The Young Master Who Needed a Wedding to Restore His Health (03)

The young man was the only son in his family, and he was pampered and spoiled as he grew up, with every aspect of his life being meticulously prepared.

These garments were all made from the finest fabrics selected from the best tailors in town; they are soft, lightweight, and brightly colored.

However, even a white robe made of such expensive fabric cannot compare to the exposed skin on the chest.

Clothes are inanimate objects, Xue Ci's skin is rosy and fair, not only white but also radiating warmth from its softness, as if a gentle squeeze could release a handful of sweet juice.

Or you can bite it with your mouth, just like eating a peach.

Although they were both men, Qin Wuzhen believed in the principle of keeping a distance from others, maintaining a platonic relationship.

He realized he had lost his composure.

"Brother Zimu..." Xue Ci looked up, her eyes glistening with tears. The hair tie she used to hold her hair back was also disheveled, and some stray hairs clung to her cheeks.

He shook his head like a rabbit shaking its ears.

Qin Wuzhen could almost feel the water splashed on his face—damp and sweet.

But in reality, his face only showed the sweat that had just appeared on his own body.

"Excuse me." Qin Wuzhen placed his long, slender fingers back on Xue Ci's lapel, unconsciously slowing his breathing. "Should I take off my outer garment?"

Xue Ci thought for a moment and said, "Take off your inner garment and put on your outer garment."

Seeing Qin Wuzhen's expressionless face and cold aura, he was afraid that the other party would find him troublesome, so he carefully explained, "I was afraid that my undergarments would get dirty and my mother would find out that I had gone out to play."

Qin Wuzhen hummed in agreement and then fell silent.

Qin Zhuo stood to the side, looking as if he had done something wrong, his handsome face blank as he stared at Xue Ci.

He said the wrong thing again.

I've angered the young master.

Qin Zhuo was annoyed, thinking that he could buy something to apologize to the other person next time they met.

But even when Xue Ci, she's still so beautiful...

Qin Zhuo was stunned again without realizing it.

Qin Wuzhen helped her take off her inner garment and then buttoned up her outer garment.

His movements were swift and precise.

He deliberately avoided looking at Xue Ci's skin.

After it was buttoned up, half of her long, black hair had fallen out.

Xue Ci herself, seeing him looking over, tilted her head blankly and asked, "What's wrong?"

Qin Wuzhen: "Your hair is loose, do you want me to tie it up again?"

Xue Ci a slow, hesitant "Oh," his fingers twisting his clothes, his face showing a hint of unease.

... He doesn't tie his hair up.

"Brother Zimu," he called softly, his voice gentle and pleading, "Can you help me?"

The doctor was indeed good-natured. After Xue Ci finished speaking, Qin Wuzhen simply agreed without showing the slightest impatience.

Xue Ci sat on the rock without moving, and Qin Wuzhen walked behind him to help him tie his hair.

The young man had thick, black hair that was smooth to the touch and shone brightly in the sunlight.

Xue Ci, on the other hand, seemed relaxed and at ease, as if she were used to being waited on.

Just now, Qin Wuzhen was in front of him, so he couldn't see Qin Zhuo. Now that there's no cover, he has no choice but to face him directly.

This time, Qin Zhuo didn't stare at him like before. He seemed to know he had done something wrong and was looking down at his toes obediently.

The tall, strong adult man looked somewhat aggrieved at this moment.

Xue Ci thought of the big dog that had made a mistake.

That kind of big dog that knows it's wrong, obediently lies down in the corner, and carefully observes its owner's expression.

Qin Zhuo seemed to be very sensitive to heat; even in this cool temperature, he was sweating despite wearing a short-sleeved shirt.

His forehead was covered in sweat, and he didn't even bother to avoid the sun.

That's a bit clumsy.

Xue Ci felt inexplicably sorry for him and suggested, "You could stand a little further over there; it's shady there."

Qin Zhuo was stunned. He hadn't expected the handsome young man to continue talking to him after his rudeness, and even tell him which way was the shade. He was stunned for several seconds before he suddenly realized what he meant, "... Oh!"

Then, following the direction Xue Ci pointed, he stood still in the same spot without missing a beat.

It looks more like a big dog now...

Xue Ci saw him lick his lips, and as if remembering something, she reached out and handed him the water bottle next to her.

