Yuan Heng interrupted Wang Jin, his voice low.
Wang Jin hesitated, unsure how to answer.
He didn’t know…
Yuan Heng didn’t notice Wang Jin’s momentary hesitation. Instead, he seemed lost in his own thoughts, saying sadly, “The Winged White Tiger Clan struggles to have descendants. If we really can’t… could you accept that?”
Ah…
Wang Jin’s eyes flickered. That’s right, both Mu ger and Yuan Heng had told him that the Winged White Tiger Clan had difficulty reproducing…
If that was the case, he might not get pregnant after all…
A wave of relief washed over Wang Jin, as if a heavy stone had been lifted from his chest. But along with the relief came an inexplicable sense of loss…
If Yuan Heng couldn’t have descendants, they wouldn’t have a strong, handsome son or a stunningly beautiful ger who could charm everyone…
This sense of loss made it hard for Wang Jin to smile again. He suddenly felt a heavy weight on his shoulders.
This heaviness showed on his face, making him look as solemn as Yuan Heng.
Yuan Heng, who had been watching the little ger closely since he spoke, noticed the sadness in Wang Jin’s eyes. His heart felt as though it were being squeezed and twisted.
A flash of pain crossed Yuan Heng’s eyes. He clenched his fingers tightly, holding the little ger close, his expression resolute. “If you really want a child… I’ll do my best…”
Yuan Heng’s voice was hoarse, as if someone were tearing at his throat, giving it a raw, determined edge.
“!” Before Wang Jin could process what Yuan Heng meant by “do my best,” he felt himself being lifted, as if Yuan Heng were about to carry him into the house.
Suddenly, Wang Jin understood what Yuan Heng meant by “do my best”!
He gasped and started hitting Yuan Heng’s chest, his earlier sadness and heaviness dissipating under the sudden action and blunt words.
Blushing furiously, Wang Jin glared at Yuan Heng and said through gritted teeth, “I don’t need you to do your best!”
If Yuan Heng wasn’t even trying his best and Wang Jin already couldn’t handle it, what would happen if he actually did?!
“I don’t want a child. I was just shocked by A-Mu,” Wang Jin added, seeing that Yuan Heng didn’t believe him.
The little ger’s earlier sadness was replaced by a hint of mischief, his eyes sparkling in a way that made him look utterly endearing.
Yuan Heng’s heart skipped a beat. He couldn’t help but imagine that if they had a ger, that child would surely be as charming as the little ger in his arms.
Once this thought took root, it was hard to shake. He desperately wanted a child, a child that belonged to him and the person before him.
“Put me down! It’s not even dark yet!” Wang Jin growled, trying to sound fierce.
But what he didn’t realize was that his attempt at fierceness only made him look like a newborn cub waving its soft, clawless paws, gently scratching at Yuan Heng’s already turbulent heart, stirring it into even greater turmoil.
Yuan Heng tightened his grip, holding the little ger even closer, his steps unwavering as he carried him inside.
____
After several days of indulgence, Yuan Heng finally returned to normal, mindful of Wang Jin’s well-being.
The gers still came over every day, and Mu ger was among them. When Mu ger was present, the others tended to quiet down, as if afraid of disturbing him.
Wang Jin, sitting beside Mu ger, also remained quiet for a few days.
At two months pregnant, Mu ger was in the throes of morning sickness and had been eating sour fruits.
These fruits were extremely tart, and Yuan Heng, certain that Wang Jin wouldn’t like them, had never brought any home.
Curious about the taste, Wang Jin tried one. The sourness was indeed hard to bear, but… it was excellent material for brewing wine.
Later, Wang Jin asked Yuan Heng to gather some of the fruits and also brought back sugar beets to extract sugar. He cut open the fruits, mixed them with sugar, and placed them in a ceramic jar to ferment… waiting to enjoy the fruit wine.
One day, an unexpected visitor arrived in the courtyard.
The person had a gentle aura, a delicate appearance, and a warm smile.
Wang Jin recognized him, Xi ger.
He was the ger who had come to the courtyard with Yue ger that day. Wang Jin had heard that Xi ger was the apprentice of the tribe’s herbalist and a close friend of Yue ger.
Wang Jin had seen Xi ger twice before, both times during arguments with Yue ger.
As Yue ger’s friend, Xi ger naturally didn’t leave a good impression on Wang Jin during those encounters. As a result, they had never spoken until now.
Why had he suddenly come today?
Wang Jin was puzzled, and Xi ger also seemed a bit nervous.
Xi ger’s arrival made the other gers uncomfortable. He seemed to hold some authority in their eyes, and as soon as he entered, many of the gers found excuses to leave.
In the end, only Mu ger, Wang Jin, and Xi ger remained in the courtyard…
Wang Jin noticed that Xi ger didn’t seem angry or confrontational. After a moment’s thought, he invited Xi ger to sit down.
Xi ger was slightly surprised. The ger was dressed in the popular tribal attire, a white cloth robe with a red outer garment. The simple clothes looked stunning on him, as if he were a celestial being.
His handsome face wore a friendly smile, so infectious that it conveyed goodwill, making Xi ger relax involuntarily.
This Jin ger was quite different from the rumors and from what Yue ger had described.
Xi ger sat where Wang Jin had invited him and placed a bundle of herbs on the table, pushing it toward Wang Jin. “These are for strengthening your health.”
“For me?” Wang Jin was even more surprised.
He and Xi ger weren’t close. Why would Xi ger suddenly bring him tonic herbs?
Unsolicited kindness is either deceit or theft.
[无事献殷勤，非奸即盗 (wú shì xiàn yīn qín, fēi jiān jí dào): lit. Unsolicited kindness is either deceit or theft; fig. Unsolicited favors often hide ulterior motives]
Wang Jin’s eyes showed a hint of wariness, which Xi ger quickly noticed. He waved his hands and explained, “Jin ger, don’t misunderstand. I don’t have any ill intentions…”
He seemed unsure how to explain and looked somewhat conflicted.
“Actually, I’ve been wanting to come and ask you about something for a while now, but I kept putting it off until today…”
At this point, Xi ger’s mood seemed to dip. Wang Jin watched silently as Xi ger paused for a moment, then gathered himself.
“Anyway, I mean no harm.” After struggling to explain, Xi ger could only look at Wang Jin with sincere eyes, hoping he would believe him.
Mu ger, sitting nearby, tried to smooth things over. “A-Jin, Xi ger is the apprentice of the tribe’s herbalist. If he’s come to see you, it’s probably about medicinal knowledge, which often concerns the entire tribe…”
“Exactly.” Xi ger gave Mu ger a grateful look and continued, “I came to ask about the Bìshēng Ointment. The ointment is incredibly effective. I already know the ingredients and method, but I wanted to ask if I could record it in the medicinal compendium. Of course, I’ll credit you.”
Medicinal compendium?
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