RIIDMDR chapter 93

 

Once again, the table full of dishes that Nan Xu made was swept clean. Not a grain of rice remained in the pot. All the clay plates, big and small, on the entire stone table were empty—except for the one in front of Yao Lin, which held black, glossy tomato-braised ribbonfish with a peculiar smell. From beginning to end, no one dared to move their chopsticks toward it, not even for a small taste.

Nan Xu gathered the bowls and chopsticks and took them back to the kitchen. Looking out the window at Yao Lin pacing around the courtyard to digest his meal, Nan Xu said, “I don’t think this can go on.”

Having been stuffed to the throat twice in one day, Yao Lin turned his head at the sound and asked, “What can’t go on?”

Nan Xu replied seriously, “Charging this little for meals won’t work. You eat too much.”

Yao Lin: …

Hearing himself criticized for eating too much, Yao Lin caught the teasing tone in Nan Xu’s words. Instead of feeling embarrassed, he shamelessly asked, “Innkeeper, do you still have that digestion tea from noon?”

He thought it was just because he had recently arrived and couldn’t resist the good food, causing him to eat a bit too much out of curiosity. After staying longer, he’d probably become like Zhixing and Tingchuan, able to stop eating when they should, even when faced with a table full of delicacies.

Nan Xu made him another cup of digestion tea. It wasn’t a miraculous elixir; after drinking it, Yao Lin still had to walk around outside the courtyard, holding his stomach. On this walk, he encountered two unfamiliar faces.

After washing the dishes and shaking the water off his hands, Nan Xu noticed that the flowers along the courtyard fence had bloomed even more. He took out a bamboo basket to pick some.

The packet of flower seeds he received in the spring contained a variety of different types. First, sunflowers and honeysuckle bloomed. Later, other flowers sprouted and grew one after another. Nan Xu could recognize some of them, but he only realized what others were once they bloomed, like the vibrant and colorful clusters of hydrangeas, freesias, and periwinkles. There were also a few rose, peony, and camellia shoots, all of which had survived under Tingchuan’s daily care.

Nan Xu thought he had transplanted the seedlings perfectly until one early morning when he happened to see a tall stalk growing out of a dense patch of low flowers. When he bent down to take a closer look, he couldn’t help but laugh and smile. How had a sunflower grown so tall without him noticing?

The flowers in the courtyard are blooming one after another. Honeysuckle has been blooming nonstop since May. Nan Xu has already picked quite a few, dried them, and stored them in a cupboard. This time, Nan Xu’s target is chrysanthemums, which bloom most vigorously in autumn. There are two varieties in the courtyard: fetal and tribute. The fetal variety dispels dampness and reduces dryness. It strengthens the spleen and stomach and regulates blood lipids. The tribute variety dispels wind and heat. It calms the liver and improves eyesight. Nan Xu doesn’t hesitate to pick anything useful.

He had just filled a small basket with chrysanthemums when he heard Yao Lin talking to someone outside. Given Yao Lin’s personality, he would definitely be a social butterfly in the human world. Nan Xu turned his head and saw Yao Lin walking into the courtyard with two people. The two newcomers were about the same height, though one looked slightly older.

Nan Xu stood up, but before he could speak, Yao Lin introduced them: “Owner, these are two guests from the Deer Tribe. Their territory is in the eastern part of the demon realm, about two thousand li[mfn]1 里 (li) = 500 meters (about 0.5 kilometers or 1/3 mile). two thousand li ≈ 1,000 km ≈ 621 miles.[/mfn] from Zhuyu Mountain.”

After introducing the two deer demons, he began enthusiastically introducing Nan Xu and the inn, praising Nan Xu’s excellent cooking and the inn’s many fine features. He exaggerated so much that Nan Xu began to suspect that his small, modest inn sounded more like a hidden five-star hotel.

He hadn’t stayed there very long himself, yet he spoke as if he were a waiter who’d worked there for years, completely forgetting that he was also just a guest. His smooth talk made the deer demon guests nod repeatedly, their eyes brightening.

“Indeed, this is a blessed land with outstanding people. We’ve come to the right place,” the older young man said emotionally.

Nan Xu faintly recalled hearing about the Deer Tribe, but before he could remember more, the older deer demon patted the shoulder of the one beside him and asked Nan Xu, “Is Doctor Zhixing also staying here?”

A flash of realization crossed Nan Xu’s mind. He remembered a young deer who had come for treatment because his antlers hadn’t grown back after falling off ten years prior. Perhaps Zhixing had sent a message using a mountain bird.

When Nan Xu nodded, the young man breathed a sigh of relief, as if he were afraid Zhixing had already left by the time they arrived. He asked, “Are there still vacant rooms? We’ll book one for a week.”

Another big business deal. Nan Xu led them upstairs. While the older youth chose a room, Nan Xu quietly observed the younger deer demon. Judging by appearance alone, he looked about eighteen or nineteen years old. From the moment he entered the courtyard, his gaze hadn’t wandered. His long lashes drooped slightly and his gaze was fixed on the ground not far away. He seemed uninterested in anything around him, giving off a gloomy air.

