As long as Meng Ling calmed down and thought it through carefully, she would come around.

“Dad, are you busy today?”

It was about a ten-minute walk from the market to the clinic. When Ji Meng arrived, Ji Qinghe was at the counter, preparing medicine, and he was the only one in the clinic. Ji Meng couldn’t help but ask.

“Not too bad, it was busy this morning. Mostly familiar folks from the neighborhood.”

Ji Qinghe had been a bit worried since his daughter hadn’t come by yet. He had planned to go pick her up at the market once Wu Kui returned, but seeing her now, he relaxed and smiled.

“And how about you? How was the market? Are you tired?”

Ji Qinghe wrapped up the medicine he was working on and asked Ji Meng again.

He had visited the market before and, to be honest, the environment wasn’t great. He was worried she might not adapt well.

“It was fine. Standing for a long time was a bit tiring at the beginning,” Ji Meng replied in a relaxed tone.

She didn’t want to say everything was perfect, because if she did, Ji Qinghe wouldn’t believe her, and he might feel disappointed that his daughter wasn’t sharing things with him or depending on him.

But saying it this way would make him feel distressed for her.

As expected, once she finished speaking, Ji Qinghe furrowed his brow in concern and asked,

“Your feet are tired? No chairs to sit on there?”

“Well, take a small stool with you in the afternoon. When you have a break, you can sit and rest. I’ll also prepare some herbs for a foot bath, and you can soak your feet tonight before bed.”

As he spoke, Ji Qinghe started quickening the movement of grabbing the medicine in his hands, gathering the herbs for his daughter’s foot bath.

“It’s just a bit of tiredness. I think I’m not used to it yet, and I was wearing my little leather shoes. I’ll get used to it in a few days.”

“But sure, I’d love some foot bath herbs. I really enjoy soaking my feet,”

Ji Meng said with a smile. She glanced at the large bundles of medicine on the table and, seeing no one else in the clinic, she couldn’t help but ask curiously,

“Who’s all this medicine for?”

Ji Qinghe paused for a moment, then casually replied after a brief hesitation,

“It’s for your brother Junyan. That kid went off to Huicheng on his own while your Uncle Fu was away at a meeting in Beidaihe, and he got robbed on the way back, injuring his arm.”

“He’s something, isn’t he? He didn’t take it seriously earlier, and now it’s all swollen inside. I just applied some medicine for him, but he found the smell too strong and is inside cleaning off the excess ointment.”

“Brother Junyan?”

Fu Junyan is here?

Ji Meng was so startled that she stood up from her chair. Just then, the curtain connecting to the backyard was pulled open, and a man in a black jacket walked out. Upon hearing someone call him “Brother Junyan,” he subconsciously turned his head and saw Ji Meng, who was seated and looking over with a surprised expression.

When Ji Qinghe reclaimed the medical clinic, due to a lack of funds, he didn’t renovate it extensively—just replaced the medicine cabinets, added a couple of tables, and started working again.

The clinic was relatively old and dim, not very bright, even with good sunlight outside. Inside, it still appeared dark and simple.

Ji Meng’s maroon sweater stood out sharply in the room, her delicate and elegant face glowing with a porcelain-like fairness, smooth and translucent as if covered by a fine glaze.

At this moment, her eyes, wide with surprise, shimmered with watery clarity, her red lips slightly parted. A strand of loose hair framed her face, making her beauty radiant and captivating, like a painting.

Fu Junyan was momentarily dazed, unable to look away, not sure if he recognized her. After a brief pause, he tentatively asked:

“Is this Mengmeng?”

“Yes, Junyan, don’t you recognize her?”

Ji Qinghe, standing nearby, noticed Fu Junyan’s dazed reaction clearly. His emotions were complicated—these two really were a well-matched pair.

But he respected his daughter’s choice. She currently only wanted to raise Qiuqiu on her own, and he supported her in that. Of course, no one could say what might happen in the future?

At least for now, both of them were single.

With this in mind, Ji Qinghe’s eyes softened with a smile.

“Mengmeng has changed a lot compared to when she was a child. She just came back yesterday and, to avoid trouble, she covered up a bit. When she washed her face, even I almost didn’t recognize her.”

“She really has changed a lot,”

Fu Junyan agreed with a smile, although his gaze remained fixed on Ji Meng.

“Brother Junyan has changed a lot too.”

