Chapter 277 Thank you, Junior Brother

Despite the banter, Song Chunxue didn't think the Taoist priest was joking.

She genuinely wanted to open a clinic with her senior brother.

What my senior brother wants to do is a good deed of healing the sick and saving lives.

Moreover, with so many patients in the world, as long as there is no plague, one can earn some money, as long as one doesn't lose money.

Master Zhang felt conflicted.

He felt that his junior brother was the only person he could find who could do this kind of money-losing business with him.

Anyway, she's lucky with money.

But he didn't want to force his junior brother.

"You need to think this through. Our clinic might not only fail to make money, but it might even lose money."

Song Chunxue nodded, "I know."

"The medicinal herbs you grow will probably all be grown and used by yourself in the future."

“I know, we’re going to use it if we plant it. I have other ways to make money, don’t I?” she said seriously. “From now on, my senior brother will be in charge of figuring out the dates for me. If he thinks I can find money on the day I go out, I’ll just take the lucky charm with me when I go out.”

"Thump."

The Taoist priest tapped Song Chunxue on the forehead with his whisk.

"You wish."

*

The next day, Song Chunxue took the silver and the contract to the shop to meet Sister-in-law Nan.

The two chatted and laughed, returned the money for five months' rent for the shop, tore up the contract, and then went home separately.

On the morning of the third day, everything in the shop was moved out completely.

To express her gratitude, Sister-in-law Nan cleaned the shop thoroughly and wiped down the doors and windows.

"I haven't asked you yet, senior brother, who's the resident doctor at this clinic. Could it be you, senior brother?" Song Chunxue asked curiously. "Is senior brother able to manage all that?"

“I’ve already thought all this through. I happen to know a doctor who came from the south a few days ago. His medical skills are quite superb, but he’s had bad luck and offended someone. He has to lay low here for a few years.”

"The matter of medicinal herbs is easy to handle. I'll find a carpenter to make a medicine cabinet. You don't need to worry about anything else. Just focus on your work."

With that, the Taoist priest walked towards the courtyard gate, saying, "I'll go find the carpenter first."

As soon as the courtyard gate opened, the Taoist priest saw the person standing outside and subconsciously turned to look at Song Chunxue.

"Taoist Master?"

"You two actually live in the same courtyard."

Mei Yang pushed open another door and stepped over the threshold into the courtyard.

He clenched his fist, his gaze fixed on Song Chunxue at the kitchen doorway. "So, in the end, I was just a step too late?"

This person is really unreasonable and argumentative.

Song Chunxue placed the dried yellow mustard greens aside.

"This is my business, and you have no right to interfere. I wonder if Brother Mei has something important to discuss with me?"

Mei Yang smiled faintly.

"If you had told me earlier that you were having an affair with this Taoist priest..."

"Whoosh!"

Before he could finish speaking, the Taoist priest flicked his whisk directly onto Mei Yang's forehead.

"Nonsense! Stop your insolence!"

Song Chunxue looked coldly at Mei Yang.

"The Taoist priest and I are just fellow disciples. Whether we live in the same courtyard or not, it won't be what you think."

"Mei Yang, if it weren't for the fact that you helped me, I would have set my dogs on you today. If I ever hear you speak like that again, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Mei Yang covered her ear, which was stinging from the slap, and bit her lip tightly.

Just when Song Chunxue thought he would fly into a rage and start a fight with his senior brother, he lowered his head and said, "I'm sorry, I misspoke."

Song Chunxue said coldly, "If there's nothing else, please leave. We're even now. I did save you, but I also took sixty taels of silver."

Mei Yang clenched her fists and looked down at the clean blue bricks in the courtyard, a strong sense of powerlessness hitting her heart.

"The debt of gratitude for saving my life is as heavy as mountains and seas; how can it be settled with just a few dozen taels of silver?"

Song Chunxue said earnestly, "Let's cut the Gordian knot. You have the will, but I don't. Let's part amicably. I'm not your destined partner. If you want a good marriage, either go to a temple to burn incense or have a Taoist priest draw a talisman to help you find a good match."

