Getting Along (II)
He Shu racked his brains to take the pulse, ask questions, prescribe medicine, and give acupuncture, trying his best to perform the play to the fullest.
But he was worried that if he cured Li Qingshan too quickly, others would notice something, so he wrote out an ordinary prescription, deliberately added one or two expensive and rare herbs, and claimed that his main treatment method was acupuncture, which would make it easier for him to secretly transfer his true energy.
He Shu was concentrating on calculating the right time to heal when he suddenly heard the wooden door creaking shut. Li Qingshan had dismissed everyone without him noticing and walked to the couch and sat down.
"this?"
"Crane... ahem, Crane Book..."
He Shu shuddered and hurriedly covered it up with two light coughs. He lowered his head, and the veil of his hat slipped down to his shoulders, barely covering up his momentary panic.
"Oh, Doctor He..."
"I heard from the housekeeper that you are an expert in acupuncture. Now, may I trouble you, doctor?"
"Naturally, naturally."
He Shu nodded. His hand holding the acupuncture needle was still trembling. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. His fingertips brushed across Li Qingshan's wrist.
"The meridians here are blocked and need multiple acupuncture treatments to clear them."
He deliberately lowered his voice and used candlelight to disinfect the needles while speaking. He was concentrating on playing the role of a doctor with great acupuncture skills, so he did not notice that Li Qingshan's fingers hanging on his legs curled slightly.
He was concentrating on waiting for the needles to cool, thinking about how to get away with it on his arm later, when he heard the rustling of fabric rubbing against his side.
He Shu looked up when he heard the voice, only to see that Li Qingshan, without saying a word, had already hooked his fingertips on one side of the shirt and slowly pulled the moon-white shirt down to his arm. The material slid down along the shoulder line and piled up at the waist, revealing a smooth back extending from the back of the neck to above the waist.
The line of his shoulder blades cast a soft shadow in the dancing candlelight, rising and falling slightly as he moved his hair.
"Qing...Mr. Li!"
He Shu's breathing stagnated, and the fingers holding the needle suddenly tightened. He exerted force with his knuckles, and the tip of the needle flashed a tiny stream of light in the firelight, and he barely stabilized it.
"You...you, what are you taking off your clothes for?"
The voice was stuck in his throat, and he hurriedly stood up and took a half step back, causing the medicine box at his feet to be knocked against and vibrate.
"Doctor He said he wanted to remove acupoints. I thought that I was experiencing cold air entering my body, so I should remove the Fengchi and Fengmen acupoints..."
Li Qingshan turned his face to the side, and his long hair was gathered in front of him, and the end of his hair accidentally brushed the edge of the couch.
"It's hard to give the needle through clothes. Isn't this safer?"
“Yes… yes…”
He Shu had no choice but to hold his breath and walk forward, kneeling and half-crouching beside the couch.
The distance suddenly shortened, so close that he could feel the warmth emanating from the other person's body, as well as the familiar scent of ink with a bitter medicinal taste. At this moment, it was particularly clear in the closed room, drifting into his nostrils.
The candlelight danced on the low-hanging veil and gauze curtains, and also reflected the delicate texture of the exposed skin in every detail.
His eyes seemed to be burned and quickly fell on the Fengmenxue position. The palm of his hand holding the needle was already sweating. The outline of the thin spine was clearly visible under the candlelight, which made him feel a little sad.
He Shu stretched out his trembling left hand and gently pressed his fingertips on the skin near the acupoint, trying to stabilize the position. His heart was beating wildly, and he seemed to feel the muscles under his fingertips slightly tightened because of the proximity.
"What's wrong, Doctor He? Is the position inconvenient for you to give the acupuncture?"
Li Qingshan suddenly spoke in a gentle voice.
“No, no!”
He Shu subconsciously pressed his shoulder, trying to stop his next move.
"Yes... yes, the needle is still a little hot..."
He could barely hold the needle, the last note of his voice fading, and his heart was filled with panic. The tip of the needle trembled slightly in the candlelight, and every time he mustered the courage to stab, his hand would retreat uncontrollably, and the needle tip would retreat hastily.
It's over... He doesn't know anything about acupuncture. He understands the acupoints, but he has to prioritize... What if he hurts Brother Qingshan...
The tip of the needle was still hanging, swaying slightly with He Shu's disordered breathing. With every exhalation, the breath brushed across the gauze and also brushed across the skin that was so close to him.
He was in a state of confusion, with sweat oozing from his forehead. The small silver needle seemed to weigh more than a thousand pounds.
Suddenly, he felt an itch on the back of his hand. The person in front of him brushed the long hair gathered in front of his chest to the side of his shoulder. The end of the hair seemed to rub against He Shu's hand on his back, causing a tingling sensation like a kitten's tail sweeping across his back.
"Doctor He."
The deep voice carried a barely perceptible smile.
"Is the needle ready?"
"I'm... I'm sorry..."
He Shu still couldn't bring himself to do it. He was completely desperate and was ready to go against the laws of Heaven and use some magic to temporarily block Li Qingshan's perception.
But before he could take any action, he saw a piece of black hair covering the half-naked back in front of him, and then the half-open clothes were put on tightly.
"nameless……"
The veil was suddenly lifted by a slightly cool hand, and He Shu was caught off guard by a pair of eyes filled with helplessness. The warm breath brushed his nose with a sigh.