Qin Zhuo asked cautiously, "Young Master, are you full?"

Xue Ci: "Are you thirsty?"

Qin Zhuo nodded immediately.

Xue Ci shook the water bottle in her hand. "Then come and drink quickly."

11 felt completely useless.

It's not clean anymore.

Are you thirsty?

"Then come and drink up."

11's mind conjured up an image of the host stepping on Qin Zhuo's shoulder, but what kind of water was that...?!

It's ruined! It's no longer a purebred puppy!

Just as I was wildly imagining things, the task suddenly came up.

11 suppressed all thoughts and put on a well-behaved act in front of Xue Ci: [Host, the mission is here!]

[You have a crush on Qin Wuzhen, but you don't know if he likes men, so you're trying to find a way to test him.]

[After discovering that the other person is straight, you completely give up.]

Xue Ci understood.

Her palm was suddenly empty; Qin Zhuo across from her was carefully taking the water.

The young man's fingers were slender and white, even his fingernails were pink, but this time Qin Zhuo dared not look at them any longer, for fear of leaving a bad impression.

He took the water bottle and, without wasting a moment, obediently moved back to his original spot.

Xue Ci withdrew her arm, and seeing Qin Zhuo obediently drinking water, she paid no more attention.

He began to think about his mission—how to test Qin Wuzhen.

You can't just ask him directly if he likes men, can you?

That's too abrupt.

Just as I was fretting, a male voice suddenly came from above. The voice was cold and harsh, like a herb growing on a cliff.

Do you usually tie your hair up yourself?

As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Wuzhen released his grip.

Xue Ci now has a neat bun at the back of her head, tied with a ribbon, with the rest scattered around her neck and collar.

"A little..." Xue Ci shyly, "I tied my own hair up today."

He heard Qin Wuzhen, a faint sound that spread above his head and drifted to his ear on the breeze.

I was laughed at.

Xue Ci's ears unconsciously burned. "Actually, I can tie it myself."

"But my mother was afraid I would get tired, so she asked others to help me tie it up."

"I'm not that delicate."

As Xue Ci spoke, he realized that his words had backfired—in Qin Wuzhen's eyes, he probably became a clumsy, spoiled brat who made excuses for himself.

As expected, Qin Wuzhen asked a question.

"Someone else helped you tie your hair, but what if you're alone later?"

I guess they felt he couldn't be independent and was overly dependent.

Xue Ci wanted to say that he could learn it, but thinking of the mission, he swallowed his words and deliberately said, "I won't do it alone."

"I will definitely find a husband in the future."

The word "husband" sounded even more insincere than "husband," making it harder to utter. Xue Ci's face flushed, and her voice trailed off. "After I find my husband, he will help me dress and tie my hair."

He turned his body to the side, his eyes slightly upturned, so he could easily observe Qin Wuzhen's reaction.

The man remained expressionless. "What if the other person doesn't know either?"

Xue Ci immediately replied, "I definitely need to find someone who knows how."

He stood up again, reached up and touched the back of his head. "Brother Zimu, you tied your hair up so well!"

Qin Wuzhen's gaze fell on Xue Ci's slender arms.

He hadn't expected Xue Ci to like men.

Cloud Maple Town has an open-minded culture, and there have been families where men have married in recent years. Given Xue Ci's frail health, it would be more convenient for her to be cared for by a strong man.

Without much thought, he carefully put away Xue Ci's inner garment and placed it, along with the light gauze, into a clean bamboo basket.

"I'll take you to identify medicinal herbs."

Xue Ci's eyes lit up, and she excitedly slung the bamboo basket back over her shoulder, completely forgetting about her mission.

In the mountains live hunters and a few farmers gathering firewood. Occasionally, Qin Wuzhen would come with his two apprentices to collect herbs, but today there seemed to be a handsome young man with him.

Her dress swayed gently, revealing her fair skin and pink lips.

Someone joked, "Doctor Qin, why did you bring a little Bodhisattva up the mountain?"

Normally, Qin Wuzhen would just smile or give a reply.

However, today... he felt the shy Xue Ci hide behind him, her fingers instinctively grabbing his clothes.

It's like being depended on by a young animal.

Qin Wuzhen couldn't describe the feeling.

moment.

