My Roommate Lover - Chapter 14 - Pure Yang Meridian Severance (Part 2)

Human physical defects can be categorized into two types: acquired and congenital.

Imagine this-a brick falls from the sky and hits someone square on the head, leaving them with permanent damage. That’s an acquired defect. Congenital defects, on the other hand, are present from birth, such as congenital heart disease, congenital cataracts, or Hirschsprung’s disease. Some can be treated, while others leave lasting scars, tormenting the individual for a lifetime.

Take Jia Simiao, for example. He’s a man of striking appearance and graceful demeanor, but he too suffers from a congenital condition-not heart disease or cataracts, but congenital pure yang meridian severance.

The yang meridian is one of the eight extraordinary meridians in the human body. It governs the flow of vital energy through the six viscera, connecting the internal and external systems in a continuous cycle, much like a ring, ensuring the body’s normal functional activities. But Jia Simiao’s yang meridian is severed. His survival has depended entirely on his grandfather, Jia Banxian, whose medical expertise kept him alive through herbal baths and the ancient technique of Fuxi’s Nine Needles.

This was the entirety of Simiao’s childhood memory-herbal baths and more herbal baths. As Jia Banxian often said, it was a miracle that Simiao had lived this long. In his relentless pursuit to save his grandson, Jia Banxian even developed a special pill called the yang-replenishing pill, specifically designed to mend Simiao’s pure yang meridian severance.

In his younger years, Simiao’s condition flared up almost monthly. Now, as he’s grown older, the episodes have become less frequent.

When the condition strikes, it comes without warning, plunging Simiao into an unbearable pain akin to being consumed by raging flames. If he manages to take the yang-replenishing pill during these episodes, his life is spared. But therein lies the problem-without any forewarning, who can predict when the next attack will occur? And during these episodes, Simiao loses control over himself. Without someone nearby to administer the pill, death is inevitable.

Simiao once asked his grandfather, “Am I destined to rely on the yang-replenishing pill for the rest of my life? Isn’t there another way to cure this?”

Jia Banxian replied, “There is. Everything in the world exists in balance and complementarity. Humans are no exception. You suffer from congenital pure yang meridian severance, which means there must be someone with congenital pure yin¹ meridian severance. If you marry her or even… have relations with her, and use the water ring on your finger, the two of you can gradually mend each other’s defects. Only then can you both live as normal people.”

Simiao was horrified. “Grandpa, you know I’m pure and virtuous. What if the person turns out to be a man? My reputation would be ruined!”

This startled Jia Banxian as well. He had hoped Simiao would carry on the Jia Family lineage. If Simiao ended up with a man, the ancestral grave wouldn’t be emitting green smoke-it’d be billowing thick, black clouds!

Jia Banxian reassured him, “Don’t worry. In most cases, those with congenital pure yin meridian severance are women.”

Simiao pressed further, “You say ‘most cases.’ Are there exceptions? Have you ever seen someone with congenital pure yin meridian severance?”

“No.”

“Uh, then maybe I’ll never meet one in my lifetime?”

“Let me divine your fate, grandson. I’m a fortune teller, after all.”

Jia Banxian, known in the martial world as Fortune Teller Jia, was not only a master of medicine but also an expert in sidereal divination, the five elements and eight trigrams², yin-yang theory, and other esoteric practices. He had imparted all his knowledge to Simiao, who had learned it well. As Simiao often said, “Having extra skills doesn’t hurt; they’re great for impressing girls or fooling them a little.” However, he didn’t believe in sidereal divination. How could two bamboo sticks determine one’s fate? It was utter nonsense.

Jia Banxian smacked him on the head. “A diviner’s sincerity determines the accuracy of the reading. If you don’t believe in it yourself, how can you fool-oh, I mean, help others?”

To perform the divination, Jia Banxian abstained from meat and alcohol and burned incense for three days. Finally, he brought out a bamboo tube containing sixty-four bamboo sticks and instructed Simiao to draw two.

Simiao asked, “That’s it?”

“Just draw the sticks! Stop with the questions.”

Simiao complied and handed the two sticks to his grandfather.

The sticks bore the inscriptions: “Nourishing Yin” and “Ultimate Poison.”

“Grandpa, what does this mean?”

“Haha! Heaven has shown mercy. My grandson, your illness can be cured!”

Simiao was skeptical. “Just these two bamboo sticks, and my fate is changed?”

“Of course! Look at the words ‘Nourishing Yin.’ What does that make you think of?”

