Chapter 118
The morning was bright and beautiful, heralding a day of good weather.
Fu Wei was in an exceptionally good mood during dinner today.
"Uncle, did you eat some candy?" Fu Ning asked innocently, looking up with her small face full of curiosity.
Fu Wei looked down at her, "Why do you ask?"
The simple-minded Fu Ning replied, "Because Uncle is smiling so happily, just like after eating candy."
Sitting beside her, Wen Xing gave her daughter an approving look. The girl had voiced the question she herself wanted to ask.
It wasn’t just Wen Xing; everyone else thought it was a good question.
Since this morning, Fu Wei had been wearing a smile like the first breath of spring, his joy evident and unusual, as if he had found gold...
But no, even if Fu Wei had found gold, he would have put it away without changing his expression, not smiling so broadly.
This was the first time they had seen Fu Wei smiling with such joy.
Fu Wei's lips curved in a smile, his voice gentle, "I didn’t eat any candy; I'm just in a good mood."
If being in a good mood makes him smile like this, what exactly happened to put him in such high spirits? They all wanted him to share!
Fu Ning persisted, "Why are you in such a good mood, Uncle?"
Indeed, her question echoed what everyone was thinking.
Everyone's eyes twinkled with admiration — "Well done, Fu Ning."
Fu Wei looked across at Yu Ying, his eyes almost brimming with laughter.
Yu Ying: …
Ever since they got married, the smile on his face seemed never to cease, and his gaze frequently fell on her.
It was one thing at home, but here, with so many people around…
She cared about her dignity.
Yu Ying lowered her head to eat porridge, trying her best to minimize her presence.
Fu Wei, seemingly aware of the inquisitive looks from the others, subtly shifted his gaze and then turned to his niece, saying, “Your little aunt's medical hall just opened, so naturally, she’s in a good mood.”
Is that all?
That didn’t seem right at all. She wasn’t even this happy on the day of the opening.
The others didn’t believe it. They felt Fu Wei must have had some good news, but no one dared to ask directly.
After breakfast, everyone except Luo and Fu Ning left the house.
Fu Wei and Fu Zhen went to the office, while Yu Ying, her sister-in-law, and Fu An headed to the medical hall, parting ways halfway.
Watching Yu Ying leave, the smile on Fu Wei’s face didn't fade, and the usually reticent Fu Zhen finally voiced his curiosity.
"What exactly has made you so happy?"
Fu Wei withdrew his gaze and looked at Fu Zhen.
"After my shift today, let's go to the fabric store."
Fu Zhen asked, "Don't we still have fabric at home?"
Fu Wei smiled and explained, "It's for wedding garments."
Fu Zhen raised an eyebrow, sensing something but not quite grasping it: "Who's getting married..."
He paused, then suddenly realized, "You're going to hold a wedding ceremony with Sister-in-Law?"
The family had always known that the young couple were married in name only, not in practice. They never interfered, fearing it might make them uncomfortable.
They also knew that things had changed between the two since their return from the county town earlier in the year, as they had grown closer. So now, Fu Zhen wasn’t too surprised.
Fu Wei nodded, "Sixth Lady and I only have a marriage certificate, we haven't performed the traditional ceremony. I want to officially complete it with her."
Fu Zhen agreed, "Alright, we'll go to the tailor's after work."
Fu Wei added, "And there are other things needed for the wedding."
Fu Wei remained in high spirits all day, the smile never fading from his face. People at the government office noticed, finding it odd. Although Mr. Fu usually smiled, today's seemed exceptionally different.
When Yu Ying arrived at the clinic, she opened the doors for business.
After distributing rice cakes in the streets yesterday, many people were aware of the new clinic's opening.
Yu Ying had previously worked as a resident doctor at Ji's Clinic and had cared for many patients during the epidemic at the resettlement center, earning a good reputation. She wasn’t worried about a lack of patients.
There were quite a few patients in the morning, but none of them had serious issues.
If the magistrate's wife and Chen came, a half-hour session would suffice for each.
Being new to the clinic and everyone still adjusting, Yu Ying had to be extra vigilant, barely stopping throughout the day, with even her water being brought by Fu An.
Not to mention, she had to provide care for the magistrate's wife after seeing patients.
By the afternoon, when there were no more patients, she finally got a chance to relax.
Coincidentally, Chen also arrived, so Yu Ying chatted with her while performing a skincare treatment.