Now that they had met, both families knew each other well, and there would be more interaction in the future. From another perspective, the Fu family was currently a pillar of support for the Ji family, so Ji Meng wasn’t going to avoid him just because of some things in the novels. Smiling openly, she greeted him.

When Ji Meng smiled, two shallow dimples appeared, revealing the small mole on her lower lip. Her smile was captivating.

Fu Junyan’s throat tightened, and after a moment, he looked away, but couldn’t help smiling again.

“Yes, it’s been over ten years since we last saw each other. We’ve both changed.”

By then, Ji Qinghe had finished packing the medicine and placed it on the counter. Seeing the two young people chatting well, his expression relaxed. After putting down the medicine, he checked the time—it was already 11:30—and came around the counter.

“It’s getting late. Mengmeng, you must be hungry. You ate early this morning and didn’t eat much. Let’s go out for lunch since your brother Junyan is here. I’ll take the opportunity to skip cooking.”

Ji Meng hadn’t gone to buy groceries earlier either, so she hadn’t planned to cook. Time was tight. Hearing this, she replied, “Sure.”

“Alright, I’ll lock up and we’ll head out.”

With his daughter’s agreement, Ji Qinghe didn’t delay any further. Smiling, he took the lock and key from the medicine cabinet and locked up the clinic.

The group set off for the restaurant. Along the way, Ji Meng suddenly remembered something and asked, “Is it just us? I haven’t seen Brother Kui. Didn’t he come to the clinic today to help?”

“He went home earlier. Ah Lu wasn’t feeling well this morning, so when things quieted down around ten, I sent him home.”

“Oh, okay.” Ji Meng nodded. She breathed a sigh of relief. She really wasn’t in the mood to run into more people from the original body’s past today.

That would be too overwhelming.

Especially since, back when the original body was sent to the countryside, she had borrowed money from Wu Kui too.

However, given the Ji family’s kindness to Wu Kui since childhood, she didn’t resort to deceit method, back then, she simply asked directly.

All she needed to do was repay the money.

But still, considering he was one of her creditors, and given how poor she was now, she didn’t particularly want to see him at the moment.

The clinic wasn’t far from the state-run restaurant, and it didn’t take long to get there.

It wasn’t yet 12 o’clock, and the restaurant wasn’t full yet.

Ji Qinghe’s medical skills were well-known, and nearly everyone nearby had been treated by him. Fu Junyan often visited on behalf of his father to check in on Ji Qinghe, so the people at the restaurant knew them well. Upon seeing them, they found them a relatively quiet spot inside.

“This place recently changed chefs. I heard he’s some descendant of the royal court, and his ^[1]“West Lake Vinegar Fish” is a famous Hangzhou dish featuring poached freshwater fish, usually carp, topped with a sweet and sour vinegar sauce. It’s known for its tender texture and a … Continue readingWest Lake Vinegar Fish is exceptional. Mengmeng, you should try it later.”

The restaurant had been open for nearly twenty years, and the tables and chairs had developed a patina over time. Fu Junyan took out a handkerchief and wiped down the chairs for Ji Meng and Ji Qinghe. After asking for their opinions, he ordered the food with the waiter and then went to fetch hot water to sterilize the bowls. As he rinsed the bowls, he chatted with Ji Meng.

His movements were meticulous yet natural, pleasing to watch.

Ji Meng observed him and found that while he was similar to how he was described in the novel, there were also some differences.

The novel described him as a scholarly businessman, refined and reserved, as if elegance were engraved into his very being.

That much was true—he had a refined, graceful appearance. However, perhaps because he was still young, there was a hint of confident recklessness in his sharp features.

His attire reflected this as well. His sleek, dark hair, a black jacket over a white shirt, nothing overly matched, yet on him, it created a strangely harmonious look—simple yet carefree.

No wonder the original owner of this body had been hopelessly captivated.

“Sure, I’ll give it a try later,” Ji Meng said with a smile, retracting her gaze.

That smile caused Fu Junyan to lose focus momentarily once again.

He wasn’t inexperienced, he knew what this meant.

The Ji and Fu families had been close for generations. Before the incident, the two families had been closely connected. He, Ji Qiao, Ji Meng, and his elder brother, Fu Qiyan, had all practically grown up together.

Ji Meng had always been good-looking as a child, but back then…

Fu Junyan thought back carefully. To be honest, she had been a spoiled little sister, always following him and his elder brother around, clingy to the point of being annoying.

If people ignored her, her temper flared up, and it wasn’t pretty—borderline hysterical, even.

