After finally finishing seeing the patient, Liu Zhuoyuan, who had been trampled half to death, perked up again and fawned over Xie Yushu, serving her tea and water. Xie Yushu found it hard to believe that he had any medical ethics!

Perhaps sensing Xie Yushu's suspicion, he immediately produced their family rules.

"Master, look."

These are our family rules. If I'm morally deficient and dare to do anything immoral to embarrass you, you don't need to pull strings; our Liu family rules alone would be enough to skin me alive. I may seem unreliable, but I'm actually very reliable!

Xie Yushu read a few pages and realized it was indeed harsher than the rules she had set. Since she had already accepted the Liu family father and son, she figured she might as well accept one more.

"Let's serve tea!"

Liu Zhuoyuan was overjoyed, readily knelt down and kowtowed deeply, then brought her a cup of tea.

"Master, please have some tea!"

Xie Yushu took the tea and drank it all in one gulp. She then said, "Since you have become my disciple, your father has set some rules for the sect that I have established. You must strictly abide by them. If you violate them, don't blame me for being merciless!"

"Disciple Liu Zhuoyuan will respectfully follow Master's teachings and will never dare to disobey!"

"Go find your dad and brother to copy your first assignment. Make sure you know it by heart. I was planning to check your dad and brother's homework today, but since they're not here, we'll have to do it next time. I have something to do, so I'm leaving now!"

“Master, my father and brother find the clinic too noisy and are staying home to study. Why don’t I take you there? It would be a good opportunity for us to show them some hospitality.”

"No need. Your dedication to learning is the greatest respect you can show me. The sooner you master your skills, the sooner the world will have one more good doctor, and many people may be relieved of their suffering because of your medical expertise!"

"Yes! We will do our utmost!"

After leaving the clinic, Xie Yushu went straight to the dock to meet Xie Baotian. Xie Baotian was already waiting there, with two large sacks and a basket piled up beside him. Upon seeing Xie Yushu, he cheerfully began to chat with her.

"I bought thirty catties of white sugar, two sacks of hawthorn, and two cutting boards."

I plan to try selling them first; I estimate these two sacks of hawthorns will be enough to last the winter.

If I make money, I'll just buy sugar from the merchants in town from now on.

I did the math. It would take me seven or eight days to travel from home to here to buy goods and back. Including food and lodging, it would cost over a hundred copper coins. If I buy a lot, I can negotiate with the merchants in town and get a discount. It'll be about the same price as buying in the city, and I'll save myself the trouble of going through all that trouble!

"Hmm, that works too. As the weather gets colder, try to go out less."

Xie Yushu agreed.

Perhaps it was because he had a goal that gave him something to look forward to. Looking at the hawthorns and sugar, Xie Baotian shook off his earlier gloom and became energetic.

He happily told Xie Yushu that he, Xie Baoshu, and Xie Tianlin were each going to buy from different places, which landlords were generous and which were stingy, which family had a wife in charge, and which children were pampered. He counted all the potential customers within a ten-mile radius!

Xie Yushu felt that finding a job for her father was the right thing to do, so that they wouldn't have to worry about this and that at home!

Xie Yushu then asked if Xie Tianlin had gone on a blind date, and Xie Baotian then remembered to mention it to Xie Yushu.

"After meeting him, your mother and I both think he's a good boy. He's above average in looks, not handsome, but not ugly either. He has a good personality, is talkative and cheerful, speaks in a loud voice, and doesn't seem like the type to cause trouble."

He's not very tall, about the same height as your mother, maybe up to your ear!

Xie Yushu smiled

"My ears aren't short either. I took after you; I'm a little taller. Other people are of normal height!"

"Yes, yes, not short at all!"

"How is my older brother feeling?"

"That's good. The two of them get along well, and every now and then, your older brother goes to visit them. Her parents are also very satisfied with your older brother!"

"So it's basically settled then? How far along are the formalities? Have you set a date for the wedding?"

"We haven't said anything yet. We were thinking of having a meal together when you and Tianqi are both home. After all, we're going to become a family, so we should all get to know each other, go through the proper etiquette, and set a date."

"Is Tianqi going back this time too?"

"I'll ask him if he can take leave? He's been so focused on Xiao Yi's matter since he arrived that he forgot to mention your older brother's matter!"

When Xie Yushu and the others disembarked at Tai'an Prefecture, Xie Tianqi was waiting there. Just then, he arrived with the donkey cart, and Xie Yushu immediately told him to load the hawthorns, candy, and baskets onto the cart.

Seeing so many hawthorns, Xie Tianqi asked in confusion.

"Sis, why did you buy all these hawthorns? They're so sour! And they make you hungrier the more you eat them, even the pig wouldn't eat them!"

Xie Baotian patted him on the shoulder

"What nonsense are you spouting, you brat? Your sister wants to teach your brother, but I also have your second uncle who sells candied hawthorns. A pound of candied hawthorns can earn you thirty copper coins!"

"Candied hawthorns! Sister, you can even make candied hawthorns! That's great! I've never had them before in my life! I only saw them once when I was a kid at a temple fair. They cost three or four copper coins each, which I couldn't afford, and I was so craving them!"

"Once you've made them, give me a few to eat first!"

"My brother found a girl, and Dad said we should all go back and meet her. Are you sure about this?"

"Oh? Dad, my older brother is getting married! I have to go back! Wait for me, I'll ask for leave. There are only two days left until my holiday, I'll ask for two days, and then I'll add the three days of holiday to make it five days, enough to go home!"

Xie Tianqi rushed off to ask for leave, and Xie Tianming, upon hearing this, followed suit. Xie Baotian was worried that their superiors might reprimand them for both going back, but Xie Tianqi said nonchalantly...

"It's fine for a day or two, let Brother Liu and his brothers cover for them for a couple of days!"

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