Chapter 76: Clothes Make the Man
Waves of heat billowed in the roasting room, and the medicinal herbs in the iron pot rustled under Lin Shuang’s stir-frying.
Her two slender arms were already sore, and beads of sweat slid down her neck and into her collar, forming a small patch of dampness at her collarbone.
The stove fire was too strong, and her cheeks were burning.
But she couldn’t stop her mind from thinking of last night, when Jiang Huaizhen’s hot palm had been just a little away from her chest.
Did this person not know that it was also comfortable there, or…
Damn it. She was clearly working, so why was her body so tingly…
With a sudden clank of the spatula against the edge of the pot, a crisp sound pulled her back to reality.
After six consecutive days of almost non-stop work, the honey-roasted medicine was almost done. After finishing the pot in her hand, Lin Shuang took a break and went out to find someone.
Jiang Huaizhen had just arrived. She wasn’t outside the door at the moment. She didn’t know if she had gone to the latrine.
Just as Lin Shuang was about to turn, she caught a glimpse of a furtive figure.
The person was sticking to the shadows of the corridor, looking back every few steps, looking very vigilant.
Her heart instantly tightened, and she dodged behind a pillar.
She saw that the person was wearing the light blue short tunic of the Everlasting Peace Apothecary. He was thin, and his protruding eyes were particularly striking.
Qin Sheng.
Lin Shuang’s pupils constricted. She recognized him.
This person, like her, had been a medicine slave of the Qin family. Before Lin Shuang had come to the Qin family, he had already been testing medicine at the apothecary. Because of the effects of the medicine, his eyes had also protruded, making him very easy to recognize.
What was he doing here?
Realizing what had happened in her past life, Lin Shuang’s hair stood on end.
The first step of the tragedy of the Everlasting Peace Apothecary in her past life was that the water in the shop had been contaminated with the plague. The medicine that was brewed was also not clean. The people who came here for treatment were not cured, but instead caught the seasonal epidemic. Even the doctors and apprentices in the shop were also infected.
Lin Shuang knew about this, but she was not clear about the specific reason. But now, it seemed that the source was here.
And at this moment, this house slave of the Qin family was clutching a bundle and rushing toward the water room.
“Stop!”
Seeing that he was only a few steps away from the water room, Lin Shuang didn’t care about anything else and quickly rushed out from behind the pillar.
Qin Sheng turned his head abruptly.
The moment their gazes met, a hint of ferocity flashed across his face, and he turned and ran toward the water room.
“Someone! There’s a spy!”
Lin Shuang shouted loudly as she quickly chased after him.
If she didn’t stop him at this time, once he threw the thing into the water room, the consequences would be unimaginable!
She chased desperately, but Qin Sheng was only a few steps away from the water room, and he was about to break in!
“Bang!”
A gray-white figure suddenly crashed into him from the side. Qin Sheng flew out like a rag doll and fell heavily on the bluestone slab. The bundle he was clutching also flew out and rolled into a corner.
Seeing who it was, Lin Shuang was overjoyed and shouted anxiously, “Huaizhen, don’t let him into the water room!”
Hearing this, Jiang Huaizhen turned and stood in front of the water room door.
At the same time, the sound of messy footsteps came from a distance, and Ah Lai came, panting, with a few apprentices.
Qin Sheng struggled to get up but was surrounded by three or four people, with no way out.
“Liang Sheng!” Ah Lai shouted sternly. “What are you doing?”
Qin Sheng, who was using the alias “Liang Sheng,” had a pale face, and his protruding eyes darted around in panic. “I, I was just going to the latrine… Who knew I would be stopped by these two? It’s so strange…”
Lin Shuang stared at him coldly, her voice unusually clear. “Ah Lai, go and get Shopkeeper He quickly. Tell him that someone is going to poison the water room.”
Hearing this, Ah Lai’s pupils suddenly constricted. His gaze swept back and forth between Qin Sheng and the bundle on the ground, and then he turned and ran.
Seeing this, Qin Sheng suddenly jumped up to escape but was swept in the back of his knee by a quick-eyed and quick-handed young apprentice with a stick. He fell to his knees with a “thud.”
“You’re slandering me—” he shouted hoarsely.
Lin Shuang walked forward slowly, her boots crushing the dead leaves on the ground, making a soft sound. “We’ll know soon enough if it’s slander or not.”
Shopkeeper He had almost run over, his expression grim.