He raised the corners of his lips slightly. "Since the little bodhisattva has spoken, of course we should listen."

The man had no idea how much he was being pampered by those words.

The group continued walking along the mountain path.

Qin Wuzhen pointed to a relatively flat slope where wild grass and medicinal herbs coexisted, making it difficult for ordinary people to distinguish them.

However, Xue Ci had taken a herbal medicine picture book from him last time, and today was a good day to check if she had been studying it diligently these past few days.

After listening to Qin Wuzhen's instructions, Xue Ci nodded. "I understand."

They approached the meadow cautiously.

Even from behind, his bamboo basket looks huge.

Xue Ci's height was no different from that of an average man, but he was slender with fair skin. Since both he and Qin Zhuo were tall, Xue Ci appeared petite.

... Finding a husband would be suitable.

This thought suddenly popped into Qin Wuzhen's mind.

He paused, then quickly dismissed the thought, averting his gaze and instructing Qin Zhuo to keep a close eye on Xue Ci to prevent any accidents.

Even after giving these instructions, he was still worried and stayed nearby, occasionally glancing at Xue Ci.

Xue Ci is very motivated.

He lifted the base of the plant with his fingers and carefully loosened the soil with a small shovel; in no time, the bamboo basket was half full.

Qin Zhuo didn't recognize the herbs, so he stood quietly to the side, using his body to shield Xue Ci from the sun.

As if remembering something, he soaked the handkerchief in water beforehand.

"Can you slow down a bit?" Qin Zhuo finally couldn't help but ask, "Your fingers are all red from being rubbed raw by the herbs..."

Xue Ci her head. "It doesn't hurt."

Qin Zhuo hesitated for a moment, then leaned closer and said, "Which one do you want to dig up? Point it out, and I'll dig it up for you."

Then she offered her hand. "My hands are calloused, so doing these things doesn't hurt."

Seeing Xue Ci hesitate before nodding, Qin Zhuo smiled.

When he smiled, the naive look between his brows completely disappeared, and his dark eyes were extraordinarily handsome.

Time flies.

When Qin Wuzhen, a small patch of grass had been completely stripped bare by Xue Ci.

He paused slightly, walked up to Xue Ci, and glanced at the bamboo basket. "These are enough."

Xue Ci didn't complain about being tired at all, pointing to the ground around her feet. "There's still so much more!"

Qin Wuzhen was silent for a moment. "Don't overwork yourself. Let's call it a day. First, let's check if you've read your book thoroughly."

Xue Ci was very confident.

He had just wiped the fine sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand when a wet handkerchief appeared in front of him.

Looking up, Qin Zhuo looked away awkwardly as soon as their eyes met.

Xue Ci understood, took the handkerchief, and smiled, "Thank you."

Qin Zhuo's face was bulging with veins. "N-no, you're welcome."

His appearance was really strange.

Qin Wuzhen took another look.

"Check it quickly!"

Xue Ci urged Qin Wuzhen.

However, as more and more "herbs" were thrown out of the bamboo basket, his expression became one of shock and bewilderment.

No, it's not like that at all!

He certainly didn't dare question Qin Wuzhen, and could only watch helplessly as the man threw away most of the food.

With only three trees left in the bamboo basket, Qin Wuzhen was about to reach his hand in.

Xue Ci's vision blurred, and she immediately moved closer, using her arm to block the opening of the bamboo basket.

Qin Wuzhen felt his wrist brush against his, it was warm and soft.

Xue Ci looked pitiful, all his previous confidence gone. He released his lips, which he had been holding in his mouth, opened them as if he didn't know what to say, and then bit them back down.

His biting had left her lips wet and slightly red at the edges, soft and ripe.

Just like being devoured by a lecherous rogue.

Qin Wuzhen looked away. For some reason, what he intended as a serious lecture ended up being—

"Little Bodhisattva, are you here today to help weed the mountains?"

Xue Ci's face immediately flushed red, and he was visibly embarrassed. He had a good temper and wasn't annoyed by being told that, but instead stammered, "... They look too alike. Apart from Brother Zimu, not many people can tell them apart."

Looking at his face, Qin Wuzhen suddenly realized that what he had just said was no different from a street thug harassing a pretty girl.

However, it is more subtle.

Xue Ci is too slow to notice; she simply can't understand it.

But he himself knew what he was doing.