“Lady Yu, you really need to keep an eye on your husband.”
Yu Ying smiled, “Why do you say that, Lady Chen?”
“I didn’t want to say it yesterday with so many people around, but those young girls, their eyes were practically glued to your husband.”
“Don't think just because your husband has a disability, no one will be interested. In Yuxian, no able-bodied man possesses your husband's charm and talent, not to mention his position as the magistrate's aide. Having seen someone as handsome as him, how could they be attracted to anyone else?”
Young girls, experiencing the awakening of first love, can be blindly infatuated, not caring whether the object of their affection is able-bodied or disabled.
Yu Ying hoped there wouldn’t be such blindly infatuated individuals.
But appreciating Chen’s well-intentioned warning, she politely responded, “Thank you for the reminder, Lady Chen. I will certainly be more vigilant in the future to prevent any unwanted advances.”
Yu Ying used a homemade cleansing cream to wash Chen’s face, followed by applying a hydrating and beautifying mud mask made from plants. After washing it off, she applied a facial cream and massaged it in for absorption.
This entire process took forty-five minutes.
After the treatment, Madam Chen took a copper mirror to examine herself from all angles.
The reflection in the copper mirror wasn’t very clear, but Madam Chen felt her skin had improved significantly. She happily paid and made an appointment for a follow-up visit.
After seeing off Madam Chen, Yu Ying rubbed her shoulders and turned to look at the apprentices busily working in the shop.
She wondered when they would be skilled enough to handle things on their own.
Recruiting a reputable doctor was challenging. Firstly, as the clinic specialized in treating women, hiring male doctors seemed inappropriate. Secondly, female doctors were exceedingly rare in this era, let alone in Yu County.
The only option was to have her sister-in-law take over massage and skincare sooner so that she could focus more on treating patients and training the young girls.
After a busy day, the clinic closed at the hour of You (5-7 PM) as there were no patients. Yu Ying then headed home.
Back home, she surprisingly found her brothers, who had finished their duties early but had only just arrived.
Wen Xing, surprised, asked her husband, "Why are you only just getting back?"
Fu Zhen, having promised his brother to keep it a secret in front of others, glanced at Fu Wei before replying, "There was work at the office, so we came back late."
Yu Ying wasn’t overly curious about what they were busy with. Tired from the day, she ate dinner, bathed, and then retired to her room to check the accounts.
After a tiring day, nothing was more satisfying than counting money.
She was eager to know the first day's earnings from the official opening.
The clinic's rent and various expenses had already cost nearly 20,000 coins, so she felt considerable pressure.
Without deducting any costs, the day's revenue was 380 coins.
After accounting for miscellaneous expenses, the profit was around 250 coins.
This amount was reasonably satisfactory.
The cosmetic stand in the county town, being past its peak season, wasn't earning much, so combined with the clinic's income, it amounted to about four hundred wen per day, which was a modest sum of over ten thousand wen per month.
In terms of current grain prices, this amount could be converted into about one thousand eight hundred jin (pounds) of grain.
After operating for two months, she planned to convert her savings into grain and store it in the county town.
Otherwise, in the future, the copper coins would no longer hold their value.
While Yu Ying was engrossed in her calculations, someone embraced her from behind, enveloping her in warmth.
A gentle and clear voice sounded near her ear.
"Otherwise, we should ask Song Sanlang to find a secluded house in the county town and keep the owner's identity a secret."
Seeing the accounts on the paper, he roughly understood what she was calculating and her concerns.
Yu Ying put down her pen and relaxed against Fu Wei, responding, "Yes, we should start renting a house early. With the increase in taxes, there will be more grain on the market, making it somewhat cheaper."
Fu Wei agreed, "I'll send a letter to Song Sanlang tomorrow."
"I’m not sure if he has enough money on hand. I'll give you three thousand wen tomorrow to send along."
Fu Wei acknowledged with a low hum.
He then suggested, "Once we find the house, we can bag the grain as if it were luggage to be sent periodically, helping to avoid drawing attention."
That was exactly what Yu Ying had in mind.
The more grain, the better; they couldn’t have too much.
It’s just that she wasn’t earning enough money.
In a place as small as Yuxian, even with her skills, she couldn’t expect to make a fortune overnight; steady progress was key.
After a simple discussion and a quiet moment, Fu Wei held Yu Ying in his arms greedily, not wanting to let go, especially now that she had agreed to be a true married couple, making him even more reluctant to release her.
