Chapter 403: Chapter 149 Rainstorm_4
She was not the type to meddle in others’ affairs.
The spring night was chilly, and the moonlight timid. A gust of evening wind blew in from outside the window, casting a faint coldness over the figures enveloped in lamplight.
Lu Tong tightened her clothes and after a long while, she finally spoke, "Meal money."
"Meal money?"
Lu Tong nodded, looking straight into the other person’s eyes, "When I first entered the Medical Officer Institute, I ate Lord Pei’s lotus seed paste pastry, and Lord Pei did not take silver."
"Then consider it payment for the meal."
She said it earnestly, as if discussing a business transaction worth millions of silver, which caused Pei Yunmeng to be slightly stunned.
That night, not long after Lu Tong had been assigned to the Southern Pharmacy, she found the small kitchen cold and empty and happened to bump into Pei Yunmeng passing by.
She ate Pei Yunmeng’s lotus seed paste pastry, but Pei Yunmeng did not take her silver and just left like that.
Pei Yunmeng nodded, "I see." Then, looking at her with a smile, he said, "It’s just a basket of pastries. Why does Doctor Lu make such a clear distinction?"
As if she always kept these debts clear, be it a plaster, a snack, or a life-saving favor...
Fearing to owe others, or to be owed by them.
Lu Tong spoke indifferently, "The Marshal may not know, but in our Lu Family, it is a rule to repay even the smallest grudge and the smallest kindness."
Pei Yunmeng looked at her thoughtfully.
The woman sat under the lamplight, leafing through a medical book. The dim yellow light was hazy, her long hair undone from its bun, cascading over her shoulders like silk and setting off her aqua-colored dress, blooming quietly and coldly like a flower in the mountain night.
As he fiddled with the medicine bottle, he paused, thought for a moment, and then asked, "Why don’t you ask about my family’s affairs?"
Lu Tong was taken aback and couldn’t help but look up.
The young man propped his chin, watching her with a gentle smile. His tone was casual, but his eyes were calm like deep waters, hiding ripples she couldn’t understand.
A faint scent of musk pervaded the air, or perhaps the newly blossomed pear flowers in the courtyard were too fragrant to ignore.
Lu Tong averted her gaze, saying indifferently, "I am not interested in others’ family affairs."
At these words, Pei Yunmeng was taken aback and looked at her with a complex expression.
The dense text in the medical book before her blurred under the lamplight, and Lu Tong suddenly lost interest in continuing to read. She fell silent for a while before asking, "Why does Lord Pei not ask Jin Xianrong why he said such things?"
Jin Xianrong had insulted the Pei Family in every way he could. Considering the way Pei Yunmeng had dealt with Prince Wen previously, the Commander’s ruthless nature and his tendency for retribution, he did not seem like one who would let things slide. Furthermore, since he had planted his people in Jin Xianrong’s residence, he was incredibly bold. Lu Tong had thought he would seek revenge, but he appeared to be unconcerned.
As if he didn’t care about the reputation of Zhao Ning Manor or Lord Zhao Ning himself.
Pei Yunmeng blinked, sighing lightly, "Who in Shengjing doesn’t know my family’s troubles?"
"The Marshal is not angry?"
He shrugged, "Truth be told."
Lu Tong then fell silent, unable to understand Pei Yunmeng.
A breeze came through, causing the desk lamp to flicker. Pei Yunmeng reached out to adjust the wick, brightening the light. He said, "Treasure Bead’s medicine is about to run out. My sister asked me when to change the prescription?"
Originally, Lu Tong used to visit Zhao Ning Manor every few days when she was at the Benevolent Heart Medical Hall to diagnose Pei Yunshu and her daughter, adjusting Treasure Bead’s prescription according to her condition. But since her arrival at the Hanlin Medical Institute, she had been so busy that she forgot the day to change the prescription was near.
"The Medical Officer Institute has a two-day break every month," Lu Tong said, "I didn’t leave last month, but this month I’ll visit the medical hall. I will personally check on Treasure Bead before changing the medicine."
Pei Yunmeng nodded, "That’s good."
Another silence ensued.
He picked up the medicine bottle from the table and stood up, walking to the door, he stopped again, "Doctor Lu."
Lu Tong, "Yes?"
The young man stood with his back to her and after a while, he smiled and said, "Thank you."
Without saying anything more, he left.
The room returned to its quiet state, and Lu Tong put down the medical book in her hand, looking forward.
The moon broke through the light clouds, the shadows of the flowers were dim, and the cool moonlight poured over the ground, casting a white frost.
His figure was gone from outside the door.