Chapter 115: Gaining an Imperial Physician's Successor as a Master for Free

Dr. He briefed Lin Xiaodou on the current situation at the veterinary station, and then said, "For now, the head of the station, Old Mr. Wang, and the other veterinary apprentices are still busy over at the farm. Go rest in the dormitory first, and I'll introduce you to everyone when it's time for dinner later."

Working in a place like this had one major perk: there was no need to cook for oneself, as everyone ate at the farm canteen.

Lin Xiaodou nodded. "Alright, Dr. He."

Seeing her well-behaved and sensible demeanor, Dr. He felt a sense of comfort. The girl was simply too beautiful; she couldn't even bring herself to speak to her in a harsh tone.

The staff quarters of the veterinary station was a small courtyard with single-story brick houses, not far from the station itself. The house had three rooms in total, a utility room, a small kitchen, and a crude dry latrine in the far corner.

Old Mr. Wang lived in a room of his own, while the other doctors were married and returned to their own homes after work. The other two rooms were quite large, both featuring communal platform beds, with male and female apprentices staying in separate rooms.

After bringing Lin Xiaodou to the dormitory, Dr. He left.

Lin Xiaodou put her luggage in the room and quickly tidied her bed. There were currently fourteen veterinary apprentices in total; with her, there were six female comrades. The communal bed was quite large, so even with six people sleeping there, there would be some distance between their bedding, and it wouldn't feel crowded.

However, Lin Xiaodou preferred to live alone and was truly not used to sharing a communal bed. She remembered the night she had first arrived in the countryside, when she also had to sleep on a communal bed, and she hadn't slept well the entire night. But this place was different from Blackstone Village; she couldn't demand special treatment, so she would just have to bear it for now. Once her abilities were recognized, she would ask Director Hu if she could move into the utility room by herself.

Finding herself with nothing to do and noticing the courtyard was a bit messy, Lin Xiaodou picked up a broom and began to sweep.

Halfway through, a limping old man walked in through the courtyard gate. The old man wore a tattered padded coat, his hair was a messy nest, and he carried a large medicine chest on his back.

Seeing an unfamiliar face in the yard, he paused in his tracks. "The new recruit?"

Dr. He had already mentioned her to him when he went to the veterinary station earlier.

Lin Xiaodou guessed his identity at a glance. "Yes, Old Mr. Wang. My name is Lin Xiaodou. I'm the new veterinary apprentice who arrived today."

Old Mr. Wang looked at her, then at the broom in her hand. He uttered two words: "Not bad."

Then, without another word, he walked into his room.

Lin Xiaodou scratched the back of her head, only realizing after a moment that he had just praised her.

Once she finished tidying the courtyard, she noticed the water jar in the small kitchen was empty. She picked up two buckets and went to the nearby well to fetch water.

Just as she carried the two full buckets back into the yard, she ran into Old Mr. Wang, who was about to head out.

Seeing her carry the water so effortlessly, the old man raised an eyebrow. "You're quite strong."

Lin Xiaodou smiled. "I've been strong since I was a child. A little water is nothing."

Old Mr. Wang nodded. "Decent."

With that, he clasped his hands behind his back and walked straight out of the courtyard.

Lin Xiaodou's lips twitched slightly; this old man was indeed rather eccentric.

Closing the courtyard gate slightly, Lin Xiaodou went for a walk around the area. Since she would likely be living here for a long time, she needed to familiarize herself with the surroundings.

As she walked, she came across a small patch of woods where many colorful mushrooms were growing. These mushrooms were all poisonous, and Lin Xiaodou was about to walk away without a second look.

But as she passed by, her sharp eyes caught sight of a cluster of fungus flowers nestled among the wild mushrooms. Fungus flowers, also known as Zhuling mushrooms, made a delicious soup and were also a precious medicinal herb. Not only could they dispel dampness from the body, but they could also treat colds and other ailments.

Lin Xiaodou had a habit of hoarding; whenever she saw something useful, she wanted to collect it, so she walked over without a second thought. Crouching down nearby, she picked up a small stone from the ground and began to dig up the Zhuling mushrooms.

...

Not far away, Old Mr. Wang was strolling around with his hands behind his back. Suddenly, he spotted a familiar figure digging for mushrooms over there.

He knew about that patch of mushrooms; most of them were poisonous. Anyone could see there was something wrong with them, and normal people wouldn't touch them. He hadn't expected the girl, who looked quite clever, to be so foolish.

Old Mr. Wang snorted, but his conscience got the better of him, and he paced over.

When he approached and saw what the girl was actually digging up, his expression changed...

Lin Xiaodou was digging enthusiastically when a surprised voice drifted down from above: "Girl, do you know what that is?"

Lin Xiaodou looked up and met the old man's gaze. "Of course. These are Zhuling mushrooms. I read about them in Chinese medicine books. I'm going to dig them up and take them back to make soup."

Dr. He had already given her a general overview of Old Mr. Wang's background. In front of such a grandmaster, she had nowhere to hide, so she decided to be completely upfront.

The old man raised an eyebrow. "You're interested in traditional Chinese medicine?"

Lin Xiaodou replied, "Yes, I'm quite interested in both veterinary science and Chinese medicine. I self-taught myself using books. When I was sent down to Blackstone Village, I treated many animals and villagers. Our production team leader thought I was a talent, which is why he recommended me to work at the county pig farm."

When she mentioned the word "talent," Lin Xiaodou didn't feel guilty at all.

Old Mr. Wang couldn't help but snort. "You're certainly bold. Daring to treat people based solely on self-study from books."

Lin Xiaodou smiled. "In ancient times, many great physicians also gained their knowledge from medical texts to save lives. I am merely following in the footsteps of our ancestors."

Hearing her respect for ancient Chinese medicine, Old Mr. Wang's stern face softened. "Well said."

Having finished digging up the Zhuling mushrooms, Lin Xiaodou tied them all together with a straw rope, stood up, and said, "Old Mr. Wang, I'm planning to make a pot of egg and mushroom soup. Would you like to try some?"

This was a grandmaster of Chinese medicine; she had to seize the opportunity to get on his good side. Since she was interested in Chinese medicine, she might be able to ask him for guidance in the future.

The little old man was quite amusing. First, he said proudly, "My palate is very demanding."

Seeing Lin Xiaodou looking at him with a constant smile, he waved his hand. "Oh, forget it. As long as it isn't completely terrible, I'll reluctantly have a taste."

And then, there was no "then."

Lin Xiaodou made a large pot of soup, and the old man drank every last drop of it. She hadn't expected such a thin, withered little old man to have such a huge appetite.

The old man sat in a lounging chair, rubbing his belly with a look of deep satisfaction. "Girl, if you have any questions about self-studying Chinese medicine in the future, you can come and ask me anytime."

This was a promise he made, his way of repaying her for this incredibly delicious mushroom soup.

If Dr. He and the others had been present, they would probably have been shocked by the old man's words. The old fellow had always been a loner with a terrible temper. This was the first time he had ever taken the initiative to be so warm to someone.

Lin Xiaodou, of course, was unaware of this. However, she had achieved her goal, so she immediately nodded and smiled. "Alright, Old Mr. Wang. I'll be troubling you a lot in the future then."

Gaining a master who was a descendant of imperial physicians for just a pot of soup—this meal was well worth it!