Chapter 35: Guarding the Stump Waiting for Rabbits

  "You're making me laugh, just you wait and I'll tear your mouth!" The little sister's face turned red as she tried to grab the young woman again. The young woman laughed and dodged out of the way, seeing someone else coming down with a water bucket, said: "Alright, alright, stop it, people are still waiting to fetch water."

  The two girls had already fetched water and were carrying it up the stone steps. The younger sister blushed as she walked past Zuo Shouyang, glanced at him, giggled, and continued on her way up the stairs.

  He touched the neat and tidy bun on his head, gazing at the distant figure of his little sister's slender waist, and his nose still lingered with her faint body fragrance. But somehow, this scent reminded him of the fresh grass scent on the firewood girl's body, the tender shoots of green grass in spring, and he couldn't help but feel a bit dizzy.

  He fetched water, opened the door and swept the floor. It didn't snow last night, so there was no need to sweep the snow off the ground.

  Zuo Gui's old father had not yet gotten out of bed, so there was no need to open the medicine shop. He cracked open a pine nut and ground it into juice using a small scallion tube to feed the little squirrel, who was very familiar with this routine and quickly ate its fill. The little squirrel curled up in its nest and continued sleeping.

  When he had finished cleaning the house, Zuo Gui got out of bed. His sister Huixiang also came, and there was only one day left to raise money, so she was worried about her parents too, so she ran over these days.

  Li's wife boiled some hot water and made a pot of hot tea for Zuo Gui, anxiously saying: "Master, tomorrow is the 30th of the lunar year, what can we do about the 2,100 wen house rent?"

  "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!" Zuo Gui's teacup was very large, and his head was buried in it as he spoke in a muffled tone: "Wait a while, I'll take Zhong'er to make the rounds again, earn some money for New Year's, and this time we won't hand over the earnings. We'll buy a knife-cut piece of meat for New Year's, and there are still thirty nights left until Chinese New Year. If it doesn't work out tomorrow, we'll move away, and with the one or two hundred coins in our hands, we can rent a house to live in. In the future, your father and I will make a living as street doctors, and we won't starve!"

  "Alas! It can't be helped." said Liang.

  Huixiang had already heard from Zuo Shaoyang the day before about their rescue of the young master of the wealthy family in Lao Huai Tree Village, and said: "Father, if we can keep our Gui Zhi Tang signboard, we must keep it. I thought about it last night, if all else fails, we'll go to Hui Min Tang to find the family whose child was ill yesterday and ask them for help to borrow two thousand coins to get through this difficult time, and then pay them back when we make more money."

  "No way!" Zuo Gui put down the large teacup and glanced at Huixiang: "We already collected over a thousand coins from him yesterday, which was already quite inappropriate. If we go to borrow more money from him again, he won't know about our difficulties and will think that we are greedy for more money, it's laughable."

  "Being laughed at is better than being swept out the door!" Xiang muttered.

  "What did you say?" Zuigui glared and said.

  "Father, we're just borrowing, not defaulting. You saved their son's life, so lending some money shouldn't be a problem, right? They saw you save their son's life, so they should trust that your medical skills can earn money and pay back the debt. We explained all this to them, and they should understand. At worst, we'll just have to pay some interest..."

  "No way!" Zuigui said coldly, "I said no and it's no! A married-out daughter is like spilled water, don't interfere with family matters. Just take care of your own husband's household!"

  Sister Hui Xiang's words made Zuo Shao Yang's eyes light up, and he thought of an idea. He said, "Dad, I'll go pack our things, prepare some dry rations and water, and after you finish your tea, we can continue our medical rounds?"

  "Hmm!" Zuigui held up his teacup and continued savoring it.

  Zuo Shaoyang borrowed a kitchen and asked Huixiang for help, and the two entered the kitchen. Zuo Shaoyang said: "Sister, I thought of a way to make money, do you think it's feasible?"

  "You said!"

  "Dress up and go to the vicinity of Huimin Hall pharmacy, observe if there are any difficult or stubborn diseases that they can't cure. Once you find out, follow them to figure out the patient's home address, and come back to notify us immediately. We'll go think of a way to treat their illness. If we can cure what Huimin Hall can't, Father won't say anything about it either, and it doesn't count as competing with them. What do you think?"

  "Hmm, it's a good method, but if Huimin Hall can't cure the illness, how can Father cure it?"

  "How can we know if it's not possible without trying? Besides, these two days Father has been a miracle worker, ah no, a master healer, and he has cured two critically ill patients in a row. We should have confidence in Father!"

  As soon as this matter was mentioned, Angelica also perked up: "That's right! Good, let's do it that way. Then if I find out that Huimin Hall can't cure a patient, where should I go to look for you? Aren't you going to leave the city and go up the mountain to make rounds?"

