RIIDMDR chapter 94

 

The next morning, Nan Xu didn’t see any sign of Zhixing. He wondered if something had gone wrong. After almost finishing breakfast, he went to Zhixing’s door. He gently knocked and stood quietly in front of it, waiting.

After a few seconds of silence, footsteps approached from a distance. It seemed as if Zhixing had walked to the door, but for some reason, he stopped moving. Nan Xu didn’t rush him. Since he had heard footsteps, he knew that Zhixing had already regained the ability to take human form, which reassured him somewhat.

Half a minute later, the door opened and Zhixing’s pale, clean face appeared. His bangs hung slightly over his forehead, and his soft hair was messily piled atop his head. When he looked up at Nan Xu, his expression seemed a bit unnatural.

Nan Xu glanced him up and down. Other than his hair being messier than usual, he looked the same. He smiled and asked, “You’re fine now, right?”

Zhixing nodded lightly. “I’m fine. I transformed back into human form by midnight.”

“That’s good,” Nan Xu said. He had only come to check on Zhixing. Now that he saw that Zhixing was fine, Nan Xu added, “Then go on and rest. Breakfast isn’t ready yet.”

After recovering last night, Zhixing lay in bed, replaying over and over again how he had reverted to his original form because of a bucket of hot water. He felt utterly humiliated. His loss of control over his spiritual power due to emotional fluctuation was akin to a child wetting the bed after outgrowing infancy.

He had been pulling at his hair all night. He had actually woken up early that morning, but he didn’t dare step out of the room because he was embarrassed. If the owner hadn’t come, he didn’t know how long he would’ve waited.

“I’ve already rested enough,” Zhixing said.

As he spoke, he was about to head out. His courage was high—if he didn’t take this step now, it would only be harder to convince himself to leave later in the day.

Zhixing moved quickly, hurrying through the room as if it were an enormous prison behind him. He pressed his lips tightly together, trying to hide his discomfort. Nan Xu found this amusing and stepped aside to return to the kitchen.

Tingchuan had taken the little chick into the mountains. After circling around, he returned with a branch for Nan Xu. It bore many small red berries, each about the size of a fingertip. He knew they weren’t poisonous, but he wasn’t particularly interested in them himself. He thought Nan Xu might like them, so he broke off a sprig.

Nan Xu examined the branch carefully and identified it. “Seems like cornelian cherry.”

Since it was something familiar, Nan Xu likely had a use for it. Tingchuan didn’t pry further. He was just about to wash his hands in the courtyard when Nan Xu said, “These fruits are quite astringent[mfn]Astringent is a flavor that is described as having a dry, puckering, and slightly bitter taste that makes your mouth feel tight or rough. It’s not sour or spicy; rather, it feels as if your mouth is losing moisture. It’s similar to the taste of strong black or green tea.[/mfn], though. They can be used to make wine, though. I’ll soak some in wine and drink with you later.”

Tingchuan was accustomed to bringing back new things for Nan Xu. Sharing them wasn’t an issue. He nodded and casually asked, “Does soaking them in wine make it taste better?”

Nan Xu replied, “It’s hard to say about taste, but cornelian cherry wine nourishes the body and strengthens yang energy. It’s good for vitality.”

Tingchuan paused mid-step and turned to look at Nan Xu.

Nan Xu looked back at him with clear, innocent eyes.

Tingchuan suddenly let out an exasperated laugh, said nothing more, and continued toward the courtyard.

—

When Nan Xu brought breakfast to the table, the two deer demon guests came downstairs. Instinctively, Nan Xu glanced at the younger deer demon. The dark circles under his eyes weren’t as pronounced, though he still gave off a somber air. After last night, Nan Xu understood that the little deer wasn’t uninterested in the world. Rather, he was overly sensitive and used this attitude as a shield against external attacks.

