The Eldest Brother is Handsome but Sick. - Chapter 9

In the front courtyard of the Qi Manor, the bruised and battered servants huddled together, trembling as they tried to sidle into the shadows to escape. However, just as they were about to successfully navigate around the flowerbeds and slip away, a cough echoed from the center of the yard.

The sound was barely audible, yet every servant and the bound Boss Qi shuddered in unison. Sitting nearby was the Old Mistress Qi, who, according to rumor, was bedridden with a grave illness.

“Senior Brother, the physician and Secretary Liu are ready.”

Lin Jiebai led a man out from the inner rooms. This man was also a physician, and he carried a dish containing medicinal dregs the remains of the very medicine the Old Mistress had supposedly taken.

“Now, the dregs and both copies of the prescription are here. To prevent Boss Qi from claiming Sansheng Hall is biased, I have invited an outside physician to examine them, alongside Secretary Liu from the magistrate’s office to serve as a witness.” Yan Jin turned and bowed slightly. “Thank you for your time, Secretary Liu.”

As he turned, Qi Wang was forced to look Secretary Liu in the eye. Still gagged, he could only let out a few muffled whimpers, pleading for the official to take his side.

“Official, my son was merely impulsive,” the Old Mistress pleaded, seeing the situation escalate. “I apologize to Physician Yan. Let’s just call it even and let my son go. It’s unseemly to keep him tied up like this.”

“Ahem.” Secretary Liu ignored her entirely, keeping his gaze steady and acting as if the courtyard full of people didn’t exist. He assumed a dignified air and cleared his throat for silence. “Are the herbs and dosages in these dregs identical to the prescription?”

The physician answered, “Exactly the same.”

Old Mistress Qi opened her mouth to protest, but a sharp glare from one of the hired thugs forced her to swallow her words.

Secretary Liu nodded. “Is this medicine appropriate for treating the Old Mistress’s ailments?”

The physician replied again, “It is an excellent remedy.”

Secretary Liu stroked his beard. “Then why did her condition worsen?”

The physician hesitated. Amidst Qi Wang’s increasingly frantic thrashing, he wore an expression of profound awkwardness. “Because… she was faking it.”

Secretary Liu let out a sharp, cold huff. The Old Mistress trembled in fear. “Why fake an illness? Speak the truth! Any concealment will result in immediate imprisonment pending trial.”

“We…” The Old Mistress stammered for a long while before finally blurting out, “To marry Dr. Xia… to marry Dr. Xia.” She added in a whisper, “We were doing it for her own good…”

“Nonsense! You were clearly kidnapping her!”

Once those words were out, the Old Mistress didn’t dare speak again. Qi Wang was sweating profusely but remained gagged. Every eye in the yard turned toward Xia Qingyan.

She stood behind Yan Jin, her hair disheveled from the earlier struggle. Her wooden hairpin hung precariously, ready to fall at any moment. Her exposed wrists and neck bore friction burns wounds sustained while resisting the bastard Qi Wang.

She kept her head low, her lips pressed tight, and her fingers death-gripped the hem of Yan Jin’s robe.

“Third Brother, take Qingyan to the carriage first.” Yan Jin’s brow furrowed. He turned to shield her from the crowd’s gaze, half-crouching to speak to her in a gentle tone. “Don’t be afraid. Go with Third Brother and wait for me. This will be over soon. Your Senior Brother has everything under control.”

Usually, Yan Jin refused to speak properly. His words would drift from the corner of his mouth like sun-withered willow catkins, light and airy. His tone was lazy and fragmented, often interrupted by half-yawned sighs. While his voice was always pleasant, one often felt he never truly kept anyone in his heart.

But now, there was no banter, no teasing. His voice was steady, clear, and cold. Serious.

Xia Qingyan’s eyes instantly brimmed with tears. She remembered four years ago, when Yan Jin first arrived at Sansheng Hall. He had held her hand just like this and said: “Don’t worry, your Senior Brother has everything under control. I won’t let you go hungry.”

Yan Jin had kept his word. Even when he left the clinic later, he had arranged everything in advance. Over the years, he had never rested; it was her own uselessness that prevented her from helping him.

“Senior Brother…” She sobbed twice, finally unable to hold back a soft cry.

Yan Jin ruffled her hair, sending the wooden pin askew. “Go on. I’ll be out in a moment.”

Soon, Lin Jiebai and Xia Qingyan departed, leaving behind a courtyard full of thugs and captives.

“Now that the truth is out, I don’t wish to cause trouble for the magistrate during the New Year. We can forgo a public trial, but I demand strict punishment for Qi Wang. According to the laws of our land, slander is subject to the ‘reciprocal punishment’ system. In this case, he should at least be detained and flogged.”

