Chapter 48 Becoming an Apprentice
Upon hearing the crying, Mantou was the first to come to his senses and quickly went to open the door.
The door was suddenly opened, and Aman, caught off guard, was seen by Mantou with tears in her eyes.
"Aman, what's wrong? Why are you crying all of a sudden?" Mantou asked.
Aman quickly turned around, wiped the tears from her face haphazardly with her hands, and stubbornly said, "Who's crying? I just accidentally got some wind in my eyes."
Of course, if the voice isn't that hoarse.
Seeing that Mantou was still staring at her, Aman felt extremely embarrassed. She picked up the now-cold steamed bun in her hand and said, "The steamed bun is cold. I'll go to the kitchen to heat it up."
Ever since Old Master Cheng asked her to leave the house, Aman has been worried about Fu Yunxiu's condition.
Just then, the steamed buns were ready, so Aman thought he would take this opportunity to go in and take a look.
Right at the doorway, they heard the sound of Old Master Cheng administering acupuncture to Fu Yunxiu.
Although the three of them moved to the inner room, Aman couldn't hear what was being said inside from the doorway, but Fu Yunxiu's painful groans reached Aman's ears without missing a single one.
For as long as Fu Yunxiu was in pain, Aman stood at the door for just as long.
The biting wind was nothing compared to the unbearable pain in my heart.
Why should someone as good as you suffer like this?
Aman couldn't understand it.
*
In the east wing, Fu Yunxiu's heart clenched when he heard from Mantou that Aman had cried. Aman had cried because of him.
She is a very good woman.
Old Cheng is right. Even if he doesn't think about himself, he has to think about Aman.
But Aman is only seventeen years old, in the prime of her life. Why should she be tied to a sickly cripple like him, constantly reminding him of her fears?
She deserves someone better.
He knew that Aman had feelings for him, but that was only because Aman had seen too little of the world and had met too few people.
Among all living beings, I am nothing more than an ordinary speck of dust.
She will eventually forget herself and live a peaceful and tranquil life.
With a personality like hers, it's hard for others not to like her.
Thinking of this, Fu Yunxiu felt a pang of sadness, but also became more determined.
Forget it!
Whether Aman tries it or not, it's all good for him.
Pain is only temporary, and it's much better than giving hope only to fall into immense disappointment.
Forget it, really.
never mind.
*
In the backyard kitchen, Aman spent a long time composing herself before finally stopping her tears.
Mantou stood at the door watching her, not daring to go forward or know how to comfort her, and could only stand there dumbly.
A moment later, Aman saw that the buns were ready, so she used chopsticks to pick them up and put them in a bowl, and then asked Mantou to take them to Fu Yunxiu and Old Master Cheng to try.
"Aren't you coming along?" Mantou asked.
"No," Aman shook his head, "I'm not feeling well and want to go back to my room to sleep for a while."
"Actually, young master is already used to it." Mantou wanted to offer a few words of advice.
"Getting used to it doesn't mean it won't hurt anymore."
After saying that, Aman left without looking back.
Mantou carried the steamed buns to the east room. Fu Yunxiu saw that he was the only one who came in, and his eyes darkened.
"And her?"
“Aman said she wasn’t feeling well and wanted to sleep for a while,” Mantou explained.
Fu Yunxiu didn't speak, but simply looked away and silently closed his eyes.
Mantou placed the porcelain basin on the table and stood quietly by the bed.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy and tense. Old Cheng sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the still-steaming buns on the table, and silently swallowed.
That brat didn't even offer to let his elder taste it first.
He had been busy all afternoon and was now starving.
But undeniably, this is a good opportunity.
A woman's tears are a deadly weapon for torturing a man. Especially for someone like Fu Yunxiu, who appears cold and indifferent but is actually two-faced and hypocritical.
After swallowing countless times, Old Master Cheng finally stood up, patted Fu Yunxiu on the shoulder, and said, "Think carefully about what I said. I'm leaving now."
