An illness that couldn’t be seen.
Yu Jinnian stifled his laughter and pulled up the clothes that almost slipped off his shoulders, wrapping himself tightly before saying, “Alright, Sir Yan.”
Yan Rong turned his head slightly and glanced at him. Seeing that he was indeed properly dressed, he turned back and lightly coughed with a fist to his mouth, “Boss Yu, I apologize for my men’s rudeness earlier. Sir, I deeply regret disturbing you late at night. I came to ask for…”
“To have me treat someone?” Yu Jinnian, unable to stand Yan Rong’s old-fashioned way of speaking, leaned against the door frame and interrupted him directly, speaking plainly.
Yan Rong: “Huh? Ah.” The first ‘huh’ was a rising tone, and the second ‘ah’ was falling, making him appear quite nervous and uneasy. He didn’t dare look directly at Yu Jinnian’s face and turned slightly to the side, only to see another person walking out from behind him. It was the same young man he had seen that day, dressed lightly as if just risen from bed, holding a cloak in his hand.
He recalled the small fan he had picked up, and the writing on it was very familiar. He had a habit of practicing calligraphy before bed and had copied many inscriptions among his peers, such as the upright style of Shaogong’s inscriptions and the falling red letters. Later, a style known as the Qingluan Calligraphy became popular, and he had also copied that. Therefore, he recognized Ji Shuluan’s handwriting.
The inscription on the small fan that read, “Half-curtain rain competes with wine, ten-mile street filled with fragrant bowls,” was written in a style strikingly similar to that of the third son of the Ji family. Yan Rong became increasingly convinced that this person was Ji Shuluan, filling him with joy. But seeing how close the young man was to him, his hopes were instantly shattered—they really were, they really were like that! He stared at the two of them speechless for a long time, forgetting how to begin his speech.
How intimate must they be that even opening the door required the two of them together? Seeing their disheveled and loosely dressed appearance, Yan Rong was shocked—could it be that they were already sleeping together?
Ji Hong draped the cloak over Yu Jinnian, giving Yan Rong a cursory glance and asked, “What’s the matter, seeking a diagnosis?”
Yu Jinnian, adjusting his clothes, replied, “Seems like it… but where exactly does Sir Yan feel unwell?”
Yan Rong’s lips twitched, his disdain and resentment towards Yu Jinnian deepened. He looked down on him, firmly believing that the youth must have bewitched Ji Shuluan into going down a crooked path. Otherwise, why would the high-and-mighty Ji Shuluan leave behind his title as the heir to the Duke of Li and run off to this small town, pretending to be a mere noodle shop worker?
Only a madman would do something like that!
Yu Jinnian noticed the alternating warm and cold expressions on Yan Rong’s face, and finally, a deep sense of pity emerged. But that pity was directed at Ji Hong, while his contempt was directed at himself. His strongest impression of Yan Rong was: “This man is really inexplicable.” And now, that sense of “inexplicable” had reached a new level. He asked, “Sir Yan, are you here to be treated or not? If you doubt my medical skills, then quickly find another doctor. Don’t delay the treatment.”
Saying that, he began to close the door.
Yan Rong snapped back to reality, hurriedly reached out to stop the door from closing, and said earnestly, “Please, sir! I’ve come seeking your help. Please come with me.”
Yu Jinnian asked, “Who and what illness?”
Yan Rong replied, “It’s my sister. Last year, she fainted and developed an eye illness afterward. It hasn’t healed since. Tonight, after a nightmare, she fell off the bed, cried out in pain, and it was discovered that she had suddenly gone blind—she couldn’t see anything! She’s also suffering from a severe headache and can’t sleep…”
Yu Jinnian frowned as he listened to the description.
