Early the next morning—
They arrived at the slave broker’s place in town.
Since the Shi family had already come here several times before to purchase servants, the broker naturally no longer dared quote outrageous prices. Three people, eight taels each, all healthy and sold under permanent contracts. It was already a fairly honest price.
One man and two women.
The man would remain in town as a guard and caretaker, while one of the women would later accompany them back to the village to serve there. The other would remain beside Yuanzhao daily as a personal attendant.
Only after settling all these household matters did Yuanzhao escort Shi Wuxiang back to the academy.
“You’re leaving already?” Yuanzhao watched him arrive at the academy gates and prepare to leave after only a few exchanged words. He could not help feeling uncomfortable inside. He had worked so hard making this trip—what was it all for?
Shi Wuxiang turned back in surprise.
“We’ve already said goodbye to each other three separate times just now. Please advise me—exactly when am I allowed to go inside?”
Yuanzhao himself did not know what to say. He merely stomped his feet anxiously.
He always wanted to stay closer to him, talk longer, remain together a little more…
But he did not know how to say it aloud.
He just did not want to separate so quickly.
Yet he could tell Ah Xiang seemed eager to go inside.
And so, in a moment of careless emotion, the words blurted out:
“Just who exactly is inside the academy that you’re in such a rush to see? Who cares about you? I don’t care about you!”
Without even giving Shi Wuxiang time to react, he climbed straight into the carriage and left immediately.
Shi Wuxiang chased after the carriage for two steps, ending up drenched in sweat and swallowing a mouthful of dust.
Shi Wuxiang: “…………………………”
The moment the carriage began moving, the awkward irritation inside Yuanzhao transformed into guilt.
How could he throw a tantrum and then simply abandon Ah Xiang there?
How could he be so childish and unreasonable?
He did not dare look back. Wrapped tightly in guilt, his chest felt painfully sour and restless, his heart pounding as though it might leap right out of his mouth.
He was not a good ge’er.
He always claimed how good he was, but he knew perfectly well that he no longer deserved Ah Xiang now.
He was merely a small restaurant owner with little ability, and even the food sold there had all been taught to him by Ah Xiang. Anyone else could cook the same things.
But Ah Xiang’s learning and talents were not things ordinary people could ever match.
He should be with some beautiful, refined, highly educated young lady—not with dull, dusty little him.
As for that troublesome poem, Yuanzhao had now completely given up obsessing over it. He did not even recognize all the characters. He could not find them no matter how hard he searched. A sentence of merely ten simple characters was enough to torment him to death.
He and Ah Xiang fundamentally did not belong together.
Of course, Shi Wuxiang had no idea Yuanzhao was thinking such things.
He truly did possess a remarkably good temper. Even after his partner embarrassed him publicly and threw a baseless tantrum, he could not summon any anger. Instead, he found the sight of Yuanzhao scrambling onto the carriage in flustered panic rather amusing.
If he knew Yuanzhao was thinking these things, Yuanzhao would probably become even angrier.
Smiling helplessly, Shi Wuxiang shook his head. The moment he turned around, he met the eyes of several familiar students. The shock on their faces had not even faded yet, leaving them awkwardly greeting him.
Shi Wuxiang immediately knew—
Rumors about him would probably spread throughout the academy very soon.
“What’s going on? Zhao-ge’er hasn’t visited you lately. Could those rumors around the academy actually be true? Did he really get angry?” Chengdu could not help asking.
Hu Lu’s heart skipped a beat.
“You two argued? You’re a grown man—you should give in to him a little. Why are you hiding inside the academy by yourself?”
Shi Wuxiang: “???”
I know you’re concerned about my husband, but what kind of nonsense is that?
What do you mean hiding in the academy? Haven’t I always been teaching here?
“Don’t listen to those ridiculous rumors.” Shi Wuxiang sounded helpless. “We merely had a small quarrel. Who would seriously take such trivial matters to heart?”
Besides, it was usually Yuanzhao who threw little tempers at him anyway. After venting, Yuanzhao would soothe himself, and the matter would simply pass.
There was never any lasting resentment.
Naturally, Shi Wuxiang understood Yuanzhao very well. This was simply how they normally got along. Still, he did think about finding a free day soon to return to town. Even if he knew Yuanzhao would eventually calm himself down, he still ought to coax him a little too.
