Zhang Tie kneaded the dough, and she neatly shaped it into balls. Whenever she had free time, she’d practice wrapping dumplings.
When Lu Yang went to the kitchen, Zhang Tie took over watching the shop.
Zhao Peilan noticed Lu Yang’s face was deathly pale and asked him, “Are you lost in thought again?”
Lu Yang touched his face. “Is it that obvious? I just yelled a couple times at the door.”
Zhao Peilan muttered at him, “Why can’t you sit still? Everyone else wants to slack off. We’ve got two helpers in the shop already. Take a break.”
Lu Yang was simply used to being busy; idleness made him restless.
Besides, he found himself missing Xie Yan, wondering how he was doing at the private school. Keeping busy would help distract him from those thoughts.
Seeing his poor complexion, Zhao Peilan said, “After lunch, I’ll go with you to the clinic to see if your pills are ready. You really need to take your medicine and rest.”
Lu Yang replied, “I’ll go myself. You should take a nap. You got up too early this morning. If you don’t rest at noon, you’ll be exhausted.”
Lu Yang didn’t sleep. Now he opened his eyes to daylight, never again seeing the moon at midnight.
Zhao Peilan saw he could walk and talk, hesitated briefly, then agreed.
At the shop, it was time for the meal break shift change. After eating, Lu Yang went to the front to relieve Lu Lin.
Lu Lin then returned to relieve Zhang Tie. After Zhang Tie finished eating, Lu Yang headed out to fetch medicine from the clinic.
As he walked, he kept feeling someone was following him.
He zigzagged through the streets, pretending not to notice. Turning a corner, he stopped and pressed himself against the wall to wait. Then he spotted his own top scholar sneaking after him.
Lu Yang couldn’t help but laugh.
Xie Yan, lacking experience in tailing others, had barely rounded the corner when Lu Yang caught him red-handed.
Now he’d even taken to sneaking around.
“Is this what they teach you in private school?” Lu Yang asked.
Xie Yan gave a dry chuckle, seemingly trying to pretend they hadn’t met, and turned to walk away.
Lu Yang raised an eyebrow. “You think you can just leave?”
Xie Yan dared not leave. Before he could even complete his turn, he stepped forward at the sound of those words, standing before Lu Yang. He took his hand cautiously: “Don’t be angry. I calculated the days—it’s time to pick up medicine at the clinic. I just came out to take a look.”
He’d left the private school during lunchtime, the peak meal hour. He’d watched outside the shop for ages but hadn’t seen Lu Yang.
He needed to hurry back for class soon, so he’d said he’d go to the clinic first to ask if his pills were ready. That’s when he discovered Lu Yang had come out too.
Seeing his husband made him happy, but he dared not make a sound. He’d quietly followed him all the way.
He even asked, “How did you know I was following you?”
Lu Yang didn’t actually know. He just sensed someone watching him the whole time.
They’d walked through several streets, and the person was still watching. What else could it be but following him?
He’d deliberately chosen a clinic farther away for his appointment, and they were almost there.
He took Xie Yan’s hand, feeling its warmth, then looked at his face.
He hadn’t lost weight, and his complexion looked good.
The two walked toward the clinic.
Lu Yang asked him, “You saw me, why didn’t you call out?”
Xie Yan feared he might be angry.
“I’d only been back at school for a few days before running away.”
Lu Yang said, “If you truly feared my anger, you shouldn’t have come out.”
Seeing Lu Yang wasn’t angry, Xie Yan smiled. “I missed you.”
Lu Yang’s lips curved upward. He deliberately hummed, “Did you miss me so much you had to sneak around?”
Xie Yan didn’t know how to explain.
Lu Yang told him, “Since you’re already out, if you want to see me, just come back to the shop. Mother misses you too.”
He used the word “also.”
Xie Yan caught it. The complete sentence should be: I miss you, and Mother misses you too.
Xie Yan’s smile deepened as he asked about his health: “You’ve stopped taking medicine for days. Your lips look pale.”