“Now, Dr. Luo, Dr. Zou, and two other elderly physicians are at our residence. We’ve tried all sorts of treatments—acupuncture, medicines, decoctions—but none have worked. I heard that you cured Madam Yang’s chronic ailment and even saved my life. Your medical skills are undoubtedly excellent! Please, have mercy and give my sister some relief…”
This is why Yu Jinnian didn’t like dealing with officials. Some were hypocritical, others pedantic. One day, they’d roll their eyes at you, and the next, they’d be all formal and cordial. Yan Rong was a perfect example of both. After his experience with the Yang family, Yu Jinnian was hesitant to step into the Yan household’s mess.
Just as he was hesitating, Yan Rong suddenly bowed deeply to Ji Hong: “Your Ex—” but Ji Hong shot him a cold look, and Yan Rong immediately stopped himself, correcting, “Young Master Ji! Please save my sister!”
Bowing to Yu Jinnian felt inappropriate to Yan Rong, but bowing to the Duke’s heir was perfectly reasonable. As he straightened up, he heard Ji Hong chuckle softly, leaning against the door: “I only know how to manage accounts, not treat illnesses. Why bow to me?”
Yan Rong’s face fell—wasn’t this just slapping himself in the face? He had no choice but to bow to Yu Jinnian again, awkwardly saying, “Boss Yu…”
“Wait here.” The earlier address of “heir” had already revealed that Yan Rong knew Ji Hong’s identity. Ji Hong didn’t bother with any further pretense and, leaving those words, led the young man back inside, leaving Yan Rong and his servants standing awkwardly.
Inside the room, Yu Jinnian straightened up, while Ji Hong patiently helped arrange his sleeves. Yu Jinnian watched him for a while, curious: “Why are you letting me go?”
Ji Hong, securing the cloak on him, said, “Though the Yan family head is not entirely upright, their household is relatively clean. They’re not as corrupt or abusive as the Yang family. Going there can help build your reputation. If you want to be a famous physician, you’ll inevitably deal with difficult officials. You’ll need to learn how to handle them. Although…”
He glanced at Yu Jinnian but said no more. Picking up a hair tie from the table, he gently combed through the young man’s hair with his fingers, smoothing it out and tying it behind his head. “Alright, go. If you need anything, just tell Yan Rong. If he’s not sincere, come back to me.”
Yu Jinnian tilted his head, asking, “Come back to you? Can you solve difficult problems?”
With Ji Hong’s current savings, he indeed couldn’t solve much, but…
Ji Hong replied, “I can solve Yan Rong.”
Yu Jinnian burst into laughter, cupping Ji Hong’s face and giving it a playful squeeze, smiling, “Hmm, now you sound like a noble.” He let go, grabbed the gold-needle packet Ji Hong had once insisted on gifting him, and waved, “Off I go!”
——
Yan Rong had only brought a small sedan chair, but it was spacious enough. To save time, the two squeezed in together for the ride back. Yu Jinnian, relaxed, grew drowsy from the rocking and leaned against the window, resting with his eyes closed. Yan Rong, however, sat stiffly, tightly wound, practically pressing himself against the wall of the sedan, as if brushing against Yu Jinnian’s sleeve would disgust him.
Halfway through, the bearers stepped into a hole, causing the sedan to lurch violently. Yu Jinnian woke with a start, startling Yan Rong so much that he nearly tumbled out of the sedan. As he steadied himself, he caught a faint scent and, covering his nose in distaste, exclaimed, “You actually—!”
Wearing perfume like some actor or courtesan!
Yan Rong’s face immediately became quite embarrassed. He often had to attend banquets with officials, where it was common for men to call upon women from entertainment houses to serve wine. These women always had a cloying sweet scent on their hands, which made him feel nauseated. He wouldn’t even touch them and had once publicly shoved a courtesan off his lap.
It was bad enough that courtesans used such things, but this boy had also degraded himself, becoming neither fully male nor female—what a disgrace!
The sedan chair arrived at the side entrance of the Yan residence. As soon as it stopped, a maid hurried over to lift the curtain. Seeing Yu Jinnian, she exclaimed joyfully, “Ah, is this the young doctor? So handsome!”
Yan Rong bent over to step out of the sedan but tersely ordered the maid to quickly escort Boss Yu to see the Fifth Miss before walking into the courtyard without looking back.
