Seeing Duan Youyan trapped in his own pain, Xu Huaqian reached under the table and took Chen Liejiu's hand. He remembered Chen Liejiu had also just experienced a heat flush before they left.
At that time, he wondered: Could there be many tragedies caused by heat flushes in the world? And here was one right before them.
Because of the heat flush, Duan Youyan could never return to his pure ideal of being just a doctor.
Because of the heat flush, Sheng Yunjin lost a well-matched marriage.
Because of the heat flush, Sheng Zhiyuan lost a satisfactory son-in-law.
Everything started with the heat flush. If only this issue could be resolved.
"...Mm." Xu Huaqian held Chen Liejiu's hand and said to Duan Youyan: "Why don't you stop thinking about your old ideal of just being a doctor and choose a new one?"
"Change to what?" Duan Youyan had thought about it. Even if he passed the provincial and metropolitan exams and became a magistrate, how could he ever repay what he owed Sheng Yunjin in this lifetime?
Facing him, he simply didn't know how to act. Treating him well felt wrong; treating him poorly felt wrong too.
"How about changing to solving the heat flush issue?" Xu Huaqian felt that Duan Youyan, being so rigid and single-minded, once he set on an ideal, would dive in headfirst—he was perfect for research!
"—Huh?"
When he said this, Meng Fangxun, Pei Wangshu, and the others all looked at him in surprise: "That ideal is way too unrealistic! Men's heat flushes have existed since ancient times, just like women's menstruation. It simply can't be changed ."
"How is it unrealistic?!" Xu Huaqian disagreed. "Aren't there medicines to regulate women's menstruation? Even if we don't seek to completely solve heat flushes, researching some medicines to suppress them would be good!"
"Easier said than done!" Pei Wangshu, taking advantage of Xu Huaqian's blindness, looked at him as if he were a fool. "If it were that easy, the Imperial Medical Institute would have developed something long ago. Would they need to wait for us common folk to find a way?"
"Maybe the Imperial Medical Institute is already researching it but hasn't found the direction yet," Xu Huaqian wasn't discouraged. "There are always more solutions than difficulties. If we all brainstorm and help, maybe we'll find it?"
"And, Duan Youyan?" Xu Huaqian turned to him. "Weren't you always thinking about how to make it up to your husband? Go research heat flushes! Even if you can't develop a medicine to suppress them, if you thoroughly understand men's heat flushes and write a book about them to promote throughout the land, letting everyone know about the various types, then the next time a man like your husband has a silent, sudden heat flush, they won't suffer the same pain you did!"
Cases like Duan Youyan's surely aren't isolated. There must be others in other families, just not exposed, unknown to the public.
"Write a book?" Duan Youyan frowned. Writing a book wasn't something one could just decide to do; it required extensive knowledge.
"Yes! Write a book!" Xu Huaqian egged him on relentlessly. "You write a medical book. That way, you can both study and not abandon the medicine you love."
"It's not that easy." Meng Fangxun shook his head. "Both studying literature and studying medicine are difficult. To do both together?"
Meng Fangxun glanced at Duan Youyan. He admitted Duan Youyan had some talent in both studying and medicine, but his rigid, inflexible mind was concerning!
If he were the magistrate's son-in-law, told to study, he would absolutely not go feed pigs. He would study hard, pass the Jinshi exam, become a high official. Medicine? What was that?
"It's because it's difficult that it can make up for things." Xu Huaqian had no other special skills, but he was particularly skilled at egging people on . "If it were too easy, how could he make up for the losses his husband suffered because of him?"
"In wealthy families, marriages are about marrying slightly down or up. If Sheng Yunjin hadn't had that incident, he could have at least matched with the son of a Rank 4 Prefect. Duan Youyan, you have to make that up to your husband, right?!"
He could see that Duan Youyan wasn't so much confused about his future as he was torn about how to interact with his husband.
After such an event, Duan Youyan felt deeply guilty . Telling him to treat his husband well and repay him doubly would only make him more guilty and at a loss . But telling him not to treat his husband well would also go against his conscience.
