Chapter 59: Prescription

After a busy day, Su Yue felt so tired that she rubbed her arms and bent her head down to sniff herself. The faint smell of kitchen smoke clung to her clothes, making her wrinkle her nose in disgust. She badly wanted a bath.

Fortunately, there was a big bathtub at home, just right for a proper soak.

Stretching lazily, Su Yue lay comfortably on the sofa, her gaze drifting toward Han Aiguo, who was still busy clearing away the tables and chairs. She squinted her eyes and called out sweetly, dragging her words, “Husband~ I want to take a bath~”

Han Aiguo looked up at her, and then silently set down his work. Without a word, he went to the kitchen to boil water, fetched the bath tent for heating, and hung it up in the bathroom. When the water was ready, he poured several pots of hot water into the tub, adjusted it with cold water, and soon had the bath filled.

“All right, you can bathe now.”

Su Yue’s heart softened at the sight of him working so diligently for her. Feeling even more spoiled, she held out her arms and whined playfully, “Hubby, hug~”

Although he had grown used to her occasional coquettishness in private, it still made his heart skip. Without thinking, he strode over, scooped her into his arms, and carried her straight into the bathroom.

When her feet touched the floor, Su Yue hooked her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss full of passion. “Thank you, husband.”

Han Aiguo stared down at her, silent, but his eyes darkened with a familiar, dangerous glint.

Su Yue knew that look all too well. Fearing she might provoke him too much, she quickly pushed at his chest. “Okay, okay, I’m going to bathe; you go out.”

But once the Buddha was invited in, sending him away was not so easy. Han Aiguo stood firm, arms locked around her waist, his voice turning hoarse.

“Let’s bathe together.”

Su Yue froze. “…No, no, I’m not bathing with you.”

“It’ll save water,” he said, and without waiting for her agreement, his hands were already stripping off her clothes.

Su Yue wanted to cry out that she didn’t care about saving water at all, but it was useless. In the blink of an eye, she was bare, lowered into the warm tub, and before she could recover, a certain man had stepped in after her. Water sloshed out with a splash, soaking the floor.

Her skin flushed crimson. Thick-skinned as she was, she couldn’t help the heat rising in her face. Were they… actually taking a mandarin duck bath?

Han Aiguo, however, was utterly unbothered. He seated her on his lap, picked up a towel, and began scrubbing her seriously, as if he were only intent on bathing her properly except for the hard thing pressing against her under the water.

There was always a price for acting spoiled. That night’s price was being thoroughly “disciplined” from the bathroom to the bed. By the time he finally let her go, Su Yue could only collapse like a boneless dog, sleeping straight through until noon the next day.

When she finally stirred, her waist ached so badly she could only smack the bed in frustration. With no one else at home, Han Aiguo had really gone too far.

She sighed in relief that she didn’t need to report to a work anymore; otherwise, she would have been fired for showing up like this.

Getting up slowly, she found the porridge and steamed buns Han Aiguo had made that morning still warm in the pot. She ate a little to regain her strength, and then opened the points panel she hadn’t checked in a long time.

Since redeeming the prescription for Han Aiguo’s leg, she hadn’t spent any more points. Now, she had accumulated 2,020.

Silently, she called out: System, open the system mall.

The mall appeared as commanded, and Su Yue browsed through the shelves of goods.

“Host, what do you want?” the system’s voice asked. “I can find it for you.”

“Do you have any medicine for injuries?” Su Yue asked. “Something that can stop bleeding quickly when applied.”

Now that Han Aiguo had returned to the army, training was a daily routine. Scratches and bruises were common, but even small wounds frightened her. She had come to realize just how hard a soldier’s life truly was as every ounce of glory was bought with sweat and blood.

Minor injuries could be endured, but what about serious ones? A single accident could ruin a soldier’s future, just as Han Aiguo’s leg injury nearly had. If she could find medicine to stop bleeding immediately, it might save his life one day.