“The rumors outside are hilarious. Some say you got slapped. Others say you’re secretly keeping a mistress at the academy…” The more Chengdu spoke, the funnier he found it, until he grinned widely in laughter.
Shi Wuxiang, however, frowned tightly.
The academy was full of male students, most of them still minors, yet these idle gossipers insisted on spreading every ridiculous rumor imaginable.
“Apparently I’ve assigned too little homework,” he said flatly.
Madam Shi knew that Shi Wuxiang and Yuanzhao still had not consummated their marriage. She always believed such matters belonged within the family, and even more so between the two of them personally. No matter how anxious she felt inside, she had never once behaved like those vicious mothers-in-law who constantly criticized their daughter-in-law.
But though the speaker meant nothing by it, the listener interpreted it differently.
The matchmaker’s eyes shifted slightly before she immediately smiled and said, “Oh my, with your family’s current standing, what kind of girl couldn’t you find? Though speaking of grandchildren… your eldest son and eldest son-in-law have been married for years already, yet there’s still no news at all?”
Madam Shi’s expression stiffened slightly.
“That’s the children’s own matter. We elders shouldn’t meddle too much.”
The matchmaker immediately slapped her own mouth lightly and laughed apologetically.
“Look at me and this loose tongue of mine! I only meant that your family’s fortune is flourishing now. The eldest son became an official, the second son passed the xiucai exam, and your restaurant business is booming. Truly, there’s no one in all the surrounding villages with better fortune than your family.”
Only then did Madam Shi’s expression ease somewhat.
But the matchmaker still quietly tucked the matter away in her heart.
After leaving the Shi family home, she immediately went around chatting with several familiar women.
“Say, don’t you think it’s strange? The Shi family’s eldest son and his husband have been married all these years, yet still no child at all…”
“Could it be because Zhao-ge’er can’t give birth?”
“How would I know? But the Shi family sure treats him well. If it were any other household, they’d probably already be discussing taking a concubine.”
“Tsk tsk, with Scholar Shi’s current status, wanting a concubine would be easy enough. Maybe they’re just worried about damaging their reputation?”
Such gossip spread quickly among village women.
By the time it reached Yuanzhao’s ears, the rumors had already transformed into:
Shi Wuxiang was preparing to take a concubine because Yuanzhao could not bear children.
When Jia Xiaomei heard this while buying vegetables, she became furious on the spot and nearly started fighting with the women gossiping there.
“What nonsense are you all spewing?! My young master and the scholar have an excellent relationship!”
The woman being scolded rolled her eyes.
“If their relationship’s so good, then where’s the child? They’ve been married several years already.”
Jia Xiaomei was so angry her face turned red.
“What’s that got to do with you?!”
“It’s not my business, but everyone’s talking about it. Besides, men taking concubines is perfectly normal. Scholar Shi’s such a great official now. Could it be he plans to guard only one ge’er forever?”
Jia Xiaomei lost the argument and ran back to the restaurant nearly in tears.
“Young master! Those women outside are talking nonsense again!”
Yuanzhao had been absentmindedly sipping tea upstairs. Hearing her burst in noisily, he set the cup down in confusion.
“What happened now?”
Jia Xiaomei repeated everything word for word.
The more Yuanzhao listened, the paler his face became.
“Taking… a concubine?”
His fingers unconsciously tightened around the teacup.
Actually, this matter had never truly crossed his mind before.
Because Ah Xiang treated him too well.
So well that he had almost forgotten—in this era, powerful men taking wives and concubines was the most ordinary thing imaginable.
Not to mention Ah Xiang’s current status.
He was young, handsome, talented, and already held official rank. Countless people wanted to attach themselves to him.
If Ah Xiang truly wanted to take a concubine…
Yuanzhao suddenly realized he did not even possess the qualifications to object.
The more he thought about it, the more suffocated his chest felt.
Seeing his expression worsen, Jia Xiaomei instantly regretted blurting everything out.
“Young master, don’t overthink it! The scholar definitely isn’t that kind of person!”
Yuanzhao forced a smile.
“Mm. I know.”
But whether he believed it himself was another matter entirely.
That entire afternoon, Yuanzhao remained distracted.
Even the customers noticed the owner seemed absentminded today and no longer wore his usual cheerful smile.
Toward evening, Shi Wuxiang unexpectedly returned from the county academy once again.
