maidservant

Chapter 142 Nian'er, who intruded into my life to escape the plague

The plague came fiercely but disappeared slowly. Two months of fighting the plague had exhausted everyone, but the situation outside the city had not improved significantly.

Outside Kyoto, a deathly silence and despair hung like a dark cloud. The autumn wind howled and swept through, stirring up withered yellow grass and fine sand from the roadside, as if the earth were wailing in anguish.

Compared to actual illness, panic is the most terrifying thing. The roads are full of people fleeing famine, dragging their families along, walking unsteadily, and every face is etched with exhaustion and fear.

Among this ant-like crowd, there was a girl of only six or seven years old, thin and pale. She clutched her tattered clothes tightly, keeping up with the others, not daring to fall behind.

She and her parents fled their hometown to escape the raging plague. But the fever-reducing pills, the life-saving medicine, in their county had already been divided up by the powerful and wealthy, leaving poor people like them with no chance to even see a trace of the medicine.

Along the way, the parents' health deteriorated, and they eventually contracted the disease. Looking into their child's clear, innocent eyes, the parents' hearts were breaking.

Knowing their days were numbered, and to prevent their daughter from being infected, they had no choice but to reluctantly let her go ahead with her fellow villagers to Kyoto to escape the disaster.

As they parted, the mother, her hands trembling, stuffed the little girl's only remaining food into her hands, tears streaming down her face: "Child, you must live on."

Upon arriving in Kyoto, the fellow villagers dispersed, and no one paid any attention to the small figure anymore.

The little girl stood bewildered in the bustling crowd. Her stomach was growling with hunger, but she had no money for medicine, not even a single copper coin to buy food.

Early in the morning, the dew mingled with the autumn wind, and her hands and feet were frozen red. She could only follow the flow of people, mechanically moving her feet, and unknowingly arrived in front of Yunshan Medical Clinic.

The clinic was bustling with noise, and long queues of people were waiting for treatment. The staff were busy coming and going, preparing and dispensing medicine, and the air was filled with the strong smell of medicine.

The little girl stood at the entrance of the clinic, looking around timidly, her eyes filled with longing and helplessness.

Yun Shan was busy inside the clinic when she looked up and saw the thin figure at the door.

In an instant, it was as if time had turned back, and she remembered herself as a child, suffering from hunger and cold on the road of fleeing famine.

It was a painful memory, filled with hunger, cold, and fear. Seeing this little girl now is like seeing my past self, and a feeling of pity wells up in my heart.

She quickly walked out of the clinic, squatted down, and gently asked the little girl, "Child, are you hungry?"

The little girl's lips trembled, and she stammered, unable to speak, only nodding slightly. Yun Shan tenderly pulled her into the clinic, asked the waiter to bring some hot pancakes, and watched the little girl wolf them down, her eyes full of affection.

Yunshan first arranged for the girl to rest in a corner, while she went to do her own work.

The clinic was bustling with people, all suffering from the plague. The pharmacist hurried along, and the air was thick with the smell of medicine.

The little girl huddled in the corner, her big eyes watching Yun Shan's every move. Yun Shan could feel the burning gaze fixed on her.

Yunshan took a moment to pour the little girl a bowl of hot water. Watching the girl gulp it down, her heart ached. After the girl finished eating, Yunshan gently inquired about her family situation. The little girl sobbed, but remained silent. Thinking of her parents, tears welled up in her eyes again. Yunshan patted her back, "No rush, no rush, tell me when you want to."

When the queue thinned out, Yunshan called the waiter to prepare hot water, intending to give the little girl a proper bath first. Once the steaming water was ready, Yunshan gently removed the little girl's tattered and stained clothes and helped her slowly step into the bathtub.

The hot water enveloped the little girl's small body, and she trembled slightly, her eyes still showing the fear of being a newcomer. Yunshan picked up a cloth and gently wiped the little girl's cheeks, gradually revealing her fair skin that had been covered by dust.

After the dirt was washed away, the girl's appearance was fully revealed. Her small face was as small as a palm, and her features were as delicate as a finely carved jade. In particular, her big eyes were large and round, with bright black pupils, like twinkling stars in the night sky, but at this moment they still carried a bit of timidity.

After bathing, Yunshan dressed the little girl in a clean and tidy floral dress, instantly transforming her previously dull appearance. Looking at the pretty little girl before her, Yunshan couldn't help but reach out and gently touch her face, finding it delicate and soft to the touch.

Then, Yunshan took the little girl's hand and took her pulse.

The moment Yun Shan touched the girl's pulse with her fingertips, she frowned slightly. Due to prolonged hunger and exhaustion, the child's pulse was weak, feeble, and disordered. However, based on her years of medical experience, Yun Shan could tell that the child was actually very healthy and would be able to recover her vitality if properly cared for.

Seeing that the girl had calmed down, Yunshan squatted down next to her and started chatting.

"Child, what's your name? Where are you from?" Yunshan asked softly, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze.

The little girl lowered her eyes and answered timidly in a low voice, "I... my name is Nian'er, and I live in Qingping Town." After answering, she quickly lowered her head again, as if afraid that she had said something wrong.

When it was lunchtime, the waiter brought the food. Nian'er just sat quietly in the corner, holding a pancake tightly in her hand, taking small bites, and occasionally glancing around furtively.

Yunshan saw it all and felt a pang of heartache. She understood that Nian'er was new here and still hadn't fully opened up.

So Yunshan personally ladled out a bowl of hot soup, patiently blew on it to cool it down, and after the meal, she gently walked to Nian'er's side, handed her the soup, and said softly, "Nian'er, drink some soup to warm yourself up."

Nian'er took the soup bowl and whispered, "Thank you, sir," her voice barely audible.

"Don't be afraid, this will be your home from now on," Yun Shan said softly. The little girl looked up, tears welling in her eyes. At that moment, in this cold, plague-ridden world, she finally found a sliver of warmth and support.

The air was filled with the aroma of herbs, and a tall medicine cabinet stood against the wall, its drawers covered with dense writing, recording the names of various medicinal materials.

Nian'er stood in front of the medicine cabinet, her little head tilted back, her eyes wide open, filled with confusion. Her fingers gently traced the words, but to her illiterate self, these words were like mysterious symbols, impossible to decipher.

At this moment, Doctor Feng hurriedly entered the pharmacy, holding the prescription in his hand, and went straight to the medicine cabinet. Nian'er quickly stepped aside, her eyes fixed on the doctor's every move.

The doctor skillfully opened each drawer and retrieved the necessary medicinal herbs.

Nian'er couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Doctor, how do you know where each medicine is?" The doctor smiled and replied, "These medicine cabinets are all labeled. Look, this is 'Angelica sinensis,' and this is 'Poria cocos.' Once you can read, you'll be able to find them quickly too."