Disappointed? There’s no good food today (modified).
Mei Dou opened her eyes in astonishment and blurted out, “…What?”
A small amount of blood oozed from the incision. Yu Jinnian wiped it away with a clean cloth, then glanced up to check Qing Huan’s condition. Seeing her breathing steadily and in good spirits, he continued his work. He cut through the surface tissue, put down the single-edged knife, and reached out his hand, saying, “Ji Hong, give me the double-headed hook.”
Ji Hong handed him a four-inch-long hook instrument.
The situation looked dire, but fortunately, the vascular damage was not severe, there was no other nerve damage, and the fracture was not multi-segmental. This allowed Yu Jinnian’s heart, which had been in his throat, to settle somewhat. He patiently identified the various blood vessels and muscle groups, located the fracture point, exposed the fractured segment, and carefully repositioned and fixed the bone fragments.
After that, he needed to meticulously re-examine the surrounding blood vessels and nerves to eliminate any potential risks before finally suturing the skin.
Qing Huan kept her eyes closed, not daring to look down. She heard her heart pounding as it had never beaten so hard before, yet this also gave rise to a courage she had never felt. After a while, she opened her eyes and looked at the little maid Mei Dou, who was even more nervous than she was, and then began to speak: “It was indeed I who let her go. But although Sister Xue Qiao had the intention to escape, she feared implicating me, so she had suppressed the thought, almost abandoning it.”
Mei Dou didn’t understand: “Then how…” How did she escape in the end?
Before Mei Dou could finish, Qing Huan continued: “A few days before the Moon Festival, Sister Xue Qiao suddenly received news from somewhere that the relatives she had been searching for had died in a landslide two years ago. A family of four, all buried under the collapsed earth, with no remains… She looked very unwell that day, didn’t speak a word all day, and in the afternoon, she suddenly asked me to get Brother Nian to make mooncakes.”
Upon hearing this, Yu Jinnian remembered that Xue Qiao had entrusted him with the task of building a cenotaph for her, which had been delayed due to Ji Hong’s illness—could it be that she had already made up her mind then? But if she wanted to escape, she could have established the tomb after settling down with a new identity, why entrust it to someone unrelated?
Unless she wasn’t planning to escape, but rather…
“Brother Nian, did Sister ask you to do something that day?” Qing Huan suddenly asked.
Yu Jinnian was taken aback, thinking she was quite clever, and had to vaguely reply, “Yes, a small matter.”
“I knew it,” Qing Huan smiled and suddenly asked, “Brother Nian, can I move my hand a bit? It’s too tense and going numb.”
“Ah…sure, just don’t touch the injured leg.”
Mei Dou also sensed something amiss and worriedly asked, “What’s going on exactly?”
Qing Huan slowly raised and lowered her hand, opening and closing it, then sighed deeply and recalled, “On the day of the Moon Festival, that guest specifically requested Sister Xue Qiao to go to his mansion…”
——
That night, the city was ablaze with thousands of lights, the moon shining brightly, with exquisite dishes and wines, and the sound of zithers and flutes resonating. On the high stage, the singing and dancing continued all night, while the guests reveled under the moon’s radiance.
Despite her inner turmoil, Xue Qiao went to the mansion, raising her cup and offering wine, forcing a smile. Qing Huan accompanied her, silently bowing her head. After three rounds of drinks, half the guests at the banquet were already drunk, the ladies had gone out to admire the moon, and only a group of men remained in the courtyard, talking grandly and complimenting each other.
The drunken men had nothing to talk about except wealth and women. Somehow, one of them noticed Qing Huan standing behind Xue Qiao. A plump-faced man recited a couple of sour verses and reached out to touch her face. Qing Huan knew that she would officially become a courtesan in another year. If she couldn’t even tolerate a touch on the face, how could she survive in the future? So, she kept her head down and let him touch her. However, the man’s hand was extremely improper, and his words were crude. Qing Huan couldn’t stand it and raised her hand to push him away.