“Boosting Yang.”

“Boosting Yang? Exactly! People often say ‘nourishing yin and boosting yang.’ What does this imply? Boosting Yang refers to men, while nourishing Yin refers to women.”

Simiao rolled his eyes. “Grandpa, you’re really stretching it. What about ‘Ultimate Poison’? What does that mean?”

Jia Banxian asked, “What’s the most poisonous creature in the world?”

Simiao thought for a moment and replied, “The box jellyfish, the stonefish, the king cobra…”

Jia Banxian waved dismissively. “Enough, enough. You’re wrong. ‘Wasp’s tail needle, most venomous woman’s heart.’ This ‘Ultimate Poison’ signifies the most toxic thing, which must be a woman. Combine it with ‘Nourishing Yin,’ and I can say with absolute certainty that the person with congenital pure yin meridian severance is a woman.”

“…”

“Why the long face? This is wonderful news! If you have relations with this woman, your condition will be cured.”

Simiao sighed. “What’s so wonderful about that?”

“Fine, let me rephrase: ‘Wasp’s tail needle, most venomous beauty’s heart.’ Happy now?” Jia Banxian patted Simiao’s shoulder and said solemnly, “Years ago, my master Qin Shou dreamed of revitalizing Huaxia Kingdom’s traditional Chinese medical science but failed. Now, this mission falls to you. Simiao, don’t let me down.”

Simiao felt disheartened. “Your master failed, you failed, and my father failed. Why does it have to be me?” He had tried to carry the torch but was defeated by Wenren the Sage Buddha, a renowned figure from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, forcing him to flee abroad. Looking back, it all felt like a dream.

“Grandpa, I’ve let you down.”

Simiao chuckled bitterly and stepped outside to the courtyard, where an ancient tree stood. Its trunk was deeply indented, bearing the marks of history. He gently touched the bark, then removed his jacket, revealing a well-proportioned physique. His body was flawless, thanks to years of soaking in medicinal baths-a result he was quite pleased with.

For this, he owed his gratitude to Jia Banxian.

Simiao began practicing martial arts, his movements swift and powerful, his strikes echoing like thunder. He repeatedly slammed his back against the tree trunk, producing muffled thuds that resonated in the quiet night.

“Jia-Ge, what are you doing?” Tang Ziyu, fresh from her bath, approached with a look of astonishment.

The commotion also drew Shen Jun’ao and Zhang Xixi out of the main house. They stared at Simiao in disbelief. Today, he had given them too many surprises. Who was this man? He seemed anything but ordinary.

Simiao smiled. “Go back to sleep. I’m just practicing.”

“Practicing by slamming into a tree?” Xixi exclaimed.

She had no idea this was Shoulder Strike, one of the most formidable moves in Bajiquan³. Despite his lean frame, Simiao had mastered the art of Bajiquan to an impressive degree. Jun’ao, who had trained in martial arts herself, recognized his skill and was visibly impressed. Xixi and Ziyu wanted to say more, but Jun’ao ushered them back inside.

After all, this was the ancestral house of Jia Family. Simiao wasn’t doing anything inappropriate, so there was no need to interfere. After a while, the heat within Simiao’s body dissipated, and he finally felt calm.

“Grandpa, I don’t care about revitalizing traditional Chinese medical science or defeating Wenren the Sage Buddha. I just want a simple, peaceful life. I hope you can understand.”

As for the frozen funds from Five Continents International Trade, he had come to terms with it. Inner peace mattered more than anything. He thought about Ye Lanqiu, a student at Nanjiang Medical University. He wanted to ask Ziyu if she knew her but decided against it.

This was something he preferred to keep to himself. He’d find an opportunity to meet her on his own.

Footnote:

1. Yin(阴):In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), “yin” represents the passive, cool, and nurturing elements of the body and universe. Together with “yang,” yin forms the foundation for understanding balance and interdependence in TCM practices.
2. Five Elements and Eight Trigrams(五行八卦):The “Five Elements” (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water) and “Eight Trigrams” (symbols from the I Ching) are fundamental concepts in Chinese philosophy, used to explain natural phenomena, balance, and divination.
3. Bajiquan(八极拳):Bajiquan, meaning “Eight Extremes Fist,” is a traditional Chinese martial art known for its explosive power and close-quarter combat techniques. Originating in northern China, it emphasizes elbow strikes, shoulder strikes, and powerful body movements, making it highly effective in both offensive and defensive situations.