General, your wife has gone to deliver another calf for your horse.

"Excuse me, ma'am, is there a veterinarian named Anuan in Qingquan Village? Where does she live?"

It was the rainy season in Gu Kui City. After a light drizzle at dawn, the thick fog gradually dissipated. Guard Chen Shu entered the village through the damp air and greeted a woman of about fifty at the village entrance with clasped hands. He tried to force a smile to appear calm, lest his resentment frighten her.

"You don't look like someone from around here. Are you from out of town?"

Aunt Ma was sitting on a tree stump in front of her house, eating noodles while holding a large bowl in her arms and chopsticks in her hand. When she heard the visitor ask about Jiang Nuanzhi, her alarm bells went off immediately, and she squinted to carefully examine the visitor.

The newcomer was tall and imposing, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He exuded an aura of menace, no less so than his own son, and the newcomer unconsciously tensed up as he asked, "Young man, are you married? How old are you? What brings you to Doctor Jiang's house?"

Chen Shu frowned, puzzled, and asked, "Why is the aunt asking this?"

Aunt Ma chuckled and glanced at Chen Shu: "I was thinking that a young man your age would be a good match for Doctor Jiang. However, if we were to propose marriage..."

“Auntie, don’t talk nonsense. My family is already engaged, how can I propose to someone else? I just need to talk to this veterinarian Anuan about something. If you don’t want to tell me, I’ll ask someone else.”

Chen Shu frowned slightly, turned around with some displeasure, and strode towards the village.

Upon hearing this, Aunt Ma's face lit up with joy: "So you're not here to propose marriage after all." She immediately tossed aside the large bowl of noodles she had just finished eating, wiped her hands on her clothes, and jogged after him: "You little rascal, why are you angry when I was just joking with you? I'll take you to Doctor Jiang's house right now, just follow me."

"Thank you for your trouble," Chen Shu said, suppressing his anger.

He was once a legitimate scholar who passed the imperial examinations twice. However, after the Li family and the Duke's mansion both suffered misfortunes, his family also fell into decline. He barely survived thanks to the Duke's help and remained loyal to the Duke.

He thought that he would be willing to die for the Duke and General Li. However, it seemed that he was never the one to charge into battle. Finally, the Duke came to find General Li, and the two of them went to Canglin together. He was already sharpening his sword, thinking that his talents had finally come in handy. But unexpectedly, at this critical moment, he was sent by the Duke to paint a woman's portrait.

What kind of mess is this?

The more he thought about it, the heavier the resentment became. Even Aunt Ma next to him subconsciously took a few steps away from him.

This man didn't look like someone to be trifled with, but he wasn't as likable as his own son, which made him feel a little more at ease.

"Dr. Jiang, you're back from your rounds of patients? Is the Li family's child better?"

Before they even reached Jiang Nuan's house, they spotted Jiang Nuan riding a donkey, her figure swaying and emerging from the thin mist in the distance. Aunt Ma immediately jogged over and greeted her with a smile.

Jiang Nuanzhi dismounted from the donkey with a smile and spoke to Aunt Ma, "Yes, Little Fatty is much better now, his fever has subsided. Auntie, you're here so early today?" A little over a month ago, Uncle Ma suffered a sudden stroke, his mouth and eyes became crooked overnight, he convulsed and lost his speech. The Ma family, who didn't have much money, had no choice but to seek help from Jiang Nuanzhi. Jiang Nuanzhi's acupuncture treatment saved his life, and her reputation had spread throughout the village. Now, when people saw her, they no longer mistook her for the child-abusing Jiang Fatty, but instead called her Doctor Jiang. Finally, she no longer faced disdain when she went out.

Two days ago, the young boy from the Li family in the neighboring Xinghua Village had a high fever and convulsions, foaming at the mouth. His mother carried him for five miles that night, seeking help from Jiang Nuanzhi. Everyone in the village knew about it. That's why Aunt Ma asked this question.

"Dr. Jiang is really amazing. Your Uncle Ma can walk while holding onto the wall today, and he can speak clearly. He even said that once he can move around, he will definitely cook you a good meal and invite you to my house for dinner."

"No need, Auntie. Now that Uncle is better, you two should still take care of yourselves. Don't weave baskets day and night anymore. You need to get some rest."

"Okay, I understand." Aunt Ma replied cheerfully, looking at Jiang Nuanzhi with increasing satisfaction. She couldn't help but step forward and grab Jiang Nuanzhi's hand: "My Dalang is off work today. You are alone with no man by your side now, and it must be difficult for you to raise your children alone. If anyone bullies you, don't be polite. Just call my Dalang."

He then took Jiang Nuanzhi's fair hand in his and rubbed it affectionately. He then said with a smile, "Doctor Jiang, I see that your new house is full of men. To prevent them from taking advantage of you because you are young and ignorant, why don't you let Dalang look after you? Dalang works in the yamen and is quite strong. He will definitely be able to keep them in check. Don't worry, he won't ask you for a single penny of wages."

"Thank you, Auntie. No need." Jiang Nuanzhi refused decisively, subtly pulling her hand away from Aunt Ma's and saying, "My husband will be back soon, so there's no need for Brother Ma's help. Brother Ma finally has a day off, so he should stay home and fulfill his filial duties."

“You silly child, those who leave, how could they possibly come back? You should think carefully about yourself. Take Widow Li from the village, her husband left all those years ago, saying he'd come back after making something of himself. But then he married and had children elsewhere, and poor Widow Li waited so long for him until she was over thirty, her best years wasted. And don't even mention your Aunt Wang, she waited her whole life but her man never came to take her away.”

"Auntie!" Jiang Nuanzhi, impatient with her words, simply said, "We still have a house to build, so I'll have to keep an eye on those things. I won't chat with you any longer." With that, she led the donkey away.

A man was standing next to Aunt Ma, staring at her intently from the beginning, a gaze that displeased Jiang Nuanzhi. She walked past him, intending to go to the bridal chamber.

After listening for a while, Chen Shu almost subconsciously stepped forward and stopped the carriage: "Doctor, please wait."

Aunt Ma then slapped her thigh and exclaimed, "That's right! Look at my brain! Doctor Jiang, this young man has come to see you for a checkup."

Jiang Nuanzhi observed his complexion and, apart from the furrowed brows that hinted at a hint of melancholy, did not seem to have any illness. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Does this young man have someone in his family who needs a medical consultation?"

When Chen Shu met those clear, bright eyes, his heart skipped a beat for no reason.

The young woman before him wore a loosely draped white robe that draped over her body, revealing a full figure with a slender waist. Her long hair cascaded down to her waist like a waterfall. She wore no makeup, yet her lips were red and her teeth white. She possessed an alluring face, comparable even to the most beautiful women serving the Duke. Perhaps, she could truly be called a rare beauty.

This woman, however, was carrying a rough basket on her shoulder, so large it almost contained her. At that moment, she held the reins in one hand and the basket's strap in the other, her expression showing no trace of girlish timidity, only a calm and serene gaze as she looked at him.

Unable to cope, Chen Shu pressed his pounding heart, cleared his throat to avoid her gaze, and stammered, "It's not that someone in my family is here for a consultation, it's... I wanted to buy some instant noodles from Doctor Jiang." (End of Chapter)