Chapter 18.1

Without saying a word, Deng Weimin had the person carried to someone else’s house. He had always thought of himself as an elder to Guan Yue, considering his age. But when he saw Guan Yue’s emotionless face, he reflexively addressed him as “young friend.”

Gu Sui was also present, standing aside, waiting for Guan Yue to speak.

At that moment, the scene was somewhat awkward. Guan Yue didn’t speak, and the servant wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to bring the person into the house without being invited.

Even Yang Guozhu, who had enthusiastically guided Yan Zhengwen and the others earlier, took a step back.

Deng Weimin grew anxious. “Young friend, you said before that if I brought the patient, you would treat him.”

Guan Yue asked, “Did I say that?”

Deng Weimin quickly replied, “You did.”

“I didn’t say that you could bring the patient here without any notice, especially on New Year’s Eve, blocking my doorstep,” Guan Yue responded.

Yan Zhengwen struggled to lift himself up. “I’m truly sorry, I’ve been busy with work. Only during the New Year’s holiday did I have time to make this trip.”

Gu Sui spoke up, smoothing things over for Guan Yue. “Write out the menu for the New Year’s Eve dinner. I’ll prepare it, and I’ll make sure you get a feast.”

Guan Yue’s expression softened slightly. “I want to have the ham soup you mentioned three times.”

Gu Sui glanced at the ham hanging under the eaves. It had been recently cured for less than twenty days, so it seemed unlikely to be usable.

As for ham, Yan Zhengwen had a solution. The southwest mountainous regions had a long-standing tradition of curing ham. Even though life was difficult now, it was still possible to find some if one looked hard enough.

Yan Zhengwen patted his chest and assured, “I will definitely get you some ham for your New Year’s Eve dinner.”

Guan Yue finally glanced at Yan Zhengwen. This person didn’t seem so unpleasant after all.

Yan Zhengwen was the kind of person who knew how to read others. His sharp mind noticed that Guan Yue’s attitude had softened, so he immediately ordered one of the servants to hurry back and fetch the ham, ensuring it would be delivered as soon as possible.

Guan Yue turned and entered the house. “Bring the patient inside.”

Yan Zhengwen let out a sigh of relief and lay down. His back pain had kept him awake for the past two nights, and when he had propped himself up earlier, it had been very painful.

Guan Yue led them into the room where she treated patients.

Yan Zhengwen had an injury on his lower back. It was winter, and the cold temperature made it impractical for him to remove his clothes for an examination. 

While Guan Yue was taking Yan Zhengwen’s pulse, his orderly quickly went to fetch a brazier. 

Gu Sui, already prepared for this, instructed someone to bring one from the kitchen. 

“Thank you, Dr. Gu,” Yan Zhengwen said. He had just learned from the village chief that this person’s surname was Gu, and she was a barefoot doctor stationed in the countryside. 

“You’re welcome,” Guan Yue replied politely. 

As the orderly carried the brazier into the room, Guan Yue finished taking the pulse. 

She spoke directly, without mincing words. “Are you sure you’re here for a back problem? It’s obvious there are other issues with his body.” 

Deng Weimin, standing nearby, glanced at Guan Yue and couldn’t help but feel curious. He decided to test her. “Oh? What other problems did you notice?” 

“He has a weak stomach. Doesn’t he also suffer from headaches? And his insomnia isn’t just because of his back pain, is it?” 

Hearing her detailed diagnosis, Yan Zhengwen was thoroughly impressed. This girl was something else. 

Deng Weimin asked, “What’s your plan for treatment?” 

With a few quick strokes, Guan Yue wrote out a prescription. When Deng Weimin looked at it, his brows furrowed. 

Yan Zhengwen, noticing this, asked, “Dr. Deng, is there something wrong with the prescription?” 

“There’s nothing wrong with it,” Deng Weimin replied. 

The prescription was similar to the one Guan Yue had previously written for Cai Guofu: it used fewer but carefully selected herbs. 

Guan Yue explained, “I’ve said it before—if the medicinal ingredients are of high quality, a simple and precise formula is better for the patient.” 

Deng Weimin nodded in agreement. “You’re right!” 

