Chapter 3: The Male Protagonist is Ill
In the early morning, with the faint light of dawn, some light seeped through the gaps into the hut. Yu Ying got up, casually tying her waist-length hair with a cloth band, and then stepped out of the hut.
The weather was hot, but due to the early morning and the surrounding mountains, there was even a bit of mist, making the dawn quite cool.
Yu Ying, dressed in long clothes, didn't feel cold. However, having hardly slept the night before, her complexion was very pale, with a hint of dark circles under her eyes.
After yawning, Yu Ying went to the water jar to fetch water for washing her face, only to find that the jar was almost empty.
The entire village was built of thatched huts, so it was impossible to have a well. The only place to fetch water was a river about a mile away from the Fu family's home.
The elders in the Fu family had poor eyesight, and the youngest, although eight years old, looked no more than six and would find it difficult to carry water even for a mile.
After hesitating for a moment, Yu Ying scooped just half a ladle of water, using it sparingly in her palm for rinsing her mouth and washing her face.
As she washed, the sound of a bamboo pole tapping the ground indicated that Luo Shi was also up.
It was only dimly lit outside with the mist, so Luo Shi couldn't see anything clearly.
Though she couldn’t see, she could hear the sound of splashing water.
Frowning slightly, she thought to herself that Yu, who had been with them for half a month, usually slept in late. She wondered why Yu was getting up so early these days.
After a moment of doubt, Luo Shi didn’t dwell on it and came over, placing the clothes her son and grandchildren had changed out of into an old wooden basin.
Carrying the basin in one hand and tapping her bamboo pole with the other, she confidently walked out of the courtyard to wash the clothes by the river.
It was not fully light yet, and with Luo Shi's poor eyesight, washing clothes by the river posed a risk of accidentally slipping into the water.
Yu Ying frowned as she watched Luo Shi leave, feeling somewhat worried.
Since she had to go out to find some herbs today anyway, she decided to follow, limping along.
She didn’t follow Luo Shi closely, but kept a considerable distance behind her.
Luo Shi's poor eyesight slowed her pace, so Yu Ying stopped intermittently to inspect the wild grasses along the way.
Common medicinal herbs were not difficult to find in the Lingnan region, often seen along rural paths, but most locals couldn’t identify them and considered them ordinary weeds.
She found common medicinal herbs every few steps. Particularly, the ubiquitous ghost needle grass, effective for treating bruises, pain, clearing heat, detoxifying, and dispelling dampness, was everywhere.
Given her current situation, Yu Ying couldn’t afford elaborate treatments and had to resort to the simplest method. She planned to crush the ghost needle grass, steam it hot, and apply it for a few days to see the effect.
She had been here for several days, and the swelling at her ankle had subsided compared to when she first arrived, so a few days of treatment should show results.
She bent over and picked a handful of ghost needle grass.
After doing so, she noticed some summer-dried grass nearby. Recalling the coughing from the neighboring hut the night before, she thought for a moment and picked some as well.
Lingnan is known for its miasma; it’s essential to consume lung-cleansing food, or even if she stays for a long time, she would end up coughing like the Fu family.
Boiling summer-dried grass with pig's lungs can cleanse the lungs and stop coughing.
In ancient times, pork was relatively cheap, so pig’s lungs would be even cheaper. If she could visit the market, she planned to inquire about it.
However, she first needed to exchange the two silver leaf pieces for money, and with such a small amount of silver, she had to be very frugal and plan her expenses carefully.
Yu Ying, having gathered her thoughts, continued picking various herbs and eventually followed Luo Shi to the riverbank.
Early in the morning, as people went out to work, they looked at Yu Ying with surprise.
The village was called Ling Shui Village, where most villagers settled after being exiled. Even though some had been pardoned and could leave Lingnan, due to lack of money, they had no choice but to stay.
Fu Wei had been in Ling Shui Village for a month, and Yu Ying had been married into this village for half a month.
Regarding Fu Wei, the villagers of Ling Shui only saw him briefly on the day he arrived, but they had seen the new bride of the Fu family several times.
This new bride of the Fu family, with many black spots on her face, seemed unattractive, but they felt that she could be quite beautiful if those spots were removed.
