“Miss Jiang, how can you speak like that?”
Lao Jin immediately flared up and was about to stand when the man stopped him, “Lao Jin, mind your manners.”
“But Master…”
The man waved his hand, signaling him to say no more.
Lao Jin shot Jiang A Yao a resentful look. At first, this girl seemed perfect in every way – skilled in medicine, attentive in care, and never prying unnecessarily.
But now it appeared that while everything else was fine, she possessed a venomous tongue.
When silent, she was harmless, but once she spoke, her words could kill.
Though restrained by his master from speaking further, Lao Jin watched as the man took a steadying breath before saying, “Miss Jiang, the matter is urgent. We truly cannot afford any delays.”
Jiang A Yao’s gaze shifted from the medicine pot to fix directly on him. “You were still feverish last night. The scab on your wound is barely formed, thin enough that it’s still oozing blood. If you move now and undertake such a long journey, you’re deliberately seeking death.”
“I’ve told you before – during the emergency, we had no anesthetic, and your wound wasn’t sutured with proper medical thread. We merely stopped the bleeding temporarily, so healing will be slower. If you won’t follow medical advice, there’s nothing more I can do.”
“The decision lies with you, not me. Just like when I said my medical skills were inadequate and you forced me at knifepoint to treat the wound, you could put a blade to my neck now and still get on that carriage to leave.”
“Perhaps you might even find a more skilled physician in town, someone who can work miracles and save you once more.”
“Miss Jiang, we were merely asking. When did we ever threaten you with a knife?”
This time Lao Jin truly stood up. “I explained last time it was an emergency, and I apologized. Why must you keep bringing it up?”
Jiang A Yao looked calmly at him and said, “I was making an analogy.”
Lao Jin angrily retorted, “Is that any way to make an analogy? This is my master’s life we’re talking about!”
Jiang A Yao threw down her fan and stood up as well, furious. “So you do understand that human life is no joking matter! I’m just a physician with modest skills, not some miracle worker. Why do you keep using life-and-death situations to pressure me?”
“If you won’t listen to me, then find another physician. Aren’t you wealthy? Your people have been to town to buy supplies – why not hire a better physician from there?”
“You keep me here, ignore my advice, yet expect me to perform miracles. Are you just toying with me?”
Lao Jin, a burly man in his thirties who commanded dozens of subordinates and was known for his ferocity, found himself utterly bewildered by Jiang A Yao’s words.
“No… Miss Jiang misunderstands… We truly have difficulties we cannot explain…”
“Your private difficulties are none of my concern. I’m only responsible for treating the wound. You asked me, and I told you the truth. Whether you accept it or not is your decision.”
Nothing angered Jiang A Yao more than patients who disregarded medical advice, especially those with serious injuries who repeatedly tested a physician’s limits.
Told to avoid certain foods, they eat them anyway; instructed to go east, they head west. Matters that should heal in half a month become aggravated due to so-called unavoidable circumstances, dragging on for a full month without recovery, only for them to turn around and blame the physician’s incompetence.
“My apologies, Miss Jiang. This is our fault. From now on, we will follow all your instructions and never disobey medical advice again.”
The man offered his apology in a low, sincere voice, then turned to Lao Jin with a stern tone, “Apologize to Miss Jiang!”
“Miss Jiang, my apologies. I’m a rough man with crude manners. I’m truly sorry.”
Lao Jin didn’t hesitate and immediately said, “Well, if you really can’t get over it in your heart, I can kneel and apologize to you, alright?”
As he spoke, he really looked like he was about to kneel.
Jiang A Yao felt her face grow warm from his display and instinctively stepped back, saying in a deep voice, “There’s no need for that. I just hope you won’t treat doctors like gods from now on. Cherish your own lives.”
After saying all this in one breath, Jiang A Yao actually felt somewhat uneasy inside, but she hadn’t been able to hold back earlier. She truly despised people who didn’t follow medical advice yet demanded doctors guarantee their recovery.
Now seeing their good attitude, she felt somewhat embarrassed again and immediately averted her gaze, squatting down to pretend to check the medicine.
Lao Jin glanced at his master and saw him staring blankly at Jiang A Yao. He figured his master must have been intimidated by this girl too.
His master held such a high official position – everyone who encountered him had to bow and scrape. Now being lectured by this Miss Jiang until he didn’t dare speak was quite extraordinary.
“This medicine will be ready soon. When it’s done, pour it out and let it cool before drinking.”
Jiang A Yao stood up again and looked toward Lao Jin, “I need to go home for a while.”
Lao Jin made an ‘ah’ sound, “Why do you need to go back again…”
“Lao Jin!”
Cut off by his master, Lao Jin didn’t say anything more, giving Jiang A Yao a stiff smile, “Alright, Miss Jiang, feel free to go back. If there’s anything else you need, just say it all at once.”
Jiang A Yao said, “It’s not like I’m leaving forever. There’s nothing else.”
She was just going back to her own home, yet they guarded against her like she was a thief. Thinking about it, her temper couldn’t stay calm.
Lao Jin was left speechless again, watching her leave.
After leaving the courtyard and heading in the direction of the Lu residence, Jiang A Yao had thought everything through clearly while inside the house, but now felt somewhat apprehensive.
How should she broach the subject with Lu Da?
Jiang A Yao felt she had been somewhat impulsive, and was even considering whether to turn back when Lu Da’s voice suddenly sounded, “A Yao.”
She looked up and found Lu Da standing not far from her, holding two large pieces of pork in his hands.
It seemed he had come looking for her too.
For some reason, the moment she saw him, the hesitation in Jiang A Yao’s heart vanished rapidly. She quickened her pace and stood before Lu Da.
“I have something to discuss with you!”
She looked up, her gaze fixed directly on him, sincere and intense.
Lu Da nodded – actually, he had something he wanted to discuss with her too.
“You go first!”
Jiang A Yao didn’t hesitate. Seeing no one around, she directly told him about Lao Jin’s proposal.
“I know this might sound somewhat presumptuous, but if Mingzhu could live in town, it would be better for her recovery.”
Of course, the one who would benefit most was herself.
After speaking, Jiang A Yao felt extremely anxious. She wasn’t afraid that Lu Da would refuse, but rather that he might fall out with her over this.
Seeing that Lu Da didn’t respond immediately, she quickly added, “Actually… we don’t necessarily have to move. I was just suggesting it. I could accompany them to town and then come back. The reward they’re offering could let us live quite comfortably.”
Lu Da looked at her, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips, “A Yao, thank you for thinking of me and Mingzhu.”
Jiang A Yao was slightly taken aback. Was this thanking her? Or was he giving her a polite rejection?
Was he… unwilling to go?
Jiang A Yao sighed. Actually, this answer had been within expectations all along, hadn’t it?
She reined in her emotions, lifted her face, and said with a smile, “You and Mingzhu have been so good to me. Of course I’d miss you.”
Lu Da looked at her and said, “Actually, I originally…”
“Help! Someone help!… Someone’s dying!”
A person came stumbling toward them, their expression utterly panicked.