Dandy Escapes From Marriage - Chapter 2

After a restful night’s sleep, during which he had regained some strength, Liu Shu sat up in the unfamiliar and dimly lit room. He looked around, momentarily bewildered by his surroundings, but then remembered his current situation, which filled him with sadness. Suddenly, he was overwhelmed by poetic inspiration and exclaimed, “In youth, one does not understand the taste of sorrow. Born not long ago, yet on the verge of death. A heartbroken soul at the edge of the world!”

A soft laughter came from outside the room.

He froze for a moment, then turned to see Shen Ke sitting at a table in the main room, reading by the candlelight. Perhaps realizing that the timing of the laughter was inappropriate, Shen Ke didn’t turn to look at him but instead asked without raising his head, “Have you rested well?”

“Yes, what time is it now?” Liu Shu got out of bed, put on his shoes, and headed outside, leaving behind a messy pile of bedding.

“It’s the time of the Dog,” replied Shen Ke, finally turning his head to glance at him. His gaze fell on the red mark on Liu Shu’s left cheek, and he smiled faintly before observing Liu Shu’s disheveled appearance. He then asked, “Would you like to go back to sleep?”

“No.”

“Don’t be polite. If you want to sleep, you can…”

“I’m hungry, can’t sleep.”

Shen Ke met his somewhat pitiful gaze and got up to go to the kitchen. “There’s some food left for you in the pot.”

“You’re such a kind soul!” Liu Shu exclaimed with joy, eagerly following him. He watched Shen Ke lift the lid from the pot, and with enthusiasm, he took the large bowl out himself. “This bowl… this bowl… these noodles look delicious!”

“These are actually noodles,” Shen Ke sighed.

Liu Shu raised an eyebrow in surprise and poked at the well-formed noodle cake with his chopsticks. Despite never having eaten this type of noodle before, he was too hungry to be picky. “Noodles or cake, it doesn’t matter.”

He took a big bite, washed down with some tea, and felt his hunger subside. Then, he stared at the remaining half of the cake in deep thought.

Should he continue eating?

It doesn’t taste good.

Shouldn’t he eat?

It would be impolite to refuse the host’s hospitality.

Suddenly, he remembered a friend from the past who used to eat food he disliked while staring at a courtesan, even claiming that the food was exquisite.

With that in mind, he shifted his gaze toward Shen Ke. Take a bite, look at him, take another bite, and give him a few more glances.

Shen Ke: …

He felt Liu Shu’s gaze becoming increasingly strange. Did the food somehow offend him?

“If you can’t eat it, you don’t have to…” Shen Ke began to say.

*Burp* “Thanks, I’m full,” Liu Shu happily placed the bowl and chopsticks down. It seemed that combining good looks with a meal was the perfect combination. He patted his stomach and praised, “That was truly a fantastic meal.”

Shen Ke: …

Shen Ke looked at him up and down, a hint of sympathy in his eyes. To be in such dire straits at such a young age was indeed pitiful.

As Liu Shu continued to sit, he suddenly stood up, rubbed his backside, twisted his waist a few times, and stared at his legs. Without moving, he suddenly let out a mournful cry.

Shen Ke looked at him inquisitively, “Do you need to see a doctor?”

Liu Shu looked at him and said, “I think I should see a doctor.”

Shen Ke nodded, “Medical attention shouldn’t be delayed. When do you plan to find a doctor?”

“I’m not sure…” Liu Shu sighed deeply. He shot a crafty look at Shen Ke, his eyes filled with sadness as he said, “I’m not familiar with this place, and I don’t know where to find a doctor. Besides, I have no money, and we’re just strangers who met by chance. You don’t have to give me money out of kindness…”

“Don’t worry about that. I don’t have any money either.”

“Oh, my apologies.”

Both of them fell silent for a moment. Then, Shen Ke turned to go to his room to fetch some medical books, saying, “I’ve been studying medical books recently. If you’re brave enough, you could let me try treating you.”

“Really? That would be great!”

It was a chance for him to receive medical treatment for free, and Liu Shu quickly revealed his wound.

Shen Ke turned to go out but stopped abruptly, turning back to look at Liu Shu. “What are you doing?”

“I’m getting treatment,” Liu Shu said as he started taking off his clothes. “I took quite a beating from the bandits. My body is a mess, and I’m in pain!”

The room was dimly lit, and at first, Shen Ke didn’t notice the severity of Liu Shu’s injuries. However, now he saw the numerous bruises and marks on his legs and a particularly nasty bruise on his buttock.

“Shouldn’t I see a doctor?” Shen Ke asked, concerned.

Liu Shu looked at him and said, “I think I should see a doctor.”

Shen Ke nodded, “Medical attention shouldn’t be delayed. When do you plan to see a doctor?”

“I’m not sure…” Liu Shu sighed deeply and gave Shen Ke a pitiful look. “I don’t know this place, and I don’t have any money. Besides, we’ve only just met, so you don’t have to give me money…”

“Don’t worry about that,” Shen Ke reassured him. “I don’t have any money either.”

“Oh, alright.”