So when his father had suggested they try being together, he was strongly opposed, especially knowing that she had held a grudge against the family for years due to past events, refusing any contact. He had no good feelings about it.

But now, looking at the bright, poised young woman before him, with no trace of the bratty attitude she once had, his thoughts began to shift.

Perhaps he had misunderstood her or been biased.

After all, no one had it easy back then.

When both families had fallen into trouble one after the other, and the little girl was only twelve or thirteen years old, not prepared for the hardships she suddenly faced. It was understandable that she had resentment in her heart.

It had taken him years to come to terms with everything as well.

Maybe now that he had worked through it, Fu Junyan began to think his father’s arrangement wasn’t so bad after all.

He had to admit that perhaps his childhood trauma from the “ugly woman” had caused him to overly prioritize appearance, to the point of being love-struck at first sight.

But that wasn’t entirely right. When he looked at Ji Meng’s lively, glistening eyes, he felt there was something else about her that attracted him in.

It made his heart flutter, and he couldn’t help but want to impress her.

“The bowls are done.”

Fu Junyan lightly clenched his fist, quickening his movement as he finished sterilizing the bowls and handed them over.

The young man who has always been considerate and respectful to the elderly, this time he handed the freshly cleaned bowls and chopsticks to Ji Meng first, then to Uncle Ji, whom his father had specifically arranged for him to visit today.

Ji Qinghe glanced at him, feeling even more conflicted.

As a father, there’s always a sense of pride when someone appreciates and admires your daughter, but they also have a sour feeling, as if she’s being taken away. That’s exactly how Ji Qinghe felt now.

He couldn’t help but clear his throat and called out to the waiter, “Xiao Yang, could you please hurry with our dishes? My daughter’s a bit hungry.”

“Uncle Ji said you were helping someone at the market today. How did that go? Was it tiring?” Fu Junyan asked, trying to mask his obvious behavior as he poured water for Ji Qinghe and Ji Meng, his ears slightly reddening.

At this time, many people still didn’t fully accept self-employed businesses, often associating them with not doing proper work.

However, Fu Junyan didn’t express any judgment about Ji Meng working at the market, nor did he show any disdain.

This made Ji Meng develop a bit of goodwill towards him, so she responded cheerfully:

“It was fine, not tiring at all. Actually, I found it pretty interesting.”

While they spoke, Fu Junyan’s gaze was fixed on Ji Meng, and he clearly noticed the sparkle in her eyes and the natural smile that appeared as she spoke.

His heart stirred slightly, and he took a sip of water, casually saying, “I’ve never explored the small markets around here. I’ll check them out later.”

Pausing briefly, sensing that she might be interested, he added:

“I went to Huicheng a few days ago. There’s a small market there too. They mostly sell food, some perform street acrobatics, and a lot of the rest is medicinal herbs.”

Although Ji Meng wasn’t planning to get into the medicinal herb business, she was still curious about the development of herbal medicine during this period in the novel, so she asked:

“Have the herbal markets there already become free markets?”

She understood and was clearly interested.

Something in Fu Junyan’s heart felt like it was set on fire, and ripples of emotion surged within him.

^[2]“He’s only testing the waters” means he was cautiously exploring or subtly gauging her interest or reaction.He’s only testing the waters, but it was incredible how she could follow along, how she understood.

“Mm, you could say it’s starting to take shape.”

Suppressing the subtle excitement and joy in his heart, Fu Junyan carefully explained to Ji Meng:

“There are currently two or three streets over there dedicated to herbal trading. Qiaoling Road is the busiest and has the most established scale. The variety of herbs is relatively complete, and the quality is high. Many herb brokers and merchants prefer to do business there.”

“In fact, it’s not just Bocheng, foreign trade in herbs is also booming. Many Japanese trading companies are in contact with us, and the prices of herbal medicines are rising. Yunnan province is gradually catching up as well…”

As expected, just like in the novel, the Fu family was ahead of its time in this industry, moving faster than history, reaching the market conditions of the early 1980s. Could the herbal medicine counterfeit scandal also be starting?

In the novel, the original owner ended up short of money, and it seemed because Fu Junyan got caught up in a counterfeit herbal medicine scandal.

Ji Meng paused for a moment, thinking about how much the Fu family had helped the Ji family over the years. After some thought, she decided to subtly warn him:

“When I was in the countryside, there was a young woman from Bocheng. Her village had a lot of people growing medicinal herbs. She told me that when the pigeon markets were still around, there were quite a few counterfeiters in Bocheng.”

