TMBIABHL: Chapter 39

 Glossary

·Shen Yanchuan (沈延川): The Marquis of Dingbei. Currently recuperating at the Ye Clinic.

·Ye Chutang (叶初棠): Female protagonist. Heir to an ancient medical family. Runs the Ye Clinic.

·Xie Anbai (谢安白): Shen Yanchuan's friend from the capital.

·Little Five / Xiao Wu (小五): The youngest Ye sister.

·Lian Zhou (连舟): Shen Yanchuan's attendant and guard.

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Chapter 39: She Looks Familiar

Lian Zhou stepped back and to the side, making way. "Physician Ye, please."

Ye Chutang gave a slight nod.

She was a principled person. Since she had accepted the other party's silver, she naturally had to try her best to accommodate their requests.

Ye Chutang entered the inner room. A game of Go lay unfinished before Shen Yanchuan. Hearing the sound, he looked up and smiled slightly. "My apologies for the trouble."

Ye Chutang sat down opposite him, her smile gentle and warm. "You are too polite, Young Master Shen. It is only my duty."

The way the two of them acted with such nonchalant ease and harmony made it hard to imagine they had once threatened and warily eyed each other in a dark alley.

Ye Chutang took Shen Yanchuan's pulse once more.

Shen Yanchuan imperceptibly suppressed his internal energy flow and looked at Ye Chutang. "Physician Ye, what is the verdict?"

Ye Chutang's eyelashes fluttered faintly. She withdrew her hand and said softly, "Young Master Shen's previous injuries were quite severe. Although you have now recovered ninety percent, your vital energy was greatly damaged and still requires careful recuperation. Fortunately, no further medicine is needed. Rest and quiet contemplation will suffice."

A curve touched Shen Yanchuan's lips. "Thank you."

Ye Chutang looked at him. Knowing the other party's intellect and strategic mind were far from simple, she couldn't be bothered to beat around the bush.

"To be frank, my family and I plan to leave Jiangling in a few days. This clinic will also cease operations. So—"

Her intention to evict him couldn't be more obvious.

Shen Yanchuan's eyebrow arched slightly, as if somewhat surprised. "Leaving? May I ask where Physician Ye intends to go?"

Ye Chutang let out a soft sigh. "Many things have happened during this time, much controversy and strife. Who knows when the turmoil will settle? Moreover, we were never from Jiangling to begin with. After much consideration, we've decided to seek refuge with some distant relatives."

"Distant relatives?" Shen Yanchuan's gaze sharpened, focusing on her face, not missing the slightest fluctuation in her expression.

If he remembered correctly, Ye Chutang and her siblings had fled here as famine refugees from the north. How could there be so-called distant relatives?

Ye Chutang seemed to know what he wanted to ask. She nodded gently, a faint smile touching her lips as she explained, "We weren't aware before either. It was only recently, by chance, that we made contact with them."

In these times, a young woman of only seventeen with three young siblings would indeed find life very difficult. Seeking refuge with relatives was perfectly normal.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

But—precisely because this person was Ye Chutang, it felt strange at every turn.

Although they had only known each other for about a month, Shen Yanchuan was already very clear that the young woman before him was absolutely not as innocent and harmless as she appeared on the surface.

Seeking refuge with distant relatives… Not a bad excuse to find.

Shen Yanchuan smiled and said, "I see. That is good, then. It's just a pity. Physician Ye's medical skills are exceptional. I'm afraid it will be difficult to see you again in the future."

Ye Chutang said, half-jokingly, half-seriously, "I am a physician. Seeing me is not a good thing. I would rather wish Young Master Shen continued good health, so that we never have to meet again."

With that, she stood up, gave a slight curtsy, and without waiting to see Shen Yanchuan's reaction, turned and left.

Lian Zhou quickly glanced up at his master, then immediately lowered his head again, silently giving Ye Chutang a thumbs up in his heart.

Not only evicting someone, but putting it so bluntly! She practically stopped just short of throwing their things out and telling them to get lost!

With his master's graceful demeanor and exceptional looks, any young woman would blush and feel shy for a long time after meeting him. Yet with Ye Chutang, it seemed she was afraid of getting entangled with him, keeping her distance. Even he could see that hint of disdain! Let alone his master?