As for the character of the new bride of the Fu family…
She had previously stolen food and run away, clearly not someone easy to deal with.
Yu Ying paid no attention to those assessing glances and, after picking her herbs, stood at a distance watching Luo Shi.
After all, in her first two days in the village, when she was confined to her bed, Luo Shi hadn’t neglected her. Yu Ying couldn’t bear to just stand by indifferently.
As the day brightened and Luo Shi finished washing the clothes, Yu Ying headed back first.
Back in the courtyard, she put down the herbs and went out again to find two smooth, clean stones. When she returned, Luo Shi was also back.
Yu Ying used half a ladle of water to briefly rinse the stones and the herbs, and then started pounding the medicine.
The sound of stones clashing reached inside the hut, and Fu An lifted the grass curtain of the window, rubbing his eyes and peering out to see Yu Ying grinding the herbs, looking puzzled.
Although he didn’t understand what she was doing, he still heeded his grandmother’s words and didn’t bother her.
Sensing someone watching her, Yu Ying, after partially crushing the herbs, looked up towards the larger thatched hut.
Making eye contact with Fu An, she was about to look away when she noticed a figure behind him.
Due to the dimness inside the hut, she couldn’t clearly see the person's face, only making out the silhouette of an adult man.
Without a doubt, it was the silhouette of an adult male.
No further thoughts were needed; this adult man was the male protagonist, Fu Wei.
Although she couldn’t see clearly, she sensed that Fu Wei was also watching her.
His gaze seemed calm and silent.
After a moment, Yu Ying shifted her gaze away.
It would be too abrupt now to offer to check his leg injury; Luo Shi might not even let her in the door, thinking she wanted to harm her son. Observing the situation first seemed wiser.
Her attention returned to the herbs.
Ideally, the herbs should be steamed and then applied for better effectiveness, but considering the rudimentary fire stand lacking even a pot, she had to make do with wrapping the herbs in a cloth.
Back in the hut, she applied the herbs to her swollen ankle.
The effectiveness of unsteamed herbs was significantly less, but it was better than doing nothing.
The herbs needed to be reapplied after about an hour.
As she hadn’t slept the whole night, she dozed off, and by the time she woke up, more than an hour had passed.
After changing the herbs once, nearing noon, Yu Ying found a long, thick tree branch, broke off the smaller branches, and used it as a walking stick.
After leaving the hut, Yu Ying found that Luo Shi and the two children were not at home and their whereabouts were unknown. She took out a thin quilt and dirty clothes, and slowly walked to the river to wash them.
On the way, she encountered some villagers, but as they were preoccupied with their basic needs, no one approached to greet her.
These villagers had been worn down by poverty, now resembling lifeless shells. Everyone had a blank stare, numb expressions, and lacked vitality.
Yu Ying sighed inwardly, fearing she might become like them. She knew she had to find another way to live, unable to continue like this.
Reaching the river, she quickly washed her clothes and then returned.
Back in the courtyard, she pushed aside Luo Shi’s drying clothes, making room to hang her own clothes and quilt.
The sun was fiercer each day, especially hot today, and she estimated that the items would dry by evening.
Yu Ying also laid out the herbs she picked that morning to dry, looking at the broken and untidy courtyard with a sigh.
Likely because Luo Shi's poor eyesight and the children being young, the courtyard hadn't been well-maintained.
The courtyard was overrun with weeds, and the ground was littered with messy branches, leaves, and some wilted wild vegetables that hadn’t been cooked.
Yu Ying, who liked cleanliness, after some thought, crouched down and started to remove the weeds. She then swept the fallen leaves to the side of the fire stand, piling them up for use as firewood in the evening.
After nearly half an hour of work, she stopped, feeling dizzy and exhausted, but the courtyard was finally tidy.
Just as she was about to return to the hut for a rest, a low, deep cough came from the other thatched hut.
Yu Ying paused, looking towards the hut where the male protagonist was.
After looking around and not seeing the grandmother and grandchildren, she hesitated for a moment.
Then, leaning on her stick, she slowly walked towards the door of the thatched hut.
After taking a deep breath, she called out from behind the grass curtain, “May I come in?”
