When Lu Qing awoke from his deep sleep, the first thing he heard was Little Yan's joyful laughter.
He looked at himself, noticing the silver needles were gone, and a thin quilt covered him.
He had no idea how long he had slept.
Lu Qing thought quietly, uncovering the quilt, and putting on his clothes as he walked outside.
In the courtyard, he saw Old Doctor Chen sitting at a stone table with Little Yan.
He wondered what they were talking about, as both were laughing heartily.
Especially Little Yan, who held a piece of white cake in her hand, smiling particularly happily.
"Brother, you're awake!"
Little Yan was giggling, and when she saw Lu Qing come out of the house, she was pleasantly surprised.
She jumped off the stone bench with a thud and handed the cake in her hand to Lu Qing.
"Brother, look, it's yam cake made by Grandpa Chen. It's super tasty. Want to try a piece?"
Lu Qing did not take the cake but looked towards Old Doctor Chen, "Grandpa Chen, Little Yan hasn't been bothering you, has she?"
Old Doctor Chen waved his hand, "No worries. Little Yan is innocent and lively. Having her to chat with makes me very happy. So, how do you feel now that you're awake?"
"I feel great." Lu Qing moved his body a bit, "It seems like I suddenly have a lot of energy. Grandpa Chen, does this mean I've fully recovered?"
"It's not that simple." The elder doctor chuckled, "Your body was severely depleted and weak, and it will take time to recuperate. My Strengthening Needle merely temporarily stimulated your primordial qi, giving you the illusion of increased strength."
"Next, you'll need to supplement your body with medicinal meals to restore your vitality and recover quickly."
"Come, this plate of yam cake isn't only for Little Yan; it's made for you too. Have a few pieces."
"Yam is good for strengthening the spleen, nourishing the lungs, fortifying the kidneys, and benefiting essence, perfect for you."
The elder doctor pushed the plate of snowy-white yam cake on the stone table forward, gesturing to Lu Qing.
Lu Qing looked at the plate of yam cake with hesitation on his face, "Grandpa Chen, this yam cake must be quite precious, right?"
"Not precious. It's rarely seen outside, but there's quite a bit growing in the mountains, so it's not hard to find. I still have some stored here, feel free to eat it." Old Doctor Chen spoke gently, seeing through Lu Qing's thoughts.
He made it sound easy, but Lu Qing couldn't take it literally.
Everyone knew the dangers of the mountain forests, and it was the elder doctor's skill that allowed him to extract such things.
However, to genuinely regard this yam as a common item would be naive.
But he knew that since Old Doctor Chen had already spoken this much, refusing again would be overly pretentious.
So he gave Old Doctor Chen a deep bow, expressing his gratitude, "Thank you very much, Grandpa Chen."
With that, he sat down at the stone table, picking up a piece of yam cake to eat.
The cake was soft, moist, fragrant, and very delicious.
Even Lu Qing, who had tasted a variety of modern cakes in his previous life, found it extremely tasty.
His gaze fell upon the cakes on the plate, and soon, white light flashed, revealing floating characters.
[Yam Cake: A cake made with yam as the main ingredient.]
[It strengthens the spleen and nourishes the lungs, fortifies the kidneys, and benefits essence, seeming to have a good nourishing effect on the body.]
The evaluation given by Superpower matched exactly what Old Doctor Chen said about the effect.
"Brother, isn't it delicious?" Little Yan asked proudly.
"Yes, it is very delicious." Lu Qing nodded honestly.
Old Doctor Chen had been observing Lu Qing. Seeing him stop after eating a few pieces of yam cake, he nodded to himself discreetly.
*Though hungry, facing delicious food, he still remained courteous and did not indulge.*
*Lu Qing's behavior greatly satisfied him.*
*He hadn't noticed before that there was such a special young man in the village.*
*However, it was too early to draw conclusions now; further observation was needed.*
*Thinking of the idea that had sprung to mind while Lu Qing was asleep, Old Doctor Chen pondered for a moment.*
Then he said, "Lu Qing, you mentioned being interested in medicinal herbs; do you want to study medicine?"
"I wouldn't dare claim to study medicine." Lu Qing replied quickly, "*It's just that having witnessed the wonders of medicinal herbs, I developed an admiration for them.*"
"Grandpa Chen knows my family experienced hardships, losing both parents, and now incredibly poor, barely getting by with those two remaining acres of meager land."
"So I thought if I could learn some skills in identifying and gathering herbs, maybe I could support my sister and myself."
"Gathering herbs indeed could be a way out." Old Doctor Chen nodded, "But this path isn't easy either. There are many dangers in the mountains, and becoming a good herb gatherer isn't that simple."
"You have to try to know. Moreover, in this world, is there any occupation that's easy?"
"Indeed, in this world, no job is easy." Old Doctor Chen agreed approvingly, "It's rare for you to have such insight."
"Since that's the case, from next time, every time after the needle therapy, you can stay and help me dry herbs. How much you can remember depends on your own comprehension."
"Thank you, Grandpa Chen."
Even though he had heard the elder doctor say this before, hearing him mention it again, Lu Qing still felt delighted.
"Grandpa Chen, why not teach Brother today?" Little Yan asked.
The little one had listened for a long time and understood a bit.
"Today isn't possible." Old Doctor Chen chuckled, "Today, Grandpa Chen needs to go to the city and doesn't have that much time."
Going to the city?
*Lu Qing felt a stir inside, but he held himself back.*
*He knew that his behavior had already been a bit out of line today, so it was best not to pry further.*
*After all, knowing information about the city wasn't of much use to him at the moment.*
Little Yan, however, had no such reservations. Hearing Old Doctor Chen say he was going to the city, her eyes widened with curiosity.
"Grandpa Chen, what's the city like?"
"The city, that's not something you can easily explain. When Little Yan grows up and visits herself, you'll see. The city is much better than the outside world, by far."
Little Yan immediately showed a longing expression.
Even Lu Qing felt a sense of wonder within him.
*According to the elder doctor, the city seemed to indeed have its mysteries.*
The three of them chatted a little longer before the elder doctor stood up.
"Alright, you two should head back first. I need to get ready to make a trip into the city. Lu Qing, remember to come back in three days for the needle therapy."
Seeing the elder doctor was about to leave, Lu Qing hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Grandpa Chen, there's something I'd like to ask you."
"Oh, what is it?"
"I'd like to ask if there is any thread that is robust and not easy to break?"
"Thread, what do you need it for?"
Lu Qing thought carefully and said, "Yesterday, I went to the river to fish, and I found out, young as I am, I seem to have some talent for fishing. But the fishing rod made with hemp line at home isn't very strong. As soon as I apply a bit of force, the line breaks easily, making it difficult to catch big fish."
"So, I wanted to ask Grandpa Chen if there is any thread that is robust and suitable for making better fishing rods."
"Robust thread..." The elder doctor pondered Lu Qing's words deeply.
Suddenly, as if he had an idea, he turned and headed towards the house.
"Wait for me here."