Tian Yao, somewhat in denial, closed his eyes, his hand withdrawing hesitantly. He vaguely remembered he might have been sick, and Yu Nian had gotten up in the night to brew medicine for him. But he couldn’t remember the bitterness of the medicine; his mind and heart were filled only with that single drop of sweetness.
He couldn’t remember anything that happened afterward. When had he taken off his clothes and burrowed against Yu Nian? And when had Yu Nian’s clothes been taken off by him?
When had they entangled together? And when had he, behaving like a total rogue in his sleep, touched Yu Nian all over?
Yu Nian was already awake. But Tian Yao was still weighing down on him. He seemed to feel a bit embarrassed, pretending to be asleep. His somewhat long eyelashes kept trembling; he couldn’t even fake sleep convincingly.
“You’re awake, then get up. Any more discomfort?” Yu Nian’s voice was a bit hoarse, heavy with exhaustion.
Tian Yao quickly sat up and shook his head, still a little bashful. “I’m fine. Not a bit of discomfort anymore. What’s that phrase… ‘alive as a dragon and tiger’?”
Yu Nian closed his eyes, thinking: Indeed, you were very much alive as a dragon and tiger.
But as soon as Tian Yao sat up, his upper body was exposed to the air. Last night’s charcoal brazier had completely burned out. Now, the air was thick with intense cold, immediately raising goosebumps all over his skin.
So he burrowed back under the blanket, found his inner garment, and put it on underneath.
“My clothes… did I take them off myself?” Tian Yao asked, his back to Yu Nian, a little embarrassed.
“No. I took them off,” Yu Nian said, eyes closed, pressing his own brow.
Tian Yao: !
A flush spread across his face. “W-why did you secretly take my clothes off in the middle of the night?”
Yu Nian was somewhat exasperated. “You broke out in a sweat last night. Your inner garment was soaked through. If I hadn’t taken it off and changed it, you’d still be feeling awful this morning.”
Looking down at his completely bare self, Tian Yao muttered quietly, “But you didn’t put new ones on me either?”
“I wanted to put them on you.”
Yu Nian turned over, no longer wanting to engage with him.
Tian Yao also felt he was in the wrong. Although Yu Nian had taken his clothes off, it seemed he really had taken his own trousers off. Could it be that because he had a fever last night, his internal fire was raging, and that led to this?
He didn’t dare ask Yu Nian any more questions. He just silently pulled on his trousers, put on his clothes, climbed over Yu Nian’s body from the inside of the bed, and slowly got out of bed. He then said, somewhat dryly, “You probably didn’t rest well last night, huh? Sleep a bit more. There’s nothing else to do anyway.”
Yu Nian pulled the blanket over his face. “There’s still medicine left in the pot. Drink another dose.”
Tian Yao gave a sheepish laugh, then picked up the medicine pot and went to the kitchen. Once the medicine was heated through, he downed the entire bowl in one gulp, as if he had a sworn vendetta against it.
Outside, the snow was again a thick layer. Little Gray had long been frolicking outside, leaving countless plum blossom footprints in the snow.
With excessive energy and nowhere to vent it, Tian Yao grabbed a broom and started sweeping snow. The broom scraped against the snow with a shush sound, occasionally punctuated by Tian Yao scolding Little Gray. It was amidst the interweaving of these sounds that Yu Nian finally managed to fall back asleep.
When he woke, it was already noon. The sky had cleared by then, but it was even colder than when it had been snowing yesterday. Afraid he might catch a chill, Tian Yao added another layer of clothing on him.
There was no particular work to do at home. Since the second day of the New Year was traditionally for visiting the wife’s family—a custom he didn’t need to follow—Yu Nian decided to teach Tian Yao how to write today.
Although Tian Yao had mentioned learning for a time with his Little Dad when he was young, in Yu Nian’s eyes, he had long since returned that learning to his Little Dad. Now, he barely knew how to hold the brush.
“Not like that.” Yu Nian reached out once again to correct Tian Yao’s hand. Tian Yao felt as if facing a formidable enemy. It was clearly just a light brush, but he could never grasp the technique. It was too awkward.
He looked up, his moist eyes fixed on Yu Nian. “Can I just… not learn writing? You said before you’d teach me archery too. Why are you only teaching writing and not archery?”
