TLHRP 🍁 Chapter 7: My Name Is Yan Han

When Qin Luo came home from school and heard that his third brother had brought a strange man back after saving him, he didn't even bother to eat. Curious, he ran off to see what kind of man his third brother had rescued.

After getting a clear look, he ran back out and said to Qin Li, "Third brother, did you find yourself a husband? Your future husband is so handsome, hehe."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Mother Qin rapped him on the back of the head. "You little rascal, talking such nonsense. Your third brother was kind-hearted and saved him when he saw he was injured and unconscious. Once that man wakes up, he'll leave on his own. Don't you go repeating what you just said outside this house. Your third brother still needs to find himself a suitable husband."

"Why not just match him with third brother? I think he's handsome, and he and third brother would make a great pair! He can't repay a life-saving kindness any other way, so he should pledge himself to third brother!" Qin Luo mumbled.

"You child, look at that man's noble bearing, does he seem like someone easy to get along with? Don't ever say such things again, lest outsiders hear and start gossiping," Mother Qin said earnestly.

By evening, the Father and son returned home and also learned that Qin Li had saved a man. Father Qin only said that everyone in the family should keep their wits about them, and said nothing more on the matter.

Qin Feng was worried, so he went into the room to take a look. When he came out, he said to Qin Li, "When I married your sister-in-law the year before last, I went to the jade shop in town. The finest jadeite in that shop couldn't compare to the quality of the jade piece at this man's waist. His identity is definitely not ordinary. Those young masters and lords from wealthy families are so difficult to deal with. We'd better not get too involved. Once he wakes up and his injuries are mostly healed, let him leave."

Qin Li nodded. "I know, big brother. Don't worry."

Hearing Qin Li's assurance, Qin Feng left, reassured.

The man lay unconscious for two whole days, only waking up on the third day.

The first to discover the man had woken up was Qin Luo. Even though Mother Qin had told him not to, he still thought the man and his third brother made a perfect match, and every day before going to school he would come to look at the unconscious man. This day, after eating lunch and getting ready for school, he went as usual to glance at the man, and found that his eyes were open.

"Wow, you're awake?" Qin Luo looked at the man. "It was my third brother who saved you!" Then he ran out of the room to tell Qin Li the news.

"Third brother! The man you saved is awake!"

"Hm? Awake? I'll go take a look."

Qin Li went into the room and saw that the man had already sat up.

"Hey, lie back down!" Qin Li said urgently. "The wound on your stomach hasn't healed yet! Don't tear it open! Lie down quickly!" Qin Li pulled back the covers to check whether the man's abdominal wound was bleeding from his movements, completely ignoring the fact that the man was now conscious.

Zhao Yanhan looked at the pretty ge'er before him. The worry on his face didn't seem fake, but wasn't this ge'er a little too... forward?

Zhao Yanhan spoke hesitantly, "You..."

Hearing the man's hoarse voice as if he wanted to say something, Qin Li looked up in confusion, only to see the man staring at his hands, which were pressed to the man's abdomen, with an indescribable expression.

Qin Li suddenly came to his senses and sheepishly withdrew his hands. As a ge'er, would that action just now make the man think he was taking advantage of him?

"Um, I just wanted to check your wound, that's all. No other meaning," Qin Li said, turning his head away and coughing awkwardly.

"Mm, I understand. It's alright," Zhao Yanhan said briefly.

Hearing the man say only a few words, Qin Li felt even more awkward. "Um... how do you feel physically right now?"

"Fairly well. That little boy just now said his third brother saved me, was that you?"

"Mm, it was me. A few days ago, my mother and I went up the mountain to look for wild vegetables and found you unconscious by the stream, so I carried you back on my back. That little boy just now is my youngest brother; he's already gone to school now."

The man pondered Qin Li's words for a moment, then said, "My name is Yan Han. Thank you, young ge'er, for saving my life."

Qin Li waved his hand. "My name is Qin Li. You can just call me Li ge'er."

"Qin Li..." The man repeated Qin Li's name. "May I ask where this is?" Zhao Yanhan looked around the entire room.

"This is Jinghe Village." Seeing the man looking around, Qin Li scratched his head sheepishly. "Our village is a bit poor, but it's not too bad..."

"That's not what I meant," Zhao Yanhan interrupted. "I wonder where the clothes I was originally wearing are?"

Because they needed to clean Zhao Yanhan's wounds and wipe his body, and his original clothes had been soaked through with blood and were filthy, Qin Li had asked Qin Feng to help change his clothes. Fortunately, the two were of similar build, so Qin Feng's clothes fit Zhao Yanhan well enough.

"Oh, they're in the cabinet." Qin Li opened the nearby cabinet and handed the cleaned clothes, jade pendant, and other belongings to Zhao Yanhan. "Because we needed to clean your wounds, and the clothes were so dirty, I took the liberty of washing them. Your original things are all here too, please check if anything is missing," Qin Li explained.

Zhao Yanhan picked up the jadeite pendant and handed it to Qin Li. "Take this as a token of my gratitude. I, Yan Han, will always remember this life-saving kindness."

Qin Li shook his head and waved his hands frantically, refusing. "No, no, no! Brother Yan, you're being too polite. It was just a small effort, not worth such a generous gift. This jade pendant is clearly very valuable. I can't accept it."

Seeing Yan Han frown, Qin Li quickly said, "I'll go decoct your medicine for you, Brother Yan. Please lie back down and rest." With that, he hurried out of the room, afraid Yan Han would force the pendant on him.

