As far as he knew, Master Su had once served as the Prefect of Nanchuan.

The eldest daughter of the prefect's family married into the Jiang family, which can be considered a marriage of convenience.

How could Magistrate Su allow his precious daughter to marry a mere merchant?

Moreover, it was clearly the eldest daughter of the Su family who was sent to the palace, so what about Madam Jiang, the eldest daughter of the Su family?

As if sensing Shen Yuan's question, Jiang Yuchen said quietly, "When you came here today, you must have asked Xiao Ling if he wanted to come to my house with you, right?"

Shen Yuan nodded.

"Xiao Ling doesn't want to come?"

"Um."

Do you want to know why?

Shen Yuan raised her head, "If these things involve your family's secrets..."

Jiang Yuchen interrupted Shen Yuan, "Because I should be the one living under the knife every day, and I should be the one kidnapped by the kidnappers. My mother changed my life and his life. Xiao Ling hates my maternal grandfather, and he hates my mother too!"

Shen Yuan's eyes widened suddenly, seemingly unable to process the countless messages conveyed in Jiang Yuchen's words.

When they returned to the restaurant, it was already late at night, and Haitang and the others had all gone to sleep.

Shen Yuan came in from the backyard and groped her way back to her bedroom in the dark.

She had just pushed open the bedroom door when she was startled by Xiao Ling standing behind it.

"You...why aren't you asleep yet?!"

Startled, Shen Yuan clutched her chest and glared fiercely at Xiao Ling.

Xiao Ling didn't speak, but just stared silently at Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan pursed her lips and asked, "Were you... waiting for me?"

Xiao Ling lowered his head and nodded.

Shen Yuan sat down on the bedside. "Actually, you don't need to wait for me. Jinling City is very safe. There are soldiers patrolling the city at night. I'll be fine. Besides, Jiang Yuchen has also sent someone to follow me."

Xiao Ling didn't say anything more after hearing this, and turned to walk out the door.

Seeing that he was about to leave, Shen Yuan suddenly stood up and asked, "Xiao Ling, is there anything you want to say to me?"

Xiao Ling paused, but did not turn around.

The next morning, Shen Yuan carried her bundle and went with Xiao Ling to the post station to rent horses.

Narcissus and Azalea will stay in Jinling for a few more days until the restaurant in Jinling is fully operational before returning to Jian'an.

Shen Yuan was in a hurry to get back to class, so she and Xiao Ling left first.

She didn't know how to choose horses, so when they arrived at the post station, she still let Xiao Ling choose the horses, just like in Jian'an City.

After waiting for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Xiao Ling led a reddish-brown horse out of the stable. He took out his money bag, took out some silver, and handed it to the steward.

"Sir, this is your deposit receipt. Once you arrive in Jian'an City and return the horse to the post station there, you can get your deposit back in one hundred taels by presenting this receipt!"

The manager handed Xiao Ling a stamped receipt, then stepped aside, indicating that he could take the horse away.

Shen Yuan frowned slightly when she saw that Xiao Ling had only rented one horse.

Xiao Ling patted the horse's back, gesturing for Shen Yuan to sit on it. Shen Yuan stepped onto the horse using the stirrups, then looked down at Xiao Ling: "I'll ride this one, what about you?"

Xiao Ling pulled on the reins, trying to mount the horse, but Shen Yuan raised her hand and pushed him.

"I want to ride a horse myself, so you can go and rent one for yourself!"

Xiao Ling didn't speak, but his gaze fell on Shen Yuan's dress. Shen Yuan knew that Xiao Ling wanted to say that she couldn't ride a horse, and her legs would definitely swell up after riding all day. He suggested that she should be carried by him and they could ride together on one horse, just like when they came.

But Shen Yuan felt that the horse's back was too narrow and that it was inappropriate for the two of them to sit too close together.

Moreover, no matter how close she and Xiao Ling were, they could never be completely honest with each other.

Xiao Ling has a secret, and so does she.

It's quite strange to think of two people with their own thoughts sitting on the same horse.

So Shen Yuan insisted, "If two people's weight is on the same horse for too long, the horse won't be able to take it. Why don't we each ride our own, and you can rent another one!"

As she spoke, she took off her purse and handed it to Xiao Ling: "Use my money!"

Xiao Ling did not answer.

After meeting Jiang Yuchen, his wallet naturally started to bulge.

Seeing Xiao Ling turn around and go to the stable to choose a horse, Shen Yuan tied her purse back to her body. Just as she finished tying it, Xiao Ling led the horse out.

Shen Yuan was taken aback.

But she said nothing, picked up the reins, and set off.

The two rode horses for a day and arrived at Jian'an City the next day.

After returning to Jian'an City, Shen Yuan put aside all her affairs at the pharmacy and restaurant, and spent her days attending lectures at Physician Jiang's house, carrying medical books with her. For the past two days, Shen Yuan hadn't brought Xiao Ling with her.

Seeing this, Doctor Jiang instructed Shen Yuan to bring Xiao Ling with her next visit.

Because she wanted to pass on the acupuncture technique used to treat Xiao Ling to Shen Yuan.

So later, whenever Shen Yuan visited Doctor Jiang's house, she always brought Xiao Ling along. If Xiao Jinmeng was free, she would also bring her along, because Xiao Jinmeng was particularly interested in reading and writing.

There were some books she couldn't understand, so she wanted to ask Mr. Murong for help.

With Mr. Murong's permission, Shen Yuan brought Xiao Jinmeng to attend the lecture with her.

Autumn goes and winter comes; the swallows fly south.

In December, after a light snowfall, Jian'an City became thoroughly cold.

In the past few months, Shen Yuan has been wholeheartedly learning from Doctor Jiang. During this time, she also went out with Doctor Jiang several times to visit people and treat their illnesses.

She handed over the management of the pharmacy and restaurant to others, and only checked the accounts at the end of the month to verify her share of the profits.

In addition to the pharmacy and restaurant, Shen Yuan and Jiang Yuchen's Baicaotang also opened in Jinling City in early winter.

Baicaotang mainly sells herbal products.

The shop belongs to Jiang Yuchen's family; it's two stories high with a rustic decor, and there's no need to pay extra rent.

The product launched by Shen Yuan is an anti-chapping cream made by blending twelve kinds of herbs with beeswax, pork, fragrant meat and essential oils extracted from three kinds of flowers.

It has excellent skincare effects when used in winter.

Shen Yuan studied the formula for the anti-chapping cream for several days. After finalizing the formula, she personally made the first batch of samples for several girls at the Huajian Restaurant to use.

The girls at Huajian Restaurant all say it's great, especially the narcissus and hibiscus cooks in the kitchen. They have to wash vegetables in the dead of winter, and they can't use hot water to wash the greens, so their hands are easily chapped. Using Chen Yuan's anti-chapped cream has helped a lot.

After confirming the effectiveness of the anti-chapping cream, Shen Yuan handed over the formula to Jiang Yuchen, asking him to arrange for its production and sale.

As the year drew to a close, Jiang Yuchen traveled to Jian'an City by carriage to deliver his dividends to Shen Yuan.

He saw the account book and 120 taels of silver that Jiang Yuchen handed him.

Shen Yuan looked astonished: "Bai Cao Tang has only been open for less than two months, how could it be profitable so quickly? Are you confused about the accounts?"