Lu Yang touched his face again, then his mouth, genuinely puzzled.
Could one’s complexion really show so clearly?
Besides, his skin was naturally fair—how could anyone tell the difference?
Xie Yan said, “Stop overthinking it. Go back to the clinic for a follow-up. Let the old doctor take your pulse again.”
Xie Yan knew he was soft-hearted. Outside the clinic, he clutched Lu Yang’s hand and pleaded softly, “Just take a look. If you don’t, I won’t be able to focus on my studies. I’ll keep worrying about it.”
Lu Yang still refused.
This was a waste of silver.
Xie Yan said, “Then I’ll stand over there and cry.”
Lu Yang: “…”
He really had a knack for this. After standing his ground at the county school, his temper had grown.
This was a threat. Lu Yang should have been angry, but he couldn’t muster the rage. He nodded in agreement.
At the clinic, they wasted another consultation fee.
Lu Yang shot Xie Yan a reproachful look.
Xie Yan didn’t seem bothered. He still had much to learn about social etiquette, so his blunt honesty just made him seem thick-skinned. He asked the old doctor, “Sir, do you lend out medical books? I’d like to borrow one to study.”
The old doctor looked utterly bewildered.
“Serve me as an apprentice for three years, and I’ll pass on all my skills to you.”
He could read—easy to teach.
Three years with him meant abandoning scholarship for medicine.
Weighing his options, Xie Yan took three large bundles of pills and bid farewell.
Medical texts were still books—better to inquire at the study.
He wasn’t becoming a doctor anyway. Perhaps he could find books on dietary therapy, or ask Wu Pingzhi.
Master Wu had also been recuperating lately. He could look into their family recipes. If he learned them, he could nourish Lu Yang too.
One meal prepared could feed the whole family.
Mother had been worn out these past years—they could all nourish themselves together.
With the medicine in hand, the couple hurried homeward.
Xie Yan had been out for some time, eager to see his mother. He rushed toward the private school.
Seeing his haste, Lu Yang sent out a carriage to escort him.
Their lodgings didn’t have Wu Pingzhi’s family’s carriage and horses stationed there; they wouldn’t normally wait there.
Lu Yang accompanying him part of the way made Xie Yan feel quite ashamed.
“I’ve made you tire yourself.”
Lu Yang glanced at him, noticing Xie Yan had grown noticeably more reserved and formal.
“What’s wrong? Why the formalities with me?”
Xie Yan replied, “I’ve only just arrived, and already I’m causing you trouble.”
Lu Yang patted his hand with his free hand. “What trouble? Speaking like that? My own condition causes you far greater trouble.”
Xie Yan hadn’t meant it that way. After a moment’s thought, he said, “If I came on the days the private school was closed, it would be much easier for you.”
Lu Yang didn’t mind speaking plainly: “Does that mean I don’t need to worry when I miss you?”
Xie Yan tried to say something else, but only laughter escaped his lips.
Lu Yang continued, “I don’t mean to stop you from going home. I just worry that if you return at night, your morning lessons will be too rushed. How can you study with energy if you don’t rest well at night? Next time you miss me, just come out at noon like today. I think the timing works. I’ll make you something delicious. I don’t feel at ease knowing you eat outside.”
Xie Yan agreed to everything.
On the way back, he told Lu Yang about the private academy.
He recognized one of the two juren scholars teaching there. He used to be an instructor at the county school.
Wu Pingzhi once said that among imperial officials, teachers were the poorest. Their monthly salary was meager, they had no side income, and the grain they received depended entirely on the harvest from the school’s farmland.
Throughout the year, they could only scrape together a little silver during the few examination seasons. Normally, they could also give students the cold shoulder, prompting some opportunistic pupils to bring gifts to their door. That way, by putting in extra effort during lessons, they could earn a little extra.
But how much was that really? It was too difficult to support a family. Scholars also had to buy paper and ink, not to mention books.
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