Xie Yan looked at Wan Chun'er, whose emotions were complicated, and felt a pang of pity.

Although he didn't know what she had gone through, just now, he saw a look of deathly stillness and madness in Wan Chun'er's eyes. It was a resolute look of being driven to the brink of despair and preparing to perish together with the enemy, which made Xie Yan's heart tighten.

Xie Yan pondered for a moment and said carefully, "Give me ten yuan!" In fact, the actual value of these medicinal herbs was far more than that, but Xie Yan really couldn't bear to add any more burden to Wan Chun'er.

Just give me ten yuan as a token amount, that's fine!

Hearing Xie Yan's words, Wan Chun'er's lips curled up slightly, revealing a grateful smile: "Thank you!"

Sunlight shone on her face, and her eyes held a mixture of relief at surviving a disaster and a glimmer of hope for the future.

Xie Yan looked at the person who had come back to life and smiled.

After saying goodbye to Wan Chun'er, Xie Yan felt relieved and walked home with a light heart.

As soon as I entered the house, I saw Zheng Hedong still sitting there steadily.

Xie Yan's eyes lit up instantly, a fleeting smile crossing his face.

It seems my wife's "food plan" really worked; all that good meat and vegetables lately has paid off.

Xie Yan remained calm and casually walked forward, asking with a smile, "Old Zheng, do you still have ointment to make?"

Zheng Hedong nodded solemnly, cleared his throat as if to announce some major decision, "Actually, I also have some exclusive ointment making recipes, which are all closely guarded secrets."

"Besides that, there are many other good things. I wonder if you want to learn them!" As he spoke, he deliberately straightened his worn-out clothes, trying to make himself look more formal.

But his hands, hidden behind the tattered clothes, were trembling; in truth, he wasn't sure himself.

Although I had some guesses about Xie Yan's purpose, I was still afraid that I was wrong!

Although I had planned it out countless times in my mind, I became timid when the time came.

Xie Yan was so interested in traditional Chinese medicine, and after spending so much time together, he could see that Xie Yan did indeed have some talent in this field.

With my careful guidance, given time, this kid will definitely surpass that ungrateful wretch.

Moreover, he had some secret, exclusive skills that he had been passing down to him. He had originally planned to wait until that ingrate was a little more mature before passing them on, but he never expected that he would miss the chance.

But now it seems I didn't teach them well!

That kind of ingrate is not suited for such good things.

Xie Yan would be a perfect fit; he's a rare and promising medical student, and he can even get some meat by following him!

Most importantly, he simply couldn't bear to let these treasures of traditional Chinese medicine disappear from the world with his passing.

Although most people currently hold a negative attitude towards traditional Chinese medicine, he firmly believes that one day, people will rediscover its value.

How long has Western medicine been developing?

How can it be compared to traditional Chinese medicine, which has been passed down for thousands of years?

But nowadays, people treat Western medicine as a treasure and discard the true essence of traditional Chinese medicine like worn-out shoes.

He was certain that one day those people would regret it, and when they discovered that Western medicine was helpless against many diseases, they would realize how good traditional Chinese medicine was.

Upon hearing this, Xie Yan's eyes lit up. Without saying a word, he turned and strode into the house, carefully poured a cup of tea, and then came out respectfully. He knelt down with a thud, presented the tea to Zheng Hedong with both hands, and loudly called out, "Master!"

In fact, during this period, it wasn't just Zheng Hedong who was observing Xie Yan; Xie Yan was also secretly keeping an eye on Zheng Hedong.

After getting to know him for a while, Xie Yan could truly feel that this Old Zheng was indeed knowledgeable and of good character.

If anyone else had experienced what Zheng Lao went through, they would probably have been devastated long ago, and some might even have chosen to commit suicide because they couldn't bear the humiliation.

But Old Zheng did not. He not only secretly treated his leg injury, but also secretly hid meat for his roommate, Old Wang, which shows that he was kind and magnanimous.

A pleased smile appeared on Zheng Hedong's face as he accepted the cup of tea, which was made with sincerity. He took a small sip and said, "Alright, from today onwards, you are my last disciple!"

Xie Yan's face broke into a bright smile.

Actually, he wasn't particularly fixated on becoming the last disciple. He hoped that Master Zheng could take on more talented children from the village, so that traditional Chinese medicine could flourish in the village.

However, this cannot be rushed; it must be done step by step.

Xie Yan wasn't afraid that after the villagers learned medicine, they would take away his livelihood.

To be honest, the country is so big. Once it opens up, no one with a little ability will want to stay in a small place like Xiliu Village.

Moreover, the more people learn, the more traditional Chinese medicine is passed down, and the more valuable it becomes for the villagers.

After drinking the tea to honor the teacher, Zheng Hedong immediately assumed the role of the master, his expression changing as he began to examine Xie Yan's knowledge.

When Xie Yan heard that he would be being examined, his face immediately fell. This was exactly what he feared most!

How is this any different from a teacher suddenly giving a test in class?

That's terrifying!

Xie Yan quickly sat up straight, his eyes fixed on Zheng Hedong, his ears perked up, listening intently to every question his master asked.

As the questions deepened, he visibly became more and more tense, with fine beads of sweat gradually appearing on his forehead and his back becoming soaked with sweat.

He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down; in this situation, the more nervous he was, the more likely he was to make a mistake.

But the effect was minimal; he only appeared less nervous on the surface and answered questions with apparent confidence.

However, the more time Xie Yan spent thinking, the more his unease betrayed him.

Just then, Yu Yuehui finished cooking and came to call for people. As soon as she entered the door, she saw this scene.

She was stunned for a moment, her eyes wide with surprise. She had never seen a banquet like this before. She was tense and clearly very nervous.

Yu Ye quickly replied, "Dinner's ready!"

Zheng Hedong stopped when he heard it was time to eat, let Xie Yan off the hook, and finally commented, "You must have taught yourself by reading books!"

Xie Yan quickly nodded.

"His basic knowledge is quite solid, but his practical experience is lacking!"

"If you make it a little more difficult, you won't be able to handle it!"

"We need to experiment more in the future!"

Xie Yan was speechless for a moment after hearing this: "..."

He was also helpless; he wanted to put it into practice, but he didn't have the opportunity!

Zheng Hedong wasn't intentionally criticizing Xie Yan; he was simply stating the facts.

But that face, so habitually serious, made Xie Yan feel as if he had been criticized to the point of being worthless, leaving him feeling utterly dejected.