Chapter 80: Pei Hanchuan, Lower Your Head

Back when Chu Yue took the child’s pulse, she not only discovered his innate frailty, but also uncovered a little secret.

That secret was deeply hidden. Chu Yue wasn’t even sure whether Pei Hanchuan knew about it. So under no circumstances would she bring it up on her own.

But because of it, she felt an even deeper sense of helpless pity for the child.

That was why—even though she could have gotten out of the car and walked away—Chu Yue turned back and asked about the child’s health again.

Just as she’d expected—the child was sick again.

Sigh…

Chu Yue held the sigh in her heart, her brows knitting slightly as she quickly considered her next move. Then she spoke:

“Pei Hanchuan, lower your head.”

Pei Hanchuan blinked at the sudden request, confused. His handsome face froze for a moment, and his eyes stared straight at Chu Yue, full of bewilderment.

She repeated herself:

“Lower your head. Look down.”

This time, Pei Hanchuan reacted, lowering his head as instructed—though still puzzled.

“Why? Is there something on the ground—”

Before he could finish, Chu Yue saw that his motion wasn’t quite right. She reached out and pressed down lightly on the top of his head, making him bend forward more deeply.

Pei Hanchuan had never bowed his head to anyone in his life, let alone to a woman. If it had been anyone else, his temper as a young master would’ve already flared.

But for some reason, he had a strong sense that Chu Yue must have her reasons, and this definitely wasn’t some childish prank.

After adjusting him, Chu Yue withdrew her hand and continued speaking in a gentle, steady voice.

“Raise your hand. Feel the back of your neck. When you lower your head, there’s a small bump that protrudes. Take two fingers, place them just below the bump—two finger-widths down. That spot is called the Dazhui acupoint.”

The Dazhui acupoint is an extremely important one in the human body. It’s where the Yang energy from all three Yang meridians of the hands and feet converge. It connects directly to the Du Meridian and carries Yang Qi up into the brain.

In traditional Chinese health philosophy, to nourish the body is to nourish Qi, especially Yang Qi.

Thus, the Dazhui point is considered absolutely vital. (Illustration suggested here in original text)

Chu Yue explained its function first, then gave a practical method:

“Remember this spot. If the child is bathing at night, you can rinse this point thoroughly with warm water. It’ll help the Yang energy flow to the limbs and bones. It’s effective for treating colds and fevers, and can make the child feel much more comfortable.”

This final sentence was Chu Yue’s true reason for bringing it up.

Once she finished, she didn’t wait to see how Pei Hanchuan reacted. Without hesitation, she reached for the car door and got out.

Pei Hanchuan was still bent forward, his arm behind his neck, touching the Dazhui point as instructed. When he pressed down, he could feel a subtle relieving sensation in his shoulders and back of the head. It really was something.

Before he could say anything, he heard the sound of Chu Yue getting out of the car—followed by the decisive click of the car door closing.

“Ah—hey! Why are you leaving just like that?!”

Pei Hanchuan quickly looked up, only to see Chu Yue already walking away with her bamboo backpack strapped on.

Her stride was long and confident, and no matter how much he called out, he couldn’t catch up.

What a remarkable and different kind of woman!

Pei Hanchuan rubbed his Dazhui point again. In his other hand, he still held Chu Yue’s unique “prescription.” Unknowingly, a smile crept onto his face.

---

After parting ways with Pei Hanchuan, Chu Yue didn’t go back to eat at the state-run restaurant.

Instead, she pulled out a rice ball and ate it on the go for lunch, hurrying toward the marketplace.

This time, Chu Yue wasn’t there to buy—she was there to sell.

At noon, the market wasn’t as crowded as in the morning. Chu Yue wove her way through the stalls, quickly found a spot, and set up her small stand.

She displayed her hand-roasted pine nuts and wild yam—all prepared by herself.

Chinese yam was twenty cents a jin, while stir-fried pine nuts were expensive — one yuan per jin. If the price went up any more, it’d be nearly as costly as meat.

But it was the end of the year — the one time people were willing to spend after a long year of hard work. So when the aunties passed by Chu Yue’s stall at the market, many couldn’t help but glance over.

One of them saw her goods and her eyes lit up.
“Are these pine nuts?”

“Big sis, these are freshly fried pine nuts from this year’s batch,” Chu Yue greeted warmly. “I prepared them myself. Try some — I guarantee they’re fragrant and crispy.”
She grabbed a small handful and placed them in the woman’s hand.

As she looked up, Chu Yue quickly scanned the woman’s outfit: tidy hair, clean cotton jacket and pants, and spotless shoes without a speck of dirt.

With such a getup, she was clearly not from the countryside — definitely a city person.

The aromatic pine nuts were round and plump. Each one had a natural crack, so it was easy to open them with your fingers and get to the nutmeat inside. After tasting a few, the woman’s mouth was filled with rich, toasty flavor — like she’d just had a spoonful of fragrant sesame oil.

“So, big sis, what do you think? Want to buy some?”
Chu Yue’s delicate and serene face, paired with her bright, sweet voice, calling her “big sis,” made her incredibly pleasant to talk to.

The woman, still savoring the taste, smiled and said:
“Sure, give me five jin.”

Buying five jin in one go — that was quite generous.

Chu Yue asked carefully,
“Would you like them packed together or separately by the jin?”

“I’m bringing them home to serve guests during the New Year, so just pack them together,” the woman replied, making her reason for buying so much clear.

Chu Yue understood immediately and began packing the pine nuts just as the woman requested.

“Big sis, here are five jin of pine nuts. Please take a look. And these two Chinese yams are a gift from me. If you like them, you can come back and buy more.”

“You’re so young, but you really know how to run a business,” the woman praised.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out five yuan, handing them to Chu Yue. One hand held the pine nuts, the other passed over the cash — it was a smooth and cheerful transaction.

Just then—

“Comrade Chu?! Chu Yue?!”

A loud voice called out, breathless and surprised.

“From far away I thought it looked like you, and it really is! You… you’re setting up a stall?”

The person was none other than Wang Xiulan.

And she wasn’t alone — there were several military wives with her. But none of the others were as loud as Wang Xiulan, making her voice stand out even more.

The group followed her over and quickly gathered in front of Chu Yue.

Chu Yue wasn’t particularly surprised to run into them at the market — after all, there were only so many places to shop. They were bound to cross paths. However…

The timing wasn’t ideal.

Chu Yue swiftly took the five yuan the woman had handed over and slipped it into her pocket, while still remembering to warn her customer,
“Big sis, it’s crowded — be careful not to get bumped.”

“Thanks for the reminder, girl. I’ll be back to support your business another time!”
The woman walked off cheerfully, bags in hand.

Wang Xiulan narrowed her eyes, a sharp glint flashing inside.
She glanced back and forth between Chu Yue and the woman — and especially focused on that five yuan she’d just seen.

Five yuan!

That was enough to buy several jin of pork!