"You can humiliate me, but you can't humiliate the integrity of a scholar!" Chu Yuning slammed his fist on the counter, veins bulging on his forehead, clearly furious.
The candlestick on the counter was smashed to the ground, making quite a commotion.
Xiao Ling rushed over upon hearing the noise and saw Chu Yuning staring fiercely at Shen Yuan with a flushed face, looking as if she was about to hit him.
He stepped forward silently and stood between the two.
Upon seeing Xiao Ling, Chu Yuning's expression changed. He tossed his sleeves behind him and looked at the other man with a mocking gaze.
"Shen Yuan, is this your new husband? He's a mute. Ha, your taste is getting worse and worse."
"That's right. Without me, you'll never find a man as brilliant and upright as me again."
Chu Yuning slightly raised her chin, her face arrogant.
He had already heard from Chu Qiuyue that the man staying at Shen Yuan's house was just a mute. What could someone who couldn't even speak possibly accomplish?
I'm afraid I'll only be able to live a crippled life!
"Yes, yes, yes! You're amazing, you have a dog's mouth! All you do all day is bark!"
Shen Yuan picked up the medicine packet and threw it at Chu Yuning, yelling, "Get out! You're not welcome in my shop!"
Being told to get lost, even the thick-skinned Chu Yuning couldn't stand it any longer. He angrily picked up the medicine bag on the ground and stormed off.
Chu Qiuyue stared at Xiao Ling for a moment, her gaze lingering on his face, before she lifted her leg to chase after Chu Yuning.
"Brother! Wait for me!"
The two had barely stepped out the door when Chen Yuan took the written paper and stuck it on the door frame.
As Chu Yuning walked outside the door, she couldn't help but turn back to look, and saw a line of large characters written on the paper.
[Chu Yuning, Chu Qiuyue, and pigs are not allowed inside!]
His face grew even uglier, and he quickly pulled Chu Qiuyue away from the street.
When Chu Yuning took a liking to a country woman who spent all her time surrounded by herbs?
He was only doing this out of old friendship, wanting to help out her business!
Since he doesn't appreciate it, don't expect him to ever set foot in the pharmacy again!
Chu Yuning was lost in thought and didn't notice the pedestrians on the street. He accidentally bumped into one of them. He turned his head to apologize, but suddenly everything went black, as if something had covered his head. He was pulled into a small alley.
It was already dark when he left the pharmacy. Chu Yuning wasn't carrying a lantern, so his vision was blurry, and he didn't realize when he was being watched.
With the mask on, he couldn't see anything at all.
Chu Yuning was terrified. "Who are you? Let me go!"
He tried to pull off his mask, but as soon as he raised his hand, he was slapped off.
Immediately afterwards, more slaps came like a storm, hitting Chu Yuning's face repeatedly. His mouth bled, and the back of his head slammed against the brick wall, causing him to cry out in pain.
"You...who are you...who sent you..."
Chu Yuning spat out a mouthful of blood and asked, looking at the figure in the darkness.
All he received in return was a series of slaps.
Chu Qiuyue walked along the street, her eyes taking in the rows of shops lining both sides.
The feeling of being dependent on others is not pleasant. Although she and her sister entered the wealthy man's mansion, they were arranged by their aunt to be maids in the mansion.
Although her treatment was better than that of ordinary maids, she still did servant's work and had to carefully take care of the two daughters born to Aunt Zhao. She had to try her best to please them in order to survive in the wealthy man's mansion.
But if she could have a shop to make a living, like Shen Yuan, she and her older brother and sister could all move out and no longer have to live at the mercy of others!
Chu Qiuyue dreamed of moving out of the wealthy man's mansion and owning her own shop and residence in Jian'an City! She secretly resolved that one day, she would take over Shen Yuan's pharmacy!
After cheering herself up, Chu Qiuyue looked up and saw a stall selling candies. The candies were fried until crispy and coated with a layer of white sugar, making her mouth water.
She rubbed her hands together, turning around as she spoke, "Brother! I want to eat this, buy me a pack..."
Before she could finish speaking, Chu Qiuyue suddenly realized that there was no one behind her.
Where is her brother?
Wasn't he supposed to have left with her? Where is she? Did she go straight back to Zuichunlou?
Chu Qiuyue pouted unhappily; her brother had returned to Zuichunlou without even saying goodbye.
Chu Yuning wanted to say hello, but he couldn't utter a single word. His mouth felt like it had been whipped with chili water, burning with pain. Even the slightest movement made his lips feel like they were being torn apart, causing him to gasp in pain.
Moreover, his face was swollen from being hit, and his jaw was dislocated. Even without speaking, he was in excruciating pain, let alone being able to open his mouth to speak.
"Ugh—" Chu Yuning pulled off the black cloth covering his head, and finally saw a picture, but the dark alley was empty. The person who had kidnapped him and tortured him here had long since disappeared.
Chu Yuning stared at the empty alley, spat, and tried to curse, but only managed to spit out a mouthful of blood.
When Madam Hua of Zuichunlou saw Chu Yuning walking back with a swollen face, she was so frightened that she quickly took him to the backyard, afraid that Chu Yuning would frighten the guests.
"Oh my! Young Master Chu! Your lips are so swollen, it looks like you've been stung by a wasp! What happened? How did you get like this?!"
Chu Yuning was speechless and could only glare angrily at Mama Hua.
Seeing that Chu Yuning's mouth was swollen like a pig's snout, Madam Hua knew he couldn't speak, so she instructed him again, "I've told you before, Madam doesn't let you go out or run around, but you wouldn't listen! Now look what's happened! Your mouth is all swollen, you must have been fighting with someone! You should stay in the quiet room in the backyard and not come out again!"
After finishing her speech, Mother Hua busied herself going out to greet the guests.
Chu Yuning was already angry because she was beaten up for no reason, and being scolded by Mama Hua made her even angrier.
When Haitang came to deliver the ointment, she saw Chu Yuning in her current state and her eyes instantly reddened.
"Young Master Chu, who exactly injured you?"
——
Inside the pharmacy, Shen Yuan wiped the counter clean again with a rag.
Shen Yuan only put down the rag after the wooden tabletop was wiped until it shone brightly.
She had just put down the rag when she saw Xiao Ling walk in from outside the door with two sesame seed cakes in his hand.
Shen Yuan frowned. When did Xiao Ling leave?
How come she didn't see it?
Taking the sesame seed cake from Xiao Ling, Shen Yuan took a bite. It was scallion and salt flavored, which was her favorite taste.
"What were you doing just now? Did you go to buy sesame cakes?"
Xiao Ling put his hands behind his back, nodded, but his eyes were somewhat evasive.
But Shen Yuan didn't notice. She was preoccupied with her own thoughts and said to Xiao Ling, "I was thinking of waiting a few more days, but I can't wait any longer. I want to tear down Zuichun Pavilion right now!"
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