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墨書 Inktalez
"Is the shadow like a ghost?" Xing Ruyi instinctively looked at Wang Fu's shadow.
On the ground, only half of an elongated shadow was visible, and there was nothing strange about it. She activated her Ghost Eye and carefully examined it inside and out. Aside from some issues with her own heart and lungs, there were no signs of any dark energy attached.
"I took a close look and didn't notice anything unusual, but your body seems to have some issues. Uncle Wang, do you often feel weak in your limbs, short of breath, and a bit anxious when walking?"
"Ruyi, how did you know? Was it just from that glance you gave me?"
"In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we emphasize observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking. What I just did was observation; now I'm asking. Uncle Wang, just answer me with a yes or no." Although she wasn't a medical professional, if it weren't for her knowledge of ghostly arts, Xing Ruyi wouldn't dare speak so casually. Hearing Wang Fu's question made her feel a bit uneasy, so she quickly changed the subject.
Wang Fu nodded. "Ruyi's symptoms are indeed what I've been experiencing. I've seen doctors, but they couldn't find anything wrong; they just told me to rest well. I never expected you to see it at a glance; it seems you're quite the skilled healer!"
"Uncle Wang, you don't know this. Don't be fooled by Ruyi's appearance as just someone running a Rouge and Face Powder shop; she might be more capable than you think." Shengzi chimed in as he approached. "Ruyi's medical skills are respected even by Liu, the shopkeeper of Jishengtang. Her ability to solve cases is unmatched; even my Brother Chang feels inferior to her. She can examine corpses and exorcise evil spirits. Honestly, I can't think of anything Ruyi can't do."
Xing Ruyi lowered her head and kicked at the cobblestone road with her toes. "Don't flatter me like that; even if I have thicker skin than most girls, I still blush. Besides, I'm not good at everything. For example, my cooking is mediocre at best—just barely edible. And as for music, chess, calligraphy, and painting? I'm hopeless at all of them. Singing and dancing have nothing to do with me either. And when it comes to the most important women's skills like needlework, I can proudly say that I can't even embroider a duck."
Hearing this made Shengzi's face inexplicably turn red. He fidgeted for a moment before saying, "Ruyi, are you trying to counter what I just said?"
Xing Ruyi was taken aback but quickly realized and shook her head with a smile. "No, you're overthinking it; I'm just describing myself honestly. In fact, every girl has her strengths and weaknesses. If she meets a man who appreciates her, he will naturally see her strengths and think she is unique and exceptional."
"Just like you and Brother Chang; you only see that I have medical skills but don't realize that I only know a little bit about them. You think I can make Rouge and Face Powder or examine corpses or exorcise evil spirits makes me some kind of extraordinary woman from my maternal family. But on the flip side? Unless it's a special situation, I rarely cook; I don't know needlework; everything I wear is bought from outside; and my way of speaking isn't gentle or charming like ordinary ladies—those beautiful words have almost nothing to do with me. By ordinary men's standards, I'm not an ideal choice for a wife; even if Brother Chang were to marry me, he'd probably want to divorce me within a year or so."
"I wouldn't!"
As soon as Xing Ruyi finished speaking, she heard Chang Tai's deep voice beside her. She looked up in confusion to see him standing on the street not far away. Dressed in Constable attire, he appeared even more dashing with a group of Yard Officers following him as if they were escorting someone back.
"I wouldn't! What I mean is that if in this life I am fortunate enough to marry a Fox Demon like you—even if it's not just for a year or two but for a lifetime—I would never entertain thoughts of leaving you. I've seen your strengths; I've seen your goodness; I've seen how unique you are. But I don't think that matters much. Even though I'm just a Constable earning little each month, if I save up some money, I can still find you a cook and provide everything you need."
"Brother Chang!" A lump formed in Xing Ruyi's throat as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Of course, all of this is hypothetical. You already have Young Master Yin by your side; he is better than me and understands you more deeply—he cherishes you more." Chang Tai said as he walked over to her, first glancing at Xing Ruyi with a smile: "If in the next life it's me who meets you first, Brother Chang hopes you'll give me a chance to take care of you for eternity!"
"Okay! If there's another life and if the Fox Demon can meet Brother Chang again in that life, I'll definitely stick with you!" Xing Ruyi smiled back despite her teary eyes.
Chang Tai handed over a silk handkerchief and then turned to gently pat Shengzi's shoulder. "Miss Su Rou is indeed a rare good girl. Since your mother likes her, I think you should get to know her first. Don't rush to define her. Just like with the Fox Demon, every girl has her own strengths and merits. Just because she can't cook exquisite dishes doesn't mean she can't prepare ordinary meals, right? And even if she doesn't know needlework, Miss Su has certainly dressed well over the years. Yet you jumped to conclusions and labeled her. You should know that this is a major taboo for someone in your position as Constable."