Fu Yunxiu remained silent, not even glancing at him, looking utterly lifeless. Old Master Cheng didn't expect an answer from him now, but simply sighed and prepared to leave.
The steamed buns were brought to him, and as he passed the table, Old Cheng finally couldn't resist taking two buns from the basin.
With a thin skin, generous filling, and rich flavor, the dough is perfectly fermented, resulting in a chewy and springy texture.
Aman's steamed buns weren't small, but Old Cheng finished them all in just a few steps from the door.
Even after it was over, he still looked like he wasn't quite done.
Hey, if I'd known Man Ya was such a good cook, I would have taken two more.
Old Cheng felt a little regretful.
*
Since he had steamed buns for dinner, Aman stayed in his room all afternoon and didn't come out.
When Mantou brought her steamed buns, she just said she had no appetite.
If you don't eat, the young master won't eat either. The steamed bun is bitter inside, but has nowhere to confide in.
Two large steamer baskets of buns were reduced to just one steamed bun. Normally, someone would eat at least ten buns, but today, unusually, he only ate two before losing his appetite.
That night, the darkness was as black as ink.
Aman lay in bed with his eyes wide open, unable to fall asleep for a long time.
Meanwhile, in the same east-facing room, Fu Yunxiu also tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Tonight, the Wutong Courtyard is destined to be a sleepless night.
The next day, Aman got up at the same time as usual, boiled water, washed up, and then began to prepare breakfast.
There were still many steamed buns left over from yesterday. Aman thought for a moment, cooked some porridge, and added a small dish of pickled vegetables. That was it.
The porridge was cooking in the pot when Aman went to wake the young master.
Mantou was already at the bedside helping Fu Yunxiu get dressed when Aman knocked on the door and went in, placing the hot water on the shelf.
Mantou pushed Fu Yunxiu out.
Compared to yesterday, Fu Yunxiu was not in very good spirits, and there were dark circles under his eyes, making him look listless.
Is it because of yesterday's acupuncture?
Aman didn't know that Fu Yunxiu, like her, stayed awake until dawn. However, she didn't ask. Instead, as usual, she smiled and greeted Fu Yunxiu, "Young Master, the water for washing your face is ready."
Fu Yunxiu glanced at her. Although she was smiling, it was clearly more forced than genuine; her eyes were swollen, indicating she had cried a lot the day before.
"Hmm." Fu Yunxiu nodded, his expression gentle.
Both of them avoided mentioning what happened yesterday, as if it had never occurred.
The atmosphere was really strange.
After breakfast, Fu Yunxiu nestled on the soft couch to read, while Aman and Mantou diligently practiced calligraphy at the desk.
Fu Yunxiu said that neither of them would be allowed to rest until they finished writing these two pieces of calligraphy today.
Therefore, when Old Master Cheng arrived, he saw this peaceful scene.
No wonder Fu Yunxiu's energy and spirit have improved a lot in the past six months. Living in such an environment, his mood is good, and his energy is naturally high.
Fu Yunxiu's treatment was to last for seven days. During these seven days, Old Cheng traveled back and forth between De'an Hall and Wutong Garden every day. Moreover, Fu Yunxiu noticed that he was arriving earlier and earlier each day, almost after lunch, before starting the acupuncture treatment.
You know, he used to think the food at Wutongyuan was pig swill, and no matter how nice the weather was, he would always come over after lunch.
This gave Fu Yunxiu the illusion that the old man had come so early specifically for a meal.
Ah Man was fully aware of this matter.
In fact, she orchestrated all of this.
Sure enough, as soon as the acupuncture treatment was completed and Old Cheng came out, Aman excitedly went up to him and asked him what he wanted to eat tomorrow.
Old Cheng was a shrewd man, and he naturally knew that Aman was being overly attentive for no reason. After ignoring her for so long, Old Cheng felt that was enough, so he smiled, stroked his beard, and asked Aman, "Tell me, what is it that makes you greet an old man like me with a smile every day?"
