Left, or right?
Two ships were moored by the Yangtze River bank, right before Lu Yu's eyes.
Xiao Qiao had specifically explained that the unique blue boats of Lujiang were characterized by the absence of boatmen.
Whichever boat one boarded, a woman would emerge from it, clad in a straw cloak, maintaining an air of mystery as she rowed the blue boat towards the center of the lake.
Next… shedding the straw cloak, a dreamlike, enchanting spring scene would unfold within the blue boat's canopy!
However, for Lu Yu.
This was a difficult choice…
To his left was Da Qiao’s boat, and to his right was Xiao Qiao’s.
Which one should he board?
Shaking his head, Lu Yu felt his thoughts had become impure!
He was here to treat an illness, a physician's heart, a great doctor's integrity… How could he harbor such sordid notions?
“Ahem…”
Clearing his throat lightly, Lu Yu decided to board Da Qiao’s boat on the left first.
When treating an illness, one must surely treat the elder sister first…
Respecting seniority, who knew if after curing the elder sister, the younger sister might not offer further assistance when it came time for her treatment.
“Tap, tap…”
With steady steps, Lu Yu boarded the boat on the left.
Before long…
A woman emerged from the boat's canopy. Her back was to Lu Yu, she wore a thick bamboo hat, exuding an aura of mystery.
Her wrists moved deftly, the oars striking the river's surface, creating ripples. As these ripples continuously emerged, this moderately sized blue boat, its canopy just large enough to accommodate a bed, slowly sailed towards the center of the river.
The jade-green waves rippled, and Lu Yu sat patiently within the canopy, waiting.
Finally, the woman placed down the oars and gracefully retreated into the boat's canopy.
Shedding the thick straw cloak, she was still clad in her familiar form-fitting attire, just as… he had first seen her in the state of Chen, in days gone by.
With this appearance, these legs… if not Da Qiao, then who could it be?
Drawing back the silken curtain, supporting the sleeping begonia;
Donning the purple silk robe, moving the blue water chestnut mirror;
With a slender waist, she took delicate steps, revealing fair wrists through sheer gauze, her eyes holding the clear waters of spring, her every smile and glance captivating the soul.
Of course, while Da Qiao’s attire and these areas were undeniably beautiful, they were eclipsed when compared to her exquisite legs…
Graceful, long, and shapely… with perfect proportions.
No fine veins were visible on her thighs, nor small scars from childhood tumbles on her knees, and her calf muscles showed no sign of looseness.
Such perfect legs… were adorned with labels of "sexiness," exuding the words "alluring" at every moment!
The most crucial point was that such an unreal scene was unfolding vividly before Lu Yu's eyes…
So illusory, yet so real.
“Young Master Lu? Are you still planning to stare blankly?”
While Lu Yu was lost in thought…
A soft and gentle voice sounded in his ear.
Lu Yu looked up, and Da Qiao’s exceptionally beautiful face was before him. Her lovely cheeks held a hint of playful chiding, yet were also filled with boundless shyness.
Any woman stared at intently by someone admiring her legs would surely feel a touch of embarrassment, right?
Lu Yu smiled at Da Qiao, but then suddenly extended his hand and grasped her delicate hand.
This sudden action made Da Qiao’s cheeks flush even redder. She slightly raised her delicate brows and feigned annoyance, saying, “Young Master Lu… what are you doing? You’re not thinking of behaving indecently on this boat, are you?”
Hearing Da Qiao’s coy, feigned indignation, Lu Yu was taken aback…
Glancing at her flushed cheeks, he smiled and said, “Aren’t you ill? As the saying goes, ‘look, listen, inquire, feel the pulse.’ If I don’t examine your body, how can I prescribe the correct medicine?”
As soon as he said this.
Da Qiao’s heart pounded. She bit her red lips, staring intently at Lu Yu, but… her hands, which had been feigning resistance, suddenly relaxed.
Seeing this, a hint of helplessness appeared on Lu Yu’s face.
He shook his head. He was here to treat an illness. A physician’s compassion dictated that examining the body was a necessary step in treatment. How could he skip this step just because the patient was too beautiful?
Speaking thus, Lu Yu placed his hand on Da Qiao’s jade hand, then probed deeper within, clasping their hands together…
Lu Yu could feel the sweat droplets in Da Qiao’s palm…
Immediately…
Lu Yu closed his eyes…
He began to feel the pulse emanating from various parts of her body, seeking to discover what illness she had.
After all…
Lu Yu was also considered a “veteran” physician. For minor ailments, a single needle could bring about a complete cure.
As Lu Yu closed his eyes, Da Qiao also let out a gentle sigh of relief, but… a blush still lingered on her cheeks.
