Chapter 79: Prescription

Chapter 79: The Prescription

"Miss, let me help you wash up," Xin Tao said.

Qiu Shuiyi rubbed her eyes, only then realizing she hadn't washed up yet. She hurriedly led Xin Tao back to the room.

By the time she finished washing, the commotion downstairs still hadn't ended.

Qiu Shuiyi simply leaned against the railing, watching the two men with great interest.

"You know him?"

The voice that suddenly came from behind startled Qiu Shuiyi.

She turned her head, and shot the newcomer a reproachful glance. "How do you walk without making a single sound?"

Shen Yuchao walked to her side.

Under his wide sleeves, he took her hand, holding it in his palm and giving it intermittent, gentle squeezes.

Qiu Shuiyi's face warmed slightly, and she avoided Shen Yuchao's intense gaze.

This was probably how all newly-confirmed lovers were—unable to resist touching each other, every physical gesture igniting a warmth in both their hearts.

She distractedly shifted her gaze back downstairs. "He is..."

Before she could finish, the man downstairs had already noticed her figure. He abruptly stopped chasing, crossed his arms, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Well, well, little girl, we meet again."

Qiu Shuiyi smiled and nodded in greeting. "Doctor Cheng."

Baili He, panting heavily, stopped in his tracks. He placed a hand over his racing heart, looking from one to the other in surprise. "You know each other?"

"We met once before. I was fortunate to have Doctor Cheng resolve a doubt for me."

As she took a step forward, she suddenly felt resistance. Qiu Shuiyi glanced at Shen Yuchao.

The latter promptly let go of her hand.

She walked downstairs to stand before Baili He, teasing, "I never imagined this was Uncle Baili's true appearance."

With his bushy beard shaved off, Baili He revealed handsome, well-defined features. His fair skin, sharp eyebrows, and bright eyes, coupled with his imposing aura, could easily make one believe he was from a noble family.

He chuckled twice, stroking his smooth chin with a sigh. "It's been so many years, I almost forgot what I looked like."

"And whose fault is that?" Cheng Yu sneered, giving a hard kick to the table leg lying at his feet, sending it towards Baili He's forehead.

The latter dodged nimbly.

With a *clang*, the table leg hit the wall. Baili He smiled wryly, "Xiao Yu, I've been playing along with you for so long, haven't you calmed down yet?"

"Playing along? You call this me playing along?"

Cheng Yu exploded, fury climbing to his brows. He moved as swiftly as a cat to stand right in front of Baili He, grabbed his ear and said menacingly,

"I've been looking for you for so many years. What's wrong with beating you up? And you dare accuse me of causing trouble? Baili He, you heartless fool."

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! Xiao Yu, that hurts!"

Baili He grimaced in pain.

Qiu Shuiyi looked from one to the other, tugging Shen Yuchao, who had just come downstairs, over and whispering, "What do you think their relationship really is?"

Shen Yuchao cast an uninterested glance at the two. "Why bother with them? More importantly, if you don't eat soon, you'll get uncomfortable."

Touching her empty stomach, Qiu Shuiyi realized she was indeed hungry.

Zuo Yi, ever perceptive, called out to the waiter.

The innkeeper, who had been hiding in a corner fearing collateral damage, emerged with a trembling waiter in tow. Looking at the devastation in the main hall, he was on the verge of tears.

"Honored guests, look at this... it's all ruined like this. How am I supposed to run my business?"

Cheng Yu untied the money pouch from his waist and tossed it over with a grand gesture. "Take it."

The innkeeper fumbled to catch the pouch. Opening it for a look, the light in his eyes instantly dimmed.

He said cautiously, "Honored guest, this... this isn't enough."

"Not enough? How can that be?"

Cheng Yu strode forward, snatched the pouch from the innkeeper's hand, and saw the single tael of broken silver and five or six copper coins inside. His expression instantly froze. "Ha, haha... When did I run out? I didn't even notice."

"Use mine." Baili He handed over his own money pouch. "Is this enough?"

The innkeeper opened it and took a look, his expression improving considerably. "Enough, enough."

"Clean up the main hall and bring up a few good dishes," Zuo Yi said, also tossing a money pouch over.

The innkeeper weighed it in his hand and immediately beamed with delight. "Right away, honored guests. Please wait a moment."

Cheng Yu finally gave Baili He a look of approval. "Now you're being sensible."

The main hall was a complete mess and couldn't be cleaned up immediately.

So, Zuo Yi had the waiter bring the food to their room.

After returning to the room, as soon as Qiu Shuiyi sat down next to Shen Yuchao, Baili He and Cheng Yu followed them in.

The former said, "I haven't eaten either."

The latter stated even more boldly. "I'm hungry."

Qiu Shuiyi couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Seeing their close relationship, she asked curiously, "Are you two old acquaintances?"

Baili He nodded. "Xiao Yu and I go back decades."

He didn't elaborate further. Instead, he reached out towards Shen Yuchao. "Let me have a look."

Shen Yuchao complied, rolling up his sleeve to reveal a fair and powerful wrist.

Baili He placed his fingers on it, checking his pulse carefully.

After a long while, he finally said, "Nothing major. However, you must not use martial arts for the next month."

He took a porcelain bottle from his sleeve and placed it on the table. "This is a new medicine I prepared. Take one pill daily without interruption. Remember to take it."

Zuo Yi, who had been waiting nearby, promptly stored the medicine safely.

Shen Yuchao asked calmly, "Is there a permanent cure?"

Baili He hesitated, then answered honestly, "No, this medicine can only make you feel better."

Shen Yuchao had already suspected as much and gave a slight nod.

Qiu Shuiyi pursed her lips, placing her hand over his under the table.