  "I'll think of a way to persuade Father later. We won't leave the city today. In the city, at Wa Market, set up a medicine stall, and you can find us."

  "Alright! I'll go right away!"

  Hui Xiang was an impatient person, she acted on impulse. As she turned to leave, Zuo Shao Yang called out to her again: "Sister, wait!"

  "Huh?" Lavender turned around and looked at him.

  Zuo Shaoyang wanted to ask her about the water-carrying girl, but hesitated and muttered: "This... that... never mind, let's talk about it later."

  "What are you mumbling about?!" Xiang didn't look good-tempered and glared at him, "If you have something to say, just say it!"

  "Alright, I want to ask you about someone."

  "Who is it?"

  "Do you know that there's a girl, I heard a young woman call her Little Sister, every morning she often goes with the young woman to the river in front of us to fetch water. She has long braids and likes to smile..." Zuo Shao Yang described Little Sister and the young woman's appearance.

  Xiangxiang smiled: "You must be referring to the third daughter of the Tea Pavilion's owner, named Sang Xiaomei?"

  "Really? Hehe, I don't know if it is either."

  "How could you not know? You often accompanied your father to their tea house to buy tea leaves, and when you were free in the morning, you would also drink tea there. The one you're talking about should be her. The old couple of the Sang family has three sons and daughters, the eldest brother is married, and among the three daughters, the youngest sister is the smallest. The woman who carried water with him should be his sister-in-law. She also has two sisters, both of whom are married. Speaking of which, this little sister still has a connection with our family... - What? You're still thinking about this?"

  "What's wrong?"

  Seeing Zuo Shaoyang's dazed and confused expression, Huixiang thought he was still suffering from a head injury and hadn't recovered yet. She sighed and said: "You and Father often go to their tea house for tea, and the Wang family's wife next door told Mother that you and the young lady of the Sang family are quite compatible. Should we have them arrange a marriage? Mother agreed, so she asked Mrs. Wang to discreetly ask about the Sang family's intentions. If they were willing, then Father would be told, and if he also agreed, they would formally propose the match through a matchmaker. But after Mrs. Wang went to the Sang house to discuss it, they gave a strange response - neither agreeing nor disagreeing. As a result, the matter was left hanging, and Mother didn't dare mention it to Father again, so Father still doesn't know about this."

  Zuo Shaoyang thought to himself, "I didn't expect there was something like this inside. It's probably because Sang Xiaomei and her sister-in-law already knew about it, that's why they're making fun of me." Thinking about Sang Xiaomei's slender figure, he couldn't help but feel a little moved. But now, with the family being so poor, who has the energy to think about these things? He shook his head and said to Xiangxiang, "It's nothing, sister, you can go."

  "Huai Xiang took a glance at Xiao Yang and said in a low voice, 'I think this matter is hopeless. I heard that San Xiao Mei's parents are very mercantile, especially her mother, who only recognizes money but not people! They probably look down on our family because we're poor, but since your father often goes to their tea shop to drink and buy tea, they don't want to lose a customer, so they just smile and nod without taking a stance. Don't think too much about it, and don't tell your father either. I'm helping you find a good wife with your sister's husband, we won't let you down!'"

  As she spoke, Huixiang patted Zuo Shao Yang's shoulder and turned to leave. She told her mother that there were some things at home that she hadn't taken care of yet, so she had to go back first, then left.

  Zuo Shaoyang said to Lao Guizai, "Dad, today is the 29th of the lunar year. The village doctors who go around the villages and towns on New Year's Eve, won't they think it's unlucky? Yesterday I saw how they looked at us, I felt strange. They didn't let us get close to their homes, made us sit at the door, as if they were afraid we would bring some disease into their home."

  "Really? Won't it?" Zuo Gui didn't know how others felt, but since ancient times, there was a custom of sending off the plague god at the end of the year, so thinking about it, it made some sense, and he suddenly became hesitant.

  "Besides, we already saw the patient in Lao Huai Village yesterday. The patient who was seen only took medicine for one day and probably hasn't recovered yet. After the New Year, we'll go again, their illness will be almost cured, and then collect the money. We can continue to make our rounds at that time, and there shouldn't be any unlucky things happening then, right?"

  "Hmm, if that's the case, then let's go next year. What shall we do today?" Zuo Gui knew that if they waited at the pharmacy, there might still be very few people coming to seek medical treatment.

  "Why don't we go to the Tile City and set up a stall to practice medicine? There are many people coming and going from all directions, who knows if someone has a headache or fever and wants to see a doctor, wouldn't that be great?"