Chapter 22: The Secret of the Delicious Fish Soup

As Lin Luoxi placed the bowl of fish soup in front of them, everyone hesitated, unsure whether to try it. However, they noticed that Doctor Yang had already started sipping, and they summoned their courage to follow suit, taking cautious sips.

“This is delicious! The soup is really fresh…”

Doctor Zhang, who had previously worked in the Imperial Medical Institute, had tasted all sorts of good things. With his medical expertise, he could easily discern the special quality of the soup. Not worried about any impurities, he quickly finished the bowl.

After consuming the soup, which had initially made him feel nauseous due to the odor from the old Lin family, he felt a warm and comforting sensation in his stomach. He enjoyed it so much that he closed his eyes in pleasure.

“Grandpa Yang, you think it’s good too, right? There’s plenty more in the pot; I’ll get you more,” Lin Luoxi said gleefully, noticing Doctor Yang enjoyed her soup.

Seeing Doctor Yang relish the soup so much, he didn’t hesitate to reach for another bowl that Lin Luoxi filled again with the delicious fish broth, smiling broadly as he accepted it.

Yang Xiaofeng observed his grandfather behaving so casually and was intrigued about the fish soup in his hands. Unable to contain his curiosity, he took a small sip, and the moment the soup hit his palate, his eyes lit up with delight.

This fish soup tasted even better than what his grandmother made at home—rich and flavorful!

So delightful was the soup that he finished his bowl in a flash. Now, with an empty bowl in hand, he looked longingly at his grandfather’s bowl, wishing for more.

“Do you like it? If you do, I’ll refill your bowl,” Lin Dongqian remarked, noticing how eagerly Lin Luoxi was serving everyone.

Seeing that Yang Xiaofeng’s eyes seemed to be glued to his grandfather, he took the empty bowl from Yang Xiaofeng’s hands, turned around, and filled it up for him.

Hearing Lin Dongqian’s words, Yang Xiaofeng’s heart fluttered with joy as he looked at his grandfather, reassured that they would get another helping.

The village chief, observing how much the Yang grandfather and grandson enjoyed the soup, grew curious. He was aware of Doctor Yang’s background and knew the villagers around them were unaware of the doctor’s high status. He wondered if the fish soup from the Lin family had a special quality to it.

After some contemplation, he raised his bowl and began to gulp down the soup in large mouthfuls.

Seeing the village chief drink so eagerly, Doctor Yang shook his head—this approach wouldn’t let him taste the subtle flavors of the well-crafted fish soup. With that thought in mind, he resumed sipping slowly from his own bowl.

“I want more, big sister!” Lin Dayou, too, was tasting fish soup this good for the first time. Noticing that both Doctor Yang and his grandson had already gone for seconds, he quickly spoke up, fearing that this delicious soup would be gone before he could get his share.

“Alright! Mom and Dad, there’s still more in the pot!” Fortunately, Lin Luoxi had made a larger batch of soup today; otherwise, they would indeed have run out.

As everyone happily set down their bowls, an hour had already slipped by.

Finally recalling the reason for his visit, Doctor Yang instructed his grandson to wait outside while he took his medical kit to treat Lin Chitao.

As was customary, Doctor Yang checked the pulse of the patient first, and as he did so, he immediately sensed something was wrong. His excitement turned into stuttering disbelief.

“Doctor Yang, what’s wrong with my son?” Lin Wangshi’s heart sank seeing Doctor Yang’s expression, mistaking it for bad news. Tears streamed down her face as she feared Lin Chitao’s condition had worsened, despite Lin Luoxi’s assurances that he was not in serious condition.

Seeing her son lying there motionless only made her guilt and anxiety intensify, leading to another wave of tears as she felt as though the sky was falling.

“Calm down, Lin Wangshi. Doctor Yang hasn’t said anything yet; don’t scare yourself unnecessarily,” Lin Dayou interjected. He didn’t think Doctor Yang was reacting this way because of severity; perhaps it was a sign of improvement, which is why he seemed so animated.

Village Chief Lin Zhousheng, who had not yet left, felt a deep sympathy for Lin Dayou’s predicament. Torn between his blood ties and the concern for his own son, he realized how tormenting it must be to navigate such pain.

Watching from the doorway, Lin Luoxi could tell Doctor Yang was a skilled physician—as he quickly recognized that Lin Chitao was gradually recovering.

“Have you fed him anything or given him any medicine?” Doctor Yang inquired, desperately curious about what could be causing the improvement in the condition of Lin Chitao, whom he once thought to be on the brink of death.

“Not really! My little son hasn’t eaten anything yet. The only thing he might have had is some fish soup that my sister fed him before you arrived,” Lin Dayou explained, omitting the details about Lin Luoxi treating Lin Chitao.

“Could it be the fish soup?” Doctor Yang pondered, attributing the unexplainable change to the broth.

As a physician, he himself had felt the difference after drinking the fish soup at Lin Dayou’s home earlier—he had felt warm all over. Even his prior leg ailment—which had been bothering him for years—had felt lighter and warmer since consuming the soup.

“However, your son is improving slowly. I believe it won’t be long before he wakes up,” Doctor Yang said, keeping a hopeful tone as he assessed Lin Chitao’s condition more carefully.

When Lin Wangshi heard Doctor Yang’s prediction that her son would soon wake up, she finally stopped crying, her grief beginning to turn to relief. She frequently cast grateful glances at Lin Luoxi, thankful that her daughter’s actions had contributed to their son’s recovery.

As Doctor Yang continued his treatment with the silver needles, each insertion drew upon his meticulous nature, and he often sought to know more about Lin Chitao’s condition so he wouldn’t miss any details.

Once all the needles were in place, Doctor Yang finally made his way to Lin Dayou to discuss the fish soup. Upon learning that the soup had been prepared by Lin Luoxi, he turned his attention to her, eager to learn her technique.

Seeing the earnestness on Doctor Yang’s face, Lin Luoxi sighed internally. While she shared the methods for handling fish and preparing the soup, she withheld a crucial secret ingredient that only she possessed, reluctant to share her recipe fully.

Even if Doctor Yang tried to replicate it based on her instructions, he was unlikely to achieve the same result.