Shengzi rubbed his nose and muttered, "Before meeting Ruyi, Brother Chang, you weren't this reasonable. Also, if I hadn't heard those words myself, I wouldn't have believed such sweet talk could come from your mouth. Could this be what they mean by 'one who approaches ink gets stained'?"
"Isn't it more like 'one who approaches vermilion turns red'? Don't you know that throughout history there have been more men than women? Men occasionally saying sweet words will only win a girl's favor; I was quite moved just now. If I hadn't already been engaged to the fox, I might have impulsively decided to marry her," Xing Ruyi said with a smile, her eyes still glistening with tears, giving her a somewhat delicate appearance.
Chang Tai looked at her, momentarily entranced. Fortunately, the bustling street brought him back to reality after a few shouts from passersby. He lowered his head and cleared his throat softly. "The emotions of this life are meant for an earlier encounter in the next life. I agree with the Fox Demon; at least I've secured a wife for my next life, unlike you, Shengzi, who is single in this life and will likely remain so in the next."
"Brother Chang—" Shengzi said with a pained expression, "Do you really have to treat me like this? My heart can hurt too!"
Chang Tai laughed heartily and shook his head while giving Shengzi's shoulder two firm pats. "I still have official business to attend to. If you finish your tasks, return to the office as soon as possible. Things on the river have been unstable lately; a group of Water Bandits has emerged, and the court has ordered us to investigate thoroughly and take strict action. We're quite short-staffed."
"I understand!" Upon hearing it was serious business, Shengzi put away his playful demeanor. "Once Uncle Wang's matters are settled, I'll head back to the office immediately."
Chang Tai nodded and exchanged a few more words with Xing Ruyi before returning to the Yard Officer's team.
Suddenly remembering something, Xing Ruyi took a couple of steps forward and called out, "Brother Chang!"
"Is there anything else?" Chang Tai turned around with a concerned look and a gentle expression.
"It's like this: just now Shengzi asked me to help him find a good girl who could be a wife since he already has Su Rou. So I thought if there's someone suitable, could I introduce her to you?"
Although Chang Tai felt a pang of bitterness inside, his face maintained its usual smile as he nodded. "Then I'll trouble you, Fox Demon; if she truly is a good girl, please recommend her to Brother Chang!"
"The girl introduced by Fox Demon will definitely be the best match for you!"
"Yes, I trust Fox Demon's judgment!"
Chang Tai smiled at her before leading the group of Yard Officers away.
"Ruyi, are you really going to introduce someone for Brother Chang?" Shengzi felt reluctant. "You know very well that Brother Chang—"
"I know! But precisely because I'm aware of his feelings for me and know that I cannot repay him in this life, I want to introduce him to someone better," Xing Ruyi replied as she met Shengzi's gaze. "Don't you think your Brother Chang deserves someone better than me?"
"Of course, it's worth it!" Shengzi said, letting out a slight sigh.
Xing Ruyi looked at Chang Tai's departing figure, and the image of Jinse unexpectedly surfaced in her mind. Perhaps she could bring about a beautiful fate for the two of them.
Shaking her head to temporarily suppress these thoughts, Xing Ruyi refocused her attention on Wang Fu. "I'm sorry for making you laugh, Uncle Wang!"
"No, no, it's fine, young man. Life should be like this," Wang Fu waved his hand. Remembering Chang Tai's earlier words, he quickly said to Shengzi, "Now that I've seen Ruyi, there's nothing more for me to worry about here. You have plenty to attend to at the Yamen; you should hurry back. Sigh! It's not easy for those who make a living on the river. If they encounter Water Bandits, the outcome is likely to be dire. I hope your Yamen can catch those people soon to prevent them from harming the poor folks."
"Then—Ruyi—"
"Don't worry, I'll take care of Uncle Wang's matters. I promise I'll handle everything properly. The affairs at the Yamen are quite urgent; you should hurry back. Remember to stay safe and also remind Brother Chang to be careful!" Xing Ruyi said as she took out a Porcelain Bottle from her waist. "This is Healing Ointment that I made myself; it's more effective than what you find in regular shops. Keep it with you; it might come in handy."
"Why does Ruyi carry medicine with her? Do you encounter danger every day?" Shengzi frowned.
"What nonsense! I always carry this medicine with me, but it's not for my use; I intended to give it to Brother Chang but haven't found the right opportunity until now. Here, take it quickly. Don't let him know it came from me; I'm afraid he won't want to use it."
Xing Ruyi's last remark was meant as a light-hearted joke, but Shengzi nodded in agreement, saying, "That's indeed possible. The medicine Ruyi gives Brother Chang, he treasures it so much that he wouldn't want to use it at all. This medicine? I'm not giving him anything else; let's keep it for our brothers' lives."
"Just do as you please; as long as you carry it with you," Xing Ruyi said, giving Shengzi a gentle push. Once she saw Shengzi walk away, she turned back to Wang Fu and asked, "Uncle Wang, can you tell me more about that shadow? Because just now, the Fox Demon really didn't notice anything unusual."
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