This caused an uproar. The man suddenly flared up, his eyes turning red and his nostrils flaring. He accused her, a mere prostitute, of daring to ruin his fun, and called for two servants to strip her and drag her into a room.
She was terrified and, in her panic, could think of nothing else but to struggle desperately.
“Sir,” Xue Qiao suddenly stood up, placing herself between them, arranging Qing Huan’s torn clothes with a smile. “This is just a young girl who hasn’t been introduced yet, she’s still learning the rules. Please forgive her. For ruining your mood, Xue Qiao will apologize.”
The man, with a pig-like face, leered and said, “How does Xue Qiao plan to apologize?”
Xue Qiao replied, “However Sir will be pleased, Xue Qiao will comply.”
“Alright.” The man laughed, waving his hand. “First, drink two pots of wine!”
The silver long-spouted wine vessel gleamed, with a blood-red gem on its lid. Under the high roof adorned with glass lanterns, everyone’s faces were illuminated with colorful hues. Xue Qiao reached for the wine pots and, without a word, drank two pots of strong wine. The wine trickled down her chin, wetting her chest, and her thin dress clung tightly to her skin.
“Xue Qiao has a great capacity for wine!” The man slung his arm around Xue Qiao’s shoulders and staggered towards a room, releasing Qing Huan. “Buzzkill, get lost!” he spat, throwing the empty wine pot at her, and stumbled away with Xue Qiao.
The wine was warm, and the silver pot still retained some heat. Qing Huan stood there holding it, staring at Xue Qiao’s departing figure.
She spent the entire night outside that room, listening to the sounds from within. At first, there were sweet words, but as the wine took effect, patience ran out. Later, there were crude insults, slaps, and cries of pain from Xue Qiao. Over and over, it seemed like a never-ending nightmare.
She looked up at the glass lanterns on the eaves, which she once thought were the most beautiful things in the world. Now, they seemed to shine with a twisted, grotesque light.
Finally, the door opened. Xue Qiao stepped out, seemingly surprised to see Qing Huan waiting outside. She paused, then smiled gently, “Let’s go home.”
Qing Huan looked up and gasped, “Sister, your face…”
“Hmm?” Xue Qiao touched her face, feeling the blood on her fingers. She didn’t react much, instead, she smiled, “It’s fine, isn’t it?” She tore a piece of her dress to bandage her face, covering the wound.
“But…” Qing Huan was terrified, thinking about how Xue Qiao would live with such a scar. She sobbed, “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have hit him. We should go to the clinic, the scar can still be treated—”
“Qing Huan,” Xue Qiao interrupted, listening to the distant sound of drums. “There’s a night market on the river street today. Let’s go see it. It’s lively. Don’t cry, it won’t look good.”
She was acting so strangely today. Xue Qiao rarely smiled—she was named Xue Qiao because she was a bit cold and delicate, like a snowflake.
Qing Huan followed silently, tears streaming down her face. She noticed a flash of light hidden in Xue Qiao’s sleeve and quickly realized what it was, her eyes widening in shock.
The night market was indeed bustling and dazzling.
Xue Qiao was very generous, buying Qing Huan a pearl hairpin, a wooden bracelet, an embroidered handkerchief, a silk parasol, and a set of leaf cards—all things Qing Huan had longed for but couldn’t afford.
However, Qing Huan was in no mood to enjoy the outing.
“Do you like this?” Xue Qiao held up a hair ornament to Qing Huan’s hair. “It seems a bit gaudy.”
Summoning courage from an unknown source, Qing Huan suddenly said, “Sister Xue Qiao, you should leave!”
Xue Qiao was stunned for a moment, then smiled, “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Qing Huan insisted, “You should leave now. There are a lot of people here tonight, and the city gates won’t be closed. If you run now, you might just make it!”
“Where would I go? Are you drunk too?” Xue Qiao laughed.