The young maid, cheerful, bowed and said, “Please, young doctor! Our master is just like that, very wooden.”
On the way, the maid reminded him, “Our Fifth Miss is already engaged, so young doctor, be mindful when checking her pulse.”
Yu Jinnian nodded and followed the maid inside, passing through a flower-fringed gate with a pair of lotus-decorated pillars. The central part of the gate was intricately carved with the design of blooming peonies. Red doors stood on either side, flanked by potted bonsai trees. Beyond the gate was a winding covered walkway, adorned in a way typical of large households—nothing too eye-catching, but certainly not shabby.
The Yan family placed great emphasis on propriety. Even after leading him to the inner courtyard, they didn’t allow Yu Jinnian to enter the room to see the Fifth Miss directly. Instead, they asked him to wait in a side room while they brought her out.
The room was filled with servants, all watching Yu Jinnian closely. He couldn’t help but feel that Yan Rong’s odd behavior was justified—the entire household seemed rather strange.
After a long wait, Fifth Miss Yan Yuyao was finally helped out by two maids. Yu Jinnian glanced up and saw that she was only about fourteen or fifteen, even younger than Qing Huan. Her body hadn’t fully developed yet, and her cheeks were so delicate they looked as if they would bruise easily. Even though she was blind, her steps were graceful, like she was treading on lotus flowers. The pleats of her skirt rippled beautifully as she moved, and her hair was neatly arranged with a jade hairpin.
However, Yan Yuyao’s face lacked the vitality typical of someone her age. She sat down in a chair with a look of sorrow, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She extended one wrist to Yu Jinnian for a pulse check, her sightless eyes wandering aimlessly, and asked, “Young doctor, will my eyes get better?”
Yu Jinnian didn’t answer. Instead, he said, “Miss, please offer your other hand.”
Yan Yuyao switched hands and asked again, “Can they be healed?”
Yu Jinnian: “Please stick out your tongue.”
Yan Yuyao opened her mouth for him to examine but still pressed, “Will they get better?”
Yu Jinnian continued without answering, asking instead, “What sensation do you feel in your eyes now, Miss? Does your head still hurt? Are there any other discomforts? Could you tell me more? What was the nightmare about?”
Yan Yuyao hesitated, clearly struggling with her words. She licked her lips and reached for the tea cup on the table. Seeing this, Yu Jinnian quickly handed her a cup of warm tea. Yan Yuyao gave a bitter smile, took a sip, and said, “I can’t remember the dream clearly. There were a lot of people, noisy and clamorous, with gongs and drums. Something was covering my head, so I couldn’t see. I didn’t want to go, but they insisted on dragging me along…”
Yu Jinnian found this strange. “Do you know where they were taking you in the dream?”
Yan Yuyao became flustered. “No… I don’t know…”
“Alright,” Yu Jinnian stopped interrupting her. “Please continue.”
Yan Yuyao drank another sip of water and rubbed her temples before saying, “In the dream, I shouted things like ‘I’m blind, I’m blind,’ and ‘Let me go,’ but I can’t remember clearly. Then my head and eyes began to hurt, and when I woke up, I realized I couldn’t see…”
Yu Jinnian asked, “Do you recall how it felt?”
Yan Yuyao nodded, looking slightly nervous as she seemed to recall something unpleasant. “It hurt a lot, like someone was digging out my eyes. Dr. Luo came to apply acupuncture, and now it’s a bit better. But my eyes still feel swollen, my head throbs, and I feel weak all over…”
As she spoke, Yu Jinnian listened and occasionally hummed in acknowledgment without giving much of a reaction.
Yan Yuyao couldn’t hold back her anxiety any longer and asked urgently, “Is my condition incurable?”
Before Yu Jinnian could respond, Yan Rong walked in. He had changed into a light green robe and sternly said to Yan Yuyao, “Yao’er, you’re already engaged. After the New Year, you’ll be married and become a proper woman. How can you be so reckless?”