“No way,” Aman quickly retorted, but under Old Master Cheng’s meaningful scrutiny, she gradually lowered her voice, “I just wanted to ask about the young master’s leg…”
"You mean to ask if there's any hope for his leg?" Old Chen asked, getting straight to the point.
"Mm." Aman nodded.
Mentioning this, Old Cheng couldn't help but sigh, "To cure his leg and restore his mobility, the first thing to do is to detoxify his body."
"Then... is there any way?" Aman asked.
"It does exist, but..."
Upon hearing that Fu Yunxiu's leg might still be healed, Aman's eyes lit up immediately. "But what?"
"But the process is not easy, and there is a very high chance of failure," said Mr. Cheng.
“We should at least give it a try,” Aman said.
"It's not that I don't want to try, but Yunxiu is unwilling." Old Cheng said helplessly when he mentioned this.
I originally thought that by using Man Yatou as an excuse, that kid would give in, but so many days have passed and there's still no sign of it.
Moreover, whenever I bring up this matter, that kid dodges the question and talks about other things, clearly indicating that he doesn't want to treat it.
You can't force a cow to drink water if it doesn't want to.
Moreover, he wasn't even sure he could succeed.
After listening to what Old Cheng said, Aman also fell into deep thought.
She had initially thought that the young master's leg was beyond saving, but now that there was clearly a chance to cure it, why would he refuse to try?
Perhaps knowing what Aman was thinking, Old Cheng took the initiative to explain, "Actually, it's not his fault. Over the years, I've tried many methods to detoxify him, but without exception, they all failed. Each failure was a significant blow to him. And this time, I'm not confident that I can succeed."
"Moreover, he has been poisoned for many years, and the toxicity has long penetrated into his bone marrow. The detoxification process will not be easy, and I am old and may not be able to persevere."
“I can learn.” Upon hearing this, Aman said firmly, “I am not afraid of hardship. No matter how difficult or tiring it is, I can persevere.”
"You?" Old Cheng shook his head slightly. "You're not up to it."
"Why?" Aman retorted, "Just because I'm a woman?"
“It’s not just because you’re a woman, but also because detoxification isn’t child’s play; it’s not something you can do just because you know a little about medicine. And right now, the most important thing is that Yun Xiu refuses.”
“I can persuade him,” Aman said. “I am confident that as long as you teach me the antidote, I can persuade the young master to cooperate.”
"This...?" Old Cheng hesitated.
To be honest, if Aman were to persuade him, the brat might eventually agree after a while.
She could learn the methods of detoxification...
Mr. Cheng still had some concerns.
Detoxification is no small matter; a single misstep could cost a life. Moreover, performing acupuncture on Fu Yun is extremely complex, which is why he didn't teach the method to others but insisted on doing it himself.
"No, no." Old Cheng shook his head repeatedly.
"Grandpa, please agree to my request, even if it's just for the young master's sake." Upon hearing this, Aman knelt down in front of him with a thud.
This startled Old Cheng, who quickly reached out to help her up. "Oh dear, you stubborn girl, just like that boy! This matter of practicing medicine and saving lives is not something to be taken lightly. Begging me won't help. Get up quickly."
Old Cheng helped Aman up, pulling and tugging at her. Once she was steady, he didn't say anything more to her and quickly got into the waiting carriage, afraid that Aman would bother him again.
But this matter took root in Aman's heart.
Since there was a possibility of saving the young master, she would try no matter how difficult or arduous it was.
She believed that with her persistent pleading, Mr. Cheng would eventually agree.
*
Perhaps Ah Man's heroic act that day frightened Old Cheng, because the next day, Old Cheng did not arrive until after lunch.
After entering, he didn't greet Aman as usual, but hurriedly went into the east room as if something scary was following him.
And today happens to be the last day of treatment.
From today onwards, the young master will no longer have to endure the excruciating pain of the silver needles, and Elder Cheng will likely come much less often.
