The pharmacy smelled strongly of medicine.
Shen Ling'er sat in front of the medicine table, several prescriptions spread out beside her, and was weighing the medicine with a small scale.
She didn't look up when she heard the door open.
"The medicine bowl is in the outer room; please fetch it yourself."
Gu Moran walked to the medicine table, pulled over a stool, and sat down.
" Ling'er, I will not take my medicine tonight; I have come for a medical consultation."
Shen Ling'er looked up at him.
The candlelight illuminated his face, making it appear much redder than usual, his eyes brighter, and even his breathing heavier than normal.
She put down the medicine scale and reached out to place her hand on his wrist.
Gu Moran's wrist was pressed down by her, his skin pressed against her cool fingertips, and the uncontrollable heat became even more chaotic.
Shen Ling'er examined the patient for a long time, and her ears gradually turned red.
Did you eat something indiscriminately again?
"No."
"Then where does this evil fire in your body come from?"
Gu Moran closer.
"Maybe it's because I saw you; it's all because you're so beautiful."
Shen Ling'er glared at him.
"Nonsense."
"The truth."
"If you continue to say that, my husband, I'll prescribe three more doses of Coptis chinensis for you."
Gu Moran sighed.
" Ling'er, you doctor, you always treat patients by making them suffer the most."
Shen Ling'er withdrew her hand and turned to fetch the medicine.
"Your energy and blood are too strong; you need to rest tonight."
Gu Moran watched her retreating figure.
She was wearing a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a white cloth tied around her waist. As she reached for the medicine bottle, her sleeve slipped down slightly, revealing her slender white wrist.
Gu Moran stood up and walked behind her.
Shen Ling'er heard footsteps and was about to turn around when someone wrapped their arms around her waist from behind.
She almost dropped the medicine bottle in her hand.
Gu Moran.
"I am here."
"Let go."
"Tell me first, how do you plan to cure my illness?"
Shen Ling'er's face was burning hot, and she gripped the medicine bottle tightly.
"Go lie down on the tatami mat, cover yourself with a thick quilt, close your eyes and go to sleep."
Gu Moran lowered his head and leaned close to her ear.
"This remedy doesn't work."
Why isn't it working?
"I have tried it."
Shen Ling'er's ears burned from his words. She wanted to turn around and push him away, but her back bumped against the medicine cabinet.
The cabinet door was knocked open a crack, and the porcelain vases inside gently bumped against each other.
Gu Moran raised his hand to brace himself against the edge of the cabinet, preventing her from bumping into it and getting hurt.
"Then you tell me."
"Let's try a different recipe."
Shen Ling'er bit her lip, about to speak, when the pharmacy door was suddenly pushed open.
Su Yao stood at the door, wearing a silver-gray cloak and holding a sachet in her hand.
She first saw Gu Moran's hand supporting himself in front of the medicine cabinet, then she saw Shen Ling'er trapped in the corner of the cabinet.
The pharmacy fell silent for a moment.
Su Yao raised her eyebrows.
"Did I arrive at the wrong time?"
Shen Ling'er immediately broke free from Gu Moran and lowered her head to straighten her cuffs.
"You've come to fetch calming incense?"
"Yes." Su Yao shook the empty incense box. "I didn't mean to delay His Highness's treatment at the pharmacy."
Gu Moran remained unfazed.
"I am indeed treating an illness."
Su Yao walked in and closed the door halfway.
What illness?
"Excessive internal heat."
"Look how arrogant you are." Su Yao sneered, about to say something sarcastic.
A soft sound suddenly came from outside the window.
Lin Qingdai stood outside the window, squinting.
She looked at the three people in the room with a puzzled expression.
" Gu Moran, you can even operate a pharmacy...?"
Gu Moran looked up.
"What are you doing standing outside? Come in quickly."
Lin Qingdai remained silent for a moment.
"What?"
Murong Xue peeked out from behind her.
" Su Yao's here too? Still up so late? Is something important?"
Shen Ling'er blushed even more and hurriedly went to collect the medicine sieve from the table.
