“Master, you can save these for tomorrow. Come to our house for dinner tonight,” Yu Banxia said with a playful smile.
Zhao Boxian pointed at her with a look of helplessness.
Then he said, “Don’t bother saving them. Take them back, or they might spoil or get eaten by mice.”
“Alright, we’ll take them back and eat them together.”
Without waiting for Yu Banxia to speak, Yu Mancang had already put the dishes back.
It was getting late, and in the village, patients didn’t come knocking at all hours.
Zhao Boxian followed the siblings directly to the Yu household. On the way, they encountered a few villagers, one of whom greeted Zhao Boxian with a smile.
“Doctor Zhao, I just saw my cousin. He told me you have a very skilled female apprentice. How come I never heard about this before?”
Zhao Boxian glanced at Yu Banxia and chuckled, “I do have two female apprentices, but one isn’t around.”
“So it’s true? When did she come? I haven’t heard a single word about it.”
“This apprentice of mine is someone you all know. You’ve even watched her grow up,” Zhao Boxian said, deliberately sounding mysterious.
The villagers exchanged puzzled glances and began guessing.
“Someone we watched grow up… Could it be one of the younger generation from our village? I can’t think of anyone, and I haven’t heard of any family sending their child to you to study medicine.”
Zhao Boxian laughed heartily and proudly pointed at Yu Banxia. “It’s little Banxia. She’s been learning from me for almost eleven years now.”
“What?” Everyone present widened their eyes in shock.
Thinking back carefully, Yu Banxia did often go up the mountain to gather herbs and deliver them to Doctor Zhao’s house. When she was little, she often went there to play.
So this girl had actually been studying medicine under Doctor Zhao all along. Who would have thought that the Yu family’s daughter could be so patient and keep it to herself all this time?
“Little Banxia knows medicine? Then the women in the nearby villages will be blessed from now on,” the villagers said sincerely, feeling genuinely happy.
Zhao Boxian smiled and agreed, then added, “You all go about your business. I’m off to my apprentice’s house for dinner.”
“Of course, Doctor Zhao, go ahead,” the villagers quickly stepped aside to let them pass.
After Zhao Boxian and the two siblings had walked away, the villagers happily remarked, “Who would have thought that little Banxia, who was so infatuated with Xu Xiucai, actually knows medicine?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. I heard from my wife that today, Xu Xiucai sent a matchmaker to their house, and the Yu family chased her out right away.”
“Really?” This immediately piqued everyone’s curiosity.
The villagers chatted as they walked, soon disappearing into the distance.
…
“Mom, I’m back,” Yu Banxia called out as soon as she entered the courtyard.
Five Eight Immortals Tables were set up in the yard. Seeing them, Yu Banxia had another idea and walked over to her uncle.
“Uncle, I’ll draw you a few diagrams later. You can make a round table that seats ten people,” Yu Banxia said to Yu Hongyu.
Yu Hongyu’s eyes lit up as he looked at Yu Banxia. “The person who came to buy crutches earlier said a young girl recommended us. That must have been you, right?”
“Hehe, keep the good stuff in the family,” Yu Banxia said playfully, wrinkling her nose. Yu Hongyu affectionately tapped his niece’s nose.
Yu Banxia wasted no time. She pulled Yu Hongyu aside, picked up a stone, and began drawing on the ground.
After seeing her design, Yu Hongyu exclaimed in admiration, “You’re a genius!””There’s also a type called the Folding Eight Immortals Table. It looks like a regular Eight Immortals Table normally, but when needed, it can be propped up.”
“However, Uncle, I suggest adding two corners to make it more stable.” As she spoke, she sketched out the folding Eight Immortals Table.
Yu Hongyu repeatedly praised the idea and said to Yu Banxia, “After dinner, come to my house and draw it out for me. Once I finish making the wheelchair for you, I’ll start on this.”
“Sure thing. Oh, and Uncle, here’s some money for you.” She took out ten taels of silver from her purse.
Yu Hongyu widened his eyes and blurted out, “Did you rob a bank or something?”
“Uncle…” Yu Banxia sighed helplessly. Why was he acting like an old child?
Yu Hongyu quickly laughed it off, apologizing repeatedly.
“Yesterday, I dug up a ginseng plant in the mountains and sold it at my master’s shop today.”
“Master? What master?” Yu Hongyu was stunned, and Madam Wu and the others, who had been watching the playful exchange between uncle and niece, were also taken aback.
Yu Banxia pointed at Zhao Boxian and said, “Doctor Zhao is actually my master. I apologize for not mentioning it earlier, but I’ve been learning medicine from him for over ten years.”
“Let’s not talk about my foolish past.”
“Our Xiaxia actually knows medicine?” Lan Qiuju suddenly remembered something.
She exclaimed in surprise, “When I was giving birth, this girl barged in and seemed to stuff something slightly bitter yet refreshingly sweet into my mouth. At the time, I was in labor and didn’t pay much attention.”
“I was almost out of strength, but after eating that, I regained my energy and gave birth to Chunlan.”
Madam Wu also looked curiously at Yu Banxia. Searching her memory, Yu Banxia recalled that it had indeed happened when she was seven years old.
Her cousin-in-law was screaming in pain in the room, and Yu Banxia slipped in, placing a Sugar Lotus Seed without the bitter core into her mouth.
Oh, what a beautiful misunderstanding had been born.
“So it was you who saved my life back then, you little rascal.” Lan Qiuju looked at Yu Banxia with immense gratitude.
Yu Banxia opened her mouth to speak but simply chuckled without explaining. Let this beautiful misunderstanding remain as it was.
Yu Hongyu added, “Xiaxia, why are you giving me so much money?”
“If Uncle wants to have those things made, won’t you need to spend money to hire someone to do it? It’ll cost something.”
“Keep it with you; it’ll always come in handy. If it’s not enough, come find me again.”
After a long pause, Yu Hongyu said excitedly, “Goodness, there really came a day when someone told me, ‘If you don’t have enough money, come find me again.'”
“Hahaha, you mischievous monkey.” Madam Wu burst into laughter.
The joyful laughter in the courtyard made Yu Meihua’s mother glance frequently toward the Yu family’s direction, sniffing the air repeatedly—it smelled so delicious.
Fortunately, the leftover meat from last night had been shared among everyone, so she wasn’t too envious.
“Come, come, today is a day worth celebrating. Let’s raise our glasses together and toast.” As the head of the household, Yu Hongwen stood up and raised his cup in invitation.
“Haha, good. Let’s toast to our growing prosperity.” Yu Hongyuan also laughed heartily.
Yu Banxia watched with a smile. Yu Hongwen then turned to Zhao Boxian and said, “Doctor Zhao, I must trouble you to continue looking after my daughter in the future.”
“This disciple of mine is clever, wise, and well-behaved. She is sure to achieve great things in the future.””Over the years, I have often been looked after by this girl. I am a solitary person by nature, yet she is the only one who isn’t afraid of me and frequently comes to keep me company and talk.”