Yan Yuyao stood up abruptly, tears streaming down her face. Her blind eyes, now filled with tears, made her look even more pitiful. “How can I marry like this? My eyes have been like this, I haven’t had a single good day! You’re all bullying me because I have no parents. If my mother were still here to protect me, you wouldn’t be selling me off!”
“Shut up! What nonsense are you spouting? This is a proper marriage, arranged by matchmakers and decided by our parents. It’s a good match for you, how could you say you’re being sold off?” Yan Rong raised his hand in anger, nearly slapping Yan Yuyao across the face.
Yu Jinnian quickly stood up, stepping in to shield the blind girl. He said in a low voice, “She’s blind and can’t even see. Aren’t you just bullying her? Besides, hitting a girl—what’s the point?”
Yan Rong angrily lowered his hand, glaring at Yu Jinnian. “Isn’t she already being treated? What more do you want? I’ll go to the capital if I have to and find the best doctors before your wedding! I’ll even take your wedding dress to the finest embroiderers in the capital to have it made. Yao’er, we’ve treated you well—your food, clothes, and everything are prepared according to the standards of the capital’s noble ladies. Don’t be ungrateful and focus on getting better so you can marry properly!”
Yan Yuyao’s eyes welled up with tears, and after sobbing twice, she suddenly clutched her head in pain. Her previously stabilized condition flared up again! The maid attending to her quickly rushed over to help her sit down, but this time, her attack seemed even more severe than before. Yan Yuyao slumped in her chair, drenched in cold sweat, her face turning deathly pale. She bit down on her lower lip so hard that it bled, her entire body sliding down the chair from the intense pain.
The maid cried out, “Master, the Fifth Miss was already unwell, and now…”
Yan Rong seemed flustered. He hadn’t expected Yan Yuyao’s condition to worsen so much. Grabbing Yu Jinnian, he exclaimed, “Quick, examine Yao’er!”
“Alright, alright, stop pulling me,” Yu Jinnian shrugged off Yan Rong’s grip, squatted down to take her pulse, then lifted her eyelids to examine her eyes. “Sir Yan, bring me a lamp.”
Yan Rong glanced down at him, seemingly puzzled that this person would dare order him around.
Yu Jinnian didn’t even look up and urged, “Sir Yan, the lamp!”
Yan Rong, concerned for the fallen Yan Yuyao, quickly fetched the brightest lamp and handed it to Yu Jinnian. Taking the lamp, Yu Jinnian shone it into Yan Yuyao’s pupils. As the light passed in front of her eyes, her pupils contracted instantly, and once the light was removed, her pupils quickly returned to normal—perfectly round and equal in size, showing no signs of abnormality. However, when asked, Yan Yuyao repeatedly shook her head, insisting that she couldn’t see any light.
Her pulse was weak and fast, indicating some deficiency, but given her slender frame and the prevailing fashion for women to be thin, a lack of vitality was common and shouldn’t cause such severe head and eye pain. Moreover, while she described intense pain, Yu Jinnian found no clear physical indicators to match. Such severe pain should have manifested with more extreme symptoms.
The symptoms didn’t align, making the pain rather mysterious.
Yan Yuyao had mentioned that Dr. Luo had previously used acupuncture to alleviate her pain, so Yu Jinnian decided to set aside his doubts for the moment. He opened his needle pouch, took out several fine needles, and applied them to key acupoints for pain relief. After manipulating the needles for a while, Yan Yuyao’s cries gradually subsided, though she continued to weep silently.
Yan Rong, unable to bear the sight any longer, pushed Yu Jinnian aside and said, “Aren’t you supposed to be a young prodigy? Why can’t you even cure her pain? Fenjuan, help the miss rest.”
“Sir Yan,” Yu Jinnian stopped him, “please have the Fifth Miss walk six steps on her own.”
“You—” Yan Rong initially flared up in anger, unwilling to see Yan Yuyao treated in such a manner. However, knowing that this young doctor had been recognized by even Luo Qian, he suppressed his irritation and told the maid, “Step aside, Fenjuan. Yao’er, listen to Boss Yu and walk by yourself.”