Therefore, after today's acupuncture treatment, Aman brought up yesterday's request again.
However, Mr. Cheng still refused.
“Manya, you’d better not make things difficult for this old man. Even if you really want to learn, I’m too old to teach you.”
"Grandpa Cheng, Grandpa Cheng."
Old Master Cheng hurriedly got into his carriage and left, ignoring Aman's calls without even turning his head. His resolute attitude was evident.
Even so, they wouldn't give up easily. As the saying goes, you can run away from the monk but not the temple. Since he's not coming to Wutong Courtyard anymore, she'll just go to De'an Hall to find him.
The following day, Aman used the excuse of helping out at De'an Hall to secretly stake out someone there without Fu Yunxiu's knowledge.
Old Master Cheng usually travels around and is not in Yongzhou, but once he returns, he will hold a clinic at De'an Hall for a few days.
Sure enough, as soon as the news spread, the entire De'an Hall was packed with people. From the resident doctor to the apprentice, everyone was extremely busy.
Therefore, Aman's words held true in Fu Yunxiu's eyes.
Ah Man, smug that she had managed to deceive Fu Yunxiu, arrived at De'an Hall in high spirits, only to be startled by the massive crowd.
The pharmacy on the second floor was already packed with people, and the line for consultations stretched all the way to the street.
That's truly terrifying.
Aman squeezed through the crowd, and as soon as he poked his head out, Guo An spotted him.
"Miss Aman, what brings you here? Is Young Master Fu unwell?" Guo An had previously visited Wutong Garden for a medical consultation, so he knew Aman.
Upon hearing this, Old Cheng, who was examining patients nearby, also looked up. Aman hurriedly waved her hand, "No, no, I came to see Grandpa Cheng."
Old Master Cheng naturally knew why she had come to see him, and refused again, saying, "I said no, and that means no. You'd better not waste your time."
After saying that, he looked at the patient again.
Guo An glanced at Aman, then at his master, and for a moment he didn't know what to say. He could only shake his head helplessly, focus on the diagnosis, and ignore it.
Aman was left standing there, unsure whether to leave or stay.
Moreover, because there were so many people in the pharmacy, she barely had a place to stand.
Amidst the bustling crowd, Aman was jostled around. Some nosy patients, seeing that Aman was a frail woman with some good looks, deliberately squeezed next to her.
"What are you doing?" Sensing the other party's improper behavior, Aman couldn't help but speak up to stop him.
But the other party wasn't afraid at all, asking, "What did I do?"
With an expression that said, "What can you do about it?", he clearly knew that Aman was a woman, too shy to tell the truth.
Although Old Cheng was seeing patients, he kept a close eye on Aman. Seeing the man's self-righteous and aggressive manner, he finally couldn't help but speak up, "Either go back or go help out over there. Can't you see how busy you are?"
"Okay, then I'll go help." Seeing that Old Cheng had changed his mind, Aman felt that there was still a chance for things to turn around, so she didn't argue with the man. She glared at him fiercely and went to the counter.
The man was unaware of Aman's relationship with Old Cheng. Seeing that Aman was able to go inside to help, he assumed that Aman was a female doctor in the pharmacy.
It was incredibly awkward all of a sudden.
But he held onto a sliver of hope, thinking that perhaps Old Master Cheng hadn't seen it, and continued to argue, "It's all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding."
Old Cheng glanced at him but didn't say anything else. He simply looked up and pointed to the stool in front of the consultation table, "Sit down."
After the man sat down, Old Cheng asked again, "Tell me, where does it hurt?"
Seeing that Old Master Cheng was not angry, the man was relieved and said, "My back has been hurting badly these past two days, especially when I get up in the morning, I can't even straighten up."
The man spoke in detail, and Old Cheng took his pulse and asked about his daily life and eating habits before concluding, "It's just a common overexertion injury, plus the cold weather these past few days has caused some rheumatism. A couple of acupuncture treatments and a few doses of medicine will do the trick."
