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From the aunt’s account, two years ago, three new Wanhe Halls opened in town, poaching many physicians from other clinics with high salaries. They also opened a Wanhe Pharmacy next to each hall.
For the first three months after opening, Wanhe Halls offered free medical consultations, but patients had to purchase their medicine exclusively from the affiliated pharmacies.
After diagnosis, physicians wouldn’t give prescriptions to patients but would hand them directly to the pharmacy staff. Patients would then pay and receive their medicine.
Initially, the medicine prices were very low, and Wanhe Halls were packed, with long queues every day.
Over time, many clinics and pharmacies in town couldn’t sustain their businesses, leading to bankruptcies, closures, and departures.
Soon, Wanhe Halls dominated the market, with only two or three larger clinics and pharmacies holding on. Rumor had it that powerful figures backed Wanhe Halls, making them untouchable.
Before long, Wanhe Halls sprouted up like mushrooms in Ping’an Town, monopolizing the medicine supply.
The original clinics couldn’t compete with this behemoth and had no choice but to retreat to the west side of town.
Without access to medicine and facing constant harassment, their situation became dire.
The once-rising Wanhe Halls also showed their true colors, doubling medicine prices and charging exorbitant consultation fees.
Carrying Song Anyue toward the west side of town, Song Anning recalled the couplet hanging at the entrance of Wanhe Hall and shook her head, feeling nothing but irony.
She had once considered gathering more herbs from the mountains to sell in town after leveling up her System. But now, it seemed she might inadvertently wade into troubled waters. As a village girl with no power or influence, caution was paramount.
After walking for a while, she finally found the original Huichun Hall in a narrow alley. The shop was small, with no signboard above the entrance—just a wooden plaque placed at the door bearing the words “Huichun Hall.”
According to the wonton aunt, the physician here was a man of excellent character.
He didn’t exploit the wealthy nor look down on the poor. Whoever walked through Huichun Hall’s doors, he would prescribe the most suitable remedy, with affordable medicine and consultation fees.
Song Anning stood at the entrance with A’Yue in her arms. The clinic was empty, but from the backyard, a girl’s tearful voice pleaded, “Dad, take Nanxing and Mom and leave. Even if you become a Barefoot Doctor in the village or move far away, at least you’ll survive.”
A woman’s voice followed, “Nanxing is right. Our clinic doesn’t even have a single herb left—what kind of clinic is this anymore?”
“Husband, we can’t fight them, and we can’t hold on any longer. Let’s go…”
“Ahem…”
Song Anning deliberately coughed twice to announce her presence. The curtain lifted, revealing a middle-aged man in his forties, his face etched with sorrow.
After studying the sisters for a moment, he asked, “Are you from the village? Is the child sick?”
“My little sister hit her head yesterday. Could you please take a look?”
The physician washed his hands and carefully examined Song Anyue’s injury before retrieving a small porcelain vial from a cabinet.
“It’s nothing serious. Just keep the wound dry. This ointment is a family recipe—it speeds up healing and prevents scarring.”
“How much should I pay you?”
Assuming she was asking about the price of the ointment, the physician shook his head with a bitter smile. “I only have a few bottles left, so I’m not selling them. My daughter is quite the tomboy—climbing trees and swimming in the river—so she’s bound to get scrapes. I’m saving these for her.”
Hearing this, the girl from the backyard abruptly pushed through the curtain and stepped out. “Dad, you’re always saying that about me!”
The woman before her appeared to be around the same age as Song Anning, dressed in red with almond-shaped eyes, rosy cheeks, and pearly white teeth, her gaze brimming with anger.
She crouched down in front of Song Anyue and asked with familiarity, “Little sister, how old are you?”
Song Anyue, somewhat shy, rubbed her small hands together and replied, “Pretty sister, Anyue is five years old.”
“Hahaha, so adorable…”
Zhou Nanxing patted Song Anyue’s little head, then looked up at Song Anning, her expression suddenly changing.
“Poison! You’ve been poisoned!”
“Nanxing! Shut your mouth!”
“?”
“You’re saying I’ve been poisoned?”
Song Anning pointed at herself. It had been three days since she transmigrated, and she hadn’t felt any discomfort.
Based on the original host’s understanding of Banyue Village, villagers often quarreled, pulling hair and fighting—common occurrences. But poisoning someone? Given their timid nature, it seemed highly unlikely.
Doctor Zhou’s face turned ashen as he sighed at Song Anning. Zhou Nanxing scrutinized Song Anning a few more times before awkwardly laughing and saying, “I was just talking nonsense, hehe…”
“…”
The room fell into an eerie silence. Sensing their reluctance to elaborate, Song Anning didn’t press further. Instead, she asked again how much silver was needed for Anyue’s ointment, ready to pay and leave.
“Two copper coins will do…”
To ease the awkwardness, Doctor Zhou added, “Which village are you from, miss?”
“Banyue Village.”
At the mention of Banyue Village, Doctor Zhou paused. “Same village as Song Feng?”
Before Song Anning could respond, Zhou Nanxing interjected, “Why bring up that heartless man? He sells herbs at Wanhe Hall now and long since stopped caring for our humble shop.”
“?”
Song Anning was riddled with confusion. If she wasn’t mistaken, the Song Feng they referred to was her biological father.
“Uncle, I’m Song Feng’s daughter.”
“…”
Zhou Nanxing’s face instantly flushed crimson as she muttered under her breath, “Then why come to our Huichun Hall? Wanhe Hall would be much better…”
“Of course, it’s to treat my sister’s illness. My father, Song Feng, and my elder brother, Song Zeyu, went up the mountain half a year ago and never returned.”
“…”
“What? Brother Song is dead?”
Doctor Zhou’s expression shifted, as if he had caught a whiff of something unusual. He quickly gestured for silence, walked to the door to check outside, then shut it firmly.
“Come, let’s talk in the backyard.”
Song Anning nodded and followed.
Once everyone was seated, Song Anning spoke. “No trace of them alive or dead. My family searched the entire mountain but couldn’t even find a shred of their clothing.”
Recalling the earlier conversation, she asked, “Just now, this young lady mentioned my father selling herbs at Wanhe Hall. Where did that information come from?”
Doctor Zhou shook his head. “The girl was just rambling. Most herb sellers from the lower villages have gone to Wanhe Hall—they offer better prices, which is understandable.
But Brother Song visited me last year on the Winter Solstice and told me he wouldn’t go to Wanhe Hall, preferring to sell his herbs to Huichun Hall.
After that day, neither he nor his son ever returned.
“Ah, it was our family’s shortsightedness to misunderstand him.”
“Winter Solstice, eating dumplings… Anyue waited for Papa to come home and eat dumplings.”
Winter Solstice… Song Anning combed through the original host’s memories repeatedly before recalling that on the Winter Solstice, Wang Yinger had made many dumplings. Song Feng and his eldest son had gone up the mountain early that day and never returned.
“Winter Solstice—that’s the day my father disappeared!”
“!”