The Female Physician and the Ailing Scholar

Blurb:

Xiao Ying was an abandoned baby. Just three days after she was born, her parents left her in a patch of grass. Fortunately, an old physician passing by took her in. With no family of his own, he treated Xiao Ying like his own granddaughter and settled with her in Qinghe Village, teaching her every last bit of his ancestral medical knowledge.

When Xiao Ying turned seventeen, the old physician found himself in a quandary: He had raised his granddaughter so well that she was capable and forthright. It wouldn't do for her not to marry, but he couldn't bear to see her marry off, and none of the village men were good enough for her.

Xiao Ying was absorbed in medicine and medicinal herbs, paying no attention to anything outside her work. She didn't notice her grandfather's dilemma at all, until a bombshell landed in her lap!

The old physician pointed at a slender young man and said with a beaming smile, "This young fellow is a good one. He's been to school, knows how to read and write, and is willing to marry into our family."

Xiao Ying nearly crushed the herbs in her hand. She scoffed. "Him? He's too weak to carry a load or lift a finger. He doesn't know how to do a day's work or tell grain from wheat, and he's lazy and useless. The Jiang family clearly despised him and kicked him out. Grandpa, you've been deceived!"

But a man who had come to marry into the family wouldn't be scared away by a few words like that. Xiao Ying couldn't talk her grandfather out of it, and she didn't want to worry him, so she reluctantly let the man move in and laid down three rules.

1. Don't come near her. They would sleep separately.

2. Don't throw his weight around as her husband. Once her grandfather gave up on the idea, they would go their separate ways.

3. He had to do his part as her son-in-law and take good care of the household and her grandfather.

As time went by, Xiao Ying looked at the clean and tidy house, the delicious meals, the neatly sewn clothes and shoes, and the certain someone whose health kept improving. Suddenly, she began to think that this husband who'd married into her family wasn't so bad after all.

*

Jiang Xiao had been frail ever since a difficult birth. Sickly and unable to get out of bed or do any work, he had no choice but to bury himself in books. But he fell ill every few days, and his studies got him nowhere.

His eldest and second eldest brothers had married one after the other, and his fourth and fifth younger sisters were about to be betrothed. With him around, no one in the family could live in peace. After yet another argument broke out at home, he silently took the "wrong path" and went to the old physician himself, volunteering to marry into the family.

At first, it was only a temporary plan to get away from the Jiang family. He felt deeply indebted to Xiao Ying and Old Physician Xiao, and vowed that if he ever got the chance, he would repay their great kindness. But after Xiao Ying made him drink bowl after bowl of bitter medicine and nourishing tonics, his health seemed to keep getting better.

When the time came for him to leave the Xiao family, Jiang Xiao looked at the person in front of him, who clearly had no intention of asking him to stay. He gritted his teeth, pulled her into a corner, and said, "I'll sweep the house, cook the meals, wash the clothes, and warm your bed. Will you let me stay?"

Xiao Ying fell silent for a moment. He pressed his case further. "I can also study for the imperial examinations. If I pass, I can help you find more medical books and compile medical texts for you."

Xiao Ying's eyes lit up. "Deal!"

Jiang Xiao gritted his teeth. "It's fine. We have plenty of time."

Tips:

1. An alternate ancient setting, not especially historically accurate. A slow-paced farming-life story.

2. No golden finger, no getting rich overnight. The male lead takes the imperial examinations later in the story, but there is no court intrigue or powerful officials. The story starts in a village and small towns, then moves to the county seat.

3. One-on-one romance, both leads have no prior sexual partners.

Theme: Starting from nothing and making a living through one's own efforts