Chapter 21: Meeting Li Tianyang Again

By the time Si Qingyu returned to her hometown, it was already afternoon. She had Zhang drive her directly to the entrance of the clinic.

“Doctor Si, I have safely escorted you back. I also need to return and report to the magistrate.” Si Qingyu’s hands paused while adjusting her clothes. She looked at Zhang, “Why don’t you stay here for the night? It’s too late to go back now.” Wasn’t she tired after traveling for two days?

“But…”

Si Qingyu directly interrupted her, “I don’t think Magistrate Luo will blame you.” Zhang thought about it and finally nodded.

Si Qingyu was satisfied. She turned around to invite Zhang into the clinic but was embraced by someone rushing out from inside.

She looked down with a black line on her face at Zhao Sixi hugging her.

Zhao Sixi nuzzled against her while joyfully saying, “Doctor Si, you’re finally back! I missed you so much!” Si Qingyu helplessly pulled the lively one out of her arms and stepped into the clinic, “Is the clinic doing well?” “Mm-hmm! Everything is great with me here!” Zhao Sixi proudly raised her head. It was just that no patients were willing to see her.

Si Qingyu nodded and poured a cup of tea for Zhang, who followed her in, “Constable Zhang, stay at the inn tonight and return tomorrow.” Zhang laughed brightly, “Okay! I’m not picky about where I stay!”

Zhao Sixi stood beside Si Qingyu and secretly glanced at the smiling woman. Wasn’t this the woman who came looking for Doctor Si before?

Seeing Zhao Sixi staring at Zhang in a daze, Si Qingyu couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong?” “Ah? No, no, nothing!” Zhao Sixi was startled and hurriedly waved her hands.

After a pause, she became a bit excited, “I heard from the townspeople that a strange disease broke out in Qianluo Town and was recently cured. I also heard that it was all thanks to Doctor Si!” It spread so quickly?

Si Qingyu’s eyes were half-lowered, not speaking. Instead, Zhang beside her became excited, “Yes! Yes! Doctor Si is amazing!” Zhao Sixi echoed her agreement. Once the topic started, the two of them actually began chatting like this. Meanwhile, the protagonist of the conversation calmly drank tea on the side.

She let the two excitedly discuss beside her, having no intention of joining or chatting with them.

She lifted the teacup to take a sip and saw someone at the entrance of the clinic. Si Qingyu narrowed her eyes and looked over. It was actually Li Tianyang, whom she hadn’t seen in days.

Li Tianyang’s chest was still heaving a bit at the moment, his cheeks slightly flushed and sweaty from exercise. It seemed he had run over.

He walked towards her step by step, his eyes fixed on her ardently.

When he stood in front of her, Si Qingyu couldn’t help but look at him in confusion. What was wrong with this person? She thought he had already disdained to pay attention to her and wouldn’t come looking for her again. How come he came over again?

And looking at her with such a strange gaze, it truly made her uncomfortable.

Li Tianyang looked at her fixedly, his lips moving slightly. His mouth opened and closed again, seeming to not have thought clearly about what to say.

Si Qingyu spoke first, “Does Young Master Li have something to discuss?” Seeing her indifferent and unfamiliar tone, he felt inexplicably angry. Li Tianyang arrogantly turned his head to the side, “I heard you just got back.” So he ran over at the first opportunity.

“Mm.”

“You… went to Qianluo Town.” It wasn’t a question.

“Mm.”

Li Tianyang pursed his lips. Seeing her being so perfunctory, he felt a bit angry, his cheeks slightly puffed up, “It’s nothing. I just heard you were back and came to see if you were alright.” He stole a glance at her, “But seeing that you’re fine, I’ll just leave then.”

With that, he walked towards the door. But as soon as he reached the entrance, he stopped again. His feet turned and he walked back. He looked at the two eyesores on the side and said, “I have something I want to discuss with Doctor Si. Could you two please give us some privacy?” He rarely spoke so politely.

Zhao Sixi and Zhang looked at each other, unanimously turning to Si Qingyu. Only after seeing Si Qingyu nod did they walk away, turning back to gossip in low voices as they left.

Si Qingyu’s face darkened slightly.

Li Tianyang saw that Si Qingyu’s expression wasn’t too good and couldn’t help feeling a bit angry, “Are you very unhappy being alone with me?”

Si Qingyu said indifferently, “What exactly does Young Master Li want?”

Li Tianyang sat beside her, looking at her and licking his lips, “It’s nothing… just…”

What was it? He didn’t know either. He wanted to ask her who that man was that day, why she cared about him so much. But after not seeing her for these past days, he didn’t want to ask that question anymore.

He didn’t want to upset her.

“Just… came to make sure you were alright…”

“Mm, I’m fine, thank you.”

Li Tianyang pouted, dissatisfied as he looked at her. Was that it? They hadn’t seen each other for so many days and she had nothing to say to him?

He awkwardly fiddled with his fingers. After a long time, he finally spoke, “Do you really not remember who I am anymore?” He glanced up at her, “I used to go see you often when we were in the capital…” Although it was just him secretly watching her from the side.

But they had also met a few times, even though it was when she was treating his illness.

Met in the capital before?

With so many patients, how could she remember so clearly? She was already exhausted from rushing back the whole way, and now she had to answer such boring questions here. Si Qingyu rubbed her temples.

