Because You Still Have Me

"Young master, this lady's illness has deep roots. She's been weak for years, and overwork and worry have worn her down to the core."

"Now she's deficient in both qi and blood, and her spleen and stomach are damaged. Ordinary tonics won't be enough."

At his side, Dai Yutong anxiously caught Physician Sun by the sleeve.

"Then what do we do?"

"Please, doctor, save my mother!"

Physician Sun patted her hand before speaking slowly.

"Don't worry, little girl. It can be treated, but she'll need some precious medicinal herbs to build her strength back over time."

"I'll write a prescription. Several ingredients are expensive—Centennial Ginseng, Snow Lotus, Fo-ti, and the like. She'll need to take them regularly, and it'll be at least half a year before you see any improvement."

"Half a year..."

Dai Yutong murmured to herself. The light that had just kindled in her eyes dimmed again.

She knew how expensive those herbs were. She and her mother sometimes couldn't even afford enough to eat. Without Brother Tianming, their lives would have been harder still. There was no way they could buy such costly medicine.

Ye Tianming spoke up.

"I'll find a way to pay for it. Physician Sun, just write the prescription. I'll get the herbs."

Physician Sun glanced at the young boy, then nodded and picked up his brush.

After a few more instructions about what Huo Yun'er should avoid eating and how to care for her, he left with his medicine chest on his back.

Ye Tianming looked over the prescription and its ingredients. He had a rough idea of the cost.

The large pharmacies in Star Luo City would have everything on it. The herbs were expensive, but with the Gold Soul Coins he had saved and those Dai Hao had rewarded him with,

he could afford them for a while. If she needed to keep taking them, though, he would have to find another way.

For now, he needed to get the medicine.

Ye Tianming looked at Dai Yutong and said softly,

"Yutong, stay here with your mother. I'll get the medicine, and we can brew it tonight."

"Brother Tianming..."

Dai Yutong looked at him, her lips moving, but in the end she only said,

"Thank you."

Ye Tianming smiled and ruffled her hair again.

"You don't need to thank me. Wait here. I'll be right back."

He left the Side Courtyard and headed toward the pharmacies, turning the problem over in his mind as he walked.

He knew buying medicine with Gold Soul Coins wasn't a long-term solution. Huo Yun'er would need at least half a year to recover. During that time, she couldn't miss a dose, overexert herself, or suffer any more distress.

But the Side Courtyard was a terrible place to recuperate. It was cold in winter and damp in summer.

He had to find a way to move Huo Yun'er and her daughter out of the Side Courtyard.

At the very least, they needed somewhere warm and clean, with someone to look after them.

But he was only a six-year-old adopted son. The decision wasn't his to make. He would have to speak to Dai Hao.

Lost in thought, Ye Tianming reached the estate gates before he knew it.

He glanced up. The autumn sun felt warm on his skin, but his heart was heavy.

He remembered Huo Yun'er's fate in the original story: she died of illness in the side courtyard without seeing Dai Hao again, even at the end.

Only after her death did Huo Yuhao give up on the family completely and run away.

He couldn't let that happen.

Absolutely not...

That evening, Ye Tianming brewed the medicine and brought it to the side room himself. He watched Huo Yun'er drink it sip by sip.

Dai Yutong stayed beside the bed, feeding her one spoonful at a time. She moved gently, as though afraid she might hurt her mother.

After finishing the medicine, Huo Yun'er leaned against the headboard and caught her breath. Then she looked at Ye Tianming, her expression complicated.

"Young Master Ye."

"We owe you so much these past few days. My daughter and I... have no way to repay you."

Ye Tianming shook his head from the chair beside the bed.

"Please don't say that, Lady Huo. Yutong and I get along well. I'm glad to help. Just focus on getting better and leave everything else to me."

Huo Yun'er fell silent for a moment. Then she reached out, took Dai Yutong's small hand, and looked at Ye Tianming again.

"Young Master Ye, I have a difficult favor to ask."

"Please, tell me."

Huo Yun'er's voice was faint, but her words were earnest.

"I'm afraid this body of mine won't hold out much longer."

"If I'm gone, little Yutong... I'm asking you to look after her."

"She's had a hard life and has known little kindness since she was small. She's gentle, too. I'm afraid she'll be bullied in this estate after I'm gone."

"If you... if you wouldn't mind, please take care of her for me."

"Will you?"

At those words, Dai Yutong burst into tears.

"Mother, don't say that! You're not going anywhere. The doctor said you'll get better if you take the medicine!"

"Silly child."

Huo Yun'er stroked Dai Yutong's head and smiled.

Ye Tianming looked at Huo Yun'er, then at Yutong, who was crying her heart out. Something seemed to lodge in his chest.

He drew a deep breath and nodded solemnly.

"Concubine Huo, don't worry. As long as I, Ye Tianming, am here, I won't let little Yutong suffer a single grievance. I'll protect her..."

"For the rest of my life."

Huo Yun'er held his gaze for a long, long time. At last, a smile of relief spread across her face.

She tightened her hold on Yutong's hand and looked back at Ye Tianming, as though the heaviest stone in her heart had finally lifted.

"Good. Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease."

That night, Ye Tianming didn't return to his own courtyard. He laid out bedding on the floor of the Side Courtyard's outer room and stayed close to Huo Yun'er and her daughter.

In the middle of the night, muffled sobs woke him.

He sat up and listened. The crying came from a corner of the courtyard, faint and stifled,

as though someone were covering her mouth while she wept.

Ye Tianming got up and stepped quietly into the courtyard.

Moonlight filtered through the yellowing leaves and fell across the ground.

Dai Yutong was crouched alone in a corner, her knees hugged to her chest.

Her shoulders shook, and she trembled all over with sobs, but she bit her lip hard, afraid to make a sound.

Ye Tianming stood in the doorway, looking at the small figure crying in the corner. It felt as though a hand had seized his heart and squeezed so hard he could barely breathe.

He went over and crouched beside Dai Yutong, then gently drew her into his arms.

She stiffened. When she looked up and saw it was Ye Tianming, her tears fell even faster.

Dai Yutong threw herself against him, clutching his clothes with both hands. She buried her face in his chest and finally let herself cry aloud.

She cried so hard she could barely catch her breath.

"Brother Tianming..."

"I'm scared... I'm so scared..."

"If Mother dies... I'll be all alone..."

Ye Tianming held her gently, patting her back with one hand and stroking her hair with the other.

He rested his chin on the top of her head. His voice was soft, but utterly firm.

"You won't be alone."

"Because you still have me..."

(P.S. from the author: Updates will go up every night at eight! Share any thoughts in the comments. This is a new book, so please give it your support!)

(Uh... I'm really sorry! I use speech-to-text and sometimes miss things when checking. I forgot to check this chapter after writing it, so there are lots of typos. Sorry! I'll post an extra chapter today at nine!)