Chapter 34

Chinu has always had a short temper.

Such anger only aggravated his wounds.

Hei Lao Daifu, being old, couldn't steady his posture, so he held Chinu's shoulder and passed the ointment to Du Shanü, seeking help.

Du Shanü hadn't thought much of it, but upon stepping forward she realized something was seriously wrong—

Chinu's outer robe had slipped to his elbows, his inner collar wide open, revealing a clean-cut chest and abdomen.

Du Shanü scooped up the strangely scented ointment with a silver spoon and gently smeared it on the knife wound at his chest.

The ointment was slightly cool; as Chinu's chest rose and fell faintly, it spread across his skin in pale traces, following the muscle's undulation slowly downward, sinking into the shadow of fabric at his waist and abdomen.

Only his tightly pressed thin lips and slightly curled fingertips remained, betraying a restrained, fierce color.

Du Shanü dared not stare longer, while Hei Lao Daifu paid no mind, feeling Chinu's pulse and muttering:

"I didn't have a chance to examine you properly before; today I will give you a thorough check-up... How old are you, young man?"

"... Over twenty-four years old."

"Have you been injured before?"

"... Even a Golden Immortal of the Great Luo has times when he closes his eyes; how could an ordinary mortal be an exception?"

"This brat, if he's injured, just say he's injured."

"What's with all the formalities!"

Hei Lao Daifu asked somewhat irritably:

"Are you married?"

"What kind of question is that?"

Chinu had been holding in his anger; hearing this question, he struggled to raise his hand, trying to wipe off the plaster he'd just used to fool the constables, and gritted his teeth as he spoke:

"Doctor, other physicians don't need to ask so much; why are you asking all these things?"

"Whether I'm married or not, what does that have to do with my wound?"

Hei Lao Daifu gave him an irritated glance:

"Of course! Other doctors are other doctors, but I'm different—I once studied medicine under the renowned Divine Physician Tong who was famous across the world; as the saying goes, inspection, listening, questioning, and palpation must be thorough before prescribing the right remedy!"

"Your pulse is agitated, your liver qi stagnant, long-standing stagnation turning to fire... If you have a wife, that's a chronic condition needing regulation; if you're unmarried, it's inner lust fire with no outlet!"

In the cramped medicine room there was a moment of silence; Du Shanü, the first to react, dared not look at Chinu's face, instead instinctively covering Yu Baobao's ears—

"What lust fire, what no outlet—this is hardly something my good child should hear!!!"

The surroundings were eerily silent.

Chinu slowly lowered his stiff hand, after a long while barely opening his jaw, speaking word by word:

"Ab-so-lute-ly—not—this—matter."

Du Shanü wanted to laugh, but she gritted her teeth and held it in.

Hei Lao Daifu, as if receiving a provocation, wore a face of disagreement:

"You brat, fooling others is fine, but don't fool yourself and the doctor!"

"The phase fire is excessive, scorching the triple burner, lust fire spreading like a prairie blaze, impossible to check... This clearly shows a pulse of lifelong exuberant kidney fire and unquenchable desire!"

"I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice; I once visited famous masters, wandered the lands as a wandering physician, and only in my old age set up this clinic here, having treated tens of thousands—how could I be wrong?"

Du Shanü suppressed her laughter till her whole body trembled, but she clenched her teeth till they clicked, and still held it in.

Chinu's chest rose and fell, looking less like an injury and more like he was about to run out of breath:

"I say—ab-so-lute-ly—not—this—matter."

Hei Lao Daifu guessed this was also the first time he'd seen such a stubborn patient, pondered a moment, then earnestly advised:

"Actually, I'm not saying strong desire is a bad thing; once you take a wife and have marital relations, you'll know—others may want your liver fire and kidney qi, but they won't come easily, and you'll still need medicine to supplement."

"If you refuse to admit it or take the medicine, it's no big deal—at most you'll later be dissatisfied with your wife, demanding endlessly..."

This time Du Shanü really couldn't hold back; she uncovered Yu Baobao's ears and burst into a string of laughter—

"No wonder!"

"No wonder!"

"No wonder earlier, whenever she teased Yu Baobao, Chinu would quickly catch on and understand what she was saying!"

"Turns out, he's not exactly a good guy either!"

Du Shanü's laughter shook heaven and earth; Yu Hen, whose ears had just been covered, didn't understand what was happening, only hearing her laugh openly, and curiously asked:

"What are you talking about?"

Hei Lao Daifu most disliked encountering patients who distrusted him, and having no intention to explain again, he simply took Yu Hen's wrist himself, pondered a few breaths, then said:

"Your eye ailment is improving; as for your body, kidney qi is balanced, liver qi flows smoothly, yin and yang harmonize, making desire gentle..."

"You, young man, are completely unlike that unrestrained fellow in bed."

Du Shanü had been attentive to the movements; hearing this, she let out another muffled laugh.

Then Hei Lao Daifu turned his aim toward her:

"... I've been taking your pulse properly; why have you been laughing all along? Miss, do you want a check-up too?"

Du Shanü laughed...

Du Shanü couldn't laugh anymore.

She would never accept such an examination that felt like having her old roots laid bare; she immediately said solemnly:

"Thank you, Doctor, but I don't have much silver on me today; I'll come another time."

"However, treating both of them—one for the wound, one for the eye—won't cost you a single coin less."

Hei Lao Daifu had no qualms treating men, but with women he would never act rudely; hearing this, he slightly nodded and instructed his grandson to fetch medicine for both.

Only then did Du Shanü lift her eyes, casting a glance at Chinu.

Chinu clenched his teeth, eyes shut tight, lying motionless on the sickbed. Du Shanü had thought he was finally not preparing to resist stubbornly, but after a second glance, she realized Chinu's breathing was steady, and the fluttering beneath his eyelids didn't seem too tense either......

It seems......

It seems not that he gave up, but that he was made dizzy by anger.

What a fierce temper!

Indeed, it's truly fierce!!!

Du Shanü couldn't help but ask Hei Lao Daifu in a low voice:

"Old doctor, I've heard a saying that people with strong liver fire have a big temper; my family's this… uh, this elder brother of mine has a bad temper—could it also be related to what you said…?"

Hei Lao Daifu showed no surprise, nodded slightly, and added a few herbs to calm the mind and soothe the qi:

"...... That's exactly right."

"But you don't need to worry too much; once he takes a wife, his temper will naturally improve over time."

When will that be!

Du Shanü stared, dumbfounded; she had clearly been waiting for Chinu's liver fire to subside a bit, so he could speak more calmly, and ask him how he could obtain the Xian Xie!

If we wait for Chinu to take a wife, wouldn't the daylilies be cold?

Du Shanü's face was full of anguish, and she didn't speak again.

Hei Lao Daifu had already finished writing the prescription and stood up; the little old man was not tall in stature, and his disposition was warm and mischievous.

But his age commands respect; when he doesn't smile, there is indeed a solemnity about him.

Hei Lao Daifu pondered and said:

"Allow this old man to speak a few bold words; earlier I helped you divert the constables, and now I have also treated the wounded—I must say this."

"I am merely an ordinary commoner; though I appreciate that this person rid the populace of harm, I ultimately cannot keep dealing with the constables......"

Chinu: a meat-eating man who gets restless when not full.

I'm coming to check my pockets~ dear ones, do you have any tickets? (*^▽^*)