"Why are you doing this..."
——
The days slipped by quietly amid the warm aroma of medicine and the constraints of rules.
The medicine furnace in the pavilion was bubbling, and the rising white steam was swirling, blurring the figure of He Shu who was half-squatting and holding a fan. This was his third time decocting this fake medicine.
He sighed, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan out of boredom, his eyes fixed on the dancing flames in the furnace, his mind wandering to who knows where.
The thrilling and embarrassing experience during the acupuncture that day seemed to have been tacitly revealed by the two of them. Li Qingshan never exposed him, but seemed to have acquiesced to this "treatment". Every day when it was time for acupuncture, he would always send his attendants away in advance and wait quietly. No matter how bitter the medicine was, he would just frown slightly and drink it all in one gulp without saying a word.
He Shu's anxious heart finally settled down a little as his complexion became increasingly rosy.
However, this huge Li residence, with its carved beams and painted rafters and numerous servants, is like a gorgeous golden cage. Even the wind passing through the hall seems to be carrying invisible shackles, and it cannot compare to the freedom and ease of the thatched cottage in the mountains.
Only when I was decocting medicine in front of the fire every day could I take a breath of fresh air in the small pavilion, enjoying the aroma of the medicine.
He Shu suddenly felt a little bitter in his heart. He felt suffocated after only three days. How tiring it must have been for Brother Qingshan to grow up in such a deep house with constraints everywhere.
The servants would bow and dissuade him from even taking one more step out of the courtyard, as if they were guards guarding a cage. No wonder he would rather live in poverty in the mountains than return home.
Amidst the white mist from the medicine furnace, the sound of bells and pendants suddenly tinkled in the corridor, a string of silver bell-like delicate sounds piercing the dullness of the courtyard:
"Let me see my brother!"
"Miss, Miss, the young master is still ill, you'd better..."
"Oh, why are you stopping me? My brother has been home for four or five days, and I haven't seen him yet."
There was a noisy sound coming from not far away. He Shu raised his head and listened attentively, and the palm-leaf fan in his hand gradually stopped waving.
"Miss, if you become ill, the master and mistress will not forgive us."
"Didn't they say that a miracle doctor came home and that my brother's illness would soon be cured?..."
The sound of chaotic footsteps gradually approached, and He Shu looked in the direction of the sound.
The girl surrounded by the crowd had a slim figure, probably in her early teens, with an oval face and creamy skin, as bright and beautiful as the apricot blossoms just beginning to bloom on the branches. However, she was completely different from the girl in the bookstore, who had a secluded and elegant temperament.
My eyes couldn't help but continue to follow the girl's movements. I saw that she was wearing an apricot yellow skirt with a water green jacket on the outside. There were a few orchids embroidered on the collar and cuffs. When she walked, her sleeves fluttered, and she had small pearl earrings on her ears, which swayed gently with her movements, reflecting the sunlight and emitting tiny light.
"Oh, at worst, if I get sick, I can just ask that miracle doctor to cure me."
He Shu saw the girl trying to avoid the servant's obstruction as if she was playing tricks, and while talking, she actually ran towards him. He did not have time to dodge, but was able to step back sideways to protect the medicine pot that was still on the stove.
"He... Doctor He..."
"I'm so sorry, did you bother me while I was boiling the medicine? We'll take the young lady away now..."
"Doctor He?"
"Ah, you are the miracle doctor! You look so young..."
The girl stopped and tilted her head to look at He Shu. Her pupils were as clear as obsidian immersed in stream water. She lifted the hem of her clothes and leaned forward slightly. A smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and her eyes were slightly raised, hiding a bit of childish innocence.
"My humble name is Qinglan, and I'm honored to meet you, Doctor He."
"Miss, there's no need to be so polite."
He Shu nodded in return, lowering his eyes and quietly avoiding Li Qinglan's sight.
Miss Li Er greeted him with a face that was 80% similar to her brother's, which made him feel as if he was seeing the lively and vivid face of Brother Qingshan. It was really strange.
"We met at the bookstore a few days ago, and Miss Xie even treated me to a meal."
"I've seen you before? So you are my brother..."
"Ah—yes, I have seen it, I have seen it. Look at my memory, I almost forgot it."
Li Qinglan suddenly stopped talking and quickly tried to make up for it. He Shu heard the trick in his words. He looked up and glanced at the servants who were still around him:
"Qingshanxi... The young master's illness is not serious. He can see guests now. You can leave. I will take the young lady in."
He still felt uncomfortable with this name after hearing it for three days. Although Brother Qingshan told him not to be so rigid, Heshu still felt that it was better to follow the local customs.
Seeing that the doctor had said so, everyone naturally stopped insisting and left one after another to continue their own work.
"Miss, it wasn't you who met me in the bookstore that day..."
He Shu went straight to the point. He just wanted to know who the woman was and didn't expect Li Qinglan to have such a big reaction.
Her pupils suddenly shrank, and she grabbed her wrist and dragged him into the house. After dismissing the servants, she closed the door and whispered:
"Divine Doctor, didn't my brother tell you that he was covering for me in the bookstore and that no one else could know about it?"
"My mother just heard that I was having a good time with a man outside my family, so she grounded me for three months. If she knew the whole story... My good doctor, please be careful with your words and don't hurt me..."
He Shu nodded.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
