143: Jiang Yan

Colorful pollen was sprinkled into the wound, and granulation quickly spread across the opening. The wound on the side of the Snow Shadow Cat was visibly repairing itself.

In just a few minutes, the wound that had originally been deep enough to see bone was reduced to a single pink scar.

The Snow Shadow Cat's spirits also recovered slightly. It gave the Myriad Flower Butterfly Spirit a grateful look and let out a few soft meows.

Chu Shengfan estimated the prices in the Prefecture City in his mind before speaking up. "The medical fee is one hundred Origin Rune Stones."

He didn't know if this price was high or low, but a young apprentice from the triage line nearby happened to overhear his quote and sighed.

"Physician Chu truly is kind-hearted."

Hearing the apprentice's mutter, Chu Shengfan felt a twinge of regret. Great, he had quoted too low.

He reminded himself that this was the Prefecture City, not Heyu Town, and prices were much higher here. However, since he had already stated the price, it wouldn't be right to change it now.

The young man fumbled around his person for a while before finally holding out a few scattered Origin Rune Stones to Chu Shengfan. He lowered his head, not daring to look Chu Shengfan in the eye, and said nervously:

"I only have these Origin Rune Stones on me right now. I can write an IOU. If you give me some time, I will definitely pay back the remaining debt."

Chu Shengfan pressed his index and middle fingers together and tapped them twice against the side of his neck. Even in the grandest places, there would always be poor people who couldn't afford a meal.

"An IOU won't be necessary. Just leave collateral behind—for instance, it."

When he said 'it', Chu Shengfan pointed to the Snow Shadow Cat lying on the examination table.

The youth was stunned for a moment, his expression shifting several times before he finally nodded with difficulty.

"Lord Physician, my name is Zhou Minghuai. I will definitely gather enough money to pay the medical fees as soon as possible. I'll leave Little Mingshun in your care."

He then leaned down and whispered something into the Snow Shadow Cat's ear before leaving the Medical Clinic, looking back three times with every step.

Chu Shengfan picked up the Snow Shadow Cat by the scruff of its neck with one hand and placed it on one side of his examination table before continuing to see the next patient.

After a day had passed, Chu Shengfan stretched and did a rough calculation of the day's consultations.

Not counting Cheng Yu at the beginning, he had seen a total of thirteen patients. Some had severe injuries while others were relatively minor, so the fees varied. In total, he had earned three thousand Origin Rune Stones.

After finishing the accounts, Chu Shengfan looked with some surprise at the Snow Shadow Cat, which had been staying obediently in a corner of the examination table the whole time.

He had originally thought the cat would sneak away while he was busy, but it turned out to be quite well-behaved.

Although any attempt to escape under Chu Shengfan's nose would likely have failed, the fact that it hadn't even tried gave Chu Shengfan a much better impression of the cat and its owner.

Tucking the kitten into his arms, Chu Shengfan spoke to Pharmacy Curator and then left the pharmacy... Qixia Mountain, early morning.

A youth dressed in coarse hemp clothes placed a large bundle of purple iris flowers at the entrance of the Chu Family Residence, just as he had done before. He silently glanced at the tightly closed gates of the Chu house, then turned to head down the mountain.

He had done this many times, but today seemed a bit different. Just as he turned around, the gates of the Chu house opened from the inside.

An attendant with an unusual aura emerged and walked quickly to intercept the youth in black.

"Please wait, Young Master. My Young Mistress requests your presence."

The youth in black's expression froze. He was tall and sturdy, though his face still held a hint of boyishness.

"Thank you for the Young Mistress's kindness, but I have no intention of intruding. I shall leave now."

As he spoke, he tried to go around the attendant to head down the mountain path.

But as he passed, the attendant extended an arm to block his path.

The attendant still smiled gently. "Young Master, I am truly sorry, but my Young Mistress has given strict orders that I must bring you back for a meeting. If you do not go, I can only apologize for what follows."

The youth in black was highly perceptive. The extraordinary pressure coming from the attendant told him that even though he was a head taller, he could not win through force. Furthermore, this was his aunt's marital home; it would be unseemly to start a fight here.

He turned around in silence, facing the Chu family gate, and gave a silent signal to be led inside... Within the Chu Family Residence, the Chu Family Member had just finished breakfast together.

As Jiang Nian was preparing to take the three children to the Library Courtyard, Nanny Liu arrived before her, leading a small Maidservant who was carrying a bundle of purple iris flowers.

A complex look flashed in Jiang Nian's eyes. She looked down at the three children. "You three go to the Library Courtyard to copy books first. I will join you shortly."

Chu Shengyuan wanted to ask something, but Chu Shenghan covered his mouth and pulled him forward by the arm.

"Mother, we'll be going then," she said, completely ignoring Chu Shengyuan's struggles.

After the three children left, Nanny Liu stepped forward to report. "Young Mistress, the person is currently in the front hall. Should I inform the Young Master and have him accompany you?"

Nanny Liu felt that a husband and wife were one. While there was nothing wrong with Jiang Nian seeing her own family, they hadn't been in contact for years, so it was better for him to know.

Jiang Nian was silent for a moment. "Just let him know; there's no need for him to make an extra trip."

"Yes." Nanny Liu turned and left in another direction. After standing there for a moment, Jiang Nian led two small Maidservants to the front hall.

In the front hall, the youth in black, Jiang Yan, sat somewhat stiffly in a chair on the side of the hall. On the square table next to him, tea and some exquisite pastries had already been laid out.

However, he clearly had no heart to enjoy them. His gaze flickered toward the entrance of the hall from time to time as he constantly wondered how this aunt he had never met would treat him.

Before long, with a series of light footsteps, Jiang Nian entered the front hall with two Maidservants. She walked straight to the main seat without looking aside, and only then did she turn her gaze toward Jiang Yan.

The 'aunt and nephew' who had never met before silently sized each other up for a while.

Jiang Nian sighed inwardly. He looked so much like her brother. She had regretted not seeing her brother when she went back last time; she should have stayed a bit longer.

"What is your name?" Jiang Nian asked in as flat a tone as possible.

"Jiang Yan. The 'Yan' from 'Junyan'," Jiang Yan replied in a low voice, not saying a word more than necessary.

"How old are you now?"

"Seventeen this year."

He was born about a year after she left home, Jiang Nian calculated silently.

"What do you do at home these days?"

"Gathering herbs on the mountain, or tending to the purple iris flowers in the fields." Jiang Yan's gaze went vacant as he looked at the mahogany pillar opposite him.

Jiang Nian frowned slightly. Back then, her brother had been a minor clerk in town who wrote documents. How did it come to Jiang Yan tending to a few acres of fields?

"Why do you frequently come here to deliver those purple iris flowers?"

"To thank the Young Mistress for saving my life. I heard that when the Young Mistress was young, she loved decorating her room with purple iris flowers. We farmers have nothing of value to repay you with, so we can only offer these common things as a small tribute."

Hearing this, Jiang Nian was silent for a moment and let out a melancholy sigh. "Are your parents well?"

The youth in black, who had answered every question so far, fell silent for a moment. Under Jiang Nian's questioning gaze, he slowly replied:

"Thirteen years ago, a Source Beast from within Mount Ziyuan attacked the village. My parents lost their lives in that attack."