Both of them fell into a momentary silence. Shen Ke then went back into his room to search for his medical books. “I’ve been reading medical books recently. If you’re willing, you can let me try treating your injuries.”

“Are you serious? That would be great!”

It seemed like a golden opportunity for him to receive free medical treatment. Liu Shu quickly revealed his injuries.

Shen Ke turned to go out but stopped abruptly, turning back to look at Liu Shu. “What are you doing?”

“I’m getting treatment,” Liu Shu said as he started taking off his clothes. “I took quite a beating from the bandits. My body is a mess, and I’m in pain!”

The room was dimly lit, and at first, Shen Ke didn’t notice the severity of Liu Shu’s injuries. However, he now saw the numerous bruises and marks on Liu Shu’s legs and a particularly nasty bruise on his buttock.

“Shouldn’t you see a doctor?” Shen Ke asked, concerned.

Liu Shu looked at him and said, “I think I should see a doctor.”

Shen Ke nodded, “Medical attention shouldn’t be delayed. When do you plan to see a doctor?”

“I don’t know…” Liu Shu sighed deeply, casting a sly glance at him and continued with a tone of profound sadness, “I’m unfamiliar with this place, don’t know where to find a doctor, and I don’t have any resources. Besides, we’ve only met by chance. You don’t have to give me money just out of kindness.”

“No need to worry about that. I don’t have money either.”

“Oh, my apologies.”

Both of them fell into silence for a moment. Shen Ke turned to his luggage and said, “I’ve been studying medical books lately. If you’re brave enough, you can let me try?”

“Really? That’s great!”

It was like a silver lining to the cloud – free medical treatment! Liu Shu quickly exposed his wounds.

Shen Ke turned towards the door and found himself facing two pale legs. He stood there in bewilderment, looking at Liu Shu. “What are you doing?”

“I’m getting treated,” Liu Shu replied as he stood up and turned his back, beginning to undress. “I took quite a beating from the bandits. My whole body feels like it’s falling apart; it hurts so much!”

The dim lighting initially obscured the injuries, but now Shen Ke could clearly see the many bruises and marks on Liu Shu’s legs and a large bruise on his buttocks.

“I’ll go get another medical book,” Shen Ke turned around again to head back to the room.

“Don’t you already have a book with you?” Liu Shu asked.

“That one is for treating the brain.”

… Who is he insulting with that remark?

“My brain is perfectly fine!” Liu Shu protested.

After a while, Shen Ke returned with another medical book and sat down at the table, flipping through it to find the treatment for contusions and injuries.

“I’m not joking with you; I’m really smart!”

“Sure, sure.”

“Hmph, if it weren’t for my dislike of studying, I would’ve been a top scholar by now. Do you believe that?”

“I believe you.”

“Can I stay in your room?”

“No, you can’t.”

“…,” Liu Shu responded to each question but didn’t agree.

Liu Shu discarded his outer clothing, sat down on the other side, leaned against the table, rested his arms on it, crossed his legs, and swayed for a while. He turned his head and said, “Doctor, are you done? I’m about to take off all my clothes.”

Shen Ke rubbed his forehead and said, “I found the prescription, but we’re missing two ingredients at home. I’ll have to go up the mountain to collect them tomorrow. Can you wait until tomorrow, or would you rather go directly to the town to find a doctor?”

“Is the town far from here?”

“It’s far.”

“Will you come with me?”

“No, I have to go plant rice.”

“…” Liu Shu widened his eyes and pinched Shen Ke’s wrist. “With your delicate skin, you’re going to plant rice?”

“I can do it,” Shen Ke said, whether it was for Liu Shu’s benefit or for his own.

Liu Shu thought for a moment. Going to town alone seemed too risky. What if he got lost, starved, or encountered bandits again? It wasn’t worth it. He decided it was better to stay here, heal his injuries, and then leave.

“Then I’ll wait for you to collect the herbs here,” Liu Shu said, assuring, “Don’t worry, I won’t trouble you for free. When I return… when I have money, I’ll repay you a hundredfold.”

“You want to repay me?” Shen Ke smiled at him.

“Of course. I can’t accept someone’s help for nothing. As the saying goes, for a drop of water, a boundless spring of gratitude should flow.” Liu Shu declared boldly and hugged Shen Ke.

Shen Ke: …

Well, perhaps this poor child never had the opportunity to attend a private school.

As the night grew late, Shen Ke went to prepare the guest room, though it was more of a small storage shed adjacent to the kitchen. The original owner used it to store firewood and miscellaneous items. Since Shen Ke moved in, most of the firewood had been used up, and he hadn’t had time to chop more. Consequently, there was now a vacant space.

After setting up a simple bed, he eagerly asked, “How is it?”

Liu Shu stared at the straw poking out from under the bedsheet and fell into thought.

Survival or destruction, that was the question.

But upon careful consideration, he realized he would only stay here for a few nights at most. It was certainly better than the previous night spent in the mountains under tree leaves.

“Alright, no problem!” Liu Shu nodded emphatically.

Shen Ke breathed a sigh of relief. He knew the bed was quite rudimentary, but it was the best they had for now. Fortunately, the guest didn’t seem to mind.

