In the early morning, sunlight streamed through the cracks in the window, illuminating the kitchen countertop. The person preparing breakfast was already busy, beginning their culinary journey for the day.
The kitchen is warm in the morning, filled with the aroma of food and the scent of life. The fire on the gas stove flickers gently, the white porridge in the pot is already hot, and next to it are fresh pork and green vegetables, ready to be added to the boiling porridge.
Yesterday, Shen Xu bought them about ten pounds of pork and vegetables, saying that they were new to the area and not yet familiar with the surroundings, so he even prepared food for them. Fortunately, it's winter now, so the food won't spoil.
The person making breakfast skillfully controlled the flames, occasionally adjusting the stove's temperature or stirring the pot. Steam rose from the pot every now and then, filling the entire kitchen.
She made some egg and scallion pancakes and side dishes. After working for half an hour, the three of them got up to wash up and gathered around the kitchen to watch Ling'er busy. They wanted to help, but she wouldn't let them. Li Xi set up a small table next to the stove, and the group sat there to eat breakfast. The heat from the stove filled the entire kitchen, making everyone feel warm and cozy.
The four of them came from the southwest and were experiencing the cold of the north for the first time. They had no experience with it, and when they went to bed last night, they found themselves chilled to the bone. It turned out they hadn't lit a charcoal fire before going to sleep. Of course, they were all drunk last night, and Li Xi had to help them back; they hadn't felt the cold then.
Li Xi, on the other hand, didn't feel particularly cold because of her excellent physical condition and the protection of her internal energy. Furthermore, she was from Guangdong in her previous life, where she wore short sleeves for eight or nine months of the year, and even in the coldest winters, she would just shiver through. Her down jackets, which she had bought four or five years ago, still looked brand new, so she wasn't very familiar with winters in the north.
“Xi’er, I remember when I was little in Kyoto, we always slept on a kang (heated brick bed). We would heat the kang so we wouldn’t shiver from the cold while sleeping. I was so busy yesterday that I forgot to tell you,” Meng Zhelan said with an awkward smile. “Oh dear, this is the first time this has ever happened to us,” Li Xi said with a wry smile and a rub of her forehead.
"I'll go ask the old lady next door how to heat the kang (a traditional heated bed). She's so enthusiastic. Yesterday, when she saw us, she kept asking me all sorts of questions." "Okay, Tiantian, I'll leave the kang heating to you. I'll go ask the young wife next door and ask her to take me to the market," Ling'er said to Tiantian.
Meng Zhelan had also made arrangements: "I'm going to the clinic today to discuss something with the doctor." "Then I'll wander around these streets and alleys today, see what other people are doing and how they're doing, and look for a place to buy noodle stall utensils," Li Xi set her goals.
After everyone had finished eating, they went their separate ways. Meng Zhelan applauded her own decisiveness. Although it cost a lot, the fact that the clinic was close to home was very convenient, and she could get there in time if anything happened.
When they arrived at the clinic, Doctor Liu was already waiting in the reception room with his wife and children. The waiter had already placed a brazier to warm the room. Although the young man was young, he was meticulous and quick. "Doctor Liu, have you had breakfast? We've kept you waiting." "No, no, boss. We ate before we came, and we just arrived."
"This is my wife, Madam Feng, and this is my daughter, Liu Chenglin. Lin'er, greet the master." "Greetings, sister." Little Lin'er, about five or six years old, blinked her big eyes at Meng Zhelan. She looked so adorable.
Meng Zhelan couldn't help but squat down and exclaim, "Wow, Xiaolin'er is so good!" She took out a bag of candy from her bosom and stuffed it into Xiaolin'er's hands. "No, no, sir," Xiaolin'er said. "It's nothing, just some snacks that little kids like to eat. Don't eat too much at once, and remember to rinse your mouth, or your little teeth will get damaged." She patted the little girl's head. "Thank you, sister," Xiaolin'er's voice was soft and sweet, melting hearts.