Today is really strange.

Qin Wuzhen tightened his lips, making his already aloof and cold face appear even more serious.

Xue Ci was a little afraid of Qin Wuzhen like this.

He withdrew his hand, only to hear a notification from 11: [Host, our mission deadline is less than half an hour away!]

Xue Ci was stunned, watching as Qin Wuzhen threw out another herb. His blood boiled, and his mind went blank. "Will you treat your wife like this in the future?"

Qin Wuzhen's breath hitched slightly, thinking he had misheard, "... What?"

Xue Ci failed to gather herbs; the mission cannot fail again.

"You threw them all away." He licked his lips, looking rather displeased. "If I were your wife, I would definitely be angry."

Qin Wuzhen's throat was dry, and he was speechless for a moment. He could only see Xue Ci staring at him with eyes that were like glass beads.

"You'll definitely want to find a girl with a good temper in the future." Xue Ci pressed on, "What do you think? What kind of girl do you like?"

Qin Wuzhen had lived for over twenty years and had never actually thought about this.

He never paid attention to love or romance from a young age. By the time he reached adulthood, everyone around him was getting married and having children, but he had lost both his parents and spent his days away from home, running a pharmacy to make a living.

He probably won't get married.

There are things in life more important than romantic love.

Qin Wuzhen wanted to say that he would not get married, but he was afraid that if he said that, Xue Ci would think that his answer was a deliberate provocation.

He has already done many things against his conscience today.

If Xue Ci were to hold a grudge against him again... a trace of annoyance welled up inside him, Qin Wuzhen softened his voice. "I don't know."

[Congratulations, host! Mission complete!]

Qin Wuzhen has already admitted that he is straight.

Xue Ci, true to her character, showed disappointment, abandoned the bamboo basket, and walked away to rest, feeling dejected. But then her sleeve was tugged.

Xue Ci her balance and leaned forward.

My waist was firmly held down by a pair of very steady hands.

Qin Wuzhen quickly released him, her tone slightly coaxing. "I'll teach you how to recognize it; this bamboo basket will fill up again."

Xue Ci was already doubting herself, her eyes drooping. "What if I don't recognize it?"

"Then I'll keep teaching you."

Xue Ci looked up, as if to see if Qin Wuzhen was lying to him.

Finally, his lips curved into a slight smile.

The two stayed in the grass, while Qin Zhuo stood still and watched Xue Ci.

In fact, the illustrations in that herbal medicine book were inaccurate. After seeing it with her own eyes, Xue Ci quickly distinguished the difference between medicinal herbs and ordinary weeds.

After receiving three affirmative answers in a row, he curled the corners of his lips into a smug expression. "I'm still quite smart."

Qin Wuzhen remained silent.

But at least they managed to cheer the person up.

Xue Ci a great harvest today.

He was eager to fill the bamboo basket, but Qin Wuzhen called him to rest on a rock.

The other person said that his energy level had reached its limit for the day, and that he had already started to breathe heavily.

Xue Ci also felt a tightness in her chest and obediently sat down on the rock.

A moment later, Jing Yun and Fang Ming also returned after picking the bamboo baskets. The group placed the baskets next to Xue Ci and went to Qin Wuzhen to help.

Feeling bored, Xue Ci picked up flower petals from the ground.

There are many nameless wildflowers in the mountains, and the wildflowers here are all pale yellow, which is refreshing to look at.

He picked them up and pinned a flower to each bamboo basket.

After saying goodbye, he looked up and met Qin Zhuo's gaze.

The other person stared at the small yellow flower in his hand, then touched his own bamboo basket.

It seems like you really want it, but you're too afraid to.

Xue Ci waved to him.

The next second, Qin Zhuo walked towards him.

Xue Ci asked him for a bamboo basket and pinned a small yellow flower to it.

Qin Zhuo was secretly delighted. "You gave me a gift, I'll bring you one next time."

You yourself are a gift.

After Xue Ci finished speaking, she got goosebumps from her own domineering CEO-like remarks.

He stuck out his tongue.

Unbeknownst to him, the tall, goofy guy opposite him stared blankly at his pink tongue.

*

The group checked the time and descended the mountain.

On the way down the mountain, Xue Ci was still being carried by Qin Zhuo.

