Chapter 34: Master Will Quickly Trick Mister Into Coming Home For You
Over there, the little old man smiled all the way back to his medical hall that looked old, broken, and small on the outside but was truly luxurious inside. Before he even got off the horse carriage, another little disciple rushed out quickly. “Master, you’re back. Young Master Meng has been waiting for you for a long time.”
“Is that so?” The little old man happily got off the horse carriage with help and walked quickly into the room. Suddenly, he remembered something, went back to the horse carriage, carefully took down a wooden box like a treasure, and carried it into the room.
“Old Cui, where have you been gallivanting again?” A clear but somewhat weak voice sounded.
“How did you get here? Is it your brother who’s not doing well, or you yourself?” The little old man stared carefully at the pale-faced young man sitting in the chair for a moment. Seeing that he was just a bit pale and there was no anxiety between his brows, he asked jokingly.
“Can’t you hope for something good for me, old man?” The young man shook his head with a wry smile.
“Would it get better just because I hope for it?” Looking at the young man who had already put on thick clothes though it was just early autumn, the little old man rolled his eyes and said.
“Fine, fine, it’s all my fault, I said the wrong thing.” The young man admitted fault appeasingly, then asked curiously, “But seeing you full of rosy cheeks, old man, you seem to be in a great mood! Did you get some good medicinal herbs again?”
“Of course, today this old man made a fortune. Come, take a look at this good thing.” The little old man opened half of the box in his hand and handed it to the young man.
“Whoa, you actually came across this. How does it look even better than the last one!” The young man asked with a smile.
“Heh, you sure know your stuff. With this thing, your brother might even wake up ahead of schedule.”
“Really? Where did you get it from? Is there more?”
“What are you thinking? How dare you even ask. This isn’t cabbage, available in unlimited quantities whenever you want.” The little old man took the box back like a treasure, held it in his hands and looked at it carefully, as if what he was looking at wasn’t a ginseng root, but a peerless beauty.
“Oh right, I almost forgot. I remember you boy became the top scholar, right?” After looking for a long time, the little old man suddenly remembered something and looked up to ask.
“That was ages ago, why bring it up?”
“Why can’t I bring it up? Let me tell you, I took in a new little disciple today, a three-year-old child. I taught him the Soup Head Song, and he memorized it after one go. The next day when I asked again, he hadn’t forgotten. Don’t you want to see someone like that?”
The young man shook his head lightly. “Old Cui, I know what you’re up to, but with my broken body, I won’t mislead the next generation.”
“That’s where you’re wrong! So what if your body is not good? Who says you can’t teach disciples if your body is weak? Let me tell you, my disciple also has an older sister who makes really delicious meals. And guess what I saw at their home?”
The young man chuckled helplessly but still played along and asked, “What did you see?”
“Hehe, a big tiger, alive. My little disciple treats it like a big kitty, does somersaults on it and it doesn’t even bite. My little disciple even feeds it meals!” The little old man said vividly with dancing eyebrows. “At first I was quite scared, but later I found out that big tiger was really as obedient as a cat. Even I could pet it a couple times. That fur was so smooth, tsk tsk.”
“Is it that magical?” The young man didn’t quite believe it.
“Of course. In a couple days, I’ll make this ginseng into medicine, then I’ll take you to my disciple’s home to play. His older sister will make us meals. I guarantee you’ve never eaten such delicious meal.” The little old man boasted.
“Alright, if nothing comes up, I’ll really go with you to broaden my horizons.” The young man smiled. Just as he wanted to say something more, his expression suddenly changed, and he started coughing violently. With his coughs, specks of blood sprayed from his pale thin lips.
“Yi Chen!” The little old man’s expression also changed. He dropped the box in his hand and gently patted his back.
After a long while, the young man’s coughing finally subsided slowly. He was drenched in cold sweat, slumped in the chair, eyes half-closed, breathing feebly.
The little old man frowned, picked up one of his wrists to take the pulse. The more he did, the tighter he frowned. After checking both wrists, he sighed softly and said nothing.
“Old Cui, no need to be like this. I know what my body is like. I can accept any result. It’s just my big brother he······” Meng Yichen recovered a bit, and said with unsteady breath.
“No need to worry about your big brother. His issue isn’t big; waking up is just a matter of time. The tricky one now is you. How many times have I told you? Don’t stay up late, don’t stay up late, rest properly. Is that broken book of yours that good? Huh? What book is more important than your body?” The little old man said angrily.
“Sigh, anyway I’m like this. This lifetime, this is my only hobby. I figure I should at least read enough of them! Otherwise, when I go down, thinking there’s still so many books unread up here, I won’t have peace even underground.” Meng Yichen smiled self-mockingly, and anyone could see the bitterness in that smile.
“You ah!” The little old man pointed at his head from afar, got up and walked to the medicine cabinet, opened the small locked drawer in the middle, took out a small medicine bottle and handed it to him. “Here, this is the new medicine I made for you. Take one first, take the rest home, one a day, see the effect. Come find me in seven days for another pulse check.”
Meng Yichen took it, poured out one and put it in his mouth, put the medicine bottle into his sleeve pocket, then said to the little old man, “You distracted me right as I came in, I forgot why I came. Old Cui, come with me quickly! My brother’s finger moved today.”
“Really?” The little old man’s eyes lit up.
“Really. Old Cui, do you think my brother he······ is about to wake up?” Meng Yichen asked expectantly.
“I have to see for myself. The medicine I prescribed last time had strong effects; having a reaction is normal. After this dose is finished, he probably won’t just be able to move his fingers.”
“Then let’s go now!”
“Alright, let’s go!” The little old man put the ginseng away in the medicine cabinet, locked it with two locks just to be sure, then followed the young man onto his horse carriage.
All along the way, he kept telling Meng Yichen how “simple” Lin Xin’s home was, how picturesque the village was, how smart Lin Nan was, how delicious the meals Lin Xin made were. In short, one word: praise!
“Old Cui, this disciple you took in is only three years old, you accepted him before even his personality was set. Aren’t you afraid he’ll grow up like Brother Ming Yao?” Meng Yichen really didn’t want to hear his endless praise anymore; it stabbed him in the heart.
“Tch, you just can’t stand to see this old man happy.” For once, the little old man heard the name Zhai Ming Yao and remained calm. “Let me tell you, Xin Yatou and Nan Nan are not like that. Do you know how I met them?”
Meng Yichen shook his head curiously.
“That last ginseng root was sold to me by the siblings. This one was given to me by Xin Yatou, saying it was a gift from Nan Nan to me this master. Their family is very poor. You know the value of this ginseng root, but she gave it to me without batting an eye. First off, this kind of generosity is rare.”
Meng Yichen nodded after hearing this.
“But do the siblings have such good luck? This kind of ginseng isn’t something you dig up casually. Some people might never see one in their lifetime!” Meng Yichen became a bit curious about Lin Xin and her brother.
“Hehe.” The little old man quietly smiled where he couldn’t see, a glint flashing in his old eyes.
Good disciple, Master will soon trick your mister home for you!