The moment he stepped into the restaurant, he sensed something was wrong.
Yuanzhao looked up at him, then immediately lowered his head again, pretending nothing had happened.
Shi Wuxiang narrowed his eyes slightly.
After accompanying him upstairs into the private room, he directly asked:
“What happened?”
“Nothing happened.” Yuanzhao instinctively denied it.
Shi Wuxiang sighed softly.
“You look ready to cry, yet you’re still saying nothing happened?”
Yuanzhao’s eyelashes trembled slightly.
After remaining silent for a long while, he finally asked in a low voice:
“Ah Xiang… do you want to take a concubine?”
Shi Wuxiang froze completely.
“What?”
“I heard people outside saying…” Yuanzhao forced himself to continue calmly, though his voice still carried faint grievance. “They said I can’t bear children, so your family’s preparing to arrange a concubine for you.”
The room instantly fell silent.
Shi Wuxiang stared at him for a long moment before finally understanding where this sudden misery had come from.
Then—
He nearly laughed from sheer disbelief.
Yuanzhao immediately glared at him.
“You’re still laughing!”
“I’m laughing because your imagination is too wild.” Shi Wuxiang looked both helpless and amused. “When exactly did I ever say I wanted a concubine?”
“But everyone says men like you all take concubines eventually…”
“What do you mean ‘men like me’?” Shi Wuxiang reached out and pinched his cheek lightly. “And who exactly counts as ‘you all’?”
Yuanzhao lowered his head, refusing to speak.
Shi Wuxiang’s expression gradually softened.
“I won’t take a concubine.”
His voice was calm and certain.
“In this lifetime, having you alone is enough.”
Yuanzhao’s heart trembled violently.
He suddenly did not dare continue listening. The tips of his ears turned red as he muttered quietly:
“You always say things that sound nice…”
“Then listen carefully.” Shi Wuxiang gently lifted his chin, forcing him to meet his gaze directly. “I’m not saying these things just to coax you.”
“In my eyes, no one else compares to you.”
Yuanzhao’s eyes reddened almost instantly.
He hurriedly lowered his head again, pretending to angrily wipe at his face.
“You’re annoying. Why do you always make people cry…”
Shi Wuxiang had already been married for nearly three years, yet his husband showed no sign of pregnancy. And from what Madam Zhang of the Shi family meant, she also had no expectation of holding a big grandson, which showed that either Shi Wuxiang was not capable, or Yuan Zhao could not give birth.
The matchmaker kept the information she had learned in her heart, but still smiled warmly on her face: “You can rest assured, I will definitely find a good girl for Master Shi! But why does your Zhao-ge’er still have no movement at all?”
People all assumed that men were the heaven, and men would not have problems, so even though there had still been no children, the matchmaker subconsciously placed the problem on Yuan Zhao, implicitly meaning that he could not bear children.
Madam Zhang of the Shi family kept shaking her head repeatedly. “It’s not what you think, it’s just that fate hasn’t arrived yet.”
She was, after all, someone who had been through it, and knew those two children both valued feelings very much, and also knew that Ah Xiang treated Zhao-ge’er out of responsibility. How could she dare casually urge them to have children?
If one day fate truly arrived, perhaps they would all let go of it.
But her words made the matchmaker even more convinced that Yuan Zhao could not bear children. Otherwise, if there was even a little hope, he would already have been taking medicine without interruption—he must have been examined by a physician long ago!
If that was really the case, then she would have to prepare to find a concubine for Shi Wuxiang!
Thus, rumors quickly spread throughout the town.
Madam Zhang of the Shi family did not know about this. She only occasionally came to town; most of the time she stayed in the village taking care of the two children.
“I heard that Master Shi’s husband cannot bear children, and they are already preparing to take a concubine. Well, it makes sense—how can there be no children? Even if a concubine has children, he can still raise them!”
“How do you know this? Why is everyone talking about it? The couple clearly has a very good relationship, how could they suddenly take a concubine?”
“Good relationship is one thing, but they still need children. It was that matchmaker who said it—she said Yuan Boss cannot bear children, and Madam Zhang of the Shi family is already anxious, saying things like fate hasn’t arrived. If you can give birth, you give birth; if not, then not—talking about fate means he can’t have children.”
“……”
In short, there were all kinds of different sayings.