Shen Yuchao glanced sideways at her and gave her a gentle smile.

"Your food is served, esteemed guests. Please enjoy your meal."

The waiter arranged the dishes on the table, speaking warmly, no longer showing the timid fear from before.

Cheng Yu called out to him, "Fetch me two jugs of good wine."

The waiter, still remembering his fierce demeanor earlier, trembled at the sound and stammered, "R-right away."

After serving the wine, he turned and left as fast as he could.

Cheng Yu muttered, "Am I really that scary?"

Qiu Shuiyi couldn't help but laugh. She told Xin Tao, "No need to wait on us. Order some dishes and go eat in Xin Liu's room."

Xin Tao assented and left.

Zuo Yi also withdrew, leaving only the four of them in the room.

Cheng Yu poured two cups of wine, lifting his eyebrows slightly. "It's been many years. Care for a drink?"

At this moment, he finally showed a trace of melancholy at reuniting with an old friend.

Baili He picked up his cup and downed it in one gulp.

Cheng Yu smiled with satisfaction and said to Qiu Shuiyi and Shen Yuchao, "You two, one a patient, one a young lady, so no need to drink."

After clinking cups with Baili He, he tilted his head back and drank.

Smacking his lips, Cheng Yu exclaimed in surprise, "Huh, this wine isn't bad."

The two of them drank cup after cup, while Qiu Shuiyi and Shen Yuchao ate their meal in silence, watching them drink each other under the table.

After finishing two jugs, Cheng Yu was still not satisfied and had the waiter bring up several more jars.

He and Baili He each took hold of a wine jar, drinking until their cheeks flushed red and their eyes grew hazy with drunkenness.

Cheng Yu let out a drunken belch, clenched his fist, and punched Baili He's shoulder, cursing, "You fool! So what if you were tricked by a woman? Was it worth hiding for over twenty years? Do you know how many people the clan elders sent to look for you?"

Baili He hugged the wine jar, his eyes reddening, and said hoarsely, "I'm too ashamed to face them."

"I committed a grave mistake. I deserve punishment."

Cheng Yu was exasperated. "Well, now that you've found the thing, you have to come back with me, right?"

"No, I can't go back."

Baili He shook his head. "I still have unfinished business."

"What?" Cheng Yu was stunned, then angrily slapped the back of Baili He's head. "Don't tell me you're still thinking about that woman?"

"Nonsense!" Baili He retorted, staggering to his feet.

He walked over and sat down next to Shen Yuchao. Under Shen Yuchao's bewildered gaze, he tightly grasped his hand.

A cold glint flashed in Shen Yuchao's eyes as he forcefully tried to pull his hand back.

Baili He refused to let go, gripping him with even greater strength.

Shen Yuchao's face turned slightly pale.

This scene left Qiu Shuiyi and Cheng Yu dumbfounded.

The latter stopped drinking, tilting his head and casting an odd look at their clasped hands.

Shen Yuchao said coldly, "Let go."

"No."

Baili He shook his head, heavily patting Shen Yuchao's hand, his eyes red. "I wronged you."

These words shocked Qiu Shuiyi, her eyes widening in disbelief.

A vein throbbed at Shen Yuchao's temple, his teeth clenched. "This prince orders you to let go."

Baili He didn't release his grip, his tone mournful. "Back then, that woman deliberately got close to me just to steal my clan's method for refining Medicine People. Although we discovered it in time, she still managed to escape."

"Because of this, the elders expelled me from the clan, ordering that I could not return for life unless I retrieved the formula and brought that woman back."

"At the time, although I was deeply resentful about being expelled, deep down, I was somewhat dismissive of it."

Shen Yuchao stopped struggling.

Baili He emphasized, "In my youthful arrogance, I believed the method for creating Medicine People violated the natural order. I secretly destroyed it, hiding it from the clan elders. Then I fabricated a new one."

"On that new formula, I listed countless poisons, thinking that even if the formula was stolen, seeing such a sinister method might make the thief give up."

"So, I traveled across mountains and rivers until three years ago, when I settled at Chengming Temple."

"I held onto a sliver of hope, not knowing that someone would suffer over a decade of torment because of my mistake."

Baili He's eyes grew moist with regret. "I wronged you."

Qiu Shuiyi listened, stunned.

Baili He... is from the Miao people?

The method for refining Medicine People... is fake?

She looked at Shen Yuchao in disbelief.

Shen Yuchao's expression was calm, his dark eyes like a lake without ripples.

Outwardly unperturbed, but inwardly...

She was just about to observe him more closely when she heard Cheng Yu cry out, his sharp voice filled with utter shock.

"What did you say? It's fake?"

Baili He shook his head unsteadily. "Yes, it's fake..."

At that very moment, Shen Yuchao abruptly withdrew his hand and turned to leave without a word.

Baili He was thrown to the ground by the force, his drunken eyes fixed on Shen Yuchao's retreating figure as he said, his voice faint but determined, "Don't worry, I will definitely cure you."

Qiu Shuiyi hurried to her feet to follow, leaving the shouting of Baili He and Cheng Yu behind.

Shen Yuchao walked fast, and she jogged after him, calling out.

"Shen Yuchao, wait for me."

Someone nearby gave her a curious look, but Qiu Shuiyi ignored it, her eyes fixed on the figure ahead.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally stopped.

Qiu Shuiyi bumped into Shen Yuchao's back with a thud, sucking in a breath at the pain.

Just as she was about to step back, the figure in front suddenly turned and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Stunned for a moment, Qiu Shuiyi raised her arms and wrapped them around his waist.

His hoarse, deeply mocking voice sounded in her ear.

Though she couldn't see his expression, she heard the sorrow buried beneath the sarcasm.

"Ridiculous... utterly ridiculous."