Qing Huan looked at her, then suddenly lunged and pulled something from Xue Qiao’s sleeve—it was a gleaming dagger, stained with a bit of blood, probably the same one that had cut her face. Qing Huan had guessed Xue Qiao was hiding a dagger, but now that it was confirmed, she could hardly believe it.
Why would Xue Qiao steal someone’s dagger, and what was she planning to do with it?
Xue Qiao had thought about leaving the Yicui Pavilion for many years. She had saved money desperately, only to realize she could never buy her freedom. She had thought about escaping, but was held back by an innocent girl. When a wealthy broker promised to redeem her, she had clung to that hope, only for it to fall apart. Now, knowing her long-lost family had perished, her last hope and support crumbled. She held the dagger, likely for one purpose—
Qing Huan didn’t dare to think further. Gripping the dagger, she urged, “If you are determined not to return to Yicui Pavilion tonight, then why not try to escape! Even if you don’t succeed, and even if you are caught and brought back, you can use the dagger then!”
Xue Qiao was silent.
Qing Huan held her hand and said, “I grew up around here. I know some complex alleyways where they won’t be able to catch you. Head north, cross the Shoumen Bridge, and you’ll reach the North City Gate, where there are few people and dim lights. Once you’re out of the city, take the path to Jinxian and keep running, don’t stop. Sister, you’ve treated me like a real sister. Do this for me, please, go quickly!”
——
Mei Dou asked, “Why didn’t you go?”
Qing Huan stared at the beams above her head, thinking for a while. “Silly Mei Dou, didn’t I get caught and brought back?”
That night, they indeed escaped together, but halfway through, they reached a deep alley with a fork, and Qing Huan suggested they split up. Xue Qiao went the way Qing Huan pointed, while Qing Huan turned back. Could they have escaped together? Every year, many new girls came to Yicui Pavilion, and those who tried to escape were often caught and beaten nearly to death. After a few beatings, they all became obedient.
When the people from Yicui Pavilion caught her, she lied and misled them. Perhaps this way, Xue Qiao could get farther away and disappear completely.
She wondered if Xue Qiao had escaped. It had been many days without word of her capture, so perhaps she had indeed escaped…
Mei Dou thought for a moment, and it did seem true. She couldn’t help but mumble, “If only you two could have escaped together.”
Qing Huan tried to smile, but the pain in her body made it impossible. She licked her dry lips and said wistfully, “Which girl in Yicui Pavilion doesn’t want to leave? If it weren’t out of sheer desperation, none of us would choose this life if we had even the slightest chance.”
Looking at the bright red birthmark on Mei Dou’s face, Qing Huan remarked, “Mei Dou, I really envy you.”
Mei Dou lowered her head in shame, “I’m so ugly, how could you envy me, Sister Qing Huan…”
It’s precisely because she’s ugly that Qing Huan envies her.
If she and Xue Qiao were unattractive, they might not have been sold to Yicui Pavilion and wouldn’t have ended up in their current situation. Knowing that they don’t want to live this way, but lacking the courage to die, they kept hoping that life would somehow improve.
In the end, Xue Qiao disappeared with a scarred face, and Qing Huan was left with a broken leg, teetering on the edge of life and death. The price was high, but they finally made a change.
——
Yu Jinnian was meticulously stitching and tying knots, doing the final clean-up. His single-handed knots were beautiful, a skill he had practiced, and to Ji Hong, his movements looked like an elegant dance.
After tying the last knot and cutting the thread, Yu Jinnian applied the medicinal powder to the wound, covered it with four or five layers of cotton paper, and finally fixed the injured leg with a wooden splint to prevent movement. He cut the cloth strips securing the splint, straightened up, and let out a long sigh of relief, only then realizing how sore and tired he was. His hand, holding the scissors, was too exhausted to lift.
“Done?” Ji Hong asked, “Can I put my hand down now?”
