This time, Lu Yun brought mostly hemostatic and bruise-reducing herbs to town, which sold for a total of five taels.

There was also a bottle of wound medicine that Lu Qingqing had just formulated, given to Boss Tian as a sample.

Boss Tian said that if the medicine proved effective, he’d purchase in bulk. Little sister had said before—her medicine could “bring the dead back to life and make the King of Hell frown.”

Boss Tian would definitely come begging to buy it.

The price had already been set—two taels per bottle!

Ten bottles meant 20 taels.

A hundred bottles meant 200 taels.

A thousand bottles… 2000 taels…

Lu Yun didn’t dare think beyond that. Just how big a pile was 2000 taels? What kind of box would it take to hold it?

“Dad, you’ll have to custom-make a big chest!”

Lu Yun stood under the eaves daydreaming.

Just as Lu Qingqing walked in, a blob of bird poop landed on his head.

“Second Brother, looks like you’re having bird-luck today.”

Lu Yun reached up and touched it—then instantly gagged in disgust.

He’d forgotten they had two new family members.

“Can’t you birds watch where you’re pooping? Why’s your aim so precise—just on me?

“Look at the mess on the ground. I have to clean up after you every day! Can’t you poop outside?”

Two swallows peeked out from their imperfect little nest, just their fluffy heads showing, blinking innocently at Lu Yun.

The whole family burst out laughing.

They were a pair of newly independent swallows who had worked really hard building their nest. It had fallen several times.

Eventually, Old Man Lu nailed a board under it to support the little couple and let them settle in.

…

Lu Yun, after washing his hair, rushed back to check the herbs Lu Qingqing brought home.

“Holy crap—what the heck is this?!”

He accidentally spilled out a pile of insect corpses.

There were even two scorpions!

But Lu Qingqing was very protective of them.

She began explaining one by one.

“Shufu, also known as woodlice—roast over a low flame, grind into powder and take it. It helps break up clots, reduces swelling, promotes urination, treats oral ulcers, bone fractures, and wounds.”

“Jiuxiangchong, or stink bugs—prepared like woodlice. It regulates qi and relieves pain, warms the stomach, and if ground into powder and blown into the ear, it treats pus-filled ear infections.”

“Scorpions…”

…

“Can I just process the herbs?” Lu Yun pleaded.

The bugs were too gross! And they stank!

“No.”

“Ahhhh!” Lu Yun wailed.

Lu Feng kindly reminded:

“Think of them as money. One woodlouse is one wen. One scorpion is 100 wen…”

Wait… that’s true!

Suddenly they didn’t seem so gross.

Lu Yun hunched over and started working hard.

…

Then he remembered what Li San had told him and shared it with Lu Qingqing.

She frowned.

“Duzhong does strengthen tendons and bones, but their problem isn’t with the bones.”

Maybe Li Da’s father had some calcium deficiency due to age, which could lead to osteoporosis, but Li Da wouldn’t.

“Drinking it won’t hurt, but red clay… Tell them not to drink it. It’s bad for the body.”

“I’ll tell Li San again,” said Lu Yun, “but I don’t think they’ll listen. That Li Da’s mom is stingy and aggressive, bullies her daughter-in-law and mistreats her granddaughter. The men in their family are all spineless, letting a woman run the house. Not even a peep from them.”

As soon as he said that, Lu Yun realized something felt off.

That sounded an awful lot like what people used to say about their own family.

Lu Qingqing gave a pointed look.

“And you guys think you’re any better than the men of the Li family?”

Actually, they might be even worse.

At least the Lis were bossed around by an elder.

The Lus?

Completely flipped the hierarchy. Bossed around by the daughter!

The three men awkwardly smiled.

Qingqing wasn’t like that shrew… she was just young and didn’t understand things before!

“Just give them a reminder. If they don’t listen, so be it.” Lu Qingqing said.

Whether someone wants to treat their illness is their own business.

She was just a doctor—not a savior.

..

From the room came the sharp cry of a baby.

“Qingqing! Quick!”

Lu Qingqing hurried inside.

“Can you check on Xibao? Is she sick? Or did she hurt her shoulder again? She’s already cried several times today.”

Feng Xiaowan looked anxious. The louder the baby cried, the redder her eyes got.

“Don’t worry, sis-in-law. Let me see.”

Lu Qingqing first checked the baby’s shoulder—the bandage was still secure.

Her temperature was normal.

But she wouldn’t stop crying.

Milk was dribbling from the corner of her mouth, running down her neck.

Feng Xiaowan had been drinking plenty of soup and meat, so her milk supply was strong. Baby Xibao had grown plumper—round cheeks, no visible neck.

Lu Qingqing took a soft cloth to wipe the milk.

The baby cried even harder, flailing her little limbs.

“Is it stomach pain?” asked Lu Feng helplessly.

“No.”

No bloating in the stomach, bowel movements were normal.

Lu Qingqing had no parenting experience, so she had to check everything carefully.

She took off all of Xibao’s clothes—still nothing obvious.

But then, when the baby flailed again, she noticed it.

Oh no!

Her neck had chafed raw!

Because of the baby fat rolls around her neck, milk would collect and soak in, and since they wrapped her up so warmly, the skin stayed moist and couldn’t breathe.

When Lu Qingqing pulled the folds apart, it smelled foul and looked bright red and scary.

Her heart clenched in pain.

Feng Xiaowan was already blaming herself, nearly in tears.

“It’s my fault… I didn’t notice…”

Lu Qingqing also checked her armpits—same problem, but not as bad.

No wonder the baby had been crying so much—that must’ve hurt terribly.

“Don’t be upset, sis-in-law. This is your first time being a mom—you just didn’t know.”

Now that they knew, they could be more careful in the future.

“But what do we do? I’m scared to even touch it…”

The skin had peeled in places—even wiping with the softest cloth would hurt.

“Just blow on it for now. I’ll make some medicine water.”

Lu Qingqing boiled honeysuckle in water and made cotton swabs.

Then she and Feng Xiaowan gently cleaned the area, and applied a thin layer of sesame oil.

Honeysuckle reduces inflammation and kills bacteria; sesame oil soothes itching and protects the skin from friction.

“Clean it a few times a day, and let the neck air out regularly. She’ll get better soon.”

“Thank you, Qingqing.”

Xibao gradually stopped crying.

Lu Feng grinned.

“Xibao, say thank you to your auntie. She treats you the best.”

Lu Qingqing rolled her eyes.

“Nonsense! Don’t teach her nonsense.”

Big brother really didn’t know how to talk—saying that kind of thing in front of his wife.

But Feng Xiaowan, being the sweet, simple girl she was, even nodded along happily.

Sigh.