Sensing Nan Xu’s gaze, the young deer demon tilted his head toward him. There was no fear or curiosity in his eyes, only calm and an overwhelming stillness, like a pool of stagnant water.

Nan Xu felt that something was off. Such eyes on an old man would suggest experience and composure, but on a young deer demon…?

Nan Xu didn’t think demons could get depressed. However, since their lifespans were far longer, once they fell into despair, it might last even longer—painfully so.

Nan Xu smiled at him. It was a smile he had shown countless times since childhood, not meant for any particular purpose, just a release of goodwill.

He had honed that smile through daily life; it had helped him avoid many scoldings during his lonely, difficult years.

Facing that warm smile, the young deer demon froze slightly, then slowly turned his head away, his expression slightly unnatural.

He wasn’t accustomed to receiving kindness from others, but Nan Xu wasn’t disappointed. The older deer demon finished choosing the room and said to the younger one, “This room’s window is perfect. You can sit here and get some sun when you have free time.”

The young deer demon said nothing. The older one seemed used to it. He smiled at Nan Xu and finalized the room. After paying, he asked, “Could you tell me where Doctor Zhixing is?”

He was eager to begin treatment. Thinking of the little hedgehog hiding under his blanket in self-isolation, Nan Xu fell silent for a few seconds. Then he smiled and said, “It’s getting late. You two must be tired after your long journey. Why not rest for the night and meet Zhixing tomorrow morning?”

The older deer demon immediately looked suspicious. “Is Doctor Zhixing unavailable right now? Or is he not at the inn?”

Nan Xu understood his concern, but he couldn’t expose Zhixing by revealing that the doctor they sought had frightened himself back into his original form and couldn’t transform again. So, he said, “Zhixing is probably in his room researching medicine right now. It’s best not to disturb him.”

Upon hearing this, the deer demon relaxed, his expression softening. He nodded. “We were too abrupt, then. We’ll meet Doctor Zhixing tomorrow morning.”

Nan Xu nodded and started to go downstairs when a young, slightly hoarse voice said, “You lied.”

Nan Xu’s heart skipped a beat. He turned around and saw the young deer demon looking at him. His pitch-black eyes showed none of a youth’s liveliness. His tone was calm and certain. Because of that certainty, the heaviness around him deepened.

The older deer demon glanced at Nan Xu, then at the young one beside him. His brows furrowed slightly, showing that he trusted the young demon’s judgment.

Nan Xu stood his ground, not backing down in the face of that firm tone. His smile didn’t waver. “Oh? Which part was a lie?”

The young deer demon seemed increasingly agitated. He had no special powers, only a sensitive nature that caused him to overanalyze others’ behavior. He knew Nan Xu must be lying but couldn’t tell which part.

“He… isn’t here…” The young deer demon frowned, struggling to organize his thoughts. “What is he doing? He doesn’t want to treat me…”

Nan Xu interrupted his guesses with a light smile and asked, “Did Zhixing arrange to treat you tonight?”

The older deer demon shook his head. “No, there’s no set time. Tomorrow is fine.”

Nan Xu looked back at the young one. “Zhixing is indeed at the inn. You’ll see him tomorrow—that won’t change. In any case, tonight isn’t the time for treatment. What he’s doing right now has nothing to do with you. Why does it matter to you whether I’m speaking the truth or just making excuses?”

The young deer demon was stunned, looking at Nan Xu in confusion.

Nan Xu continued, “Your meeting is tomorrow, yet tonight you’re overthinking why he won’t see you. You’re too burdened by your thoughts. You won’t sleep well tonight, and that will delay your treatment tomorrow. If you continue like this day after day, how could you ever recover? Besides, when people speak, there are always half-truths mixed in. If you insist on dissecting and chasing after every single one, won’t that be exhausting? What’s the point?”

His words left the young deer demon speechless. As silence fell, Nan Xu went downstairs. The older deer demon looked toward the stairs, then turned to the young one.

He could tell the owner meant no harm and wasn’t trying to stop the treatment. The owner’s words simply pointed out that the young deer demon was overthinking. The youth had always been sensitive and unpredictable—even his closest companions often couldn’t predict him. But over time, they’d grown used to it. Now, after hearing the owner’s words, the older deer demon realized that the young one would overthink even a casual remark, wondering if Doctor Zhixing might not want to treat him.

This excessive worrying only harmed him.

The older deer thought about this quietly. The young one remained silent, deep in thought.

“Since Doctor Zhixing sent for us, it means he’s willing to treat you. Tonight may just be inconvenient. Don’t overthink it,” the older deer said.

He thought his blunt attempt at comfort would be ignored as usual, but this time the young deer looked up at him and then turned and went into his room.

The older deer felt a flicker of joy, not because the young deer had ignored him or seemed upset, but because he seemed genuinely affected by its owner’s words and had pulled back from his spiraling thoughts.

The older deer didn’t know what the young deer truly thought. But those words echoed in the young deer’s mind that night. For once, he didn’t dwell on any question before falling asleep. He had a peaceful night’s sleep, and the next morning, he felt his spiritual energy flowing freely through his joints as the blocked meridians loosened. He couldn’t tell which had the greater effect, but either way, he hadn’t felt this light in a long time.