Just then, a clear and lively voice rang out.
“Dinner is served!”
The words seemed to carry some kind of magic. In an instant, everyone’s appetite was fully awakened.
The two siblings immediately grabbed their chopsticks.
For a moment, the chopsticks flying across the table resembled a perfectly coordinated dance performance. Everyone’s attention focused on the platter of Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs sitting at the center of the table.
The glossy ribs glowed with an enticing reddish sheen, and the rich aroma alone was enough to make anyone drool. Every piece of tender meat was coated in a translucent layer of sauce, sparkling under the light like exquisite works of art.
Yang Xingyue moved first.
With lightning-fast speed, she snatched the largest rib from the plate and stuffed it straight into her mouth, chewing happily without a second thought.
“Mmm…”
Her cheeks puffed up as she spoke around the food, her face overflowing with bliss.
“Mother, these ribs are so delicious! This is the tastiest meat Yue’er has ever eaten!”
As she spoke, her already round cheeks bulged even more adorably.
Beside her, Yang Xingchen saw how delighted his sister looked and immediately joined in.
“Yes, yes! These ribs are a heavenly delicacy! I’ve never eaten anything this good before!”
With that, he quickly grabbed a rib for himself and began eating enthusiastically.
Suddenly, Yang Xingyue began coughing violently.
“Cough, cough…”
She had accidentally choked on a small bone.
Her little face instantly turned bright red, and her breathing became uneven and strained.
Yang Xingchen panicked immediately.
“Sister!”
He hurriedly patted her back repeatedly, but no matter what he did, it did not help.
Amid the sudden chaos, Mu Yuqing remained calm.
She quickly stood up and moved behind Yang Xingyue, wrapping her arms around the child’s abdomen before delivering several firm upward thrusts while patting her back.
After repeating the motion several times, the stuck bone finally flew out.
Yang Xingyue gasped for air, tears filling her eyes.
She had simply been eating too quickly and never expected something like this to happen.
Yang Xingchen stared at Mu Yuqing with eyes full of admiration.
“Mother, you’re amazing! When did you learn such incredible life-saving skills?”
Mu Yuqing smiled faintly.
“Mother’s medical skills were taught by an immortal master, of course they’re extraordinary. But what I used just now was only a simple emergency rescue technique. If Chen’er is interested in medicine, Mother can teach you in the future.”
As she spoke, she gently rubbed Yang Xingyue’s head.
“Yue’er, you must eat more carefully from now on. Today was very dangerous.”
Yang Xingyue nodded obediently.
“I understand, Mother.”
Soon, the cheerful atmosphere at the dinner table returned once more.
After dinner, the Nanny took the siblings away to wash up while Mu Yuqing returned alone to her room.
She retrieved the small chest containing her banknotes from the Space and carefully counted all the silver she had earned through her own hard work.
After finishing, she discovered she possessed a total of nine thousand nine hundred and eighty taels.
For a very long time, Mu Yuqing had held a small dream deep in her heart.
Once she saved enough silver, she wanted to purchase her own shop and open a unique delicacy store.
The shop would mainly sell braised foods and various prepared dishes.
Unfortunately, she had already sold the exclusive rights to her braised recipes to Hongfu Restaurant. Because of that, she temporarily abandoned the idea of selling those specific items.
Still, that was not a major issue.
There were countless other delicacies she could make.
What mattered most right now was finding a suitable storefront and officially beginning her new business venture.
In her mind, one delicious dish after another began to appear.
Tender and fragrant White-Cut Chicken.
Beautifully colored Brined Duck with crispy skin.
Spicy and flavorful Stir-fried Snails.
And naturally, the wildly popular crayfish.
The more she thought about it, the more motivated she became.
Inspired by the sudden burst of excitement, Mu Yuqing immediately grabbed paper and brush and began sketching the layout and design she envisioned for the shop.
By the time she finished, she felt extremely satisfied with the drawing.
The only question remaining was whether any craftsman in this era would actually be capable of building it.
Ah, forget it.
She stretched lazily.
