Bought
The teacup in front of Yu Zuolin had been refilled several times already and the wooden token in his hands had been clenched over and over by his hands, to the point that there were even signs of it starting to crumble apart.
‘The 49th spot, 49th.’ If he wasn’t selected for the next spot then won’t this have been a waste of time? Even after waiting for the whole day, he wasn’t even able to see the Ghost Doctor’s face.
How could he just sit idle and resign himself to such circumstances?
Yu Feng was somewhat concerned about the semblance of his household’s Young Master, his lips also tightly pressed into a thin line.
But he was also powerless, he had followed those patients inside many times. Even if his efforts had only allowed him to glimpse at the Ghost Doctor’s figure it would have been great already, however, he was blocked at every attempt.
He could only blame himself for not being skilled enough. For not having the ability to quietly sneak into the backyard unnoticed.
“Young Master, we still have a chance of being chosen. There’s still the spot for the last patient.” Yu Feng took a step forward to whisper near Yu Zuolin’s ear. He then proceeded to take a look at the dining hall downstairs, noticing many people getting violent, worried and restless to the point that there were even those who seemed to be planning to wreak havoc on site.
Perhaps this was not necessarily a bad thing for them. When those people start a ruckus, they might also be able to take advantage of the chaos to infiltrate the backyard and bring the Ghost Doctor away.
Yu Zuolin suddenly picked the teacup and brought it to his lips, drinking it empty.
The cold stale tea went down to his throat but was unable to extinguish the frustration that kept building up like a flame inside his body.
However, he couldn’t act rashly right now, otherwise, his long wait would all have gone to waste.
The ruckus downstairs got bigger as time went on, only 50 spots were available in total for people to see the Ghost Doctor today, so it was natural that many people wouldn’t have a chance to do so. In addition to that, they had been here waiting for an entire day, it was unavoidable that some people would become restless.
Jin Liuli returned to the dining hall together with the 49th patient, a man, who happily expressed his thankfulness to Jin Liuli repeatedly, over and over. This was an indication that his illness had probably been solved and so the words of admiration towards the Ghost Doctor endlessly flowed out of his mouth.
After a while, under the envious eyes of everyone else in the hall, Jin Liuli sent him out of the Fulong Tavern.
Afterwards, the event that had everybody on the edge of their seats was about to take place – the spot for the last patient. There was not a single person that didn’t hold a thread of hope in their hearts.
Yu Zuolin squeezed the wooden token in his hands, his eyes were shining in hope as he stared at Jin Liuli’s figure downstairs.
Almost as if she was feeling that gaze boring onto her, she raised her head in his direction and gave a meaningful smile.
One of her slender, white and jade-like hands entered the ballot box, after a light rummage, she pulled it out, holding a scrap of paper in her hands.
The entire dining hall held their breaths, watching while nervous and eager the piece of paper folded in two in the woman’s hand.
Jin Liuli handed the paper over to one of the lads next to her. He unfolded it and, holding his hand with the paper in order to show it to the whole hall, he said in a loud voice: “Number 6. The last patient is the one in possession of the token of number 6. I ask the guest with the chosen number to bring it with him and wait by the arched door.”
“Pah!” the wooden sign in Yu Zuolin’s hands was thrown at the floor. His eyes burst with killing intent as he stared straight at the paper being held up in the lad’s hand.
The last chance. The last chance had also been lost, what the fuck was the Ghost Doctor doing this for?
“Yu Feng.” Yu Zuolin suddenly shouted.
Yu Feng was startled by the shout and hurried to lower his hands and answer: “Young Lord.”
“Go to the arched door and stop the person with the token of number 6. You say to him that this Young Lord[1] wants to buy it from him.”
“This…” Yu Feng raised his head to look at the gloomy expression in Yu Zuolin’s eyes and hesitated a bit. Those who came here today were all interested in having the Ghost Doctor treating their illnesses, so who would actually be willing to hand such an opportunity over to others?
“Why are you still here?” Yu Zuolin turned his face towards him, his cold eyes glinted with savagery.
He had already waited for 5 days, ever since knowing that the Ghost Doctor would be offering treatment to the sick in the Fulong Tavern, today he had also been anxiously waiting inside of his Inn.
For him to return empty-handed today… how could he swallow these grievances and accept such losses?
Yu Feng inwardly clenched his teeth, but turned around and left the room, running to intercept the last patient holding the number 6 token before the arched door.
After Yu Feng left, Yu Zuolin stood up expressionlessly and speechless as he too turned to leave the private room.