So, he had to thoroughly convince him.
"Rank 4?!" Zhang Bingwen gasped. When he passed the Xiucai exam, his grandfather was so overjoyed he nearly fainted. If he could become a Rank 4 official... hmm... he'd have to consider finding a prime geomancy site for his grandfather.
"It's not that hard either!" Xu Huaqian disliked Sheng Zhiyuan's discouraging education ; he preferred a conciliatory approach . "As long as you pass the metropolitan exam with a high Second Class rank, becoming a prefect is simple!"
"High Second Class?! Simple?!" Wasn't this getting more and more unrealistic? Pei Wangshu looked at Xu Huaqian and said slowly, "Have you forgotten you didn't pass the Xiucai exam as the top candidate but as the second-to-last?"
Xu Huaqian shook his head: "I haven't forgotten."
"Then who gave you the courage to say that a high Second Class rank isn't difficult?"
"Liang Jingru!" Xu Huaqian replied without thinking, then realized his mistake and spat, "Wrong! It's my face!"
"Look at my face!" he said, pointing to his handsome, striking face. "If nothing else, as long as I can enter the Golden Luan Hall, becoming the Tanhua, the third-ranked graduate chosen for looks shouldn't be a problem, right?"
As long as there weren't any overly stunningly beautiful candidates in his exam year, Xu Huaqian believed no one could be better looking than him!
Besides, the Jinshi exam was extremely difficult now. Most who passed were in their forties or fifties; those in their twenties or thirties were very rare . As long as he didn't pass the exam only when he was old and toothless, Xu Huaqian believed he would be the best-looking one among a crowd of uncles.
The others were stunned. They hadn't expected Xu Huaqian to consider relying on his looks rather than his academic results.
They looked at Xu Huaqian's face, so beautiful it was breathtaking even blind, and fell silent. That seemed like a viable path too.
Could they still go back and groom themselves for a chance?!
Seeing their tempted expressions, Chen Liejiu beside them almost laughed himself silly. His little husband was a smooth talker when fooling people.
They weren't even Juren yet, and they were already thinking about the Golden Luan Hall?
"Back to the main topic. Compensate for status, but also compensate emotionally," Xu Huaqian patted Duan Youyan's shoulder. "You see, whether you choose medicine or the exams, you struggle. Why not do both? Study and write a book simultaneously. Don't be afraid to describe the situation to your husband. I believe he wants to move forward even more than you do!"
Was this Duan Youyan's fault? Certainly not. In that situation, anyone would have treated it the same way. It was just unfortunate that the person that day happened to be Duan Youyan.
But was it Sheng Yunjin's fault? No. He didn't even know his heat flush was coming and called a doctor, who didn't detect it. How could that be his fault?!
So, it was the heat flush's fault! If there were medicine to curb it, even if Sheng Yunjin had kissed Duan Youyan that day, taking the medicine could have made it as if nothing happened.
Because there was none, they had to consummate, hence the current pain. If they could remove this mountain of heat flush, all problems would be readily solved!
Xu Huaqian's mind was full of: Duan Youyan, go make medicine! Duan Youyan, go make medicine! Duan Youyan, go make medicine!
He really wanted to buy some for his husband!
Duan Youyan remained silent.
Indeed, after studying, he could never return to being a small-clinic doctor. But to completely abandon medicine and focus solely on the exams was also impossible.
Xu Huaqian's suggested method was a path. He didn't have to be a hands-on healing doctor, but he could write medical books that healed, understand why he misdiagnosed A-Jin, and develop medicine to suppress men's heat flushes. As long as either the book or the medicine could be realized, it would reduce suffering and torment in the world.
It was just that this path seemed even more difficult than being a doctor—so difficult it might take a lifetime.
But should difficulty stop him from doing it?!
"Alright, I'll write the book and make the medicine!" Duan Youyan clenched his fist. Even if it was difficult, he would do it. To prevent other doctors from facing his situation, to prevent other men from experiencing what he and A-Jin went through, he had to do it! Must do it!