Unbeknownst to her, Yu Ying found herself being lifted onto the bed by Fu Wei, her clothes slightly disheveled. Emotions swirling, she felt a mix of tenderness and confusion, her fair and soft skin partly exposed, feeling warm and slightly damp touches upon it, causing her body to tremble involuntarily.
In that moment, Fu Wei suddenly stopped, restraining himself with difficulty. He pulled the quilt over Yu Ying, murmuring an apology in a hoarse voice before turning and leaving the room.
……
Yu Ying lay under the quilt, staring blankly at the canopy above her.
As she realized the impulsiveness of their actions, her cheeks flushed red, but she also felt a bit annoyed.
Fu Wei really knew how to leave someone hanging...
Not only men have desires, women do too!
Yu Ying, a grown woman, was already mentally prepared. Had he taken the next step, she wouldn’t have refused. But what happened?
Was he being too much of a gentleman???
Pulling the quilt over herself, Yu Ying covered her head and then kicked the quilt a few times in frustration.
Fu Wei, after leaving the room, was cooled by the fresh air and splashed his face with cold water, taking quite a while to calm down.
He felt annoyed with himself. He had managed to restrain himself before, so why couldn’t he do so now, just a few days away from their official marriage?
Fu Wei returned to the room after half an hour of clearing his head. He opened the door quietly and walked slowly to the bed. Upon meeting Yu Ying's slightly annoyed gaze, he hesitated.
After Yu Ying glared at him, she then rolled over and moved to the far side of the bed.
Fu Wei was taken aback.
Ah Ying was indeed angry.
After a moment of silence, he lay down beside her, embracing her from behind, and whispered an apology, "Ah Ying, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. It was my fault."
Yu Ying: ...
Her feelings were quite complex.
Never mind, his behavior was also out of respect for her and involved self-restraint, right?
Thinking this, Yu Ying wasn't angry anymore. She turned around and nestled into his embrace, resignedly saying, “I’m not mad at you for that.”
It's just a little frustrating that once something has started, it shouldn't be abruptly stopped.
Fu Wei held Yu Ying, thinking that they really should hurry up with the wedding clothes, so they could have the ceremony sooner.
Their thoughts weren't just different, they were completely opposite.
Chapter 118
The morning was bright and beautiful, heralding a day of good weather.
Fu Wei was in an exceptionally good mood during dinner today.
"Uncle, did you eat some candy?" Fu Ning asked innocently, looking up with her small face full of curiosity.
Fu Wei looked down at her, "Why do you ask?"
The simple-minded Fu Ning replied, "Because Uncle is smiling so happily, just like after eating candy."
Sitting beside her, Wen Xing gave her daughter an approving look. The girl had voiced the question she herself wanted to ask.
It wasn’t just Wen Xing; everyone else thought it was a good question.
Since this morning, Fu Wei had been wearing a smile like the first breath of spring, his joy evident and unusual, as if he had found gold...
But no, even if Fu Wei had found gold, he would have put it away without changing his expression, not smiling so broadly.
This was the first time they had seen Fu Wei smiling with such joy.
Fu Wei's lips curved in a smile, his voice gentle, "I didn’t eat any candy; I'm just in a good mood."
If being in a good mood makes him smile like this, what exactly happened to put him in such high spirits? They all wanted him to share!
Fu Ning persisted, "Why are you in such a good mood, Uncle?"
Indeed, her question echoed what everyone was thinking.
Everyone's eyes twinkled with admiration — "Well done, Fu Ning."
Fu Wei looked across at Yu Ying, his eyes almost brimming with laughter.
Yu Ying: …
Ever since they got married, the smile on his face seemed never to cease, and his gaze frequently fell on her.
It was one thing at home, but here, with so many people around…
She cared about her dignity.
Yu Ying lowered her head to eat porridge, trying her best to minimize her presence.
Fu Wei, seemingly aware of the inquisitive looks from the others, subtly shifted his gaze and then turned to his niece, saying, “Your little aunt's medical hall just opened, so naturally, she’s in a good mood.”
Is that all?
That didn’t seem right at all. She wasn’t even this happy on the day of the opening.
The others didn’t believe it. They felt Fu Wei must have had some good news, but no one dared to ask directly.
After breakfast, everyone except Luo and Fu Ning left the house.
Fu Wei and Fu Zhen went to the office, while Yu Ying, her sister-in-law, and Fu An headed to the medical hall, parting ways halfway.