Gu Moran glanced at the two people outside the window, then at Su Yao inside the room, and finally turned to look at Shen Ling'er.
" Ling'er."
What are you doing?
"I fear one physician is not enough to cure my illness."
Shen Ling'er grabbed a medicine book and slapped it on his shoulder.
"Get out of here."
Gu Moran reached out and took the medicine booklet, unable to suppress his smile. He looked down, flipped through a couple of pages, and nodded seriously.
"These characters are beautifully written, as delicate and charming as Ling'er's."
Shen Ling'er's ears burned with anger, and she reached out to snatch it back.
"Who told you to look at this? Get out!"
Gu Moran hid the medicine booklet behind his back, dodged her hand, and still had that mischievous smile on his face.
" Ling'er, I am a patient."
"The patient should listen to the doctor." Shen Ling'er bit her lip and pointed to the door. "Go lie down on the couch in the outer room. I'll prepare some medicine to calm your mind. Sister Su, aren't you going to do anything about him?"
"Tranquility?"
Gu Moran read it aloud, then looked up at her.
"What I just asked was how to treat heart fire. Are you trying to kick me out? Are you a quack doctor?"
Su Yao stood by the table and gently tapped the incense box in her hand.
"I'm afraid the prince's illness isn't something he can't treat."
Gu Moran turned to look at her.
Where is it?
Su Yao didn't even lift her eyelids, and slowly placed the incense box on the medicine table.
"In the mouth."
What do you mean by that?
"You can't keep your mouth shut." Su Yao opened the incense box and took out a calming incense pill. "If you say less, maybe it will be fine."
Outside the window, Murong Xue couldn't help but laugh out loud.
" Su Yao, you really know how to cure his bad habits."
Lin Qingdai's face was half-hidden in the night, her fingers resting on the windowsill, but her gaze never left Gu Moran.
"Your aura is off tonight."
Gu Moran waved to her.
"Is that so? Qingdai, you've already noticed? You two come in quickly and let me take a good look at you."
Lin Qingdai didn't move.
Murong Xue climbed over first, crossed her arms, and stood in front of Gu Moran, looking him up and down.
He was pretending to cough in the dilapidated temple during the day, but when he came back, he ran faster than anyone else.
Gu Moran coughed.
"I am physically weak; I get out of breath after walking just a few steps."
Murong Xue let out a half-snort through her nose and poked him in the chest with her hand.
"Stop pretending."
When the poke landed, Gu Moran didn't retreat.
Murong Xue had only intended to tease him, but her fingertips felt like they had struck a hot iron plate.
She paused, and when she looked up, she met Gu Moran's eyes.
The candlelight in the pharmacy flickered.
Gu Moran raised his hand and grasped her wrist, which she hadn't yet pulled back.
" Xue'er, I am indeed not feeling well tonight."
Murong Xue instinctively tried to pull her hand away, but couldn't.
She had tested Gu Moran's strength just two days ago and knew that this person was very strange these days.
But with Shen Ling'er and Su Yao in front of him, his hands were being held like that, and her cheeks still felt hot.
"If you're not feeling well, why are you grabbing me?"
Your hands are cold.
"If I'm cold, do I need to cool you down?"
"Um."
Gu Moran answered confidently.
Murong Xue opened her mouth, but was silenced by the gag.
Su Yao paused for a moment as she fiddled with the incense balls beside her.
"Your Highness's illness is strange. Just now you only asked Miss Shen, but now you want Miss Murong to warm your hands. In a little while, will we have to ask Miss Lin to come in and take your pulse as well?"
(●◡●)
[I haven't been sleeping well after taking care of her for so long, my heart really can't take it, so I'll add another chapter for now.]
[Thanks to: The Poet's Role Call, Wheat's Explosive Update and Flower Sprinkling, Erhu's Flowers x5, She and the Tower's Update Urging Charms x5, Bean, Xixi's Update Urging Charms, Listening to the Moon's Love Letter, Jidi, Kang Family, Kang Ke, Dianjin's Flowers, Tiesuo's Praise, and everyone else for their love and dedication. (づ￣ 3￣)づ]