Chapter 14: He Is an Innocent and Helpless Little White Rabbit

“Bear with it,” Qin Hanxiao reminded once more before the needle was inserted.

Pei Yuantang didn’t even open his eyes and simply said, “Go ahead.”

Although mentally prepared, he nearly bit through his teeth during the entire procedure, breaking out in a cold sweat.

Qin Hanxiao didn’t stay in the room while the needle was left in place. “If you feel uncomfortable, call me. I’ll take the dirty clothes out.”

Only then did Pei Yuantang open his eyes to look at her, his complexion paler than usual.

He said, “Alright.”

Qin Hanxiao stepped outside and saw Madam Bai sitting in the courtyard while Pei Jinghui was doing her hair.

“Mother really should get outside more and enjoy the fresh air. Starting tomorrow, you and Er Lang will go out every afternoon to bask in the sun.”

Madam Bai readily agreed, “Very well, I’ll do as you say.”

Though Madam Bai was not entirely pleased with her daughter-in-law’s behavior in the past, she never treated her harshly out of respect for the marriage’s auspicious beginnings.

Now, while not completely satisfied, she trusted her daughter-in-law completely.

As long as the couple lived well together, she had no other demands.

Seeing Qin Hanxiao holding the dirty clothes, Pei Jinghui said directly, “Second sister-in-law, put the dirty clothes by the well. I’ll wash them shortly.”

Qin Hanxiao didn’t hesitate and placed them there casually.

“I’ll go soak the herbs now and brew them after an incense stick has burned. Er Lang is undergoing acupuncture; I’ll treat mother afterward.”

The mother and daughter both agreed, “Good.”

Qin Hanxiao added a few drops of spirit spring water to their medicinal concoctions and even added a couple of drops to the water barrel.

When it was almost time to retrieve the needles, Pei Yuantang thought the session was over, but she still needed him to roll over and treat his back.

The quilt was rolled up, exposing all but his back.

Before inserting the needles, she used her fingers to confirm the locations, her gentle hands traveling from his spine down to the tailbone.

As if that wasn’t enough, she also had to insert needles into his buttocks.

He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, repeatedly telling himself this was his wife—they were husband and wife.

Qin Hanxiao asked, “How does it feel?”

Aside from the stabbing pain during needle insertion, Pei Yuantang felt nothing else initially.

After a while, warmth spread in his lower abdomen.

Seeing his expression turn somewhat awkward, Qin Hanxiao inquired, “Is your lower abdomen beginning to feel warm?”

Pei Yuantang muttered, “Yeah, a little.”

“That’s right. I told you you’d get better.”

When Qin Hanxiao said this, her tone was buoyant, full of pride in her medical skills.

Seeing her smiling eyes and upturned lips, Pei Yuantang’s mood lifted involuntarily, a smile creeping into his eyes.

Qin Hanxiao caught this moment and her heart fluttered.

Pei Yuantang was extraordinarily handsome, his peach blossom eyes full of affection and mischief—it was truly hard for her to resist.

But Qin Hanxiao was never one to suppress herself; if she liked him, she’d take a good look.

Her unabashed gaze made Pei Yuantang’s face flush and his heart race, yet he couldn’t turn away—it would seem too deliberate.

Her eyes were so straightforward, wholly fixed on him, making him unable to resist.

Finally, Pei Yuantang chose to close his eyes.

If she wanted to look, let her.

Seeing his eyes shut again, Qin Hanxiao’s smile deepened, though she held back from laughing aloud.

If she laughed out loud, she feared he wouldn’t be so generous with his gaze.

Still, she keenly noticed his ears turning red.

Despite all he had been through that many of his peers hadn’t, he was still an eighteen-year-old youth.

Compared to him, she felt far less innocent.

Not only did she hold his hand and confess her feelings, but she also looked him over completely, now shamelessly gazing until his ears flushed.

By that reckoning, she was a brazen flirt.

Pei Yuantang, on the other hand, was a pure, helpless little rabbit.

To redeem her image, Qin Hanxiao glanced twice more before averting her eyes.

After retrieving the needles, she helped him turn over and put on his clothes.

“Rest for a while. I’ll go treat mother.”

Pei Yuantang lowered his eyelids and softly responded, “Mm.”

After she left, he looked toward the door but naturally saw nothing.

A long while later, the burning sensation in his body finally subsided.

He propped himself up and took a book from the bedside to read.

Outside, laughter and conversation between her and his mother drifted in, gradually settling his heart.

Soon, it was the day they had agreed to visit Madam Huang for treatment. The whole family had just finished breakfast when the Huang family carriage arrived.

Besides the carriage that came to pick up Qin Hanxiao, two flower-laden carts followed behind.

Qin Hanxiao was surprised by the abundance of flowers. “Why so many?”

The young driver smiled, “Seventh Young Master knows you love flowers and will surely care for them well, so he spared no effort. Rest assured, Seventh Young Master specially sent gardeners to tend to them. Where would you like to plant them?”

Qin Hanxiao couldn’t stop smiling. “Since it’s Seventh Young Master’s heartfelt gift, I shall graciously accept. When I meet him, I’ll thank him in person.”

She surveyed the courtyard and noticed that the western wall received sunlight all day, so she pointed there.

“Thank you all for your hard work.”

The Pei family had heard about Huang Seventh Young Master sending flowers to Qin Hanxiao but, like her, hadn’t expected so many, nor that each flower seedling was so well cared for.

Even Madam Bai, supported by Pei Jinghui, came out to see and expressed surprise and praise, thanking Huang Seventh Young Master again.

After deciding where to plant the flowers, Qin Hanxiao took the initiative, “Let’s go now.”

The young driver readily agreed and gave the gardeners a few reminders before taking Qin Hanxiao and Pei Ming’an away.

Passing through the village, they encountered villagers as before; some asked questions.

This time, there were no discordant voices. Qin Hanxiao responded to each inquiry with a light laugh and politely bid farewell as they departed.

Once they were out of earshot, the villagers continued their conversation.

“Coming and going, and sending two carts full of flowers—Qin’s medical skills must be excellent.”

Someone raised a doubt, “But how come she can’t cure Pei’s eldest daughter-in-law?”

Another quickly answered, “She said she never studied that kind of illness. Plus, I heard medicine is divided into specialties—some are good at certain things, others not so much. Nothing strange about that. I wonder what Qin is best at? It’d be convenient to go to her for minor ailments in the future.”

Suddenly, a discordant voice spoke, “Hmph! I reckon she’s just a blind cat that stumbled onto a dead mouse. If she had real skill, why are Madam Bai and Pei Er still so ill? All this coming and going and flower sending—doesn’t seem like she’s really treating anyone. Hmph! What exactly she’s doing in those big houses, only she knows.”

Zhao Laizi snorted and turned away.

Then Qian Shi, with a face full of pockmarks, snorted twice and, muttering “Who knows,” also left.

Qin Hanxiao paid no mind to the malicious rumors. Upon entering the city, she dropped off Pei Ming’an at the city gate and went straight to the Huang residence.

Though Madam Huang was still weak, she had been lucid these past two days and could even sit and chat when feeling well.

After taking her pulse, Qin Hanxiao wrote a new prescription.

“Buy these herbs now, but don’t brew them. I’ll make pills for Madam Huang to take directly—it works better than decoctions.”

Huang Seventh Young Master trusted her and readily agreed.

However, Huang Eldest Young Master was skeptical, “Once you take the herbs away, how do we know you haven’t added anything else? If something goes wrong after taking them, will you take responsibility?”