Watching Yu Ying leave, the smile on Fu Wei’s face didn't fade, and the usually reticent Fu Zhen finally voiced his curiosity.
"What exactly has made you so happy?"
Fu Wei withdrew his gaze and looked at Fu Zhen.
"After my shift today, let's go to the fabric store."
Fu Zhen asked, "Don't we still have fabric at home?"
Fu Wei smiled and explained, "It's for wedding garments."
Fu Zhen raised an eyebrow, sensing something but not quite grasping it: "Who's getting married..."
He paused, then suddenly realized, "You're going to hold a wedding ceremony with Sister-in-Law?"
The family had always known that the young couple were married in name only, not in practice. They never interfered, fearing it might make them uncomfortable.
They also knew that things had changed between the two since their return from the county town earlier in the year, as they had grown closer. So now, Fu Zhen wasn’t too surprised.
Fu Wei nodded, "Sixth Lady and I only have a marriage certificate, we haven't performed the traditional ceremony. I want to officially complete it with her."
Fu Zhen agreed, "Alright, we'll go to the tailor's after work."
Fu Wei added, "And there are other things needed for the wedding."
Fu Wei remained in high spirits all day, the smile never fading from his face. People at the government office noticed, finding it odd. Although Mr. Fu usually smiled, today's seemed exceptionally different.
When Yu Ying arrived at the clinic, she opened the doors for business.
After distributing rice cakes in the streets yesterday, many people were aware of the new clinic's opening.
Yu Ying had previously worked as a resident doctor at Ji's Clinic and had cared for many patients during the epidemic at the resettlement center, earning a good reputation. She wasn’t worried about a lack of patients.
There were quite a few patients in the morning, but none of them had serious issues.
If the magistrate's wife and Chen came, a half-hour session would suffice for each.
Being new to the clinic and everyone still adjusting, Yu Ying had to be extra vigilant, barely stopping throughout the day, with even her water being brought by Fu An.
Not to mention, she had to provide care for the magistrate's wife after seeing patients.
By the afternoon, when there were no more patients, she finally got a chance to relax.
Coincidentally, Chen also arrived, so Yu Ying chatted with her while performing a skincare treatment.
“Lady Yu, you really need to keep an eye on your husband.”
Yu Ying smiled, “Why do you say that, Lady Chen?”
“I didn’t want to say it yesterday with so many people around, but those young girls, their eyes were practically glued to your husband.”
“Don't think just because your husband has a disability, no one will be interested. In Yuxian, no able-bodied man possesses your husband's charm and talent, not to mention his position as the magistrate's aide. Having seen someone as handsome as him, how could they be attracted to anyone else?”
Young girls, experiencing the awakening of first love, can be blindly infatuated, not caring whether the object of their affection is able-bodied or disabled.
Yu Ying hoped there wouldn’t be such blindly infatuated individuals.
But appreciating Chen’s well-intentioned warning, she politely responded, “Thank you for the reminder, Lady Chen. I will certainly be more vigilant in the future to prevent any unwanted advances.”
Yu Ying used a homemade cleansing cream to wash Chen’s face, followed by applying a hydrating and beautifying mud mask made from plants. After washing it off, she applied a facial cream and massaged it in for absorption.
This entire process took forty-five minutes.
After the treatment, Madam Chen took a copper mirror to examine herself from all angles.
The reflection in the copper mirror wasn’t very clear, but Madam Chen felt her skin had improved significantly. She happily paid and made an appointment for a follow-up visit.
After seeing off Madam Chen, Yu Ying rubbed her shoulders and turned to look at the apprentices busily working in the shop.
She wondered when they would be skilled enough to handle things on their own.
Recruiting a reputable doctor was challenging. Firstly, as the clinic specialized in treating women, hiring male doctors seemed inappropriate. Secondly, female doctors were exceedingly rare in this era, let alone in Yu County.
The only option was to have her sister-in-law take over massage and skincare sooner so that she could focus more on treating patients and training the young girls.
After a busy day, the clinic closed at the hour of You (5-7 PM) as there were no patients. Yu Ying then headed home.
Back home, she surprisingly found her brothers, who had finished their duties early but had only just arrived.
Wen Xing, surprised, asked her husband, "Why are you only just getting back?"
Fu Zhen, having promised his brother to keep it a secret in front of others, glanced at Fu Wei before replying, "There was work at the office, so we came back late."