After asking Mother Qin where the medicine she'd brought back was kept, Qin Li set about decocting it. The eldest sister-in-law, hearing the commotion, glanced over twice then continued embroidering her pouch.

When the medicine was ready, Qin Li carefully carried it to Yan Han's room and said, "Brother Yan, time to drink your medicine."

The man took the medicine and drank it down in one gulp, not even furrowing his brow. Qin Li was full of admiration. Physician Li's medicine was incredibly bitter, made with all kinds of Chinese herbs. When Qin Li had first transmigrated and had to drink it, just the smell had made him want to retch; it tasted bitter and foul, an absolutely unbearable experience.

Yan Han finished the bowl of medicine without changing his expression, handed the empty bowl back to Qin Li, and said, "Thank you for the trouble."

"No trouble at all, no trouble." Qin Li took the empty bowl, set it aside, and decided to chat with Yan Han for a bit.

"How old are you this year, Brother Yan?" Asking someone's age shouldn't be too impolite, right?

"Twenty this year," Yan Han said.

"How did you get injured, Brother Yan? When I first saw you, it was terrifying, there was blood all over the ground." Qin Li gestured dramatically.

Looking at the lively person before him, Yan Han pondered briefly, then said, "I was out for a spring outing and accidentally got separated from my servants. I ran into robbers who stole my money and then tried to kill me to silence me. One of them stabbed me with a sword, thought I was dead, and left. I hung on with my last breath and drifted down the stream, until I couldn't hold on any longer and fainted."

Qin Li watched the man lie without blinking an eye, put on a look of believing him, and said indignantly, "In broad daylight, under the clear sky, those robbers are so brazen!" Meanwhile, he rolled his eyes countless times in his heart: Does he think I'm an idiot? That story might fool a little kid. Listen to yourself, do you even find that funny? Going for a spring outing all the way into the deep mountains? Really? And the robbers must be blind not to steal that huge jade pendant of yours, they must have had quite the conscience!

"Then should we report this to the authorities to catch the robbers and get your money back?" Qin Li asked deliberately.

As expected, the man refused. "No need. Once my injuries are healed and I return home, I will send my servants to report it to the authorities myself."

"Alright, as long as you have a plan, Brother Yan. Then I won't disturb your rest." With that, Qin Li walked out of the room.

Watching Qin Li walk out and close the door behind him, Zhao Yanhan sat quietly for a moment before turning his attention to the cleaned clothes. He reached out, picked them up, and saw the torn fabric from the stab wound. Bringing it close to his nose, he could almost still smell the pungent scent of blood. A cold glint flashed through Zhao Yanhan's icy eyes.

By evening, all the Qin family members had returned home and were sitting around the dining table chatting. Qin Fu ladled a bowl of thin congee, added a few chopsticks of boiled cabbage to it, then handed it to Qin Li. "Take this to that man to eat."

"He has a name. It's Yan Han." Though, all things considered, I'd say it's probably fake nine times out of ten, Qin Li thought.

"You and your cheeky mouth. Hurry up and go," Mother Qin chided playfully.

"Alright, alright, I'm going." Carrying the plain congee into the room, he saw the man resting with his eyes closed. Qin Li cleared his throat and said, "Brother Yan, time to eat. Here, you lost a lot of blood and your body is weak, so you need to watch what you eat. You can only have congee for now. It's a bit plain, so bear with it for now. Tomorrow my big brother is going to the market and will be able to buy fresh pork, so you'll have meat to eat then."

Just like when he drank the medicine at noon, the man said nothing. He took the bowl and slowly drank the congee, his movements unhurried and pleasant to watch.

After the man finished drinking and lay back down to rest, Qin Li took the empty bowl back to the kitchen, sat down in his seat, and began to eat.

Father Qin asked, "Li ge'er, did you ask that Yan Han about his identity and background? How he got injured?"

Qin Li repeated the lie Yan Han had told at noon. Father Qin was not a particularly clever man, but even he felt something was off. After thinking for a moment, he said nothing. Mother Qin, sitting nearby, said, "Whether it's true or false, it has nothing to do with us. Once his injuries are mostly healed, just let him leave. Don't go prying into other things. Knowing too much isn't a good thing."

"Mother is right," Qin Feng, the eldest sister-in-law, and Qin Fu echoed. Qin Luo ate silently, watching the adults and saying nothing.

"What's the matter, Xiao Luo?" Qin Li asked, seeing Qin Luo's eyes darting around.

Qin Luo stuffed a mouthful of rice and chewed it before saying, "I feel like Brother Yan doesn't seem like a bad person."

"Alright, Xiao Luo. Whether Yan Han is a bad person or not, it has nothing to do with us. And don't go hanging around him so much. Be good and focus on your studies, alright?" Qin Feng coaxed softly.

"Oh, alright," Qin Luo replied.

Several days passed like this. When Yan Han was able to get out of bed, he would leave the room to walk around and look at the courtyard. While the Qin siblings worked and did embroidery, he would watch from the side, not approaching them. Mother Qin just let him look, there was nothing to hide anyway.

Occasionally he would say a few words, which greatly changed Mother Qin's opinion of him. Yan Han didn't speak much, but the few things he said revealed his extraordinary eloquence. He didn't look down on farming people just because he was educated, nor did he deliberately use obscure, flowery language to seem profound. This greatly pleased Mother Qin.

Most farming people had an innate fondness for scholars, and the Qin family was no exception. Though Yan Han spoke in short, concise phrases, he was straightforward and without hidden agendas, which made Mother Qin quite enjoy listening to him.