The Apothecary Diaries - Volume 13 - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: En’en’s Day Off

The doctors, as a rule, got one day off every ten, although that could slide a little depending on whether it was the busy season or not. It was the same for En’en and the other medical assistants.

However, there was a problem with this system—for En’en, a very serious one.

“Why is it that my mistress is working today and I’m not?!”

“It’s a rotating system. That’s how it works,” Maomao said, already tired of this conversation.

“But I would happily go to work today!”

“Dr. You said no. I think that’s the end of the matter.”

“Whose side are you on, Maomao?”

“You just get so fired up whenever Yao is involved in anything, En’en. Anyway, why did you call me here? Was it just so you could complain?” Maomao gave En’en an unimpressed look.

They were in the annex at Lahan’s home—in the room that Yao and En’en were currently borrowing. En’en had called Maomao here since they happened to have the same day off. Or, more precisely, En’en had dragged Maomao out of the dormitory first thing in the morning.

“I’m not eager to be in this house any longer than I have to be,” Maomao informed her. “Also, I have business to take care of this afternoon, so I’ll be leaving before then.”

Maomao did not look comfortable here. She was Lakan’s illegitimate daughter, but she herself didn’t seem to want to admit it. She received no end of letters urging her to come visit, but she always ignored them and frequently used them for kindling in the oven.

“Oh, don’t worry. Master Lakan has a conference this morning that he can’t get out of. His aides are going to drag him there by hook or by crook, so we won’t see him again until this evening.”

“Why are you so familiar with that freak’s schedule?”

“Because I’ve established decent relationships with the servants around here.”

Otherwise, she and Yao would have been chased out of the estate long ago.

Maomao nibbled on a tea-flavored rice cracker, annoyed. En’en knew that Maomao liked salty things better than sweets, and enjoyed a good crunch. Similarly, she didn’t like refined, expensive tea leaves as much as commoner’s tea with its inconsistent and unpredictable flavor.

En’en further knew that Maomao didn’t eat as much as most people, but she was particular about taste.

“So if it wasn’t just to complain, why did you call me here?” Maomao asked, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs. If she’d done that in front of Yao, Maomao knew En’en would have had some stern words for her, but since her “mistress” was absent today, Maomao would take the liberty of sitting how she pleased. It was the least she could ask, having allowed En’en to drag her out here.

“I know you’ve got a sharp intuition, Maomao. I’ll bet you can guess.”

“Well, you specifically brought me here when Yao isn’t around, so I assume it has to do with her. And I assume it has to do with the fact that you cleared out of the dorms and came to live in this freak’s house.”

“You’re just as perceptive as I’d hoped.” En’en took a sip of tea. It was surprisingly good for the price, and she’d steeped it gently so it was fragrant. “I want you to save my mistress from the evil hand of Master Lahan!”

Maomao didn’t say anything; instead she scowled, and then her mouth fell open.

“What kind of look is that?” En’en asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing...”

That look was definitely something, but En’en knew it wouldn’t be any use pressing the point. Part of being a grown-up was choosing not to pursue something you already understood.

“My point is, my mistress is still so young. I’m sure Master Lahan must be leading her on somehow.”

“Oh... Yeah.”

“What’s with the distant look in your eyes?!”

“There’s no distant look in my eyes,” Maomao said, but she didn’t sound very convincing. There was no emotion in her tone.

“If you say so,” En’en grumbled. Maomao might not be very interested in the subject, but as Lahan’s little sister, En’en thought she ought to take some responsibility.

En’en had regrets: She’d been sure that Lahan was only interested in older widows. He was tousle-haired and had fox-like eyes; it wasn’t that he was unbearable to look at, but it was hard to call him handsome. Above all, he was shorter than Yao.

“That’s not very nice to say...even if it is true,” Maomao said. Apparently the voice of En’en’s heart had slipped out and reached her.

“What does my mistress see in a man like him?!”

“I see. It’s Yao who wants to stay here, and is inventing reasons not to leave. You, En’en, would love to get out of here and put some distance between you and Lahan, but you can’t go against your precious Yao—which is why you want me to do something.”

“Well, yes!”

Maomao’s face made it clear that she did not think much of this idea. Then again, that was how she looked about most ideas.

“My mistress is so young still. I’m sure she’s just confused!”

“Oh, no doubt.”

“Otherwise, such a shrimpy, tousle-haired, fox-eyed little man would never...”

“You’re saying it out loud again.”

En’en clenched her fist. Maomao seemed to have some sort of thoughts on the matter. “What is it? You have a problem?” En’en asked.

“No. Confused Yao might be, but I’ve started to realize that she’s not the kind to be too concerned about outward appearances.”

“Of course not—she’s my mistress! She would never be so shallow as to judge people on their looks!”

