Chapter 39: So it turns out they have similar illnesses.
When Li Yue'er arrived at the main hall of the Central Court, Doctor Fu had not yet arrived.
She took the hand warmer handed to her by Gambo and sat quietly on the chair below the main seat, waiting.
If she arrived early, she would sit at the round table and review what Su Rou had mentioned when school ended yesterday, or she would look through the Qu family's account books from previous years at this time to see if she could find any problems.
The mistress didn't set a fixed time for Su Rou's lessons; Su Rou herself set the time for her lessons at 9:00 AM. However, yesterday, Su Rou's sister, Xiao Xue, was unusually late.
Li Yue'er guessed that the road might be difficult to walk on, because when Sister Su went up and down the steps, her posture was not obvious, but she walked more slowly and carefully than usual, as if she had difficulty walking.
Knowing she had something to do before noon yesterday, Sister Su didn't add extra time for her. Otherwise, given Sister Su's conscientious and responsible nature, she would have made her start class earlier or finish later in the afternoon, no matter how late she was in the morning.
Su Rou taught with dedication, so she naturally studied even harder, arriving early and leaving late.
If it weren't for the special circumstances today, and the fact that she had to wait for Doctor Fu, she would already be sitting at the round table by the window, skillfully using an abacus, instead of awkwardly holding a hand warmer in the main seat directly opposite the door.
What's unusual is that Sister Su arrived late again today; even Doctor Fu arrived before her.
Li Yue'er waited patiently and respectfully for almost half an hour before finally receiving a reminder from Teng Huang: "Doctor Fu has arrived."
Li Yue'er quickly stood up, politely went to the threshold to greet him, and slightly bowed, "Doctor Fu."
Dr. Fu is an old man over fifty years old with gray hair. Although he is old, he is not thin and emaciated. On the contrary, he has a ruddy face, kind eyes and a straight back.
He carried even the heavy medicine box himself, not letting the ten-year-old children touch it. He walked with a vigorous stride, and his energy and condition far surpassed those of the younger generation.
Li Yue'er and Teng Huang skillfully cast envious glances at each other.
When the two of them were walking in the courtyard just now, they were so cold that they wanted to hug each other, unlike Doctor Fu, who was like a furnace, and the snowflakes disappeared as soon as they landed on him.
There were two young women standing in the main hall. Doctor Fu didn't need to ask any questions; he could tell at a glance who today's patient was.
He gestured for Li Yue'er to sit down first, washed his hands, rolled up his sleeves, lifted his robe and sat opposite Li Yue'er. He opened his medicine box, took out a wooden pulse pillow and a white gauze handkerchief, and said in a gentle tone, "Your condition is common; even an ordinary doctor could treat it."
These words were both to reassure the patient, who looked tense and on high alert, and to subtly complain that someone was making a mountain out of a molehill by insisting on making him come all this way.
Before coming, Dr. Fu saw that Qu Yatou looked very serious and thought she had encountered a difficult illness. He was quite excited and agitated, and even wondered if the old lady of the Qu family was about to die. That's why he asked Qu Yatou to come to his door in person to invite him.
Who knew that when they arrived, they found that the patient was a young girl with a cold constitution.
Teng Huang smiled and praised, "It's all because your medical skills are better. The mistress doesn't trust anyone else, so she asked you to come and take a look."
Dr. Fu was used to flattery, but—
It's just so beautiful.
He laughed heartily, "The little girl is so young, but what she said is quite right. Not to brag, but it's been years since I've taken the pulse of such a minor ailment with these hands."
Li Yue'er looked up at Teng Huang, and Teng Huang looked down at her. Their eyes crinkled as they praised Doctor Fu at the same time, "Who told you to be a reincarnation of Hua Tuo?"
Dr. Fu stroked his beard with one hand, and even his thick beard couldn't hide the smile on his lips.
He clearly enjoyed the flattery, but outwardly feigned humility, saying, "It's all just undeserved praise from others, nothing more."
Dr. Fu told Li Yue'er, "It's not a serious illness, just 'excessive nourishment,' which falls under the category of 'debilitating illness.'"
Seeing that Li Yue'er and Teng Huang looked blank, Doctor Fu explained in detail:
"To put it simply, it means not eating well, not getting enough nutrients in the body, resulting in a deficiency of qi and blood, and a cold constitution with few menstrual blood. Just like a tree, if it doesn't have enough fertilizer, the leaves will turn yellow and become sparse. The same principle applies to people."
Teng Huang looked down at Li Yue'er with heartache, while Li Yue'er pursed her lips and lowered her eyes.
Dr. Fu said, "Many young girls your age have this problem. It's not noticeable when you're young, but as you get older, you'll find that you lack energy and age rapidly."
Li Yue'er was stunned. "?"
Li Yue'er gasped, "!"
She now relies on her beauty for her livelihood, and she knows what her mistress is after. When she heard this, her eyes widened, and she immediately thought of the saying "beauty fades and love wanes," so she covered her ears with her hands in fright.