Seeing Duan Youyan's determination, Chen Liejiu hooked Xu Huaqian's palm. Little rascal!
Xu Huaqian also hooked Chen Liejiu's palm in return. Although he had only seen Sheng Yunjin once at the mountain foot, seeing how concerned he was about Duan Youyan even in private showed he certainly cared for him.
As the old saying goes: better to destroy ten temples than ruin one marriage. The two were mutually affectionate; they just couldn't cross the barrier in their hearts.
Otherwise, he would have directly advised Duan Youyan to get a divorce earlier. What was the point of painful entanglement?
Now, it was a happy ending for all. The lovers could end up together. Sheng Zhiyuan would have a son-in-law who advanced himself without being pushed. Duan Youyan wouldn't suffer over choosing between exams and medicine.
Most importantly, he also hoped he could produce the book and the medicine! He just wondered if a country doctor had the capability.
Sheng Zhiyuan, who had heard the commotion in the front courtyard, saw that his son hadn't delivered the divorce papers but was instead carried back by someone. He spat: "No backbone at all! Doesn't seem like my seed!"
His wife shot him a look, and he immediately fell silent.
That evening, Duan Youyan took his Sheng Yunjin to the backyard. Using the white charcoal Xu Huaqian had given them, they secretly grilled meat. He told him how his friends had guided him out of his confusion.
"They are all such good people. But from now on, don't keep things bottled up and make yourself suffer," Sheng Yunjin felt that Duan Youyan's silence was the main reason for their deep misunderstanding. "You can talk to me too. Whatever decision you make, I will support you."
Whether it was pursuing the exams, practicing medicine, or even wanting a divorce—as long as it was discussed openly, he would respect his choice.
Duan Youyan looked at Sheng Yunjin and nodded emphatically: "I understand. I will discuss everything with you from now on."
Sheng Yunjin was happy and made a small request: "Then next time, can you take me to meet these friends of yours?" He was so curious about them and wanted to see what kind of people they were.
This time, Duan Youyan didn't refuse: "Alright."
Duan Youyan was willing to take him out, which proved he had truly moved forward. Sheng Yunjin was especially happy: "Then I will also help you collect information on heat flushes. I also want to know why my body triggered a heat flush two years early."
He had thought of this before, but he didn't know how to do anything. Even if he had ideas, they were just thoughts. But his husband was different—he knew medicine. As long as he kept working towards this goal, he believed he could find the reason!
"Alright." Duan Youyan, remembering Xu Huaqian's words that Sheng Yunjin wanted to move forward even more than he did, didn't refuse. He handed him another skewer of grilled meat. "Don't overwork yourself."
"Not overworked, not overworked." Sheng Yunjin took the skewer, smiling happily. Nothing made him happier than Duan Youyan resolving his inner conflict and him being able to help in whatever small way he could.
They had finally crossed this hurdle and could move forward.
"Hmph! Friends are easy to find, but true friends are rare. You have good fortune!" Sheng Zhiyuan, who had been eavesdropping behind the flower bed in the courtyard for a long time, saw them eating oily grilled meat while he stood in the wind listening. The thought that they were sneaking around in his own home made him so angry he strode out directly.
So what if he eavesdropped? It was his house; he could do as he pleased.
"Father!" Sheng Yunjin didn't expect his father to appear and instinctively looked at Duan Youyan.
"Father-in-law." Upon seeing Sheng Zhiyuan, Duan Youyan habitually wanted to stand up and bow, but as he rose, he suddenly decided against it. He offered a skewer of grilled meat to Sheng Zhiyuan and tentatively called out, "Dad?"
Sheng Zhiyuan was quite startled, giving him a strange look. He took the grilled meat, grunted in acknowledgment: "...Mm. Now you finally seem a bit like a proper live-in husband."
Duan Youyan smiled without replying.
Sheng Zhiyuan, eating the meat, couldn't be bothered to argue. He looked down at the brazier they were using for grilling and, seeing the charcoal had turned grayish-white on the surface, exclaimed in surprise: "Silver Frost Charcoal! Where did you get this? This is tribute charcoal!"