Recovery (IV)

The dusk melted into gold, perching on the eaves. The evening bell startled a flock of crows, and their black feathers swept across He Shu's swiftly running sleeves. The mountain mist, damp and cold, puffed on my face, like the clouds beside the Jade Pool in the Heavenly Palace.

When he arrived in the city, he stopped an old woman carrying a vegetable basket and asked for the location of Li's residence, but the woman gave him a strange look and then looked away:

"Go to the tallest teahouse in the city, then walk two blocks east and it's not far away."

He Shu followed her gaze and saw two notices posted on the mottled wall at the entrance of the alley.

One was yellowed, the ink characters "Li's House Seeking a Doctor" smudged, and beneath them, densely written small characters read, "My eldest son is ill and has been treated for years without success. I would like to offer a reward of one hundred taels of gold..." The other was brand new, and the reward included several acres of fertile farmland and a hundred rolls of silk, and even the ink was filled with anxiety.

Passersby stopped in groups of three or four, pointing their fingers at the words on the notice, their voices lowered to a whisper.

"Li's eldest son was carried home from the mountains yesterday..."

"I guess it's not going to work. Oh, how pitiful, such a good kid..."

A gust of wind blew away some of the scattered whispers, but He Shu's heart suddenly sank.

Didn't the Earth God say that Brother Qingshan was fine? Why did he suddenly...

"Young man, did you come to Chaisang City because you heard that the Li family was looking for a doctor again?"

The old woman beside him suddenly spoke, bringing him back to his senses.

"Oh, I'm not saying anything too much, but this kid has been sickly since birth. We've consulted all the doctors in the city and the famous doctors in the capital, but he just can't be cured. Seeing how young you are, it's better not to get involved in that mess, or the old couple of the Li family will get their hopes up and then be disappointed. They can't stand that kind of trouble."

He Shu did not reply, but bowed hurriedly to express his gratitude, then walked away quickly according to the old woman's instructions.

As expected, people were coming and going in front of Li's house, including many people dressed as doctors. The red door and golden nails shone like stars. He didn't have time to take a closer look, so he dodged and hid in the alley at the side, then transformed into his original form and flew in.

Silently passing the bluestone path, Heshu stopped on the raised leg of the eaves of an octagonal pavilion and carefully explored the surrounding situation.

Looking around, there were rooms arranged in an orderly manner, and people were moving around below. A familiar voice suddenly rang in his ears. He Shu subconsciously shrank behind the rockery and turned into a human form, holding his breath and concentrating, his eyes fixed on the approaching crowd.

"Master, it's getting a bit colder tonight. You should come back to the house with me..."

"Uncle Zhao, I've been stuck in the house all day. I just want to get some fresh air."

"Well...it's the same as sitting by the window to get some fresh air..."

"Don't try to persuade me, I've made up my mind."

"But Master..."

He Shu saw Li Qingshan, who was wearing a cloak, surrounded by four or five people. Although his tone was still gentle, his brows were furrowed.

"Just for a moment. I'll be back soon."

"Also, I don't want anyone to disturb me, so I told them not to come into Tingyue Courtyard anymore."

He Shu hid behind the rockery, looking at the frosty moon in the courtyard. Cold silver light flowed on the bluestone slabs, and the eaves of the octagonal pavilion were covered with a thin layer of silver.

Li Qingshan, who had dismissed his servants, sat down on a stone bench, his moon-white cloak trimmed with fine rabbit fur covering his thin shoulders.

The temperature at night was indeed a bit chilly for a patient. He Shu saw that he had his sleeves half-rolled up, and his pale fingertips rested on the cold stone table.

Li Qingshan coughed lightly a few times and subconsciously frowned. He turned his head and covered the corners of his lips with a handkerchief. The night-blooming cereus embroidered with silver thread on the corners of the handkerchief looked even more quiet and lonely when illuminated by the moonlight.

The thin bamboo outside the pavilion dropped some leaves on his shoulders. The hem of his cloak fell on the stone bench, swaying gently in the evening breeze, making his figure, hidden in the bright light in the courtyard, look even thinner.

He looked at the lonely moon in the sky. The moonlight passed through his slightly drooping eyelashes and cast a gray-green shadow. There was mist in his eyes, and his whole body was filled with indescribable fatigue.

Only after feeling that the servants had completely gone far away did He Shu walk out from behind the rockery, but after taking two steps, he suddenly stopped.

A cold and dead aura lingered around Brother Qingshan like a tarsal ulcer, and he was completely different from the person he was when we parted in the mountains yesterday.

This is a sign that life is coming to an end...

His heart was shaken so much that even his breathing stopped for a moment.

"Didn't Butler Zhao tell you that Tingyueyuan shouldn't come in for the time being? If you have nothing to do, just leave."

Li Qingshan spoke first, but he mistook him for a servant in his family. He Shu lowered his head and walked slowly into the pavilion, whispering back:

"Brother Qingshan, it's me..."

"Brother He?"

Li Qingshan turned around when he heard the voice, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes and then quickly disappeared. He raised his hand and invited Heshu to sit down.

"How are you? Is your head still hurting? I heard my master is missing again. I wonder if the doctors in the temple can cure your old ailment."

"My illness is only scary when it strikes, but I'll be fine once I wake up. But Brother Qingshan..."

"It seems that Brother He has recovered his memory."

Li Qingshan lowered his eyes for a moment, and when he raised them again, he was still gentle, but there was a sense of alienation in his eyes.

