Chapter 179: Old TCM Doctor

Chapter 179: Chapter 179: Old TCM Doctor

While washing her hands after using the restroom, Jiang Moli said to Lu Tingting, "You’re paying the bill after we’re done eating."

Lu Tingting huffed angrily. "Why should I?"

"Didn’t you say you were treating us to this meal?"

Lu Tingting was at a loss for words.

She had only said that because she felt Jiang Moli’s behavior was so uncouth that it was ruining her own image in Shen Yanzhi’s eyes.

She had no idea Jiang Moli was going to take her up on it. Now she certainly wasn’t willing to fork over the money.

"You said you were treating, so don’t even think about pinning this on me!"

Jiang Moli grinned. "Don’t worry, I won’t make you pay for nothing. How about I teach you a couple more secrets to chasing men?"

Having been fooled once, Lu Tingting wasn’t about to fall for it a second time.

"Yeah, right! You’re full of nothing but terrible ideas!"

Jiang Moli sighed dramatically. "It seems your feelings for Teacher Shen aren’t that strong after all. You’re not even willing to spend a little money."

With that strategic retreat, Lu Tingting successfully took the bait.

"Fine, tell me first. If you really have a good idea, I’ll pay for lunch."

Jiang Moli slung an arm around her shoulder. "Fortune favors the bold. Instead of getting jealous and stewing in silence, you should just lay your cards on the table. Go right up to Teacher Shen and tell him, ’I like you, and I want to be with you.’ Then ask him if he’s in or not."

Lu Tingting said awkwardly, "What if he rejects me? That would be so embarrassing!"

"If you want the man, you can’t worry about face. A persistent woman always gets her man. You have to strike while the iron is hot."

Lu Tingting was a little more than tempted. "What if he’s not interested?"

"Then you ask him again another day. Keep asking until he gets tired of it. Who knows, maybe one day his brain will short-circuit and he’ll say yes? It’s better than just standing by and watching him be all lovey-dovey with some other woman, right?"

When the two of them returned, several dishes were already on the table.

No one had touched their chopsticks, clearly waiting for them.

"Eat, eat! Don’t be shy. If it’s not enough, we can order more."

At Jiang Moli’s urging, everyone picked up their chopsticks.

Lu Tingting shot her a secret glare. ’It’s not like you’re paying, so why are you acting so generous?’

During the meal, Xu Siyuan mentioned to Shen Yanzhi that he was going to look for a famous local doctor of traditional Chinese medicine later.

"I heard from Director Liang that his family’s ancestors were Imperial Physicians. Their homemade dog-skin plasters are very effective for rheumatism and pain in the lower back and legs."

Remembering An Hui’s bad back, Jiang Moli said, "I don’t have anything to do this afternoon, so I’ll go with you. I can buy some of those dog-skin plasters while I’m at it."

Then she turned to Shen Yanzhi. "Teacher Shen, you should come too. It’s a rare chance for you old friends to get together."

Shen Yanzhi had been thinking the same thing.

After the meal, Jiang Wenjuan and Feng Meihua took their group back to the guesthouse.

Meanwhile, Jiang Moli, Lu Tingting, Shen Yanzhi, and Tang Yuan went with the Xu Family Siblings to find the old doctor.

They took a bus to the suburban district where the old doctor lived.

It was on the outskirts where the city met the countryside, a dense collection of stone houses and wooden buildings crisscrossed by a maze of alleyways. There were no proper house numbers, which made finding someone quite difficult.

Xu Siyuan approached an old woman who was sun-drying pumpkin seeds at her doorstep to ask for directions. "Ma’am, we’re from out of town and we’re looking for Doctor Chen Baoquan. Do you know where he lives?"

The old woman squinted, looking them over, then waved her hand dismissively.

"There’s no one by that name here. Go look somewhere else!"

Xu Siyuan was puzzled. "Isn’t this Hongwu Village? A friend of mine told me Doctor Chen lives here."

"Mr. Xu, let me handle this."

Jiang Moli walked up to the old woman, pulled a one-yuan bill from her bag, and waved it slightly.

The old woman’s cloudy eyes followed the movement of the bill.

"Ma’am, think again. Chen Baoquan, whose ancestors were Imperial Physicians. You’re sure he doesn’t live here?"

