Chapter 11

Deng Master was currently serving as a health doctor for some high-ranking leaders. Cai Guofu was unsure whether he could reveal Deng’s identity.

Master Deng nodded and said, “It’s fine. I’m just a doctor treating illnesses. There’s nothing that can’t be shared.”

With Deng Master’s permission, Cai Guofu briefly introduced him to Guan Yue. In short, Deng Master was also a seasoned traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner, a well-known name in the southwestern region.

Deng Master said, “I have a patient who suffered a lower back injury years ago. The old injury has relapsed and hasn’t healed despite various treatments. For this kind of condition, Western medicine offers little help, and traditional Chinese medicine can only focus on nourishing and regulating, but the results have been minimal. I was thinking, perhaps acupuncture might have some effect.”

Guan Yue nodded, indicating he understood, but he showed no particular interest.

As a health doctor for leaders, connecting the dots made it clear to him what kind of people Deng’s patients were. It was bound to be a troublesome matter, and Guan Yue preferred not to get involved in anything troublesome.

Since Guan Yue didn’t respond, Deng Master did not press further.

When the time was right, Guan Yue removed the acupuncture needles and asked Uncle Cai how he was feeling.

Cai Guofu moved his leg around and said, “I won’t lie; it’s much better than before.”

He took a couple of steps, and the aching and heaviness he had felt earlier were noticeably alleviated.

Guan Yue then wrote a prescription for Uncle Cai and handed it to him. “Acupuncture must be paired with herbal medicine for better results. This is the prescription I’ve written; take a look and see if it works for you.”

Cai Guofu chuckled. “Let me have a look.”

Deng Master also leaned in to examine it. After carefully going over the prescription, he found it surprisingly simple, containing only two herbs.

Curious, Deng Master asked, “Why did you prescribe it this way?”

Guan Yue replied, “My medicinal herbs are of excellent quality. A prescription like this will suffice. If using ordinary herbs, a standard formula with the principal, deputy, assistant, and guide roles combined would require at least six or seven ingredients.”

Deng Master became even more intrigued. “Did you bring these herbs with you? What kind of high-quality herbs are they? Let me see.”

Guan Yue went outside and brought the medicinal herbs inside. On top of the bamboo basket were coptis roots, and beneath them were chuanxiong rhizome, turmeric, angelica, and fritillaria bulbs. Each herb was authentic, and it was evident that they were all aged and of high quality.

Deng Master was pleasantly surprised. “You’re planning to sell these herbs, aren’t you? Why don’t you just hand them over to me directly?”

Cai Guofu firmly refused, “No way. These are the only top-quality herbs I’ve got. If you take them, what am I supposed to say if people above me ask about it?”

Cai Guofu had managed to hold his position and maintain authority among herb companies across the country thanks to these premium herbs. While other herbal gatherers sold him some from time to time, the bulk of his supply came from Guan Yue.

The herbs Guan Yue delivered were always few in quantity but exceptional in quality. The higher-ups had made it clear that these herbs were meant for top leaders.

In the traditional Chinese medicine world, someone like Deng Master, who had support, could survive comfortably. However, for people like Cai Guofu, if they didn’t have something truly valuable in their hands, they could easily be pushed aside, leaving their future uncertain.

While Deng Master could understand the situation, it didn’t stop him from coveting these premium herbs.

Turning to Guan Yue with a kindly smile, he said, “Your name is Guan Yue, right? Would it be possible for Deng Grandpa to buy some herbs from you?”

Guan Yue flatly refused, “No way!”

Cai Guofu laughed at him, “Earlier, you kept a stiff face and didn’t want to say much. Now you don’t even care about saving face?”

Premium herbs were rare treasures, and for them, who cared about pride?

No matter what Deng Master said, Guan Yue remained unmoved. It wasn’t that she didn’t have herbs, but there was no need to sell them. After all, what herbal gatherer could consistently provide top-grade goods in bulk?

