Chapter 404: Brother Da Bao's Secret

Walking along the village paths, Chen Erbao soon arrived at the village clinic.

Thanks to the Spirit Gathering Grand Array on Bailong Mountain, all the villagers were immersed in dense Spiritual Qi. As a result, they were naturally healthy, and minor illnesses and ailments had become much less common.

Consequently, work at the village clinic grew increasingly quiet. Days could go by without a single patient.

When Chen Erbao pushed open the clinic door, he was met with a rich fragrance. The scent was complex, as if several different perfumes were mixed together.

The master-and-apprentice pair, Fang Yi and Song Yue, were gathered around a table studying the medical insights Chen Erbao had left them. They didn't notice him until he stepped inside.

"Divine Doctor Chen, you're here!"

Fang Yi stood up, adjusted the thick glasses on his nose, and said with a warm smile.

His time in Bailong Village had been, arguably, the happiest of his life.

Because every day, there were profound medical manuscripts waiting to be studied.

For someone devoted to medicine, such an opportunity was exceedingly rare, and one he savored.

"Elder Fang, how is the perfume development coming along?"

Chen Erbao asked, pulling over a chair and sitting down.

Before Fang Yi could speak, Song Yue stood up, grabbed five or six vials of a pale green liquid from the counter behind him, and handed them to Chen Erbao.

"Divine Doctor Chen, we've developed six different scents. They're mostly perfected and just waiting for your approval!"

Chen Erbao sat up a little straighter. He took the small vials, opening them one by one and holding them under his nose to carefully evaluate each scent.

Some exuded an elegant, fresh fragrance, like a secluded orchid in a silent valley. Others were rich and intense, like a blooming silk-cotton flower, creating a completely different impression.

Yet without exception, each one was captivating. They were accompanied by the faint aroma of Chinese medicinal herbs, which was both refreshing and uplifting.

Chen Erbao set the vials down and nodded in satisfaction. He smiled at the two of them and said:

"This is all thanks to your help. Tomorrow, I'll have them sent for lab testing. Once the products pass inspection and are on the market, I'll make sure you both get your rightful share of the profits!"

Song Yue, however, didn't seem to care much. His temperament was identical to Fang Yi's—he placed little value on material possessions. Otherwise, he would never have followed Fang Yi to study in a remote place like Bailong Village.

His mind was now solely focused on exploring deeper medical knowledge.

Fang Yi waved his hand dismissively. His face was aged, but his eyes were unusually bright.

"You're too kind, Divine Doctor Chen. An old man like me doesn't care about such things. If I wanted money, I wouldn't have come to Bailong Village. Now... about your notes—there's something I don't quite understand regarding the nine rare uses of the Gushing Spring acupoint…"

He picked up the notes and began asking Chen Erbao questions about medicine.

Song Yue pulled up a stool as well, sitting off to the side and watching Chen Erbao intently.

Chen Erbao smiled and began his explanation for the two of them.

Time flew, and evening soon arrived. Chen Erbao had been speaking for hours until his throat was nearly raw, yet Song Yue and Fang Yi listened with rapt attention. They would occasionally take out notebooks to jot down his words, clearly planning to study them in detail later.

Seeing how late it had gotten, Chen Erbao stood up.

"It's getting late. You two should get some rest. I need to be heading back as well!"

"Take care, Divine Doctor Chen!"

The two of them didn't even look up, scribbling away in their notebooks and cross-referencing with medical texts at their side, already completely absorbed.

Chen Erbao didn't mind. He got up and headed for the door.

"By the way, Elder Fang, why isn't Jiang Yu at the clinic? Where did she go?"

Chen Erbao was halfway to the door when he finally remembered the purpose of his visit. He turned and asked.

"She went to Bailong Mountain. She said Divine Doctor Chen gave her permission to go up and tend to the herbs. She's been up there the last few days—even took all her medical books with her."

"Alright, I'm off then."

'I can't believe that girl Jiang Yu actually went up the mountain.' He decided to go check on her.

After Chen Erbao left, Song Yue looked up.

"Teacher, are Junior Sister Jiang and Divine Doctor Chen dating?"

Fang Yi shook his head. "I'm not sure... That's a matter for the young folks. Let them handle it themselves."

"Mm."

After that brief digression, the two were once again lost in their medical studies.

...

When Chen Erbao returned home, he found Fang Yun had just gotten back from work and was preparing to cook dinner.

"Er Bao, where were you this afternoon?"

When she saw him come home, Fang Yun fetched a pair of slippers for him, squatting down to help him change into them.

Chen Erbao eyed Fang Yun's voluptuous figure and gave her round bottom a firm pat.

"I went to the clinic. Talked with Elder Fang all afternoon... Sister-in-law, hold off on dinner for a bit. I need to head up to Bailong Mountain first to see Brother Da Bao."

If Chen Erbao hadn't brought him up, Fang Yun might have completely forgotten she even had an official husband.

"Alright, go on then. Don't be too long. It's not safe on the roads when it gets too late."

"Don't worry!"

Chen Erbao gave Fang Yun a kiss on the cheek, grabbed his jacket, and headed for the mountain out back.

A tidy path paved with blue-green bricks led toward the summit. The sky was growing dark, and the faint sound of barking dogs could be heard from the mountain.

With no one around, Chen Erbao decided to use his Misty Step. His body blurred into a phantom-like shadow, and he covered the half-hour journey to the herb garden in just a few minutes.

Several high-powered floodlights had been installed around the herb garden, illuminating the mountain forest as if it were day. Chen Dabao, watching the security monitors, quickly spotted Chen Erbao's figure.

When Chen Erbao reached the top, Chen Dabao came forward to greet him, his expression a little awkward.

"Er Bao, when did you get back?"

'Right,' Chen Erbao thought, 'I never told Brother Da Bao I was back.'

"I just got home this morning. Brother Da Bao, anything unusual on the mountain lately?"

"Everything's normal. The woods are full of hounds, security patrols the herb garden day and night, and with a hundred-odd cameras, not even a mouse could sneak in!"

"Good. I'm going to see how the herbs are growing."

Chen Erbao noticed that Chen Dabao seemed to be hesitating, as if he wanted to say something. This piqued his curiosity.

"What's up, Brother Da Bao? Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Ahem, well…"

Before Chen Dabao could get the words out, a woman with a graceful figure emerged from a simple, prefabricated building in the distance.

The woman had a delicate face, but an incredibly hot body. Her hair was dyed and styled in big waves, and the twin peaks on her chest were high and perky—a spectacular sight.

"This is?"

Chen Erbao was taken aback by the sight of a strange woman, but he quickly put two and two together, a knowing smile spreading across his face as he looked at Chen Dabao.

Chen Dabao looked flustered.

"She… came over tonight to bring me some food…"

The woman also seemed nervous upon seeing Chen Erbao, obviously aware of his relationship with Chen Dabao.

"Brother Da Bao, this is…"

"Xiaojun, this is my younger brother, the one I told you about!"

Chen Dabao scratched his head as he introduced them.

Chen Erbao chuckled.

"Sister Juan, don't let me interrupt. I just came up to take a look around. Brother Da Bao, where's Jiang Yu?"

"Xiaojiang is in the bungalow over there. This is where the security team lives, so it wouldn't be proper for a young woman like her to stay right here…"

Chen Erbao nodded and turned, heading toward Jiang Yu's quarters.