The sight startled He Su Ye, who quickly raised her hand to examine it under the light. The fingers were red and swollen. Through her tear-filled eyes, Shen Xi Fan asked shakily, “Do you think my fingers are broken?”
He Su Ye sighed. “Do you really think they’re broken? Stay still; I’ll grab some medicine. And try not to get your legs caught in anything next.”
As he tended to her fingers, Shen Xi Fan pouted, feeling both wronged and indignant. I’m just a bit timid and afraid of pain, yet He Su Ye always seems to enjoy scolding me. It’s so frustrating!
What she didn’t know was the turmoil in He Su Ye’s heart. The moment her fingers got caught, his shock was far greater than hers. Watching her tears flow so freely, he felt an overwhelming guilt and wished he could bear the pain in her place.
Now, under the soft light, she bit her lip and whimpered weakly about the pain, occasionally rolling her eyes at him. Her expression was endearingly helpless—a perfect picture of a delicate, charming woman.
A faint blush crept across his face. Holding her hand, he found himself losing composure. He, who was notoriously slow to understand emotions—“even a mule has more sense than you,” as Qiu Tian often teased—felt as if he had suddenly gained clarity in the presence of Shen Xi Fan.
This, he thought, was probably the greatest challenge of his life—far harder than memorizing Fang Ge.
Shen Xi Fan, blissfully unaware of his thoughts, looked around and suddenly asked, “He Su Ye, do you have Bai Wei?”
Snapping out of his reverie, he replied, “Are you sure you mean Bai Wei and not Budweiser?”
Using her uninjured hand, she poked his head. “Old man, don’t be cheeky! I mean Bai Wei! It’s such a pretty name—I wonder what it looks like.”
Understanding now, He Su Ye said, “Oh, you want to see it? Just don’t get your hopes up too high!”
When he showed her Bai Wei, her face fell. “I thought it would be some breathtaking flower, but it’s just a bunch of dried grass!”
Pointing to the specimen, He Su Ye explained, “This is the root of Bai Wei. It’s short, knotted, and often twisted, with a brownish-yellow exterior. The texture is brittle, breaking easily. The cross-section shows yellowish-white bark and a yellow core. Its aroma is faint, and the taste is slightly bitter. It’s cold in nature and has various medicinal properties: it clears heat, cools the blood, promotes urination, relieves urinary discomfort, and detoxifies abscesses.”
Shen Xi Fan took the sample in her hand. “How can one medicinal herb treat so many things? Still, Bai Wei is such a beautiful name.”
He Su Ye chuckled. “Little girl, why are you so superficial—” He stopped mid-sentence when she glared at him and quickly amended, “Actually, there are plenty of herbs with lovely names in traditional Chinese medicine: Bai Shao, Ban Xia, Gui Xin, Hou Po, Fu Ling, Lian Qiao, Bai Zhu, Xiang Fu, Yu Zhu, Zi Wan, Zhi Zi, Lian Cao, Zhu Yu, Zi Hua Di Ding…”
He listed them with meticulous attention, his expression focused and earnest. Watching him, Shen Xi Fan thought, This man, no matter how you look at him, exudes warmth and gentleness. Her heart stirred slightly as she murmured, “Su Ye is also a beautiful name…”
Caught off guard, He Su Ye let out a soft laugh. “It is. Better than ‘He Ye’ anyway.”
Outside, heavy snow fell in waves, piling up on the windowsill. By morning, the world would surely be blanketed in white. The quiet winter night was serene, illuminated only by the warm glow of the room: the heater, the soft light of the desk lamp, and the steady radiance of the computer screen.
In this cozy setting, two people sat facing each other, chatting amid an array of herbal specimens scattered across the floor.
Neither fully understood the depth of their feelings, yet they shared a quiet connection, unaware of its significance. The orange light reflected in their eyes, blending seamlessly into the vast, boundless night.
The scene was so tranquil, so tender, it warmed the heart and brought a sense of contentment.
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