Military headquarters.

Xu Xinghe quickened her pace, and the thought of arriving home soon made her smile.

She wasn't physically tired, but mentally exhausted.

From the moment she stepped into the bathhouse, she was on high alert, like a fully drawn bowstring, not daring to relax even for a moment.

Pushing open the door, Xu Xinghe took off her coat, went into the bathroom to wash away the unpleasant smell of smoke and alcohol, and then walked to the bedside and lay down in the warm quilt.

The soft bedding enveloped my body, and my tense nerves finally relaxed.

She let out a long sigh and closed her eyes.

No clues have been found in the village yet.

As for Lao Hei, once he sees how good the product is, he'll most likely agree to help.

So all we can do now is wait.

Sleepiness washed over her like a tide, and before she could think any further, her consciousness sank.

When I woke up again, it was pitch black outside the window.

Xu Xinghe fumbled in the dark and turned on the desk lamp, the warm yellow light instantly illuminating the small room.

An aluminum lunchbox was placed on the stove.

She walked over and lifted the lid, and a fragrant aroma wafted out.

Inside were her favorite stir-fried pork slices and stewed potatoes, still steaming slightly.

It's obvious without even thinking that Jiang Linchuan must have come back.

He probably saw that I was sleeping soundly and didn't want to wake me up, and he was also worried that the food would get cold, so he specially put it on the stove to keep it warm.

Xu Xinghe picked up her chopsticks, took a bite of potato, and found it to be soft, sticky, and especially sweet.

It feels so good to wake up to a meal right away.

After eating, she lost her sleepiness and began to read.

at the same time.

Suddenly, there was a series of urgent knocks on the door of the large tile-roofed house in the backyard of the bathhouse.

Old Hei had just unbuttoned his shirt and was about to lie down when the noise disturbed his sleep. He impatiently raised his voice and asked, "Who is it?"

"Big brother, it's me!" came the scarred man's voice from outside the door, filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"What is it now?" Old Hei frowned, but still put on a coat and got up to open the door.

"Brother, I have good news for you!" The scarred man rubbed his hands together as soon as he entered the door, his face flushed red, and his tone was full of excitement.

Old Hei remembered what happened to Xu Xinghe during the day, and stepped aside to let him in, "Speak, what news?"

"Quickly, find that old Chinese medicine doctor to take my pulse!" The scarred man leaned forward, his voice low but unable to hide his smugness. "It's fucking amazing! I went home and...hehe, and I actually lasted an hour! I used to give up after ten minutes at most, but today I feel like I'm young again!"

Old Hei's face instantly darkened. "You came all this way in the middle of the night just to tell me about this trivial stuff that happens in your bed?"

"No, no!" The scarred man quickly waved his hand, becoming serious. "I wanted to tell you that my body has really improved! Not just in that aspect, but my whole body feels refreshed and my head doesn't feel heavy anymore. I can't even remember the last time I felt this way!"

Old Hei knew that the scarred man wouldn't dare lie about something like this, so his expression softened a bit. He glanced at the night outside the window and said, "What time is it? People have already gone to bed."

"Brother, this stuff is definitely more than just an aphrodisiac!" The scarred man exclaimed anxiously, leaning closer. "Think about it, I've been smoking and drinking for so many years, my body's already ruined. How can I rely on ordinary medicine to get through this? This is definitely something that can genuinely improve your health!"

Old Hei was sprayed with hot breath and pushed him away in disgust. "Get away from me. Your breath smells awful. Didn't you brush your teeth last night?"

"Hehe, I forgot, I was too busy having fun with my wife." The scarred man scratched his head and chuckled foolishly.

Old Hei was silent for a moment, then tapped his fingertips on the edge of the table.

He was also tempted. If Xu Xinghe's medicine was really that miraculous, then it would be no small matter.

"Okay, go and invite the old Chinese medicine doctor over. Give him a generous errand fee and tell him it's urgent."

"Hey!" The scarred man was overjoyed and turned to run outside, his steps much lighter than usual.

More than half an hour later, the old Chinese medicine doctor arrived.

This old Chinese medicine doctor lived in a small alley at the east end of the town. He didn't have a sign or go to a hospital, but he had been Lao Hei's private doctor for many years.

He has solid medical skills and never makes a mistake. If he says he can cure an illness, he can cure it instantly.

"You called me here so late, are you feeling unwell again?" The old Chinese medicine doctor shivered; the chill of the night was still too strong.

Old Hei pointed to the scarred man next to him, "It wasn't me, it was for him to see."

The scarred man immediately sat down obediently and stretched out his arm. "Doctor, please take a good look at me and see if my body has really gotten better."

The old Chinese medicine doctor didn't ask any more questions, and placed his fingertips on the patient's pulse.

The more he looked, the more his brows furrowed, and he tightened his fingers slightly, clearly realizing that something was wrong.

The scarred man felt uneasy under his gaze. "Doctor, what's wrong? Is there something wrong with my body?"

"No problem." The old Chinese medicine doctor withdrew his hand, his eyes full of surprise. "But it's strange that there's no problem. How old are you this year?"

"Thirty-seven," the scarred man answered honestly.

"Thirty-seven isn't old, but it's definitely not young either." The old Chinese medicine doctor looked at his tongue coating again. "You've been smoking and drinking for years, so your pulse should be slippery and turbid, thin and weak. But your pulse... is very strong, like a young man in his early twenties, without any problems at all."

Old Hei, who had been leaning back in his chair, suddenly opened his eyes upon hearing this, his voice rising several decibels, "You said his pulse really sounds like that of a twenty-year-old?"

"Let me double-check." The old Chinese medicine doctor had the scarred man switch hands, examined him for a while longer, and finally said with certainty, "There's no mistake. This body is stronger than many young people who don't smoke or drink. Even the rheumatism and coldness that are common in Northeast China are gone. It's very rare."

The scarred man beamed and slapped his thigh. "I told you this medicine would work! Brother, do you believe me now?"

Old Hei ignored him, took out the porcelain bottle left by Xu Xinghe from the drawer, and handed it to the old Chinese medicine doctor, "Take a look at what's inside, what do you think?"

The old Chinese medicine doctor unscrewed the lid, brought it to his nose, and his eyes lit up instantly. "Good stuff! The herbs inside are all top-quality. It's just that the smell is very special. I can't identify exactly what it is, but I'm sure it's a good tonic for the body. It can only do good for people and has no harm."

Having confirmed the drug's effectiveness, Lao Hei's last remaining concerns disappeared.

His biggest regret in life was not having a son. Due to poor health in his early years, he was unable to fulfill his wish.

Now that he has something good to nourish his body, he doesn't want to give up even if there's only a sliver of hope.

He looked at the old Chinese medicine doctor and softened his tone, "Please stay here tonight and leave tomorrow. I need you to take another look at me."

"Okay, it's alright." The old Chinese medicine doctor went to the side bedroom to rest, familiar with the place.

Old Hei waved his hand, shooing the scarred man out, then unscrewed the porcelain bottle, poured in some medicine, and slowly drank it.

A cool sensation slid down my throat, quickly turning into warmth that spread throughout my body, leaving me feeling completely comfortable.

That night, Lao Hei, who was always troubled by insomnia, slept soundly without any dreams.

The next day, after waking up, he immediately called in the traditional Chinese medicine doctor for a diagnosis.

"This medicine is indeed a great tonic. Your pulse is much better than when I examined you last time!"