To them, having children and continuing the family line was the most important matter. If a husband brought back could not bear children, not divorcing him was already good enough; taking a concubine was nothing much anyway. In any case, the concubine could not surpass his status.
But when these messy rumors reached the ears of the people involved, they were unbearably harsh.
Yuan Zhao only happened to overhear a bit, and it felt like his heart had been stabbed hard, blood gushing out.
From these rumors, he pieced together the general “truth”—Madam Zhang disliked him for not being able to bear children, so Shi Wuxiang agreed to take a concubine and was already preparing it.
He instead felt this was normal. Mother had always been good to him, but with no progress all this time, she must be anxious. What he could not understand was Ah Xiang—how could they have no children when they had not even consummated their marriage?
But if the other party also agreed… then that meant he simply did not want him.
The guests in the food shop had recently become unusually quiet, only occasionally sighing when they saw Yuan Zhao, which made everyone feel uncomfortable.
“Boss Yuan, don’t take those words to heart. We all know you two have a good relationship!” an old customer of the shop comforted when seeing his bad expression.
Yuan Zhao looked at him in confusion. “What words? Did someone say something?”
The customers were slightly surprised. “You don’t know?”
Yuan Zhao still shook his head in confusion, looking as if he truly knew nothing.
That made the customers unwilling to continue speaking.
If he himself didn’t know, and they comforted him, wouldn’t that just be making him find out? That would be doing harm while meaning well.
“It’s nothing, we were just talking nonsense.”
“Yes, yes!”
Yuan Zhao then appropriately showed an enlightened expression and did not ask further. The regular customers also did not continue; saying more would only cause trouble, better to leave it like this.
Knowing they meant well, Yuan Zhao could only pretend he knew nothing. He stayed downstairs in the shop for a while, then went upstairs to the private room to rest, silently enduring his emotions.
“Boss, please have some pastries,” the maid Xia Lian said softly. “They are your favorite red bean lava pastries, very sweet.”
Yuan Zhao did not even want to look at them, let alone eat.
He muttered, “My heart is very irritated, I don’t want to eat anything. Don’t talk to me either, I’ll get angry at you.”
Xia Lian then stopped speaking, only quietly staying by his side, pouring tea and adding water, not letting Yuan Zhao feel alone.
Yuan Zhao was clearly still young and truly did not know how to digest these emotions. The only thing he could do was avoid it, give up, as if hiding in a maze where every turn led to a dead end.
He liked Ah Xiang—very, very much.
All he could control were his own emotions. In order not to cause trouble for Ah Xiang, he could only keep hiding it, keep hiding it harder.
Hide it again.
But even if he wanted to hide, no one could take his feelings into account.
The matchmaker came again with news.
“Oh, Boss Yuan is home? Is your mother-in-law not here? I came today to speak with her, but it’s the same if I tell you—after all, it concerns living together in the future.” The matchmaker smiled. “Let’s go inside to talk!”
Gou Yi could not stand it anymore and almost wanted to shut the door, but he was only the steward here, otherwise he would have already driven this person out with scolding.
Yuan Zhao stood there in a daze, not knowing what to do. Was it already arranged? Had it already been found? Was it already so impatient to take a concubine?
He could not say words of refusal, so he could only remain silent and invite the matchmaker inside, then have Xia Lian serve tea.
The matchmaker took a sip of tea, wiped her sweat, and smiled: “Since your mother-in-law is not here, you can just listen. I have found a few candidates, all from good families. Though they are one year younger than Yue-ge, they are obedient, sensible, and capable of work.”
One year younger than Ah Yue—that would be fifteen.
So young, to be given to Ah Xiang, even younger than him by two years. That old ox-like Ah Xiang was actually going to take such a young girl as concubine!
“I can’t decide this… you should talk to my mother-in-law…” Yuan Zhao said softly, though his thoughts were not focused on it at all; he felt extremely uneasy.
“I didn’t ask you to decide. The one deciding is your mother-in-law. Just pass the message on and let her know. I’m finding good girls for her!” the matchmaker said happily. She had worked hard these days, going from house to house to ask.
Yuan Zhao listened in silence. He was usually good at pleasing elders like this, but at this moment he did not know what to say, only forcing a stiff smile.
“If your mother-in-law thinks it’s suitable, then they can meet and take a look. That girl is very obedient, you will definitely like her too. From now on you will all live as one family!”
