Chapter 53

Because Dr. Yu was very busy, and they weren't the only patients, and he needed to prepare for the acupuncture, he asked them to come back tomorrow.

After returning to the inn, the group went into Zhang Yin's room to discuss what to do next.

“Since treatment will take some time, staying in a guesthouse isn’t really suitable for us. This afternoon I’ll go to the pharmacy to ask if we can rent a place to stay temporarily,” Zhou Yuan said.

After listening to Dr. Yu's words, I knew that the treatment would last for several months. Staying in a guesthouse was too expensive and it was inconvenient to eat. It would be better to rent a small courtyard so that I could cook for myself on weekdays.

Li Xin nodded: "That's what I think too."

Chen Qing naturally had no objections; he listened to Zhou Yuan in everything. However, when he heard Zhou Yuan mention the brokerage firm, his shoulders hunched slightly.

“I’ll go with my older brother. I can watch when they’re drafting the contract,” Qi Shuning said.

Zhang Yin nodded, and after watching them leave, she looked at Li Xin and asked, "Xin Xin, what exactly did Dr. Yu say?"

She felt uneasy, afraid that she wouldn't be cured, yet also afraid that she could. Everyone is afraid of death, especially since she had so many things she couldn't let go of. But she was also afraid that if she could be cured, the price would be financial ruin, and perhaps even her children's future.

Li Xin smiled and said, "Dr. Yu said it can be cured, but it's a bit complicated. It requires acupuncture and medication."

Zhang Yin didn't believe it, so he looked at Chen Qing. Chen Qing was a good boy and wouldn't lie.

Chen Qing spoke frankly: "He said he could cure it, but he wasn't sure he could, because the situation of the person you cured was different from the one his master cured. But he said he would do his best."

Zhang Yin gripped the handkerchief tightly: "Is that really true? Can it be cured?"

Chen Qing looked at Zhang Yin with certainty: "Yes, that's what Dr. Yu said."

Zhang Yin asked in bewilderment, "Then why did you say these things behind my back?"

Chen Qing swallowed hard. He didn't dare say it was because there was a medicinal herb he needed to find on the mountain, and he didn't know if he could find it. Later, after listening to what Manager Tian said, he and Zhou Yuan learned that they still had to go up the mountain, and there might be danger.

Li Xin knew Chen Qing couldn't handle it, so he moved closer to Zhang Yin and said, "Mom, we're here to get treatment, so just listen to the doctor."

When it was lunchtime, Zhou Yuan and Qi Shuning hadn't returned. Chen Qing saw Li Xin talking to Zhang Yin next to her, so he stood up and said, "I'll go order some food."

Li Xin nodded to him. Zhang Yin hesitated, but Li Xin pressed her hand down.

Watching Chen Qing leave, Zhang Yin asked, "Why aren't you going?"

Li Xin shrugged: "It's because my older brother said he wanted to train Aqing. These things are simple, Aqing can do them."

Zhang Yin smiled and said, "Our relationship is pretty good."

Holding his purse, Chen Qing hesitated for a while before finally mustering the courage to call out to a waiter.

"I'd like to order some food and have it delivered to my room," Chen Qing said softly, fiddling with the hem of his clothes.

"Alright, what would you like to order? Our signature dishes are scrambled eggs with persimmons, shredded pork with green peppers, and cucumber salad. For staple foods, we have steamed buns, congee, and rice."

Seeing his hesitation, the waiter recited the names of the dishes as if singing a folk song, some of which Chen Qing had never even heard of.

Chen Qing was completely bewildered: "I want the three dishes you just mentioned, plus three steamed buns."

The waiter then said, "If you order scrambled eggs with persimmons, you can also order a bowl of rice. Soak the rice in the broth; it's delicious."

Chen Qing nodded, showing no opinion whatsoever: "Then two cornbread buns and a bowl of rice."

"Alright, you can go upstairs and wait a moment. It will be delivered to your room shortly." The waiter hurriedly noted down the dishes he ordered and then rushed off to get busy.

Chen Qing clutched his purse, thinking that he hadn't paid yet and didn't know the prices of the dishes...

He returned to his room looking worried. Li Xin looked at him and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I ordered a few dishes, but I don't know what the prices were, and he didn't charge me." Chen Qing was a little annoyed, afraid that he had spent too much money.

Li Xin walked over and pressed his shoulder: "We didn't charge you because we'll settle everything when we leave. The accounting department keeps track of everything. The food at the inn isn't expensive. Qi Shuning checked the price tags last night, and they're all within our budget, so don't worry."

Chen Qing breathed a sigh of relief, and soon the waiter brought up the dishes they had ordered.

Li Xin helped Zhang Yin sit down at the table, and only then did she see the dishes Chen Qing had ordered.

The first dish was scrambled eggs of an unknown type, with bright yellow yolks and red side dishes—a beautiful color combination. The second dish was also unfamiliar: vibrant green vegetables with shredded meat. The third dish was also vegetarian; none of these were dishes they had ever seen before.

Yesterday, Li Xin only ordered a bowl of congee and a dish of pickled vegetables. He hadn't tried the dishes at the restaurant yet, so he picked up his chopsticks first. After taking a bite, his eyes lit up: "You guys should try it, it's really delicious."

Chen Qing gave the rice to Zhang Yin, and then, remembering what the waiter had said, used a spoon to cover the rice with an egg: "I heard from the waiter that it tastes better this way."

