Chapter 5
"This..." Chen Miaoyin hesitated to accept Han Meng's gift.
Han Meng: "Take these, the books and fruit, they're my apology to you."
Chen Miaoyin tried to push the book back: "I can't accept it."
"I have to accept it, otherwise I'll feel guilty for slapping you. If I feel guilty, I won't be able to eat or sleep well..." Han Meng clutched her chest, feigning heartache.
The female protagonist had no choice but to reluctantly accept it.
“Speaking of which, on my way here I saw a Chinese medicine pharmacy that was recruiting apprentices. You have studied nursing, so you have some connection with Chinese medicine. Why don’t you give it a try? It’s at 333 Kangyun Street.”
“Traditional Chinese medicine? No way, that’s too different from being a nurse.” Chen Miaoyin frowned and thought for a moment, then shook her head.
"If you insist on becoming a nurse in a hospital, you need to think carefully about how many hospitals there are in the whole city right now."
"Okay, even if you get the job, how much time will you need to commute? Add that to your work hours, how much time will you have left at home? Will your family support you? With so little personal time left, you might not even have time for your hobbies."
"Just because you've studied this doesn't mean you have to do this for the rest of your life."
Han Meng glanced at the book she had just given to the female lead.
The female protagonist loves reading, and she can read for hours on end.
How much did you earn in your last job?
"It's an internship, there's not much money..."
Han Meng raised an eyebrow: "Wouldn't it be better if you became an apprentice at a traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy? It's close by and you get paid."
Selling tea is the Han family's traditional craft, while selling Chinese medicine is a new one. The Chinese medicine shop they opened recently is a new business of theirs.
But she definitely didn't intend to lure the female lead into working for her family's business.
Chen Miaoyin stared blankly at Han Meng: As expected of a rich family's heiress, her aura is so strong...
The key point is that she also felt that what the other person said made a lot of sense.
"But will they want me?" She was starting to feel a little tempted by the job as an apprentice in the Chinese medicine pharmacy, but she still didn't dare to make up her mind.
"I'm an outsider and don't understand those professional things, but I think it won't hurt to give it a try." Han Meng crossed her legs, hugged her arms, and looked at the female lead. "Go ahead and give it a try, Miaoyin."
At that moment, Chen Miaoyin finally understood what "feeling like old friends at first sight" meant in the book.
The girl in front of me, from a wealthy family, had a charming smile and warm words, like the warm sun in winter, making me feel warm and comfortable all over, even though this was only our second meeting.
Every word the girl spoke seemed to encourage her to be brave.
In fact, she has always been a girl with many ideas, but she didn't dare to put them into practice, and she didn't dare to believe that she would achieve anything. However, Ms. Han's words acted like a catalyst, allowing the seed of courage in her heart to quickly take root and sprout.
As if possessed, Chen Miaoyin agreed: "Okay..."
"Go! Go! Go!" Han Meng was still cheering for the other person before leaving.
After leaving the Chen family, Xiao Liu, who had been silent all along, couldn't help but ask curiously, "Miss, wasn't this stack of money you specially prepared for Miss Chen?"
Han Meng smiled and said, "That's true, but she's a very strong-willed girl. Giving her money directly is not as good as giving her a job. It's better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish!"
"Here you go! You've worked hard these past few days."
"Ah, I can't take this much..."
"Here are a few for you. I'll use the rest to win people over. Let's go to 333 Kangyun Street!"
After indulging in fun for several days, she felt it was time to do something serious, and maybe she could use this to change her "cheap father's" mind about marrying her off.
*
The Han family's traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy was newly opened, and the only staff members were an elderly Chinese medicine doctor who was over fifty years old and an accountant.
There aren't many customers right now, so the two of them are perfectly capable of handling the workload.
When Han Meng first went there, it was noon. The old Chinese medicine doctor was eating, and the accountant was snoring on the table.
The old Chinese medicine doctor put down his chopsticks, about to begin his treatment: "Guest, where do you feel unwell?"
"Sir, I am Han Meng. Do you take on apprentices?" Han Meng said, pulling out a wad of cash.
The old Chinese medicine doctor was stunned: "Miss, you must be joking..."
"It's not me, it's a friend of mine. He studied some Western medicine, but for some reason, he now wants to try a career change."
The old Chinese medicine doctor sighed: "It's fine if your friend is willing to come, but right now our pharmacy has no advantage compared to other pharmacies that have been operating for many years. On the contrary, it's practically deserted."
"What is the typical age range of the customers who come here, and what kind of illnesses do they usually have?"
The old Chinese medicine doctor recalled for a moment: "Most of them are elderly and come to see me for problems with their legs, feet, back, and waist. Some come to see me for colds and fevers, and sometimes they come to see me for external injuries."
“There are Chinese medicine pharmacies like ours everywhere, and we’re newly opened, so we really don’t have any advantages. It would be great if we could find a good brand to help us promote ourselves.” Han Meng couldn’t think of a good solution yet.
After the accountant woke up, Han Meng asked him for the recent accounts.
Yes, it's really quite bleak.
Han Meng closed the ledger and turned to the old Chinese medicine doctor, saying, "Let's talk about profits later. Anyway, I'll be here every day. As long as your medical skills are good, our pharmacy will always find opportunities."