Yan Yuyao hesitated, concerned about her blindness, fearing she might bump into something. Like any blind person, she extended her hands in front of her and carefully shuffled her feet forward.
Without a sound, Yu Jinnian stood directly in her path, drawing a scalpel-like needle from his pouch. The needle, four inches long, sharp and edged like a sword, was typically used to lance abscesses. He held the needle up, pointing it straight at Yan Yuyao’s chest.
Yan Rong, alarmed, shouted, “Yu Jinnian, what are you doing?!”
Yu Jinnian raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence. “Miss, don’t worry. There’s nothing in front of you. Just keep walking. Once you take a few more steps, I’ll know what prescription to give you.”
Comforted by his words, Yan Yuyao relaxed and quickened her pace, reaching out in Yu Jinnian’s direction.
The sharp needle in Yu Jinnian’s hand glinted in the light, causing Yan Rong’s heart to race with fear. He was terrified that Yan Yuyao might walk straight into the needle and injure herself, so he rushed forward to push the needle away. However, Yu Jinnian shoved him back several steps and gave him a sharp look, silently warning him not to interfere.
Hearing the commotion, Yan Yuyao turned her head slightly and asked, “What’s happening?”
“Nothing,” Yu Jinnian replied cheerfully. “Miss, keep walking.”
Yan Yuyao nodded and took two more steps, heading directly toward the needle pointed at her chest. Just as she was about to collide with it, Yan Rong cried out in fear. But at the last second, Yu Jinnian swiftly retracted the needle into his sleeve and gently caught Yan Yuyao by the arm, saying, “That’s enough, Miss.”
“Is that it? Can you treat my illness now?” Yan Yuyao asked excitedly, catching the faint scent of a fragrant balm from the young doctor’s body, a scent commonly used by women, which felt oddly comforting.
“Yes.” Yu Jinnian smiled warmly and handed her back to her maid, Fenjuan, before following Yan Rong out of the room to meet with Luo Qian and the other doctors gathered in the main hall. On the way, Yan Rong, barely containing his anger, said, “If it weren’t for the fact that you’re associated with that gentleman, I would have you beaten out of the residence for toying with Yao’er!”
Yu Jinnian mused aloud, “That gentleman… Oh, you mean Ah Hong?”
“You…” Yan Rong was stunned. Had this young man become so close to the heir of Duke Li that he could call him by such a familiar name?
Curious, Yu Jinnian asked, “Sir Yan, tell me, who is this gentleman exactly? How important is he? What rank does your position as a scholar-official hold compared to him? Is Ah Hong really higher?”
Seeing Yan Rong staring at him in shock, Yu Jinnian touched his face and asked, “What is it, Sir Yan? Do I have some sort of flower on my face?”
Yan Rong quickly turned his head away, falling silent.
Delighted! This boy didn’t know the true identity of that man!
Under no circumstances could he let him find out. If this boy knew that Ji Shuluan was actually the heir of Duke Li, he’d surely cling to him even more! People like this boy, who could ruin households, weren’t uncommon!
Keeping a stern face, Yan Rong asked, “So, Boss Yu, do you know how to treat Yao’er’s illness?”
Yu Jinnian replied honestly, “I don’t know.”
Yan Rong glared at him. “Then what was the purpose of pointing that needle at her earlier?”
Yu Jinnian explained sincerely, “I just wanted to see if she was truly blind or faking it. Unless someone has undergone special training or has extreme mental discipline, anyone who sees a sharp blade coming toward them would instinctively stop. But your sister walked right into it without hesitation, so it seems she’s really blind.”
Yan Rong’s face turned red with anger, and if not for his respect for Ji Hong, he might have had Yu Jinnian beaten right then and there.