“One thing at a time. Didn’t you say you wanted to learn to write?” Yu Nian glanced at the ink blotches Tian Yao had smeared on the paper, then after a long pause, continued, “Write a proper full page of characters, and I’ll teach you archery.”
Tian Yao had no choice but to try and settle his mind. But the brush in his hand seemed to have a mind of its own. What it produced couldn’t even be called characters. In Yu Nian’s words, even Little Gray’s paw prints in the snow were neater than the characters he’d written.
Tian Yao practicing calligraphy was torture—both for himself and for Yu Nian.
Finally, when he finished writing this full page, his neatly tied hair was all a mess, pulled askew. Still, he had made some progress. At least Tian Yao could now recognize the two characters for “Yu Nian.” Though the character ‘Yao’ was too difficult, so he didn’t quite know how to write it yet.
Watching Tian Yao run off impatiently, Yu Nian shook his head.
Winter days were long and uneventful. When the sky was still relatively bright, they were already in bed. Even someone as carefree as Tian Yao felt somewhat shy, given what had happened earlier today.
This was manifested by him turning his back toward Yu Nian as he undressed.
Yu Nian merely lay down calmly, without other words.
The quiet room held only the sounds of two people and a dog breathing. A somewhat difficult-to-describe awkwardness lingered in the air.
Tian Yao swallowed and lay down beside Yu Nian, somewhat making conversation. “It seems quite cold today.”
“The snow melting days are very cold,” Yu Nian replied. “Did you drink your evening medicine?”
Typically, Tian Yao liked to snuggle up to Yu Nian’s side, but tonight he stayed obediently in his own space. “I drank it. I’m completely better now.”
Yu Nian gave a sound of acknowledgment.
“Writing… really is quite difficult, huh,” Tian Yao said, lifting his somewhat sore arm. He was someone who could carry a wild boar without breaking a sweat, yet wielding a brush for an afternoon made his arm ache.
“With diligent practice, it’s not really a difficult thing,” Yu Nian answered him. “Your arm was just too tense, that’s why you feel tired.”
Tian Yao had no interest in learning any tips for saving energy while writing. His mind was only on fighting and combat. “When are you going to teach me archery? I’ve already finished a full page of writing today.”
“That was a full page of characters? That was called demonic scribbles.” Yu Nian recalled the page he’d written and didn’t want to admit it was his teaching. Tian Yao even insisted on putting that page into Father’s chest, rambling to his Father for ages about how he was now a man of culture.
“Yu Nian, how can you talk like that?”
“You must face your own shortcomings, and then correct them.”
Tian Yao turned over, no longer wanting to continue this discussion about studying and writing. He was genuinely afraid that in the next second, Yu Nian would drag him out of bed to practice characters.
“…Thank you for brewing my medicine last night.”
“It was only right.”
“You must not have slept well?”
“I caught up on sleep this morning. It’s not so bad.”
“Ah.”
Then there was silence. Tian Yao started making conversation again. “…Did you catch a chill last night, being up?”
“No. My body is fairly robust.”
Except for those unmoving legs. Thanks to Tian Yao’s care over this long period, Yu Nian’s face had filled out considerably, his arms no longer as thin and weak as before. From frequently getting in and out of the wheelchair by himself, the strength in his hands had grown even greater.
“It is pretty robust. I’ve raised you pretty well,” Tian Yao said, breaking into a smile. Then he recalled something. “I thought with your leg injury, your lower body wouldn’t work anymore either. But turns out it’s pretty… ‘alive as a dragon and tiger.'”
As Tian Yao’s words fell, a strange silence once again filled the room.
Tian Yao only then realized what nonsense he was spouting.
His face under the blanket instantly flushed bright red. His hand clutching the blanket involuntarily curled up. Certain unnameable images swirled in his mind.
Yu Nian ignored him, simply turning over, thinking: He sure learned to use that phrase quickly.
Tian Yao pressed his forehead against Yu Nian’s back again. “Are you going to sleep? Let’s chat a bit more?”
“Chat a bit more, and tomorrow you write two full pages of characters?”
Tian Yao immediately moved away from him. “No need. I think I’m quite tired. Let’s just sleep first.”
Amid the silence, Little Gray was also curled in its own bed. Suddenly, Little Gray’s eyes snapped open. It dashed out of the room, followed immediately by a violent barking.