Finally, Deng Master sighed, “Good herbs are hard to come by. With high-quality herbs, those prescriptions that call for ten or even twenty ingredients become much less necessary.”

Cai Guofu chimed in, “That’s true.”

Medicine was for treating illness, but taking too much could harm the body as well.

Fortunately, with the herbs Guan Yue provided, Cai Guofu didn’t have to endure that kind of suffering. Gleefully, he stored away the herbs.

From the kitchen, Aunt Cai called out, “The food is ready! Come and eat!”

“Coming, coming!” they responded.

During the meal, Deng Master ate absentmindedly, constantly asking Guan Yue various questions.

However, Guan Yue wasn’t the type to answer just because someone asked. If she didn’t feel like it, she would brush off his questions with a couple of perfunctory replies and say no more.

After the meal, Deng Master wanted Guan Yue to perform acupuncture on him, intending to test her skills. He was curious about how much she had managed to learn on her own in such a short time.

Guan Yue took his pulse and said, “You’re in good health; you don’t need acupuncture.”

“Then just help me maintain my health,” Deng Master insisted. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you work for free. I’ll pay for the consultation.”

As he spoke, he pulled out a jade pendant from his bag and directly placed it in Guan Yue’s hand. “Take it. Meeting such a talented young practitioner like you is a stroke of fate for me. No need to be polite.”

The pendant was made of white jade, intricately carved into the shape of a small rabbit. Its lifelike detail and adorable appearance made it quite charming.

Before the apocalypse, such natural gemstones were already a rarity, with most of the ones circulating in the market being artificial. Seeing this little treasure now, Guan Yue genuinely liked it, so she accepted it without hesitation.

Observing this, Deng Master learned something new about Guan Yue—she was straightforward by nature. Earlier, she ignored him when she didn’t feel like engaging, but now, she accepted the gift because she liked it, without pretending to decline out of politeness.

Since she had accepted the gift, Guan Yue rolled up her sleeves and began the acupuncture session. She even infused a bit of her unique energy into the treatment.

The combination of energy and acupuncture allowed Deng Master to sleep deeply until well past 2 PM. It was only when Cai Guofu noticed the time getting late that he woke him up.

When Deng Master awoke, he moved his body around experimentally.

Well now, this young lady really had some talent!

Eager to learn more, Deng Master immediately asked, “Do you have a teacher?”

Before Guan Yue could answer, Cai Guofu replied, “You’re too late—she already has an excellent mentor. Her teacher is Xu Hua’an, from the Huitong School.”

Deng Master snorted in disdain. “The Huitong School follows the path of combining Chinese and Western medicine. That’s a disgrace to the legacy our ancestors passed down. Someone as gifted as Guan Yue is being held back by a teacher like that!”

However, Guan Yue didn’t share his sentiment. In her view, refusing to adapt and innovate was the true betrayal of the ancestral traditions.

After disparaging Guan Yue’s teacher, Deng Master began subtly probing whether she had considered finding another mentor.

“In this day and age, things are different from my time. It’s all about learning, right? Having a few more teachers isn’t a bad thing,” Deng Master said, trying his best to give Guan Yue an easy out.

However, Guan Yue declined firmly. Her teacher wasn’t just someone who taught her medicine; when she first arrived here, her teacher was the first person she saw. To Guan Yue, her teacher was far more than just someone passing down medical knowledge.

Faced with three consecutive refusals, Deng Master felt both envious and resentful. Such a promising talent—why wasn’t she his disciple? Was his reputation not stronger than that of Guan Yue’s relatively unknown teacher?

Despite his repeated efforts to persuade her, no one paid him any attention. 

Cai Guofu had to head to the herbal company, and Guan Yue was preparing to return home. Only then did Deng Master say, “Guan Yue has an exceptional talent for acupuncture. Although she hasn’t studied for long, she’s already achieved a high level of proficiency. I have great confidence in her. However, the patient I mentioned earlier has a rather special identity, so I’ll need to discuss this with others first.”