Yu Ying wasn’t overly curious about what they were busy with. Tired from the day, she ate dinner, bathed, and then retired to her room to check the accounts.
After a tiring day, nothing was more satisfying than counting money.
She was eager to know the first day's earnings from the official opening.
The clinic's rent and various expenses had already cost nearly 20,000 coins, so she felt considerable pressure.
Without deducting any costs, the day's revenue was 380 coins.
After accounting for miscellaneous expenses, the profit was around 250 coins.
This amount was reasonably satisfactory.
The cosmetic stand in the county town, being past its peak season, wasn't earning much, so combined with the clinic's income, it amounted to about four hundred wen per day, which was a modest sum of over ten thousand wen per month.
In terms of current grain prices, this amount could be converted into about one thousand eight hundred jin (pounds) of grain.
After operating for two months, she planned to convert her savings into grain and store it in the county town.
Otherwise, in the future, the copper coins would no longer hold their value.
While Yu Ying was engrossed in her calculations, someone embraced her from behind, enveloping her in warmth.
A gentle and clear voice sounded near her ear.
"Otherwise, we should ask Song Sanlang to find a secluded house in the county town and keep the owner's identity a secret."
Seeing the accounts on the paper, he roughly understood what she was calculating and her concerns.
Yu Ying put down her pen and relaxed against Fu Wei, responding, "Yes, we should start renting a house early. With the increase in taxes, there will be more grain on the market, making it somewhat cheaper."
Fu Wei agreed, "I'll send a letter to Song Sanlang tomorrow."
"I’m not sure if he has enough money on hand. I'll give you three thousand wen tomorrow to send along."
Fu Wei acknowledged with a low hum.
He then suggested, "Once we find the house, we can bag the grain as if it were luggage to be sent periodically, helping to avoid drawing attention."
That was exactly what Yu Ying had in mind.
The more grain, the better; they couldn’t have too much.
It’s just that she wasn’t earning enough money.
In a place as small as Yuxian, even with her skills, she couldn’t expect to make a fortune overnight; steady progress was key.
After a simple discussion and a quiet moment, Fu Wei held Yu Ying in his arms greedily, not wanting to let go, especially now that she had agreed to be a true married couple, making him even more reluctant to release her.
Unbeknownst to her, Yu Ying found herself being lifted onto the bed by Fu Wei, her clothes slightly disheveled. Emotions swirling, she felt a mix of tenderness and confusion, her fair and soft skin partly exposed, feeling warm and slightly damp touches upon it, causing her body to tremble involuntarily.
In that moment, Fu Wei suddenly stopped, restraining himself with difficulty. He pulled the quilt over Yu Ying, murmuring an apology in a hoarse voice before turning and leaving the room.
……
Yu Ying lay under the quilt, staring blankly at the canopy above her.
As she realized the impulsiveness of their actions, her cheeks flushed red, but she also felt a bit annoyed.
Fu Wei really knew how to leave someone hanging...
Not only men have desires, women do too!
Yu Ying, a grown woman, was already mentally prepared. Had he taken the next step, she wouldn’t have refused. But what happened?
Was he being too much of a gentleman???
Pulling the quilt over herself, Yu Ying covered her head and then kicked the quilt a few times in frustration.
Fu Wei, after leaving the room, was cooled by the fresh air and splashed his face with cold water, taking quite a while to calm down.
He felt annoyed with himself. He had managed to restrain himself before, so why couldn’t he do so now, just a few days away from their official marriage?
Fu Wei returned to the room after half an hour of clearing his head. He opened the door quietly and walked slowly to the bed. Upon meeting Yu Ying's slightly annoyed gaze, he hesitated.
After Yu Ying glared at him, she then rolled over and moved to the far side of the bed.
Fu Wei was taken aback.
Ah Ying was indeed angry.
After a moment of silence, he lay down beside her, embracing her from behind, and whispered an apology, "Ah Ying, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. It was my fault."
Yu Ying: ...
Her feelings were quite complex.
Never mind, his behavior was also out of respect for her and involved self-restraint, right?
Thinking this, Yu Ying wasn't angry anymore. She turned around and nestled into his embrace, resignedly saying, “I’m not mad at you for that.”
It's just a little frustrating that once something has started, it shouldn't be abruptly stopped.
Fu Wei held Yu Ying, thinking that they really should hurry up with the wedding clothes, so they could have the ceremony sooner.
Their thoughts weren't just different, they were completely opposite.
