Exemption Bead

"Second Sister, I'm fine... Why did you come back?"

Seeing Chen Chunmiao's eyes redden as if she were about to cry, and noting her posture suggested she was ready to start lecturing him, Chen Jing hurriedly interrupted.

Under normal circumstances, his second sister worked as an apprentice at Spring Return Hall. She lived at the pharmacy and was kept so busy she barely had time to return home.

Her sudden appearance at the door today clearly meant she had come to check on him.

Faced with his family's concern, a natural warmth rose in Chen Jing's heart.

"You've been through such a major ordeal, of course I had to come back!"

Chen Chunmiao wiped away her tears, her tone carrying a hint of reproach. "And Eldest Sister—she knows about your injury too, and she'll be here shortly."

Chen Jing was slightly stunned.

"Eldest Sister is coming too? I'm already fine now, you should tell her not to bother. That troupe leader of hers has a foul temper and loves to berate people; it won't be pleasant for her if she gets scolded for taking time off."

His eldest sister, Chen Chunhe, worked in a theater troupe as a minor performer, essentially playing soldiers or attendants—roles with low pay and high pressure where even asking for leave invited a long-winded scolding.

Of course, due to the patriarchal nature of this world, Chen Jing had been doted upon since childhood.

During the time he had been unconscious after this injury, both Chen Chunhe and Chen Chunmiao had come to visit him every single day.

"It's fine."

Chen Chunmiao waved her hand. "Once she sees you're alright, she'll head back naturally."

Having said that, she seemed to remember something, took an item from the grey cloth bundle she was holding, and shook it in front of Chen Jing.

"Right, Little Brother, you've just recovered from a serious injury, so don't you dare go out pulling a rickshaw! Stay home and recuperate properly. This is some Blood Recovery Powder I brought for you. I'll brew it for you now; drink it while it's hot, it's best for restoring your vitality."

"Blood Recovery Powder?"

Seeing this, Chen Jing hurriedly asked, "Second Sister, how did you get this?"

Blood Recovery Powder was a prescription commonly used by martial artists to replenish their vitality. It was not only expensive but, for ordinary people, it was entirely out of reach—something they could see but never afford.

The rules at Spring Return Hall were ironclad: apprentices were strictly forbidden from taking medicine home privately.

If caught, the light punishment was expulsion from the pharmacy, while the severe punishment involved having one's hands broken and being left to fend for oneself!

Before Chen Jing could finish his sentence, Chen Chunmiao waved her hand to cut him off. "Little Brother, what are you thinking? Do you think I would steal medicine?"

She pursed her lips and smiled. "These are just the leftover scraps from the pharmacy. Every day when I clean up the dregs, I pick out the usable bits piece by piece. It took me a long time... to gather this small packet."

As she spoke, she opened the cloth bundle.

Chen Jing saw that it was filled with fine, fragmented medicinal bits—the largest no bigger than a fingernail, the smallest as fine as dried tea leaves.

To gather a full packet of such scraps, how many days of accumulation did it take? How many times had she patiently picked through the waste?

In an instant, Chen Jing's throat felt constricted, and for some reason, his eyes grew hot.

A moment later, he took a deep breath and said softly, "Second Sister... thank you."

"Silly boy."

Chen Chunmiao raised her hand and tapped his forehead lightly. "We're family, why say such things?"

After saying this, Chen Chunmiao neatly rolled up her sleeves and poured the medicinal dregs into an old clay pot to start brewing, her movements practiced and earnest.

While Chen Chunmiao brewed the medicine, the siblings chatted back and forth, the atmosphere feeling quite relaxed.

Not long after, a series of urgent knocks sounded from outside the courtyard.

"That must be Eldest Sister!"

Chen Chunmiao said, rising to open the door.

As the door pulled open, a petite girl in grey cloth clothes with calm, steady eyes stood at the threshold—it was Chen Jing's eldest sister, Chen Chunhe.

"Eldest Sister, you're here."

Chen Chunmiao greeted her first.

"Mm. Second Sister, you've arrived as well."

Chen Chunhe nodded. Upon entering, her first glance went to Chen Jing, who was by the stove tending to the medicine.

"Little Brother, how is your body feeling now?"

Her tone was measured, yet it hid an irrepressible worry.