“What’s going on?”
Lin Shuang pointed to the bundle on the ground. “He was sneaking into the water room. I suspect he was going to poison it.”
“Nonsense!” Qin Sheng’s forehead was bulging with veins. “I was going to the latrine!”
“The latrine is in the east,” Lin Shuang sneered. “The water room is in the west—”
She pointed to the gray cloth bundle on the ground. “What’s in here that can’t be seen?”
Qin Sheng’s throat was choked, and he stammered, “It’s, it’s my clothes…”
Before he could finish, Shopkeeper He said sternly, “Take the bundle to the next room for inspection!”
“That’s my private property! On what grounds—” Qin Sheng suddenly jumped up but was held down by two strong apprentices. His bloodshot eyes stared at Lin Shuang, as if he wanted to swallow her alive.
The things were immediately sent for inspection. In less than a quarter of an hour, the inspector came back, his face grave. “Shopkeeper, in the bundle is a woman’s dirty clothes, covered in filth. I’m afraid… it contains a poisonous and pestilential aura. As for what it is, we’ll have to wait for that side to test it to know.”
Shopkeeper He’s face instantly turned ashen, and his beard trembled. “Report to the authorities! Report to the authorities immediately!”
Qin Sheng’s legs went limp, and he collapsed on the ground.
Shopkeeper He ordered him to be taken away, then turned and bowed deeply to Lin Shuang and Jiang Huaizhen. “You two young ladies, the Everlasting Peace Apothecary owes you a great debt of gratitude. I will report this matter in detail to the owner and will definitely come to your door to thank you another day.”
Lin Shuang shook her head. “It’s nothing. We just happened to run into it. Does the shopkeeper know who wants to harm the apothecary?”
Shopkeeper He was secretive and just waved his hand. “This matter… still needs to be decided by the yamen.”
Lin Shuang tactfully did not press further.
Mrs. Xue also came upon hearing the news and immediately ordered someone to send a message to her husband. She also ordered the shop to be closed for three days for a thorough inspection.
Lin Shuang’s work also stopped.
Everyone had to change their clothes and be fumigated with medicine before they could leave the shop.
Mrs. Xue personally brought two new sets of clothes and smiled. “These are ready-made clothes specially bought from the Tianyi Workshop. You can try them on to see if they fit.”
If it weren’t for these two, their apothecary would probably have been ruined today. Not to mention two sets of clothes, she could have given them as many as they wanted.
Lin Shuang did not refuse and took the clothes with a smile. “Thanks to you, madam. It’s not even the new year yet, and Huaizhen and I are already wearing new clothes.”
“You child. If you don’t have new clothes, you can just come to me in the future,” Mrs. Xue said with a chiding tone. “I’m about the same age as your parents. If you don’t mind, you can just call me Auntie.”
Lin Shuang readily called her “Aunt Xiao” and turned to change.
When she came out, Mrs. Xue’s eyes lit up, and she smiled as she went forward to tidy her collar.
“It’s true that clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse. You should dress like this from now on.”
But she didn’t expect that what would surprise her was still to come.
It wasn’t until Jiang Huaizhen came out from behind the screen that Mrs. Xue gasped. “These clothes are like they were made for you. Red is the most difficult color to wear, but on you…”
That touch of red was very flattering. Her usually plain face, when set off by this color, actually showed a hint of breathtaking brilliance.
Lin Shuang was lost in a daze.
She had seen Jiang Huaizhen in coarse linen clothes, and she had seen her in a neat and tidy outfit. But she had never seen her like this… so bright and beautiful. That red was like it had suddenly ignited the fire hidden in her bones, making this usually cool and aloof woman suddenly come alive.
It wasn’t until Jiang Huaizhen walked toward her that she came to her senses. “So beautiful.”
Mrs. Xue, who was next to her, smiled and teased, “This is great. If the young masters in the city see this, I’m afraid they’ll wear out your doorstep.”
Hearing this, the smile on Lin Shuang’s face instantly faded by half.
But the corners of her lips soon curled up again. “It’s because Auntie chose good clothes.”
After chatting for a while longer, and seeing that it was getting dark and the city gates were about to close, the two of them did not stay any longer and took their leave.
Jiang Huaizhen’s body was much better now. She sat in front, driving the horse, while Lin Shuang sat behind, her arms around her waist, her head resting on her back.
At this time, the sun had already set, and twilight was gradually enveloping the surroundings.
