How Could I Resist His Madness and Charm [Transmigration] - Chapter 15

Zhu Yun’s expression remained unchanged. “It’s a fake.”

Luo Yan refused to believe it and snatched the book from his hands. Seeing the pristine condition of the pages, her doubts faded by seventy or eighty percent. “You dare read a counterfeit? Aren’t you afraid of learning it wrong and going mad from qi deviation?”

“Poisoning methods, even if learned incorrectly, can’t turn into benevolent remedies.”

“Fair enough.” She casually tossed the book back to him and yawned. “Where do you get the tonic medicine you usually take and the golden wound medicine you use on me?”

She had never asked about these things before, thinking it was an unspoken understanding between them. Turns out, she simply hadn’t thought to inquire until now.

Zhu Yun’s lips twitched slightly as he answered truthfully, “The old man sends them.”

The “old man” referred to the deputy master of the Moon Embracing Pavilion, known in the martial world as the Divine Physician. He earned this title not because his medical skills were miraculous, but because he had given himself the nickname.

Others couldn’t uncover his background or real name, and since most had requests for him, they couldn’t very well address him as “Hey” or “You there.” Over time, everyone simply accepted calling him the Divine Physician.

But Zhu Yun knew that the Divine Physician hailed from Fragrant Grass Mountain and was a fellow disciple of Medicine King Sun and Poison King Qin. In Zhu Yun’s estimation, the Divine Physician’s skills were inferior to Medicine King’s, but he had capitalized on the latter’s modesty to seize the title of “Divine Physician” first.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

Within two days, Zhu Yun spotted the signal smoke lit by the Divine Physician. He covered Luo Yan’s face with a veil and brought her along to the meeting.

The Divine Physician, disguised as a fortune-teller, sat fishing by the river. The moment Zhu Yun entered his line of sight, the old man tilted his neck at an odd angle.

The next instant, witnessing the young man leaping energetically off his horse and revealing Luo Yan behind him, the Divine Physician was so startled he dropped his fishing rod.

“A-Yun, A-Yun.” Luo Yan, sharp-eyed, gestured for Zhu Yun to retrieve the fishing rod. “That old gentleman seems to have Parkinson’s. Let’s go ask if he’s alright.”

“Parkin-what?”

She scratched her head. “Epilepsy? Convulsions? Just look at him.”

The old man’s cheeks were twitching, and the way he turned his head was also very strange. Luo Yan worried he was having a seizure. With no village ahead or inn behind, they couldn’t just ignore him if he was in trouble.

Zhu Yun gave her a strange look, suppressing a laugh. “He is indeed having a fit.”

Divine Physician: “?”

That brat was speaking loudly on purpose, was he talking about him?

But the Divine Physician was no fool. Zhu Yun had spared the messenger to return to the pavilion and specifically requested his presence. Clearly, it was for the delicate young lady behind him.

So he stopped scrutinizing them and called out, “Do a good deed and spare me a drink of water.”

Luo Yan lowered her gaze and reached to untie the gourd at Zhu Yun’s waist, but he stopped her, his tone slightly displeased. “I bought this especially for you.”

The Divine Physician chuckled gleefully from the side, fanning the flames. “Thank you, young lady. Cough, cough… I’m dying.”

Sure enough, Luo Yan was fooled. She asked helplessly, “What should we do?”

“Don’t be afraid.” Zhu Yun strode over, snatched the old man’s bamboo hat, and smirked. “Still thirsty? I’ll fetch some water for you.”

“…”

The sun was blazing, and the Divine Physician immediately broke into a sweat. He had no choice but to pick up his own water pouch and clear his throat awkwardly. “Turns out I brought water after all. No need to trouble you two.”

Luo Yan had seen many news stories about elderly parents being neglected by their children, forced to wander the streets during the day. She hid behind Zhu Yun and asked timidly, “Grandpa, is your home nearby? Do you need us to take you back?”

Usually surrounded by the brats in the building, the Divine Physician felt his heart soften at the sight of a young girl who knew how to show care and concern. “Good child, come closer. Let me divine your fortune for you.”

