The following morning, the sun rose as usual, but Bai Jing was shown no sound of waking up. Lan Zhu came over, seeing that the wooden gate was already open, he walked into the courtyard.
He plans to collect another basket of mushrooms before working in the fields. At this time, Bai Jing would've already had the morning batches ready. But as he walked around the house, he couldn't see Bai Jing anywhere.
"Brother Bai?
"..."
Receiving no answer, Lan Zhu walked to the doorway and gently knocked: "Brother Bai? Are you home?"
Still no response.
Feeling uneasy, Lan Zhu carefully pushed the door open. The door just so happens to not be locked. He was uneasy that a thief might enter with the door being open.
But as soon as he looked around, the sight before him made his heart sink.
Bai Jing was sleeping on the hard wooden floor, wrapped tightly inside a blanket. His cheeks were visibly bruised, and his face was unnaturally flushed.
Lan Zhu hurried over and crouched beside him: "Brother Bai! Wake up! What's going on?"
Bai Jing slowly opened his eyes. His vision remained blurry for several seconds before recognizing Lan Zhu: "...Lan Zhu?"
"You slept on this cold floor?" Lan Zhu exclaimed in disbelief: "Why would you do something like this in your current condition? This is your own house."
Bai Jing forced a weak smile as he slowly sat up: "It... it was only last night. I usually sleep on the bed."
It's a lie, but he doesn't want others to know what's going on in his home.
Lan Zhu looked at him suspiciously: "Only last night? Why would you need to do that?"
Bai Jing thought for a moment and said: "I... angered my husband."
Lan Zhu fell silent. As a village ger, he understood immediately.
Whether they were female or Ger, wives were expected to obey their husbands. Being punished after making a serious mistake was not considered unusual. Although he felt pity for Bai Jing, he didn't question any further.
Instead, his attention was drawn to the bruises covering Bai Jing's face.
"...Did your husband do this?"
Bai Jing lowered his head without answering.
That silence was enough confirmation. Lan Zhu's fingers tightened around the corner of his sleeve.
His heart ached badly. Brother Bai had only been in the village for a few days, yet he was already suffering like this. What could he have done to be treated like this?
Lan Zhu reached out and gently touched Bai Jing's forehead. The moment his fingers made contact, his expression changed.
"You're burning up!"
Only then did Bai Jing realize how heavy his body felt. His head throbbed painfully, and his limbs seemed to have no strength left.
"I guess... I caught a fever." He sighed.
"You definitely have." Lan Zhu stood immediately. "Wait here. I'll go to town and buy some fever reducing medicine from the clinic."
Bai Jing quickly shook his head: "You don't have to spend your money. Let me get you the money for your transportation too." Bai Jing said as he tried to stand up with difficulty.
Lan Zhu quickly stopped him: "I'll buy it first. You can repay me later."
Seeing Bai Jing hesitate, Lan Zhu smiled reassuringly: "It's only herbal medicine."
Bai Jing felt warmth spread through his heart: "...Thank you." After a brief silence, he added apologetically, "I'm afraid... there won't be any mushrooms today."
Lan Zhu nodded understandingly: "Your health comes first. The mushrooms can wait another day."
He looked once more at Bai Jing's pale face before picking up his empty basket: "Rest well. I'll be back as quickly as I can."
Watching Lan Zhu hurry out through the bamboo gate, Bai Jing lowered his gaze.
Even in this unfamiliar world, someone was willing to worry about him. It was a good decision to have Lan Zhu as a friend.
...
After Lan Zhu left, Bai Jing waited in the small thatched house. He wasn't feeling hungry so he decided to skip breakfast.
From time to time, he would glance toward the wooden gate, hoping Ye Cheng's familiar figure would appear. Every creak of the bamboo fence made his heart lift briefly before sinking again.
An entire hour passed. Yet, there was no sign of Ye Cheng. He thought maybe Ye Cheng will be back by evening or midnight.
The whole yard was quiet, Scruffy hasn't come back yet either. The whole yard was quiet, the only sound was the occasional cough escaping Bai Jing's lips as his fever continued to worsen.
Not long afterward, hurried footsteps approached from outside.
Lan Zhu pushed open the bamboo gate while carrying a small clay bottle wrapped in cloth: "I'm back."
Bai Jing slowly sat up against the wall: "So quickly?"
Lan Zhu nodded and handed him the bottle: "The physician's apprentice had already prepared several fever medicines this morning. I only needed to buy one."
Bai Jing accepted the warm bottle gratefully: "Thank you."
As soon as he uncorked it, the strong, bitter smell immediately assaulted his nose. He immediately frowned and took a few deep breaths.
"..."
Without saying a word, Bai Jing tightly pinched his nose shut, squeezed his eyes closed, and lifted the bottle.
"Gulp... gulp… gulp… gulp."