The system immediately presented a new item before her eyes. A transparent stand appeared, displaying a floating scroll: Ancient Prescription.

The system explained, “This prescription is called Zhixue Powder. Ground from medicinal herbs into a fine powder, it can be sprinkled directly onto wounds to stop bleeding at once and accelerate healing, preventing death from blood loss.”

Su Yue’s eyes lit up. This was exactly what she wanted.

“With this medicine, even serious injuries wouldn’t be life-threatening,” she thought. “As long as one survives, there’s still hope.”

“System, how many points does it cost?” she asked.

“One thousand,” came the reply.

Su Yue blinked. That was even more expensive than the leg-healing prescription last time. Clearly, this formula was extremely valuable. Still, she didn’t hesitate.

“System, redeem it.”

“Understood.”

A second later, the prescription appeared in her mind, while her points dropped by a thousand.

She carefully read through the formula. Many of the herbs listed were unfamiliar to her, which meant she would need to think carefully about how to obtain them. Perhaps the commune hospital might have some in stock.

With that thought, she rose early the next morning and went to the family compound’s gate to catch the shuttle bus into town. A crowd had already gathered; some going to work, others shopping.

Among them, she spotted Wang Lianying, whom she had met only the day before yesterday and next to her stood Fang Xiaoli.

The two women were talking, though it was mostly Wang Lianying chattering away with an eager, almost flattering look. Fang Xiaoli listened with cool indifference, barely responding.

When Wang Lianying noticed Su Yue approaching, she snorted, rolled her eyes, and deliberately turned her head away.

Fang Xiaoli followed her line of sight and briefly met Su Yue’s gaze. Su Yue thought it natural to greet her neighbor, but before she could speak, Fang Xiaoli calmly turned her head as if she didn’t know her at all.

Su Yue swallowed her greeting. It was laughable as just two nights ago, Fang Xiaoli had eaten heartily at her table, yet now she acted like a stranger. What kind of behavior was that?

She decided it wasn’t worth the effort. Since they clearly looked down on her, she saw no need to curry favor. If they ignored her, she would simply ignore them as well.

Soon, the shuttle bus arrived. People rushed to board, shoving to grab seats. Su Yue, not fond of squeezing in the crowd, hung back. Fang Xiaoli also stood aside, avoiding the scramble.

In the end, only the two of them were left outside.

From a window, Wang Lianying stuck her head out and waved enthusiastically. “Xiaoli! Xiaoli, hurry up and get on! I saved you a seat!”

Su Yue could only shake her head. Wang Lianying really had no sense. Fang Xiaoli would rather stand than sit beside her, yet others scrambled for the privilege. Did she truly believe herself so lofty, just because she was the wife of a company commander?

Fang Xiaoli frowned at Wang Lianying’s loud voice, finding it unbearably vulgar. She forced herself to endure her impatience and got into the bus, but instead of sitting beside Wang Lianying, she walked straight to the last row and sat down.

Everyone in the bus turned to look at Wang Lianying. Some chuckled, some sympathized, others gloated, and a few sighed. Wang Lianying’s face darkened as she glared fiercely in Fang Xiaoli’s direction.

The smile that had been plastered on her face instantly froze. Just moments ago, she had been puffing herself up like a fighting rooster, blocking off two seats and refusing to let anyone sit beside her, leaving several people awkwardly standing. But who could have expected that Fang Xiaoli wouldn’t appreciate her so-called kindness at all? In the end, Wang Lianying was left embarrassed in front of everyone. Even with her skin as thick as a city wall, she couldn’t hide the humiliation.

Fang Xiaoli, however, acted as though nothing had happened. She didn’t even glance at Wang Lianying, instead staring out the window in a daze.

Su Yue was the last to board the bus. By then, there were no empty rows left and only two single seats available: one next to Wang Lianying, and the other beside Fang Xiaoli.

