Chapter 55 Fainting

Aman came out of the clinic, saw that the sky was covered with dark clouds, and ran home.

Unfortunately, her legs couldn't keep up with the thunder and rain. Halfway there, large raindrops started falling like beads from a broken string. Aman hadn't brought an umbrella and was instantly soaked to the bone.

There wasn't a single dry spot on her body; her hair was soaking wet and stuck to her forehead, with raindrops sliding down her hair, making it hard to open her eyes.

Even the steamed bun was startled. "Why did you come back in the rain?"

"It started raining halfway there, so I rushed back." Aman hid under the eaves, wanting to pat the rain off his clothes, but realized it was completely unnecessary.

There wasn't a single dry spot on my body.

"Quickly, go inside and change your clothes so you don't catch a cold. I'll make you some ginger soup to warm you up."

Fu Yunxiu overheard their conversation from inside the room. A hint of worry flashed in his eyes, but he ultimately remained silent.

Aman went back to her room to change her clothes and drank ginger soup.

Afraid of catching a cold, even though she usually dislikes ginger, Aman forced herself to drink two bowls this time.

The rain drizzled all night, and when Aman woke up the next day, he found that he seemed to be sick.

Last night when I went to sleep, I felt unwell all over. I thought it was because I was too tired, but when I woke up this morning, I not only had a terrible headache, but my throat was also dry and sore, and drinking water didn't help.

Thinking that he was usually as strong as an ox, Aman didn't take this minor illness seriously.

At the dinner table, when asked by Mantou, she only said that she hadn't slept well last night.

Fortunately, it's raining today so I can't set up my stall. I'll just go home, cover myself with a blanket, and take a nap, and I should feel better.

When Aman said this, Fu Yunxiu was right next to her. Mantou didn't notice anything, but Fu Yunxiu clearly felt that her voice was low and hoarse, which was a bit strange.

"Did you catch a cold from being caught in the rain yesterday?" This was the first time in several days that Fu Yunxiu had spoken to her on his own initiative.

However, Aman was too dizzy to notice anything. She just kept waving her hand, saying, "It's nothing, I'm just a little sleepy, I'll be fine after a nap."

Fu Yunxiu thought Aman was still angry with him, so when he heard her say that, he ignored her and privately told Mantou to keep a close eye on Aman and to call a doctor if necessary.

"Since you care so much about Aman, why don't you keep an eye on her yourself?" Seeing that the two were showing signs of breaking the ice, Mantou couldn't help but add fuel to the fire, but was glared at by Fu Yunxiu.

"If you keep rambling, I'll write ten large characters for you."

Upon hearing this, Mantou's head spun as if it were a bucket, and he made a shushing gesture.

Fu Yunxiu glanced at him and then looked away.

If we can't deal with Aman, surely we can deal with him?

snort!

In the afternoon, the rain that had been falling all night finally stopped.

When Aman woke up, all he could hear was the chirping of birds outside and the dripping sound of raindrops falling from the eaves.

I opened the window; the rain outside had stopped.

The weather cleared up, and the sky was as bright as a mirror. Earthworms rolled out of the ground and crawled in the low-lying areas where water had accumulated. The air was filled with the fragrance of soil, fresh and natural.

Such a view made Amanton feel much more refreshed, and even his blocked nose was cleared up.

Aman took a deep breath and realized that the entire courtyard was quiet. The door to the east room was open, but the person inside was nowhere to be seen.

Where did they go?

When Aman came out after getting dressed, he heard voices coming from behind the moon gate.

Following the sound, they found Fu Yunxiu and Mantou.

The two were in the backyard, pointing and commenting on the flowers she had planted.

After a night of fierce wind and rain, the flowers that were full of life yesterday are now wilted like frost-bitten eggplants. Most of the buds on some flowering trees have fallen off due to the rain, and the few remaining ones are drooping and lifeless, and it's uncertain whether they will recover.

This breaks Ah Man's heart.

This is all money!

Aman walked in, and Fu Yunxiu turned around when he heard footsteps, only to see her.

Her face was pale and lacked vitality, and her moon-white dress made her look even thinner and weaker.

"Why are you up? Are you feeling better?" Fu Yunxiu asked.

"Hmm, much better." Aman nodded, only then realizing that her voice was hoarse and she couldn't speak. After being choked by the cold wind, all she could do was cough.

A sudden tickling sensation in his throat made Aman cough incessantly. The violent coughing made Aman's head spin in waves, and his body felt completely weak.

"Young...Master..." Before Aman could say anything, everything went black. As she closed her eyes, she saw Fu Yunxiu suddenly approach, looking panicked.

"Aman... Aman..." Fu Yunxiu looked at Aman, who had fainted in his arms and lost consciousness, and was extremely anxious.

"Mantou, Mantou, call a doctor, quickly call a doctor!" Fu Yunxiu roared.

Mantou was also stunned by the scene before him, and only came to his senses when he heard Fu Yunxiu's shout. "Oh, oh, okay."