In truth, however, the outside world wouldn’t necessarily harm him. Rather, it was his own sensitivity behind that wall that wounded him the most. As long as he kept up that barrier, no one could help him.

Nan Xu’s gaze lingered on the young deer demon for only a second or two before the deer looked back at him. Nan Xu met his gaze calmly, wearing his usual gentle smile.

The older deer demon noticed nothing strange. Looking around and not seeing Zhixing, he was just about to ask when Zhixing came in, holding a shovel and a watering pot.

Zhixing had heard the commotion last night, but at the time, he was still a hedgehog unable to take human form. Truthfully, he’d felt a bit nervous, but he trusted that the owner wouldn’t embarrass him in front of others—and indeed, Nan Xu hadn’t.

“Doctor Zhixing,” the elder deer called out.

Holding his tools, Zhixing nodded at him. Seeing that Nan Xu had set out breakfast, Zhixing said, “Let’s eat first. I’ll examine him afterward.”

The elder deer felt his worries lift now that he saw Zhixing in person. Smiling broadly, he moved as if to take Zhixing’s tools.

Zhixing had encountered many anxious family members in his travels, but he still wasn’t accustomed to such enthusiasm. He stepped aside to avoid the gesture, pressed his lips together, and went to the well to wash his hands.

The elder deer froze in midair. His excitement cooled slightly after being avoided, though his smile remained wide.

Although some demons in the realm understood pharmacology, very few could actually heal. Doctors were rare, especially ones like the Bai Clan of Western Mountain, whose bloodline carried innate medical talent. Unfortunately, spiritual energy had become scarce, and the Bai Clan hadn’t practiced medicine on demons for nearly a thousand years. Zhixing, a doctor born within the last thousand years, had only briefly traveled to heal others over two hundred years ago. His name vanished after he nearly lost his life saving Elder Jingyuan.

The Deer Clan sought many doctors for the young one’s illness, but to no avail. The young deer became increasingly withdrawn through the endless failed treatments. Antlers were a symbol of pride for their kind. Without the family’s love and protection, a deer demon unable to grow antlers would surely be mocked.

Now, with word that Doctor Zhixing had agreed to treat the young deer, his family didn’t dare waste a moment. They hastily prepared everything and urged the two to come immediately. Such great joy rendered even a slight rebuff meaningless. Even if Zhixing had spoken coldly, they still would have smiled in gratitude.

The young deer demon stood and watched his third brother awkwardly pull back his hand. His lashes trembled twice before his gaze fell; his thoughts were unknown.

After pausing, the elder deer smiled warmly again and told his brother, still excited, “Little one, you’ll be better soon.”

“So many doctors couldn’t heal me, so why do you keep humbling yourself? And why does he need to make an excuse about breakfast?” The young deer’s voice was quiet but full of resentment. He glanced at Zhixing, who was washing his hands with soap, but didn’t finish his thought.

His meaning was clear—he thought Zhixing was stalling and not being sincere. After all, why would a demon need breakfast? The letter had spoken of noble dedication, but in person, he seemed perfunctory.

The elder deer’s smile gradually faded. He looked seriously at his brother. The image of his once-lively little brother was still vivid in his mind. When had it started? The first mockery? The first failed treatment? Somewhere along the line, his brother had become bitter and world-weary.

He knew his brother’s confidence had crumbled bit by bit, but doubting the doctor like this was truly disrespectful. Sternly, he said, “Doctor Zhixing is exceptionally gifted. You should be grateful for this opportunity instead of making groundless judgments. What do you mean by ‘humbling myself’? I’m your brother. Of course I’m happy you have a chance to be cured.”

The young man turned away, refusing to speak.

Their conversation carried clearly through the courtyard. Zhixing paused in his movements. He hadn’t expected his earlier comment about eating first to be misinterpreted. Feeling awkward, he instinctively looked toward Nan Xu. Nan Xu and Senior Tingchuan were already seated at the table, serving porridge into bowls for all four of them.

