Village Doctor's Women-Chapter 279 - 273 Night Talks

When Wang Jian was about to head to Capital City, his father, Wang Tianhe, chose to leave home again.

Although Wang Jian’s current earnings meant that Wang Tianhe no longer needed to work to supplement the family’s income, decades of habit had ingrained a need to have something to do every day. Lately, staying at home with nothing to do had made him feel restless all over. He finally made the decision to go out and have some fun. He could choose not to work, but he simply couldn’t stand being idle.

Wang Jian couldn’t persuade him, as the mindset of their generation was completely different from the older one. For the older generation, work and labor were seen as a given, something they had grown so accustomed to that they felt uncomfortable the moment they stopped. Wang Jian’s generation, on the other hand, believed that "lying flat" was true happiness.

Unable to dissuade him, Wang Jian decided to encourage him instead. He simply took out a sum of money and suggested his father go traveling—anywhere he liked—which was far better than staying home and stewing in frustration.

As night gradually fell, Cai Qiong also returned to the city. After what had happened today, she was too embarrassed to sleep over anymore; otherwise, it would have been awkward for both her and Xu Qian.

So now, only Xu Qian and Wang Jian were left at home.

"Why did you suddenly come back?" When the two of them were alone, Xu Qian snuggled up to Wang Jian’s side, asking while they watched television, "I just dropped you off at the train station."

"It’s actually kind of funny," Wang Jian said, his heart completely calm. "Just as I was about to get my ticket checked, I got a phone call telling me my spot had been canceled."

"Canceled?" Xu Qian was puzzled. "How could that happen? Wasn’t it..."

"You were going to say that my master and the others recommended me, right?" Wang Jian smiled. "I actually considered that there might be a surprise, just not this particular one. But it’s not necessarily a bad thing. If someone wants to cause trouble for me, I’ll just let them. Just when they’re feeling most pleased with themselves is when their trouble will begin."

"But what about you?" Xu Qian was more concerned about the status of National Doctor, as it was the kind of glory that would bring honor to one’s ancestors. "Aren’t you upset that you can’t go, just like that?"

"Upset?" Wang Jian shook his head and explained, "I didn’t want to go in the first place. If I hadn’t been worried about making the two elders unhappy, I would have refused long ago. This works out perfectly—someone thinks they’re giving me a hard time, but they have no idea they’re actually doing me a favor. They’ll know fear when they realize they have to come begging me for help."

Xu Qian laughed. "Who thinks like you? Anyone else would be falling over themselves for that title, but you don’t care at all and even see it as a nuisance."

"Theoretically, I’m still considered a cultivator, so not striving or vying is part of our philosophy," Wang Jian said, grasping her hand, completely unconcerned. "The only reason my master wanted me to participate was so I could inherit his title and, incidentally, serve the country. But they forgot that I can do many things to benefit the nation right here from home. On the contrary, if I joined that circle, I’d probably be too busy with social obligations to accomplish anything at all."

Xu Qian listened without an immediate response, pondering his words. After a good while, she finally said, "You have a point."

Her main desire was for Wang Jian to have good things in life, so if he himself didn’t care and wasn’t upset, then neither was she. She deliberately steered the conversation elsewhere. "Do you know what Cai Qiong and I talked about today?"

Wang Jian glanced at her, and seeing that she wasn’t trying to test him, he replied, "What did you talk about?"

"She asked me why I didn’t go to Capital City with you," Xu Qian said directly, not beating around the bush. "So I turned the question back on her and asked why *she* wasn’t going."

"And then?" Wang Jian was curious about how they had reacted.

Xu Qian smiled. "Of course, neither of us went. What would it look like, the two of us following you around? Besides," she added before Wang Jian could speak, "isn’t Xiao Yu in Capital City to keep you company?"

Wang Jian was taken aback. He hadn’t expected that answer at all, and hearing Xiao Yu’s name startled him. But seeing that Xu Qian had no particular reaction and was just purposefully watching his expression, he was emboldened and countered, "Do you know that Xiao Yu likes me?"

"What’s the big deal about that?" Xu Qian chuckled. "Who in the entire village doesn’t know about you two? It’s common knowledge that Xiao Yu has liked you since you were kids."

"Is it really that obvious?"

"Yep, it’s practically written all over her face," Xu Qian laughed. "Besides, after the fiasco with the bandits and Uncle Ren being driven away, everyone in the village already sees you two as a couple. Didn’t you know? They even say it’s like you give the call and she follows."

This was the first time Wang Jian had heard such talk. He didn’t know how to respond, especially in front of Xu Qian.

He was, of course, feeling guilty.

Fortunately, Xu Qian didn’t press the issue. Instead, she seemed to have the idea of playing matchmaker.

"Actually, I think you and Xiao Yu are a good match," Xu Qian said. "Before Dad passed, he told me to help you find a wife, to arrange a marriage or something. I think Xiao Yu is great. Why don’t you consider her?"

"What?" Wang Jian couldn’t keep up the pretense any longer. "Who gets married so young?"

Xu Qian rolled her eyes. "What do you mean, young? We got married in our early twenties. You’re almost thirty now, is that still young?"

"Even if I’m not young, Xiao Yu is," Wang Jian chuckled. "She just started university and only just turned twenty."

"Hahaha, she’s of legal age. She can get married," Xu Qian said deliberately. "Or are you planning to wait until she graduates from college to marry her?"

"No..." Not knowing what she was really thinking, Wang Jian continued, "I’ve never even thought about it."

Seeing his expression, Xu Qian sighed and said, "Xiao Jian, you can’t keep thinking you’ll end up with me. I told you this a long time ago, and I hope you understand. In the future, you either choose Cai Qiong or you choose Xiao Yu. You just can’t choose me."

Before Wang Jian could say anything, Xu Qian sat up and covered his mouth with her own.

Afterward, Xu Qian was unusually passionate, more so than ever before. Even someone as obtuse as Wang Jian could tell that she had made up her mind. It was precisely because he understood this that when he regained his composure and looked at the tranquil face of the woman beside him, his heart was thrown into turmoil. The more Xu Qian acted this way, the harder it was for him to let go.

But in the world of adults, there are no perfect solutions that satisfy two people, let alone three.

Outside, the chorus of frogs and insects continued as always, but Wang Jian could only rely on the Heart Clearing Scripture to soothe his chaotic thoughts.

With a heart as clear as ice, one remains undisturbed amidst change...

As he delved deeper into the scripture, his state of mind gradually stabilized. Just when Wang Jian thought he was about to fall asleep, he suddenly felt his body become weightless. He had once again entered the state of Yang Soul separation. Unconsciously, he floated high into the air, crossed his legs, and assumed a meditative posture.

He remained that way until dawn, when the first rays of the rising sun on the horizon jolted him awake with a burning sensation.

He had broken through once more.

As for his current realm, it was something he couldn’t quite explain himself.