Zhang Yin had never had such a good appetite. She ate more than half of a bowl of rice. The scrambled eggs were slightly sour with a hint of sweetness. The shredded meat tasted a bit like the pungent flavor of the roasted rabbit they had eaten before, but not exactly the same. Finally, the cucumber salad was very refreshing.

The three of them finished all the dishes on the table without realizing it. Li Xin patted her stomach and said, "What kind of dishes are these? If they could be sold where we live, we could definitely make a lot of money."

Zhang Yin teased him, "You used to want to learn blacksmithing, now you want to learn how to do business. Even your kids aren't as fickle as you."

Li Xin also laughed, but after laughing, she thought about the matter more deeply and felt that it might not be impossible.

After lunch, Li Xin accompanied Zhang Yin for a nap, while Chen Qing returned to his room and rested by the bed.

He was a light sleeper, and opened his eyes when he heard noises in the room: "You're back?"

Zhou Yuan nodded: "Why don't you sleep lying down?"

"I just want to close my eyes and rest for a while. I don't want to sleep. Have you eaten?" Chen Qing stood up, saw that he was covered in sweat, and took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat.

"Shuning and I have already eaten out and found a place. We can move in tomorrow." Zhou Yuan stood there and let him wipe him. After he finished wiping, he pulled him to sit on the bed.

Chen Qing told him about what happened at the inn that day, and he was a little embarrassed: "I didn't even know it was a bookkeeping service, so I was thinking of paying you back."

Zhou Yuan simply ruffled his hair: "You've improved; you can order food by yourself now."

Chen Qing smiled, pursing his lips: "There are many foods here that we don't have back home. For lunch, we had scrambled eggs with persimmons and cucumber salad, which were both delicious and refreshing."

“I was just about to tell you this.” Zhou Yuan straightened up. “Since Li Xin and the others are going to stay here for a while, I might as well make a couple of trips to our side and bring some of our stuff back to sell.”

Chen Qing nodded: "Li Xin just said the same thing, that if we can sell them to our area, we should be able to make a profit."

“Yes, treating my godmother’s illness is a long process. Once they’ve settled down, we’ll take some local specialties back with us and also bring back some good news for my godfather.”

Chen Qing nodded, then recalled what happened at the clinic that morning: "Do you think we can find the medicinal herbs that Dr. Yu mentioned? I'm always worried."

"It's alright, Manager Tian said he'd show us the way." Zhou Yuan went to the clinic again in the afternoon to ask about the medicinal herb he mentioned.

The answer we received was that Manager Tian hadn't been up the mountain for many years, and didn't know if that medicinal herb still existed in that area.

"Whether it's there or not, we have to go look for it." Chen Qing took Zhou Yuan's hand. "I want to go with you."

"No, it's too dangerous up in the mountains, you..."

Chen Qing covered his mouth: "I'm not some precious person. Even without you, I still run around in the mountains and fields with my mother. You don't take me with you because you think I'm a burden?"

Zhou Yuan was speechless, but then laughed: "Very good, now Aqing dares to make his own demands."

Chen Qing heard the teasing in his tone and pretended to hit him, but Zhou Yuan pressed him down on the bed and kissed him firmly.

The next morning, they settled their bill at the inn and went to their rented house. Zhou Yuan and his companions did not choose the courtyard on the outskirts of the city where the merchants stayed, as it was a mixed bag and not a good place to recuperate.

Before they even reached the brokerage firm, they were stopped by Manager Tian of Tian's shop, who said he had a house he could rent to them.

"This is the house my family lived in years ago. We don't live here anymore, so it's been empty." Manager Tian laughed heartily. "It's convenient for you to go to the clinic from here if you're looking for Yu Nian to treat your illness. Just pay me the rent according to the brokerage's rates."

Zhou Yuan didn't know how to thank him and wanted to ask him why he took such good care of his family.

Shopkeeper Tian said, "You are a veteran who came from the battlefield. My child is currently at the border. I always think that if I do more good deeds, my child will be safe and sound."

Zhou Yuan paused for a moment before saying, "You've done so many good deeds, you're sure to be rewarded."

After talking with him, I learned that Manager Tian's son was under the command of the General Who Conquers the West, while I was under the command of the General Who Pacifies the South, and I had never met him before.

He then looked at Qi Shuning: "Is your brother-in-law a scholar? Did he pass the imperial examinations?"

Qi Shuning replied, "I have already passed the provincial examination and will participate in the township examination next year."

"Oh, it's taken so long, you're showing your filial piety." Tian Yao patted his shoulder. "You have to take care of family matters, but you can't neglect your studies. I know a teacher, and once your family settles down, you can go to school with him. I heard from Yu Nian that you'll be staying here for a while, and that teacher is very good at teaching. You'll benefit from learning from him during this time."

Qi Shuning was also taken aback; he hadn't expected Manager Tian to be so enthusiastic: "No need, I can study at home by myself..."

"Don't be shy, just give them the tuition fee too." Tian Yao made all the arrangements perfectly clear for them.

"By the way, about that medicinal herb Yu Nian mentioned, I happen to have some free time in a couple of days, I'll take you to look for it. I haven't been up the mountain in a long time, I'm really looking forward to it."

"Thank you so much." Even Zhou Yuan couldn't think of any words to thank him for a moment.

"Don't be shy. If you have time, bring your family to Tianji Restaurant for a meal, and I can give you a discount." After saying this, Tian Yao handed them the keys in her hand. "I still have things to do at the shop. Here are the keys; you can move in tomorrow."

As Qi Shuning watched him leave, she said to Zhou Yuan, "Brother, there are still more good people than bad in this world."

Zhou Yuan: ...