BSI Chapter 68 Clouds Think of Clothes, Flowers Think of Faces
Chapter 68 Clouds Think of Clothes, Flowers Think of Faces
Chang Le bent down, gently approaching the bamboo tray, her eyes lowered as she carefully examined the robust medicinal herbs. Her fingertips curled slightly, as if she wanted to touch them but dared not. She asked softly, "Are all of these for Mother's treatment?"
"Yes, and this piece of Poria cocos." Wang Zhihuan picked up the Poria cocos piece from the stone table, his voice softening. "This can be stewed into soup. It's good for the spleen and stomach, and its medicinal properties are mild, making it perfect for slow and gentle conditioning."
Chang Le looked up at him. Sunlight fell on his handsome profile, his eyes were gentle, and he exuded a sense of stability and peace.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her eyes, a faint blush rising to the tips of her ears. She clenched the hem of her skirt with her fingertips and whispered, "That's good. With you here, my mother's illness finally has hope."
She wanted to say a few more words of gratitude, but was interrupted by the baby's cries.
The little girl squatted on the ground, hugged Ah Huang's head, and looked up at him, calling out, "Brother! Ah Huang is good! It's not chewing on the shoes anymore! Praise it!"
Wang Zhi turned his head and couldn't help but laugh—Ah Huang wasn't being well-behaved at all; he was busy munching on the poria cocos he had placed on the ground and had no time to pay attention to Hua Hua, let alone be mischievous.
He responded gently, echoing the little girl's words, "Yes, Sizi is right, Ah Huang is the best behaved."
Chang Le pursed her lips, suppressing a smile, composed herself, and spoke with a more serious tone: "Young Master Wang, I have come today to ask you for another request."
My mother recently drank your herbal tea, and she hasn't had a cough or wheezing attack for the past six months. Her energy levels are much higher than in previous years.
She paused, looked up at Wang Zhihuan, her eyes filled with genuine gratitude, and unconsciously twisted the hem of her skirt as she spoke: "My father has consulted countless famous doctors, even the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau have come to treat him, but he has never been so at ease."
My father said, "You are a truly capable person. I would like to bring my mother back to the farm so that you can take her pulse in person. I wonder if this will be too much of a bother for you?"
"It's only right, no trouble at all." Wang Zhi nodded in agreement without even thinking. "Follow-up visits require face-to-face observation, listening, questioning, and palpation. Mr. and Mrs. Li can come anytime, just let me know in advance, and I'll prepare the prescription for them."
Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Chang Le's anxiety vanished instantly, and a faint smile appeared on her lips, as gentle and captivating as a spring breeze caressing a lake.
She bowed slightly, her manners impeccable, and said softly, "Thank you, my lord. I will inform my parents as soon as I return."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Sizi came running back on her short legs, tugging at Wang Zhihuan's clothes, tilting her little face up, her eyes wide open, and asking in her childish voice:
"Pretty pot, are these dark chunks going to be stewed with meat? I want some too, but I'll only have a tiny sip, just a tiny sip—"
As she spoke, she stretched out a thin little finger, making a tiny gesture, her little face full of longing.
"This is medicine to treat your mother's illness. You can't take too much," Wang Zhihuan said patiently, squatting down to look her in the eye.
Sizi pouted, her eyes slightly red, but she still nodded sensibly and whispered, "Then Sizi won't eat it. I'll use it to cure Mother's illness. When Mother gets better, she can fly kites with Sizi."
She paused, then seemed to remember something. She gently shook Wang Zhihuan's sleeve with her small hand, her voice as soft as cotton: "Brother, when you stew it, put less salt in it. Mother is afraid of saltiness; she even puts honey in her medicine, okay?
Seeing her earnest and earnest expression as she gave him instructions, Wang Zhihuan's heart melted. He held up his little finger and said, "Okay, I promise you, I'll put less salt in. Pinky promise."
"Pinky promise, never to change for a hundred years!" Si Zi immediately grinned, stretched out her chubby little finger, hooked it tightly around his finger, and shook it vigorously. Her little face was full of happiness, and her dimples were showing.
Chang Le stood to the side, quietly watching this scene. Sunlight shone on the two of them, warm and serene.
As she watched Wang Zhihuan squat down and patiently play with Sizi, his gentle eyes showing no sign of impatience, a faint feeling welled up in her heart again.
As Wang Zhihuan stood up, his gaze inadvertently swept across Chang Le's face, and he immediately noticed the faint dark circles under her eyes.
It's likely that the daily routine is filled with trivial matters, causing restless sleep and a weak spleen and stomach, which leads to poor complexion.
He turned around, picked out a few pieces of dried Poria cocos, wrapped them in a clean linen cloth, and handed them to Chang Le. His tone seemed calm, but it revealed his thoughtfulness.
"You don't sleep well and you're prone to coughing during seasonal changes, which indicates a weak spleen and stomach. Take these Poria cocos tablets home, add some red dates, boil them in water, and drink a cup before bed; it will calm your nerves."
He paused, looking at her slightly reddened earlobes, and lowered his voice even further: "Don't stay up too late at night, worry less about trivial matters, and get some rest. It's more effective than any tonic."
These few words, like a warm current, instantly flowed into Chang Le's heart.
She never told anyone that she couldn't sleep well or had many worries, but he saw through it all at a glance and still cared for her in such a subtle way.
There were no direct words of comfort, but every gesture revealed meticulous care and consideration.
She reached out and took the cloth bag, her fingertips accidentally brushing against his fingers. She trembled slightly, quickly withdrew her hand, and hugged the bag tightly to her chest. Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she lowered her eyes, not daring to look into his eyes.
Wang Zhihai looked at the girl's lowered eyes. The evening breeze happened to blow by, stirring a wisp of hair at her temple. The afterglow of the setting sun fell on her profile, gilding the blush with a very faint warm gold.
She stood under the jujube tree, with dappled shadows of leaves and medicinal herbs spread out on the stone table behind her. She wore a light blue silk skirt and a plain silver hairpin. There was not a trace of makeup on her body, yet she was so elegant that it was impossible to look away.
A thought flickered in his mind, and a sentence naturally came to mind. He read it aloud almost without thinking.
"Clouds resemble her clothes, flowers resemble her face; the spring breeze caresses the balustrade, and the dew is heavy."
"If we don't meet atop Mount Qunyu, we'll meet beneath the moon on the Jade Terrace."
Chang Le's body trembled slightly.
She looked up and met his gaze.
Those eyes were very clear, without any deliberate flattery or literary affectation; they simply looked at her quietly, revealing their thoughts naturally through their talent.
It felt as if something had gently bumped into her heart, and a warm joy welled up from her chest, mixed with an indescribable mix of panic and sweetness, all rushing to her ears.
She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.
It wasn't that she didn't want to respond, but she was afraid that if she uttered a sound, the trembling at the end of her voice would reveal all her thoughts at that moment.
She had no choice but to lower her head again, her fingers clenching the cloth bag in her arms, her knuckles turning slightly white.
Sizi looked up at Wang Zhihuan, then at her older sister, tugged at Chang Le's sleeve, and asked in a childish voice, "Big sister, what is Guoguo saying? Is he praising you?"
Chang Le opened her mouth, her throat tightening slightly, and after a long while, she whispered, "Mm."
"Big sister, what's wrong? Your face is so red! Are you sick? Do you need some medicine?" Sizi tilted her head, looking innocent.