"Indeed."
Qin Ye sighed, placing the broken silver pieces on the worn round wooden table. He rubbed his hands anxiously, furrowing his brow as he said, "If you were asking about anyone else, I might be able to say a few things... but this Young Master Wu—his family steward has specifically instructed me multiple times not to speak a word about him... May I ask, what is your relationship with Young Master Wu, Young Master An?"
"No particular relationship... just a junior of mine." Xiao Jin Yu's expression darkened slightly. "He's terribly stubborn. After the incident, he refused to see me again... To be frank with you, sir, I came from the capital to Chu Shui Town to propose marriage. That day, I happened to meet his long-time steward here at your place and heard he was gravely ill. I just wanted to inquire about his recent condition from you, otherwise I really can't rest easy..."
Xiao Jin Yu pressed his thin lips together, his brows knitting into a faint frown. His dense eyelashes lowered as he watched the tea leaves slowly floating and sinking in his cup. His hands holding the teacup were pale and slender, trembling slightly. This worried, sorrowful appearance made Qin Ye immediately flustered, and he hurriedly said, "Young Master An, Young Master An, don't worry, don't worry... Since you're his relative, then there's nothing that can't be said, right... You, you, you, don't be anxious, have some water first, have some water... I'll go fetch the medical records right away!"
"Thank you, sir."
"It's my duty, my duty..."
After hearing a clattering noise from outside for quite some time, Qin Ye returned sweating profusely, clutching several medical records of varying sizes under his arm. He placed them on the table before Xiao Jin Yu. "I've been treating Young Master Wu for about a year now. The medical records are scribbled hastily—please don't mind the mess, Young Master An..."
Xiao Jin Yu thanked him earnestly again, then picked up the topmost record and slowly opened it.
Qin Ye wiped his sweat, adding charcoal to the nearly extinguished brazier while sighing, "Young Master An, please don't blame me for speaking bluntly... It's truly remarkable that Young Master Wu's body has held up until now..."
"You've been very attentive, sir."
"It's also my fault for being inadequately skilled and lacking in medical expertise... Fortunately, Young Master Wu has a strong will. No matter how much he suffered, he never once considered ending his life. Several times when he seemed on the verge of death, he stubbornly pulled through."
Xiao Jin Yu looked at the densely written medical records, unable to describe the turmoil in his heart. "That's just how he is..."
"In the end, it all comes down to that injury on his waist. Who knows what suffering he endured to be beaten like that... Treatment came too late, nearly paralyzing the upper half of his body too... You didn't see it, but when I first met him, his entire body was immobile. The bedsores had festered and merged into large patches. He was emaciated, just a skeleton, staring wide-eyed without being able to utter a word, constantly fixated on a chessboard. It was both terrifying and pitiful..."
No wonder Xiao Jue left the capital in such haste back then without even saying goodbye...
For someone as proud as Xiao Jue, being seen in such a state by even an ordinary passerby would have been devastating, let alone by all the allies and enemies in the capital...
Xiao Jin Yu's heart wrenched, and a sudden dizziness overwhelmed him. His hand loosened, and the medical record fell to the ground with a "thud."
Qin Ye quickly stood up from beside the brazier, hurried over to pick up the medical record, and while checking Xiao Jin Yu's pulse, he looked nervously at his pale face. "Young Master An, forgive my loose tongue... Are you alright?"Xiao Jinyu allowed him to take his pulse while pressing his forehead with his other hand, shaking his head slightly with a faint bitter smile. "I'm afraid I've made a fool of myself before you, sir..."
"Not at all..." Seeing that Xiao Jinyu remained relatively calm, Qin Ye released his wrist and sighed with a rueful expression. "It's my fault. Had Young Master Wu encountered a skilled doctor, he might be standing by now. But to end up with a country quack like me from the backwoods... I'm truly ashamed..."
Xiao Jinyu's voice was slightly hoarse. "You're too modest, sir... The care you've shown him is a blessing he's fortunate to receive..."
"Young Master An, please don't say that. I truly don't deserve such praise..."
Xiao Jinyu shook his head gently, leaning back slowly against the chair as he gazed quietly at the humble-faced Qin Ye. "If you don't deserve it, then no one does... Besides you, who else in this world would kill over a hundred people just to treat his condition..."
Qin Ye froze completely, expression and body alike, as if suddenly struck hard across the face.
"Young Master An, I don't understand..."
Xiao Jinyu's eyes fell upon the basin of brightly burning charcoal. The glowing embers blurred into a hazy crimson mass, and the strained voice from his throat sounded as distant as if it came from beyond the heavens when it reached his own ears. "I don't understand either... What could you possibly accomplish by drugging me unconscious..."
Chu Chu had been busy in the county office's morgue until the sun dipped westward. She rushed home to bathe thoroughly and change clothes before returning to the county office to borrow the kitchen for cooking pork rib soup.
Although the pig and its pen outside had been completely burned to ashes, the kitchen remained the closest place to that site. The cook was still trembling with fear, and Zheng Youde himself remained apprehensive. He had decided to close the kitchen for a month. The registrar had even solemnly posted a talisman from Guanyin Temple above the doorframe, claiming it would ward off evil spirits, though the sight of it only made people's skin crawl.
When Chu Chu borrowed the key and entered, the entire kitchen area was completely deserted.
Since she was cooking for Wang Ye anyway, she preferred not to have anyone else helping!
Ever since getting drunk during the New Year celebration, Wang Ye's appetite had been poor. Each meal he would only take a few bites, and no amount of persuasion could make him eat more. He had been looking rather listless overall. This pot of pork rib soup must be made especially fragrant to encourage him to eat more.
Wang Ye had also promised to kiss her tonight, just like the first time, as many times as she wanted.
She wanted Wang Ye to kiss her ten times—no, a hundred times... Well, a hundred might be too many and would tire him out... So fifty times then!
Humming cheerfully to herself, Chu Chu tidied up and lit the stove fire, steamed the rice, washed the prepared ribs, and began cooking the soup with practiced ease.
She specially selected two fresh sections of starchy lotus root to slice into the soup, sprinkling in a handful of wolfberries. When the soup was nearly ready, she prepared one meat and one vegetable dish. By the time the meal was complete, the previously cold kitchen had become warm and filled with delicious aromas.
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