The old Chinese medicine doctor was skeptical, but given the wad of money in his hand, he temporarily swallowed his doubts.
After Han Meng left, the two people in the pharmacy started discussing something.
The accountant, a long-time employee of the Han family's businesses, was momentarily stunned: "Was that really the young lady? When did she become so ambitious?"
"I've never seen her before, but I can't tell if it's real." The old Chinese medicine doctor touched the huge sum of money in his hand and said sincerely, "Now that I've met her, I don't think the young lady is as unruly as outsiders say."
The accountant said, "Even so, in principle she shouldn't interfere in the pharmacy's affairs; only the master should."
The old Chinese medicine doctor chuckled, "What the master values most is still the tea business. Why would he suddenly spend so much money to open a Chinese medicine pharmacy with such low prices? It's like he's doing good deeds."
Chen Miaoyin arrived the next day.
The old Chinese medicine doctor was dumbfounded when he saw that his apprentice was a woman.
However, considering that she was the young lady's friend, they did not directly send her away, but instead asked her to do some simple tasks.
A little while later, Han Meng arrived again, and Chen Miaoyin realized the connection between this Chinese medicine pharmacy and Han Meng.
Chen Miaoyin looked distressed, but tried her best to hide it: "Miss Han, I really don't know how to thank you, but I'm really too stupid. I didn't understand many of the medicine names my master mentioned during the diagnosis."
"You're already giving up after just one day?" Han Meng patted her shoulder and smiled slightly.
The old Chinese medicine doctor said with difficulty, "Young lady, it's not that I look down on girls, it's just that I've never seen a doctor these days take on a female apprentice..."
"Auntie, are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
A middle-aged woman, wearing a headscarf and clutching her lower abdomen, walked into the pharmacy, her eyes seeming hesitant. Chen Miaoyin, being observant, noticed her immediately.
The woman said, "It's nothing, just get me some angelica and goji berries."
The old Chinese medicine doctor, with his years of experience, could tell that the other woman definitely had some health problems. "Madam, do you have a prescription? Without a prescription, we can't prescribe medicine indiscriminately. Or, could you let me examine your symptoms and I'll write a prescription?"
The woman quickly waved her hand in refusal: "No, no, no... just get some angelica and goji berries. If you treat my illness, how can I face anyone afterward..."
Chen Miaoyin lowered her voice and asked in her ear, "Is this a disease that only women can get?"
The woman blushed and nodded vigorously.
Han Meng fully understood what was going on. "Miaoyin, take her to the inner room. Your master will stand outside the door and instruct you."
Here comes the advantage of female apprentices.
Even if doctors see no difference between men and women, it's normal for patients to be bothered by it in any era.
In ancient times, doctors were all men, and feudal ethics imposed heavy constraints on women. It is unknown how many women have suffered from diseases that are only associated with women over the past thousands of years, yet have not been able to receive proper treatment.
...
A moment later, the woman and Chen Miaoyin came out of the cubicle. The old Chinese medicine doctor read out the prescription he had written and reminded the patient again that everyone's illness was different and that they should not buy medicine on their own.
The woman thanked everyone repeatedly.
After the woman left, Han Meng asked with a smile, "Miaoyin, do you think it's useful for you to stay here as an apprentice?"
Chen Miaoyin smiled too, her innocent big eyes looking at Han Meng with a hint of admiration: "To be honest, I think I've found the direction I should strive for in this life."
At this moment, the old Chinese medicine doctor also spoke up to affirm the female protagonist: "As long as Miss Chen is determined to persist in this profession, then I will make an exception and accept you as my female apprentice."
In the past, in that situation, all he could do for the female patient was take her pulse and prescribe medicine. However, the old tradition was to observe, listen, inquire, and palpate; some illnesses could not be diagnosed by taking the pulse alone.
"Well done! I told you you could do it. Since you've decided to stay, let's settle on your wages and stuff." Han Meng put her arm around Chen Miaoyin and they went into the cubicle together...
Despite the female protagonist's strong desire to work, she considered that the job would not conform to the original plot, so she agreed to a seven-day trial period with the other party.
If the female lead decides she doesn't want to continue as an apprentice within seven days, she'll be paid for the number of days she worked; otherwise, she'll be paid monthly.
In the following days, Han Meng continued to come to the Chinese medicine pharmacy every day. Besides genuinely wanting to find a way to make a profit, she was also afraid that staying at home would lead to arguments with Han Xianfei.
When she had nothing to do, she would stroll around the neighborhood. When she got tired, she would go back to the pharmacy to learn how to use an abacus and occasionally listen to how the old Chinese medicine doctor taught Chen Miaoyin.
Seeing the female lead's energetic demeanor all day long, Han Meng suddenly felt that she had done something "harmful" by "tricking" a nurse from a big hospital into becoming an apprentice in a small pharmacy. It was a demotion, but at least the pay was higher.
Speaking of which, the male and female protagonists in the original book met many times in the hospital. Now that things have taken such a turn, will they be destined to be apart?
Han Meng quickly denied the idea.
That evening, the male protagonist came to the small pharmacy.
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