It seemed…
No matter how this man intended to treat her,
She felt a sense of joy!
After all… this man was so intelligent, so exceptional, and had saved her mother; he was her benefactor. How could this not stir ripples in her tranquil heart, much like the ripples on the blue boat?
And as Da Qiao’s mind wandered, Lu Yu’s eyes slowly opened.
At this moment, his face held a touch of solemnity.
Indeed, Da Qiao was afflicted with an illness.
If described from the perspective of the "Yin-Yang School" of medicine, it was a malevolent energy.
For some unknown reason, this malevolent energy permeated Da Qiao’s body, constantly traversing it, yet it was as hard as stone, incredibly robust… even Lu Yu felt a trace of shock.
“According to what Father and Mother said, my sister and I were born with something like a ‘gu’ planted within us since birth. Father sought out many famous physicians, and all of them mentioned that this ‘gu’ was harmless, but… it remained in the body, preventing me from ever growing up, from shedding my girlish immaturity and transforming into a woman of mature charm.”
Da Qiao’s words tumbled out, and a flicker of contemplation crossed Lu Yu’s eyes…
Through Da Qiao’s “pulse,” Lu Yu indeed felt this so-called “innate” “gu,” or perhaps a poison, a gu poison…
Although currently harmless, and even… allowing Da Qiao to maintain a childlike innocence and immaturity forever.
Yet, over time, it was inevitable… that Da Qiao’s heart might change.
After all, this gu blocked Da Qiao’s path to transformation from a girl to a woman, which was unfair to her!
Therefore…
From a medical perspective, Lu Yu had to help her break through this layer of “gu.”
*Hoo*…
Lu Yu exhaled softly.
He once again examined the location where the gu was planted, just below her lower abdomen…
It was deeply rooted and very firm!
“Although this gu is harmless, it is still better to eliminate it. This way… it can be considered as having removed a worry from your heart.”
Lu Yu released Da Qiao’s jade hand and looked up.
“I know that, naturally, but…” Da Qiao lowered her head, her face a flush of red. “But Young Master Lu also knows that as a frail woman, I cannot break through this ‘gu.’ I can only… can only ask Young Master Lu to treat me. Because I do not wish for anyone else to know about this matter, my sister and I have invited Young Master Lu to the center of the river.”
“Rest assured…” Lu Yu nodded and smiled slightly. “Breaking through this ‘gu’ is my responsibility. I am confident. If I do not help you fulfill this wish, I will not be at peace.”
Looking at the man with a smile on his face, Da Qiao’s heart was once again filled with infinite emotions and stirrings…
Yes, was Young Master Lu the current medical immortal? What gu could he not cure?
Compared to this gu poison, the sense of security and reliance this man provided was too intoxicating.
“Thank you…”
Exhaling softly, Da Qiao suppressed the emotions in her heart. She lay down on the bed in the boat's canopy, like a patient…
No, she was indeed a patient, waiting for a physician… no, waiting for the treatment from the man before her.
“Then… I’ll prepare, and we can begin!”
Lu Yu’s expression turned serious. He scanned the graceful figure on the bed, gazed at that exquisite face, and finally added.
“Are you ready?”
“Mmm…” Da Qiao’s face had turned as red as an apple. She deliberately turned her head away, not wanting to look at the man before her, yet her heart felt a faint warmth.
On the rippling, wave-filled river.
Within the fragrant boat…
Because the curtains were drawn, it was pitch black, yet inexplicably, there was a pinkish aura. Perhaps this was the true nature of the blue boat.
“Ahem…”
Clearing his throat lightly, Lu Yu was still giving the final medical instructions.
“As the saying goes, strength can overcome all. Shortly, I will use absolute power to break through this ‘gu poison’ and subsequently neutralize it. The process will be somewhat painful, so you must bear with it.”
Looking at the lightly draped, graceful figure before him… Lu Yu coughed involuntarily.
Da Qiao softly hummed in response. Even now, she was still a little nervous, her cheeks flushed.
After all, it was to remove the “gu poison”!
And it was a man… treating her for gu poison, it was bound to be a little embarrassing.
Fortunately, this man was the man she loved; her mood would be somewhat better…
In fact, deep down, Da Qiao felt a sense of anticipation.
Seeing the tips of Da Qiao’s ears blushing to their peak, Lu Yu gave a dry laugh, then let out a long breath, casting aside the distractions in his mind, and quickly focused.
At this moment, he was a physician… and before him was a patient, a patient suffering from gu poison.
He had to be serious, and he had to put in more effort!