She didn’t want to sit with either of them. So she simply chose to stand in the aisle.

Su Yue wasn’t concerned with what Fang Xiaoli thought. She had no interest in dealing with someone so arrogant and dismissive. She would rather stand for the two-hour ride than share a seat with her.

The seat Su Yue held onto was occupied by a young mother and her daughter. The mother looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. She was gentle and beautiful, her bearing refined and elegant. Her little girl was about four or five, her cheeks round and rosy, with two neat pigtails and a pink dress that made her look especially cute.

The pair was striking; an eye-catching mother and daughter.

Seeing Su Yue standing, the woman lifted her daughter onto her lap to free up a spot and said with a warm smile, “Sister, sit down. The ride to the commune takes two hours.”

The little girl beamed, waving her tiny hand. “Auntie, sit down, sit down!”

Moved by their kindness, Su Yue didn’t refuse. She sat down gratefully and smiled at both mother and daughter. “Thank you.”

The woman waved her hand lightly. “No need to be polite. By the way, I don’t think I’ve seen you before. Are you new here?”

Su Yue nodded. “Yes, my family only moved here about a week ago. This is also my first time taking the shuttle bus, so you haven’t seen me before.”

The woman suddenly understood. “Ah, that explains it. Let me introduce myself, my name is Xu Can. And this is my daughter. Her nickname is Nini.”

“My name is Su Yue,” she replied with a smile, before reaching out to pinch Nini’s chubby cheek. To thank the child for giving up her seat, Su Yue pulled a cake wrapped in oiled paper from her bag and handed it over. “Nini, this is for you. Thank you for letting Auntie sit down.”

The sweet fragrance drifted out the moment Nini unwrapped the paper. She sniffed eagerly, nose twitching, and then looked up at her mother with longing eyes.

Xu Can tapped her forehead gently. “You greedy little thing. Don’t forget to thank Auntie.”

Knowing she had permission, Nini grinned, showing off her dimples. She clutched the cake happily and chirped, “Thank you, Auntie~”

Su Yue was utterly charmed. In that instant, she suddenly longed for a daughter of her own. Truly, daughters were little sweethearts, the soft cotton jackets of their parents’ hearts.

Nini couldn’t resist and quickly stuffed a piece of cake into her mouth. Her eyes curved into crescents as she chewed, savoring the soft, fragrant sweetness. It was even tastier than the candy her mother usually bought.

The little girl’s joy was infectious. She eagerly grabbed another piece and held it up to her mother. “Mom, Auntie’s cake is delicious~”

Xu Can smiled and humored her daughter, taking a bite. She had assumed it would be an ordinary cake, but the moment it touched her tongue, she froze in surprise. How could a cake be this good? She had never tasted anything like it.

“This cake is incredible, Sister Su Yue. Where did you buy it?” Xu Can asked at once. She was already planning to get some herself, both for her daughter and for her elderly parents, since it was soft and easy to eat.

Su Yue smiled. “I didn’t buy it. I made it myself. I don’t have many hobbies, but I love making food.”

Xu Can was astonished, admiration replacing her surprise. For Su Yue to create something so delicious with her own hands, she couldn’t help but compare herself. She could barely cook a decent meal without turning it into mush, much less bake such delicate cakes. Every time, it was her husband who had to rescue the kitchen from disaster. Why were the differences between people so vast?

As she sighed, Su Yue tilted her head in confusion. “What’s wrong? Was there something wrong with the cakes I made?”

Before Xu Can could answer, Nini piped up, “I know, I know! Mom thinks the food she cooks is too terrible!”

Her mother’s face flushed crimson. “Yu Nini! Do you still want that floral dress?”

The little girl clapped a hand over her mouth, instantly silenced.

Su Yue nearly burst out laughing. This mother and daughter pair are really too funny.

The passengers around them began sneaking glances. Some were amused, some thoughtful, while others whispered among themselves.