Fu Junyan was taken aback. “Mengmeng, are you talking about counterfeit medicinal herbs?”

“Yes,” Ji Meng nodded. “Like Gastrodia, Dragon Bone, and Raspberry…”

Ji Meng explained some of the herbs that could potentially be counterfeited, along with some of the methods. As the waiter began serving their dishes, she decided not to continue since she wasn’t entirely sure about the matter.

She simply added, “I just heard about it, so I’m not too clear on the details. But if you’re involved in this area, Brother Junyan, just be extra cautious.”

Fu Junyan seemed to be thinking it over for a moment before nodding. “Alright, I’ll keep an eye on it.”

“The food is here, let’s eat while it’s hot.”

Fu Junyan felt a bit regretful. They had finally found a topic they could talk about together, but for now, it was time to eat.

After all, Ji Qinghe had mentioned earlier that Ji Meng was hungry.

Fu Junyan was someone who knew how to eat well, and the dishes he ordered took everyone’s preferences into account.

Ji Qinghe wasn’t fond of spicy food, while Ji Meng could handle it, so half of the dishes on the table were spicy and half weren’t. Together, the aroma was mouth-watering.

Ji Meng was already feeling hungry, and now her appetite was fully awakened by the delicious smells.

Ji Qinghe wanted to take care of his daughter, but Fu Junyan was a step ahead. He used the extra chopsticks and bowl he had asked for, picked up some fish, dipped it in sauce, and handed it to Ji Meng.

“Mengmeng, try this.”

Ji Meng hesitated briefly but eventually took it and tried a bite.

The fish was tender and smooth, with a special sauce that balanced the sweetness and sourness perfectly, instantly awakening her taste buds.

It’s indeed delicious.

Qiuqiu, her daughter, loved sweet and sour flavors like this. Once she earned enough money, she’d bring her here often.

Thinking about her daughter, Ji Meng suddenly felt a bit worried, not sure if the little girl was adjusting well in class.

She wanted to check on her.

But Yanzi had advised in the morning to let the child be independent for a day. If she went at noon, the little one might expect her to come every day after that.

“How is it, Mengmeng? Does it taste good?”

Fu Junyan noticed that Ji Meng lost in thought after just one bite of fish, feeling inexplicably nervous. He hadn’t tried it himself yet and didn’t know how good it actually was.

If the chef wasn’t at his best today, that wouldn’t be ideal.

“Hm?”

Ji Meng snapped out of her thoughts, realizing she had been distracted. She felt a bit embarrassed.

“The flavor is excellent, really good.”

It was actually better than the West Lake Vinegar Fish she had tried in Hangzhou years ago.

“That’s great,” Fu Junyan breathed a slight sigh of relief and picked up his chopsticks to try it himself.

But just as he did, he heard Ji Meng talking to Ji Qinghe:

“Dad, do you think I should go check on Qiuqiu later? I’m worried she might not be adjusting well at school.”

She remembered how she had cried on her first day of school, and how the orphanage director had to take her back and comfort her for a long time.

“Didn’t Yanzi say this morning not to check on her?”

When Ji Qinghe mentioned his granddaughter, he couldn’t help but feel worried as well. After all, the little girl had just arrived in the provincial city and hadn’t had time to adjust before being thrust into an even more unfamiliar environment.

“I’ll ask Yanzi about it later. Don’t worry, Qiuqiu is a well-behaved child, and she was the one who insisted on starting school early. She should be fine,” Ji Qinghe reassured.

“Alright, but if she does cry, just bring her home. We can ease her into it slowly,”

Ji Meng replied, still very concerned about her daughter. However, she also needed to head to the small market in the afternoon.

Regardless of what Meng Ling decided, her afternoon would be quite busy. If she didn’t go early, she might not be able to pick up her child in the afternoon.

“Who is Qiuqiu?”

While the father and daughter discussed, Fu Junyan, listening from the side, was puzzled. He had no idea who they were talking about.

He had come specifically to check on Ji Qinghe after hearing his father mention Ji Qiao on the phone, but Ji Qiao’s daughter hadn’t been brought over yet. Unable to hold back his curiosity, he asked.

Ji Qinghe paused while picking up food, instinctively glancing at Ji Meng. Ji Meng calmly reached out to take some vegetables and replied, without missing a beat:

“My daughter.”