She was about to remove her veil when Zhu Yun gave the back of her hand a hard pinch. “Don’t trust just any random person.”

“Oh.” Luo Yan obediently stepped back.

The Divine Physician nearly cursed out loud, thinking, Weren’t you the one who invited me here?

But his martial arts were no match for Zhu Yun’s, especially now that the brat had refined the Lovers’ Warmth poison. Even poisoning him wouldn’t work anymore. So he softened his expression and said to the girl, “Just come over and write a character.”

Luo Yan shot a quick glance at Zhu Yun and only dared to approach after receiving his approval. Using a twig, she wrote the character for “book.”

“The character ‘book’ is good.” The Divine Physician stroked his beard, pretending to be profound. “It’s good precisely because it’s very good. Hmm, ‘a mind enriched with poetry and books radiates elegance.'”

Her eyes widened involuntarily, all her unspoken curses written clearly in them.

The Divine Physician choked back his words, turned to Zhu Yun, and said, “Little brother, help me over to relieve myself.”

Not only did the young man not get angry, he actually stepped forward and lifted the old man’s arm with two fingers, walking him toward the water’s edge.

“Gently, gently!” The Divine Physician quickly broke free, rubbing his arm as he grumbled, “How you’re still alive defies all reason.”

Zhu Yun scoffed. “Wasn’t it you who leaked the information?”

“Don’t slander me.”

The Divine Physician told him that although Lovers’ Warmth was a sacred relic of Fangcao Mountain, it had no antidote and burned its victims alive until they died. It had long been buried with their sect ancestor.

“Master Zhu is quite resourceful, not only did he hide a chest of Lovers’ Warmth, but he also had our sect ancestor’s notes. I suppose he told Tower Master Meng about it before he died. Even I heard it from her.”

As for why Meng Jing wanted to kill Zhu Yun but chose to poison him instead, the Divine Physician, as the deputy tower master, knew perfectly well. But Zhu Yun didn’t care about that now, so there was no need to say more. Instead, he shifted the topic to Luo Yan’s condition.

“The girl has an excellent countenance, her eyes are clear and spirited, her earlobes full. But as for her pulse…” The Divine Physician sighed regretfully. “It’s a short-lived one.”

Zhu Yun immediately drew his sword. “I’ll cut down this quack!”

“Brother!”

Luo Yan had waited for them for a long time without their return, so she had followed. As she approached, the cold gleam of the sword made her turn her face away, both startled and frightened. “What are you doing?”

The Divine Physician smiled, took out a newly refined pill from his sleeve, and said to her, “Have this boy feed you some good elixirs to sustain your life. The rest is up to fate.”

While Luo Yan examined the porcelain bottle, the Divine Physician signaled Zhu Yun to come closer. Lowering his voice, he sighed, “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I’d never believe you’d turn out to be a romantic fool.”

Zhu Yun looked puzzled. “What are you talking about?”

“…Forget I said anything.” Having watched Zhu Yun grow up, and seeing how much he cared for the sickly girl, the Divine Physician added before leaving, “I studied physiognomy with our sect ancestor for two years, and this is the first time I’ve seen a face of great fortune paired with a short-lived pulse. Perhaps she’s a freak like you.”

Everyone thought Zhu Yun was dead, yet he stubbornly lived on. He could only hope the girl would have similar luck.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Yun ignored his sentimental musings. “Weren’t you the one who boasted about refining the best pills in the world? On the tenth of every month, send me a bottle.”

“?”

The Divine Physician was so angry his eyebrows and beard seemed to fly. “Why didn’t I just let Meng Jing strangle you back then?”

“Strangle me, and who would have saved you from Old Man Sun?” Zhu Yun smirked. “I’m leaving.”

The young man helped the little girl onto the horse’s back and rode away without looking back, leaving the Divine Physician with a silhouette that seemed familiar at first glance but, upon closer inspection, felt entirely unfamiliar.

Back then, he had merely taken pity on little Zhu Yun, offering a few words of advice when Meng Jing lost her temper and casually handing over a piece of cold, stiff flatbread.

