Yam Cake, Silk Thread

When Lu Qing woke from his deep sleep, the first thing he heard was Xiao Yan's delighted laughter.

He looked himself over. The silver needles were already gone, and a thin blanket covered him.

He had no idea how long he had slept.

Lu Qing thought to himself as he threw back the blanket, put on his shirt, and walked outside.

When he reached the courtyard, he saw Old Doctor Chen and Xiao Yan sitting at a stone table.

Who knew what they had been talking about? Both of them were laughing heartily.

Xiao Yan in particular was laughing especially happily, holding a piece of white pastry in her hand.

"Brother, you're awake!"

Xiao Yan had been giggling when she spotted Lu Qing emerging from the room, and her face immediately lit up in surprise.

With a thump, she jumped down from the stone stool and held out the pastry in her hand to him.

"Brother, look! This is Yam Cake made by Grandpa Chen. It's really delicious. Do you want a piece too?"

Lu Qing did not take the pastry. Instead, he looked at Old Doctor Chen. "Grandpa Chen, Xiao Yan hasn't been making trouble for you, has she?"

Old Doctor Chen waved a hand. "No matter. Xiao Yan is innocent and lively. Having her here to talk with me makes me happy as well. How do you feel now that you've woken up?"

"I feel very good." Lu Qing moved his body a little. "It feels like I suddenly have much more strength. Grandpa Chen, does that mean I've fully recovered now?"

"How could it be that simple?" The Old Doctor laughed. "Your body is severely depleted, and your foundation is weak. You need to recuperate slowly before you can recover. My Essence Solidifying and Origin Nourishing Needles merely stirred up your vital energy for the time being, which is why you have the illusion of greatly increased strength."

"From now on, you'll still need to nourish yourself with medicinal meals to make up for your body's depletion and get well sooner."

"Come, this plate of Yam Cake wasn't made just for Xiao Yan. I made it for you too. Eat a few pieces."

"Yam strengthens the spleen and nourishes the lungs, fortifies the kidneys and benefits essence. It is just right for you."

The Old Doctor pushed the plate of snow-white Yam Cake on the stone table forward and gestured for Lu Qing to take some.

Lu Qing looked at the plate of Yam Cake, hesitation on his face. "Grandpa Chen, this Yam Cake must be very precious, right?"

"Not particularly precious. It's rarely seen outside, but quite a lot grows in the mountains, so it isn't difficult to find. I still have some stored away, so eat as much as you like."

Old Doctor Chen saw through Lu Qing's thoughts and spoke warmly.

He made it sound easy, but how could Lu Qing take it seriously?

Everyone knew the dangers of the mountain forests. The Old Doctor's ability to dig up such things was a testament to his skill.

But if he truly regarded yam as something cheap, that would be far too naive.

Still, he knew that since the Old Doctor had put it this way, refusing again would be needlessly affected.

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

With that, he sat down beside the stone table, picked up a piece of Yam Cake, and began to eat.

The pastry was soft, fragrant, and glutinous as it entered his mouth, exceptionally delicious.

Even Lu Qing, who had tasted all manner of modern pastries in his previous life, found it very tasty.

He turned his gaze to the pastries on the plate. Before long, White Light appeared, and a line of text surfaced.

Yam Cake: A pastry made primarily from yam.

It strengthens the spleen and nourishes the lungs, fortifies the kidneys and benefits essence. It seems to have quite a good effect in nourishing the body.

The ability's evaluation was exactly the same as the effects Old Doctor Chen had described.

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

"Yes, it's very delicious." Lu Qing nodded honestly.

Old Doctor Chen had been observing Lu Qing the entire time. When he saw that Lu Qing stopped after eating several pieces of Yam Cake, he could not help nodding inwardly.

Though hungry and faced with fine food, he still observed propriety and did not gorge himself.

Lu Qing's conduct pleased him greatly.

In the past, he had not noticed that there was such a remarkable young man in the village.

However, it was still too early to draw conclusions. He would have to observe him for a while longer.

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

Then he said, "Lu Qing, you said you were interested in medicinal herbs. Do you wish to study medicine?"

"I wouldn't dare claim that I wish to study medicine." Lu Qing quickly replied. "This boy merely witnessed the wonders of medicinal herbs and became fascinated by them."

"Grandpa Chen also knows that my family suffered a misfortune. My parents passed away, and our home is utterly destitute. The two poor acres of farmland we have left are truly not enough to support us."

"So I thought that if I could learn a little about identifying and gathering medicinal herbs, perhaps I could use it to support my sister and me."

"Gathering herbs can indeed be considered a path forward." Old Doctor Chen nodded. "But that path is not easy either. There are many dangers in the mountains, and becoming a good herbalist is far from simple."

"You have to try before you know. Besides, what work in this world is easy?"

"True. There is no work in this world that is easy." Old Doctor Chen said approvingly. "It is rare for you to have such understanding."

"Since that is the case, from next time onward, after each acupuncture session, stay behind and help me dry the medicinal herbs. How much you can remember will depend on your aptitude."

"Thank you, Grandpa Chen."

Although the Old Doctor had mentioned it before, Lu Qing was still delighted to hear him bring it up again.

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

After listening for so long, the little girl had understood a little.

"Today will not do." Old Doctor Chen chuckled. "Grandpa Chen still needs to make a trip into the city today. I don't have that much time."

Into the city?

Lu Qing's heart stirred, but he held himself back.

His conduct today had already been somewhat out of the ordinary. It would not do to pry any further.

In any case, even if he learned information about the city now, it would not be of much use to him.

Xiao Yan, on the other hand, had no such reservations. Hearing Old Doctor Chen say that he was going into the city, she immediately widened her eyes with curiosity.

"Grandpa Chen, what is the city like?"

"The city? That is not something that can be explained in a short while. When Xiao Yan grows up, you can go there yourself and see. The city is better than outside by who knows how much."

Xiao Yan immediately revealed a longing expression.

Even Lu Qing was inwardly surprised.

From the Old Doctor's words, the city really did seem to hold mysteries of its own.

The three chatted for a while longer before the Old Doctor stood up.

"Alright, you two should head back first. I need to prepare as well and make a trip into the city. Lu Qing, remember to come back for acupuncture in three days."

Seeing that the Old Doctor was about to leave, Lu Qing hesitated for a moment before saying, "Grandpa Chen, there is something I would like to ask you about."

"Oh? What is it?"

"I would like to ask if there is any kind of silk thread that is relatively tough and not easily snapped."

"Silk thread? What do you need that for?"

Lu Qing considered his words before replying, "Yesterday, didn't I go fishing by the river? Then I discovered that this boy seems to have a little talent for fishing. But the fishing rod made from hemp rope at home cannot withstand much force. With even a little effort, the fishing line easily breaks, making it impossible to catch large fish."

"So I wanted to ask Grandpa Chen if there is any silk thread that is relatively tough and suitable for making a better fishing rod."

"Tougher silk thread..." Hearing Lu Qing's words, the Old Doctor fell into thought.

Suddenly, as if he had remembered something, he walked into the house.

"Wait here for me a moment."