Meanwhile, no one paid Wang Lianying any attention. She sat stiffly, curling her lips in disdain, pretending she didn’t care. She thought bitterly, Su Yue’s nothing but shameless; running to cozy up with the leader’s wife.

Fang Xiaoli’s expression wasn’t much better. She stared daggers at Su Yue’s back, her fists tightening unconsciously. No wonder Su Yue hadn’t sat with her earlier and no wonder she acted as if she didn’t matter. Of course, that was because she was busy trying to butter up someone more important but why would Xu Can pay attention to Su Yue at all? She was just a rural girl whose husband was a mere battalion commander. How could she think she could curry favor with someone like Xu Can?

Su Yue, oblivious to these thoughts, was happily chatting away with Xu Can. Their conversation flowed easily from one topic to another, ranging from small daily matters to hobbies and beauty tips. They got along so well that by the time the shuttle reached the commune, both were reluctant to part.

Xu Can in particular felt a rare sense of joy. She had finally found someone who shared her interests. She had always loved little bourgeois hobbies like dressing up, tending flowers, gardening, even music but no one around her cared. Her husband was especially hopeless in these areas. Whenever she brought them up, the people around her would fall silent, making her feel more and more isolated.

But Su Yue was different. Not only did she understand; she even knew more than Xu Can in some areas, especially skincare and fashion. Xu Can found herself learning from her new friend, her heart filled with admiration.

Su Yue was equally delighted. At last, she had found someone she could talk to about modern things without holding back. The connection felt so good that if they hadn’t both had errands to run, she would have wanted to keep chatting the whole afternoon.

After saying their goodbyes, both women walked off in the same direction.

Xu Can paused and pointed behind her in confusion. “Su Yue, the supply and marketing cooperative is that way. Aren’t you going the wrong way?” She had assumed Su Yue was there to shop.

Su Yue shook her head. “No, I’m heading to the hospital.”

Xu Can blinked, then laughed. “What a coincidence, I work at the hospital.”

Su Yue was startled. “Sister Xu Can, you’re a doctor?”

Xu Can nodded. “That’s right, looks like we weren’t meant to part ways just yet. Come on, I’ll take you there.”

Su Yue felt this was fate. She had come to the commune today for the hospital, and unexpectedly ran into a doctor even before arriving. Smiling, she asked curiously, “Sister Xu Can, which department are you in?”

“I’m a gynecologist. What about you, are you unwell? Is that why you’re going to the hospital?”

Su Yue quickly shook her head. “No, I’m fine. I came to see if I could buy some Chinese medicinal herbs.”

Xu Can didn’t press her for details. Instead, she said, “Show me the list. I’ll check if we have them in stock.”

Overjoyed, Su Yue immediately handed over the copied list of ingredients.

Xu Can studied it carefully before speaking. “Our hospital definitely has some of these. I’ll go ask around for the rest.”

Su Yue’s eyes lit up. “That’s wonderful, thank you, Sister Xu Can!”

Having someone on the inside saved her a great deal of trouble. Before long, Xu Can returned and handed the paper back. “We carry seven of these herbs, but I’ve marked four that we don’t stock. They’re relatively rare, so I doubt most hospitals will have them.”

Su Yue’s heart sank. She hadn’t expected four of the ingredients to be so hard to find. Trying not to sound too disappointed, she said, “Then could you please help me purchase the seven herbs that are available? I’ll think of another way for the rest.”

Xu Can nodded and quickly wrote out a prescription slip so Su Yue could pick them up. Then she added thoughtfully, “Do you really need those four? My grandfather used to be a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. He ran his own pharmacy and loved going into the mountains to collect herbs. He still has a lot of stock. It’s possible he might have them. Do you want me to ask him for you?”

Su Yue was overjoyed. “That would be amazing!” she exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement. She truly was lucky. If she hadn’t met Xu Can and her daughter today, gathering all the herbs would have been a daunting task.