When they entered the main hall, they found seven or eight people gathered, with several medicine boxes on the table. These were the doctors and their apprentices. Among them were Yu Jinnian’s old acquaintances, Doctor Luo Qian and Doctor Zou, and they were all heatedly debating how to treat Yan Yuyao’s condition. One suggested it was caused by excessive liver yang, leading to headaches. Another claimed it was blood stasis blocking the meridians, causing sudden blindness. Yet another unfamiliar doctor slammed his fist on the table and said, “This is clearly due to phlegm blocking the qi and heat rising to the head, causing the blood vessels to be obstructed! She needs phlegm-dispelling soup and blood-circulating medicine!”
Zou Heng, lounging in his chair, scoffed, “Hasn’t the Fifth Miss been taking your medicine this whole time? Why hasn’t there been any improvement?”
The unfamiliar doctor, his mustache bristling with rage, snapped back, “Yes, and she’s been using the eye ointment from your medical hall too, and that hasn’t helped either! In fact, it might be your ointment that caused the sudden blindness!”
Zou Heng shot back, “You old fool!”
Luo Qian tried to mediate, saying, “Alright, enough, enough…”
Zou Heng turned around and saw Yu Jinnian, and said, “Hey, isn’t this the young divine doctor Yu?”
The doctor from earlier began chatting with the others, laughing, “Back at the Yang household, some people treated her for a whole year without making any progress. Then, when young Dr. Yu showed up—heh!—within a few days, there were results! Tsk tsk… It’s no wonder some are feeling bitter. The old doctor couldn’t figure it out, and now a young one pops up, of course, they’d be sour!”
Zou Heng’s face changed color, alternating between red, green, purple, and white, in a dramatic display of embarrassment.
Standing up, he looked at Yu Jinnian and asked, “So, young doctor, you’ve examined the Fifth Miss?”
Yu Jinnian nodded, “Yes, I have.”
Everyone present was a renowned physician, including Luo Qian, who sighed after his examination. Zou Heng, hoping to embarrass Yu Jinnian, asked, “So, what have you discovered? Care to share with us so we can all reflect and learn? We are truly at a loss with the Fifth Miss’s condition and have run out of ideas.”
Yu Jinnian responded candidly, “To be honest, I don’t know either.”
“…” Zou Heng hadn’t expected such honesty and was momentarily at a loss for words.
Luo Qian, on the other hand, was intrigued, “Even you, young sir, couldn’t figure it out?”
Luo Qian had always thought highly of Yu Jinnian. Despite his youth, Yu was a standout in the medical field, often employing unconventional yet effective methods. Luo Qian had expected Yu Jinnian to offer some innovative treatment for the Fifth Miss’s ailment. But today, even he was stumped.
Yu Jinnian said, “I really haven’t figured it out yet. Which one of you was the first to diagnose the Fifth Miss? Could you tell me about her initial symptoms?”
The doctor who had argued with Zou Heng earlier pulled up a chair and sat down with Yu Jinnian, recounting the events, “I was the first to examine her, about a year ago. At that time…”
After listening to the explanation, Yu Jinnian had a rough understanding.
At the beginning of spring, a letter arrived from Old Master Yan in the capital, stating that a marriage had been arranged for the Fifth Miss. The match was deemed auspicious, with the horoscopes already compared. The groom was a newly appointed Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, young and promising, and still without a wife. The engagement gifts had already been sent to Old Master Yan’s residence in the capital. It was considered a slight step down for the Fifth Miss, but once married, she would become the head of the household and wouldn’t suffer any grievances. She was instructed to stay at the family home in Xinan to prepare for marriage, learning household management from the family matriarch. After the New Year, once Yan Rong returned home to celebrate, he would take the Fifth Miss to the capital for the wedding.
It was upon reading this letter that Yan Yuyao fainted and subsequently developed her eye condition.
After hearing this, Yu Jinnian had a hunch but couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was wrong. As the other doctors discussed possible treatments, Yu Jinnian didn’t have any strong ideas, so he simply echoed a few comments. In the end, they agreed on a prescription to dissolve phlegm and improve circulation, to be tried on Yan Yuyao.
