Dare to shirk responsibility? This adorable little one will tear down your military district!

Sun Shouzhen stepped over the threshold and entered the lobby. The floor was paved with smooth cement and coated with a layer of clear varnish, making it shiny.

To the left is a wall of traditional Chinese medicine cabinets, old mahogany cabinets acquired from an old pharmacy. Gu Changfeng had them polished and waxed, and now they exude a calm, woody fragrance.

To the right is the consultation table, behind which hang several diagrams of the human meridian system.

Although it hasn't officially opened yet, it already has that genuine medical clinic vibe.

Sun Shouzhen stood with his hands behind his back, like an old lion surveying its territory, touching and tapping here and there.

He walked to the medicine cabinet, pulled open a small drawer, picked up a little astragalus root, smelled it under his nose, and then chewed it.

"The astragalus root is aged properly, and the cooking method is also acceptable." The old man spat out the dregs and nodded. "It seems you didn't try to fool people with those fake medicines that were fumigated with sulfur."

Gu Changfeng put down his bedding roll and laughed, "How could that be? Wanrou said that since we're opening a clinic, the quality of the medicinal herbs is our conscience. Even if we earn less, we can't be unethical."

Sun Shouzhen nodded and walked towards the backyard with his hands behind his back.

Passing through a moon gate, there is a small courtyard. The east wing has been converted into a medicine-decocting room, the west wing is used for storing medicine, and there are three main rooms, with the central room being the main hall and the two side rooms for living.

Under the old locust tree in the courtyard, there is a stone table.

At that moment, the overwhelming aroma of meat was wafting out from the small kitchen built next door, as if it had grown legs.

"Sizzle—"

That's the sound of hot oil being poured over scallions, ginger, and garlic.

Lin Wanrou, wearing an apron and holding a spatula, poked her head out of the kitchen, her face flushed from the firelight: "Master! Come in and rest! The braised pork will be ready soon, and so will your favorite stir-fried pork intestines!"

Sun Shouzhen's Adam's apple bobbed violently.

During his years on the farm, he rarely got to eat braised pork, let alone a bowl of soup with a speck of oil. Now, smelling this aroma, his stomach was practically churning with hunger.

But he straightened his back and adopted a nonchalant, aloof demeanor: "What's the rush? This old man wants to take another look at the feng shui of this courtyard."

"Come on," Meng Yaya said, pulling a handful of White Rabbit candies from her pocket and stuffing them into the old man's hand. "Stop pretending, your drool is practically dripping down your chin. Go wash your hands, I'll go make you some tea."

Sun Shouzhen glared at her, unwrapped a candy and popped it into his mouth. The rich milky aroma instantly filled his mouth, making his eyes a little moist.

It's fucking delicious.

While Gu Changfeng was leading Old Sun to his room to settle his luggage, Meng Yaya slipped into the main room.

A set of blue and white porcelain tea set was placed on the table.

The little girl looked around and, seeing no one, her mind drifted into the space.

The water level in the spiritual spring well in the space seemed to have risen again. The plants around the well were lush and green, and the vibrant scent of life was invigorating just to smell.

Meng Yaya took a bamboo tube and scooped out a tube of spiritual spring water.

This water is too nourishing. If I give it directly to the old man, I'm afraid his weak body won't be able to handle it, and he might even get a nosebleed.

She picked up the thermos on the table, poured in most of the boiling water, and then carefully added a small amount of spiritual spring water.

"This is a real treasure, priceless." Meng Yaya shook the teapot and grinned mischievously. "If you eat my tea and drink my tea, you'll have to sell yourself to our family as a long-term laborer for the rest of your life."

The tea is ready. I used this year's new jasmine tea. Although it's not top-grade, the aroma paired with this spring water is simply amazing.

The dishes were served shortly afterward.

The braised pork belly was a bright red color, rich but not greasy; the stir-fried pork intestines were cleaned very thoroughly and had a slightly charred aroma; there was also a plate of stir-fried lettuce and a pot of old hen and mushroom soup.

In this day and age, this meal was not just plentiful, it was downright extravagant.

Sun Shouzhen changed into an old military uniform that Gu Changfeng had found. Although it didn't fit him, it was much better than the tattered uniform he was wearing.

He sat in the head seat, looking at the table full of dishes, his hands trembling slightly.

"Master, please start eating." Lin Wanrou poured him a glass of wine. "This is to welcome you home. From now on, this will be your home."

Sun Shouzhen didn't say anything, picked up his wine glass and took a sip, wincing from the spiciness. Then he picked up a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks and stuffed it into his mouth.

Soft, sweet, and melts in your mouth.

That long-lost sense of satisfaction rushed straight to the top of my head from my taste buds.

The old man ate very quickly. Although he tried his best to maintain proper table manners, the frequency with which he ate was a muscle memory he had developed from fighting for food on the farm.

Gu Changfeng didn't say much, he just kept putting food on the old man's plate.

