When Lu Qing woke up from his slumber, the first thing he heard was Xiao Yan’s cheerful laughter.

    He looked at himself; the silver needles on his body were gone, and he was covered with a thin blanket.

    He didn’t know how long he had slept.

    Lu Qing thought to himself, uncovered the blanket, put on his shirt, and walked out.

    In the courtyard, he saw Old Doctor Chen sitting at a stone table with Xiao Yan.

    Who knows what they were talking about, but both were laughing heartily.

    Especially Xiao Yan, who was holding a piece of white cake, laughing especially joyfully.

    “Brother, you’re awake!”

    Xiao Yan was giggling. When she saw Lu Qing coming out from the house, she was instantly delighted.

    She jumped off the stone stool with a thud and handed the cake in her hand to Lu Qing.

    “Brother, look, this is the yam cake made by Grandpa Chen; it’s really delicious. Do you want to have a piece too?”

    Lu Qing did not take the cake but looked at Old Doctor Chen: “Grandpa Chen, Xiao Yan hasn’t been causing you any trouble, has she?”

    Old Doctor Chen waved his hand: “No worries, Xiao Yan is innocent and lively. With her around, I feel very happy too. How are you feeling now that you’re awake?”

    “I feel great.” Lu Qing moved his body a bit, “It seems like I suddenly have a lot of strength. Grandpa Chen, am I fully recovered now?”

    “It’s not that simple.” The old doctor chuckled, “You were depleted heavily and have a weak foundation. You need to recuperate slowly to fully recover. My Vitality Needle merely mobilized your vitality temporarily, giving you the illusion of increased strength.”

    “Next, you will need medicinal food to replenish your body, so you can recover fully soon.”

    “Here, this dish of yam cake, it’s not only for Xiao Yan but also for you. Have a few pieces.”

    “Yam has the effects of strengthening the spleen, tonifying the lungs, nourishing the kidneys, and benefiting essence, which are perfect for you.”

    The old doctor pushed the dish of white yam cakes on the stone table forward, signaling to Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing looked at the dish of yam cakes, hesitating: “Grandpa Chen, these yam cakes must be quite precious, right?”

    “Not really precious; they are rare outside but are quite abundant in the mountains, so it’s not hard to find. I have some stock here. Feel free to eat.”

    Old Doctor Chen noticed Lu Qing’s thoughts and spoke warmly.

    He spoke lightly, but how could Lu Qing truly believe him?

    The dangers in the mountains were well known. It was Old Doctor Chen’s skill that allowed him to dig out these yams.

    But if one genuinely thinks of these yams as cheap, that would be too naive.

    However, Lu Qing also knew that since the old doctor had said so much, rejecting it would be overly pretentious.

    So, he made a long bow to Old Doctor Chen and gratefully said, “Then, thank you very much, Grandpa Chen.”

    After speaking, he also sat down by the stone table and picked up a piece of yam cake to eat.

    The cake was soft, fragrant, and glutinous, quite delicious.

    Even someone like Lu Qing, who had tasted various modern cakes in his previous life, found it extremely tasty.

    He focused his gaze on the cake on the plate, and soon, white light shone, and a note appeared.

    【Yam Cake: A cake made mainly from yam.】

    【Strengthens the spleen, tonifies the lungs, nourishes the kidneys, and benefits essence, having a good effect on body nourishment.】

    The appraisal from his ability matched exactly with what Old Doctor Chen had described.

    “Brother, isn’t it delicious?” Xiao Yan asked proudly.

    “Yes, it’s very delicious.” Lu Qing honestly nodded.

    Old Doctor Chen had been observing Lu Qing. Seeing him stop after eating a few pieces of yam cake, he nodded silently.

    Although hungry, in the face of delicious food, he remained well-mannered and did not overeat.

    Lu Qing’s performance left him quite satisfied.

    In the past, he hadn’t noticed that there was such a special young man in the village. However, it’s still a bit too early to draw conclusions now; further observation is needed.

    Thinking about the thoughts that had arisen while Lu Qing was unconscious, Old Doctor Chen pondered for a moment.

    Then he said, ‘Lu Qing, you said you’re interested in medicinal herbs, do you want to learn medicine?’

    ‘I wouldn’t dare to presume to learn medicine,’ Lu Qing responded hastily. ‘It’s just that after seeing the wonders of medicinal herbs, I feel a longing in my heart.’

    ‘Grandpa Chen also knows, my family encountered misfortune, my parents passed away, and our household is extremely poor. With just the two acres of thin fields left, it’s really hard to sustain us.’

    ‘So I thought, if I could learn some skills in identifying and collecting herbs, perhaps I could use that to support me and my sister.’

    ‘Herb collecting is indeed a possible path,’ Old Doctor Chen nodded. ‘But this path is not easy either, there are many dangers in the mountains, and becoming a good herb collector is not that simple.’

    ‘One has to try to know, and besides, in this world, which job is easy?’

    ‘Indeed, in this world, there is no job that is easy,’ Old Doctor Chen praised. ‘It’s rare that you have such insight.’

    ‘Since that’s the case, from next time on, after giving you acupuncture, stay and help me with drying the herbs. How much you can remember will depend on your comprehension.’

    ‘Thank you, Grandpa Chen.’

    Although he had already heard Old Doctor Chen say this before, hearing him mention it again, Lu Qing still felt delighted.

    ‘Grandpa Chen, why can’t you teach Big Brother today?’ Xiao Yan asked.

    The little girl had been listening for a long time and had understood a bit.

    ‘Today won’t do,’ Old Doctor Chen chuckled. ‘Today, Grandpa Chen has to go to the city, there’s not enough time.’

    Go to the city?

    Lu Qing’s heart stirred, but he held back. His behavior today had already been a bit out of line; it wouldn’t be wise to probe further.

    Anyway, even if he knew the city’s information now, it would be of no use to him.

    But Xiao Yan, completely unbothered by such concerns, immediately widened her curious eyes upon hearing that Old Doctor Chen was going to the city.

    ‘Grandpa Chen, what’s the city like?’

    ‘The city, ah, that’s not something that can be explained in a short while. When Xiao Yan grows up and goes there herself, she’ll know. The city is far better than the outside.’

    Xiao Yan immediately showed a look of longing.

    Even Lu Qing was surprised.

    From Old Doctor Chen’s words, the city really seemed to hold some mysteries.

    After chatting for a while longer, Old Doctor Chen stood up.

    ‘Alright, you all should go back now. I have to prepare and head to the city. Lu Qing, remember to come for acupuncture again in three days.’

    Seeing that Old Doctor Chen was leaving, Lu Qing hesitated for a moment and still said, ‘Grandpa Chen, there’s something I’d like to ask.’

    ‘Oh, what is it?’

    ‘I want to ask if there’s any thread that’s particularly tough and not easy to break.’

    ‘Thread, what do you need that for?’

    Lu Qing carefully considered his words, then said, ‘Yesterday, I went fishing by the river, and I discovered that I seem to have some talent for fishing. But the fishing rod made with hemp rope at home can’t withstand much force; the fishing line breaks easily, and I can’t catch big fish.’

    ‘So I wanted to ask Grandpa Chen if there’s any thread that’s particularly tough and suitable for making a better fishing rod.’

    ‘Tough thread…’ Old Doctor Chen fell into thought upon hearing Lu Qing’s words.

    Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, he went into the house.

    ‘Wait here for a moment.’