Throughout the night, Yan Yuyao’s pain fluctuated. Just as it seemed to improve and the doctors hoped for a break, her symptoms would flare up again.
The medicine she took seemed to have no effect, as if it had been poured into the ground. Only acupuncture provided some temporary relief. The older doctors, too tired to continue, began to excuse themselves, including Zou Heng, who was especially opportunistic and quickly packed up his medicine chest. One by one, the room emptied, leaving only Yu Jinnian.
Yu Jinnian could only rest in a side room near Yan Yuyao’s courtyard. Whenever her pain flared up, he had to rush over to administer acupuncture. After a night of back-and-forth, by the next morning, he was exhausted and barely able to keep his eyes open. Yan Yuyao, on the other hand, finally calmed down at dawn and fell into a deep sleep.
Seeing that she was fine for now, Yu Jinnian decided he might as well return to the noodle shop and get some rest. Before leaving the Yan residence, Yan Yuyao’s maid, Fenjuan, came to deliver his consultation fee, which he accepted. He gave Fenjuan a few instructions on how to care for the miss and then headed home.
Not long after leaving the Yan residence, he ran into Yan Rong.
It was early, and the street was empty, save for a few early-morning vendors setting up their stalls.
Yu Jinnian wondered why Yan Rong was out so early, but then he noticed the food container in Yan Rong’s hand and the direction he was coming from—it was Spring Breeze Delight, a famous restaurant. So, Yan Rong had gone out early to buy breakfast from Jiang Bingren’s place. That was surprising; Yu Jinnian had assumed someone as proper and rigid as Yan Rong would have had breakfast prepared by the family cooks and set on the table.
In truth, Yan Rong had gone to buy food for Yan Yuyao. Though she was adopted, she was still the beloved daughter of the Yan family, and ever since she was adopted at the age of eleven or twelve, she had been raised in luxury. Now that she was ill, Yan Rong, as her elder brother, couldn’t help but feel concerned. That’s why he had gone to buy Yan Yuyao’s favorite dish: Gold and Jade Dumplings.
It wasn’t anything particularly fancy, just dumplings stuffed with corn and lotus root, with a light, refreshing taste and a yellow-and-white appearance. But the dish had a refined name, which made it appealing to Yan Yuyao.
When he saw Yu Jinnian, Yan Rong’s expression darkened. However, since they had run into each other, he couldn’t pretend otherwise. After all, Yu Jinnian had stayed up all night treating Yan Yuyao, and that effort couldn’t be ignored. Still, his distaste for Yu Jinnian, especially regarding the rumors about him and Ji Hong, made his tone far from pleasant.
“Thank you for your hard work, Boss Yu…” he said.
Yu Jinnian, unfazed by Yan Rong’s attitude, yawned and replied, “It’s nothing… Sir Yan, I’ll be taking my leave now.”
The more relaxed Yu Jinnian appeared, the more uncomfortable Yan Rong felt. His grip tightened on the food container as he watched Yu Jinnian stretch lazily and walk past him. The boy’s figure was slim and thin, his clothes plain and made of rough fabric, with only a hair tie that hinted at any quality. This simplicity only made him seem even more impoverished.
Yet this young man exuded a carefree joy, and when he was with Ji Hong, he was entirely unrestrained. That lightheartedness seemed to radiate from deep within him, as if nothing could weigh him down. Even during the tea gathering at Spring Breeze Delight Restaurant, when people were gossiping about them, it didn’t seem to affect him at all.
Yan Rong couldn’t believe that Yu Jinnian hadn’t heard those filthy rumors—words that even made an outsider like Yan Rong feel angry.
How thick-skinned must he be to remain unfazed?
Of course, Yu Jinnian could ignore it, but what about Ji Shuluan? He was the true nobility, the future Duke Li, destined to hold a high position in the imperial court. How could he let himself be led astray by a mere boy?
For a brief moment, Yan Rong was seized by the urge to expose the truth. Staring at Yu Jinnian’s back, he called out, “—Hey!”