Meng Yaya sat on a high stool and pushed the bowl of chicken soup in front of her over: "Drink the soup, this chicken soup is good for your energy."

Sun Shouzhen ate until he was about 80% full before slowing down.

He felt like he had come back to life.

"Alright, stop focusing on eating meat, have some tea to cleanse your palate." Meng Yaya picked up the teapot and poured a cup of tea for Sun Shouzhen.

The tea soup is clear and bright, with a faint amber hue.

Sun Shouzhen picked up his teacup, blew away the foam, and took a sip casually.

"Pfft—cough cough cough!"

The old man's eyes widened suddenly as soon as he swallowed the tea, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, and he almost spat it out.

"Master! What's wrong? Did you burn yourself?" Lin Wanrou was startled and quickly handed over a handkerchief.

Sun Shouzhen didn't take the handkerchief. He stared intently at the teacup in his hand, then glanced at Meng Yaya, who sat opposite him with an innocent look on her face.

The tea I just drank wasn't as bland as ordinary tea.

A warm, yet distinctly clear, current slid down my throat into my stomach, then exploded instantly, transforming into countless tiny warm currents that seeped into my limbs and bones.

His old, calloused legs, afflicted with excruciating pain from years of hard labor, would ache terribly on rainy days. But now, a tingling, warm sensation welled up in the gaps between his kneecaps, instantly reducing the pain by more than half.

Even the foundation that had been eroded by hunger and toil over the years seemed to be nourished in that instant.

As a renowned expert in traditional Chinese medicine, he is extremely sensitive to the reactions of drugs and the body.

This is definitely not your ordinary jasmine tea!

Even a hundred-year-old ginseng might not have such an immediate effect!

"This water..." Sun Shouzhen's voice was hoarse as he looked up at Meng Yaya.

The little girl was gnawing on a chicken leg, her mouth greasy, when she noticed the old man's gaze. She looked up, a sly glint in her large, clear eyes.

She winked at Sun Shouzhen, held up a finger, and put it to her lips: "Shh."

Sun Shouzhen's heart skipped a beat.

He glanced at Lin Wanrou, who was clearing away the dishes, and then at Gu Changfeng, who was feeding Heifeng bones. This couple seemed completely unaware of their daughter's "special abilities," or perhaps they were simply used to it?

This little girl has a big secret!

No wonder the corn she casually tossed over in Mengjia Village made him feel like he had taken a magic pill.

Sun Shouzhen took a deep breath and drank the cup of tea in one gulp.

A surge of heat coursed through his body again, and the comfortable feeling made him want to hum a couple of times.

"Good tea."

The old man put down his teacup and looked at Meng Yaya with a deep gaze. "This water is sweet and refreshing, unlike well water."

"That's it." Meng Yaya spat out the chicken bone and said with a smile, "This is a spring I found on the mountain, specially reserved for you. Is it good?"

"It tastes good."

Sun Shouzhen nodded heavily.

He's a smart man. Since this girl dared to give him a drink, she must consider him one of her own.

This trust is heavier than that piece of braised pork.

"Wanrou," Sun Shouzhen turned his head and looked at his apprentice who was wiping the table, his tone suddenly becoming extremely solemn, "tomorrow morning, clean up the main hall."

Lin Wanrou was taken aback: "Master, why are you tidying up the main hall? We're not planning to open for business tomorrow."

"What kind of business are you running!"

Sun Shouzhen stomped his old liberation shoe on the ground, regaining his arrogant demeanor. "Now that I'm here, some rules need to be established."

He pointed at Lin Wanrou, then at himself.

"Although I taught you for a few years before, it was all done secretly, without proper authorization. Tomorrow, we'll set up an altar, offer tea, and perform the formal apprenticeship ceremony!"

"I will formally accept you as my last disciple and rightfully pass on the Sun family's skills to you!"

The rag in Lin Wanrou's hand fell onto the table with a "thud," and she was completely stunned.

Formal apprenticeship?

It should be noted that Sun Shouzheng was known for his high standards back then. Many high-ranking officials and nobles wanted to send their children to him as apprentices, but he chased them away with a broom.

Is he now formally accepting apprentices, or will he be closing his doors to new disciples?

"What? You think this old man is a bad element?" Sun Shouzhen raised his eyebrows.

"No! No!" Lin Wanrou's eyes welled up with tears. "I'm happy... I'm so happy..."

"Then it's settled."

Sun Shouzhen stood up with his hands behind his back, feeling the surging vitality in his body, and glanced at Meng Yaya, who was secretly laughing.

"From now on, this is our territory. Anyone who dares to cause trouble, I'll beat them so badly they can't take care of themselves!"

Gu Changfeng walked in from the courtyard and overheard this, and couldn't help but laugh.

This family is a mix of characters: the old is arrogant, the young is mischievous, the middle one is resilient, and there's also the soldier protecting them.

It would be hard for them not to prosper with this kind of life.