Yu Jinnian nodded, “Yes, I—”
Before the young man could finish, Ji Hong stepped forward and hugged him. Yu Jinnian’s body, soaked with sweat, felt damp and warm to the touch. He seemed to stiffen for a moment, then Ji Hong felt a weight against him as Yu Jinnian’s body began to tremble slightly.
Patting Yu Jinnian’s back, Ji Hong said, “Jinnian, you are amazing. I’ve never seen such a skilled doctor.”
“Maybe you just haven’t seen enough,” Yu Jinnian chuckled, finally relaxing and resting his chin on Ji Hong’s shoulder for a while. In a gesture of mutual comfort, he raised his hand and placed it on Ji Hong’s back.
Ji Hong whispered, “Seeing someone as skilled as you once is enough for me.”
Yu Jinnian laughed, “Really? Then you’ll be short-sighted for life.”
The phrase “for life” had an inexplicable charm, especially coming from the young man’s mouth. Ji Hong slightly turned his face, his nose gently brushing against Yu Jinnian’s earlobe, which was soft and cool, tempting him to taste it.
He said, “I’m happy with that.”
Yu Jinnian felt a tickling sensation in his ear and couldn’t help but laugh.
After this surgery, everyone was exhausted. Though Qing Huan’s wounds had been cleaned and stitched, the outcome was still uncertain. Yu Jinnian himself wasn’t entirely confident of success. All he could do was pray that heaven would show mercy and allow this much-suffering young courtesan to recover.
Therefore, Qing Huan still needed to continue observing. They then cleared out Sui Sui’s small room to temporarily accommodate Qing Huan. At the foot of the bed, Yu Jinnian made a suspension rope with soft wide cloth strips to appropriately fix Qing Huan’s leg, allowing the knee to naturally bend slightly, while the ankle should remain perpendicular to the calf. This setup helped with wound recovery and swelling reduction, and was also beneficial for future rehabilitation exercises.
Sui Sui stood behind the door watching them bustle about. Though she was afraid of Ji Hong, she unexpectedly wasn’t afraid of Mei Dou and was especially interested in the birthmark on Mei Dou’s face. She even poked it with her finger and asked Yu Jinnian what it was.
Yu Jinnian told her that because Sister Mei Dou got lost, the birthmark was a sign left by her mother so that Sister Mei Dou could find her way home using it.
Sui Sui nodded in half understanding and then climbed onto her mother’s bed, asking her to quickly mark her too, so she would never forget the way home when she played outside.
Second Mother laughed so hard that even the sickly look on her face faded a bit. She also knew they had just done something unprecedented. After some commotion, she urged them all to return to their rooms to sleep.
Mei Dou was a cleaning maid at Yicui Pavilion. There were many maids like her in the pavilion, who were cheap to buy and ugly, so they weren’t as strictly supervised as the courtesans. Occasionally, one or two would go out to play, and as long as no one mentioned it, no one paid much attention. With Mei Dou volunteering to stay by Qing Huan’s side to take care of her, Yu Jinnian and Ji Hong were finally able to rest in their rooms.
After washing up, Yu Jinnian extended his hand to Ji Hong and said, “Hold on, I’m going to put out the light.”
Ji Hong held his hand, and the room darkened. Before he had time to feel nervous, the bed beside him sank slightly, and another warm body joined him.
The moonlight was bright, and his eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness, gradually making out some shapes.
Ji Hong turned his head, using his sight to trace the boy’s outline.
“Are you still afraid?” Yu Jinnian suddenly asked.
Ji Hong replied, “It’s better with you here.”
Yu Jinnian laughed and said, “Then I am truly honored!”
Too excited, he couldn’t fall asleep. After a while, Yu Jinnian turned over and lay on his back, looking at the ceiling. His right hand was still tightly held by Ji Hong, so he slightly moved his fingers and pinched Ji Hong, like a secret signal, to see if he was asleep.
Ji Hong wasn’t asleep, so he asked, “What’s the matter?”