Upon hearing this, the man was extremely grateful and kept calling him a miracle doctor.
Old Cheng did not agree to his request, but calmly prescribed the medicine for him and then said, "Xiao Wan, you are in charge of giving this patient acupuncture."
Upon hearing this, dozens of eyes in the medicine cabinet turned to look in their direction, and even Xiao Wan himself was somewhat flattered.
Didn't my master say that if he doesn't master the technique, he shouldn't be allowed to do acupuncture for the time being?
Xiao Wan hurriedly looked at his master, but Doctor Guo only nodded slightly.
He also said that his master had suddenly changed his ways, and didn't say a word when he saw the man bullying Aman.
So that's what they were waiting for!
Xiao Wan's acupuncture technique is so powerful that it can bring the dead back to life.
It seems this person has really offended someone.
Indeed, of all people to offend, he had to offend Aman, the granddaughter-in-law whom his master had taken a liking to.
My master is notoriously protective of his own; if he doesn't suffer, who will?
Despite the stares of the crowd, Old Cheng remained unfazed, and the man was completely unaware of it until a bewildered Xiao Wan led him upstairs, repeatedly thanking Old Cheng.
In a day, the pharmacy sees at least a hundred patients. Even though Aman is only responsible for packing the medicine, she is so tired that her back and legs ache, and her arms feel like they are filled with iron, and she can't lift them up.
"If you know it's tiring, then don't come tomorrow," said Old Cheng.
"No way, you haven't agreed to it yet." Aman looked stubborn, as if she wouldn't give up until she got what she wanted.
Old Master Cheng had no choice but to snort coldly, "If you want to come, then come, but this matter is off the table."
The two were on the verge of exchanging blows, and Guo An was caught in the middle, unsure of what to do.
After Aman left, Old Cheng watched her retreating figure, lost in thought.
Guo An understood what his master was thinking and spoke up at the right moment, "Master actually... also wanted to teach her, didn't he?"
Old Cheng didn't say anything, but just sighed and went into the inner room.
Guo An was right; he had indeed considered taking Aman as his disciple. But it was only for a moment.
Aman is a woman, and practicing medicine is inherently a difficult job. She also doesn't understand medical principles, so the hardships involved are not something that just anyone can endure.
Moreover, acupuncture requires talent; a slight error can lead to disastrous results.
Even his apprentice Guo An, due to his unstable needling technique, has not yet fully mastered his needling methods. How could Aman, an outsider, possibly complete such a difficult task?
It's all a waste of effort, just wishful thinking.
“Actually, I think Miss Aman is an extremely intelligent woman.” Guo An continued, “Master must have noticed this when he gave Young Master Fu acupuncture this time. Although Young Master Fu’s legs are as usual, they have not shrunk as much as in previous years.”
Old Master Cheng had already discovered this, but at the time he thought that the atrophy would gradually slow down over time. It turns out that this was not the case.
"So?" Old Cheng looked at Guo An.
"It's all thanks to Miss Aman. Last March, when Young Master Fu caught a cold, I went to Wutong Garden to treat him. When Miss Aman learned that I had been taking care of Young Master Fu's health for a long time, she asked me many questions about his taboos, including the atrophy of Young Master Fu's legs."
"I told her that if she soaked her feet in hot water regularly and massaged them, she could get some relief. And she actually learned how to massage."
Seeing that Master Cheng was still deep in thought, Guo An said again, "If we talk about who in this world truly hopes that Young Master Fu will get better, Miss Aman should be one of them."
After all, she had only been at Wutongyuan for a month at the time, and she could have easily washed her hands of it.
This shows that Aman is a kind-hearted person.
Besides, "Young Master Fu is unwilling to try treatment. If Miss Aman were to treat him, perhaps things would turn around. Shouldn't Master give her a chance to try?"
After speaking, Old Cheng stroked his beard and remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "Let's take another look, let's take another look."
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