Yan Jin bowed again to Secretary Liu. “Furthermore, the claim that my Junior Sister’s prescription harmed someone has damaged her reputation. I ask that you issue a public notice to clarify the situation.”

“Physician Yan is far too polite.” Secretary Liu hurriedly helped him up. He noticed that even in this freezing winter, Yan Jin’s hands were burning with fever.

Secretary Liu’s expression shifted through several emotions before settling into a long sigh. “Putting aside your private friendship with my Master, I trust you based on the many good deeds of Sansheng Hall. Every village around Jingning is grateful to you. Rest assured, I will report this faithfully and ensure it is handled properly.”

Yan Jin breathed a sigh of relief. He was about to offer his thanks again when Secretary Liu added, “But kidnapping someone is a bit much. Don’t let it happen again.”

He was referring to the bound Qi Wang.

Yan Jin treated the warning like wind in his ears, grinning. “The roads are slippery; watch your step on the way out.”

“You and your glib tongue,” Secretary Liu laughed. “It’s lucky I was here today, or where would you find someone to hold the room for you? Did I play my part well just now? Was I imposing?”

“Yes, yes, thank you. I’ll visit you another day to show my gratitude properly. Now, hurry back; I still have things to do here.” Yan Jin pushed him toward the exit.

“Alright, alright! Don’t overdo it! Go back and rest soon, or it’ll be hard for the Magistrate to clean up the mess…” Before he could finish his nagging, the door was slammed in his face. Secretary Liu huffed and puffed, his beard twitching. “That little brat!”

On the other side of the door, Yan Jin felt a wave of dizziness from the exertion of slamming the gate. Karma truly comes fast, he thought.

He rubbed his temples and signaled the thugs to release Qi Wang. “Boss Qi, I hope there isn’t a next time.”

“Though I’ve been away from home for years, my words still carry weight. If you harass my Junior Sister again, whether or not I decide to go back and take over the Yan Family, and whether your Qi family continues to exist will depend entirely on my mood.”

He swept a cold gaze over everyone in the yard. “Govern yourselves accordingly.”

“Spread the word: Qi Wang broke into Sansheng Hall to make advances on me. He was beaten because he tried to take liberties with me; it has nothing to do with Dr. Xia.” Inside the carriage, where Xia Qingyan had cried herself to sleep, Yan Jin lowered his voice.

“Understood,” Lin Jiebai replied.

“It wasn’t convenient to do much with so many people watching. Find a quiet time tonight; hire some heavy-handed street thugs to give him a proper thrashing. Once the list of damages from Su Huai arrives, you oversee the collection. Not a single copper is to be missed.” Yan Jin draped his cloak over Xia Qingyan, his expression softening. “And buy some of those pastries she likes on the way.”

“Yes,” Lin Jiebai said. “I’ll handle the officials’ side as well.” He paused, his eyes crinkling. “Thank you, Senior Brother.”

Stunned by the rare gratitude, Yan Jin blinked and then laughed. “Don’t start with that…”

“Physician Yan is back!” “Quick, get ready!”

Sudden cheers erupted outside the carriage. Yan Jin cut his sentence short and lifted the curtain to look out.

He froze.

The once-vandalized Sansheng Hall had been cleaned until it looked exactly as it had before. In front of the doors stood a mountain of supplies that hadn’t been there earlier.

Flour, quilts, fish, pork even a box of pastries from the shop Yan Jin loved most.

Standing beside these gifts were the townspeople, all of whom Yan Jin recognized as patients he had treated over the years. The moment they saw him, they began waving their hands with joy.

“Physician Yan is back!” “We believe in you!” shouted the man who sold candied haws. “The brothers and sisters of Sansheng Hall are the best!” cried a child from the tea shop. “Dr. Xia’s skills are brilliant; she’s a wonderful person,” added Auntie Li, the roast goose vendor. “Everyone knows Sansheng Hall is poor. Forget a life, they couldn’t afford to pay for a broken jar! How could they ever try to harm someone?” joked Boss Chen.

A surge of indescribable warmth spread from Yan Jin’s heart. He lost his voice, simply staring at them. His nose stung, and his vision blurred with unshed tears.

In twenty-one years of transmigration, he had often felt he didn’t belong to the Yan family, nor to this world. He was an outsider who didn’t know how long he had left to live, wandering without ties.

But in this moment, he felt a thread a strong, sturdy line that anchored his floating feet firmly to the earth.

Suddenly, a hand was extended toward him.

Yan Jin blinked and looked up. The sun was shining perfectly.

Su Huai rarely smiled, but now, bathed in the sunlight, his smile was as warm as spring water. A gentle crinkle appeared at the corners of his eyes, and his gaze was soft and steady.

He said, “Come. Let’s go home.”