***
As for the wooden token, it was now in the hands of the Master of the Yang Household, a wealthy family native to Jiang Cheng and well-known for their philanthropy, looking at the wooden sign in his hands, Yang Yansheng was stunned for a while before turning to laugh to himself: “Just why did Shopkeeper Jin draw my number out? My family has no one in need of treatment.”
In the beginning, Shopkeeper Jin had clearly told him, to let him come and exploit an opportunity to help them in advertising something. But this situation surely looked a bit different from what he was expecting it to be.
Yang Yansheng took the wooden token in his hands, which right now seemed more like a hot potato instead. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do.
Should he, a perfectly healthy person, go to see the Ghost Doctor? Could it be possible that it was to inform him of ways to prolong his life? That would be wasting the opportunity of giving this chance to those who truly needed it. There were many outside who were in true need of treatment and he couldn’t even begin to fathom how anxious they were after losing this unique chance.
(TL: He’s truly kind. His household is worthy of being called ‘Kindhearted’, unlike those hypocrites I see getting these titles in this sort of story)
The housekeeper of the Yang Household stood next to him and noticed the state his master Yang was in, and after giving it a thought, he suggested him: “Old master, this lowly one[2] knows that you are kindhearted and unable to bear wasting this opportunity on yourself. Would it be better if we discussed the situation with Shopkeeper Jin and let her draw another number out?”
Yang Yansheng nodded: “Yes, this way would also be a good one. Go quickly, don’t let those who are waiting for medical treatment leave and miss their chance.”
“Yes.” Housekeeper Yang hurriedly left the private box and descended the stairs, rushing towards Shopkeeper Jin to explain his Old Master’s request carefully.
Jin Liuli let out a smile and in a louder voice, she said in front of the crowd surrounding her: “This is not good! Our lottery has already selected the sign in possession of the Yang Household and our rules have already been established from the beginning. We cannot break them for no good reason.”
Everyone that suddenly had their hopes rekindled by Jin Liuli’s voice turned dejected once again, many people grew dissatisfied.
“Housekeeper Jin, you draw the lots once again. In any case, it’s only a matter of drawing the lots and it won’t take much of anyone’s time. You are a magnanimous person and would surely not be bothered to draw it a last time.”
“Right! Shopkeeper Jin, the Lord Yang[3] has said so, you cannot keep abiding by the set rules.”
“Shopkeeper Jin, we are all people with their own problems, so please help us!”
Jin Liuli’s lips twitched. She was also a troubled person, alright? She wasn’t a good person and was unable to help those people out of their difficulties.
Those who thought they had no more hope and were planning on returning to their homes, once they heard what was happening, hurriedly rushed back. Each and every one of them scrambling to surround her.
Jin Liuli, amid all of the commotion, started getting a headache, so she had no alternative but to reprimand them in a tender voice: “Ok, I ask you all to be calm. I understood Lord Yang’s thoughts. Housekeeper Yang, I cannot draw the lots once again. However, since your old master is kindhearted, why doesn’t he assign his wooden token of his to another person instead?”
Assign it to another?
Housekeeper Yang nodded in accord, but before he was able to return to his Old Master upstairs in the private box, he was surrounded by the crowd in the dining hall, each looking at him with expectation in their eyes: “Housekeeper Yang, why not assign it to me?”
“Housekeeper Yang, I really need to consult with the Ghost Doctor, I beg you to take mercy on me, please choose me.”
The crowd erupted into a mesh of pleading voices and not only that but there was someone who directly fell onto the ground at his feet and started twitching and shouting: “Housekeeper Yang, just look! My life is already in imminent danger, you ask Lord Yang to give it to me, please.”
Jin Liuli arched her brows slightly, her eyes flew towards Yu Zuolin, who had stopped on his tracks at the top of the staircase, not far away from them, for a second before turning her eyes back to the crowd.
Translated by C, The Apostle of Coffee
Edited by NoveLeo, Life is a Drama
Translator’s Notes
[1] 本少爷 – this is a third-person mention about himself, the first hanzi ‘本’ is used in many ileisms. Here are 本 + 少爷 (Young Lord) – Hence, ‘this Young Lord’. You can see it being used by princes referring to themselves, ladies referring to themselves, princesses or other people in somewhat superior positions. It is even used as a joke when someone is trying to look important and superior in front of others.
[2] 小 (small, low) – here he is using to refer to himself, putting his position below the esteemed old master Yang. You can see this being used with subordinates too, but they prefer using 下, which means ‘under, below’.
[3] Everyone uses Philanthropist Lord Yang to call him, but that’s too long. I’ll just shorten it most of times it shows up.
Obviously Too Busy to Translate 
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