Lin Shuang asked, “Can you guess who was behind that apprentice?”
Jiang Huaizhen replied, “If there are no accidents, it should be the same group of people who reported you for spreading rumors.”
Lin Shuang already knew this and sighed. “Of the few clinics in Changping County now, the Benevolence Hall and the Everlasting Peace Apothecary have the best business. After the flood, the Everlasting Peace side distributed free soup medicine, and all the patients flocked here. The Qin family’s side is probably so envious they’re about to bleed.”
Although it was not appropriate to use the word “business” to describe a clinic, many clinics were backed by medicine merchants. Medicine merchants profited from selling medicinal herbs, and practicing medicine to save the world was not their duty. Those patients who sought medical treatment were just lambs to be slaughtered in their eyes.
When the lambs were diverted to other apothecaries, how could the medicine merchants not be envious?
Jiang Huaizhen hesitated for a moment and said, “With Doctor Xue’s personality, I’m afraid it will be difficult for him to fight against them…”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. At least we’ve gotten through this crisis. If they really succeed, it will be difficult for the common people to see a doctor in the future. Without money, they can only wait to die,” Lin Shuang said.
Jiang Huaizhen’s lips were pressed tightly together. “If there were no Everlasting Peace Apothecary in Changping County… back then, the little money I had borrowed would not have been enough to treat Grandma.”
Hearing this, Lin Shuang comforted her, “We’ll help the Everlasting Peace Apothecary as much as we can.”
“It’s a good thing that Grandma’s health is much better now. Let’s go up the mountain tomorrow and find something good to nourish her.”
Jiang Huaizhen replied with an “alright.”
Lin Shuang looked at her tense profile and suddenly smiled. “When you rushed out this afternoon, you were like a divine soldier descending from heaven…”
With that, her fingers quietly moved up and drew a circle on her waist. “So beautiful.”
Jiang Huaizhen suddenly shivered.
A low laugh came from behind her.
It had to be said that her originally heavy mood had been lightened a lot by this interruption.
She cleared her throat and said, “If I didn’t look like this, would you still think I’m beautiful?”
“You’re beautiful no matter what,” Lin Shuang said, her fingertips slowly moving up her waistline. “But now… you’re the most beautiful.”
Just as she finished speaking, Jing Lei under her suddenly snorted and slowed down.
“Oh, we’re at the village entrance. That was fast,” Lin Shuang looked at the other’s ears, which were so red they were almost bleeding, and smiled triumphantly, finally mercifully withdrawing her mischievous hand.
The sun had set, and some families had come out early to cool off. Lin Shuang hadn’t expected Old Madam Jiang to be out too. She was chatting with Matron Yan and a few other old women, while Ping’er and a few little girls were squatting under a nearby tree, digging for earthworms.
Hearing the sound of horse hooves, everyone looked over.
Especially when they saw Jiang Huaizhen sitting on the horse’s back in a dark red long dress, looking like a noble lady in the blowing evening wind, they couldn’t take their eyes off her.
Lin Shuang had long lost her appearance on the horse. She nimbly dismounted and walked to Old Madam Jiang. “Grandma, what are you doing here?”
Old Madam Jiang glared at her with dissatisfaction. “What, can’t I come here?”
“You can, of course you can,” Lin Shuang smiled. “Have you had dinner?”
“If I had waited for you to come back and cook, I would have starved to death long ago.”
Lin Shuang smiled and walked over, hugging her arm and coaxing, “It’s our fault. We were delayed by something and came back late.”
By another millstone in the distance, Ma Guihua saw her intimately hugging Old Madam Jiang’s arm, and her face also became ugly.
Seeing this, Old Woman Hao lowered her voice and added fuel to the fire. “I really don’t know what kind of thing she is, to recognize such an old woman as her grandmother. If your mother-in-law knew in the underworld, she would probably jump out of her coffin.”
Ma Guihua gritted her teeth and cursed in a low voice, “Little slut—”
Hearing this, a woman next to her clicked her tongue and said to Old Woman Hao, “Your Ping’er also recognizes her as her grandmother now. You’re still alive and well. Why don’t you go and say a few words to her?”
Old Woman Hao’s originally gloating face instantly fell. “Was I talking to you? You just have to stick your mouth in.”
The woman sneered. “Can’t I talk to myself? Unlike some people, who sell their granddaughter for silver and then gossip about others behind their backs. Pah, shameless.”
“You—”
