Chapter 25
Thanks for the KoFi Sarah! Extra chapter for you
The child didn’t even eat dinner and sat by the window, watching as the daylight faded into darkness. He sat there, lost in thought, the entire day.
He’s rarely had anything on his mind growing up. Whatever he thought, others could always tell, and even if they couldn’t, he’d say it himself.
But today, he couldn’t talk to anyone about it.
The young master thought that he’d been wronged by Yue Siming, and Zhao Cai was determined to save him from his misery.
But what he was thinking about now was that he might have hurt Yue Siming’s feelings.
That melancholic and resentful look kept flashing in front of his eyes, not fading away even now.
In his view, if something went wrong, then something must have been a mistake. Either Yue Siming was wrong, or he was.
So he tried hard to figure out where the Divine Healer could have been wrong.
He thought about it all afternoon but couldn’t figure out where Yue Siming went wrong.
Just like Yue Siming said, it was him who boastfully claimed he wanted to marry him, it was him who led him astray to the point of no longer liking women, and it was still him who caused the Yue family to be left without an heir. Although he always felt these accusations were somewhat unfair, he couldn’t think of how to refute them.
Since he had promised to take responsibility, how could he, as a man, go back on his word?
But was he really going to go with him like this?
This came too suddenly. He had never thought about it before, but now he was being asked to make a decision right away.
He didn’t know how to describe this feeling. It was as if he had already made up his mind to live in one place for the rest of his life, and he was living there quite contentedly. Then, suddenly, one day, he was forced to relocate, leaving behind familiar places, familiar family, everything he knew, and heading to a completely unfamiliar place. He didn’t know what awaited him there, didn’t know if he would be happy, didn’t know if he would regret it.
That sense of awkwardness, confusion, hesitation, anxiety—it was as if… The boy felt a bit embarrassed, wondering if his current feelings were like those of a young woman getting married. He remembered a sister in the Jin family who was about to marry someone far away, and she had clung to him, crying all night, pouring out all her worries. Everything she said seemed to echo what he was feeling now.
When he thought about it, this situation wasn’t all that different from getting married. After all, weren’t he and Yue Siming… a couple?
The moment Jinbao thought of this, his face turned beet red.
Even now, he couldn’t quite wrap his head around the fact that he and Yue Siming were actually a couple. If Yue Siming hadn’t said it himself, Jinbao probably would never have imagined in his lifetime that they’d end up in this kind of relationship.
When he was younger, he often fantasized about what his future wife would be like—shy, demure, gentle, fiery, capable. She could be anything, but never once had he thought it would be a man, let alone such an extraordinary man.
To be fair, aside from being troublesome, sharp-tongued, mean, lustful, and having a bad temper, Yue Siming was quite impressive in every other aspect.
He was incredibly skilled in martial arts, highly proficient in medicine, and on top of all that, he was extremely handsome.
Jinbao never imagined he could end up with such a beautiful spouse, even if it was a man.
It’s already quite something for an ordinary person to have one good quality, but Yue Siming had so many. Jinbao felt that he really wasn’t qualified to pick faults with Yue Siming; he should be content.
His feelings toward Yue Siming had evolved—from initial fear, to disgust, to confusion, to guilt, and now, whenever he thought of him, his face would flush, and his heart would race…
Jinbao buried his head in his knees, his cheeks burning hot. He remembered how he once asked Zhao Cai what it felt like to like someone.
Zhao Cai had said that if you really liked someone, you couldn’t stop thinking about them. Sometimes it felt sweet, sometimes frustrating. If that person was happy, you’d be happy too; if they were sad, you’d feel sad along with them.
Jinbao thought his feelings were quite similar to what Zhao Cai described. Could it be that he really did have feelings for Yue Siming?
Now, whenever he thought of Yue Siming’s face, he felt even more nervous than when he saw a pretty girl. When Yue Siming snuggled into his arms, he felt a rush of manly pride, like he was protecting his beloved wife. And when Yue Siming was hurt, it pained him deeply. Did this mean he liked Yue Siming?
The boy was shocked by the conclusion he finally reached after a whole day without eating or drinking, but at the same time, he felt a sense of relief.
Yes, this made sense. He did have feelings for Yue Siming. With how Yue Siming treated him, it seemed Yue Siming had feelings for him too. The two of them were indeed a couple, so it was only right for Yue Siming to want him to go with him.
Jinbao felt like his mind was split in two—one side with the young master and Zhao Cai, and the other with Yue Siming.
He couldn’t let go of the young master, and he couldn’t bear to leave Zhao Cai, but he also had a responsibility toward Yue Siming.
Jinbao had never made such an important decision in his life. Even though he finally understood what was going on between him and Yue Siming, the problem still circled back to the original question: Should he go with Yue Siming or not?
“Ahhhhhh—!” The boy clutched his head and howled at the sky. Who could show him the right path?
Knock knock!
“Come in.”
Zhao Cai, having just finished washing up and preparing for bed, looked up as someone entered. “Jinbao?”
