Seeing that Chen Xin was alright, Jiang Yue called the driver to take her master home. The shop was closed for the day, so she treated it as a holiday. Jiang Yue chatted with Chen Xin for a while. If she hadn't been prejudiced and noticed some inconsistencies, she wouldn't have been able to tell that the person had been replaced. But these inconsistencies were caused by the short time that had passed. Even if Jiang Yue hadn't noticed them in a day or two, she wouldn't have been able to tell.
The way Chen Xin speaks now is not exactly the same as the original Chen Xin, but it's pretty much the same. Even some of the small pauses are similar. Jiang Yue even felt that they were the same person. She racked her brains for a long time but couldn't figure it out. So Jiang Yue stopped caring and decided not to worry about it anymore. After having dinner at the Chen family's house, Jiang Yue took Aunt Fang home.
After arriving home, Jiang Yue returned to her study and continued studying. Aunt Fang came in to refill Jiang Yue's water and bring her some snacks. Having lived with her for two years, Aunt Fang had gotten to know Jiang Yue's little habits. After finishing the last few pages of the book in front of her, Jiang Yue stood up and stretched, doing a set of exercises her teacher had taught her. She checked the time and it was already 10 p.m., so she turned off the study light and went back to her room to sleep. Seeing Jiang Yue go back to her room to sleep, Aunt Fang turned off the living room light and also went back to her own room.
This continued for another three years. On this day, Jiang Yue officially began seeing patients. Her master looked at Jiang Yue with satisfaction and said, "From today onwards, you are a doctor at Jishi Pharmacy."
After today, Master Jiang Yue will no longer come here. Five years have passed, and her energy and spirit are not as good as before. Last year, Jiang Yue was basically the one treating patients, and Master Jiang Yue was there to guide her. Now, the responsibility has been officially handed over to Jiang Yue.
After saying that, he reminded Jiang Yue to continue her studies, as there is no end to learning in medicine. Jiang Yue respectfully replied that she understood, and that he had said everything he needed to say before his master went home.
Now only Jiang Yue is left in the shop. With her master gone, she feels a little empty inside. The empty shop is all alone. Usually, when there's no one else, she can talk to her master. Jiang Yue walked around a few times, then suddenly shook her head and smiled. This day was bound to come sooner or later, wasn't it?
Jiang Yue adjusted her mood and took out the medical records and prescriptions that her senior brothers had sent her to read. Not many people came to see her all day, and she closed the clinic and went home when it was time to go home.
After arriving home and having dinner, Jiang Yue returned to her study. If everything had followed the course of history, the War of Resistance against Japan would have broken out in full force next year. Jiang Yue hadn't been idle these past few years; she had invested in the Chen family's grain business and had stockpiled a lot of grain and medicine in the future anti-Japanese base areas, planning to donate it all when the time was right. She had also prepared several safe houses in Shanghai so that there would be a place to hide if things went wrong.
Over the past three years, Jiang Yue has also learned some simple wound cleaning and suturing from a battlefield nurse. She can handle simple surgeries without much difficulty. According to Jiang Yue's observation, Chen Xin should have joined our party. On many occasions, the wounded soldiers she brought could not go to the hospital, and Jiang Yue secretly treated them.
Chen Xin was still trying to persuade the Chen family to immigrate to Hong Kong. As the situation has gradually deteriorated recently, their attitude has begun to soften, and they want the whole family to go to Hong Kong together. Unfortunately, Chen Xin wants to do something for our party. The Chen family's business is growing bigger and bigger, and if they stay, they can do a lot of things, so Chen Xin does not want to leave.
The Chen couple also tried to persuade Chen Xin with Jiang Yue's help, but found that Jiang Yue didn't want to go either. She even wanted to send her master and Aunt Fang's family away so that she could stay there. This angered Aunt Chen so much that she fell ill. Why would they go there if the two children wouldn't leave?
Then Chen Xin kept persuading the Chen couple. Seeing that the situation was deteriorating too much, the Chen couple finally couldn't resist Chen Xin's pleas and agreed. Jiang Yue then persuaded her master and Aunt Fang's family. Her master and Aunt Fang's family had already agreed, but Aunt Fang didn't want to leave and wanted to go with Jiang Yue. Jiang Yue also tried to persuade Aunt Fang, but unfortunately, Aunt Fang was determined to stay and take care of them, so they had to give up. The New Year was coming soon, and the boat tickets had already been booked. They would be leaving after the New Year.
Days passed by, and the festive atmosphere in Shanghai grew stronger. People were still immersed in the joy of the New Year, unaware that war was imminent. Today was Lunar New Year's Eve, and it was also the last time the Chen family would have a family gathering. After the New Year, they would leave under the pretext of returning home to pay respects to their ancestors. The family sat at a table, but although it was the Lunar New Year, there was not much emotion on their faces.
After the family finished dinner, they started packing their luggage. Aunt Chen sat on the sofa, holding Jiang Yue and Chen Xin's hands, and said, "Are you two really not coming with us?"
The increasingly capable Chen Xin patted her mother's hand and said, "Mother, don't worry. I've already inquired. Don't Swire and Jardine Matheson both have cruise ships that go to Hong Kong? Xiaoyue and I will visit you every year. Just think of it as Xiaoyue and I going to school."
"How can that be the same? Sigh... Promise your mother you will protect yourself, okay?"
The two women chatted with Chen's mother for a while. Chen's father then asked Chen's mother to check the luggage. Afterward, Chen's father called Chen Xin and Jiang Yue into the study, gave Chen Xin some instructions, and then took Chen Xin and Jiang Yue to the basement to open a hidden secret room. Inside was a safe house containing weapons, food, medicine, and other survival supplies. He also told them that there were other places with supplies, much smaller than this one, but they could still be used for refuge in critical situations.
After saying that, he looked at Chen Xin and Jiang Yue and said, "I can't control what you want to do, but you must ensure your own safety. If things become unbearable, you should withdraw in time. If either of you gets into trouble, what will happen to us old folks?"
Chen Xin had just said that what she was doing wasn't dangerous when her father waved his hand to interrupt her before she could finish: "Your mother is ignorant and listens to your nonsense. Do you think I, Chen Tianxiang, am so easily fooled?"
Mr. Chen took a breath and said, "I only have one request: just that you all stay safe and sound. Can you promise me that?"
The two nodded hurriedly, and Chen's father didn't say much. Since things had come to this, he could only seek some psychological comfort. The group left the secret room, and their things were almost packed up.
The next morning, the group packed their bags and headed straight for the dock. When they arrived, the master's family and Aunt Fang's daughter were already there. As for Aunt Fang's mother-in-law's two elderly relatives, they chose to stay behind. In their words, "They're almost in their graves anyway, why bother with all this fuss?"
The weather was gloomy today, and the cold morning wind was merciless, scraping against our faces like a knife. Mr. Chen said, "That's enough for now, don't bother seeing me off."
He reached out and took the suitcase from Chen Xin's hand. "Be careful on your way back. Remember to write to us. Take care of yourself after we leave."
Chen's mother silently shed tears, holding their hands tightly as if holding on would prevent them from being separated. The cruise ship's horn sounded, and Jiang Yue wanted to say something but didn't know what to say. Her master patted Jiang Yue's shoulder, hesitated, and finally just said, "Take care."
As the morning sun rose, Jiang Yue and Chen Xin watched their family members leave. Just before boarding the boat, Chen's mother and father glanced back, a glance that seemed like a final farewell.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