Dr. Fu, "..."
This was the first time he had ever seen a patient so self-deceiving.
Is this a problem that disappears as long as she can't hear it?
Dr. Fu glared at Li Yue'er, and only after she awkwardly lowered her hand with a smile did he prescribe a medicine for her. "Don't be afraid. Take advantage of your youth to nourish yourself and you'll get better. Otherwise, if it gets worse, you may have difficulty conceiving and having children in the future."
Dr. Fu thought Li Yue'er would cover her ears again upon hearing this, but to his surprise, she looked over with warm and bright eyes, seemingly unaffected by the matter.
Dr. Fu, “?”
He couldn't quite understand the young girls living in these secluded mansions these days.
Dr. Fu gave Li Yue'er a prescription for dietary supplements, saying, "Keep this prescription for use during your period. At other times, eat more meat, eggs, and dairy products, but don't overeat or vomit. Just eat in moderation."
He also instructed Li Yue'er to avoid touching cold or icy foods and drinks, and prescribed another treatment for her, saying that she should boil the herbs, let them cool to a warm temperature, and soak her feet in them before going to bed at night.
Holding the prescription, Garcinia couldn't help but ask, "How long will it take to fully recover?"
Dr. Fu said, "It's hard to say, but if she keeps going, it will definitely be better than it is now. At least she won't be in so much pain that she can't get out of bed when she has her next period."
Li Yue'er looked at the doctor in surprise, thinking to herself that he was indeed Doctor Fu, as he could even see this.
Dr. Fu, “Both cold and hot constitutions are problems. Yours is caused by insufficient blood and qi due to ‘nourishing’. Rong’s hot hands and feet indicate a deficiency of yin and excess of fire. Fortunately, she has a good constitution and does not need medication. However, your cold constitution will only get worse if it is not treated.”
Li Yue'er's eyes brightened slightly, her mind filled with thoughts of her mistress's coldness and warmth. No wonder she always wanted to stick close to her mistress, and her mistress liked to touch her too; it turned out they had similar illnesses.
Teng Huang looked down at Li Yue'er and saw a faint smile on her lips. He knew without her saying what Yue'er was thinking and smiled along with her.
Doctor Fu then pointed to the gamboge, saying, "You're a little cold, but it's just a minor ailment."
Compared to Li Yue'er, Teng Huang has been eating very well with the mistress all these years.
Li Yue'er felt as if she had received a lesson.
Her illness wasn't serious. It took Dr. Fu half an hour to get there, but after he sat down for the consultation and wrote out the prescription, it only took the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. This included Teng Huang chasing after him with all sorts of questions.
As she packed her things and carried her medicine box out, she was still resentful. "Tell Tongrong that next time it's a minor ailment, just call any doctor at the clinic. It's not easy for someone my age to make this trip."
Teng Huang handed the prepared gifts and consultation fee to the boy, sweetly complimenting Doctor Fu, "But the mistress only trusts you."
Dr. Fu couldn't help but smile again, stroking his beard repeatedly. "Oh dear, it's not like she's never been out and about or never seen anything like this. She's just worried and confused."
At this point, Doctor Fu turned to look at Li Yue'er, vaguely guessing what was going on, but not delving deeper. "Then tell her I'm leaving."
With her ears red and her face serious, Li Yue'er saw Doctor Fu off out of the main hall.
Just then, as Doctor Fu was leaving, Su Rou came in carrying a bamboo box and an umbrella.
The two met face to face. Su Rou nodded slightly to Doctor Fu in greeting, and Doctor Fu returned the nod.
Li Yue'er thought that Su Jie's father must have stayed here for a period of time when he was young, otherwise how could he have been kind to Shi Yi's father and had a relationship with Doctor Fu at the same time?
Otherwise, given the age difference between the two, the older Dr. Fu would not have returned the courtesy to the younger one.
This was Sister Su's private matter, so Li Yue'er didn't ask Sister Su about it rashly. Naturally, Sister Su wouldn't reveal her past to her either.
Just like now, when she encountered Doctor Fu, Su Rou, who rarely spoke unless it concerned her, didn't even ask who was sick. She simply walked slowly up the steps, put down her bamboo box and closed her umbrella, and said gently:
"I'm sorry I'm late today. I'll have to trouble you to stay an extra hour this evening."
Li Yue'er had no objections. Seeing that Su Rou's fingertips were white from the cold, she thoughtfully handed her her hand warmer over.
Su Rou politely declined, her tone gentle yet distant, "No need."
Li Yue'er then hugged the hand warmer back to her arms.
The two entered the main hall, and Teng Huang instructed the maids to add charcoal to the charcoal stove beside the table.
"Are you feeling unwell?" Standing by the table, Su Rou looked around the room before slowly turning to look at Li Yue'er.
Li Yue'er nodded, a beat slow to react.
Su Rou looked outside and saw that Doctor Fu had already strode away and was long gone.
She was clearly surprised and asked slowly, "Is it serious?"
Li Yue'er was a little flattered, as this was the first time in a month that Su Rou had shown her any concern!
