Three Joys

Chapter 13

That night left me in a pitiable state. As I was being cleaned, the pain awakened me, and in my groggy state, I opened my eyes to find him.

Manager Lu saw me wake up and a hint of relief crossed his face. "Young Master," he hesitated for a moment, his lips moving slightly before he continued, "This humble servant... had to administer some medicine, which might cause some discomfort. Please, Young Master, bear with it." He assisted me in sitting up, but my limbs felt unbearably heavy, and I had no desire even to move my fingers.

His fingers, covered in some ointment, felt cold as they made contact with me. My body instinctively tensed at the touch, but he paused and then continued with even greater care. In reality, the mild discomfort paled in comparison to what I had experienced earlier. Nevertheless, he handled me with delicate caution, as though I were made of porcelain. Once he finished applying the medicine, he was sweating profusely.

Manager Lu placed me back on the bed and covered me with the quilt. Before I could see his expression, he turned and instructed Biyu and Biluo, "Young Master should not touch water for the next two days. You need to bathe him daily and take extra care. If anything happens, inform me immediately."

"Yes" they replied.

Perhaps it was my imagination, but I sensed a trace of anger in him. I couldn't fully grasp what had bothered him. He issued some instructions to the maids and readied himself to depart. My thoughts were still in disarray, but as I watched him on the verge of leaving, I reached out and clutched his sleeve.

I noticed his body briefly tensed, and then he turned to me. "...Young Master" he uttered while fixing his gaze on me, a fleeting hint of emotion flickering in his eyes. Yet he concealed it so swiftly that I had no chance to recognize it. "Is there anything else, Young Master?" he inquired. His repeated use of 'Young Master' helped clear the fog in my mind. I withdrew my hand slowly, feeling a touch dizzy, a wave of nausea lurking. Nevertheless, I shook my head and whispered, "I'm fine."

He lingered by my bedside briefly before taking his leave, uttering only, "Well... Young Master, rest well." I silently watched him depart, his footsteps fading into the distance until they were no longer audible. It brought a sense of relief, and I closed my eyes.

That night, I developed a low fever.

The doctors from the Xu family came to see me and simply hinted, "Weakness in vital energy, needs a few days of recuperation."

In the following days, I remained in the second courtyard for a full five days. During this period, I would encounter Lu Qingsu on a daily basis. Despite the grandeur of the Xu estate and its numerous stewards, it appeared that he was primarily responsible for overseeing the inner chambers. Whenever it was time for me to take my medication, he would come, personally observe me as I consumed it, and then depart promptly. I held no particularly high status in the household, and my fever receded within two days. Subsequently, I spent most of my time in bed, but I had the companionship of Biyu, who kept me company and helped pass the time.

"Madam Xie said you should take care of your health and wait a few more days before paying respects," Biyu informed me. Traditionally, a newlywed bride would serve tea to her mother-in-law on the second day after the wedding. I had presumed that the Xu family's customs would be more rigid, but it appeared there was room for flexibility.

Biyu continued, "After all, Young Master is unwell because..."

"Biyu." Biluo interjected and cautioned her. Her arrival prevented further offense by Biyu.

Biyu and I were close in age, with her being a few months younger. Due to our interactions over the past few days, she sometimes forgot about her status. She offered an apology, saying, "Young Master, it was my fault." She cast a cautious glance at me and added, "It's because these days, with so much work, the servants... and Second Master hasn't returned..."