Every swallow felt like torture. His eyebrows twisted together until they almost met. The moment the last drop entered his throat, Bai Jing shivered.
"So bitter..."
Lan Zhu couldn't help laughing: "Medicine isn't supposed to taste good. That's what grandpa said."
Bai Jing stuck out his tongue in disgust before quickly drinking a few mouthfuls of water to wash away the remaining bitterness.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to herbal medicine." He sighed
"This medicine is not ordinary, it was made by a level one physician. Although the physician cultivation is low, it's still better than ordinary medicine. The physician also said the fever should ease after you've had enough rest."
Bai Jing nodded: "I hope so."
In less than five minutes, the medicine soon began taking effect. His eyelids became heavier and heavier.
"I... think I'm getting sleepy again..."
"Ok, Go rest. I will be leaving now. I have to tend the fields."
"No problem, go get busy. Thanks again for the trouble." Bai Jing said weakly before lying back down on the blanket spread across the wooden floor.
Within moments, his breathing became slow and steady.
He had fallen asleep once again. Lan Zhu was a bit speechless. Although he doesn't doubt the physician, he couldn't help thinking whether he grabbed the sleeping medicine instead.
Lan Zhu tucked the blanket closer around Bai Jing's shoulders. His gaze drifted toward the bedroom door. There was no sound of someone being inside.
A trace of worry appeared in Lan Zhu's eyes before he quietly sighed. There was nothing more he could do.
After making sure the water bucket beside Bai Jing was full, Lan Zhu left the house and closed the bamboo gate behind him.
...
The village paths were already lively with people heading toward their farms.
Not long after leaving Bai Jing's house, Lan Zhu heard a loud voice calling from behind.
"Zhu Ger! Lan Zhu, wait up!"
He didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.
Auntie Wang. The village's most famous gossipmonger, always into other people's business.
Auntie Wang hurried over with concern on her face. She didn't even greet Lan Zhu and went straight to the point.
"I heard loud noises from the new couple's house yesterday." She leaned closer and lowered her voice, though it was still loud enough for everyone nearby to hear: "Did the young couple have a fight?"
Lan Zhu rolled his eyes and continued walking: "I don't know."
"Oh, don't be like that." She matched his pace effortlessly.
"Everyone heard something last night. Surely you know more than anyone else."
Lan Zhu stopped walking and looked directly at her: "Auntie Wang. Have you had enough?"
Her smile stiffened: "What do you mean?"
Lan Zhu: "You only want something new to gossip about."
The nearby villagers quietly slowed their steps. Everyone knew Auntie Wang loved collecting other people's private affairs. If someone sneezed in the morning, the entire village would hear by noon.
Although they don't like it when she gossip about them, that doesn't mean they don't want to hear gossip about others.
"You..." Auntie Wang's expression darkened, when Lan Zhu called her out directly.
Lan Zhu calmly continued: "You're the most informed person in Longxu Village whenever it comes to rumors."
"You're talking nonsense!"
"I don't know anything. If you truly gossip, go find out for yourself. Hopefully something doesn't get stolen when you go there uninvited, you wouldn't be able to explain yourself then."
The surrounding villagers exchanged awkward glances.
Uninvited equals trespassing. Auntie Wang's face alternated between red and green.
"You ugly little ger!" she suddenly shrieked: "No wonder nobody wants to marry you! You're poor, plain, and you're only good enough to work in the fields! No man in his right mind would ever choose someone like you!"
The words pierced Lan Zhu's heart. His fingers trembled slightly and his eyes dimmed. He knew that he was different from a Ger, many times he wished he had been born a man in that way, he wouldn't have to suffer.
Just because he's aware of his situation, doesn't mean others are qualified to run it in his face whatever change they get.
He frowned and said to her: "My appearance may not please everyone… But at least I don't have to worry about my husband bringing home three concubines."
Auntie Wang froze. The people watching widened their eyes, not expecting Zhu Ger to be so bold.
Lan Zhu thought for a while, as if he suddenly remembered something, he said to her with a teasing smile: "And wasn't he seen chasing after young ladies and young gers in town just last week?"
"You… How dare you?!" Auntie Wang shouted.
"I may be unmarried, but at least I don't have to share my husband with half the county."
The villagers immediately covered their mouths to suppress their laughter.
Everyone knew Auntie Wang's husband favored his concubines far more than his legal wife. It was the one topic she hated others mentioning most.
"You... you..." Auntie Wang pointed at Lan Zhu with a trembling finger. Her face turned crimson, as her breathing became rapid.
"You little..."
Unable to finish her sentence, she staggered backward and nearly collapsed from anger.
One of the nearby villagers hurried forward to support her.
Lan Zhu sneered and walked past her: "Excuse me."
Without another glance, he calmly walked toward his family's fields, leaving behind a crowd struggling not to laugh while Auntie Wang fumed so fiercely that she looked ready to explode.