Sensing Zhixing’s gaze, Nan Xu looked up and smiled. Acting as if he hadn’t heard the deer brothers’ exchange, he told the elder deer, “Breakfast is included in your lodging. Yours is on the table inside. The menu is written on the blackboard in the main hall. You can order lunch and dinner in advance.”

His tone was calm and unhurried, loud enough for the younger deer to hear clearly. Who said demons couldn’t have three meals a day? Eating regularly was good for the stomach.

Then, Nan Xu looked at the young deer again. He didn’t dislike him. Even grown adults could fall into despair from a long illness. It wasn’t strange for the young deer to be the way he was. Still, Nan Xu couldn’t help but defend his own. “Two hundred years ago, Zhixing risked his life to heal others. It’s unbecoming of a gentleman to doubt his integrity so easily.”

The elder deer sensed the tension in the air and felt embarrassed. He gave Zhixing an apologetic smile, thanked Nan Xu, apologized again, and quickly led his brother toward the main hall.

Breakfast at the inn was usually simple. Nan Xu was the only one who truly needed to eat, but Zhixing and Tingchuan had formed the habit of eating there too since they’d stayed long. Besides, Nan Xu’s cooking carried pure spiritual energy that made eating especially pleasant. Unless something urgent came up, they never skipped it.

On the table in the hall were two bowls of porridge, a plate of vegetable buns, and two side dishes—simple yet refreshingly neat.

The elder brother pulled his brother down to sit, lowered his voice, and said, “The treatment hasn’t even started yet, and you’re already offending the doctor. He’s a Bai Clan doctor from Western Mountain—others might not get such a chance for centuries. Why be so sensitive? Do you really want to spend the rest of your life bald?”

The young deer knew the opportunity was rare, but he was deeply disappointed by this morning’s events. Yet, when the owner spoke just now, he recalled that familiar rumor. Had he been mistaken?

His tone softened, though he didn’t show it. After a long silence under his brother’s gaze, he muttered, “I’ve never heard of demons eating breakfast.”

The elder deer hadn’t either, but that wasn’t the point. The point was his brother’s stubbornness, which would only offend others. He stared for a while, then sighed and pushed the dishes toward his brother. “Be good. Eat first.”

The young deer looked down. The food before him was quite novel. Some deer demons did cook, boiling greens and plants. The texture was mushy and the flavor was bland.

But the inn’s side dishes had an unfamiliar fragrance, and the soft golden buns looked inviting. He suppressed his awkwardness, picked one up, and sniffed it. He could faintly smell greens.

He took a bite, revealing the pale green filling inside. It really was vegetables—chopped finely and mixed with mountain mushrooms and spices. The pale golden skin was soft and sweetly fragrant, unlike anything he’d ever tasted. He chewed slowly, over a dozen times, before swallowing. As the food slid down his throat, he felt a faint warmth spread through him. Was that pure spiritual energy?

Surprised, the young deer took two more bites to confirm it. Indeed, the food contained spiritual energy—the purest kind, even comfortable for demons.

In this age of scarce spiritual energy, it was a rare treasure. He pushed the plate toward his brother.

Seeing his brother eat several bites, the elder deer assumed he simply found it delicious. He picked up a bun to try it himself.

Unlike the little deer demon’s surprise, he froze for a while, staring at the bun in his hand. Thinking back to the difference he had felt in his body when he woke up that morning, he couldn’t help but notice—though there was still a faint trace of spiritual energy in the demon realm, it was rare for an ordinary breakfast to contain such pure spiritual energy. Could it be that when Zhixing told him to eat breakfast first, it was for this reason?

Apparently, the little deer demon realized it too. He slowly chewed the food in his mouth, feeling an indescribable mix of emotions.

 

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Author’s note:

Deer demon: Doctor Zhixing is truly profound!

Little deer demon: feeling guilty.jpg

Zhixing: No, I just didn’t want the food to get cold…