Li Yue'er quickly shook her head, "It's nothing."
She spoke in great detail, repeating exactly what Dr. Fu had told her to Su Rou.
Before Li Yue'er could finish speaking, Su Rou already understood the situation. Out of courtesy, she didn't interrupt Li Yue'er, and waited until she finished before smiling and saying softly:
"Don't take my words too seriously. I didn't have any malicious intent towards you. I only asked that question because I saw that it was rare for Doctor Fu to come out of retirement to see patients."
She thought that Dr. Fu had come in person because Qu Rong was ill.
Li Yue'er also understood the unspoken meaning in Su Rou's words. She indirectly learned from Su Rou once again about Doctor Fu's skills and how difficult it was to invite him, which confirmed Doctor Fu's words, "Concern leads to confusion."
Her face and heart warmed up together, and she slowly sat down, her ears turning red.
Opposite her, Su Rou took out a small blanket of a new color and slowly unfolded it, draping it over her legs.
Li Yue'er looked over and asked softly, "Sister Su, are your legs bothering you?"
Su Rou was clearly taken aback by her question.
Li Yue'er quickly explained, "I just noticed you were walking slowly and guessed that your legs might be uncomfortable."
She rubbed her knee as proof, "I bumped my knee on the corner of the footstool yesterday. After applying ointment last night, it's bruised but doesn't hurt this morning. If you need it, I'll have Garcinia get you some of the same ointment."
Su Rou lowered her long eyelashes and subtly moved her knee out of Li Yue'er's sight. "It's nothing, I just... bumped into something. I'll be fine after a rest."
Since she had already said that, it was clear that she was rejecting her concern. Li Yue'er didn't say anything more, so she pretended to be relaxed and let out a soft sigh of relief, nodding with a smile, "Oh, okay."
She made a note of this, thinking that she could mention it to her mistress later and ask if she could arrange for a carriage to pick up and drop off Su Rou every day, and that the money could be deducted from her monthly allowance.
After all, after the Minor Snow solar term, it will only get colder day by day, and the days will get darker day by day.
Su Rou is her teacher. Although the mistress has already discussed the terms with Su Rou, she still has to show the respect that a student like her should.
Before she had even spent any money, Li Yue'er was already so poor that she was about to cry just by thinking about where she would need the money.
She wasn't distressed about spending money on Su Rou; she was distressed that she was not only penniless at the moment, but might also be penniless for the next few months.
Using a horse-drawn carriage requires payment. Even if the coachman is a peddler, you still have to pay him. You can't expect your own brother to make two trips in the freezing cold for nothing.
Su Rou reminded him, "Focus your mind and do the math."
Li Yue'er dared not be distracted any longer, so she put down the hand warmer and focused on the abacus.
Winter days are short and it gets dark early. The original dismissal time was 5-7 PM, but since it was already dark by then, Su Rou shortened their midday nap time and changed it to 3-5 PM.
She arrived late this morning, so she thought she would extend her time and return no later than 5 PM. Li Yue'er was very studious and had no objection to her arrangement.
Just after Shenshi (3-5 PM), Teng Huang instructed the maids to light the lamps, and the old lady Shouhetang's maidservant arrived.
The mother stood smiling outside the main hall, nodding to Su Rou, but her eyes were on Li Yue'er. "Aunt Li, are you done with your work? The old lady said that if you have nothing to do here, please come over for tea and a chat."
She said "please," but her attitude left no room for refusal, including Su Rou, who wanted to add more classes.
Su Rou frowned and pursed her lips as she looked at Li Yue'er.
Li Yue'er couldn't decipher the expression on Su Rou's face, and couldn't tell whether Su Rou disliked the old lady's interference with her plans or was worried that she would be suddenly called away by the old lady.
But she wasn't foolish enough to just walk away like that. Instead, she winked at Teng Huang twice, signaling that if she returned late, Teng Huang should quickly go and fetch the mistress to rescue her.
While Li Yue'er dawdled, Su Rou also finished packing her things, and the two of them left the courtyard together.
Outside the central courtyard's round gate, Shi Yi, who had arrived at some point, stood quietly holding a large dark blue umbrella, her gaze still calmly fixed on Su Rou.
Li Yue'er looked at Su Rou.
Su Rou, however, acted out of character, walking straight past Shi Yi as if she didn't see him at all, and even refused to let him carry the box.
Shi Yi nodded to Li Yue'er in greeting, then quickly caught up with her.
So many strange things happened today. First, there was Su Roushiyi, and then the old lady came looking for her.
The former is hard to understand, but Li Yue'er can roughly guess what the latter is thinking.
She took a deep breath, straightened her back, and entered Shouhe Hall, repeatedly hearing in her mind the words her mistress had once told her:
"You must remember, you are mine, and only mine."
Therefore, she is not afraid of anyone now.
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Moon: We're in the same boat! [Rabbit head with upright ears]
Gambo: You two are actually kindred spirits [heart emoji] You're both the same color [doge emoji]
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