As the temperature dropped, Qin Wuzhen promptly helped him put on his undergarments and tied a light gauze around his neck to block the wind.

His two apprentices were completely dumbfounded.

--Is this their stern and unsmiling master? Why is he treating him like he's serving his wife?

They dared not speak rashly, but exchanged glances, understanding each other perfectly.

Xue Ci was taken home by Qin Wuzhen.

When the elders in the family discovered that Xue Ci out, they sent servants to search for her, but they couldn't find her anywhere in Cloud Maple Town. Only Song's mother, Madam Liu, and a few other women were left at home. Upon seeing Xue Ci beside Qin Wuzhen, they immediately took Xue Ci's hand and asked, "My dear child... are you feeling unwell?"

Before Xue Ci answer, he turned to Qin Wuzhen and asked, "Doctor Qin, did Xiao Ci go to find you?"

"Yes, I'll stay at my house for a few hours." Qin Wuzhen lied without batting an eye, while Xue Ci seemed a little uncomfortable and quietly called out "Mother" to Madam Liu.

His obedient and submissive demeanor dispelled any anger I might have felt.

Madam Liu simply inquired about his health with concern, without blaming him.

Xue Ci her head. "I'm fine, it's okay, Mother. I won't run around like that again."

Madam Liu's heart melted. She stroked his hair and said, "Don't bother Doctor Qin again next time!"

Qin Wuzhen: "No problem."

When Madam Liu saw that her child had caused trouble for someone and had been personally brought back, she immediately invited the person inside for tea.

Qin Wuzhen declined, saying, "I have some things to attend to at the pharmacy, so I won't bother you any longer."

The doctor was always busy, Madam Liu didn't say anything more.

"Brother Zimu, I'll come find you again next time." Xue Ci to him, and after Madam Liu tested the temperature of her palm, she was pulled back into the house.

As usual, Xue Ci was forced to drink a bowl of traditional Chinese medicine that evening.

He was brainwashing himself—that he was just drinking a hot Americano.

11: [It's not as good as traditional Chinese medicine, which can be covered by medical insurance.]

"..."

That's correct.

Xue Ci after a long day. After washing up, she lay down and fell into a deep sleep.

*

The Qin Family brothers did not fall asleep quickly that night.

As soon as Qin Zhuo returned, he went to his room and took a wooden box out from under the bed.

The box contained loose silver notes, small change, copper coins... Some of it was given to him by his elder brother, and some he earned by doing odd jobs outside.

The older brother said that the money could be saved for getting married later.

Qin Zhuo thought of Xue Ci's words earlier that day about wanting to find a husband, and counted the money again.

After counting, he began to worry—was this much silver enough to marry even a single finger of Xue Ci?

Besides, the young master's family clearly isn't short of money.

Qin Zhuo's dream of getting married was shattered. He thought he would go to the tailor shop tomorrow to buy some fabric to give to Xue Ci, just to make friends. Then he took out the oil paper from his pocket; the pastries inside had long since crumbled into crumbs.

Qin Zhuo brought his stiff nose close to smell it, but unfortunately, all he could smell was the cloyingly sweet fragrance of osmanthus.

There's not a trace of the original flavor of Xue Ci a poem by Xueci) left.

Qin Zhuo looked disappointed and carefully placed the small yellow flower into the vase filled with water.

Compared to Qin Zhuo, Qin Wuzhen had many more things to do.

After finishing copying an ancient book by lamplight, he extinguished the candle and returned to the inner room.

It was late at night, Qin Wuzhen closed his eyes after entering the house.

However, a soft, sticky voice echoed clearly in my mind.

"I will definitely find a husband in the future."

"If I were your wife..."

Qin Wuzhen suddenly opened his eyes.

He couldn't sleep in the latter half of the night, and he stayed up until dawn before he finally felt sleepy.

Qin Wuzhen always got up early, but the next day he didn't wake up until the sun was high in the sky.

He woke up with a cold expression and changed his clothes from head to toe.

His stepmother noticed that he hadn't gone to the pharmacy yet and thought he was unwell, so she told him not to wash clothes anymore, lest he feel even worse.

Qin Wuzhen's palm was pressed against the clothes, so it was impossible to see what he was washing.

"I'm almost done washing, Second Aunt. I'm perfectly fine."