The old woman’s cold demeanor vanished. "He lives here, he lives here! It’s that two-story red brick house right up ahead."

Jiang Moli followed the old woman’s finger and indeed saw a small, red brick building.

It stood out conspicuously among the stone houses and wooden buildings.

"Are you sure that’s the one?"

The old woman nodded repeatedly. "Sure! I’m sure!"

Jiang Moli looked at the pumpkin seeds drying on the old woman’s bamboo sieve. "These pumpkin seeds look pretty good. Can I have some?"

Without waiting for an answer, she reached out and grabbed a handful.

The old woman didn’t say anything, since pumpkin seeds weren’t worth much anyway.

"Thanks."

Jiang Moli stuffed the money back into her pocket and called to Xu Siyuan and the others, "Let’s go, it’s just up ahead."

With that, she took the lead and started walking.

This maneuver left not only the Xu Family Siblings stunned, but even Shen Yanzhi and Tang Yuan were at a loss for words.

Lu Tingting, however, was already used to Jiang Moli’s thick-skinned ways.

Realizing she’d been tricked, the old woman angrily grabbed Jiang Moli’s backpack. "You’re not going anywhere! You think I gave you directions for free? And you ate my pumpkin seeds!"

Jiang Moli didn’t waste words. She pulled money from her pocket again, but this time it wasn’t a one-yuan bill, but a five-fen coin.

"Here."

The old woman was even more furious. "That’s not the one you showed me before!"

Jiang Moli said, "So, do you want it or not? If you don’t, I’m leaving. I just asked for directions; five fen is more than enough. Or how about we go find your village director and have him decide if you deserve to charge me one yuan?"

If the other villagers found out she demanded one yuan just for giving directions, she’d be buried under their criticism.

Fuming, the old woman snatched the money and then took back the pumpkin seeds Jiang Moli had grabbed.

’You swindler! You think you can eat my pumpkin seeds? Go eat dirt!’

[Disdain Value +1. 10,000 Yuan credited to your account.]

"Pah! Shameless hussy!"

After cursing, still not feeling satisfied, the old woman turned to find her old friends to complain.

Walking beside Shen Yanzhi, Xu Siyuan watched Jiang Moli’s carefree back and muttered under his breath:

"Is Miss Jiang always like this?"

Shen Yanzhi nodded helplessly. "More or less."

Jiang Moli was walking ahead and couldn’t hear their conversation.

But Lu Tingting, who had been right beside Shen Yanzhi, heard this and couldn’t help but say, "You can’t blame my third aunt entirely for this. That old hag was the shameless one first. She obviously knew Doctor Chen but said he didn’t live here."

That was true.

If they had actually believed the old woman, they would have wasted a lot of time and effort today.

Besides the dog-skin plasters, Doctor Chen’s family also sold high-quality Yun Medicine.

Jiang Moli bought a good amount of everything.

Xu Siyuan, meanwhile, curiously asked Doctor Chen about the old woman.

The old woman had caused trouble for the Chen Family over a dispute about medical fees.

It wasn’t the first time she had deliberately given wrong directions to outsiders.

Jiang Moli divided the medicine she bought into three portions.

She mailed two portions, one to her husband’s family and one to her own family. The third portion she would take back to the military base for Lu Cheng to use.

「...」

When Jiang Dahai got home from work, dinner was already on the table.

Li Hongying took the bag from his shoulder. "Go wash your hands and eat. I made mung bean porridge. It’s so hot today, drinking some mung bean soup will help you cool down and beat the heat."

Jiang Dahai was too excited to eat. "I have some great news! Xiao Qing is pregnant."

Li Hongying was so shocked the bag almost fell from her hands. "Really?"

Jiang Dahai patted her shoulder. "Moli called this afternoon to tell us. Congratulations, you’re going to be a grandmother."

Li Hongying nodded, then quickly added, "This isn’t just good news for me. Xiao Qing’s child will have to call you ’Grandpa,’ too."

Jiang Dahai smiled. "That’s true. I’ll go wash my hands first."

"Okay!"

Watching him go to the washstand, Li Hongying turned and hung the bag on the coat rack, an unstoppable smile on her face.

Her daughter had good news so soon.

’It would be even better if she has a grandson,’ she thought. ’I hope the Zhang Family can forgive my daughter’s mistakes for the sake of their first grandson.’