After waiting for a moment, there was no response from inside the hut.
Yu Ying recalled from the novel that during the first few months after the male protagonist returned to the Fu family, he rarely spoke and always sat silently on the bed, devoid of vitality.
Given such circumstances, expecting a response from him seemed difficult.
Hesitating for a while, Yu Ying eventually entered uninvited.
Lifting the grass curtain, she stepped in and was immediately hit by the pungent smell of medicinal herbs.
Having just worked under the sun, her eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim interior, making everything inside, including people, appear blurred.
After some time, her eyes adapted, and the furnishings in the hut became clearer.
Compared to the hut she was staying in, this one was somewhat better.
Inside, there was a straw mat rolled up against the wall, presumably used for sleeping by the three family members.
The other furnishings included a small bamboo table, four long bamboo stools, and a bamboo bed large enough for two people.
Without exception, these bamboo furnishings were quite old and showed varying degrees of wear and tear.
On the only bamboo bed sat a man.
Yu Ying looked up and met a pair of dark, cold eyes.
She paused for a moment.
Originally, she had expected to see a disheveled, despondent, and languid male protagonist.
However, the man sitting against the wall, with a cold demeanor, clean and tidy appearance, and eyes covered with a layer of frost, was unexpectedly different.
Despite his gaunt, pale face and the illness that lingered around him, dressed in coarse hemp clothing, his naturally handsome features and tall, erect figure were unmistakable.
The male protagonist, indeed, had a certain sickly beauty about him.
He sat on the bamboo bed, his gaze, expression, and even the aura he exuded, all cold and clear.
Some people's temperament remains unchanged regardless of harsh environments or unfortunate circumstances.
Yu Ying felt that the male protagonist was one of those people.
Yu Ying’s gaze shifted from his handsome face to his legs covered by a thin quilt.
The room fell into silence for a moment.
She spoke dryly, "I come from a family skilled in medicine and know some medical techniques. Perhaps I could help heal your legs. Would you like my help?"
Fu Wei's expression remained cold and indifferent, not changing at her offer. He averted his gaze and closed his eyes, giving her no response.
Chapter 3: The Male Protagonist is Ill
In the early morning, with the faint light of dawn, some light seeped through the gaps into the hut. Yu Ying got up, casually tying her waist-length hair with a cloth band, and then stepped out of the hut.
The weather was hot, but due to the early morning and the surrounding mountains, there was even a bit of mist, making the dawn quite cool.
Yu Ying, dressed in long clothes, didn't feel cold. However, having hardly slept the night before, her complexion was very pale, with a hint of dark circles under her eyes.
After yawning, Yu Ying went to the water jar to fetch water for washing her face, only to find that the jar was almost empty.
The entire village was built of thatched huts, so it was impossible to have a well. The only place to fetch water was a river about a mile away from the Fu family's home.
The elders in the Fu family had poor eyesight, and the youngest, although eight years old, looked no more than six and would find it difficult to carry water even for a mile.
After hesitating for a moment, Yu Ying scooped just half a ladle of water, using it sparingly in her palm for rinsing her mouth and washing her face.
As she washed, the sound of a bamboo pole tapping the ground indicated that Luo Shi was also up.
It was only dimly lit outside with the mist, so Luo Shi couldn't see anything clearly.
Though she couldn’t see, she could hear the sound of splashing water.
Frowning slightly, she thought to herself that Yu, who had been with them for half a month, usually slept in late. She wondered why Yu was getting up so early these days.
After a moment of doubt, Luo Shi didn’t dwell on it and came over, placing the clothes her son and grandchildren had changed out of into an old wooden basin.
Carrying the basin in one hand and tapping her bamboo pole with the other, she confidently walked out of the courtyard to wash the clothes by the river.
It was not fully light yet, and with Luo Shi's poor eyesight, washing clothes by the river posed a risk of accidentally slipping into the water.
Yu Ying frowned as she watched Luo Shi leave, feeling somewhat worried.
Since she had to go out to find some herbs today anyway, she decided to follow, limping along.
She didn’t follow Luo Shi closely, but kept a considerable distance behind her.
Luo Shi's poor eyesight slowed her pace, so Yu Ying stopped intermittently to inspect the wild grasses along the way.