Tian Yao sat up instantly, looking at the scattered sparks of firelight visible outside the window. Yu Nian also raised his upper body, his gaze aligning with Tian Yao’s, looking out the window.
Tian Yao had just finished dressing. “I’ll go take a look.”
As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Chen Xu, holding a torch, knocking on their courtyard gate.
“Brother Chen Xu? What brings you here?” Tian Yao quickly called to Little Gray, who then stopped barking.
“Yao Ge’er, does your husband know some medicine? Please, he must come to my house! Xiao Zhi has started spotting blood, says his stomach hurts. There’s no physician in the village. Going to town now, we might not even find one. I’m afraid if we’re any later, Xiao Zhi could be in danger!”
Remembering the medicine Yu Nian had brewed for him last night, Tian Yao was a little uncertain. “I don’t know if Yu Nian knows how to treat a pregnant man… Wait here a moment, I’ll go ask him?”
Chen Xu paced anxiously in the courtyard. When Tian Yao returned to the room, Yu Nian had already lit the lamp and put on his clothes.
“What’s the matter?”
Tian Yao fastened the buttons at his collar for him. “It’s Brother Chen Xu. He says Liu Zhi is unwell. He heard you know a bit of medicine… Do you know how to treat a pregnant man?”
The medicine Yu Nian had given Tian Yao was only a simple cold remedy. Asking him to attend to a pregnant man at risk of miscarriage—he had absolutely no confidence.
“I can only say I’ve read medical texts. I’ve never truly treated a pregnant man. It would be best to call a physician.”
At the door, Chen Xu heard Yu Nian’s words. Beyond caring for etiquette, he strode into the room and, with a thud, knelt straight down before Yu Nian. “Yu Nian, I beg you! Just consider it on Yao Ge’er’s behalf. Please, come and take a look!”
As the saying goes, a man’s knees are worth their weight in gold. Seeing Chen Xu kneel, Tian Yao could only look at Yu Nian. “Why don’t we… go take a look first? If you can’t do anything, I’ll still help you take him to the clinic?”
Yu Nian nodded. Tian Yao immediately hoisted him onto his back, then told Chen Xu to push Yu Nian’s wheelchair, in case they needed to go to town.
Tian Yao’s strides were swift. Carrying Yu Nian, he reached Chen Xu’s house almost without getting winded. Behind them, Chen Xu, lugging the wheelchair, was panting heavily.
When Yu Nian arrived, Liu Zhi was lying on the bed. Father Chen and Mother Chen were also pacing anxiously in the room. Seeing Tian Yao arrive, it was as though they’d found a pillar of support.
Tian Yao set Yu Nian down, seating him next to Liu Zhi. Only then did Tian Yao see Liu Zhi’s face clearly. His complexion was pale, his eyes red. “…Please, save my child.”
Yu Nian steadied his heart. “When did the symptoms start? Just abdominal pain and spotting?”
Just then, Chen Xu came in, quickly explaining, “In the afternoon, he was still fine. But my sister bumped into him; his lower back hit the wall. At the time, there was no reaction. When evening came, the abdominal pain started, and we discovered the spotting.”
Yu Nian breathed a sigh of relief. He had seen a case like this before, and remembered it vividly. He looked at Tian Yao. “Yao Ge’er, I remember there’s still some Codonopsis root, Rehmannia, and Dipsacus at home. Go fetch them.”
Knowing this couldn’t be delayed for even a moment, Tian Yao bolted toward home.
Yu Nian had Liu Zhi extend his hand and checked his pulse. It was just as the medical texts described: relatively stable. It seemed indeed the bump this afternoon had caused the spotting. As long as they replenished qi and blood, it would be fine.
“Don’t worry too much. If you have Ejiao at home, it can be decocted together once Yao Ge’er brings the herbs.”
Only then did the Chen family finally let out a breath, thanking Yu Nian profusely.
Yu Nian merely said, “I am no physician, after all. Tomorrow, when it’s light and the roads are easier, still go to town to see someone. That will also put your minds more at ease.”
“Yes, yes, yes. Of course.” Chen Xu held Liu Zhi’s hand. Mother Chen had already begun preparing the clay pot to brew the medicine.
In his excitement, Chen Xu suddenly remembered something. He said to Yu Nian, “Today was my wife’s visit home. The in-laws sent over some tonic items. See if there’s anything usable?”
