RIIDMDR chapter 57

 

Two minutes later, the surrounding vegetation swayed slightly. Nan Xu looked around. Having spent so much time with these demons, he had a vague idea of what was happening. Zhi Xing took their pulses and seemed to be using his spiritual power to sense them.

After a while, the vegetation returned to its peaceful state. Zhi Xing withdrew his hand, a hint of fatigue showed on his face. He pursed his lips and remained silent. He sat there, his eyelashes unfluttering, as if lost in thought.

Everyone looked at him. A look of shame slowly crossed Zhi Xing’s face. He shook his head. “Perhaps my medical knowledge isn’t deep enough. I haven’t figured out the cause of the owner’s discomfort today.”

Nan Xu expected this answer. He smiled and said, “Maybe there’s nothing wrong with me. I haven’t experienced that before.”

Zhi Xing frowned as if puzzled. “I clearly felt that the owner had been severely injured, but I can’t tell where. I really don’t understand.”

He wasn’t a master doctor, but he had studied medicine for centuries and was blessed with spiritual power. Even if his depleted spiritual reservoir affected his judgment, Nan Xu’s condition shouldn’t have been veiled, impossible to see clearly.

He briefly questioned himself, but the reality was undeniable.

Nan Xu, somewhat surprised, admitted, “Before I came to the demon world, I was in an accident and got injured. That was the catalyst that brought me here.”

“Did you suffer any other serious injuries before that?” Zhi Xing continued.

Nan Xu reflected on the past twenty-odd years and realized how lucky he had been. He had wandered the small village for years without being driven away and had even received a great deal of care. Even during the harsh winters, some people felt sorry for his hardships and provided him with cotton-padded clothes and blankets.

Nan Xu shook his head. “No.”

Zhi Xing thought the severe injury didn’t seem to match the accident the owner had recently described. However, since the owner said no, perhaps he didn’t know much about humans. Another surprising yet sensible thing was that when Zhi Xing used his spiritual power to sense the owner’s body, he didn’t receive any spiritual energy.

From his daily observations, the owner seemed to possess abundant spiritual energy. Today’s examination, however, confirmed that the owner was indeed human and had no spiritual energy.

The sudden pain was inconclusive, but Nan Xu had anticipated it. Zhi Xing was preoccupied. Ting Chuan had the least pleasant expression in the courtyard. He glanced at Zhi Xing a few times as if he were about to say something but ultimately kept his mouth shut.

Nan Xu was completely baffled by this. It seemed as if Ting Chuan was complaining about Zhi Xing’s limited medical skills, but he didn’t speak up directly because of his young age.

“Go back to your room and get some sleep. It’s getting late,” Nan Xu said hastily.

Ting Chuan appeared to be a modest gentleman, but he actually had a rather grumpy temper. Nan Xu decided to send Zhi Xing away first. The child was already doubting his abilities, and if Tingchuan criticized him a few more times, he probably wouldn’t sleep tonight.

Exhausted from using his spiritual energy, Zhixing nodded and returned to his room. He needed time to think and gather his thoughts. Perhaps he should send a message to his parents in Xishan and ask them to send him the ancient medical texts of their clan. Maybe he could find enlightenment in those texts about the human race. Guan’er yawned and went to the straw pile under the eaves. Only Tingchuan and Nanxu remained at the stone table in the courtyard. Seeing that Tingchuan remained silent, Nanxu said, “It’s nothing serious. There’s a saying among humans: People are born, grow old, get sick, and die. It’s hard to explain illnesses like this. Maybe I’ve been in the demon world for a few months, and my body is finally reacting. Maybe I’m just not acclimatizing.”

He really didn’t seem to care, and Tingchuan’s expression finally softened a bit. However, he couldn’t help but say, “Zhi Xing’s medical skills are far inferior to Ting Shu’s.”

Nanxu smiled, amused. “Luckily, I let Zhixing go back to his room. Otherwise, his tears tonight would have soaked the pillowcase.”

Nanxu paused, then realized, “I think I forgot to put a pillow on Zhixing’s bed. I don’t know what he sleeps on at night. Why didn’t you remind me?”

Money was tight these days, and Nanxu was struggling to buy a mattress, so pillows hadn’t even crossed his mind. The two pillows on Nanxu’s bed were made from an old mattress that he had reused. He sewed pillowcases and stuffed them with down feathers that the bird tribe had sent him, they fit perfectly.

I guess demons don’t sleep with pillows. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be any on the beds. Still, no one asked, and every early riser greeted him with a cheerful smile.

Nan Xu stood up as he spoke and walked toward the room, his attention focused on the system. There was a pillow for 299. Although it looked a bit pricey, it also had a cleanliness buff, so Nan Xu decided to buy a few.

“What does a little hedgehog demon need? Does he have a neck?” Tingchuan muttered quietly from behind.

Nan Xu turned around and asked, “Have you ever said that about Tingshu before?”

Tingchuan was stunned for a moment and looked away. “Why would I say that about Tingshu? If I did, that guy would fight me for three days and three nights. Even if I won, it wouldn’t be worth it.”

Nan Xu didn’t know who “that guy” was, but he figured it was someone they knew. He smiled and said, “If you haven’t said that about Tingshu, then don’t bully his junior!”

Nan Xu implied that Tingchuan was bullying the weak. Before Tingchuan could respond, Nan Xu had already bought a pillow and hurried back inside.