Common medicinal herbs were not difficult to find in the Lingnan region, often seen along rural paths, but most locals couldn’t identify them and considered them ordinary weeds.
She found common medicinal herbs every few steps. Particularly, the ubiquitous ghost needle grass, effective for treating bruises, pain, clearing heat, detoxifying, and dispelling dampness, was everywhere.
Given her current situation, Yu Ying couldn’t afford elaborate treatments and had to resort to the simplest method. She planned to crush the ghost needle grass, steam it hot, and apply it for a few days to see the effect.
She had been here for several days, and the swelling at her ankle had subsided compared to when she first arrived, so a few days of treatment should show results.
She bent over and picked a handful of ghost needle grass.
After doing so, she noticed some summer-dried grass nearby. Recalling the coughing from the neighboring hut the night before, she thought for a moment and picked some as well.
Lingnan is known for its miasma; it’s essential to consume lung-cleansing food, or even if she stays for a long time, she would end up coughing like the Fu family.
Boiling summer-dried grass with pig's lungs can cleanse the lungs and stop coughing.
In ancient times, pork was relatively cheap, so pig’s lungs would be even cheaper. If she could visit the market, she planned to inquire about it.
However, she first needed to exchange the two silver leaf pieces for money, and with such a small amount of silver, she had to be very frugal and plan her expenses carefully.
Yu Ying, having gathered her thoughts, continued picking various herbs and eventually followed Luo Shi to the riverbank.
Early in the morning, as people went out to work, they looked at Yu Ying with surprise.
The village was called Ling Shui Village, where most villagers settled after being exiled. Even though some had been pardoned and could leave Lingnan, due to lack of money, they had no choice but to stay.
Fu Wei had been in Ling Shui Village for a month, and Yu Ying had been married into this village for half a month.
Regarding Fu Wei, the villagers of Ling Shui only saw him briefly on the day he arrived, but they had seen the new bride of the Fu family several times.
This new bride of the Fu family, with many black spots on her face, seemed unattractive, but they felt that she could be quite beautiful if those spots were removed.
As for the character of the new bride of the Fu family…
She had previously stolen food and run away, clearly not someone easy to deal with.
Yu Ying paid no attention to those assessing glances and, after picking her herbs, stood at a distance watching Luo Shi.
After all, in her first two days in the village, when she was confined to her bed, Luo Shi hadn’t neglected her. Yu Ying couldn’t bear to just stand by indifferently.
As the day brightened and Luo Shi finished washing the clothes, Yu Ying headed back first.
Back in the courtyard, she put down the herbs and went out again to find two smooth, clean stones. When she returned, Luo Shi was also back.
Yu Ying used half a ladle of water to briefly rinse the stones and the herbs, and then started pounding the medicine.
The sound of stones clashing reached inside the hut, and Fu An lifted the grass curtain of the window, rubbing his eyes and peering out to see Yu Ying grinding the herbs, looking puzzled.
Although he didn’t understand what she was doing, he still heeded his grandmother’s words and didn’t bother her.
Sensing someone watching her, Yu Ying, after partially crushing the herbs, looked up towards the larger thatched hut.
Making eye contact with Fu An, she was about to look away when she noticed a figure behind him.
Due to the dimness inside the hut, she couldn’t clearly see the person's face, only making out the silhouette of an adult man.
Without a doubt, it was the silhouette of an adult male.
No further thoughts were needed; this adult man was the male protagonist, Fu Wei.
Although she couldn’t see clearly, she sensed that Fu Wei was also watching her.
His gaze seemed calm and silent.
After a moment, Yu Ying shifted her gaze away.
It would be too abrupt now to offer to check his leg injury; Luo Shi might not even let her in the door, thinking she wanted to harm her son. Observing the situation first seemed wiser.
Her attention returned to the herbs.
Ideally, the herbs should be steamed and then applied for better effectiveness, but considering the rudimentary fire stand lacking even a pot, she had to make do with wrapping the herbs in a cloth.
Back in the hut, she applied the herbs to her swollen ankle.
The effectiveness of unsteamed herbs was significantly less, but it was better than doing nothing.