By this time, the brazier had been brought in. Guan Yue turned to retrieve her silver needles. “Take off your shirt. Let me examine your back.” 

“Isn’t it just back pain?” Yan Zhengwen hesitated. 

“Who’s the doctor here? You or me?” Guan Yue shot back. 

Gu Sui watched from the side, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. This girl had a lot of backbone! 

But Guan Yue wasn’t just bold—she was skilled. Her hands pressed precisely on the affected area, and she could immediately pinpoint the problem. Her movements as she inserted the needles were quick and carried a rhythmic grace. 

In Deng Weimin’s eyes, Guan Yue already carried the air of an established expert. In the months since he had last seen her, she had grown significantly. 

After finishing the acupuncture session, Guan Yue instructed someone to close the windows. 

With the windows shut, the room grew dimmer but also warmer. 

Guan Yue turned to leave, saying simply, “Don’t move him. I’ll come back to remove the needles later.” 

Deng Weimin nodded. “I’ll stay here and keep watch.” 

The room fell into a quiet dimness, with only a sliver of light coming through the slightly ajar door. Somehow, Yan Zhengwen drifted off to sleep. 

The wood in the brazier crackled intermittently, the occasional spark flying out and landing on the floor, leaving small gray marks. 

Deng Weimin sat by the brazier, warming himself. Listening to Yan Zhengwen’s steady breathing, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe. “The waves of the Yangtze River push forward, one generation surpassing the last,” he thought to himself. 

As a renowned traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, Deng Weimin was deeply familiar with Yan Zhengwen’s condition. Guan Yue didn’t dare act carelessly under his watchful eye. 

Even though Guan Yue wanted to complete the treatment quickly and send Yan Zhengwen on his way, she knew she had to proceed step by step, at least following the general expectations of someone like Deng Weimin. 

If she performed beyond what he could imagine, it might make him suspicious of her uncanny skill. 

However, even though Guan Yue thought she was being methodical, Deng Weimin still found her work astonishing. 

By the morning of New Year’s Eve, this was the third acupuncture session. 

After the treatment, Deng Weimin took Yan Zhengwen’s pulse and remarked, “The improvement is simply too fast.” 

While Yan Zhengwen’s recovery wasn’t as dramatic as night and day compared to three days ago, it was still remarkable. 

In just three days, Guan Yue had managed to transform Yan Zhengwen—who had been carried up the mountain—into someone who could now slowly walk up the slope on his own. 

Guan Yue, however, did not allow them to stay on the mountain. For the past few days, they had been living at the Educated Youth Station at the foot of the mountain, sharing quarters with Gu Sui. 

Yan Zhengwen broke into a relaxed smile. “The night before last, I woke up once in the middle of the night. But last night, I slept through until morning without being woken by pain. Guan Yue, your acupuncture skills are truly miraculous!” 

As the aroma of stewed ham wafted in from the kitchen, Guan Yue absentmindedly nodded in acknowledgment. 

Deng Weimin added his agreement. “Guan Yue’s acupuncture skills—this old man has yet to see anyone better. She’s truly blessed by the heavens.” 

In his heart, Yan Zhengwen silently added: *And Guan Yue’s prescriptions are just as exceptional.* 

For the past couple of days, aside from coming up the mountain in the morning for acupuncture treatment, Yan Zhengwen spent most of his time in the village at the foot of the mountain, chatting with the locals. Whenever Guan Yue’s name came up, the conversation would inevitably turn to her medicinal pills, sparking his curiosity. 

The pills Guan Yue dispensed were few in number and highly sought after. Surrounding brigades kept a close watch, making it impossible for her to distribute them to outsiders. Yan Zhengwen could only regretfully give up his attempts to obtain them. 

Deng Weimin still wanted to engage Guan Yue in a discussion about acupuncture, but she was beginning to show signs of impatience. 

At that moment, Gu Sui approached with a smile. “Sir Deng, Colonel Yan, it’s getting late. You should head back for lunch. Given Colonel Yan’s current condition, he must take care of himself and not skip meals.” 