Come to think of it, this was probably the first time his master had been treated so coldly by a woman, wasn't it?

"Lian Zhou."

The cool voice came. Lian Zhou immediately gave a start. "Your subordinate is here!"

Shen Yanchuan looked at him. "Didn't you hear what Physician Ye said? Go pack our things, so we don't end up inconveniencing them later."

His tone was as calm as ever, but for some reason, Lian Zhou felt an inexplicable chill on the back of his neck.

He hastily cupped his fists in acknowledgment. "Yes, sir!"

Having said that, he immediately strode out, only to run headlong into Xie Anbai.

"Huh? In such a hurry. What are you off to do?" Xie Anbai asked curiously.

Lian Zhou bowed to him. "Young Master Xie, this subordinate is going to prepare the carriage."

Xie Anbai was taken aback for a moment, then realized something. He turned to look at Shen Yanchuan. "You're leaving?"

Shen Yanchuan didn't answer him, merely looking at the Go board as if pondering something.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Xie Anbai strode over. "Hey, why so sudden? You haven't even made any progress with Physician Ye yet, have you? Leaving in such a hurry? At this rate, when will you ever catch up to her!?"

Shen Yanchuan felt Xie Anbai was particularly noisy today.

Without looking up, he said, "Your father wrote me a letter asking where you are."

Xie Anbai had just settled into the chair but immediately sprang up upon hearing this. "You didn't tell him, did you!? Don't betray me, brother!"

Shen Yanchuan gave a noncommittal shrug.

Xie Anbai grew anxious. "Alright, alright, alright! Do whatever you want! I won't ask anymore, okay? If you want to return to the capital, go by yourself. I'm not going back!"

Shen Yanchuan was indifferent to whether Xie Anbai returned to the capital. He was concerned about another person. "She is returning to the capital."

"Who?" Xie Anbai processed this for a moment. "Physician Ye? She told you that just now?"

He had just arrived and seen Ye Chutang leaving Shen Yanchuan's room. So that's what it was about?

"She didn't say. I guessed," Shen Yanchuan said.

Although Ye Chutang hadn't revealed it, he had a strong intuition that she was returning to the capital.

He lifted his gaze slightly. "Last time you said you happened to overhear her younger brother mention the red date and chestnut cake from Fuyue Building (meaning: a famous pastry shop in the capital), so you concluded they were from the capital. Aside from that, did you hear anything else?"

Xie Anbai rested his folding fan against his chin, thinking hard for a good while before shaking his head.

"No. Even that was something I overheard by chance when I was about to leave the other day—her fourth brother trying to coax the little one. They didn't say much else."

Fuyue Building was a famous pastry shop in the capital, and its prices weren't exactly cheap. If they could afford its red date and chestnut cakes, it proved their family's circumstances had been quite comfortable before.

But how could such a family inexplicably leave the capital and flee as famine refugees?

That year, the north had heavy snow and a severe famine, but it didn't affect the capital.

The room fell quiet for a moment.

Suddenly, a peal of gleeful giggles came from outside. They saw the little milk bun, clutching her money pouch tightly, run and throw herself into Ye Chutang's arms.

Her chubby little hand held the pouch up high.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

—Big Sister! I've packed all my pouches!

Ye Chutang looked at the heavy pouch and laughed softly, tapping the little girl's nose.

"Little Five is the most capable. Go check again in a bit. If there's anything else you want to bring, tell your Third Brother."

The little milk bun nodded vigorously.

Shen Yanchuan quietly watched this scene.

Sunlight spilled down, illuminating the woman standing under the corridor eaves. Her profile was delicate and exquisite, and her dark, gentle eyes held tiny points of starlight-like mirth.

Completely different from the distant coolness she had shown while evicting him just moments ago.

Suddenly, Xie Anbai beside him said, "Huh? I keep looking at this Physician Ye… why does she seem somewhat familiar?"

Shen Yanchuan's brow twitched almost imperceptibly. He glanced sideways and asked in a light tone:

"Oh?"

(End of Chapter)

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