Lin Chen had just stepped out of the woods when his phone rang.
Glancing at the screen, he saw the call was from Xue Ying, but upon answering, she hemmed and hawed without saying anything for quite some time.
"Is something the matter, Ying Jie?" Lin Chen asked, puzzled.
Finally gathering her courage, Xue Ying said from the other end of the line, "Xiao Chen, do you know how to treat a man's problem?"
"Are you talking about a foot or a leg issue? I need to see the situation before I can determine if I can treat it," Lin Chen asked earnestly.
"Not there, it's... that place," Xue Ying said, her face growing redder as she spoke.
Originally, Xue Ying hadn't wanted to ask for this favor, but since Old Yue had taken such good care of her business and was her elder—and after hearing about Lin Chen's miraculous skills—he pestered Xue Ying to inquire whether she could help him with his lack of fighting spirit.
Being a girl, it was hard for Xue Ying to even bring up such a topic, so she felt more and more embarrassed the more she talked about it.
Lin Chen had actually figured out what Xue Ying was referring to a while ago, but he couldn't resist the opportunity to tease her a bit.
Seeing that Xue Ying was almost at the point of directly saying the scientific name for that thing, Lin Chen finally said with a laugh, "I understand, Ying Jie. I do have a prescription that could help your friend."
"Really?" Xue Ying was overjoyed upon hearing Lin Chen's words.
"Mhm, I'll prepare it today and bring it to you tomorrow," Lin Chen said with a smile.
After hanging up the phone, Xue Ying's cheeks were flushed red.
Old Yue, who was beside her, asked eagerly, "How did it go, Xiao Ying? You have to help your Uncle Yue. Tian Tian, my little wife scolds me, and if this continues, who knows, that little vixen might go out looking for another man."
"It's all your fault, making me lose face. But my friend said he has a prescription we can try," Xue Ying said with a flushed face.
"Thank you, Xiao Ying. If this medicine really works, I'll definitely reward your friend handsomely," Old Yue laughed heartily.
After hanging up, Lin Chen pondered for a moment before heading out the door and down the path into the forest.
Once in the woods, Lin Chen looked around and suddenly walked toward a small red flower.
"xy Flower!"
Crouching down, he took the flower in hand and carefully examined it, confirming it was indeed the catalyst he needed for the medicine.
He carefully placed the xy flower in his medicine basket and continued deeper into the mountains, soon picking a basketful of the required herbs.
Back home, Lin Chen spread out the xy flower and the other herbs on the ground, beginning to prepare the medicine according to the Shennong Bai Cao prescription.
He put the xy flower and a few other herbs into boiling water in the correct sequence and proportions; soon, a strong scent began to permeate the air.
After cooking for about an hour, Lin Chen turned off the heat, opened the pot lid, and the rich aroma filled the entire room, making one feel almost intoxicated just from the smell.
He poured out a big cup of the medicinal liquid onto the table, exhaled deeply, wiped the sweat from his face, and decided to take a shower first.
He was halfway through the shower when Zhao Xiaowen's voice came from outside the courtyard: "Lin Chen, are you there?"
"I'm showering, wait for me inside the house for a while."
"Okay!" Zhao Xiaowen acknowledged and then there was silence.
Lin Chen quickly dried off the water droplets from his body, put on a clean set of clothes, and came out.
At that moment, Zhao Xiaowen was holding a teacup, looking enraptured, and asked with a smile upon seeing Lin Chen, "What tea is this, Lin Chen? It smells so good!"
Looking at the teacup in Zhao Xiaowen's hand, Lin Chen's facial expression grew more animated.
"Did you drink all the tea in that cup?" Lin Chen asked with a peculiar expression.
"Yeah, and it tastes really good too!" Zhao Xiaowen said, somewhat entranced.
Lin Chen, half laughing half crying, said, "Sister, why would you just drink something without asking first?"
"What, what is this stuff?" Zhao Xiaowen suddenly remembered to ask.
Lin Chen blushed and stammered, "It's that medicine I just formulated."
"Spring..." Zhao Xiaowen started to say but felt too embarrassed to continue, and thinking about consuming such a thing made her both ashamed and annoyed, "You, why would you make such a thing when there's no need, I really misjudged you."
Lin Chen said with an aggrieved face, "I was making it for a friend, and I left it on the table. How could I have known you would drink it!"
"What do we do now!" Zhao Xiaowen started to feel the effects intensifying.
Lin Chen was also becoming somewhat flustered, as Zhao Xiaowen had drunk an entire cup, making the medicine's effect exceedingly strong.
"It's so hot, so hot!" Zhao Xiaowen's face was one of agony, and suddenly she attempted to run outside.
This frightened Lin Chen profoundly, as disaster would surely follow if Xiaowen went out in her current state.
Lin Chen quickly took three steps in two and went after her, blocking Xiaowen before she could get far.