When she smiled, she was as graceful as the moon, and as delicate as a flower.
Ji Xun lowered his eyes.
He had always been indifferent, unconcerned about everything. His family often said that, apart from medicine, he was painfully dull in understanding human emotions and worldly affairs. He never felt himself slow before; not everything in the world required astuteness and proficiency. He preferred to focus more on matters of importance, not realizing until now what his slowness had cost him.
He understood too late, even losing the chance to fight for it.
"Doctor Ji?" Lu Tong’s voice reached his ears.
Ji Xun came back to his senses and looked at the person in front of him. After a moment, he spoke softly, "Back in the Medical Officer Institute, I accused you of treating illnesses without regard for the means and lacking in medical ethics. My words were harsh, and it was my mistake for believing hearsay. I apologize to you once again."
"You don’t need to apologize, Doctor Ji, didn’t I also keep things from you?"
"But still..."
"I was the one who wronged you by keeping secrets first, your criticism back then was justified. In the future, I will take Doctor Ji’s lesson to heart – when prescribing, I’ll be more cautious."
She laughed, and there was an unusual playfulness in her tone. Ji Xun watched her and seemed to be influenced by her ease, eventually letting go and smiling as well.
"His Majesty has approved Chief Physician Chang’s proposal to set up a separate Medical Bureau in Shengjing, where both commoner physicians and Hanlin Medical Officers can join to discuss and compile medical texts. Once compiled, they will be distributed by the medical practice to all the medical establishments in Shengjing, big and small," Ji Xun said. "Previously, the medical texts were mostly stored by the Imperial Medical Bureau, and civilian doctors could only rely on their own clinical experiences. Having a comprehensive medical text from the Medical Bureau can also benefit the people of the world."
"Really?"
Ji Xun nodded, "So, Doctor Lu, when the time comes to compile the medical texts, we will need your help."
"I’m no longer a medical officer now, you don’t need to address me that way," Lu Tong said. "But if I can be of help, I’d be glad to do so."
Ji Xun gathered his robes to thank her.
After a few more words, the acupuncture session was over, and Ji Xun packed up his medical kit, ready to leave.
Lu Tong accompanied him to the door, and when they arrived at the entrance of the medical hall, they unexpectedly found that a light rain had begun to fall sometime earlier. The rain drizzled, wetting the stone slabs of West Street.
The attendant Zhu Ling stood up from the chair, followed behind Ji Xun, and Lu Tong looked at the sky and took out an umbrella from behind the medical hall door to hand to him: "Use this."
"Thank you."
He walked out of the medical hall with Zhu Ling under the umbrella, strolling through the alleys of West Street. The alley was quiet, with few pedestrians and occasional passersby. The continual rain dripped from the umbrella’s edge, splashing into puddles on the ground. Atop the umbrella, a large hibiscus bloomed splendidly.
Ji Xun looked at the blooming hibiscus and lost himself in a trance.
He seemed to remember a time long ago when he passed through Que’er Street and there bumped into someone.
The woman’s umbrella grazed his clothes, the cold rainwater running down the umbrella’s floral edges, soaking a large patch on his front. She turned back, and there was a moment of surprise when their eyes met. He didn’t notice and just nodded slightly before walking past without looking back.
The man, holding an umbrella, his handsome figure lonely amidst the drizzling spring rain. The Xiao Medicine Boy watched and a flicker of regret crossed his face.
Poor young master, upright and virtuous, as lofty and pure as a white crane. It’s a pity that he’s slow to grasp matters of the heart. A gentleman who cannot afford to make a misstep. Because of this very heart, he was a step too late.
A pity, for the first time feeling a stir of emotion for someone, before it could even begin, he had missed it.
"Young Master, where are we going now?" Zhu Ling asked.
Ji Xun paused, then said, "Back to the Medical Officer Institute."
"Ah?" Zhu Ling was alarmed, "Old master said there’s a banquet at home today and wanted you to come back earlier. If you go to the Medical Officer Institute now, old master will complain again."
"The Medical Bureau is just starting, and there’s an overwhelming amount of work. Countless medical texts need to be organized, and there are many tasks I must attend to."
Zhu Ling was speechless. That was their young master, barely affected by the heartache for a moment before burying himself in medicine once again. Yet, if he were to truly fall into a slump or sigh with regret, that would not be like the young master at all.
The Xiao Medicine Boy followed the man’s steps but still tried to persuade him, "But, but... the old master said you’ve also reached the age to start a family. There are young ladies visiting the house today, friends of the mistress. Old master is trying to set you up. You should at least go back and have a look, for there’s boundless grace under the heavens..."
"Not going back."
The figures of travelers became blurred in the misty rain, and the sound gradually faded away.
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