus Needles. I have no use for them now, and since you're also studying medicine, I'll give them to you." To an ordinary person, the Hibiscus Needles might just be a set of silver needles, but for a physician, they were a rare treasure. Naturally, Yunge was overjoyed, though her delight was tinged with unease. "This... Yunge cannot accept them."
Shen Yang raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
Yunge bit her lip. "Father said the Hibiscus Needles are incredibly difficult to forge, and this is the only set left in the world today. Yunge cannot accept such a precious gift from you, Shen."
Shen Yang studied her thoughtfully before smiling. "Little Yunge, I hear your medical skills are quite impressive."
Yunge's cheeks flushed slightly. "Yunge's skills have not improved in a long time."
"Would you allow me to guide you?" Shen Yang asked with a chuckle.
His meaning was clear, and Yunge couldn't help but brighten. "Does Shen mean to take Yunge as his disciple?"
Shen Yang shook his head, watching as disappointment dimmed her eyes before he beamed. "My surname is Shen, and so is yours. I'm getting on in years and have no children of my own. Would you be willing to become my adopted daughter?"
"Adopted daughter?" Yunge was stunned.
Taking her silence as agreement, Shen Yang smiled contentedly. "Good child, this is a gift from your new father. Keep it well." He placed the jade box containing the needles into her hands.
"Ah?" Yunge was bewildered. Had she agreed?
"Master Shen, isn't this..." Madam Xu frowned, speaking up. Yunge might not know, but the others were aware of Shen Yang's relation to her—by seniority, he was already her granduncle. How could he adopt her as his daughter?
Xu Qingchen lowered his gaze, pondering for a moment before smiling. "Yunge, you study medicine, and it's a happy coincidence that you share Master Shen's surname. Would you like to become his adopted daughter?" Yunge glanced up at Shen Yang, who was gazing at her with paternal warmth, and whispered, "If I call you Father, will you care for Yunge as much as my own father does?"
Shen Yang nodded warmly. "Of course. I will teach you everything I know. And Wuyou—though she's two months younger than you, she entered the sect first... You two can decide how to address each other. Since you're close in age, you can study and play together as companions."
"Senior Sister Wuyou."
"Elder Sister Yunge."
They spoke in unison, then burst into laughter.
"Father!" Yunge called out.
"Good child." Shen Yang's eyes reddened slightly as he nodded at her. He had never married and had no children of his own. The nephew he had once placed high hopes on had left for distant lands for the sake of his wife, leaving Yunge as the last trace of the Shen family's bloodline.
"Congratulations, Master Shen, on gaining such a sweet daughter," Madam Xu said with a smile. Though the generational confusion gave her a headache, since Shen Yang didn't mind and her son agreed, she had no objections. Yunge's parents' affairs had nothing to do with her, and if Shen Yang chose not to bring them up, it was likely for Yunge's own good.
Shen Yang nodded, then glanced at Xu Qingchen and said calmly, "Thank you, Madam Xu. Now that this is settled... there is another matter I'd like to discuss with you."
Madam Xu paused, then smiled. "Please speak freely, Master Shen. There's no need for formalities."Shen Yang said, "Since Yunge has acknowledged me as her adoptive father, she is now a daughter of the Shen family. I will bring Yunge back to my residence in the next couple of days. Thank you for your care during this period." Although Shen Yang often stayed at Prince Ding's Estate, he also maintained his own separate residence in Li Cheng.
Upon hearing Shen Yang's words, Madam Xu merely froze for a moment, but Xu Qingchen, who was sitting below, immediately looked rather embarrassed.
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
( ^__^ ) Hehe... Although Yunge seems naive right now, she's actually quite capable. The first-rate martial arts and medical skills Feng gave her aren't just for show~
OpenNovel