Chapter 679 - 351: Yun Ying’s Trouble

Chapter 679: Chapter 351: Yun Ying’s Trouble

Yun Ying finished her cucumber, went to the well to scoop some water and wash her hands, and said to Juhua, "I was planning to eat at Wan’er’s—she’d made so many dishes, and they were all my favorites. But Li Changyu had a classmate over, surnamed Chen. He was so annoying, asking me all sorts of questions. I couldn’t be bothered with him, so I just told Wan’er I still had to take your pulse and came back first."

Juhua guessed she was likely talking about Chen Yu, the young master of the Chen Family, and asked in surprise, "If Changyu’s classmate is visiting, shouldn’t Changyu be entertaining him? You and Wan’er should have been in the inner courtyard. How did you run into him?"

Yun Ying pouted. "We ran into each other at the gate first. He must have asked Li Changyu about me, and when he found out I was a doctor, he had him make an introduction. After we met, he told me his mother has a chronic illness and wanted me to visit the Chen Family to take a look. I figured I had to go to the apothecary in the market one of these days anyway, so I agreed. But who knew he’d then start pestering me with a bunch of nonsense? His eyes were wandering all over the place, too. It was infuriating, so I left. Hmph, I’ll just have my senior brother go to their house instead."

Juhua was stunned, then looked Yun Ying up and down. She was back in women’s clothing now—a light green, floral-patterned tunic and trousers, her hair in a simple bun secured with a green jade hairpin. With sparkling, almond-shaped eyes and lips like budding petals, she carried herself with the infinite grace of a tender lotus swaying in the breeze. Juhua couldn’t help but chuckle.

Yun Ying asked, baffled, "What are you laughing at? Did I say something wrong?"

Juhua shook her head, smiling. "How could you be wrong? As a gentleman, he certainly shouldn’t have acted that way. Doesn’t he know it’s improper to stare? Still, Miss Yun, you can’t really blame people for reacting that way. It’s your own fault for being so beautiful! If you keep going out to treat patients looking like this, you’re bound to attract trouble sooner or later."

Yun Ying looked at the veil on Juhua’s face and said sullenly, "Maybe I should take a page out of your book and get a veil to wear tomorrow. Honestly, your face is completely fine now, but you still wear that blasted thing. I guess it does save a lot of trouble, though."

Juhua said, "When I wear one, people don’t give it a second thought—after all, I have a reputation for being ugly. But if you wear one, people will only become more curious about the face underneath. They’ll wonder just how beautiful a woman must be to have to hide her face like that." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ

Yun Ying’s brow furrowed. "Hmph! I’m no pushover," she said coldly. "I’ve traveled all over with my father. Do you think I could have survived this long without knowing a few moves for self-defense?"

Juhua sighed, pulling her to sit down. "Still, you can’t let your guard down," she said softly. "You’re just too eye-catching. Yun Ying, I don’t mean to pry, but we’re good friends now, and I can see you’ve been in better spirits lately. So... are you just going to continue on with Doctor Qin as if nothing’s wrong?"

At her words, the lighthearted look on Yun Ying’s face fell. Her smile vanished, and she was silent for a long moment before saying, "I don’t know. I don’t even know what happened between us. It’s like... the incident is over, nobody mentions it, you don’t blame me... but my senior brother and I can’t go back to the way we were."

Juhua shook her head. "That’s because you still haven’t resolved things in your heart. If you had truly let it all go, it wouldn’t be like this. You should talk to your senior brother when you have a chance. No matter what, you’ve known each other as apprentices for years. If something is on your mind, shouldn’t you talk to him about it? Sometimes, there’s only a paper-thin wall between two people. Once you poke a hole in it, everything becomes clear."

Yun Ying fidgeted with her fingers, saying nothing. Hulu was waving his little arms frantically in front of her, but she didn’t even notice.

Juhua continued, "You are both outstanding people. You’ll draw attention wherever you go. If you two remain at this stalemate, others will try to take advantage of the opening. Take Mr. Chen today, for example. He’s clearly taken an interest in you. Even if you don’t like him, tomorrow it could be Young Master Ma, and the day after, Young Master Zhang. As long as you remain unmarried, the trouble will never end. I’m sure it’s the same for your senior brother."

Upon hearing this, Yun Ying looked up at Juhua and asked quietly, "Have you... ever liked my senior brother?"

Juhua nearly choked. She stared at Yun Ying, exasperated, but seeing the serious look on her face, she thought for a moment before replying, "Liking—or loving—someone isn’t that simple. You and your senior brother developed those feelings after many years together. My feelings for Huai Zi didn’t just appear overnight, either. So, while it’s true that you and your senior brother are both remarkable people who are well-liked by everyone you meet, that’s not love. It’s missing a deep, mutual understanding. Think about it: if you don’t have that understanding, what will happen when you meet someone else just as remarkable as the two of you? What if you meet someone even more remarkable? Would you just fall for every new person you meet? How would that be any different from choosing someone based on their wealth, power, or looks?"