Gu Yitong was completely different from her dejected and dispirited self of the previous day. If it weren't for her unique little gesture when fanning herself, Lu Yu would have suspected she was someone else entirely.
"Even if she's more beautiful than a celestial being, you would abandon your female body, transform into a man, and marry her?" Lu Yu shook her head, teasingly. She wasn't sure if Gu Yitong's current state was genuine reconciliation with her sibling, thus resolving her inner turmoil, or if she was faking it.
With a "pfft," the two young medicine assistants couldn't help but laugh at the remark. Seeing Gu Yitong glare at them, they swallowed their laughter, their faces turning red from holding it in.
Gu Yitong turned her head, seemingly intending to retort with a joke. She opened her mouth but ultimately remained silent. She then turned back towards the window, appearing very interested in the new town magistrate, her head nearly sticking out of the window.
Normally, on a day like this, with her personality, she would have chattered endlessly to herself. But today, she was too calm. She claimed to be watching the town magistrate, yet her eyes were fixed on one spot, unblinking.
"Are... are you alright?" Lu Yu couldn't help but ask the question she had been holding back for a long time.
Upon hearing this, Gu Yitong's body stiffened for a moment before quickly recovering. She pretended as if nothing was wrong.
"What could be wrong with me?" Gu Yitong gave an awkward laugh, fanning herself and looking elsewhere.
Seeing Gu Yitong avoid the topic, Lu Yu didn't press further, not wanting to reopen old wounds. Besides, if she wanted to talk, she would.
"Right, I came today to pick up some medicine and then request leave this afternoon."
Lu Yu's topic change was rather abrupt, but coincidentally, Gu Yitong didn't want to continue the previous conversation, so she naturally picked it up.
"What's wrong?" Out of concern for a friend, Gu Yitong, though absent-minded, still inquired.
"It's nothing. My husband isn't feeling well today, so I'm going back to take care of him."
"Oh, oh, that's good." Gu Yitong's gaze was blankly fixed in the direction of Yu Man Lou in the distance. Her ears seemed to be covered by a layer of cloth, making it impossible to hear the surrounding sounds. Her brain felt rusted, blank. Her usually bright peach blossom eyes had now become melancholic and listless.
"What!"
"Ah! I mean, that's not good at all. You must take good care of him." Gu Yitong seemed to have just woken up from Lu Yu's shout and hastily corrected herself.
Sensing Lu Yu's worried gaze, Gu Yitong continued, "You should get some medicine and go back now. I don't think anyone else will be coming today."
"And you?"
"I'm going to Yu Man Tang again."
The noise outside drowned out their conversation. It seemed the new town magistrate had come for an inspection.
Lu Yu tugged Gu Yitong outward, not wanting her to be immersed in the atmosphere of sadness. "Hurry up and go see! Everyone else has gone."
This new town magistrate was indeed quite new. Young, unlike those old men, and wearing new clothes, even new shoes.
As the new town magistrate turned a corner midway and walked towards her.
"Are you Doctor Lu?"
"Yes, my name is Lu Yu. How does the magistrate know?"
"After I arrived here, I heard many people in town praising your excellent medical skills, Doctor Lu. I heard you can even cure lung consumption?" The new town magistrate's eyes lit up as she looked at Lu Yu.
Lu Yu was a little confused. She glanced at Gu Yitong, hesitated, and then nodded slightly, "Yes."
Upon hearing Lu Yu's personal confirmation, the new town magistrate trembled with excitement, unable to control her laughter. She grabbed Lu Yu's arm, "Doctor Lu, my father has lung consumption. Please come and see him. I can pay any amount."
She stared intently into Lu Yu's eyes, her gaze full of hope.
Seeing Lu Yu nod, she clapped her hands excitedly, "Then, then do you have time now? Can we go right away?"
Lu Yu glanced at Gu Yitong, then turned back and nodded.
The other medical halls in town, upon hearing this news, were envious and jealous.
Zhao Ran, at Zhao's Medical Hall, heard the news and was furious. "Why! Why does she have such good luck!"
The town magistrate's father's condition was not as severe as her maternal grandfather's. It did not require the potent "resurrection needle technique" used at the time. A set of ordinary acupuncture techniques would suffice to stabilize the condition, followed by prescribing medicine.
"Thank you, Doctor Lu. Please name your price." The magistrate, tears welling up in her eyes, held Lu Yu's hands tightly, continuously expressing her gratitude.
"Our medical hall has fixed fees. We only need..."
"Five taels of silver for lung consumption patients for a set of acupuncture, and medicinal herbs are extra!" Gu Yitong shouted, interrupting Lu Yu before she could finish.
"Good." The magistrate readily agreed. "My name is Zheng Yu. If you two ever need any help in the future, don't hesitate to ask. I, Zheng Yu, will not falter."
Lu Yu pulled Gu Yitong aside and whispered, "Didn't we agree that for normal families, it would be three taels of silver? Why did you increase the price?"
"I told you, that's for normal families. Look at the magistrate, is she a normal family? She's not normal at all, alright? She's the magistrate, so we should extort a bit more."
Gu Yitong's smiling face made it impossible for anyone to associate her with the person who was just filled with loss and sadness.
This was her brilliance, as if she could change her face, always making people unable to fathom or guess her intentions.
Seeing that she was once again a completely different person from before, Lu Yu didn't know what to say. She shook her head and left her with her back, "I'm leaving! I'm going back to the medical hall to get some herbs and then head home."
Watching Lu Yu's retreating figure, Gu Yitong once again fell into a daze. "It's so good. They all have family. But from now on, I won't be alone anymore."
Saying this, she walked towards Yu Man Lou.
The sun hung high in the sky, casting her shadow very, very short.
When Lu Yu returned home, Shen Xuan was washing his menstrual cloths. Seeing Lu Yu return, he awkwardly hid the cloths behind his back.
Lu Yu didn't expose him. She stepped forward and put her hand into the water. Hmm, it was warm water. He was quite well-behaved.
"Wife, the water is dirty." Shen Xuan quickly blocked Lu Yu's arm, but it was too late.
Lu Yu reached out and took the menstrual cloths from Shen Xuan's hand. Shen Xuan wanted to stop her, but Lu Yu shooed him away to wash his hands. Lu Yu quickly washed the menstrual cloths again in clean water and hung them up. Shaking the water off her hands, she also went to the other side to wash her hands clean.
She then picked up Shen Xuan horizontally again, carrying him into the room and placing him on the bed.
Shen Xuan seemed to have become somewhat immune yesterday. Although he was still shy, it was far from the level of yesterday.
"Wife, why did you come back so early today?" Shen Xuan asked, a little confused, sitting further back on the bed, gesturing for Lu Yu to sit by the edge.
"It's not because I was worried about you feeling unwell at home, so I rushed to get some herbs from the medical hall and came back." Lu Yu said, gently pinching his nose.
Shen Xuan pouted, sniffed, and also reached out to pinch Lu Yu's nose. They looked at each other and smiled in unison.
"Wife, I have something to tell you, Iā"