From that day on, whenever Luo Yuan had free time, he would visit the clinic. Sometimes he brought Yuan Xi the latest medical books, filled with his notes, and other times he simply sat there, watching her bustle around, tending to patients. Occasionally, when they encountered difficult patients, he would step in to help mediate.
A few days later, Doctor Li informed Yuan Xi that she was ready to start diagnosing simpler cases on her own. He promised to pay her a monthly salary based on a portion of her consultation fees. Upon receiving her first advance payment, Yuan Xi was ecstatic, her face glowing with excitement. This was the first time she had earned money with her own hands. Since the medical books Luo Yuan had given her were of great help, she decided to treat him to a meal to thank and celebrate.
Luo Yuan gladly accepted. Yuan Xi, though she wanted to treat him, could only afford a small stall in an alley due to her limited funds and fear of being recognized in larger establishments.
They ordered a few simple dishes and chatted as they ate. Luo Yuan seemed to be in high spirits and ordered a pot of wine, slowly sipping it. Yuan Xi, unable to handle alcohol, just nibbled on the dishes, watching him drink. By the time they finished their meal, it was already dusk, and the lanterns under the eaves were starting to light up, casting a warm glow on the two of them walking side by side. Luo Yuan, slightly tipsy, looked down at their overlapping shadows, feeling a soft breeze carrying a sweet scent. His heart felt a gentle sweep of emotion, and he suddenly had the urge to hold her hand.
The thought was fleeting, but it made him smile. Just then, a group of children, about ten years old, ran past them, laughing and playing. Yuan Xi, hearing their joyous laughter, felt a sharp pain in her heart. She walked a few steps in a daze before suddenly panicking and clutching her waist, exclaiming, “My bracelet! My bracelet is missing!”
Luo Yuan immediately sobered up, realizing that the group of children were likely pickpockets operating in the dark alleys. He quickly turned to chase after them, but the winding alleys made it impossible to find them.
When Luo Yuan returned, looking defeated, Yuan Xi was anxiously standing where he left her, praying silently. At the sound of his approaching footsteps, hope flared in her eyes, only to dim again when she saw his expression. Overcome with regret, she hugged her knees and buried her head in her arms, sobbing, “It’s all my fault… why was I so careless? Why was I so careless…”
The jade bracelet had been a special gift from Xiao Du, who had personally placed it on her wrist. She treasured it dearly. When she left home, she didn’t dare take anything else, just this bracelet. Because she did rough work every day, she was afraid of damaging it, so she carefully wrapped it in a cloth and kept it close to her waist. Who knew it would be stolen today when she let her guard down?
Seeing her shaking with sobs, Luo Yuan couldn’t help but ask, “What kind of bracelet was it? Was it very important? I could buy you another one.”
Yuan Xi slowly lifted her head, her eyes empty. The bracelet he gave her was gone, along with their last shared memory. How could she get through the rest of her life without it? How could she endure those long, painful nights of longing for him?
All the suppressed emotions burst forth in that moment. A whirlpool of longing overwhelmed her, tearing at what she thought were healed wounds, reopening them until they bled. She opened her mouth but couldn’t speak, the pain too great. She just covered her face and cried, gasping for breath.
Luo Yuan walked over and squatted beside her. He had understood everything. Hiding his sorrow, he gently said, “If you miss him so much, why don’t you go back to him?”
Yuan Xi, sitting on the ground, hugging her knees, cried like a helpless child, shaking her head wildly and sobbing, “No, I can’t go back to him. They want to harm him. I can’t let them succeed. He can’t be without a child. Do you understand? He can’t be without a child.”
Luo Yuan’s hand hovered just an inch away from her hair as if caressing her head and cheek through the air. He understood all too well: the agony of unrequited love, the heartache of yearning while forcing oneself to stay away, and the countless nights of longing that made even a distant glance feel like a luxury.
Night had fallen completely, the cold moonlight illuminating their two figures in the dark alley—one crying inconsolably with her head down, the other squatting beside her, watching her silently with focused eyes. Luo Yuan’s hand remained suspended in the air, feeling the cold wind slip through his fingers. Finally, he fully woke from his reverie, bitterly lowering his head and silently vowing, “Wan Wan, don’t worry. I won’t let you suffer like this anymore. At least one of us should find happiness.”
The next day, at the break of dawn, a carriage sped down the main street, the bells on its roof jingling as it came to a halt in a small alley facing the main entrance of the Huichun Clinic.
A large hand lifted the curtain, and a voice from inside, barely able to contain its excitement, asked, “Is this the place?”
Another voice replied, “Mr. Luo said it’s this Huichun Clinic. Your Highness, don’t worry. Once they open, you should be able to see Madam.”
Xiao Du responded with a heavy “Mm,” and every moment after that became agonizing. Finally, smoke began to rise from the rooftops along the street, and the clinic doors creaked open. Xiao Du quickly lifted the curtain, his eyes fixed on the busy figure inside the door, clenching his teeth as he thought: How could she live so easily and freely without him? Meanwhile, he had been suffering day and night, yearning to erase every memory of her just for a moment of peace.
With a stern expression, he stepped out of the carriage and strode towards the clinic. His servant, Xiao Chun, started to follow but was stopped by Xiao Du’s fierce glare and had to retreat into the carriage.
Yuan Xi, who had barely slept the previous night, was still in a daze. She sat dejectedly beside Doctor Li, mindlessly sorting through a stack of medical records. Suddenly, a cold voice said, “Who is the doctor here?”
She froze, her heart pounding as if it would burst from her chest, suspecting that her longing had driven her to hallucinate. She quickly looked up. To her astonishment, the person who had appeared in her dreams countless times was standing right in front of her. Yuan Xi was completely stunned, her eyes wide with disbelief.
In just half a month, he seemed to have aged so much. Xiao Du had lost a lot of weight, his face covered with stubble, his eyes sunken, and the usual brightness in his eyes was gone. Now, those eyes were glaring at her with such intensity that she felt utterly exposed.
Yuan Xi, filled with panic and heartache, didn’t know what to do. She just kept lowering her head, wishing she could bury herself in the stack of papers and never come out.
Doctor Li, seeing the noble air and unfriendly expression of this visitor, felt a bit uneasy. He quickly put on a smile and said, “I am the doctor. May I ask what ailment you have, sir?”
Xiao Du sat down at the table, his eyes never leaving the cowering Yuan Xi, and coldly said, “Lovesickness.”
Doctor Li’s expression turned sour as he thought: This nobleman looks dignified but seems to have lost his mind. He cleared his throat, trying to keep his expression neutral, and continued to smile, “This… our humble clinic cannot treat such an ailment. Perhaps you should try another clinic.”
Xiao Du raised his chin slightly and pointed to Yuan Xi, who was desperately trying to hide her face with a sheet of paper, nearly curling into a ball. “I want her to treat it!”
Doctor Li turned in surprise to look at Yuan Xi, dressed in male attire, then back at Xiao Du. Finally, he realized why this nobleman seemed off since entering. The revelation struck him: No wonder the gentleman’s behavior was odd; it was all about this person!