"I'm fine now."

Chen Jing responded with a relaxed tone. "I'll be able to go out and work in another day or two."

"Another day or two?"

Chen Chunhe's brows furrowed, her tone turning suddenly stern.

"This kind of injury is most sensitive to recklessness. And starting the day after tomorrow, you are not to pull the rickshaw anymore."

She paused, then continued, "Come with me to the theater troupe."

"After all, since this incident happened, if you go back to pulling a rickshaw, you're just putting your life in someone else's hands."

Chen Chunmiao, standing to the side, asked curiously upon hearing this, "A theater troupe? Eldest Sister, is your troupe hiring?"

"Normally, no."

Chen Chunhe shook her head, but then added, "However, I've been in the troupe for two years. When the time comes, I can beg the troupe leader to let our little brother join as a handyman; that should be doable."

"...Eldest Sister, I don't want to go to the theater troupe."

Chen Jing shook his head immediately in response.

"Why?"

Chen Chunhe's expression darkened as she said, "No! You must come with me to the troupe! Being tired or suffering a bit is nothing, but it's at least safer than pulling a cart."

Although Chen Chunhe's tone was harsh, Chen Jing knew she was concerned for him, so he explained, "Eldest Sister, I want to learn martial arts."

"Learn martial arts?"

Chen Chunhe opposed it almost instantly, "No! Learning martial arts is a path where you can't even fill your stomach. Not to mention whether you can make a name for yourself, if you do, you'll inevitably end up in fights, and who knows when enemies might come seeking revenge!"

"That's right, little brother."

Chen Chunmiao also hurriedly urged, "You are the only male in our Chen family. If you go learn martial arts and something happens to you... how are we supposed to live?"

"I have already decided."

Chen Jing's tone was incredibly firm, "Eldest Sister, Second Sister, you don't need to persuade me anymore. Besides, Father has already agreed."

"Father... also agreed?"

Chen Chunhe was completely stunned.

Their father, who was always the most steady, conservative, and fearful of anything happening to the family...

Actually agreed to let their little brother learn martial arts?

Thinking of this, Chen Chunhe fell silent for a long while. Seeing the stubbornness in Chen Jing's eyes, she finally sighed softly, then pulled a small money pouch from her bosom and shoved it into Chen Jing's hand.

"Little brother, this is the silver I've saved over the years. I originally intended for you to give it to the troupe leader to get into the theater troupe."

She pushed the pouch further into Chen Jing's hand and said, "Since you insist, then take it to learn martial arts."

Seeing this, Chen Jing hurriedly refused, "Eldest Sister, I have money, I really don't need—"

"Learning martial arts burns money like water, and you have to eat even more."

Chen Chunhe interrupted Chen Jing, and as if afraid he would push it back, she quickly grabbed Chen Chunmiao's hand and walked outside.

"If you don't want it, just consider it a loan from me. If you truly become a martial artist, it won't be too late to pay me back then!"

As her voice faded, the two sisters had already hurried out of the room.

"Eldest Sister! Second Sister..."

Watching their retreating figures, Chen Jing took a deep breath, his palm tightly gripping the heavy money pouch.

Just then, a warm medicinal fragrance drifted through the room, carrying a hint of coolness amidst the bitterness.

Smelling the scent, Chen Jing immediately snapped back to reality and poured the Blood Recovery Powder from the pot into a bowl.

The brown medicinal liquid in the bowl steamed with heat. Chen Jing took a deep breath, and once the temperature dropped slightly, he tilted his head back and downed it in one gulp.

As soon as the liquid hit his stomach, an intense, fiery sensation exploded in his abdomen, as if his blood had been set ablaze.

"Is this... the effect of the Blood Recovery Powder?"

Chen Jing could clearly feel a warm current surging through his meridians to his limbs and bones. Not only did his arms feel stronger, but even the pain in his head had lessened significantly.

"It truly lives up to its reputation!"

Just as Chen Jing was carefully experiencing the medicinal effects:

Hum!

Chen Jing could clearly feel the Exemption Bead deep in his mind slowly brightening under the nourishment of the medicinal power, recovering by a third at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"This... the Blood Recovery Powder can actually strengthen the Exemption Bead?"

"It looks like I can go to the martial arts school to apprentice tomorrow!"