Ch68.1 - I don’t want to marry you

Jian Mei quickly pulled his hand back, feeling slightly embarrassed. “Furen, what do you mean by that?”

The woman chuckled, looking at him with a teasing smile. “Oh? Why are you getting shy? Alright, alright, young people are always so sensitive. As long as you both understand each other, that’s what matters.”

Although she appeared amused, Jia Si clearly didn’t share her view.

As a noble and the town’s mayor, he looked down on Jian Mei with disdain. How could someone of such lowly status ever be worthy of his son? It was utterly ridiculous.

“Regardless of what my wife says, don’t forget your place,” Jia Si said, his tone icy. “Especially when you’re out in public—don’t bring shame to this household again. Do you understand?”

…?

Jian Mei was utterly confused.What on earth is going on here?

Although Jian Mei didn’t fully understand, he still responded calmly and respectfully. Over time, he had grown more tactful and had begun to accept the customs of this new world. “Treating the young master’s illness has always been my responsibility, and I’ve never forgotten that. As for the incident where I caused you embarrassment outside, I truly apologize. It was my mistake, and I’ve caused you trouble.”

Jia Si had expected that Jian Mei would be full of gratitude and vow to take better care of his master. However, to his surprise, the boy continued speaking seriously and respectfully.

When Jia Si looked up and met Jian Mei’s gaze, he found himself staring into clear, unclouded eyes—eyes that held none of the submission or meekness he had expected. Jian Mei was usually non-confrontational, but in that moment, Jia Si suddenly felt the boy’s unyielding resolve.

Just as they were talking, someone entered the room, breaking the silence. It was Grandma Li, pushing the young master into the room.

The young master, sitting in his wheelchair, called out softly, “Mei.”

Jian Mei turned around.

The young master looked at Jia Si and his mother, calling out, “Father, Mother.”

Jia Si asked, “What brings you here?”

“I thought I’d come by in the evening to check on you,” the young master said, his expression unchanged. “I didn’t expect to find my servant here.”

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Jian Mei said softly, “Young master, I’ll take you there.”

The young master replied, “Okay.”

They entered the inner room, where the hot spring water steamed invitingly. It was deep winter now, and the outside air was growing colder. In just a short while, the annual Lantern Festival on Stan Star would take place. After the festival, the start of spring would follow, and by then, Jian Mei would have been in the mansion for almost a year.

After the young master finished his bath, Jian Mei began performing acupuncture on his legs. While working, he said, “Thank you for coming to get me today, young master.”

“No need to thank me,” the young master said, lowering his gaze to look at him. “Did you run into any trouble outside today?”

Jian Mei nodded gently.

The young master continued, “If it’s too difficult outside, you should stop doing those things.”

Jian Mei’s movements slowed.

“I’ve heard about what happened today,” the young master said, meeting his gaze. “Mei, do you understand? They might just detain them as a warning this time, but if their interests are threatened again in the future, things might not be so simple.”

It was a harsh truth, but the young master believed it was necessary for the child to learn to face the cruel reality.

The young master looked at Jian Mei seriously. “Mei, even though it seems like my father is blaming you, he’s actually trying to protect you.”

“I heard that before you came to this mansion, you were poisoned by a mushroom and lost many memories. So, there are things you might still not fully understand. But right now, you’re just a commoner, and you don’t have the power to stand against those people.” The young master gently wiped the sweat from Jian Mei’s forehead. “Some forces are too large. Even I, and my father, are like eggs trying to smash a stone.”

Even the emperor and the crown prince couldn’t easily move against these kinds of organizations. How could a child like you possibly change anything?

Jian Mei’s throat felt dry. His eyelashes quivered slightly, and his voice was tinged with a touch of bitterness. “I just want to help others.”

The young master smiled softly. “I know.”

There were so many things in this world we couldn’t control, too many things we couldn’t change.

Jian Mei sat beside the young master, feeling a bit lost. “Did I do something wrong? Have I caused trouble for the people around me?”

The young master gently shook his head. “You’re not wrong.”

It was like the reaction of someone in a carriage.

It wasn’t you who was wrong, and it wasn’t your friends either. None of you were at fault. It was the world itself that was wrong—the unchangeable laws of this world that were wrong.

“Mei, our strength is too small to make a difference. I’m not saying this to blame you or put you down.” The young master took a sip of water from the cup beside him.

His refined, elegant face remained calm as he said, “I just want to tell you to let go of those things. Stay here in the manor and take care of yourself. Once I’m older, I’ll likely inherit the position of town mayor. All you need to do is take care of me, and I’ll make sure you never have to worry about food or clothing again. You won’t have to face those struggles anymore.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice to just live this life peacefully, without any drama?”

Jian Mei paused for a moment after hearing this. The young master thought he just needed to wait for Jian Mei to agree or disagree. But instead, the boy looked at him quietly and asked softly, “But what about those people?”

Those people… who were they?

They were the child swept up by the celestial horse and left unconscious in the street, abandoned with no one to care for them. They were the civilians whose wound became infected, who, when seeking treatment at the hospital, was turned away because the priest was in a bad mood. They were the servants, injured in both the front and back, who were unable to pay the required gold coins, and could only suffer in silence. They were the poor commoner, stricken with a fever from typhoid, who could only endure quietly.

Beneath this vast sky, the land was filled with sorrow. Beneath the prosperity blessed by the gods, there lay a silent, desolate world.

Inside the halls of the wealthy, the smell of wine and meat was thick, while bones froze by the roadside. The nobles sang and feasted every night, living in splendor, while for ordinary people, simply staying alive was already a tremendous struggle.

……

The room was filled with an oppressive silence.

After a long moment, the young master finally spoke. “Mei, you’re just an ordinary person. You don’t have a pharmacist’s license, and even trying to treat someone is wrong.”

That’s right, you’re just an ordinary person. This world is dark, silent, and suffocating. Don’t you understand that yet?

But Jian Mei, sitting on the small chair next to him, didn’t slump in defeat. He took a deep breath and said, “Well then, I’ll go to the capital to study next spring!”

The young master looked at him, surprised.

“Would passing the pharmacist certification exam be enough?” Jian Mei asked cheerfully, his eyes narrowing slightly with a faint smile and a gleam of light in his gaze. “Then I won’t be violating the law anymore.”

The young master knew Jian Mei was right but still said, “But you won’t change anything. The healing priests have a lot of power. You can’t change that…”

Jian Mei replied, “It’s okay. If I can help even one person, that’s something. If I can save even one patient, that’s one person saved. As long as I can do something, that’s enough.”

Jian Mei’s voice was always soft. Just like his father had expected, the young master suddenly felt that Jian Mei had a strong and unyielding resolve. Jian Mei’s status and appearance weren’t extraordinary, yet the light in his eyes and around him shone so brightly. At that moment, the young master seemed to see a glimmer of hope in the small room.

Most great people weren’t great because they brought victory to a hopeless world, but because they had walked a hopeless path and ultimately achieved victory.

……

A few days later, Jian Mei went to Pingping’s house early in the morning. With the Lantern Festival approaching, Pingping’s mother had prepared some small pastries for him to pick up on his day off.

Translator’s Notes:

Bonus chapter for this week again! Part 2 will be posted tomorrow.