Li Tianyang peeked at her from the side. Seeing her tired appearance, he suddenly found an excuse. He leaned forward, close to her, and volunteered, “Aqing, you look very tired? I know massage! Let me help you!”

He stood up and walked excitedly behind her, “I often give my mother massages! My mother says I’m very good at it.” As he spoke, he reached his hands towards her head.

Si Qingyu hurriedly stood up to avoid him, waving her hands at him in disapproval, “No need. Men and women should not have physical contact.”

Being avoided by her, Li Tianyang stomped his feet, puffing his cheeks angrily as he glared at her, “You really don’t know how to take a hint.” But his tone carried a hint of coquettish annoyance.

Si Qingyu just felt that he must be possessed by a ghost. Even when he was clingy before, he never acted like this.

“Young Master Li, if there’s nothing else, please head back soon. It’s getting dark.” As she spoke, Si Qingyu circled a few steps away, trying to keep her distance from him, afraid he would reach out to her at any moment.

Li Tianyang pouted, crossing his arms in front of his chest with an indifferent look, “I’m not going back.”

“…”

“Um… Young Master Li, our clinic is also about to close…” Zhao Sixi, who heard their conversation on the side, couldn’t help but respond for Si Qingyu.

Li Tianyang suddenly glared at her gloomily. Zhao Sixi instantly lost her voice, pretending she didn’t see anything and turned her head to continue chatting with Zhang.

Si Qingyu didn’t want to pay attention to him. She said to Zhang, “Constable Zhang, I’ll go to the inn with you to get you settled before I head back.”

Zhang hurriedly waved her hands, indicating there was no need, “No need, no need. I can go by myself for such a small matter. Doctor Si, you must be very tired after traveling for two days. Go back and rest.”

“But you’re not familiar with this place…”

Before Si Qingyu could finish, Zhao Sixi interjected, “It’s alright, Doctor Si. If you’re not at ease, I can go with Constable Zhang. You go back and rest.”

That works too. Si Qingyu nodded.

Si Qingyu packed her things and left the clinic first, while Li Tianyang followed behind her the whole way.

He followed her all the way to the town gate. Si Qingyu finally couldn’t bear it and turned around, “Young Master Li, could you please not follow me?”

Li Tianyang’s gaze wandered around, refusing to look at her. His mouth was stubborn, “Who said I’m following you… ”

“Then is Young Master Li going out of town?”

“Hmph, it’s none of your business. I just want to walk this way.”

Si Qingyu felt that there was indeed a generation gap between them, a very deep one. They simply couldn’t communicate.

She looked at him coldly, enunciating each word mercilessly, “Please do what a man should do, Young Master Li. You may not care about your reputation, but I care about mine.” She just wanted him to know when to back off and not pester her anymore.

Li Tianyang was stunned by her words, looking at her in disbelief, “You… what do you mean? Are you saying I’m promiscuous and don’t follow a husband’s duties?”

Si Qingyu looked at him expressionlessly.

Seeing her cold and heartless appearance, Li Tianyang felt like his heart was pricked, a sharp, sour pain.

He looked at her with reddened eyes, quickly lowered his head to wipe away tears, but still refused to leave.

Watching him wipe his tears, Si Qingyu felt a bit conflicted in her heart. Did she just bully a child into crying?

Sighing, what kind of karma was she creating?

“Don’t cry anymore.”

“…” Ignoring her, he continued to lower his head and wipe his tears.

“Alright, don’t cry anymore.” Her voice softened a bit.

Li Tianyang pouted, wiping his tears while secretly glancing at her, his voice infinitely aggrieved, “You just scolded me for being a loose man.”

“I didn’t mean it that way…” Si Qingyu sighed again. She felt that the number of times she had sighed in front of him today was already enough. “What I meant was that Young Master Li is, after all, an unmarried young master. Following a woman like this is truly improper.”

Li Tianyang lowered his head with reddened eyes, fiddling with his fingers. He opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say. No matter what he said, she wouldn’t like to hear it anyway.

Si Qingyu coaxed him like she was coaxing a child, “I think your mother should be worried about you too. It’s about to get dark soon, and you’re a man without a servant boy accompanying you. It’s very dangerous.”

That tone was like a police officer lecturing a rebellious teenager who was still wandering outside in the middle of the night.

But she saw Li Tianyang’s eyes light up upon hearing this. He looked at her excitedly, “Then can you escort me back?” “…”

Si Qingyu finally understood what it meant to lift a rock only to drop it on one’s own foot. But seeing his excited face, she was certain that if she didn’t escort him, he would still follow her all the way.

In the end, she compromised helplessly. Si Qingyu “escorted” him to his family’s doorstep before leaving.

As a result, before she could even take two steps, the young man behind her called out to her again. She turned around, holding back her impatience.

She saw Li Tianyang’s eyes shining brightly, carrying a hint of shyness and softness like a passionate, delicate flower, “Thank you.” Si Qingyu was slightly stunned. She nodded and left.

Only after her figure disappeared did Li Tianyang drop his expression. He coldly looked towards the Li family head leaning against the inside of the door.

The Li family head felt a prick in her little heart by his expression that changed faster than flipping a book. She let out a long sigh, “A child grown is hard to control. Not even married off yet and already starting to betray the family.” Li Tianyang didn’t bother paying attention to her. He walked past her and went inside. Heh, he still remembered her lying to him about Si Qingyu being in the capital.