“Her family is not as good as ours, but both parents are healthy, no illness. Though she has a younger brother, her maternal family has prepared bedding and dowry, they do not treat the girl badly. Only with such a family would I dare recommend her to you!”
“That girl is also pretty, with delicate eyebrows and bright eyes, and speaks gently. Living together in the future won’t cause conflict. You must remember to tell your mother-in-law—she is really a good girl.”
Yuan Zhao knew his expression must be very ugly, but he could not control it. In their village, it was already good enough to marry a wife—who would even take a concubine?
Why was everything so different for him?
Seeing his face turn bad, the matchmaker sighed a little sympathetically. “Don’t be too upset. Take it easy. We are all one family. Even if there are children in the future, they will still be of the Shi family! Don’t mind those rumors outside.”
“What rumors?” Yuan Zhao asked after regaining some clarity.
“Of course the one saying you cannot bear children!” the matchmaker said somewhat guiltily. Although she had been the one who couldn’t resist gossiping and spreading it, she had not meant it maliciously. “Don’t give up, just take some medicine and nourish yourself.”
Yuan Zhao immediately sensed something wrong, his gaze sharpening. “These rumors… seem to have started spreading after you came to my house looking for my mother-in-law.”
The matchmaker instantly became embarrassed. She laughed dryly twice. “Who knows, well, I still have things to do. Remember to tell your mother-in-law, I’ll be leaving first!”
After speaking, she hurriedly left.
Yuan Zhao now understood everything. Those outside rumors were spread by this loose-tongued matchmaker, claiming everywhere that he could not bear children. But he and Ah Xiang had simply not consummated their marriage—they were not infertile!
Only, once the concubine entered the house, there would probably be no place for him anymore. He needed to leave before that with Yuan-ge’er.
“Boss, how can you just let that old woman talk nonsense!” Gou Yi said angrily. “That old shrew will get what she deserves sooner or later!”
“Spreading gossip is indeed annoying, but…”
She was not entirely wrong.
In the future, if someone really came, they would be joining them.
A family… would only be the Shi family’s family, not his.
Gou Yi was indignant. “Why not find someone to teach her a lesson? She should be punished for running her mouth all day, sooner or later she’ll go mute!”
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Yuan Zhao gently reminded.
There was no need to bully someone over something like this. If one day he let go of Ah Xiang, perhaps he could still find someone suitable again. By then everything would fall into place naturally, no need to care about these things.
He pressed his chest lightly. Just thinking about it already made him feel uncomfortable.
Yuan Zhao still sent someone to pass a message to Madam Zhang of the Shi family. After all, he was the husband of this household. In the end, matters like this were not something he could decide. His thoughts were not as important as having children.
Mother must also want to hold a big grandson, which is why she agreed to let Ah Xiang take a concubine. He was already an official lord—what did taking a concubine amount to? Even keeping a side residence full of concubines would not be something anyone would criticize.
Madam Zhang of the Shi family received the message and hurried back to the town. She was not in a rush for Shi Qingyue to get married, but simply wanted to look around first; if she encountered a good girl, then when it came time for marriage there would be no need to worry.
Yuan Zhao repeated what the matchmaker had said, then added, “She said if mother thinks it’s good, then go find her.”
“Alright, then I’ll make a trip,” Madam Zhang said with a smile on her face. “There’s Xia He at home taking care of things, don’t worry.”
She assumed Yuan Zhao’s bad mood was because he was worried about Yuan Yuan.
Yuan Zhao nodded, and in the end said nothing more. This matter was not something he could resolve by agreeing or opposing; on this issue, he had no right to speak.
He turned and went back into the room.
The sky was already gradually darkening. Mother had rushed to the town, and then rushed off again to find the matchmaker—how anxious must she be?
Madam Zhang soon returned. She personally spoke with the matchmaker. The words were still the same as before, but on the way back she inevitably heard some rumors. She had not expected that arranging a wife for her second son would also end up harming Yuan Zhao.
The town was full of all kinds of people. Even if most people had no ill intent, rumors still hurt. The speaker may be unintentional, but the listener takes it to heart.
She did not dare imagine how many idle words Yuan Zhao had heard these past few days.
“Zhao-ge’er, don’t take the outside talk to heart. Mother knows there is still some knot between you and Ah Xiang. As for children or no children, Mother is not in any hurry at all.”