Noticing Guan Yue’s growing impatience, Yan Zhengwen took the hint and made a quick exit. 

As soon as they left, Guan Yue grinned at Gu Sui and asked, “Can we have ham for lunch?” 

“No, it’s not done cooking yet,” Gu Sui replied. 

Guan Yue pouted. 

Gu Sui chuckled and offered, “How about I make you some noodles with the ham broth? Will you eat that?” 

Guan Yue nodded enthusiastically. “I’ll eat it!” 

They made do with a simple lunch to fill their stomachs, saving the feast for the evening. 

Throughout the afternoon, the aroma of various dishes wafted from the kitchen. Guan Yue couldn’t help but check in frequently. 

“What’s that smell?” she asked. 

“That’s the salty pork belly,” Gu Sui answered. 

A while later, she came by again. “What about this one?” 

“That’s longan meat.” 

“And this?” 

“Dongpo pork hock!” 

Yan Zhengwen’s orderly had proven himself particularly resourceful. Knowing Guan Yue wanted ham, he expedited the delivery of two aged three-year hams and even included a large pork hock. Gu Sui decided to add Dongpo pork hock to the menu. 

That afternoon, Guan Yue made countless trips to the kitchen. Eventually, Dog Sheng simply curled up near the stove, warming himself by the fire while staring hungrily at the pork hock. 

Although there were only two of them on the mountain, they had planned an elaborate New Year’s Eve dinner with eight dishes—extravagant by any standard. 

As the mountain filled with the enticing aroma of food, the households down in the village were also bustling with preparations for their own festive meals. 

Although the villagers didn’t have a wide variety of meat dishes, they still had some pork left from the pig slaughter earlier in the season. It was enough to make a hearty batch of meat dumplings for the New Year’s celebration. 

For those willing to splurge a bit more, they would head to the chicken coop, grab an old hen that no longer laid eggs, and stew up a pot of fragrant chicken soup. It was enough to satisfy the whole family’s cravings. 

At the Educated Youth Station, Deng Weimin, Yan Zhengwen, and two orderlies sat together to celebrate the New Year. 

Yan Zhengwen sat with his back ramrod straight, just as he had before his injury. 

Deng Weimin advised him, “You should sit for a while and then go lie down. Your body isn’t fully recovered yet, and you still need to take care of yourself.” 

There was a faint smile on Yan Zhengwen’s otherwise serious face. “I feel fine. My back is a little sore, but it doesn’t affect my movement.” 

At this, everyone at the table—Guan Yue’s ever-growing group of admirers—began praising her again. 

One of the orderlies chimed in, “If only Guan Yue were willing to join the military unit. So many people in the squad have lingering injuries that never fully heal, and they end up being discharged. If we had someone like Guan Yue, she could save a lot of them.” 

Who wouldn’t agree? But judging by Guan Yue’s personality, she seemed to prefer living in seclusion and wasn’t even inclined to engage with others unless necessary. 

This thought prompted Yan Zhengwen to ask about Guan Yue’s teacher. 

There wasn’t much secrecy about it; everyone in Qingxi Village knew the story. 

“Guan Yue’s teacher is Xu Hua’an, a southerner. He used to come to Daqing Mountain every year to gather medicinal herbs. Guan Yue was brought here by him. Last year, I heard Xu Hua’an went back to his hometown and hasn’t been heard from since.” 

Yan Zhengwen asked, “Is Xu Hua’an’s acupuncture better than Guan Yue’s?” 

Deng Weimin, in a tone tinged with jealousy, replied, “Not necessarily! From what I’ve heard, Xu Hua’an only taught Guan Yue how to diagnose and prescribe treatments. The acupuncture skills? She taught herself. Sigh, if I had a self-taught disciple as talented as her, I’d be laughing in my sleep!” 

Yan Zhengwen burst into hearty laughter. “Your disciples aren’t too shabby either!” 

Deng Weimin, being self-aware, shook his head and said, “Compared to Guan Yue, they’re far behind. None of them have anything truly remarkable. It’s my fault as a teacher for not teaching my disciples well. But let’s not talk about this anymore. Come, eat, eat. Finish up and get some rest early.”