When Lu Qing woke up from his deep sleep, the first thing he heard was Xiao Yan's happy laughter.
He looked at himself; the silver needles were gone, and he was covered with a thin blanket.
I don't know how long I slept.
Lu Qing thought to himself, then threw off the covers, put on his shirt, and went outside.
Upon entering the courtyard, they saw Dr. Chen and Xiao Yan sitting at a stone table.
For some reason, they were both laughing heartily.
Xiaoyan, in particular, was holding a piece of white pastry and smiling very happily.
"Brother, you're awake!"
Xiao Yan was giggling when she saw Lu Qing come out of the house, and she was pleasantly surprised.
She jumped off the stone bench with a thud and handed the pastries in her hand to Lu Qing.
"Brother, look, this is yam cake made by Grandpa Chen. It's really delicious. Would you like to have a piece?"
Lu Qing didn't take the pastry, but looked at Dr. Chen: "Grandpa Chen, Xiao Yan didn't do anything funny to you, did she?"
Dr. Chen waved his hand: "It's alright. Xiaoyan is innocent and cheerful. I'm happy to have her to talk to. How are you feeling now that you've just woken up?"
"I feel great." Lu Qing stretched his body. "I feel like I have a lot more strength now. Grandpa Chen, am I fully recovered?"
"It's not that simple," the old doctor chuckled. "Your body is severely depleted and your foundation is weak. You need to recuperate slowly to recover. My'strengthening and nourishing acupuncture' only temporarily mobilizes your vital energy, giving you the illusion of increased strength."
"Next, you will need to take medicinal diets to replenish your body and recover as soon as possible."
"Here, this plate of yam cakes is not only for Xiaoyan, but also for you. Have a few pieces."
"Yam has nourishing effects such as strengthening the spleen and lungs, and tonifying the kidneys and replenishing essence, which is just right for you."
The old doctor pushed the plate of snow-white yam cake on the stone table forward, gesturing to Lu Qing.
Lu Qing looked at the plate of yam cakes with a hesitant expression: "Grandpa Chen, these yam cakes must be very precious, right?"
"It's not that rare. This kind of thing is rare outside, but it grows quite a lot in the mountains, so it's not hard to find. I still have some left here, so feel free to eat it."
Doctor Chen saw through Lu Qing's thoughts and said gently.
He said it so casually, but Lu Qing couldn't possibly take it seriously.
The dangers of the mountains and forests are well known, so the old doctor's ability to dig this thing out is a testament to his skill.
But to really consider this yam a cheap commodity would be naive.
However, he also knew that since the doctor had gone to such lengths, it would be too pretentious for him to refuse.
So he bowed deeply to Dr. Chen and said gratefully, "Thank you very much, Grandpa Chen."
After saying that, he sat down at the stone table and picked up a piece of yam cake to eat.
The pastries are soft, fluffy, and delicious.
Even Lu Qing, who had tasted all sorts of modern pastries in his previous life, found them delicious.
He focused his gaze on the pastries on the plate, and soon, a white light appeared, revealing a note.
【Yam cake: A pastry made primarily with yam.】
【It strengthens the spleen and lungs, fortifies the kidneys and replenishes essence; it seems to have a good effect on nourishing the body.】
The evaluation given by the superpower was exactly the same as the effect described by Doctor Chen.
"Brother, isn't it delicious?" Xiaoyan asked proudly.
"Yes, it's delicious." Lu Qing nodded honestly.
Dr. Chen had been observing Lu Qing, and when he saw that Lu Qing stopped eating after eating a few pieces of yam cake, he couldn't help but nod in approval.
Despite being hungry, he remained polite and did not overeat when faced with delicious food.
He was quite satisfied with Lu Qing's performance.
He had never noticed before that there was such a special boy in the village.
However, it is too early to draw conclusions now; we need to observe the situation for a while longer.
Thinking about the idea that had arisen while Lu Qing was unconscious, Doctor Chen pondered for a moment.
Then he said, "Lu Qing, you said you're interested in medicinal herbs, do you want to study medicine?"
"I wouldn't presume to say I'm studying medicine," Lu Qing quickly replied. "It's just that I've witnessed the wonders of medicinal herbs and have developed a longing for them."
"Grandpa Chen also knows that my family has suffered a misfortune. My parents have passed away, and my family is now destitute. It is really difficult to support us with only two acres of poor land left."
"That's why I thought that if I could learn some skills in identifying and collecting medicinal herbs, I might be able to support my brother and me."
“Gathering herbs can indeed be considered a way out,” Doctor Chen nodded. “However, this path is not easy. There are many dangers in the mountains, and becoming a good herb gatherer is not so easy.”
"You have to try to know, and besides, what job in this world is easy?"
“Indeed, there is no easy job in this world,” Dr. Chen praised. “It is commendable that you have this understanding.”
"In that case, from now on, after each acupuncture session, you can stay and help me dry the medicinal herbs. How much you can remember depends on your comprehension."
"Thank you, Grandpa Chen."
Although Lu Qing had already heard the old doctor mention it before, she was still delighted to hear him bring it up again.
"Grandpa Chen, why can't you teach my brother today?" Xiaoyan asked.
The little guy listened for a long time and actually understood a little bit.
"Not today," Dr. Chen chuckled. "Grandpa Chen has to go into town today, so he doesn't have that much time."
Go into the city?
Lu Qing's heart skipped a beat, but he held back.
His behavior today has gone too far; it's not advisable to inquire further.
Anyway, even if he knew the information about the city now, it wouldn't be of much use to him.
On the contrary, Xiaoyan had no such concerns at all. When she heard that Doctor Chen was going to the city, she immediately widened her curious eyes.
"Grandpa Chen, what's it like inside the city?"
"The city is not something that can be explained in a short time. When Xiaoyan grows up, she will go there herself and find out that the city is much better than the outside world."
Xiaoyan immediately showed a longing expression.
Even Lu Qing was surprised.
Listening to the old doctor, it seems there really is something mysterious about this city.
The three chatted for a while longer before the old doctor stood up.
"Alright, you guys go back first. I also need to prepare and go into the city. Lu Qing, remember, come back for acupuncture in three days."
Seeing that the old doctor was about to leave, Lu Qing hesitated for a moment before saying, "Grandpa Chen, there's something I'd like to ask you."
"Oh, what is it?"
"I would like to ask, what kind of silk thread is relatively strong and not easily broken?"
"Silk thread, what's the use of asking this?"
Lu Qing considered his words carefully and said, "Yesterday, I went fishing by the river and discovered that you seem to have some talent in fishing. However, the fishing rod made of hemp rope at home is not very strong. If you exert a little force, the fishing line will easily break, making it impossible to catch big fish."
"So I'd like to ask Grandpa Chen what kind of fishing line is strong enough to make a better fishing rod."
“A stronger thread...” The old doctor fell into deep thought upon hearing Lu Qing’s words.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, he walked into the house.
"Wait here for me."