The herbs needed to be reapplied after about an hour.
As she hadn’t slept the whole night, she dozed off, and by the time she woke up, more than an hour had passed.
After changing the herbs once, nearing noon, Yu Ying found a long, thick tree branch, broke off the smaller branches, and used it as a walking stick.
After leaving the hut, Yu Ying found that Luo Shi and the two children were not at home and their whereabouts were unknown. She took out a thin quilt and dirty clothes, and slowly walked to the river to wash them.
On the way, she encountered some villagers, but as they were preoccupied with their basic needs, no one approached to greet her.
These villagers had been worn down by poverty, now resembling lifeless shells. Everyone had a blank stare, numb expressions, and lacked vitality.
Yu Ying sighed inwardly, fearing she might become like them. She knew she had to find another way to live, unable to continue like this.
Reaching the river, she quickly washed her clothes and then returned.
Back in the courtyard, she pushed aside Luo Shi’s drying clothes, making room to hang her own clothes and quilt.
The sun was fiercer each day, especially hot today, and she estimated that the items would dry by evening.
Yu Ying also laid out the herbs she picked that morning to dry, looking at the broken and untidy courtyard with a sigh.
Likely because Luo Shi's poor eyesight and the children being young, the courtyard hadn't been well-maintained.
The courtyard was overrun with weeds, and the ground was littered with messy branches, leaves, and some wilted wild vegetables that hadn’t been cooked.
Yu Ying, who liked cleanliness, after some thought, crouched down and started to remove the weeds. She then swept the fallen leaves to the side of the fire stand, piling them up for use as firewood in the evening.
After nearly half an hour of work, she stopped, feeling dizzy and exhausted, but the courtyard was finally tidy.
Just as she was about to return to the hut for a rest, a low, deep cough came from the other thatched hut.
Yu Ying paused, looking towards the hut where the male protagonist was.
After looking around and not seeing the grandmother and grandchildren, she hesitated for a moment.
Then, leaning on her stick, she slowly walked towards the door of the thatched hut.
After taking a deep breath, she called out from behind the grass curtain, “May I come in?”
After waiting for a moment, there was no response from inside the hut.
Yu Ying recalled from the novel that during the first few months after the male protagonist returned to the Fu family, he rarely spoke and always sat silently on the bed, devoid of vitality.
Given such circumstances, expecting a response from him seemed difficult.
Hesitating for a while, Yu Ying eventually entered uninvited.
Lifting the grass curtain, she stepped in and was immediately hit by the pungent smell of medicinal herbs.
Having just worked under the sun, her eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim interior, making everything inside, including people, appear blurred.
After some time, her eyes adapted, and the furnishings in the hut became clearer.
Compared to the hut she was staying in, this one was somewhat better.
Inside, there was a straw mat rolled up against the wall, presumably used for sleeping by the three family members.
The other furnishings included a small bamboo table, four long bamboo stools, and a bamboo bed large enough for two people.
Without exception, these bamboo furnishings were quite old and showed varying degrees of wear and tear.
On the only bamboo bed sat a man.
Yu Ying looked up and met a pair of dark, cold eyes.
She paused for a moment.
Originally, she had expected to see a disheveled, despondent, and languid male protagonist.
However, the man sitting against the wall, with a cold demeanor, clean and tidy appearance, and eyes covered with a layer of frost, was unexpectedly different.
Despite his gaunt, pale face and the illness that lingered around him, dressed in coarse hemp clothing, his naturally handsome features and tall, erect figure were unmistakable.
The male protagonist, indeed, had a certain sickly beauty about him.
He sat on the bamboo bed, his gaze, expression, and even the aura he exuded, all cold and clear.
Some people's temperament remains unchanged regardless of harsh environments or unfortunate circumstances.
Yu Ying felt that the male protagonist was one of those people.
Yu Ying’s gaze shifted from his handsome face to his legs covered by a thin quilt.
The room fell into silence for a moment.
She spoke dryly, "I come from a family skilled in medicine and know some medical techniques. Perhaps I could help heal your legs. Would you like my help?"
Fu Wei's expression remained cold and indifferent, not changing at her offer. He averted his gaze and closed his eyes, giving her no response.