Jinbao hesitantly stepped inside and closed the door. “Zhao Cai.”
“What are you doing here so late?” Zhao Cai asked, noticing his disheveled appearance and the heavy look on his face. “Did Yue Siming bully you?”
“N-no… no,” Jinbao stammered, his face turning red at the mention of that name.
“What’s going on?” Zhao Cai pulled him to sit down.
Jinbao found it hard to look at him. He was so indecisive that he could only turn to Zhao Cai, who always had advice for him.
“Zhao Cai, I need to ask you something.”
“Go ahead…”
“You… you and Miss Xiao Rou, are you doing well?”
Zhao Cai was taken aback. “Xiao Rou? We’re doing great.”
“Then… after you two get married, will you still live with the young master?”
“If Xiao Rou marries me, she’ll live with me, of course. If the young master stays in Dali long-term, then we’ll live here too.”
“If… if Miss Xiaorou plans to go somewhere else, far away from the young master and me, would you still follow her?”
Zhaocai frowned. “Jinbao, why are you asking this? Did something happen to Xiaorou?”
“No, no, nothing like that. I’m just speaking hypothetically.”
“Tell me why you’re asking this first.”
Jinbao, being cautious, didn’t dare to mention that it was related to Que Siming. Instead, he said, “I see that things are going well between you and Miss Xiaorou, so I was just thinking… what if I get married someday but can’t stay with you guys? What then?”
“Wherever you go, your wife will follow you,” Zhaocai replied.
“But what if… what if I really like someone, but they just can’t stay here? What then?”
Zhaocai looked at Jinbao, a bit surprised and uneasy. For the first time, he couldn’t figure out what Jinbao was thinking, which made him uncomfortable. It felt like the child he had raised now had secrets of his own that he couldn’t understand.
With a stern face, Zhaocai said, “Tell me the truth. Who is it that you’ve taken a liking to?”
“I… I haven’t…” Jinbao’s eyes darted around, knowing Zhaocai could tell he was lying, but he just didn’t dare to say it.
Zhaocai lowered his voice, “Is it a girl with a troubled background?”
Jinbao shook his head, his face turning bright red. “Zhaocai, stop pushing me. Just tell me, if I truly like him, should I go with him?”
Zhaocai raised his voice, “If you really like him, of course, you should go with him.”
Jinbao was stunned. “Really?”
“Of course. Someday, I’ll get married, and so will the young master. Do you think you can stay a follower your whole life? Besides, just because you leave doesn’t mean you’ll never come back. It’s not like we’ll never see each other again. But the person you like, you might only have one chance in your entire life—how could you miss that?”
Jinbao blinked, feeling a bit lost for a moment.
“Don’t worry. The young master won’t make things difficult for you. We’re not kids anymore. If you settle down, we’ll be happy for you. Even if it’s a girl with a troubled background, as long as she’s sincere with you, that’s all that matters.”
Jinbao nodded in a daze, then suddenly, as if enlightened, he tightly grasped Zhaocai’s hand. “Zhaocai, you’re right. You always have the best ideas. Thank you!”
Zhaocai raised his eyebrows playfully, “You’re really not going to tell me who it is?”
Jinbao chuckled awkwardly. “You’ll know in a few days. Anyway, as long as we both like each other, that’s all that matters, right?”
“Right. Finding a good person isn’t easy, so you can’t hesitate. Even if you end up apart from us, we’ll come visit you, and you can always come back to see us.”
Jinbao nodded vigorously. “Yeah, Zhaocai, you’re absolutely right. I’ve made up my mind. I’ll head out now. You should get some rest.”
Zhaocai smiled as he saw him out, watching Jinbao’s figure disappear into the night. A sense of melancholy crept into his heart.
Jinbao has grown up…
As Jinbao approached Que Siming’s room, he noticed the lights were still on. He hesitated outside for almost half an hour, too nervous to go in.
He could have waited longer, but the doctor had no patience.
“Are you done pacing around outside? If you’re not coming in, then get lost.”
Jinbao jumped in surprise, realizing he’d been noticed all along. Embarrassed, he finally mustered the courage to shuffle inside.
The doctor glanced at him sideways, clearly uninterested.
Jinbao noticed he was struggling to change his bandages, so he quickly offered, “Let me help you.”
Que Siming glared at him. “Who asked for your help? You’re filthy—stay away from me.”
Stunned by the harsh rejection, Jinbao froze, unsure of what to do with his hands and feet, just standing there helplessly.
The doctor continued unwrapping the bandage from his shoulder, wincing and hissing in pain.
Jinbao watched as he slowly peeled away the bandage, revealing a wound that was starting to scab over. It still looked bloody and terrifying. When Que Siming got to the last bit, the bandage stuck to the wound.
Jinbao quickly stepped forward, “Let me help you with that.”
Que Siming looked up and glared at him, then, out of spite, yanked the bandage off forcefully. The bandage came off, but fresh blood immediately began to seep from the newly healed area.