“By the way, I haven’t asked you yet. Where are you from? How did you end up here alone? Do you have any family back home?”

“I ran away from home, and then I ran into bandits. My already miserable situation got even worse,” Liu Shu said, feeling somewhat distressed. Fortunately, he only had a tiny bit of pocket money with him; otherwise, the loss could have been much greater.

Shen Ke expressed his sympathy and asked, “Why did you run away in the first place?”

“Because my parents were planning to sell me,” Liu Shu said indignantly. “I got angry, so I ran away!”

Hearing this, Shen Ke’s expression grew cold, “How could parents do such a thing?”

“Yeah, exactly!” Liu Shu felt like he had found a kindred spirit and was eager to vent his frustrations. “You know the kind of life I used to lead?”

“Eating one meal and not knowing where the next would come from?”

“Yes! Meals were never guaranteed!” There were days he had no idea how many times he ate.

“Are you the only child in your family?”

“No, I have several older brothers and sisters, but they decided to sell only me,” Liu Shu complained. “Although my brothers aren’t as good-looking as me, they could still do labor work, right?”

“That’s true,” Shen Ke replied sympathetically. He could already imagine the pitiful scenes of large, impoverished families, sending their youngest sons to work as servants just to make ends meet.

“So, what’s your plan now?” Shen Ke asked.

“I haven’t figured that out yet,” Liu Shu admitted.

While he had initially set out with grand ambitions, running into the bandits had made him reconsider. Going back home felt like a defeat, but he couldn’t help but miss the comfort of home.

“Are you afraid of your parents finding you?” Shen Ke asked.

Liu Shu shook his head, “I just feel that working like this is no different from starving to death.”

Shen Ke understood his sentiment. “Your family is quite poor, aren’t they? You don’t have to work.”

Liu Shu looked at his own shabby appearance and realized why Shen Ke had assumed he needed to work. He decided to play along; it suited his purpose well. Besides, he didn’t want anyone to know he was the wealthy young master, which would be embarrassing.

“I’m the youngest, so I didn’t have to do any heavy labor. My parents wanted to make me look presentable to sell to another family,” Liu Shu explained casually.

“That’s unfortunate. Focus on getting your injuries treated for now, and you can plan the rest later,” Shen Ke advised.

It was the only practical option. Liu Shu had found a place to stay, and he appreciated the warmth Shen Ke had shown him.

Liu Shu patted the wall, and after a moment, a sleepy voice came from the other side, “Is something wrong?”

“No, I just wanted to tell you, you’re quite a nice person!” Liu Shu said.

“…?” Shen Ke closed his eyes and continued sleeping.

The next day, Liu Shu was awakened by the thick smoke.

Coughing, he rushed to the kitchen, worried, “What’s happening?!”

“Nothing, I’m just making breakfast,” Shen Ke replied calmly.

Astonished, Liu Shu asked, “Aren’t you affected by the smoke?”

“No,” Shen Ke said.

“I don’t believe it,” Liu Shu covered his nose and mouth, then rushed in to pull Shen Ke out.

As expected, Shen Ke’s eyes were red from the smoke. Tears streamed from his eyes as he said, “I’m fine.”

“Exhale quickly; you’ve been holding your breath too long!” Liu Shu patted Shen Ke’s chest.

“Phew!” Shen Ke exhaled a deep breath, then pressed his temple, looking embarrassed. “You must think I’m ridiculous.”

“It’s pretty funny,” Liu Shu burst into laughter, leaning against the wooden door.

Shen Ke hesitated for a moment in place, then turned around and looked at Liu Shu seriously.

“What?” Liu Shu touched his face, confused.

“I didn’t realize you were so handsome.”

Yesterday, he had looked so disheveled and couldn’t be seen clearly. Today, he noticed Liu Shu’s finely arched eyebrows, fair skin, and bright, captivating eyes reflecting the rising sun.

“Of course! Who wouldn’t compliment me when they see me? Let me tell you, even the courtesans in our place would call me ‘brother.'” Liu Shu proudly raised his chin and flicked his hair, running his fingers through it. “Hey, where are you going? I haven’t finished yet.”

“I need to check on the pot; it’s about to run dry.”

“Oh, what are you cooking?” Liu Shu asked, leaning against the door.

“Eggs.”

Liu Shu nodded, thinking about yesterday’s two meals. He had a rough idea of Shen Ke’s cooking skills and worried, “What if… I mean, if… if we get diarrhea after eating?”

“These are all medicinal herbs to treat diarrhea,” Shen Ke said, pointing to some herbs drying in the yard. “I may not be a doctor, but after these recent trials, I can almost guarantee a complete cure. You can trust me; food won’t kill you, and I can heal you.”

Liu Shu stared at him, taken aback.

Almost guarantee…?

Shen Ke continued, “I’ve made great progress in my medical skills during this time. The saying ‘The book contains a plethora of knowledge, but practice is the key to it all’ is quite accurate. If I had only studied medicine academically, it would have been just empty talk. Healing requires practical experience, bit by bit…”

Liu Shu’s entire being had gone numb.

So, you’d rather study medicine diligently than improve your cooking skills?!