Later, when he was repeatedly chased and beaten by his senior brother, that still-immature boy would draw his sword to buy him time.

Ah, well. What did a single bottle of medicine per month matter?

He was far more worried that if the little girl died young, Zhu Yun would truly be beyond saving.

–

Luo Yan was fascinated by the pale, frost-colored pills in the porcelain bottle. They carried a faint floral fragrance, and she couldn’t resist licking her lips. “Can I eat one?”

“…” Zhu Yun took the bottle from her, fed her one pill himself, and then tucked it into his sleeve to prevent her from mistaking them for candy and eating them all.

She closed her eyes, savoring the taste. “It’s actually quite sweet, like the flower pastries I’ve had before.”

Luo Yan must have overheard the Divine Physician’s remark about “keeping her alive,” yet her mood remained unaffected, clearly, she was accustomed to her condition.

Still, Zhu Yun wanted to offer some comfort. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he said lazily, “The old man and I go way back. He’s usually as stingy as they come, so if he’s willing to give you medicine, it must mean it’s the right treatment.”

“Really?” Luo Yan’s tone brightened. “I thought you two seemed like old acquaintances. So it’s thanks to you, A-Yun, that I met such a benefactor today.”

Zhu Yun breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He led her to the roadside, where they switched to a carriage and leisurely made their way toward Cold Plum Town.

This was, by all accounts, Luo Yan’s first long journey.

Through the carriage’s gauze curtains, she could see the ferry crossing and small boats. Boatmen shouted loudly, some ferrying passengers across the river, others carrying baskets of seasonal fruits drifting downstream from upriver.

“Yan Yan,” the youth lifted the carriage curtain. “What would you like to eat? I’ll buy some for you.”

Dressed in sleek black martial attire and a straw hat that revealed only the lower part of his face, he looked every bit the wandering hero. The townsfolk, unaccustomed to such figures, gave them a wide berth.

Not wanting to startle the passersby, Luo Yan declined, “No need. If Grandmother asks about it later, we won’t know what to say.”

Zhu Yun hummed in acknowledgment but didn’t lower the curtain. Instead, he tilted his head to speak with her. “Does your leg still hurt?”

Unused to riding, she had inevitably chafed her skin, but after applying ointment, it was likely healing, just like the wound on her neck.

The poisons and medicines of the martial world were truly remarkable.

Luo Yan shifted her cushion forward, closing the distance between them, and asked with suppressed laughter, “You’re not usually this attentive. Is the journey boring you?”

“Mmm…”

When they reached Cold Plum Town, they switched back to horseback, and Zhu Yun carried her up the mountain on his back to the farmer’s house. Without the carriage curtain between them, their expressions and tones were clearer, and he finally stopped forcing conversation.

The scenery along the way was familiar, and this time it was Luo Yan who couldn’t keep quiet.

She asked, “You specially sought someone to treat my illness, didn’t you? I could tell he struggled to make up that fortune-telling act, and he even checked my pulse.”

“Mmm,” Zhu Yun’s voice carried a hint of laughter. “He’s always loved putting on mystical airs.”

Touched, Luo Yan poked his cheek with her finger. “A-Yun, are you afraid I might suddenly die?”

Hearing this, he paused mid-step and looked into her eyes. “I hope you live a long, healthy life.”

His tone was soft and gentle, so unlike the Zhu Yun she knew, that Luo Yan was taken aback, wondering if it was a hallucination from the medicine.

Amused by her stunned expression, he chuckled. “Shouldn’t family stay together forever? And to be forever, you must live a long life.”

“Who said that?” She had already snapped out of her daze and teased, “Don’t you need to get married? Once married, it’s time to part ways.”

That was indeed the custom in Qingyuan Village.

Zhu Yun pondered along her line of thought: “Then let’s just not get married at all.”

“Ah?” She bit her lower lip, releasing it after a long pause, her tone tinged with confusion. “I haven’t thought that far ahead yet.”

He, however, remembered that couples could be buried together after death, which seemed even more enduring than living a hundred years. So he changed his tune: “You could marry me.”