Mei Yang looked at Song Chunxue angrily.

The Taoist priest stood aside with his arms crossed, watching the show.

"Senior brother, can you arrange marriages?" Song Chunxue asked deliberately when she saw Mei Yang standing still.

“There’s no need to trouble you, Daoist Master,” Mei Yang turned around, “I don’t need it.”

The Taoist priest glanced at Mei Yang's face and said, "But your good match is just around the corner in the next few months. I hope you won't be too impulsive when you meet that person. If you don't want to end up like a monk, bearing the reputation of a playboy and remaining a bachelor for life, it's not worth it."

Mei Yang glared at the Taoist priest, then turned and left.

Two wolfhounds chased after them, barking wildly.

"Come here, stop making noise." Song Chunxue's head was throbbing from the noise of the two dogs.

She couldn't help but look at the Taoist priest, "Senior brother stayed at home because he had expected him to come, right?"

Are you still going to stay in the mountains?

The Taoist priest was silent for a moment, then said, "No, it's not that. My junior brother's cooking is better than mine. I'll stay a little longer."

Song Chunxue nodded, "Yes, you can stay as long as you want. No one in this alley will talk about it, so naturally no one outside will gossip about me."

It is indeed somewhat inappropriate for a lone man and woman to live together in the same courtyard.

But the Taoist priest didn't say.

He raised an eyebrow slightly. "Why?"

"The woman in the courtyard across the street is the most domineering person on this street, but now she runs away whenever she sees me. What do you think?"

The Taoist priest was even more confused, "Junior brother hit someone?"

"I hit Mei Yang, and she saw it."

The Taoist priest clenched his fist and pressed it to his lips, then lowered his head and turned away. "Not bad, you have a lot of talent. I'll teach you a set of techniques next time."

*

The Taoist priest seems very busy, leaving early and returning late every day.

Song Chunxue is never idle. Every morning she goes to the field to check on things, and when she comes back she picks some tender shoots of lamb's quarters, puts them in a winnowing basket to dry, because they don't taste good when they are too tender.

The yellow mustard greens are too old to be eaten by humans; they can only be fed to livestock.

In the afternoon, she would busy herself with housework, make some food, and do some handicrafts.

Knowing that her senior brother was going to live on the mountain, she made several pairs of socks and bought some good fabric to make a dress.

She didn't make complicated designs, nor did she embroider much; she only embroidered simple patterns on the cuffs and collar.

She made herself two thin summer shirts, with a front opening and a cinched waist, narrow sleeves, and a mid-length design, which she paired with a simple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) so that she wouldn't have to delay her work.

Ten days later, the Taoist priest said that the clinic was all ready, except for a signboard, and it would open on a chosen day.

She asked Song Chunxue what name she should choose.

Song Chunxue had just learned to read and was too afraid to take on the task, so she told the Taoist priest to handle it himself.

"What do you think of Cunxintang?"

Song Chunxue nodded, "Sounds good, I think it's a good idea."

"By the way, senior brother, I made you a set of clothes and socks. The style is very simple, so please don't mind." As she spoke, she carried a stack of clothes from the north room to the stone table. "Try them on, senior brother. If they don't fit, I'll alter them for you."

The Taoist priest was taken aback, and couldn't help but look at the smoky purple robe in her hand. He quickly stood up.

"For me?" He was surprised and somewhat flattered. "Junior brother, there's no need to trouble yourself. I don't usually change my outer robes."

He picked it up and saw a set of moon-white undergarments and three pairs of light blue socks.

"You've done so much?" The Taoist priest glanced at Song Chunxue. "It's been many years since anyone made clothes for me. Thank you, junior brother."

Knowing what he was thinking, Song Chunxue turned and walked towards the kitchen.

"Anyway, you have a junior brother now, so you can save money by sewing more fabric. I'm pretty fast at sewing clothes."