Just as he was about to leave, Fu Yunxiu said again, "Take Aman with you, it'll be faster that way. Go find Old Cheng and head to De'an Hall."

As he said this, Fu Yunxiu's voice was trembling.

Mantou carried Aman to De'an Hall, with Fu Yunxiu pushing the wheelchair closely behind.

It rained this morning, and there weren't many patients at De'an Hall right now. When Mantou went in, the apprentice doctors were all sitting there listlessly.

"Old Cheng, Old Cheng, please take a look at Aman!" Mantou's shouts were like a thunderclap, instantly bringing the entire clinic to life.

"Aman, what's wrong with Aman?" The apprentices were the first to gather around.

Immediately afterward, Doctor Guo, who had heard the noise, came out from the inner room. Seeing Aman in Mantou's arms, he rushed over and asked, "What happened?"

"She suddenly fainted, Dr. Guo, please take a look quickly," Mantou said.

Guo An saw that Aman's eyes were closed and her cheeks were red, which was obviously due to fever and fainting caused by a cold. He breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Take her to the inner hall first, I will be there shortly."

Upstairs, after taking Aman's pulse, Dr. Guo learned that, as he had suspected, Aman's dizziness and fever were caused by a cold, which was why he fainted.

"It's not too serious. I'll go get the medicine first. It will take a while to brew the medicine. I'll have the female doctor massage her to lower her fever and prevent it from getting worse."

Fu Yunxiu rushed to the clinic, only to hear this sentence.

"Dr. Guo, is she really alright?" Fu Yunxiu originally wanted to reach out and tug at Guo An's sleeve, but seeing his hands covered in mud and water, he had no choice but to give up and just look at him.

Seeing his hands covered in mud and water, and his body covered in mud splatters, his usually meticulous hair was now disheveled and crooked, Guo An couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at his disheveled appearance.

It seems Master was right. This Young Master Fu really values ​​Miss Aman, which is why he's so unconcerned about his image.

"Don't worry, she's fine." Guo An patted Fu Yunxiu's shoulder to reassure him, then went straight to the counter and instructed the female doctor to prepare things to give Aman a massage first, while he personally prepared the medicine for her.

Mantou heard her young master's voice from inside and ran out to see what was going on, only to bump into Fu Yunxiu as he entered.

Seeing her young master's disheveled appearance, and the group of medicine boys winking and making faces at him, Mantou frowned slightly and took out a handkerchief to wipe Fu Yunxiu's hands.

“Young master, you could have just waited at home. Why did you come out on your own? It’s too dangerous after the rain,” Mantou said.

“I’m worried about Aman. How is she? Has she woken up?” Fu Yunxiu asked.

"No, she's still asleep. But Doctor Guo said it was just a fainting spell caused by a cold, so young master doesn't need to worry."

After Fu Yunxiu finished wiping his hands, Mantou pushed him into the inner room.

In the simply furnished room, Aman lay quietly on the bed. Her face was pale, her lips were so dry they were peeling, and only her cheeks had an unnatural flush. "Aman," Fu Yunxiu called softly, his voice so gentle that Mantou couldn't help but wonder if she had misheard.

She raised her hand to straighten the blanket for Aman, but stopped when she saw the mud between her fingers.

This was the first time since birth that Fu Yunxiu had ever felt so resentful of his body's lack of resilience.

The moment Aman fainted, he felt as if the sky had fallen. His heart was in his throat, but even so, he could only rely on others and arrived late himself.

If one's legs and feet are nimble...

Clutching his legs, which felt almost nothing, Fu Yunxiu felt a bitter mix of emotions, a true jumble of feelings.

"Young Master?" Mantou saw the veins bulging on his young master's clenched fist and thought he was blaming himself for not taking good care of Aman. He stepped forward to comfort him and said, "Young Master, don't be like this. The doctor said that Aman is fine."

Fu Yunxiu ignored his words, completely absorbed in his own world. He had really thought about many things on the way here.

"Mantou, am I really that useless?" After a long while, he finally spoke.

Just as "Young Master" Mantou was about to speak, the female physician entered carrying a tray and said to them, "My master asked me to give Aman a massage to reduce her fever. Young Master Fu, please excuse us for the time being."

"Thank you for your trouble." Fu Yunxiu nodded to the female physician. She smiled slightly, "It's my pleasure."

As Mantou pushed him out the door, Fu Yunxiu was a little worried. Just before leaving, he couldn't help but look back at Aman, only to see a scene that made his heart pound.

All that could be seen were Ah Man's legs, which were covered with countless needle marks. His legs were a bloodless white, dotted with red needle marks, making them look truly terrifying.

Even the female doctor couldn't help but gasp.

Although Mantou already knew that Aman had used her as a test subject, he was still deeply shocked when he saw this scene.

The dense needle marks on Aman's legs were not caused overnight. Although Aman kept saying that she was not afraid of pain, she was still human after all.