Yu Jinnian, idly wriggling his toes under the blanket, occasionally brushing against Ji Hong’s foot, was bored out of his mind. The long night was lonely. Hearing that Ji Hong wasn’t asleep either, he quickly turned to face him and randomly waved his hand in front of Ji Hong’s face, saying in surprise, “Really not asleep?”
Ji Hong, enduring the paw on his face, said, “I sleep lightly, easy to wake… can’t sleep?”
“Well, a bit, still can’t believe it. I actually performed a surgery.” Yu Jinnian touched Ji Hong’s nose and eyes, utterly bored and annoying.
Ji Hong held his wandering hand and helplessly said, “Then talk to me. You’ll fall asleep soon.”
Yu Jinnian, intending to do just that, smiled and said, “Do you think they’re cute?”
“Hmm?” Ji Hong furrowed his brows in the shadows. “Who, Xue Qiao and Qing Huan?”
Yu Jinnian said, “Xue Qiao, Qing Huan, Mei Dou…”
Ji Hong asked, “What do you mean by that?”
Yu Jinnian’s hand was pressed under Ji Hong’s palm, but it still refused to stay still, fidgeting and moving around. Ji Hong’s hand was cool as jade, and Yu Jinnian kept exploring it, even finding a small round callus between the fingers, which he began to focus on.
As he played, he said, “Just because they received a little bit of care, they gave everything in return. Isn’t that cute? Xue Qiao treated Qing Huan just a little better than others, and Qing Huan was willing to risk everything to help Xue Qiao escape. And Qing Huan only gave Mei Dou a few snacks, but Mei Dou would kneel and bow to every medical hall in Xinan County for her. And I, I merely gave Xue Qiao two pieces of candied fruit a long time ago, and she trusts me so much that she entrusted all her savings to me over the years.”
“Isn’t that cute?”
Ji Hong’s palm itched from the boy’s scratching, the sensation reaching his heart. He turned over and grasped Yu Jinnian’s fingers, squeezing them. “There are more than just the three of them who are willing to give everything for a little bit of care.”
Yu Jinnian curiously asked, “Who else? Is there someone I don’t know?”
“You will find out.” Ji Hong chuckled softly. He placed Yu Jinnian’s hand by the pillow, saying, “Alright, now stop moving and close your eyes.”
Yu Jinnian protested, “But I really can’t sleep.”
Ji Hong said, “Close your eyes, and I’ll tell you a story.”
“Well… okay.” Yu Jinnian lay down properly, closed his eyes, and prepared himself to sleep, saying with great resolve, “Go ahead!”
Ji Hong asked, “What do you want to hear?”
Yu Jinnian eagerly said, “Do you have any stories about demons and monsters? Like a battle between a black spider and a scorpion spirit, or the wisdom of a literary deity conquering a six-armed child.”
“…I really can’t tell those kinds of stories,” Ji Hong frowned.
“Ah.” Yu Jinnian was greatly disappointed and said, “Hmm, then how about stories of romantic couples, or heroic adventures with swords and shadows?”
Ji Hong replied, “Listening to that would make it even harder to sleep.”
Yu Jinnian clicked his tongue and chose the least interesting option, “Fine, fine, famous historical anecdotes will do!”
Ji Hong finally agreed. Initially, Yu Jinnian intended to give Ji Hong some face and listen seriously, pricking up his ears. However, Ji Hong started with stories about “the founding ministers sacrificing for the country,” which were so boring that Yu Jinnian felt like ascending to the heavens out of sheer boredom.
Ji Hong continued with stories about the late emperor searching for hermits across the land and the prime minister’s tireless efforts for the court.
Yu Jinnian couldn’t hold on any longer. His eyes drooped, and he promptly “ascended.”
Author’s Note:
There was nothing delicious today ╮(╯_╰)╭
But there was a 6,000-word update and the adorable Xiao Niannian!
The stories of the little courtesans are finished, and it’s back to Niannian’s daily life~
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