Maomao didn’t say anything, but gave En’en a skeptical look.

“What? Why are you staring at me?” said En’en.

“Oh, it’s nothing. That would imply, however, that Yao is seeing what’s inside Lahan, and that’s what’s causing this ‘confusion.’”

“N-No, that...”

That couldn’t possibly happen—or so En’en wanted to believe.

“What’s inside Lahan is trash,” Maomao said in annoyance, “and I have to admit I don’t know what she could see in him either.”

“I know, right?! I agree completely. He’s the most awful person—he tried to chase us out of his house because he claimed it wasn’t good for two unmarried young women to be living here!”

“But you don’t want to stay here, do you? You want to get out of here in a hurry, right? And that’s what you’re asking me about, isn’t it?” Maomao said, oddly emphasizing certain words. En’en found it distinctly annoying.

“Maomao. Seriously, what’s with the look?”

“Nothing. I was just thinking, when it comes to your young mistress, you won’t let a little logical inconsistency stop you.”

“Why should I? The world revolves around my mistress! Everything and everyone in the world revolves around her, the way the heavens turn around the seven stars in the sky!” En’en thrust her hands upward as she spoke.

“En’en, please don’t say things like that at court. You’re going to get us executed for disrespect.”

This despite the fact that, in En’en’s opinion, Maomao was far more disrespectful than she ever was.

“Huh. What’s inside Lahan, huh... I have to say, I don’t think much of the way he’s constantly appraising everyone he meets.” Maomao was still munching away on the rice crackers. En’en was an adult, so the rejoinder Aren’t you exactly the same, Maomao? never made it past her throat.

“I do wonder what Yao would be drawn to in him,” Maomao went on.

“That’s what I’d like to know! Can’t you think of anything, Maomao?”

“This is just imagination on my part, but I think Lahan has a clear grasp of general standards, as well as a very firm idea of his own preferences. Maybe Yao, who’s never been a fan of stereotypical ‘woman’s happiness,’ finds that novel and exciting.”

“So he’s got his own unique standards? I guess I could understand, in that he doesn’t look at gender differences but purely at practical ability. I guess the La clan is full of people like that, folks like you and Master Lakan.”

Maomao bristled. “I am not like that, and would you kindly not speak that freak’s name in front of me?”

“Surely I can at least say his name.”

“Don’t you feel like if you say it, he might suddenly appear behind you?”

“Okay, yeah, I can see that.”

En’en had experienced it more than once herself: When there was talk that Lakan found interesting, he would just suddenly show up.

“So he judges people by their abilities, without considering whether they’re supposedly important, or their length of service, or even whether they’re male or female. In a way, you could say he’s almost Yao’s ideal man,” said Maomao.

“I—Ideal?! Absolutely not!” En’en said, veritably shaking as she rebuffed the idea. “There are lots of fine gentlemen so much more suited to my mistress! To suggest that Master Lakan is her ideal...”

“That’s not the ideal I’m talking about. But anyway, does this mean that you do have it in mind to see Yao married, En’en?”

“Yes, she should have a husband. As long as he meets my standards.”

“I don’t think that’s going to happen in this lifetime,” Maomao said. She looked exasperated and gave a very theatrical sigh.

“It could too!”

En’en was about to detail to Maomao her ideal husband for Yao when there was a knock at the door.

“Yes? Who is it?” En’en asked. Maomao hid in the shadows, alert to the possibility that it might be Lakan.

“Please pardon me,” said a voice. It wasn’t Lakan, but a boy whose voice had yet to change.

Sifan, the fourth child, entered the room. He was one of the kids who worked at Lakan’s estate, and he was very clever. Lahan didn’t accept rent, so En’en gave money to Sifan instead. There was no risk of him embezzling—he knew it would be idiotic to try to skim some off the top. Lakan would find out and chase him out of the house.

“What do you need?” En’en asked. “I’ve got company.”

“I’m sorry; I realize that. However, I thought a moment when Lady Yao was out of the house would be a good time to speak to you.”

“It has to be when my mistress is away? What do you mean?”

“Sanfan wishes to meet with you, Lady En’en.”

En’en swallowed heavily. “All right.”

“Well, it looks like you’ve got things to do.” Maomao, sensing the perfect opportunity to escape, grabbed one more rice cracker.

En’en clutched her wrist. “Come with me, won’t you, Maomao?”

“I couldn’t. I’d only be a third wheel.”

“Sanfan said it would be no problem. In fact, she says she’s tried to summon you repeatedly by letter,” said Sifan. Maomao looked away pointedly.

“Please tell her that En’en and Maomao will both come to see her.” En’en smiled sweetly, while Maomao drew her lips back in a grimace.