We're all made of flesh and blood, how could it not hurt when a needle pricks us?

She actually sacrificed herself for the young master.

Mantou felt a stinging sensation in his nose, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"What happened? Why is Aman's leg like that?" Fu Yunxiu's tone was indifferent, and his solemn expression made Mantou's legs cramp up.

He knew that compared to the young master's outward outburst of anger, his own composure was far more terrifying.

"It's just...it's just..." Mantou stammered, unsure of what to say.

He had promised Aman that he wouldn't tell the young master about this.

...

Fu Yunxiu had previously suspected that Mantou and Aman were hiding something from him, and now, seeing his reaction, he became even more certain that Mantou knew the truth.

"What exactly are you and Aman hiding from me? What happened to Aman's leg? Tell me." Fu Yunxiu's eyes were bloodshot, and the veins on his hands gripping the wheelchair were bulging.

"What else could it be but because of you?" Old Cheng's voice suddenly descended like an angel, saving Mantou's life.

“Old Cheng…” Mantou looked at the sprightly old man with some concern, but Old Cheng just waved his hand.

"It's alright, he'll find out sooner or later."

Old Master Cheng looked at Fu Yunxiu and said, "Didn't you want to know why Man Yatou's legs were injured like that? Let me tell you, she is like this now all because of you."

"For me?" Fu Yunxiu was somewhat shocked, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, as if he had already vaguely realized something.

“That’s right, just what you think.” Old Master Cheng directly saw through his thoughts. “Man’er has been learning medicine from me these past few days, all for the purpose of detoxifying and healing your leg.”

"She worked tirelessly for five whole months, even administering acupuncture herself to relieve your pain. Do you know that the reason she didn't come home for those few days was because her legs were so swollen she couldn't get out of bed? And what do you do? Not only do you let her kindness go to waste, but you also throw a tantrum."

“A grown man, standing seven feet tall, is not as responsible and capable as a woman.”

After learning that Aman was studying medicine with Master Cheng, Fu Yunxiu had already connected it to the days when Aman was not at home. But when he actually heard it with his own ears, the shock in his heart was no less.

It turns out that the foot pain she mentioned was a problem she developed from the acupuncture she received.

It turns out that she has been getting thinner and thinner these days not because of making money or doing business, but because she also has to spend time studying medicine to treat her own illness.

It turns out that she was willing to go to such lengths for a vague and unrealistic hope.

And what did he do himself?

Avoid her, provoke her, and hold a grudge against her.

Aman is right, he's a coward.

A complete coward.

It was his cowardice that caused Aman to suffer so much pain and injustice.

Fu Yunxiu lowered his head and remained silent, his hands clenched so tightly on his lap that they cracked. A sense of self-reproach and sorrow enveloped him like a dark cloud, making it hard for him to breathe.

Old Master Cheng had watched Fu Yunxiu grow up, so he naturally knew about the conflicts in his heart.

But as Aman said, some scars can only heal if they are opened up; covering them up will only cause them to fester and become infected.

After a long while, he reached out and patted Fu Yunxiu's shoulder, saying gently, "I'm telling you this not to force you to do anything, but to let you know that whether it's me, Manya, or Mantou, we all hope that you can live, and live well."

The aged voice seemed to come from the depths of the soul, "Yun Xiu, there is not an empty space behind you."

After the female doctor finished her massage, Old Cheng went in again to take Aman's pulse. As Doctor Guo had said, Aman had been overworked these past few days, and had also caught a chill from the rain, which had caused her body to collapse.

After the female doctor's massage, Aman's fever symptoms have improved considerably. She hasn't woken up yet because she's been working too hard both mentally and physically lately, and she's exhausted!

"Take your medicine and sweat it out later, and you'll be fine," said Old Cheng.

Fu Yunxiu nodded, his gaze never leaving Aman's face, his worry evident in his expression.

Old Cheng glanced at the two troublemakers, then shook his head helplessly and instructed Mantou, "Don't just stand here. Go outside and buy some steamed buns or something. When Mantou wakes up, give her some to eat before she takes her medicine."

“Alright,” Mantou nodded slightly, then turned to Fu Yunxiu and said, “Young Master, I’ll go out and buy some food first.”

"Okay, go ahead!"

The two left one after the other, leaving only Fu Yunxiu and Aman in the large inner room.

Fu Yunxiu sat in his wheelchair, staring blankly at Aman. After a long while, he finally moved, turning his wheelchair to Aman and taking her hand.

It's said that a woman's hands are soft and boneless, fair and smooth. But Aman's hands were unusually rough. Her knuckles were large, and there were thick calluses at the base of her fingers. Fu Yunxiu knew that these were the marks left by life on Aman's hands.

He stroked the calluses, his eyes dim and unclear. After a long while, he parted his thin lips slightly, "It won't happen again."

Fu Yunxiu lowered his head and reverently placed a kiss on the back of Aman's hand.