As the sky gradually darkened, the alley was filled with a rare sense of bustle and activity.
Chen Changyuan looked around and a restaurant as big as a fan came into his sight - "Ji Fu Ju".
The small cloth curtain swaying at the door was lifted by the wind, revealing the dark red corner of the sign. The store name written in rough handwriting looked twisted and distorted, but it made people feel inexplicably at ease.
When I lifted the curtain and went in, I found that the room was a bit narrow, but it was so clean that it was eye-catching.
The wooden tables and chairs had a light waxy hue, and a few pots of evergreens by the window were growing very well.
Regular customers buried their heads in their bowls and drank the delicious aroma of the noodles.
The golden color of the steamed egg caught Chen Changyuan's eyes. He pulled out a small table against the wall and sat down.
As soon as he sat down, a woman wearing a gray apron came up to him quickly, her voice as deep as a gong: "Hey, young man, what do you want?"
"A bowl of noodles with soybean paste and a steamed egg."
Chen Changyuan's voice was a little hoarse.
He has been running around these days and feels as heavy as if he were filled with lead.
When the woman turned and left, her light steps created a slight breeze, but Chen Changyuan's eyes were drawn to the people at the next table.
Two middle-aged men were talking in low voices while eating noodles, and they seemed to be talking excitedly.
One of them was wearing glasses and had a half-burned pair of chopsticks in his mouth; the other one had a full beard and was waving the sauce soup around so that it dripped onto the table.
"Old Li, what the county pharmaceutical company got this time is truly rare!"
The man with glasses pushed the frame on the tip of his nose with his hand.
"What could be more rare than what we've seen before? Tell me!"
The other was clearly curious.
The man with glasses dropped his earlier brashness and leaned over, lowering his voice. "Have you heard of the 'Golden Thread Grass' and 'Flame Dragon Fruit' grown in the mountains to the north? They're incredibly effective! It's a shame, we're broke, so what else can we do but look at and hear about these things?"
After hearing this, Chen Changyuan paused, didn't even raise his eyelids, and pretended not to hear.
The news had already exploded in my mind.
I had heard vaguely about "Golden Thread Grass" in my previous life. It is an excellent anti-inflammatory and analgesic medicinal herb.
As for the "Flame Dragon Fruit", it is rarely seen even in medicinal materials, let alone among ordinary people, so you can imagine its value.
The two men were chatting away, but Chen Changyuan was lost in another thought.
If these things could really be grown in this mountain, even if they were just substitutes for medicinal herbs, we could open up a new world these days.
Thinking of this, he pursed his lips and his eyes became a little deep.
The noodles were served with thick sauce evenly spread and the eggs steamed until they were so tender that they were almost trembling.
Chen Changyuan picked up the chopsticks and picked up and pushed the food in, moving slowly.
While tasting the food, he casually glanced at the proprietress behind the counter.
The people at the next table gradually shut up, and the restaurant became quiet for a while.
After finishing his meal, Chen Changyuan seized the opportunity to stand up and walk to the counter.
He raised his voice and said, "Auntie, is there anyone in this area who grows Chinese medicinal herbs? Just grow some herbs or something."
The proprietress is about fifty years old, and her wrinkled face looks particularly rich when she smiles.
She wiped her apron with her hands and replied with a smile, "Young man, I really don't know. But at the end of this alley, there's an old Chinese doctor named Mr. Lu. He's easygoing and deals with medicinal herbs all day. Maybe you can ask him for some directions."
Chen Changyuan's eyes lit up and he replied loudly, "Thank you, Auntie! The noodles are delicious. I'll come again next time."
He put down a few coins, patted the corner of the table, turned and walked out the door.
After taking two steps, the boss lady behind him called out: "Go ahead, this old Lu can pick people, don't be so quick to get angry!"
At the end of the alley, a mottled wooden door stands quietly.
There are several pots of medicinal herbs next to the threshold, with curled leaves and a fragrant smell, which gives the impression of a medical clinic.
Chen Changyuan stopped and knocked on the door hard.
The door was opened by a little boy of seven or eight years old, skinny and monkey-like, who looked at me with squinting eyes: "Who are you looking for?"
The sharp look in his eyes made Chen Changyuan feel a little funny.
He lowered his voice and said, "I'm going to see your old man and ask him about some medicinal herbs."
The boy was about to say something when a rough old voice came from inside the room: "What's going on? Who is it? Let him come in!"
The boy pushed the door open, revealing a small courtyard.
The yard was filled with the aroma of medicine, and the straw was piled neatly.
A thin old man was leaning on a bamboo chair with a bowl of medicinal soup beside him.
He raised his head and his eyes fell on Chen Changyuan.
"Young man, what do you want from me?"
The wooden door creaked shut, as if blocking out all the noisy noises outside the yard.
The light in the room was dim, and the aroma of medicine filled the air, as if telling the long history of this room.
Chen Changyuan had just stepped inside, his eyes still quickly adjusting to the shadows, when he heard Mr. Lu's slightly hoarse voice.
"You're such a young man, why are you here so hastily? Could you be sick?"
There was a directness in his words, as if he was trying to start a conversation.
Chen Changyuan raised his eyebrows, still with a peaceful smile on his face.
"Old man, you're joking. I'm actually quite healthy. I just heard that you have unique insights into the medicinal herbs business, and I just happened to have some questions, so I came here to ask for your advice."
Mr. Lu looked him up and down, as if he was thinking about something.
He waved his hand casually and said, "Sit down and talk. Young man, you look well-dressed. Could it be that you are from the city and have come to the mountains to inquire about medicinal herbs?"
Chen Changyuan remained motionless, sat down on the bamboo chair that Mr. Lu pointed to, and wiped the dust off the chair.
"I've heard there's a rare plant called 'Golden Thread Grass' over in the North Mountain. I think it's interesting, so I wanted to ask you about it."
As soon as he said this, his eyes did not relax with his tone, for fear that the old man opposite him would make a feint.
Old Lu's hand rested on the edge of the medicine bowl, and he stirred it gently with the spoon twice, causing the medicine soup to create a small ripple.
He raised his eyelids and said in a light tone: "Golden Thread Grass? Never heard of it."
"Mr. Lu, it's easy to talk without any pain in your waist..."
Chen Changyuan secretly complained, but his face remained calm. Suddenly, he lowered his tone and muttered casually, "I heard that this rare medicinal herb has a mild cooling effect, invigorates blood circulation, and can also relieve coughs and moisten the lungs. Perhaps... the rumor is wrong?"
The spoon paused for a moment at the edge of the bowl. Mr. Lu glanced at him with a hint of tentativeness in his eyes.
"Young man, you seem to know a lot. What, does your family run a pharmacy?"
Chen Changyuan smiled and shook his head to deny it.
"Of course not. I only grow a few common herbs back home, enough to add salt to the pot. A hunter in the mountains mentioned it in a casual conversation, and I happened to hear it. Today, I thought you might understand something, so I thought I'd bother you."
"Don't leave in such a hurry."
Elder Lu dropped the medicine spoon into the bottom of the bowl with a clatter. "As for Golden Thread Grass, we do have it, but young man, it's hard to find. Most people don't want to get into trouble if they're too lazy to go to the deep ravines and wet forests."
After hearing this, Chen Changyuan was secretly happy, but he remained humble on the surface.
He nodded and said, "Thank you for the directions, sir. I have really learned a lot."
Strike while the iron is hot, he changed the subject: "Sir, I heard that there is something even rarer than the golden thread grass, called the 'Flame Dragon Fruit'. May I ask if you have heard of it?"
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