Jinbao gasped and hurriedly grabbed some medicinal powder, sprinkling it on the wound as he anxiously said, “What are you doing?”
The doctor kicked him away. “Who needs your fake concern? Go worry about that worthless young master of yours. Even if my hand is crippled, it’s none of your business.”
Jinbao’s face flushed, turning pale and then purple. Que Siming’s horrifying wound felt like evidence of his guilt. Every time he saw it, he felt he owed Que Siming, knowing that the injury should have been his. Que Siming had shielded him, taken a knife for him, and he hadn’t even repaid him yet, but he’d already managed to hurt him. He felt like the lowest of the low.
The more furious Que Siming got, the more Jinbao felt he’d done wrong, and his guilt deepened.
“Please… don’t be like this. I admit I was wrong, okay?”
The doctor cursed, “Damn right you were wrong! You think I need you to tell me that?”
“Yes, it was my fault. I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad.” Jinbao apologized humbly, all the while reapplying the bandages to Que Siming’s wound.
“You’re all talk. Everything you say is just bullshit—none of it means anything.”
Jinbao panicked, “No, it’s not like that! I mean every word I say. I’ll take responsibility for you. I’ll treat you well. I… I’ll go with you.”
Que Siming froze, his body trembling slightly. He steadied himself, then looked at Jinbao calmly. “Really?”
Jinbao nodded vigorously, “Really. I’ve thought it through. I’ll go with you.”
“…How did you decide that?”
“Well… aren’t we, um, a pair? I feel like if I don’t stay with you, how could I… how could I treat you well?” Jinbao’s head hung so low it nearly touched his chest, his ears turning bright red.
Que Siming clenched his hand into a fist behind his back, restraining his excitement, while outwardly maintaining a calm demeanor as he looked at Jinbao.
“How do I know you’re serious this time? What if you hesitate again later?”
“I won’t, I promise I won’t. I always keep my word.”
The doctor’s eyes glinted with satisfaction. “I’m not forcing you. If you don’t want to, just forget it.”
Hearing this, Jinbao felt a pang of hurt. “It’s not that I don’t want to… I’ve really thought it through…”
“Let me ask you—do you want to go with me just to keep your word? Is there no other reason?”
Jinbao was too embarrassed to look him in the eye, stammering and unable to speak.
“If you’re only doing it out of obligation, then there’s no point in us being together. What if one day you regret it and leave? What would I do then?”
“I won’t!” Jinbao said urgently. “I think… I think you’re… really, really great…”
“Oh? What’s so great? What do you like?”
“You’re… you’re really good-looking…”
“Just good-looking?”
“And you’re also… also a really good person.”
“Do you like me?”
Que Siming gently touched Jinbao’s flushed cheek, coaxing him.
“Hmm? Do you like me? Say it.”
“Come on, speak up. How will I know if you don’t?”
Jinbao, completely cornered, stiffly nodded.
The doctor’s mouth twitched as he held back the urge to burst into laughter. It wasn’t for nothing that he’d gone through all this trouble—he’d finally managed to fool this fool into his grasp.
But Jinbao had pissed him off so many times, he couldn’t let him off the hook that easily. Otherwise, the fool would get too bold and become difficult to manage in the future.
The doctor grabbed his arm and, with a nod toward his own thigh, commanded, “Sit.”
“Huh?” Jinbao was flustered. Having a grown man sit on someone’s lap was just too much.
The doctor’s expression immediately darkened. “I said, sit.”
Left with no choice, Jinbao reluctantly perched on his lap, not daring to put his full weight down, worried he might bend those long legs of his.
The doctor wrapped an arm around Jinbao’s waist and sniffed his neck. “Have you bathed?”
“I took one yesterday.”
“Hmm… Call me ‘husband.’”
“What?” Jinbao’s face twisted in discomfort.
“Do it.”
“But… that’s not…”
“When I say call, you call.”
After hesitating for what seemed like forever, Jinbao finally mumbled it out.
“I can’t hear you.”
“…Husband…”
The doctor’s heart practically burst with joy. He pulled Jinbao in by the back of the head and planted a firm kiss on him.
After wrestling with his thoughts for a while, Jinbao finally mustered the courage to ask, “Doctor, um…”
“Hmm?”
“Do you… like… me too?”
“What?” The doctor pinched Jinbao’s soft butt. “This?”
“No, no, I mean… what you asked me earlier… do you… also…”
“You want to know if I like you?”
Jinbao’s face was so red it looked like it might drip blood. He nodded hesitantly.
The doctor chuckled darkly. “I’ll tell you once I’m not mad anymore.”
“What? You’re still angry?”
Que Siming suddenly turned serious. “Damn right I am. You think just because you agreed to go with me that I’m not mad anymore? That’s the least you could do. Do you think I’m that easy to please?”
“Then… what do you want me to do?”
“You need to cheer me up,” the doctor said, dead serious.
“Cheer you up?”
“Yes, you have to cheer me up.”
