At dinner time, Bai Zepei returned from the East Courtyard and handed a paper-wrapped package to Bai Ruozhu, saying, "Du Zhongshu found two of the medicinal materials you asked for. He said he would deduct the cost from your bonus so you don't have to worry about it."
Bai Ruozhu gratefully accepted the medicinal materials, not thinking too much about why Du Zhongshu hadn't delivered them to her himself given the short distance between the East and West Courtyards.
She opened the paper wrapper to find only two varieties of medicinal materials inside, neither of which was the most valuable one. It was nowhere near enough to make a new ointment, so her previous smile faded, and she shook her head frowningly.
Lin Ping'er and Bai Yihong both leaned over to look. Seeing her daughter like this, Lin Ping'er quickly asked, "Ruozhu, is something wrong with the medicine?"
