Beauty and the Bodyguard

“No……” Xuemin said, shaking his head. “Eastern medicine truly does stretch deep…… I’ve learned something quite significant today- ordinary herbs and medicine, mixed together to create such an extraordinary effect…...I’m not quite familiar with how this prescription works yet, but you are living proof of its authenticity.”

“So it’s completely safe to use?” Huaijun had used the prescription without so much as a shred of doubt, due completely to his trust in Lin Yi- the guy was someone he had entrusted his life with in the warzones, after all. There was no way he’d do anything to harm him.

But Xuemin’s acknowledgement of the prescription stunned Huaijun as well- the man’s words cemented Lin Yi’s medicine as nothing short of extraordinary.

“Naturally, of course. This man who gave you the prescription, I take it he’s a renowned man in the medical world……” Xuemin said. “Well, I’m not trying to get his name or anything of the sort, though I’d very much like to meet him- I’d want to learn from some of his ways, if possible……”

“Ah…… Grandpa Guan, I’ll make sure to convey your intentions to him the next time I see him, but……” Huaijun said slowly.

“I understand, it’s fine if it’s a one sided wish. Haha…… I’m quite self-aware- after all, he’s a miracle doctor, that friend of yours……” Xuemin said understandingly.

Miracle doctor? Huaijun couldn’t believe what he was hearing- did Guan Xuemin just call Lin Yi a miracle doctor? He’d known that Lin Yi was a miracle soldier, an absolute asura in the warzones, but a miracle doctor on top of that..? The prescription he’d gotten from back home did have good results, but giving Lin Yi the image of a miracle doctor might be a bit of a stretch here……

“Sure thing…… I’ll make sure to tell him……” Huaijun said with a nod- there wasn’t much else for him to say.

“That’s good. You’re looking a lot better now, Yang- your friend’s prescription is clearly working. The way things are, it shouldn’t be a problem for you to keep holding on, provided that your body doesn’t start developing any drug resistance.” Guan Xuemin had been observing Huaijun ever since the guy had entered the villa. The ‘sight’ aspect in Eastern medicine was exactly that, where they observe the gaze, state, physique, mind, and tongue of the patient. These observations allowed the doctors to determine the state of the patient’s organs, gradually grasping the internal anatomy and then the outer features, namely the face, tongue, and organs. This was done through an amassing of practical experience, and the intimate connections the variety of body parts have with each other.

A change in the Yinyang state of the organs, for example, would most certainly translate into an external change. As was written in “Lingshu - Benzhang Pian”: “Observe external reactions- through that may you understand the organs within, and in turn, centralize the source of the illness.”

The first-generation miracle doctor, Bian Que, for example, was one such man who’d used ‘sight’ on Duke Huan of Cai, turning around and leaving after one look at the duke- it only meant that there was no saving the duke anymore, at that point. (http://uk.ukec.com/index.php/menutop/life-in-the-uk-zh-cn/hiding-ones-sickness-for-fear-of-treatment/) (did some research- go to this link if youre interested in the duke)

Guan Xuemin wasn’t at Bian Que’s level yet, but noticing Huaijun’s improved state was not beyond his capabilities.

“So I don’t need the sedative painkillers anymore?” Huaijun asked, not expecting the pleasant surprise from his mysterious captain.

“Of course- you won’t be needing any acupuncture anymore, as well.” Xuemin said. “The acupuncture I’ve been giving you was just to stimulate your nerves and freshen your mind a bit, softening the damage the painkillers were causing your nerves. That won’t be necessary anymore- you’re looking fine now, and you won’t be needing me any longer……”

“Grandpa Guan, that’s not what I meant……” Huaijun said, panicking a little. “My friend’s prescription, it’s……”

Huaijun wasn’t sure what to say! He didn’t know how well Xuemin would take to his sudden transition to Lin Yi’s prescription- the guy had been taking care of him all this time, after all. He hadn’t even informed Xuemin beforehand, and that implied that Huaijun wasn’t completely trusting of the doctor…… The person who gave him the prescription, at the same time, wasn’t someone he could just reject, either!

After all, he was still closer to Lin Yi than he was to Xuemin!

“Haha, Yang, what’re you panicking like that for? I’m but joyed that you found a better doctor to treat you, a miracle doctor, at that. It’s true that there’s no need for me to give you acupuncture anymore.” Xuemin reassured, clearly understanding what Huaijun was worrying about. “And I’ve said it before, haven’t I? I can only be fortunate to be able to meet a doctor of that calibre- I’m but an apprentice before him! You worry too much, Yang.”

“I see…… I guess I am……” Huaijun said, letting out a sigh of relief. “Grandpa Guan, I’ll be sure to mention your wishes to my friend, but I won’t be able to guarantee anything……”

“Of course, of course.” Xuemin said with a nod. “Yang, do drop by and pay this old man a visit once in a while, even if we won’t be having any sessions anymore. You’ve been coming by so often that it’ll be a bit hard adapting to your abrupt absence.”

“Don’t worry, Grandpa Guan- I’ll drop by when I have the time.” Huaijun promised.

Huaijun decided to pay Lin Yi a visit as he exited the villa- he wanted to tell him of Xuemin’s intentions, and inform him that he’d shared the prescription with him.

It was morning when Lin Yi cooked up some fried rice from the food he’d brought back from the banquet yesterday. He left the rest of the food for Mengyao and Yushu after taking a bite himself.

He then returned to his room to pack up the medicine he’d prepared for Huaijun, thinking of getting it to him today……

Mengyao left Lin Yi alone today as well, surprisingly minding her own business as she ate the fried rice he’d made, her small face a little red as she put a spoon of it into her mouth. Lin Yi, on the other hand, wondered if the Miss had adjusted her plans, employing some other method of getting him fired.

There’d been a little incident between the two of them before, too…… The girl had drank from a bottle he drank from, and while it mattered little to Lin Yi, it was a different case when the receiving party was a girl who’d never even had a boyfriend before……

It was also why Lin Yi didn’t mind Mengyao glaring at her and venting her frustrations out on him all the time. Yushu, however, was a bystander, and his relationship with her was fundamentally different because of that.

“Aren’t you eating, Lin Yi?” Mengyao asked as she saw Lin Yi come out of his room.

“I’ve eaten, you guys help yourselves.” Lin Yi said, wearing the school uniform again.

“Oh. Why’re you wearing the uniform again, where are the clothes I bought you yesterday?” Mengyao asked with a frown- the school didn’t enforce the dress code since they were all high schoolers already, and anyone with a well-off family background would go to school in their casual clothes……

There were, of course, people like Tang Yin, who came from poorer family backgrounds… Yet even a school uniform wasn’t enough to suppress Tang Yin’s natural beauty, granting her the title of commoner beauty- famous enough to even reach Mengyao and Yushu’s ears… The girl was sharing the title of school beauty with them, after all.

*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes

*[12.47 to 13.07]: don't ask me about the tree sap