The Dying King Asked for a Woman Physician novel · Chapter 14 of 24
Chapter 14: The Women's Ward
By the next evening Seo-wan had a plan written out on four sheets, and Tae-heon read it standing.
"Windows open a hand's width, morning and noon, even in winter," she said. "She sleeps with her head raised on three pillows."
"Ko said the cold would hurt her."
"Cold air does not hurt a chest like hers. Stale air does. The brazier stays, but the pot of herbs moves to the yard."
"What else?"
"Eggs, beef broth, rice with sesame oil, and as much as she'll eat. Rest in the day. No bleeding. No sweating tonics. No ginseng."
"I hate ginseng."
"I know you do."
He read to the end, and she watched his face while he did it.
At the bottom she had written a line in her own plain hand: First ward of the Women's Infirmary, the Cold Wing, patient one.
He looked up.
"You wrote ward."
"It is one. I've never had a ward and I have one patient. I'll take it."
"Seo-wan."
"What?"
"There will be a hundred beds in it one day. I'll see to that myself."
"You can't know."
"I'm the King."
"You are a man holding a roll of cloth under his arm," she said, but her voice had gone soft.
He set the pages down on the table, and he crossed to her, and he knelt.
He did it simply, both knees on the floor, as he did everything he meant.
"Sit," he said. "Please. In the chair."
It was the big carved chair beside the brazier, where he read his grain reports.
She sat.
"I want to thank you," he said, "properly. And I don't know any other way than this."
"You're kneeling."
"Yes."
"You don't have to."
"I know." He looked up at her. "I want to. Tell me if you want me to stop."
"Don't stop."
"Then don't tell me to."
He took her left foot in both hands and slipped the shoe off.
Her feet were small and square, with the callus of a woman who walked the wards all day.
The rest of this chapter is part of the paid portion of the series. Chapters 1–6 of The Dying King Asked for a Woman Physician are free to read — start from the beginning, then unlock the rest with coins in the app.
← Chapter 13 · All chapters · Chapter 15 →
Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend