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墨書 Inktalez
The next day, Xia Muxin woke up early and checked on the Fava Beans she had soaked earlier before starting to prepare breakfast.
"Child's mother, what's wrong? Child's mother..."
Just as she took out the flour, she heard her father's heart-wrenching cries. Xia Muxin's hand trembled, and without a second thought about the flour covering her hands, she rushed into her parents' room. Upon entering, a strong smell of blood assaulted her senses, mingled with a foul odor. Aunt Xia lay on the bed, her face pale as a sheet, eyes tightly shut, but her breathing was steady.
Shen Muhan followed her into the room. Upon seeing Aunt Xia's condition, she immediately checked her pulse. Xia Muxin stood by nervously, twisting her fingers, afraid that even a blink would cause her to miss something important.
Summer Forest stood nearby, wiping away tears, unable to take his eyes off Aunt Xia. Didn't they say everything was fine? How could she be vomiting blood so early in the morning?
His heart felt like it was being gnawed at by thousands of ants. Why wasn't he the one suffering?
"Don't worry, Aunt Xia is fine. She's just expelling some stagnant blood that had built up in her body. Since it has been there for a while, it carries an unpleasant odor. Once she expels this blood, she'll feel better. I'll have Ming Yi fetch some medicine shortly. Trust me; in a few days, Aunt Xia will be able to move on her own."
After a moment, Shen Muhan withdrew her hand and glanced at the bloodstains on the floor before calmly and confidently speaking. However, when she met Xia Muxin's red-rimmed eyes, a hint of complexity flickered in her gaze.
After all, that kick to the stomach had caused Aunt Xia's fetus to be positioned incorrectly. Fortunately, the baby was unharmed; however, that kick had injured her abdomen. Coupled with the medication she had been taking these days—though it was meant to stabilize the pregnancy—it also contained ingredients beneficial for her injuries. Over time, the medicinal properties gradually took effect, leading to the expulsion of this stagnant blood.
However, her fetal position needed to be corrected; otherwise, the delivery would be difficult. But this wasn't Shen Muhan's area of expertise. It seemed that once Aunt Xia recovered from her injuries, they would need to seek Sister Tang's help.
Upon hearing this, Summer Forest let out a deep breath and tightly grasped Shen Muhan's arm in a moment of uncontrolled emotion. Tears filled his eyes as he finally managed to stammer out a thank you after a long pause.
Xia Muxin felt a wave of relief wash over her and nodded gratefully at Shen Muhan. The words "thank you" stuck in her throat as another sudden scream pulled them back into panic and fear once more.
“Ah... blood, blood...”
When she turned to look, she saw Songzi clutching his head tightly with both hands, his face contorted in agony, brows furrowed, and eyes rolling back as if he were enduring immense pain. He screamed in terror, completely losing control.
Xia Tieshu stood behind him, leaning on his cane. Seeing Songzi in such a state, he wrapped one arm around him, pressing his cheek against Songzi's cold face. His eyes were filled with endless guilt and sorrow as he softly said, “Songzi, it’s okay now. Brother is here; we’re all here. No one will bully us anymore.”
In an instant, Xia Xiaosong slumped against Xia Tieshu's embrace, trembling all over. His eyes were filled with fear, his teeth chattering as he stammered, “Wuw... wuw, cold... cold... blood... blood... save her, save her, sister, sister... I... I killed her...”
Xia Muxin's eyes reddened as she took several steps forward to hold him tightly in her arms. One hand gently patted his back while she whispered in his ear, “Songzi, it’s okay. Sister is here; no one dares to bully you and mother. Don’t be afraid.”
As she spoke, tears streamed down her face. She was confused about the situation—why was Songzi like this? Was it because of the trauma from seeing their mother bleed that day?
But he had been fine for so many days. Moreover, what Songzi had just said about killing someone...
Perhaps comforted by their presence, Songzi soon quieted down. He clutched Xia Muxin’s arm tightly as if it were a lifeline. Tears of fear continued to flow from the corners of his eyes. He looked up at Xia Muxin but fainted before he could call out “sister.”
Shen Muhan patted Summer Forest's trembling hand and signaled him to relax before taking a few steps forward. He gently took Songzi from Xia Muxin’s arms and carried him out to lay him flat on the bed in the back room.
“Brother, what happened?”
Summer Forest was still in Aunt Xia’s room taking care of her when Xia Tieshu and Xia Muxin followed him in. They watched Shen Muhan check Songzi’s pulse with calm expressions. Xia Muxin knew there was no serious harm but disliked being kept in the dark; thus, she asked Xia Tieshu.
Xia Tieshu paused for a moment, reluctant to mention that day’s events. However, under Xia Muxin's worried gaze, he felt compelled to explain:
“That day mother was injured while you were out. Liu Mazi came with people wanting to abduct Wu Doctor. The villagers fought back with hoes and brooms desperately trying to stop them; eventually, both sides clashed and Liu Mazi’s group suffered injuries to varying degrees. Out of nowhere, Songzi suddenly grabbed a sharpened Bamboo Pole and charged at the man who kicked mother, stabbing it into his abdomen. That man bled profusely; Songzi seemed stunned for a long time afterward before fainting again. When he woke up, it was as if he didn’t remember anything about it. To prevent him from recalling it again, we dared not mention it further. Who would have thought today...”
Xia Tieshu still felt a lingering fear when recalling that incident. Songzi was only seven years old; the impact on his young heart was immense. Their wish was simple: they just hoped he would never remember that day and could grow up happily.
Upon hearing this, Xia Muxin's eyes were already filled with tears, but she couldn't blame anyone. After all, she didn't want to acknowledge how good Songzi had been to them.
Moreover, such symptoms were often portrayed on television, primarily to prevent him from being re-traumatized. Now, whenever he saw blood, he would have an episode. The last resort was to reenact the event, which might yield unexpected results.
"Alright, the most important thing now is to calm his emotions. When he wakes up, we should talk to him more to distract him. Once he's feeling better, I'll have Ming Yi teach him some martial arts."
Shen Muhan looked at Xia Muxin's tear-streaked face and felt a pang of sympathy in his heart, but there was little he could do except offer comfort.
"Yes, Muxin. Perhaps Songzi reacted this way because he saw the blood in your room. When he wakes up, he might be fine. You go ahead and take care of your things; I’ll stay here."
Having previously seen similar symptoms while working as a carpenter in another village, Xia Tieshu felt relieved after Shen Muhan's words. This wasn't too difficult to treat; after all, Songzi was still young and hadn't faced much adversity. If he were older, these events would seem ordinary. Besides, that person had only sustained minor injuries and was not in any life-threatening danger. If Songzi were to see him again, perhaps everything would return to normal.
His father was currently watching over his mother closely. With his own mobility issues and Xia Muxin handling most of the household chores, he knew he needed to take on more responsibility.
Xia Muxin wiped her wet eyes and nodded before stepping out of the room, with Shen Muhan following her.
She had initially planned to make steamed buns since they needed to go to Town for shopping today, and buns would be easy to carry for a quick meal. However, given the situation at home, she lost her appetite and decided to make porridge instead. While cooking, she chopped some lean meat and added fresh wild vegetables before finishing it off with some chopped green onions for flavor that wafted through the air.
The breakfast from Summer Forest was still served by Xia Muxin as she brought a basin filled with porridge into the room along with two bowls. If her mother woke up later, they could eat together since the porridge was nutritious and had no restrictions.
Entering the room, she noticed that the blood on the floor had already been cleaned up. Xia Muxin carefully placed the porridge down and said:
"Father, Mother will wake up soon. You should eat breakfast first; you need strength to take care of her. I'm heading to Town shortly; Brother Ming Yi will be at home. If you need anything, just ask him for help."
"Hey, how is Muxin and Songzi doing?"
Summer Forest looked like she had just been crying, her eyes red and swollen, her voice hoarse. She felt a sense of relief now, but what about Songzi?
"Dad, Songzi is still young. He has experienced things that he shouldn't have at his age. As long as we take good care of him and keep him happy every day, once he feels better and relaxes, he won't remember those unpleasant things." Xia Muxin brought a bowl of porridge to him and briefly explained Songzi's situation. Since Dad was present that day, she believed he would understand with just a little nudge.
"Yes, you've had a hard time these days, Muxin. I'm useless as a father, always letting you all suffer. I can't provide for you and your mother properly."
Summer Forest turned his head to wipe his eyes before reaching out to take the bowl. He didn't drink immediately but instead blamed himself.
"Dad, we're family; there's no need for formalities. I'm willing to do anything for you. You are everything to me. Besides, aren't we doing well now?" Xia Muxin understood Summer Forest's feelings at that moment because he was a man who loved his family and had a strong sense of responsibility.
After chatting for a while longer, Xia Muxin left with red eyes. She then filled another basin with porridge and took it to her brother and Songzi's room, informing Xia Tieshu that she would be going out soon and asked him to take care of Songzi and their parents.
When she came out again, Ming Yi had hurriedly left after dropping off his bowl, while Shen Muhan had yet to touch his chopsticks. Seeing her come out, he served her a bowl of porridge and placed it in front of him.
"Why aren't you eating? If it gets cold, the flavor won't be as rich."
Xia Muxin walked over and sat down across from Shen Muhan. Seeing the full bowl of porridge on the table and noticing that he hadn't moved his chopsticks, she spoke up.
Shen Muhan took a sip from his bowl. The taste was fresh and fragrant with a light saltiness. Although it wasn't as rich as the breakfasts they usually had, it was delicious. Just one bite made him fall in love with the flavor, but he didn't forget to reply to Xia Muxin: "I'll wait for you!"
Xia Muxin felt a lump in her throat, an inexplicable ripple stirring within her. She fell silent and picked up her bowl to drink heartily.
"Why did you pick all the meat into my bowl?"
After finishing half a bowl, she sensed something was off. The amount of meat she had cut was not much, as too much meat would overpower the fragrance of the rice in the porridge. Yet, she realized that she had mostly been eating meat. With this thought in mind, she asked.
Upon hearing her, Shen Muhan set down his bowl with satisfaction, glanced at Xia Muxin, and sighed, "Ah, it must be that ladle saw you have hardly any meat on you, so it scooped all the meat into your bowl. No wonder I haven't tasted any meat."
Xia Muxin pouted and shot him a few glances, secretly thinking: This man is really strange. Clearly, he was the one who served her the porridge, but... it still felt sweet in her heart.
"Wow, you really are turning into a pig! This is what, your third bowl? Aren't you afraid of overdoing it?"
When Xia Muxin reached her third bowl of porridge, Shen Muhan could no longer hold back his teasing. This girl usually didn’t eat that much; had he really provoked her?
Xia Muxin ignored him. After finishing her meal, she collected her bowl and washed it before placing it by the stove. She then filled two large wooden buckets with water and poured in the newly bought fava beans. During this process, Shen Muhan took over the heavy lifting and reproached her:
"Are you trying to strain your back or do you think you're strong enough to handle everything? What will you do if you hurt yourself?"
Last time there were only twenty pounds of fava beans; although she wasn’t very strong, she could manage that.
But this time there were two hundred pounds packed in a sack. Carrying them back and forth in a bamboo basket would take many trips. To save time, she thought about dragging the sack over, but it was simply too heavy. She was sweating profusely and hadn’t moved the sack an inch. Shen Muhan was right to scold her; if she strained her back, it would be a huge loss.
Watching him with a long face and coldness radiating from his eyes, he quickly dragged the sack to the wooden bucket. Xia Muxin awkwardly stuck out her tongue but thought to herself: Why are you angry? If I strain my back, it's my own problem.
"Xia Muxin, if you keep thinking your body is only yours and act so self-righteous, believe me, I'll smack your backside."
What the hell? Can this man read minds? How does he know what I'm thinking? Moreover, with that icy tone paired with his frozen expression, she truly believed he would follow through on his threat.
Instantly shrinking back a bit, she noticed Shen Muhan made no move to actually hit her. She then used the ladle to scoop fava beans from the sack into the water for soaking.
After finishing all of this, she tidied up a bit and pulled the ox cart towards Town.
"Why not take the horse-drawn carriage?"
Shen Muhan said something to Ming Yi beside him, then walked over to Xia Muxin, feeling somewhat frustrated. It was not better than going to Dayao Village; it would attract attention and scare the common people. Going to Town was faster and more convenient by carriage. Besides, she was already so tired every day; why did she have to make things harder for herself?
Thinking about how she didn’t take care of her own body, he really wanted to give her a good smack on the backside.
"I need to buy a lot of oil later; it would be such a waste if the carriage got damaged."
Xia Muxin didn’t think much of it. She had already gotten used to it; although the cart was a bit hard to pull, it was still better than walking while carrying things. Moreover, just looking at his carriage made her feel like it was too generous. If it got damaged, wouldn’t she have to be responsible for supporting him for life?
This deal was far too unprofitable; she wouldn’t do it!
Thinking this, she turned to Shen Muhan to speak, but just as she was about to pull the cart away, Shen Muhan suddenly yanked her with one hand, causing her to tumble into his arms. Without saying a word, he picked her up effortlessly and jumped onto the carriage, pushing her into the cabin while telling her to hold on tight before he stepped out to drive.
Xia Muxin wasn’t seated properly after being pushed by Shen Muhan. As he suddenly urged the horses forward, she rolled inside the cabin and bumped her forehead against the wall with a thud, making her gasp in pain.
Hearing her gasp, Shen Muhan quickly pulled on the reins, calling out as the carriage came to a stop. He lifted the curtain of the cabin and saw Xia Muxin holding her forehead and glaring at him.
Shen Muhan rubbed his nose; it was his oversight for not considering that she had never been in a carriage before. He entered the cabin where everything was well arranged. Underneath the tea table was a small drawer; he opened it and accurately took out a small gourd-shaped medicine bottle, pouring some liquid into his palm.
"Move your hand away!"
Seeing that Xia Muxin was still covering her forehead, he leaned closer and spoke softly.
Xia Muxin shot him a glance, but then obediently moved her hand away. The moment her hand was lifted, a cool sensation spread across her forehead, while Shen Muhan focused intently on applying the medicine.
His hands were calloused, yet his movements were careful, so much so that Xia Muxin felt no discomfort; instead, she thought his touch was overly gentle.
"If you had listened earlier, this wouldn't have been necessary," he said with a hint of reproach.
After applying the medicine, Shen Muhan blew lightly on her forehead, observing the red mark from the impact. With one hand covering the bottle cap, he spoke in a lecturing tone.
"Hmph, you're just a brute!"
Xia Muxin wasn't buying into his act; was he really only brutish this once?
"Fine, I'm a brute. Sit still and don't embarrass yourself again. I can't explain this to your parents when we get back."
Xia Muxin was like a wild cat that could scratch you at any moment, but when she was tamed, she was quite adorable and captivating. Especially her expressive eyes; when they darted around, it was clear she was plotting something mischievous. He found her utterly charming, yet he also enjoyed teasing her.
It seemed like watching her get angry was quite entertaining...
*
The horse-drawn carriage moved swiftly, and within less than two quarters of an hour, they arrived at Town. Due to the carriage blocking the road and drawing attention, they parked it beside a teahouse at the entrance of the town. Xia Muxin paid a few coins to the teahouse owner to keep an eye on it, and he readily agreed, assuring them not to worry.
After walking for a short distance and catching sight of Fushou Tower in the distance, Xia Muxin's eyes lit up as she turned to Shen Muhan and said:
"Uncle, I want to go to Tang Family Medical Hall. Are you coming too?"
Xia Muxin had not connected Shen Muhan with the Fortune and Longevity Restaurant. After spending so many days together, he had never mentioned anything about his background or where he lived. This was, after all, his private matter, and she wouldn't dare to ask. However, at this moment, seeing his expression, something seemed off. More specifically, after she asked her question, he appeared distracted, his brows slightly furrowed, and his gaze fixed on the distant Tang Family Medical Hall.
"Well, I won't go. I'll wait for you here. As soon as you're done, come straight back here and don't go anywhere else."
After a pause, Shen Muhan spoke to Xia Muxin in a commanding tone that left no room for doubt. Xia Muxin rolled her eyes at him, stuck out her tongue in playful defiance, called him a domineering jerk, and then skipped off towards the Tang Family Medical Hall.
Shen Muhan watched her petite figure disappear into the crowd before stepping into a teahouse. After Tian Yuxin's recent commotion, he was sure that everyone in Kyoto was looking for him. Moreover, there were a few troublesome relatives at home; as long as Su Xiuning put on a weak act in front of them and shed a few tears, they would pressure him into marrying her even if it meant holding a knife to his throat.
From start to finish, it was always his family’s self-righteousness. He had never liked Su Xiuning even a little bit. Besides, even with a knife at his throat, they couldn't force him to marry her. However, if this group found out about this girl’s existence, things could get complicated. After all, she was still so young and her family needed her so much. He couldn't afford to lose face in front of Uncle Xia and Aunt Xia.
Therefore, he decided to avoid Sister Tang and Su Yan-Chu as much as possible...
"Miss Muxin! It's you again! What do you need this time?"
At the Tang Family Pharmacy, having visited twice before and with Sister Tang being particularly courteous to her, the young men who prepared the medicine had already recognized Xia Muxin. This time they thought that Boss Su had invited her back as the chef again. They truly admired her; she was so young yet already making big money. They had heard that the dishes she cooked were unlike anything they had ever tasted or even seen before. She could even make Scallion Pancakes and turn steamed pumpkin into cakes...
Not seeing Sister Tang made Xia Muxin feel more relaxed. She smiled at the group and said, "This time I need quite a lot of things."
"Are you going to get them yourself or should we help you?"
In the previous visits, Xia Muxin had entered the medicine cabinet herself to grab what she needed since Boss Su was footing the bill.
"Hehe, this time I want these items myself. If you can let me grab them myself, that would be even better. I won’t shortchange you at all."
Xia Muxin said somewhat shyly while touching the back of her head. After all, last time it was because of Su Yan-Chu's influence that she got help; plus she hadn't needed much then. But this time was different; she intended to make significant preparations which meant not just grabbing a few pieces but possibly whole bags of items instead.
"This..." Several people exchanged glances, feeling somewhat awkward.
After all, this was a pharmacy. If one needed medicine, it required a doctor's prescription, and they had to prepare the medicine themselves. There were many intricacies involved, such as whether to decoct first, add later, or decoct separately; everything had to be clearly explained. With Miss Muxin having neither a prescription nor intending to cook, it put them in a difficult position.
Noticing their discomfort, Xia Muxin chuckled and said, "Look, I've scared you all. I've been researching a new variety these past few days, but I need quite a few materials. How about this? I'll list them, and you can gather them for me."
Seeing this, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. Then they heard Xia Muxin recite, "Fennel, Star Anise, Cinnamon, Sichuan Pepper, Clove... two pounds each."
"Two pounds?"
Xia Muxin listed over ten kinds of herbs in quick succession. The others were left bewildered; Miss Muxin seemed to know far too much about these herbs. They had only learned these names after studying for a month or so. She spoke of them as if they were everyday items, but the final quantities left them shocked. They immediately asked in unison.
Xia Muxin was momentarily taken aback by their synchronized response. Blinking her eyes in confusion, she replied, "Ah... yes, two pounds each."
"Miss, we don't usually gather such large quantities of these herbs for our prescriptions, and the amounts are generally small. For this much, we need to consult Sister Tang."
The person in charge of the pharmacy was called Old Hussy. He was around forty years old and served as Sister Tang's right-hand man. After confirming that Xia Muxin truly wanted such large quantities, he spoke with some hesitation.
"Uh, alright then. When Sister Tang returns, you can tell her I want to make Orchid Bean. These materials are essential. Once it's done, I'll send some over for her to taste."
Xia Muxin was quite straightforward about it. Moreover, she had no reason to make things difficult for them since Tang Family Pharmacy provided high-quality herbs. That was why she came here; besides, only they could supply such a large quantity of herbs. The Orchid Bean was already well-known; she believed Sister Tang would be more than willing to weigh out the herbs for her once she heard.
"Alright, Old Hussy will definitely relay this to Sister Tang. Miss, please take care."
Old Hussy was quite astute and had already noticed the unusual relationship between Sister Tang and Boss Su. Furthermore, since Miss Muxin was the chef favored by Boss Su, he treated her with great respect and ease.
Old Hussy suddenly bowed, startling Xia Muxin, who hurriedly replied, "Old Hussy, you're too kind. No need to see me off; I know the way."
As soon as she exited Tang Family Pharmacy, Xia Muxin took off running as if someone were chasing her. Shen Muhan spotted her from a distance, her face flushed and breathless as she approached. Frowning, he quickly stepped forward and blocked her path.
He glanced behind her but saw no one. With a stern expression, he asked, "Why are you running so fast? If you haven't done anything wrong, why fear the ghosts?"
Xia Muxin was panting heavily, taking deep breaths while Shen Muhan gently patted her back to help her catch her breath, waiting for her to respond.
Once she had calmed down enough to steady herself against Shen Muhan, she blurted out, "I'm in a hurry! I still have a lot of things to buy!"
Shen Muhan felt as if countless crows were flying overhead, dropping feathers all around him. So she had been running like that just to save time...
Why was she always so flustered in front of him? What would happen when he wasn't by her side?
"Alright, next time don't rush like that. If you bump into someone or get bumped into, you'll be the one at a loss." Even so, he had no reason to scold her. Softening his tone, he spoke gently.
"Yes, let's go buy some oil!"
Xia Muxin paused for a moment but then nodded obediently, her gaze drifting toward the nearby Oil Shop as she spoke.
He had heard of Orchid Bean before; it was during their visit to the tavern. He hadn't expected that this sensation sweeping through Zhushan County would come from this little girl. He looked at her with disbelief and then followed her gaze, giving her a fond smile before taking her small hand and walking into the crowd.
This time they bought oil in large bowls with lids to prevent spills on the cart. Although it was a bit pricey—ten taels per bowl and each bowl containing twenty pounds—they ended up purchasing three large bowls for a total of thirty taels. Xia Muxin haggled with the shopkeeper and managed to negotiate down to twenty-seven taels after some back-and-forth.
Shen Muhan watched her in silence throughout the process. She was quite entertaining when bargaining; the shopkeeper seemed completely charmed by her, spinning around with phrases like "small profits but quick turnover," and "I've been your loyal customer," adding that since she traveled far, he should give her some travel expenses...
"Boss, could you let this young man help us? Our driver is at the town entrance, and we can't move this oil with just the two of us!" After paying, seeing the shop assistant moving the oil out, Xia Muxin quickly spoke up.
The basin looked quite large; carrying one by herself was already her limit. Moreover, it had to be carried in her arms. Even though Shen Muhan was strong, it was inconvenient to carry one basin in each hand.
The boss was perceptive and agreed immediately. When the assistant saw the boss's approval, he enthusiastically picked up a basin of oil and followed Shen Muhan.
Shen Muhan was a martial artist, and the assistant was used to moving goods. With their combined strength, in the blink of an eye, Xia Muxin could only see a small dark figure ahead. She struggled to walk step by step while holding the basin close to her chest, which blocked her view entirely. If she hadn't stretched her neck and tilted her head, she wouldn't have been able to see the road at all.
As she walked, a pair of hands reached out and effortlessly took the large basin from her. The person moved ahead of her.
Xia Muxin gasped for breath and placed her hands on her hips to catch her breath for a moment. Looking at Shen Muhan's tall figure, a smile involuntarily spread across her face.
It turned out he had walked so fast earlier just to come back and assist her.
"Wait for me there; I'll go buy some more things!"
Suddenly, she shouted toward his back and then aimed for another shop as she walked away. When she returned, she was carrying several bamboo baskets filled with salt, marrow, chunks of meat, chili peppers, seasonal vegetables, and a few other items wrapped up so tightly that they were unrecognizable.
Shen Muhan elegantly jumped down from the carriage and took the bamboo baskets from her hands. He gently tapped her small nose with his fingertip. While Xia Muxin was still in a daze from his affectionate gesture, he turned around to put the items away.
"Hey, where's the oil?"
His actions were too intimate and sweet; it felt like something couples would do. Xia Muxin momentarily lost focus but then noticed him lifting the curtain of the carriage and placing the bamboo baskets inside. She glanced around but didn't see the three large basins of oil from earlier and couldn't help but ask in confusion.
In response, Shen Muhan pointed under the carriage. Following his finger, Xia Muxin looked down and immediately laughed. It turned out that there was such a great feature about this carriage; specifically, it had a storage compartment underneath separated by thick wooden boards that perfectly fit three basins of oil. This way, it wouldn't dirty the carriage, nor would the basins roll around due to bumps in the road.
"Is everything ready?"
Seeing her curious and delighted expression, Shen Muhan felt inexplicably good and affectionately glanced at her before asking.
"I still need to go to Tang Family Pharmacy. Wait here for me; I'll be back soon."
