Chapter 79: The Prescription—How Much Does It Cost?

Chu Yue didn’t respond to Pei Hanchuan’s confused expression. If she were to actually say words like pig snout, pig intestines, or pig ears, it would be sheer torture for someone like him.

A young master from a wealthy family like him probably didn’t even know how pigs were raised, let alone heard of these cheap and unappealing pig organs.

So she showed mercy—and spared him the disgust.

She spoke with calm composure, “If the smell is too much for you, we can get out and talk. It’s just a few words, won’t take long.”

Pei Hanchuan wrinkled his brow even more tightly but refused her suggestion.

“No, don’t get out. It’s windy and cold outside. Let’s just talk here in the car.”

He glanced at Chu Yue’s face, flushed red from the wind, then looked away and softened his breathing.

“I can handle it. Smell it a few more times, and it won’t seem so bad.”

Truth be told—it still reeked.

But seeing how gracefully a young woman like Chu Yue handled it, Pei Hanchuan didn’t want to lose face in front of her.

Chu Yue noticed his Adam’s apple bob slightly—he was still nauseated. Unexpectedly, this rich young master turned out to be quite considerate.

Without wasting time, Chu Yue took a notebook out of her backpack and handed it to him.

“This is the prescription I prepared.”

Pei Hanchuan’s eyes lit up at the mention of a prescription. The stench in the air was instantly pushed aside by excitement as he eagerly took the notebook.

“Does it require rare herbs? Or a special medicinal primer? Last time you used Western methods—do we need imported medicine this time—”

He fired off question after question. But the moment he opened the notebook, he was met with…

Rows and rows of little cartoon people.

…What the heck?

This was the prescription?

Chu Yue’s drawing skills were actually quite good—each little person had a round head and a cute appearance.

But… cuteness was useless. It couldn’t be eaten as medicine!

Pei Hanchuan stared at the notebook, looked at the doodles, then back at Chu Yue. Then at the notebook again.

Finally, he looked at her in complete confusion and asked, voice tense:

“This… is the prescription you spent all this time preparing?”

If it weren’t for how every move Chu Yue had made since he met her had been calm and methodical, he would’ve thought she was just messing with him.

Chu Yue knew he wouldn’t understand, so she started explaining.

“This set is Ba Duan Jin (Eight Brocades). And this one is Wu Qin Xi (Five Animal Frolics). I’ve written the full steps and key movements in the notebook.”

“When I took the boy’s pulse last time, I said clearly—he’s not ill. He’s just weak and frail. Medicine, no matter how good, carries toxins. For a child that small, even the best herbs can be more harm than help.”

“It’s better to start from the foundation and slowly nourish his constitution. Ba Duan Jin and Wu Qin Xi are exercises derived from meridian theory and yin-yang harmony. As long as he follows the movements daily, they’ll strengthen his Qi and stomach. They’ll help rebuild his health from the ground up.”

After hearing all that, Pei Hanchuan’s tense heart began to relax.

He lowered his head and carefully looked at Chu Yue’s drawings. Only then did he realize—each little figure had different poses and hand gestures. In the details, she’d even labeled acupoints and joints on the bodies.

As he flipped through the pages, there was a lot of content.

There was no way this much could’ve been drawn in a day or two. Chu Yue must’ve spent a significant amount of time. Far more than if she’d just scrawled a typical herbal prescription.

The notebook in his hands wasn’t just a notebook—it was Chu Yue’s sincere effort and care.

He might look like a frivolous playboy, but he’d still heard of the legendary Wu Qin Xi.

It was said to have been created by the great medical sage Hua Tuo, but over the centuries it had been mostly lost, with only broken pieces passed down.

But what Chu Yue had drawn—was a complete system.

He had no idea where she got it, but if it really was an authentic lineage…

Then these round-headed cartoon people in his hands were worth a fortune!

Pei Hanchuan felt a weight settle in his palm, and his gaze toward Chu Yue became especially serious.

“I’ll take the prescription,” he said. “I’ll try it out exactly as written. How much do you want for it?”

Chu Yue shook her head.
“I don’t want money.”

Pei Hanchuan was once again surprised.
“You don’t want money?”

She couldn’t possibly be giving it away for free?

Free things are often the most expensive — Pei Hanchuan understood that truth well. So he looked at Chu Yue, waiting for her to say more.

Chu Yue didn’t beat around the bush and spoke directly:
“I want something that only Mr. Pei has the ability to provide.”

“And what’s that?”

Chu Yue answered solemnly,
“A business license for exclusive, authorized operations.”

She was living in a time right on the cusp of an economic shift — the old system was loosening, and a new market-driven one was beginning to take shape.

The authorities had started relaxing control over private businesses, allowing more and more people to engage in small-scale commerce. But that window of opportunity was still very narrow. Whoever got the first bite of the meat — it all came down to capability.

Song Hongmei had said before that the Pei family was part of the red capitalist class, and once reforms kicked off, they’d be among the first to benefit.

Chu Yue didn’t have ambitions as grand as that — but still, who wouldn’t want to make money when the winds are in their favor?

With an authorized business license, she’d have a strategic advantage. No matter what she wanted to do in the future, she’d be prepared.

Pei Hanchuan clearly hadn’t expected Chu Yue’s request to be this.
He stared at her in disbelief.
“You… want to start a business?”

“Can’t I?”

Chu Yue smiled, the corners of her eyes lifting with confidence and charm, as she countered his question.

Her eyes sparkled — confident, alluring. And for a moment, Pei Hanchuan was reminded of someone — his sister, the true authority in the Pei family.

His sister could dominate the business world with her boldness.
Why couldn’t Chu Yue do the same?

In both of them, Pei Hanchuan saw the same flamboyant ambition — it gave them a brilliance that couldn’t be ignored.

“Yes,” he said. “I’ll handle it for you.”

Pei Hanchuan and Chu Yue agreed on a time — when it came, he would personally deliver the license to her.

Chu Yue trusted Pei Hanchuan. With that settled, she packed up her things and got ready to leave the car.

As she moved, a thought crossed her mind — the child whose pulse she had checked last time. Her expression flickered with something complicated and faintly tender.

Just as she was about to stand, she sat back down again.
“How’s the child doing lately?” she asked.

At the mention of the child, Pei Hanchuan frowned with concern.
“Not well. Tianci is sick again. After we got back that day, he started coughing. By evening, he had a fever. It’s been a week now — his fever goes up and down. It’s not as bad as it was at first, but he hasn’t gotten better. Still coughing.”

His voice was filled with guilt.

If he hadn’t secretly taken Pei Tianci out to eat that day, the boy wouldn’t have choked and gotten frightened — and wouldn’t have fallen ill.

It was all his fault. And now such a small child was suffering because of it.

When Chu Yue heard this, she thought of that clean, delicate, obedient child — and a deep frown creased her brow.