After lunch, he didn't waste any more time and was in a hurry to get to the pharmacy.

However, Qin Zhuo insisted on going along as well.

"Let him follow if he wants. Anyway, your pharmacy is short-staffed, and he's just sitting at home eating for free." The second aunt didn't forget to scold Qin Zhuo. After Qin Wuzhen gave her a blank look, she swallowed her words, rolled her eyes at Qin Zhuo, and went back into the house.

Seeing that Qin Wuzhen insisted on coming along, Qin Zhuo Wuzhen took him with him.

Qin Zhuo went for several days in a row, rain or shine, but he never saw Xue Ci come again.

A few days later, the Song Family rushed to the pharmacy and told Qin Wuzhen that Xue Ci had a fever.

Qin Wuzhen paused, grabbed his medicine box, and followed.

When they arrived at the Song Family, Xue Ci was lying on the bed in the inner room, covered with a thick quilt, revealing a face flushed with an unnatural redness, her eyes closed.

Qin Wuzhen frowned and immediately went over to take Xue Ci's pulse.

Fortunately, it was just a cold.

Qin Wuzhen breathed a sigh of relief for some reason, but he didn't dare to be careless.

Xue Ci seemed to be in great pain; her face was pale, but her lips were bright red. She burrowed into the blankets like a helpless little animal.

Qin Wuzhen tucked him in, then took out silver needles and pricked several spots before Xue Ci finally calmed down.

Her eyelashes were trembling slightly, making her look exceptionally fragile.

Qin Wuzhen used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his temples and told the Song Family not to worry. For the next few days, he visited the Song Family every day.

The illness was cured slowly, like pulling silk from a cocoon.

Xue Ci has always been sickly, and it takes her almost a month to recover from a cold.

This broke Madam Liu's heart. Wiping away her tears, she said, "This child... what will we do with him in the future?"

Qin Wuzhen turned to look at her and comforted her, "I will try my best to help him get better."

Doctor Qin's medical skills are widely recognized, but Xue Ci is a child who was born sickly and the root cause cannot be found. How can we say that she will get better so easily?

Anxious and distressed, the Song Family decided to find someone to marry Xue Ci in order to ward off illness and evil spirits.

Cloud Maple Town believes in this, but it depends on the birth charts; if the birth charts are incompatible, it will have the opposite effect.

The Song Family invited matchmakers to their door for several days in a row, but unfortunately the results were not satisfactory.

The unmarried girls in Cloud Maple Town had never seen Xue Ci in person. Upon hearing that they were to marry a sickly man, they all ran away, no matter how good their conditions were.

Of the remaining people I'm willing to meet, none of them are a good match in terms of their birth charts.

"It seems we'll have to prepare a generous gift and ask if any poor families are willing," the matchmaker said, also worried. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly turned back, "Are you considering the man?"

*

inside the house.

Qin Wuzhen was administering acupuncture treatment to Xue Ci when the sounds from outside drifted in.

"We need to ask him about this."

"We don't mind if he's willing."

"As long as he gets better."

The days of being confined to his sickbed had left Xue Ci listless; he hung his head, his lips moving slightly.

The voice was too soft, so Qin Wuzhen had to lean closer. "What did you just say?"

Too close.

The damp, hot breath that escaped from Xue Ci's lips sprayed all over me.

I asked my parents what they were talking about outside.

"They're asking if you want to find a husband."

After Qin Wuzhen finished speaking, he saw that the man's head was tilted to the side, his eyes were half-closed and half-open, and he seemed uncomfortable, so he reached out to help him support his head.

However, as soon as they touched, Xue Ci pressed her cheek against his palm.

... very soft.

Qin Wuzhen tensed his arms.

The young man's skin was soft and white, his face misty with moisture, his eyebrows and eyes drooping, and his thick eyelashes casting shadows under his eyes.

His frail body made him barely breathe, and even opening his eyes seemed difficult.

Qin Wuzhen was stunned for a moment until Xue Ci raised her face.

A deer-like eye, wet with rain, looked over.

"I'm looking for my husband."

"I want to spend my whole life with him."

Author's Note:

Unfortunately, it's not you.

The next chapter will be her wedding to her silly husband.

Once the setting is changed to ancient times, a purely romantic story... is simply impossible.

Immediately! [doge emoji][doge emoji][doge emoji]