Seeing this, Zhao in the flower hall supported Fan Zhenglian while turning back with a smile: “This is the resident physician from the medical hall, Dr. Lu.”
Fan Zhenglian nodded, his gaze lingering on Lu Tong’s face for a moment.
A young and beautiful medical woman was hard not to notice.
Seeing this, Zhao pressed her forehead with her hand, feigning weakness: “Husband, I’ve been feeling somewhat unwell lately, so I asked Dr. Lu to come examine me.”
“Feeling unwell?” Fan Zhenglian was indeed drawn to attention, turning to ask with concern: “Where do you feel uncomfortable?”
“Perhaps it’s because of the hot weather…”
Zhao walked into the house with Fan Zhenglian while turning back to give Lu Tong a meaningful look.
Lu Tong understood, packed up her medical box and withdrew from the flower hall with the maid.
Zhao’s maid escorted them to the Fan residence gate, arranged the time for Lu Tong’s next visit, then departed.
Looking at the Fan residence gate that had closed again, Yin Zheng felt somewhat indignant, complaining in a low voice: “The people at the Fan residence are really stingy. They claim to be court officials, took the medicinal tea without paying a single coin, no consultation fee, not even a cup of tea.”
“I wonder if later when Miss treats Madam Fan with acupuncture, she’ll still be a penny-pincher, wanting something for nothing?”
Du Changqing might be stingy, but he had never shortchanged Lu Tong’s monthly wages.
Lu Tong turned around: “It doesn’t matter, I wasn’t doing it for the consultation fee anyway.”
Today she had visited the Fan residence and established a relationship with Fan Zhenglian’s wife Zhao—she had already achieved her purpose. Moreover, she had seen Fan Zhenglian with her own eyes.
This Master Fan wore very particular clothing, and seeing the luxurious residence and arrogant servants, Lu Tong’s doubts were somewhat resolved.
Lu Tong walked forward carrying her medical box, and Yin Zheng pulled her back: “Miss, the road back to the medical hall is that way.”
Lu Tong looked into the distance: “It’s still early, let’s go to another place.”
“Where?”
Lu Tong said: “To see my relative in the capital.”
Uncle Cao’s information about officials was limited to avoid causing trouble, but for common people without background, they could investigate everything thoroughly.
Yin Zheng’s silver was sufficient, so the information obtained was detailed.
According to intelligence from Happy Tower, when Lu Qian was wanted by the authorities in Shengjing, the government searched everywhere without success. Finally, it was through someone’s tip-off about Lu Qian’s hiding place that the authorities tracked him down.
The person who informed on Lu Qian was named Liu Kun.
Liu Kun…
Lu Tong’s eyes flickered.
Speaking of which, she had once called him “Uncle” too.
“Let’s go.” Lu Tong said to Yin Zheng.
The two left the Fan residence entrance and walked in another direction, not noticing that across from the Fan residence, someone had stopped and was thoughtfully watching their departing figures.
“Sir, is something wrong?” someone beside him inquired.
The man came back to his senses, looked again at the distant figures, and said in a deep voice: “Nothing.”
…
“Liu’s Noodle Shop” was located on a prime spot on Sparrow Street in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple in Shengjing.
In front of the noodle shop was a huge iron pot, with steaming hot air rising from it along with appetizing aromas. A cook stood at the entrance putting noodles into the pot. Not far from the cook, beside a wooden cabinet, leaned a plump woman. Seeing Lu Tong and Yin Zheng, the woman put on a smiling face and warmly greeted them: “Are you two young ladies here for noodles? There are seats inside!”
Yin Zheng responded and entered the shop with Lu Tong to sit down. Once seated, Yin Zheng looked around and couldn’t help whispering to Lu Tong: “Miss, this noodle shop is quite large.”
Lu Tong’s gaze fell on the teacup on the table: “Yes, very large.”
In such a bustling market, rent for the prime location would certainly be expensive. Even if the noodle restaurant was very profitable, supporting such a shop would not be easy.
Moreover, the tables, chairs, and decorations in this noodle restaurant were obviously very refined.
The shop assistant who came to wipe the table pointed to the wall: “What would you two like to eat?”
Lu Tong carefully studied the menu for a long time before saying: “One bowl of stir-fried eel noodles.”
Yin Zheng also spoke up: “One bowl of silk chicken noodles.”
“Coming right up!” The assistant took his towel and went to greet new customers entering the door. Lu Tong looked up, silently watching ahead.
From this direction, she faced the noodle shop’s entrance. That chatting woman had her back to Lu Tong, talking with regular customers beside her. The woman wore a sapphire blue brocade dress with floral trim, the fabric brand new, with a heavy pure gold bracelet on her wrist that made her whole person appear radiant.
Yin Zheng followed her gaze and quietly asked Lu Tong: “Do you know her, Miss?”
Lu Tong: “My aunt by marriage.”
Yin Zheng was somewhat surprised and was about to speak when the assistant brought over two bowls of noodles. The fragrant noodle bowls distracted Yin Zheng’s attention, and she unconsciously said: “Smells so good.”
The stir-fried eel noodles were served in a deep blue enamel bowl. The bowl was large and deep, the noodles thin and chewy, with eel strips covering the entire bowl. A large spoonful of red-hot oil was poured on top, creating an appetizing aroma.
Lu Tong picked up chopsticks without speaking.
Wang Chunzhi’s best noodle dish was stir-fried eel noodles.
So much time had passed that Lu Tong could barely remember this aunt’s appearance and voice, only remembering that her stir-fried eel noodles were very fragrant.
In those days when the Lu family was poor, Lu Qian often took Lu Rou and Lu Tong to catch yellow eels by the fields. The caught loaches were put in baskets and brought home, and neighboring Wang Chunzhi would stir-fry the yellow eels. Everyone got a big bowl of stir-fried eel noodles. Those were Lu Tong’s few memories of abundant delicious meals.