Here we go…
Lu Yu was employing a unique technique from the "Great Yin-Yang School." His ten fingers moved like lightning, pressing heavily on Da Qiao's back. He needed to use the "heat" generated by friction to expel the gu poison from Da Qiao's body.
“Pff…”
The intense heat almost soaked Da Qiao’s back clothes, revealing the captivating curves of her tight-fitting attire.
It seemed these clothes were hindering the next step of the treatment…
Lu Yu also worried that the sweat might cool down, causing Da Qiao to catch a chill.
He had no choice but to remove several layers of Da Qiao’s thin clothing…
Everything was for the patient. In the eyes of a physician, there was no distinction between male and female.
“Ah…”
Suddenly feeling the river breeze on her back, the cool sensation made Da Qiao cry out. Her face instantly drooped, turning red, but the solemn medical instructions in her ear forced her to regain her composure…
She was receiving treatment, how could she be so disobedient?
“…Bear with it! Just a little longer!”
Facing Lu Yu’s extremely serious medical instructions, Da Qiao gritted her teeth. She tried her best to relax, suppressing the infinite stirrings in her heart.
She had to cooperate… she had to cooperate!
Young Master Lu was a medical immortal; he understood perfectly. If the patient did not cooperate with the physician, how could the gu poison be resolved?
Lu Yu attempted to continue using the techniques of the "Great Yin-Yang School" for treatment…
Da Qiao felt her entire body filled with fire, with a slight stinging sensation, yet it was warm. In fact, it was becoming very comfortable. As expected of Medical Immortal Lu…
Had it already entered the rhythm, starting to melt the gu poison?
*Hoo*…
On the other hand, Lu Yu let out a heavy breath. This was the final push… He intensified the medical conditioning techniques of the Yin-Yang School, fiercely striking and smashing against the stubborn gu poison.
“Crack… Clatter!”
The inherent techniques of the Yin-Yang School instantly transformed into infinite fire dragons, charging fearlessly at the most rigid gu poison within Da Qiao’s body.
A series of low yet crisp sounds continuously emanated from her body!
That pain, a heart-wrenching pain, grew increasingly severe.
However… for the sake of recovery, for the sake of healing, and for the man behind her, and also in her heart, Da Qiao bit her lip, only managing to emit faint sounds.
She didn’t want Medical Immortal Lu to worry!
“Bang”
A crisp sound.
Shattered… The gu poison could no longer withstand the fierce force and instantly shattered…
In an instant, Da Qiao’s face turned pale, her mouth opened wide, and a gush of blood surged out as expected.
This blood was the remnant of the gu poison.
Crimson red, inspiring awe?
Even Lu Yu, seeing it, felt his heart stir repeatedly… He had truly underestimated this gu poison. If such gu poison were not cleared away in youth, then… future troubles were inevitable.
After a long while, once Lu Yu had completed all the medical principles, he exhaled softly and slowly withdrew.
*Hoo*…
As expected, the literature of the Great Yin-Yang School had recorded—the most difficult poison to resolve in the world was this “gu poison!”
Tired…
Exhausted as if drained of all energy!
Perhaps it was the time it took to drink a cup of tea, or perhaps it was the time it took to burn an incense stick, but in any case… after a long while, silence had fallen within the blue boat’s canopy for a considerable time.
It seemed…
After a long period of daze, Da Qiao’s mood calmed considerably. She opened her eyes, and a tender affection seemed to pour from them.
“Is it over…” Da Qiao asked…
“Mm! It was successful, you are cured.” Lu Yu replied truthfully.
“Then…” Da Qiao’s eyes shifted, “Thank you, Young Master Lu…”
*Hoo*… Lu Yu let out a breath, unsure how to respond…
Unexpectedly, Da Qiao slowly put on her clothes and then donned the thick bamboo hat again, seemingly preparing to row the boat back.
This…
Lu Yu was slightly stunned and quickly asked, “Won’t you rest for a while longer?”
“No, thank you.” Da Qiao smiled wryly. “My sister is still on the other boat. My sister and I share a bond stronger than gold; we will never be separated in this life or the next. Why doesn’t Young Master Lu see this good deed through to the end and also help my sister resolve this ‘gu poison’?”
*Heh*…
As soon as these words were spoken, Lu Yu was stunned.
What a bond stronger than gold.
What a deep sisterly love.
He fell silent at once.
For now… he would follow Da Qiao’s arrangement. In the eyes of a physician, the patient is paramount…
A physician must fulfill all the patient’s requests.
Especially for him, the current medical immortal who carries a pot to save lives…
This is also what is called—the integrity of a great doctor!
…
…
ps:
(The next chapter is still an extra, those who understand will understand. It is unrelated to the main text and will be posted tonight.)