Guan Yue casually nodded. “If they want to see me for treatment, they can come directly to Qingxi Village.”

Deng Master added, “If they decide to consult you, they might ask you to travel a bit.”

Guan Yue refused outright. “If that’s the case, there’s no need to find me. I won’t leave Qingxi Village.”

Deng Master chuckled. “What’s the matter? Can’t you go anywhere else?”

“I can’t.”

What Guan Yue meant by “can’t” was that she didn’t want to go. Cai Guofu, however, assumed it was because she didn’t have proper household registration.

“Well, we’ll figure it out when the time comes,” Cai Guofu thought.

If Guan Yue’s medical skills caught the attention of those in power, it would likely be a good thing for her. At the very least, it could help solve her registration issue.

As of now, Guan Yue was still an undocumented resident.

After bidding farewell to the two men, Guan Yue went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to browse. She bought some essentials like soy sauce and vinegar, as the supplies in her cabin were running low.

She returned early that day, arriving at Qingxi Village before nightfall. Gu Sui was seated at the long table, engrossed in a book, while Gou Sheng’er lay at his feet.

As Guan Yue approached the cabin, she was still some distance away. Leaping down from a tree, her landing on a dry branch produced a faint crack. Gou Sheng’er, hearing the sound, let out an excited bark and bounded over to her.

She reached down to rub the dog’s head, and together they made their way home.

Gu Sui, noticing her approach, set his book aside and leaned casually against the table, exuding a natural elegance.

He was dressed in gray trousers and a crisp white shirt with the sleeves neatly rolled up to his elbows, giving him a clean and sharp appearance.

As Guan Yue drew closer, she couldn’t help but notice the subtle curve of his lips and the slight lift of his brows. The combination was strikingly handsome.

She was reminded of what Li Tao often teased her about: that if Gu Sui didn’t venture into the mountains so frequently, the village girls would probably seize the opportunity to shower him with gifts. Who knows, maybe Gu Doctor would have eggs to eat every day—courtesy of his admirers.

In Gu Sui’s eyes, Guan Yue’s beauty was extraordinary, far from what one might expect of an ordinary village girl. As she came down from the mountain, the hat she usually wore to shield her face was now held in her hand, revealing a face of unparalleled charm. Her outfit might have been plain and rustic, but it only made her look even more endearing.

But it wasn’t just her appearance that made Guan Yue special; she was shrouded in mystery. Despite knowing her for some time, Gu Sui only knew that she had arrived here over a year ago, studied under Dr. Xu, and excelled in medical skills. Beyond that, he knew almost nothing.

Villagers whispered that Guan Yue was an orphan. Yet, from her demeanor and actions, she didn’t seem like someone who had grown up without family.

Her temperament, her talent, her pickiness with food, and the way she interacted with people—all of it painted a picture of someone seemingly simple. Yet, after getting to know her, one would uncover her depth and uniqueness.

Gu Sui lowered his gaze and chuckled softly, realizing he had been unusually sentimental today.

Gu Sui asked, “What did you bring back?”

Guan Yue grinned. “On the way home, I caught a wild rabbit. I’ve been craving that roasted rabbit you made last time.”

Gu Sui didn’t hesitate. “We’re out of spices, though.”

Guan Yue set down her pack. Inside, a rabbit was tied up securely, lying still.

“Star anise, angelica, and cumin, right? There’s still some in storage. I’ll grind them into powder in a bit,” she said confidently.

“Alright, I’ll handle the rabbit first,” Gu Sui replied.

The two of them had developed a natural rhythm when it came to food. If Guan Yue expressed a craving, Gu Sui would take care of the cooking.

Meanwhile, down the mountain, Wang Lu returned to the Educated Youth station after work. Once again, Gu Sui wasn’t there. She looked toward the direction of the cabin on Daqing Mountain, her usually gentle face shadowed by a subtle sharpness.