After delivering pillows to several rooms, Nan Xu was still a bit sweaty, even in the evening breeze. It was pitch black, and taking a bath in the stream seemed impractical, so he decided to go to the kitchen and heat some water.

Coming downstairs, he saw candles burning in the kitchen. Walking in, he saw Tingchuan sitting by the stove, lighting a fire. A pot filled with water was on the stove.

“What are you doing?” Nan Xu asked.

Tingchuan stuffed the burning hay into the stove. His movements were quite practiced, unlike a few months ago when he couldn’t light the stove and had to waste his spiritual energy.

“You’ve been sweating, and the stream water is too cold at night. I’ll heat some water for you to bathe in.” Tingchuan said calmly as if it were no big deal.

Nan Xu wanted to thank him but decided against it, figuring Tingchuan probably didn’t want to hear it.

“You humans are so fragile. A gust of wind or rain can make you sick,” Tingchuan said with a hint of disdain. However, there was no real resentment in his words.

Since Tingchuan had already done the work, Nan Xu sat on the small stool by the door and quietly watched him add firewood to the stove.

The flickering firelight illuminated Tingchuan’s face. A few days ago, he had hesitated about the nature of their relationship. He considered becoming close friends, but then realized he was being naive to devote a hundred years to fulfilling his eternal longing. So, he overcame his fear of loneliness and his desire for companionship, deciding to confront their relationship head-on. What began as a relationship between a boss and his hired worker ended as an ordinary friendship.

Honestly, though, the care and attention Tingchuan gave him day and night in the mountains couldn’t be expressed in a few words. His feelings for Tingchuan weren’t something that could easily be forgotten in a different time or place.

Even though Tingchuan was dressed in a brocade robe with wide sleeves and a solemn, indifferent expression, he could still see the simplest, most ardent yearning for home in him.

It wasn’t just because he sat by the stove, nor because of the dancing yellow flames.

The fire burned brightly and the water in the pot boiled and bubbled, but Nanxu remained motionless. Tingchuan tilted his head, wondering what Nanxu was daydreaming about.

He stood up and scooped hot water from the pot into a bucket, filling it to the brim. Only then did Nanxu come to his senses. He stood up, touched his nose, and said rather embarrassedly, “I forgot the time.”

“Yeah,” Tingchuan replied flatly.

Nan Xu stepped forward to take the bucket, but Tingchuan stepped aside. “It’s hot! I’ll bring it to you.”

Nan Xu didn’t touch the bucket, but his heart felt scalded. Before he could respond, Tingchuan had already bypassed him, carrying the hot water and walking briskly toward the back of the house.

Nan Xu followed him, dumbfounded. Before he could take two steps, Tingchuan turned around with a strange look in his eyes. “You didn’t bring the cold water? Are you expecting to get ripped off?”

Nan Xu: …

“Are you hurting your head?” Tingchuan asked again.

Nan Xu stopped listening and turned to walk out of the yard. He must have been overwhelmed by what had just happened, which is why he was so moved.

–

The next morning, Nan Xu awoke to the rhythmic sounds of nighttime. Glancing out the window, he saw a sinister-looking man with an axe breaking wood in the yard. Nan Xu stretched, feeling surprised to see a guest working so early.

Zhi Xing leaned against the door, speechless, watching the man chop wood.

“What’s going on?” Nan Xu leaned close to Zhi Xing and whispered.

A pile of chopped firewood lay beside the man. Zhi Xing hesitated for a few seconds, as if struggling to form his words. Finally, he said, “This guest woke up early this morning. He said that his spiritual energy was flowing freely after a good night’s sleep and that he had endless energy. Senior Tingchuan happened to hear this and suggested he chop some wood, so…”

Nan Xu: …

One ordered it, and the other actually did it.

No wonder Zhixing looked so lost for words.

After making breakfast, the group ate in the courtyard. Nan Xu was about to go up the mountain and chop wood for two more tables when a man came over, saying he wanted to stay another night. He paid for the room.

Upon hearing that Nan Xu was going up the mountain to chop wood, the man followed behind. “Innkeeper, I’ll help you carry the wood.”

Nan Xu looked at him suspiciously. The sinister man grinned, making him seem even more terrifying. “I feel like I have endless energy and want to do something.”

Nan Xu was stunned for a moment, then nodded.

Zhi Xing was still wary of this customer and followed him with some trepidation. When a group of people went out, it was only natural that Guang’er wouldn’t be left behind. Thus, the group heading up the mountain grew larger.

After the trip, the customer seemed to just be killing time. He didn’t say much. After chopping down a tree, he carried it on his shoulder and hummed a tune as he walked back to the courtyard.

Nan Xu, who was also carrying a log, walked home with Zhi Xing. From a distance, Nan Xu saw the man still carrying a large package on his back. He couldn’t help but ask, “Is this customer from the Turtle Tribe?”

Zhi Xing looked surprised and said, “The owner can identify the demon tribe now?”

Could this illness be more than just an illness, yielding such a surprising result?

Nan Xu shook his head and replied, “I just noticed that he always has his backpack with him, so I asked.”

Zhi Xing was deeply disappointed.

Author’s Note:

Nan Xu: Tingchuan is so shameless! He doesn’t dare bully the older ones, yet he comes here to bully the younger ones.

Zhi Xing: It must be because I’m not very skilled. I’m so ashamed.

Tingchuan: The human race is so fragile. He needs careful care. Give him a hot bath.