His fingertips unconsciously picked up the fallen leaves that he had taken off his shoulder at some point, and rubbed them in circles. The moonlight falling on that hand seemed a little cold.

"Brother He is not from Chaisang City. Why didn't you rush home after recovering your memory? Instead, you came to me?"

"You came in such a hurry that I didn't prepare anything. I'm really sorry for not hosting you well."

As he spoke, he lowered his head and coughed twice. He Shu felt a prick in his heart. This deliberately distanced him a little bit, making him feel a little helpless. He could only apologize first:

"It's not your fault, Brother Qingshan. It was my sudden visit..."

"Sorry, did I disturb your rest?"

He glanced at Li Qingshan who was sitting beside him and saw that he looked normal, but he was still looking up at the moon in the sky.

For a long time, he didn't hear a reply from the person beside him. Only the rustling of the wind through the grass and trees seemed particularly clear in the silence, as if it was some kind of silent urging. He Shu had no choice but to take the initiative to speak:

"If you hadn't carried me up the mountain in the rain yesterday... it's all my fault. You haven't recovered from your cold and now you've got a new illness."

He Shu clutched his sleeves, sweat oozing from his palms. The shadows of bamboo swaying in the wind under the moonlight blurred his sight of secretly watching the man.

The moon was suddenly half covered by clouds, and the light in the pavilion flickered. Seeing Li Qingshan finally lowered his eyes and his gaze swept towards him, He Shu suddenly lowered his head for some reason.

"Brother He hasn't answered me yet. When will you leave Chaisang City? Please tell me in advance so I can go and see you off."

"I don't know either. Home... I can't go back now..."

He Shu smiled bitterly,

"Also, Brother Qingshan..."

"You've saved me so many times. I want to cure your illness before I leave."

"So you'll definitely leave, right?... That's fine..."

Li Qingshan lowered his head and muttered to himself.

"What? Brother Qingshan, I didn't hear what you just said."

"nothing."

Although He Shu didn't know why Li Qingshan was so persistent in asking him when he would leave, he didn't think much about it and told him his predicament truthfully.

"Brother He, it was my master who saved you, not me, cough cough cough——"

"Besides... ahem—besides..."

Li Qingshan suddenly started coughing violently again. He turned sideways and covered his lips tightly with a handkerchief, refusing to reveal any sign of embarrassment.

"To be honest, during those days when you lost your memory, you helped me recuperate every day. Ahem, I can feel it, and that's enough."

"Ahem, ahem—this chronic illness of mine has plagued me for years. It's not something that happened overnight, nor is it the fault of one person...Brother He, there's no need to feel guilty."

"How can you say that!"

The words were like ice spikes piercing his ears, causing He Shu to stand up suddenly.

"I am not an ordinary person, I can definitely cure you!"

He walked up to Li Qingshan and squatted down, forcing his true energy out despite his own weakness. The immortal energy in the mortal world was already thin, and He Shu's body had not yet recovered. Soon, fine beads of sweat oozed from his forehead, and his fingertips trembled uncontrollably.

"Qingshan, you have to believe me..."

The wrist bones against which the palm of the hand rested felt a little uncomfortable, and the rapidly emaciated body seemed like it could break with a little force.

"Brother He..."

Li Qingshan's voice was filled with tired helplessness. He twisted his wrists, trying to break free, and the bamboo leaves in his hands fell to the ground.

"Immortal energy is precious. Please don't waste it on my mortal body... My master, Xuantongzi, is no ordinary person. If there really was a chance for recovery, why would I still be like this?"

Yes...Xuan Tongzi...

He Shu's clenched hands gradually loosened, and a huge feeling of powerlessness came over him.

His magic is much more powerful than mine. If he could be saved, Brother Qingshan should have already...

Thinking of this, his legs went weak and he almost fell down. The slight tingling pain of his immortal power being exhausted spread throughout his body.

Looking at the person in front of him with a bitter smile, He Shu felt a surge of bitterness and could no longer control himself. He leaned over and rested his forehead on Li Qingshan's cold knees. The loose hair on his forehead hung down, covering the red corners of his eyes.

The familiar medicinal fragrance on the moon-white cloak now exudes a strong bitterness.

The warm liquid slid down the bridge of his nose, dripping onto the back of his hand that was clutching the other's robe, and quickly soaking into the cuff. He suppressed his trembling breath and swallowed back the sob that was choking in his throat.

When he looked up again, Li Qingshan's profile was submerged in the shadow cast by the pavilion pillar, leaving only a vague outline.

He Shu blinked hard to force back the remaining tears, his voice hoarse:

"Qingshan... there will always be a way... I will definitely find it..."

Li Qingshan raised the corners of his mouth, his eyes dimmed. He lowered his head, not looking at He Shu, but only fixed his gaze on the swaying bamboo shadows outside the pavilion.

"Brother He, there's no need to comfort me. I've already seen my own fate clearly. If you really consider me a friend... then don't treat me like a patient."

His voice was very soft, but it sounded as heavy as a thousand pounds in He Shu's ears.

"I don't need your help, don't worry about me, and... don't pity me."

The last few words were so light that they almost disappeared in the wind.

He Shu could no longer utter a single word. He could only lower his head and stare intently at the swaying, broken bamboo shadows in the cracks between the blue bricks. Only by pursing his lips even harder could he suppress the sobs that threatened to be held back, turning them into a slight tremor in his shoulders.