In the flickering candlelight, Madam Zhang looked at Yuan Zhao’s thin face. These past few days he must have been deeply hurt by this matter. If Ah Xiang came back, he would surely feel heartache.
Not in a hurry?
Then why was she in such a hurry to take a concubine for Ah Xiang?
With thoughts turning over and over in his heart, Yuan Zhao still smiled and said, “Mother need not worry about me. How did things go? Do you need to meet that girl?”
Madam Zhang paused for a moment, then nodded. “Tomorrow I’ll go see the matchmaker first. If I think she’s good, then we’ll talk. If even I don’t like her, then bringing her into the household would only be trouble.”
Since ancient times, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships were difficult to manage. She did not consider herself a good mother-in-law, but she also believed she was not a wicked one. If she could not accept her, then there was truly no fate.
Yuan Zhao only kept nodding in agreement. This was not something he could decide, so what else could he do besides nodding?
For this matter, Madam Zhang did not return to the village for two days. But she had ultimately resolved it. She did think the girl was decent; after careful inquiry, she was indeed hardworking and good-tempered, and could restrain Shi Qingyue’s lively temperament.
It was clearly not long after autumn had begun, yet Yuan Zhao already felt the cold wind biting into his bones. The slightly chilly wind made him extremely uncomfortable. He did not know how to describe it—his entire body felt as if it had cracked open, cold wind rushing in through the gaps, making him tremble all over.
“This is a case of catching a cold.”
The physician’s brow furrowed tightly after taking his pulse.
“A cold accompanied by high fever. He must rest in bed and not go outside to be blown by wind again. People with weak constitutions are most prone to illness during seasonal changes.”
Xia Lian nodded repeatedly. “Please prescribe medicine. The steward will go with you later to collect it.”
She needed to stay here to take care of him.
Yuan Zhao was indeed quite ill. Covered with two quilts, he still curled up trembling in the bedding. After Xia Lian poured a bowl of bitter hot medicine into him, only then did he feel some warmth in his abdomen.
“What did you say?” Xia Lian leaned closer and asked softly. “Are you cold? Then this servant will go bring another warming kettle for you.”
Yuan Zhao slightly turned his head, tears sliding from the corner of his eyes into his hair. He suddenly missed Yuan-ge’er.
Since birth, they had never been separated even for a moment. Now they had not seen each other for half a month—it truly was… truly… unbearable.
Perhaps people became fragile when sick. Yuan Zhao rarely dreamed, but now he dreamed again. He dreamed of parents whose faces he could no longer clearly remember, hearing them calling him affectionately.
“Mother…”
“Wuwu… brother…”
Who was crying?
His thoughts were chaotic—sometimes parents, sometimes Yuan-ge’er, sometimes Ah Xiang. He could not even tell whether it was dream or reality.
Only the sobbing became clearer and clearer, repeatedly calling him “brother.”
“Yuan-ge’er…”
“It’s me, brother…” Yuan Yuan sobbed as he lay on his chest. “Have you fallen sick from missing Father and Mother? I’m here with you, oh oh~”
While choking with tears, he gently patted his chest, making soothing sounds like coaxing a child, just as Yuan Zhao had once coaxed him all those years.
Yuan Zhao curved his eyes slightly, and tears fell again.
Yuan-ge’er felt heartache and hurriedly wiped his tears, small hands cupping his face, wishing he could take his place in sickness.
“Alright, don’t cry here anymore.” Shi Wuxiang walked in holding a bowl of medicine. He signaled Yuan Yuan to sit aside, then stepped forward to support Yuan Zhao into his arms.
“Ah Xiang?” Yuan Zhao looked at him somewhat dazedly. “Did you come back because I’m sick?”
Shi Wuxiang immediately frowned. “Today is the end of the month, it’s time to rest… I thought you were happily enjoying yourself and had forgotten your husband was waiting for your visit. I rushed back today, only to find you were ill.”
He could more or less tell Yuan Zhao had not been resting well these days, but he only assumed it was seasonal illness and did not yet know about the rumors outside.
Yuan Zhao leaned in his arms, that warmth spreading from his back heart to his limbs and bones, unexpectedly more effective than medicine.
“If you are not here, how could I be happy alone?”
He pouted aggrievedly, and tears fell again.