Chapter 282: Chapter 116 Miao Liangfang_4
Just as he was feeling somewhat puzzled, the waiter, while calling out "Noodles coming up," placed the bowl in front of him.
The tone was so eager it was almost affectionate.
Miao Liangfang was taken aback.
He had occasionally eaten here in the past, but being poorly dressed often earned him cold stares; this was the first time he had been treated so kindly.
Amidst his confusion, Miao Liangfang was about to speak when the young waiter, carrying an empty tray, dashed back into the diner.
He sat there, dumbstruck for a moment, then could only pick up his chopsticks and push down the myriad of suspicions in his heart for now.
The meal was tasteless to him, and after he finished the soup, Miao Liangfang placed the empty bowl on the table, walked with his cane to where the owner was cutting noodles at the entrance, and from his bosom, he fished out two shiny copper coins.
The owner laughed and said, "Someone has already paid your silver for you—no need to pay, Doctor Miao!"
"Such good fortune..." Miao Liangfang was about to break into a smile when his expression suddenly froze, "What did you call me?!"
"Doctor Miao!" The owner clapped him on the shoulder and leaned in to say, "Doctor Lu has been greeting people around our street these past days, announcing that from now on, your meals will be charged to Renxin Medical Hall’s account, and we can collect the silver from there!"
"Doctor Lu?"
"Yes, Renxin Medical Hall’s Doctor Lu! Doctor Lu said that you are a divine physician, that your medical skills far surpass hers, that we were blind before. Don’t take it to heart, old Miao, don’t take it to heart."
Someone nearby chimed in, half joking and half questioning, "Old Miao, you really know medical arts?"
Another replied, "That’s what Doctor Lu said, how could it be false! Doctor Lu created ’Chun Shui Sheng’ and ’Xianxian.’ Even Princess Consort Wen had people come to thank her. Why would she lie to you about this!"
There were more comments, but Miao Liangfang couldn’t make them out clearly anymore, only feeling that the sun shining down on him was unusually scorching. It was as if it intended to drag moss grown in the shadows out into the daylight, causing his whole body to ache from the exposure.
No wonder he felt strange today when he went out, feeling that people were looking at him oddly. The scornful and disdainful glances used to comfort him, but these pleasing, respectful gazes made him extremely uncomfortable!
That female doctor surnamed Lu... Renxin Medical Hall!
The owner clapped his shoulder: "Old Miao, what’s wrong, you look so pale?"Miao Liangfang came to his senses, said nothing, but with a stern face, turned around, and walked away, leaning on his cane.
After taking a few steps, he turned back abruptly, startling the owner.
He slapped the two copper coins down hard on the counter.
"I’ll pay myself!"
...
At Renxin Medical Hall, Ah Cheng was taking the red carpet with embroidery out to sun it.
This embroidered carpet, no one knew what material it was made of, had been washed several times without any signs of color fading; on the contrary, it seemed even more vivid with every scrub. Under the sunlight, the words "A kind doctor relieves ailments, silent magic cures diseases" shone brightly.
Just as Ah Cheng was laying out the carpet, he looked up to see a middle-aged man storming in from outside with a formidable presence.
This man was wearing a dark gray tattered jacket, revealing some yellowed cotton stuffing, his hair tied up in a disheveled mess, and his face looked unwashed, even worse than the beggars at the temple gate. Despite wielding a cane, he walked with the vigor of a man in the prime of his life.
Ah Cheng said, "Sir..."
The man did not even glance at him and headed straight into the inner room.
Du Changqing and Yin Zheng were drying herbs in the backyard, while Lu Tong was sitting at the desk reading a book. Hearing the commotion, she raised her head and locked eyes with Miao Liangfang’s exasperated face.
"What on earth do you think you’re doing?" Miao Liangfang threw down his cane, smacked his hands on the table, and glared at Lu Tong as if he wanted to devour her alive. "I said I don’t understand medicine and won’t teach anyone! You might as well give up now. You won’t pass the spring exam, nor will you get into Hanlin Medical Institute!"
Lu Tong closed the book and calmly looked at him.
"Why would you say that? Is it because you are very familiar with the Imperial Medical Bureau’s spring exam, Officer Miao?"
Miao Liangfang’s face grew pale: "What did you just call me?"
Lu Tong smiled faintly.
"It seems I was right."