Yu Nian nodded. He watched as Chen Xu retrieved a bundle from a cabinet to the side. Inside was a wild ginseng plant, some Ejiao, and a few other tonic items.
From this, it seemed Liu Zhi was quite cherished in his own family.
“The Ejiao is usable. That wild ginseng cannot be used right now. Ginseng slices are too hot in nature; they might conflict. They can be used for childbirth, though.”
Chen Xu immediately handed the Ejiao to Mother Chen. Just then, Tian Yao also rushed back. Unsure of the dosage Yu Nian needed, he had simply brought everything from home for Yu Nian to pick from.
But in his haste, under such dark skies, he hadn’t watched his step and had tumbled into the fields, covering himself in mud. He hadn’t bothered with it, scrambling up and running again.
Yu Nian frowned upon seeing Tian Yao enter covered in mud. “What happened to you?”
Tian Yao grinned sheepishly. “It was too dark, couldn’t see the road. Fell down. Not a big deal. Quickly, make the medicine for Liu Zhi.”
Yu Nian pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Tian Yao. This handkerchief had been made from leftover fabric by Aunt Shun. Yu Nian always carried it.
Tian Yao took it, but instead of wiping the mud, he just used it to dab the sweat from his forehead.
The medicine was soon ready. Liu Zhi propped himself up and drank it. His complexion did seem less pale afterward.
“Don’t get out of bed these next few days. Rest well in bed. It’s best not to take him to town. If possible, have a physician come to the house to check on him. Don’t let him travel.”
“Alright, alright.” The Chen family thanked them again and again. “This has been such trouble for you both. Once Liu Zhi is recovered, we will formally come to visit and thank you.”
Tian Yao quickly said, “No need, no need. Liu Zhi and I are good friends. I’m just happy I could help him. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take Yu Nian home first.”
“Of course, of course. In the middle of the night like this, we truly cannot thank you enough.”
Tian Yao once again lifted Yu Nian onto his back. The wheelchair was left at the Chens’ to be retrieved tomorrow. Yu Nian held a lantern in his hand, its faint light illuminating the road home.
“Yu Nian, you’re amazing,” Tian Yao said from the heart. “When Aunt Shun praised you before, I thought it was just Aunt Shun being polite on my account.”
Yu Nian just gazed at the lantern in his hands, his thoughts drifting somewhat far away. “I never thought that a cripple like me… could actually save someone.”
“Don’t think like that.” Tian Yao hoisted him a little higher on his back. He truly disliked it when Yu Nian called himself a cripple. He tried his best to comfort him. “See, you helped Liu Zhi save his child. You’re truly amazing.”
Tian Yao blinked, thinking this might also be a good thing—at least it let Yu Nian see his own value. “If you want to learn medicine, we can go to Xinglin Hall in town and ask to become a disciple. You could be a physician in the future.”
Yu Nian smiled and shook his head. That was just Tian Yao’s nature—acting on every impulse. Little did he know that learning medicine was also no easy feat. Today, it was merely luck. He’d been able to react quickly only because he’d once encountered a precedent like this.
His mother, when he was around ten years old, had been pregnant. But because she walked unsteadily, she’d fallen. Father had been away at the time. Yu Nian had gone to fetch a physician. Being worried, he’d personally handled everything from prescribing to dispensing the medicine. That’s why he naturally knew what medicine to use in this situation.
But later, his mother had stayed bedridden for a long time… and ultimately, the child in her womb hadn’t been saved.
If the child in his mother’s womb had survived, he wouldn’t be all alone in this world now. Looking at the darkness before him, he felt a pang of gratitude that the child hadn’t survived. Otherwise, it would only have wandered destitute with him… or worse, become a burden to him.
Back at home, Tian Yao finally noticed the sorrowful look on Yu Nian’s face. He knew he might be thinking of things from the past, but didn’t know how to comfort him.
It was already very late. The bed covers had long gone cold. Tian Yao shivered a little when he lay down.
Yu Nian blew out the lamp. Tian Yao shifted a bit closer to him, then daringly reached out and took his hand.
Tian Yao’s hand was very rough. The calluses on his palm pressed against Yu Nian’s palm, yet they made him feel, strangely, incredibly steady.