"Dr. Liu, you, Madam Liu, and Lin'er will stay in the backyard. If you have any problems, you can find me on Changyang Street, it's right there..." Huang Bao was a local, his home was nearby, and his family sent him to learn skills from Dr. Tian. So he usually stayed at home. Therefore, Dr. Liu's family would stay in the backyard. Madam Liu, Feng Cuiniang, took little Lin'er to the backyard to unpack their luggage.
"Dr. Liu, you can stay here at whatever time you usually sit in the clinic. Just arrange your schedule. I have a few prescriptions on hand, and I'll prepare them later. You can then explain them to the patients as needed," Li Xi handed the prescriptions to Dr. Liu.
"Master, your prescription is indeed much more effective than the medicine we usually prescribe. The herbs are just ordinary ones, and the proportions are excellent." Meng Zhelan wasn't worried about the consequences of the prescription being leaked. She figured that since she had recruited these people, the prescriptions weren't really a secret. If Doctor Liu's medical skills improved further, it would benefit both the pharmacy and the patients. Besides, she had many more prescriptions in her possession.
The herbal medicine merchant delivered the herbs yesterday. Meng Zhelan went to the backyard and found that the herbs were of good quality. She then had the shop assistant dry them and, together with Doctor Liu, packed them into the cabinet.
Everyone went about their own business. An hour later, the medicine furnace that Meng Zhelan had ordered arrived, along with a pile of small bottles. She prepared a room, gathered the necessary medicinal materials, and began refining the medicine. This time, she prepared some pills for common colds, fever, dizziness, headaches, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, as well as mosquito repellent powder, snake repellent powder, hemostatic powder, and so on—basically anything that could be used in daily life. Of course, she also prepared some tonic pills; once she had a stable group of patients, she would refine some beauty and skin-nourishing pills, as a good complexion requires maintenance from the inside out.
The aroma of medicine wafted from the room from time to time, causing everyone to stop and watch. At dusk, Meng Zhelan finally came out of the room. She invited Huang Bao and Doctor Liu in and explained to them the effects and dosages of each medicine. The names of the pills were labeled on the small bottles.
Just then, the carpenter arrived, bringing Meng Zhelan's custom-made table, chairs, and hospital bed, along with a brand-new medicine cabinet. Previously, Dr. Tian's medicine cabinet couldn't hold all the herbs she needed, so she placed it next to the old one. She also rearranged the tables and chairs in the shop so that patients would have a place to sit and wait when they came in. Two pulse-taking tables were placed on one side, separated by a screen. Sometimes she would also sit in the clinic, and women who were unable to come in could also seek her treatment.
She directed the craftsmen to paint the main gate ochre and renovate the signboard. The clinic had two inner rooms, where Meng Zhelan placed five beds, with curtains between them, making it a perfect size. She sent a shop assistant to buy some cotton cloth and cotton, and gave Feng Cuiniang five hundred coins to help sew seven or eight sets of bed sheets and quilts.
Two hours later, the carpenter summoned Meng Zhelan to inspect the work. The main entrance was completely transformed; a black plaque was framed with dark gold borders and patterns, and the bold, powerful red characters "Ren'an Hall" on the plaque were particularly eye-catching. Meng Zhelan was extremely satisfied. After settling the payment with the carpenter, she admired the work for a while longer by herself.
The dark gold patterns on the plaque were a secret code between her and her father. If her father escaped, he might see it. Thinking of her father, she couldn't help but feel depressed. For so many years, she and her father had depended on each other for survival. Although she was a woman, he still passed on all his medical skills to her, telling her how difficult it was for women, and that even if something unexpected happened to her in the future, she would not have to worry about not having food to eat because of her medical skills.
Li Xi, who went out early in the morning, first walked around the street and then went into the most popular shop. When she got closer, she saw that the lobby was full of people, so she found an empty seat and sat down.
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