76.2 – Reproach

Hi guys, I’m coming back from a long and necessary break. Sorry for letting you down and going MIA, but last November I lost my mother in a very abrupt way, and things were chaotic for some time. I hope you keep on reading the novel because I plan to translate it to its very end ^^

I would like to remind you of the relationship diagram made by lost_talez. If I have some extra time I want to update it with the new characters that may show up.

When the other two tugged her, the woman felt something was off and languidly moved her gaze away, catching the sight of Ran Yan wearing a bamboo hat veil that covered her whole body. She got excited and asked in a low voice: “Who is that person?”

The other woman replied: “I heard that Ah Mu didn’t open our doors these last few days because she is waiting for a person to come, so it must be this one, right?”

“What person, is it a famous courtesan? A beauty from the western regions?” The woman with the pea-green skirt moved closer to ask.

“There is no famous courtesan and western beauty! It’s a female doctor. Ai, I have recently heard about the matter of Seventeenth Miss Ran, and she is the only female doctor in the whole Suzhou, so I guess it is her.”

“Seventeenth Miss Ran? Is it the Seventeenth Miss Ran who cuts dead people and had her engagement with the Yan family broken?”

“What other Seventeenth Miss Ran can be found in Suzhou? I heard that she’s extremely beautiful, not losing in the least to Sixth Miss Qi. The marriage with the Yan family was initially seen as very well matched, a perfect couple. Tsk, tsk, such a pity! Of all the things she could do wrong, she had to go and lower herself by doing autopsies…”

They discussed with very low voices, but it could still be faintly heard from the veranda. Wan Lu’s eyes fired up, and she spoke with seething ager: “Miss, we don’t have to stay here and give them a consultation! If they speak this kind of vulgarities on our faces, I can’t imagine what they say behind our backs! We won’t accept this attitude!”

Wan Lu’s voice was loud, and not even two breaths after she finished shouting, a person wearing a light pink ruqun came out from a room, pointing at the gossiping prostitutes and sternly saying: “You little sluts, three days without clients and you are all desperate for men. Now you maliciously gossip in front of someone’s face, causing the doctor to walk away. Be careful for Ah Mu not to send each of you to the military camps!”

The group of women trembled, and promptly bowed towards Ran Yan, apologizing for their wrongdoing.

The woman with the light pink skirt had her anger appeased, and turned to Ran Yan with an apologetic smile, saying: “They are all low-born women, every word they speak is coarse, you (polite) must not take them seriously.”

Ran Yan recognized this woman, it is the one she met with last time, Hong Xing. She then replied, “Lead the way.”

Hong Xing had spoken to such extend, so it was beneath her to fuss about it. Hence Wan Lu had no choice but to endure her anger, coldly snorting before following Ran Yan towards the room.

“I haven’t seen you for many days, is Miss still in good health?” Hong Xing asked with a smile.

“Yes.” Ran Yan glanced over her face and saw no ulcers, so she knew that the traditional medicine had worked.

Passing through two more arched gates, they took a turn and finally saw a building hidden among the flowering shrubs. Stepping into the room, a thick smell of medicine assailed their nostrils. This was the room initially fixed for Zi Xu and it hasn’t been shifted yet.

A woman in plain clothes was kneeling in front of the window, and even though she was inside a room, her face was covered by a thin gauze.

Hearing the footsteps, the woman turned her head. Her beautiful eyes looked at Ran Yan with doubt.

“Zi Xu, this is the doctor who treated your disease!” Hong Xing also didn’t have her disease worsen, so her mood was extremely good, and consequently, the way she treated Ran Yan was different from the usual. Turning around, she ordered the servant at the side: “Go and quickly tell Ah Mu that the doctor has come.”

The maidservant complied and went out.

Zi Xu finally showed some reaction and got up, curtsying towards Ran Yan.

Ran Yan took off her shoes and sat on the opposite mat, indifferently saying: “Sit down.”

Zi Xu didn’t expect that Ran Yan would be this cold, so she stood somewhat stunned before moving back to her mat.

“How is the abscess healing during these last few days?” Ran Yan asked.

Zi Xu had been in a trance-like state during these last few days. Ran Yan’s tempo was too fast, she jumped through all the greetings and formalities, going straight to the subject, so she was momentarily at a loss for replies.

Hong Xing immediately opened her mouth: “Much better, there are even some places where the scab has already come off. Ah Mu has said that since the illness was being controlled, we must patiently wait for you (polite) to come.”

Madam Yan can truly keep her calm, is it because she believes in her? Or is it overconfidence?

Ran Yan carefully examined the skin being revealed by her clothes, the wounds on her hands and face already began to form scabs, and some seemed to have fallen recently, revealing a brand-new skin.

“The recovery is pretty good. Now we must do the last step of the treatment, it’ll probably be rather painful.” Ran Yan motioned for Wan Lu to put the toolbox on the small table.

“There’s no problem. As long as it can cure this, I’m willing to endure anything.” Zi Xu lightly said.

Because she caught this disease, her only sister had to pass the remaining of her youth serving an old man past his fifties. And she went from a beautiful woman to an ugly creature.

Ran Yan understood Zi Xu’s feelings. She took a syringe from the box while saying: “After I give you some prescriptions to nurse your health, and after you fully recover, your appearance will be restored to seventy percent of what it was.”

Ran Yan glimpsed over Zi Xu’s nose that was slightly caved in. She was only a forensic doctor, not a plastic surgeon, she had no ability nor competence to deal with this imperfection on her face.

Zi Xu became delighted and promptly expressed her thanks.

Ran Yan dropped her eyes and indifferently said: “You’re welcome. It’s to get paid.”

Zi Xu stared blankly at Ran Yan as she used a tweezer to pick the needle from the alcohol and put it on the water to wash it, then put it on the syringe, displaying her proficient technique, as if she was washing leaves for the tea. She actually didn’t lack money, but she felt that Ran Yan’s personality was truly peculiar. She seemed extremely cold yet knew what opinions her heart carried, and would even explain it, speaking warmly, but a clear line would be draw.

“Stretch your hand.” Ran Yan took some penicillin from the bottle and raised her head to speak with Zi Xu.