Chapter 205

As dawn broke, the warmth inside the tent lingered. Su Zhelan was still fast asleep when she was gently shaken awake by the two people on either side of her.

"Wake up, it's time to eat the wedding cake." Sheng Xuan's voice was hoarse from the early morning as he held a plate of delicate pink and white cakes with festive red patterns on them.

Xiao Qiyun held up a plate of "wedding cakes," the date-red cakes adorned with candied fruit, and added gently, "It's for good luck, wishing for a stable marriage and all the best."

Su Zhelan, still half-asleep and not fully awake, was helped up by the two men. Sheng Xuan pinched a small piece of Ding Sheng Gao (a type of sweet rice cake) and held it to his lips. Su Zhelan instinctively opened his mouth and took it in, the sweet red bean paste flavor melting in his mouth. Xiao Qiyun then fed him a piece of Xi Gao (another type of sweet rice cake), the sweetness of the jujubes instantly filling his mouth.

He chewed groggily, letting the two of them feed him. The sweetness of the pastries brought him back to his senses, and his eyes still held the lingering redness of last night.

After they finished eating the pastries, Shengxuan took a warm, damp cloth and washed his face, saying, "It's time to comb your hair."

Sheng Xuan's voice was deep and clear. He helped Su Zhelan sit up and picked up a wooden comb that had been prepared beforehand. It was an exquisitely crafted boxwood comb.

Xiao Qiyun sat quietly beside Su Zhelan and handed her a bronze mirror, which reflected Su Zhelan's still sleepy face.

Sheng Xuan's hands were steady. He stood behind Su Zhelan, gently gathering her soft, long hair with one hand, and using a comb in the other to slowly comb from the roots to the ends. The sound of the comb teeth brushing against the hair was delicate and clear. With each stroke, he murmured an auspicious phrase: "Combing to the end, may you live in harmony and mutual respect."

At this moment, Xiao Qiyun took the wooden comb, gestured for Su Zhelan to turn slightly to the side, and began to comb the stray hairs on Su Zhelan's forehead and sideburns.

His movements were more delicate, his fingertips occasionally brushing against Su Zhelan's earlobe, causing a slight tickle. Xiao Qiyun's voice was softer than Sheng Xuan's, gentle and tender: "Two combs to the end, may we stay together until our hair turns white."

After combing her long hair, Xiao Qiyun carefully tied Su Zhelan's hair into a bun and secured it with an elegant jade hairpin.

Su Zhelan looked at herself in the mirror, then looked through the mirror at Sheng Xuan and Xiao Qiyun standing side by side behind her. The last trace of confusion in her eyes dissipated, turning into a clear and peaceful state.

He exhaled softly, a steady and gentle smile curving his lips.

In the following days, although Su Zhelan's spirits gradually improved, he still felt a lingering fatigue. Sheng Xuan and Xiao Qiyun tacitly took care of all the chores, looking after him meticulously.

After resting properly, Su Zhelan began packing her belongings. Sheng Xuan and Xiao Qiyun didn't say much, but tacitly worked together to pack the necessary clothes, medicines, and books.

Without a grand farewell, the three quietly left the capital on a clear and sunny day.

They had no specific destination; they simply let their horses roam freely and went wherever their whims led them.

Su Zhelan lived up to his original intention as a traveling doctor, stopping and going along the way, stopping in villages and helping the sick.

Dusk, like a veil, gently enveloped the courtyard.

A warm yellow lantern hangs under the eaves, swaying gently in the cool night breeze.

A rhythmic "thump-thump-thump" sound came from the kitchen; it was Sheng Xuan wrestling with a stubborn piece of pork rib, muttering the "sweet and sour recipe" he had just learned from the aunt next door.

A faint aroma of vinegar mingled with the caramelized scent of oil wafted out, carrying a sense of comforting warmth and homeliness.

Xiao Qiyun sat under a tree in the courtyard, slowly and meticulously arranging the herbs that had been dried during the day, using the last rays of sunlight. His fingers brushed over each leaf, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a precious treasure.

Occasionally, looking up, one can see Su Zhelan's slender figure in the nearby clinic, taking the pulse of an old woman with a slight frown, using the light shining through the window.

"Hey! Stop fiddling with those grass leaves! Come and lend a hand, the stove fire seems a bit off!" Sheng Xuan's loud voice, tinged with a flustered impatience, broke the tranquility of the courtyard.

Xiao Qiyun shook his head helplessly, but a hint of indulgent smile appeared on his lips. He put down the herbs, rolled up his sleeves, and walked towards the kitchen.

Soon, the sound of two people arguing in hushed tones could be heard from inside, mainly about things like "the fire is too hot" or "the salt was added too early."

Su Zhelan saw off the last patient and gently closed the door of the clinic. He stood under the eaves, listening to the boisterous chatter of Sheng Xuan and Xiao Qiyun's helpless corrections coming from the kitchen. He looked at the silhouettes of two familiar figures busy at work through the window. The air was filled with the aroma of food and the bitter smell of herbs, strangely yet harmoniously intertwined.

A profound peace, like warm spring water, slowly welled up from the deepest part of my heart, flowing over my entire body. Recalling the hardships and vastness of the journey, in the end, all the turmoil settled into this lamp, this courtyard of incense, and these two people before me.

Here, there is no illustrious power, no tumultuous past, only the companionship of mutual support. And this is the final destination he found after traversing thousands of miles.

Su Zhelan raised the corners of her mouth slightly, her eyes reflecting the warm lights, and walked calmly toward that bright and noisy place.