Chapter 12: Yam Cake, Silk Thread

When Lu Qing woke from his slumber, the first thing he heard was Xiao Yan’s happy laughter.

He checked himself; the silver needles were gone, and he was covered by a thin quilt.

He had no idea how long he had been asleep.

Lu Qing thought to himself, then pushed off the quilt, put on his outer garment, and walked outside.

Upon reaching the courtyard, he saw Old Doctor Chen sitting at a stone table with Xiao Yan.

Whatever they were talking about, both were laughing heartily.

Xiao Yan, in particular, was holding a piece of white pastry, looking exceptionally happy.

"Brother, you're awake!"

Xiao Yan was giggling, but upon seeing Lu Qing emerge from the room, she was pleasantly surprised.

She hopped off the stone stool with a thud and handed the pastry in her hand to Lu Qing.

"Brother, look, this is yam cake made by Grandpa Chen. It’s super delicious. Do you want to have a piece?"

Lu Qing did not take the pastry, but instead looked at Old Doctor Chen: "Grandpa Chen, Xiao Yan hasn't been bothering you, has she?"

Old Doctor Chen waved his hand: "Not at all. Xiao Yan is innocent and lively; having her here to talk to made me very happy. How are you feeling now that you've just woken up?"

"I feel great." Lu Qing stretched his body a little. "It feels like I suddenly have a lot of strength. Grandpa Chen, does this mean I have fully recovered?"

"It’s not that simple." The old doctor chuckled. "Your body was severely depleted and your foundation is weak; it will take time and careful nourishment to recover. My 'Root-Consolidating and Essence-Nurturing' needles only temporarily mobilized your vital energy, which is why you have the illusion of having greatly increased strength."

"Moving forward, you must supplement your diet with medicinal meals to make up for your body's deficiencies and get better sooner."

"Come, this plate of yam cake isn't just for Xiao Yan; it was made for you as well. Eat a few pieces."

"Yam has the effect of strengthening the spleen, nourishing the lungs, and consolidating the kidneys and essence. It is perfect for you."

The old doctor pushed the plate of snow-white yam cakes on the stone table toward Lu Qing, gesturing for him to eat.

Lu Qing looked at the plate of yam cakes, his expression hesitant: "Grandpa Chen, these yam cakes must be very precious, right?"

"Precious? Not really. While this stuff is rare outside, it grows quite abundantly in the mountains, so it’s not hard to find. I still have some in stock, so feel free to eat."

Old Doctor Chen saw through Lu Qing’s thoughts and said warmly.

He made it sound easy, but how could Lu Qing take it at face value?

The dangers of the mountain forests were common knowledge; it was the old doctor’s skill that allowed him to dig these up.

But if he truly treated these yams as cheap goods, he would be far too naive.

However, he also knew that since the old doctor had put it this way, refusing again would be overly pretentious.

So, he gave a deep bow to Old Doctor Chen and said gratefully: "Then thank you very much, Grandpa Chen."

With that, he sat down at the stone table and picked up a piece of yam cake to eat.

The pastry was soft, fragrant, and glutinous—truly delicious.

Even Lu Qing, who had tasted all kinds of modern pastries in his past life, found it exceptionally good.

He focused his gaze on the pastry on the plate, and soon, a white light flickered, and text appeared.

【Yam Cake: A pastry made primarily from yam.】

【Strengthens the spleen and nourishes the lungs, consolidates the kidneys and essence; it seems to have a good effect on nourishing the body.】

The ability's evaluation was exactly the same as what Old Doctor Chen had said.

"Brother, isn't it delicious?" Xiao Yan asked proudly.

"Mm, it is very delicious." Lu Qing nodded honestly.

Old Doctor Chen had been observing Lu Qing the whole time. Seeing him stop after eating only a few pieces, he couldn't help but nod inwardly.

Despite being hungry, he remained polite in the face of good food and was not greedy.

Lu Qing’s behavior left him quite satisfied.

He hadn't noticed such a special young man in the village before.

However, it was still a bit too early to draw conclusions; he would need to observe him for a while longer.

Thinking of the idea that had sprouted while Lu Qing was asleep, Old Doctor Chen pondered for a moment.

Then he said: "Lu Qing, you said you were interested in medicinal herbs. Are you looking to study medicine?"

"I wouldn't dare speak of studying medicine," Lu Qing quickly replied. "It’s just that I’ve seen the wonders of medicinal herbs and felt a sense of longing."

"Grandpa Chen also knows that my family suffered a tragedy; my parents passed away, and we are left destitute. Relying solely on the two acres of poor farmland is truly difficult to sustain us."

"That is why I thought that if I could learn the skill of identifying and gathering herbs, perhaps I could use it to support my sister and myself."

"Gathering herbs is indeed a way out." Old 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 simple."

"I have to try to know. Besides, is there any job in this world that is easy?"

"True, there is no job in this world that is easy." Old Doctor Chen praised. "It is rare that you have such an understanding."

"Since that is the case, from next time on, after I finish the acupuncture, you can stay and help me dry the herbs. How much you remember will depend on your own aptitude."

"Thank you, Grandpa Chen."

Although he had heard the old doctor mention it before, hearing it again now, Lu Qing still felt delighted.

"Grandpa Chen, why can't you teach Brother today?" Xiao Yan asked.

The little one had listened for a long time and finally understood a little bit.

"Today won't work." Old Doctor Chen laughed. "Today, Grandpa Chen has to make a trip into the city, so I don't have that much time."

Into the city?

Lu Qing’s heart stirred, but he held back.

His performance today was already a bit out of the ordinary; it was not appropriate to pry further.

In any case, even if he knew information about the city now, it wouldn't be of much use to him.

Xiao Yan, on the other hand, had no such reservations. Upon hearing that Old Doctor Chen was going to the city, her eyes widened with curiosity.

"Grandpa Chen, what is the city like?"

"The city? That’s not something that can be explained in a short while. When Xiao Yan grows up, you can go see for yourself. The city is far better than the outside world."

Xiao Yan immediately showed a look of longing.

Even Lu Qing was surprised.

Listening to the old doctor, it seemed there really was something special about the city.

The three chatted for a while longer before the old doctor stood up.

"Alright, you two head back first. I need to prepare to head into the city. Lu Qing, remember, come back in three days for your next acupuncture session."

Seeing the old doctor about to leave, Lu Qing hesitated for a moment before saying: "Grandpa Chen, there is one thing I would like to ask you."

"Oh? What is it?"

"I would like to ask, is there any kind of thread that is relatively tough and not easily broken?"

"Thread? What do you need that for?"

Lu Qing weighed his words and said: "Yesterday, I went fishing by the river and discovered that I seem to have a bit of talent for angling. However, the fishing line made of hemp thread at home isn't very strong; if I use even a little force, it breaks easily, making it impossible to catch large fish."

"So I wanted to ask Grandpa Chen if there is any thread that is tougher and suitable for making better fishing lines."

"Tougher thread..." The old doctor fell into deep thought upon hearing Lu Qing’s words.

Suddenly, as if thinking of something, he walked toward the house.

"Wait here for a moment."