Xia Muxin wanted to return home quickly, as she was worried about a few people there. However, the items from Tang Family Pharmacy were the most important. Without them, even if the Orchid Bean bloomed, it wouldn't taste good. After saying this, she didn't look back at Shen Muhan and hurriedly ran towards Tang Family Medical Hall.
Watching her sprinting figure, Shen Muhan sighed again. When would this girl's impulsive nature change?
"Old Hussy, is Sister Tang back?"
Xia Muxin rushed into Tang Family Pharmacy, her hands resting on the door frame as she struggled to catch her breath. She noticed several people were busy while Old Hussy was at the counter calculating with an abacus. She hesitated to interrupt until Old Hussy finished jotting down a few notes and put away the abacus before speaking up.
"Look at you, girl, in such a hurry! She's back and had everything prepared for you. She’s been craving your Orchid Bean for quite some time."
Old Hussy's tone was warmer and more respectful than before, and her gaze towards Xia Muxin had changed as well. Moreover, Xia Muxin's earlier decision not to disturb them had left a very good impression on her.
Hearing this made Xia Muxin feel a chill run down her spine. She had never liked such formal and complicated etiquette, so she awkwardly smiled at her.
Old Hussy calmly walked towards the counter and soon pulled out a large bag filled to the brim. It was somewhat heavy for her to lift, making her speech less natural:
"Here it is... all... right here." Noticing that Xia Muxin was alone and there were no carts outside, she curiously asked, "How are you going to take this back?"
Xia Muxin looked at the large bag and felt a bit troubled. She had ordered over a dozen types of herbs, which should weigh around thirty pounds altogether. Was this bag sturdy enough?
Don't let her run into trouble halfway!
Moreover, judging by the expression on the old man's face just now, she couldn't ask them for help. After all, if they helped, she would have to face him, and she still hadn't figured out the situation.
"Ahhh... it hurts, it hurts! Go get me some medicine quickly! Once I'm better, I'll make that girl wish she were dead!"
After hesitating for a moment, she still reached out to grab the bag. Just as her hand touched it, she heard a familiar voice. Xia Muxin blinked and glanced at Old Hussy, rolling her eyes dramatically before clutching her stomach and feigning pain.
"Old Hussy, could I borrow the restroom for a moment?"
Damn it, why did she have to run into Wang Shoucai? She needed to avoid him; otherwise, things would get complicated.
"Oh, the restroom is over there. You can go by yourself!"
Old Hussy was momentarily stunned. Seeing Xia Muxin clutching her stomach in apparent agony, she pointed towards the passage at the corner of the pharmacy and asked with concern, "Miss, are you... alright? Do you need me to help you?"
Before she could finish her sentence, Xia Muxin dashed away like an arrow.
The others shook their heads and laughed; this girl really was in a bind.
Just as Xia Muxin's figure disappeared around the corner, several dark-skinned strong men entered. Two of them were carrying a disfigured person whose face was covered in blisters—some had already burst, oozing yellow pus and blood. The blisters covered his hands and neck as well.
Having worked in this pharmacy for years, Old Hussy had seen all sorts of patients and many with skin diseases, but this was the first time encountering such a terrifying case.
Old Hussy managed to keep her composure, but the younger ones couldn't handle it; some were vomiting while others cried out in fear, creating a scene of chaos.
Wang Shoucai trembled on his feet, unable to stand on his own. The corners of his mouth were slightly crooked, and he was painfully aware of his current state. Not only were they frightened to see him, but even the Meng Family at home dared not approach him. As for Azure Lotus, she had fainted outright and had not left her room for days.
He had sought help from other doctors, but they were all quacks who insisted he had simply eaten something wrong. This was far from the truth; it was just that he had trusted the words of Xia Muxin, the charlatan, and soaked in a concoction for three whole days. He had felt fine at first, but after three days, his body began to itch and fester. Unable to resist scratching, he had also drunk some alcohol that day, and when he woke up, this was the result.
After several days of unbearable discomfort, he finally dismissed those quacks and brought Liu Mazi and others along. However, Sister Tang was being difficult; she glanced at him a few times without saying a word before writing out a prescription that included both external and internal treatments as well as baths. He had grown fearful of those baths.
But at Tang Family Medical Hall, he dared not act recklessly...
"You all go ahead and gather the medicine; I need to use the toilet first. Could you please tell me where it is?"
- End of Chapter -
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