It was time to sleep.
Over the following days, with ample silver in hand, Mu Yuqing became busier than ever.
On one side, she searched tirelessly for a suitable storefront.
On the other, after officially obtaining the deed for the hillside behind her home, she immediately began fencing off the hot spring area while planning the construction of a grand manor.
She had just started considering where to find a skilled builder when Lu Jincheng arrived at her doorstep.
Accompanying him was a middle-aged man.
Lu Jincheng introduced him as Master Zhang, a famous architect well known throughout the surrounding regions.
Mu Yuqing almost laughed aloud.
This truly was a case of someone delivering a pillow just as she was about to fall asleep.
She had been worrying over where to find a capable craftsman, and now one had appeared at her door all on his own.
Without hesitation, Mu Yuqing handed her design sketches to Master Zhang.
The moment Zhang Jie saw the drawings, he was completely stunned.
The designs were unlike anything he had ever seen before.
From the unique kitchen layout to the astonishingly advanced latrine design, every detail opened an entirely new world before his eyes.
He could hardly understand how such ideas could have come from the young woman standing before him.
Later, while discussing the construction details, Zhang Jie spoke somewhat awkwardly.
“I wonder… would the young lady be willing to sell these design drawings to me?”
Mu Yuqing did not think much of it at all.
With a generous wave of her hand, she laughed lightly.
“Master Zhang, there’s no need to buy them. You may simply keep them.”
Zhang Jie was genuinely stunned by her generosity.
Immediately, he made up his mind.
He would spare no effort in building her manor beautifully.
After finalizing the arrangements and sharing lunch together, Lu Jincheng and Zhang Jie finally departed.
In the following weeks, Mu Yuqing became even busier.
Thanks to her exceptional medical skills and experience, she frequently traveled between different households, tirelessly helping women deliver babies.
To her own surprise, within less than a single month, she had successfully welcomed ten newborns into the world.
Every time she heard a baby’s first cry and witnessed the joy on a mother’s face, an indescribable sense of fulfillment filled her heart.
Although she was physically exhausted, she still felt every bit of effort was worthwhile.
One morning, two carriages stopped outside her residence.
Qingyun looked toward the arriving carriages, feeling they seemed oddly familiar.
As they drew closer, she suddenly realized where she had seen them before.
These belonged to the family they had encountered on the roadside during that difficult childbirth a month ago.
Qingyun immediately recalled the pale woman lying weakly inside the carriage and the anxious crowd surrounding her.
Curious about the purpose of their visit today, Qingyun hurried to inform Mu Yuqing.
After receiving permission from her mistress, she led the guests into the inner courtyard.
Following behind the couple were numerous boxes and parcels stacked high enough to resemble a small mountain.
One could only wonder what valuable treasures were hidden inside them.
After escorting the guests into the sitting room, Qingyun quietly withdrew.
The moment the woman saw Mu Yuqing, she immediately attempted to kneel.
Startled, Mu Yuqing reacted quickly and stepped forward to stop her.
“Madam, what are you doing? Please stand up.”
Feng Yan’s eyes were filled with gratitude, and even her voice trembled slightly with emotion.
“Feng Yan thanks Doctor Mu for saving our lives that day. If not for your exceptional medical skills, both my son and I might not have survived. During my confinement month, it was inconvenient for me to travel. Now that my recovery period has ended, I specially brought my son here to personally thank you.”
As she spoke, Feng Yan carefully removed an exquisite pouch from her sleeve and respectfully offered it with both hands.
At the same time, she gestured toward the mountain of gifts behind her.
Mu Yuqing smiled helplessly and waved her hand.
“Madam, you’re being far too polite. Saving lives is a physician’s duty, there’s truly no need for such grand courtesy. Still…”
Her eyes swept toward the pile of gifts, and her smile deepened immediately.
“I’ll gladly accept these gifts. Haha! Please sit down first. Talking while standing is exhausting.”
Without waiting for another response, Mu Yuqing warmly pulled Feng Yan over to sit beside her.