“You’re courting death! Are you blind? If you jostle the young master, do you want to keep your worthless life?” the steward immediately scolded angrily.
The driver apologized fearfully.
“My heavens…” the Huiren Hall clerk stared at this scene in amazement, slapped his thigh, and shouted, then turned and ran.
Watching both of them run off one after the other, the food stall clerk felt quite accomplished.
“Good thing you ran fast. A bit slower and this young master would have knocked your teeth out…” he shouted triumphantly, waving his towel.
Meanwhile, Qi Yue and Liu Pucheng watched the prefect’s family leave until they were out of sight.
Qi Yue let out a heavy sigh, feeling that the weight on her heart from these past days had finally lightened somewhat.
“Doctor Liu has worked hard these past days,” she said, bowing gratefully to Liu Pucheng.
“I wasn’t the one who worked hard—you were the one who worked hard, young madam,” Liu Pucheng smiled and returned the bow.
“If it weren’t for you, Doctor Liu, my surgery would have certainly failed,” Qi Yue said emotionally. Moreover, Doctor Liu had helped her with much more than just this…
There was also the mental support, the faith, and the care.
“If it weren’t for you, young madam, there wouldn’t have been this treatment at all. This old man has gained much,” Liu Pucheng also sighed.
This time he had truly broadened his horizons. How many physicians in the world today could personally witness and participate in abdominal surgery? Just thinking about it made his whole body feel feverish.
Qi Yue smiled.
“Then I won’t say the polite words. In any case, this time, it was a pleasant cooperation,” she laughed, once again showing a smile with a hint of playfulness.
Liu Pucheng smiled and nodded.
Zhang Tong and Hu San were packing up the medicinal materials and instruments. These past days they had lived here without leaving for a single step, hadn’t returned home once, let alone gone to Qianjin Hall to make house calls or hold consultations.
“But after all, it has delayed Qianjin Hall’s business…” Qi Yue sighed, speaking with some guilt.
Liu Pucheng shook his head.
“How can healing and saving people be called business?” he said, glancing at Qi Yue with some disapproval.
“Yes, yes, I was being vulgar,” Qi Yue quickly admitted her mistake.
“A’Ru, tell Master not to worry—this time the business really paid off big,” Hu San, who had overheard, whispered to A’Ru who was helping them pack. “The prefect has already had someone deliver a hefty consultation fee, and besides, many people know that our Master was treating the prefect’s son who had been declared incurable. His reputation has soared. Every day the pharmacy is packed with people. Even though Master isn’t there, they’re willing to let the other senior brothers treat them. It’s really booming… I’ll definitely get more money this month…”
A’Ru glanced at him, picked up her things, and walked away, leaving only Hu San standing there with an animated expression.
“…Miss A’Ru, whatever you want that’s inconvenient for you to go out and buy, I can buy it and bring it to you…” he mumbled, finishing his unfinished sentence, and awkwardly closed his gaping mouth.
Zhang Tong reached out and patted his head.
“Hurry up and pack your things. We’re leaving,” he said with a glare.
Qi Yue accompanied Liu Pucheng and the others all the way to the mansion gate before stopping.
“Master,” she couldn’t help calling out, “can I learn traditional Chinese medicine from you?”
This call of “Master” made Liu Pucheng somewhat alarmed.
“Miss Qi, whatever you want to learn, I’ll teach you. But this title of Master—I absolutely dare not accept it,” he quickly said with a serious expression.
You naturally deserve it. What you’ve taught me these past days is more than I’ve learned in all my years as a doctor.
Qi Yue looked at Liu Pucheng with a smile and bowed again.
Liu Pucheng’s group’s carriage disappeared into the street, and the area in front of the gate returned to quiet.
Qi Yue stood motionless at the gate. The gatekeepers didn’t dare hurry her and respectfully stood with their hands at their sides.
Winter days grew dark early, and it seemed that in a blink of an eye, the sky became dim and hazy.
“Young madam, let’s go back,” A’Ru knew that Qi Yue was spacing out again and reminded her softly.
Though she said she had accepted the reality of not being able to return, compared to before, this woman would still stare blankly at unexpected moments, and there would be a flash of confusion in her eyes.
“Oh, alright,” Qi Yue came back to her senses and smiled at her.
The master and servant walked back to the courtyard where they had been treating patients. Aside from the strong smell of Chinese medicine, the place was now empty.
“Young madam, where would you like your meal served?” Two women approached respectfully and asked.
It was time for dinner.
Where should it be served? Nowhere was her home…
“Here will be fine,” Qi Yue said.
The women didn’t dare ask any questions and respectfully acknowledged before hurrying away.
Soon, a sumptuous meal was laid out.
“Why is there more than the usual portions?” Qi Yue glanced over and asked.
During the busy days before, she had eaten hurriedly, barely taking a glance, not even knowing what she was eating.
“The Marquis said that the young madam has worked hard these past days, so he had the kitchen prepare special meals for you. There’s ginseng soup simmering in the kitchen that will be brought over soon,” said the serving woman, who was the kitchen manager. Although she too had been promoted by Qi Yue, she had never shown such respectful and flattering expression as she did today.
Qi Yue smiled.
“I don’t need to eat that,” she said, looking at A’Ru. “You can go thank the Marquis for me later.”
A’Ru nodded.
“Should we pack up the young madam’s things?” another servant respectfully interjected.
Qi Yue’s chopsticks paused.
“Pack up? Go where?” she asked.
This question left the servants somewhat stunned.
Now that the patient had left, naturally the young madam didn’t need to continue staying in this makeshift arrangement.
After asking, Qi Yue came to her senses and smiled, shaking her head.
The place she wanted to go no longer existed…
“No need. Moving back and forth is troublesome. I’ll just stay here,” she said, lowering her head to slowly eat the rice in her bowl, saying nothing more.
When the meal was first served, Chang Yuncheng didn’t think much of it, but when the lanterns were lit one by one, he frowned.