Chapter 549: Chapter 194 Lack of Virtue
Several days passed in the blink of an eye.
Next to Renxin Medical Hall, the shoe repair shop had been completely tidied up. Du Changqing had found someone to repair the broken roof and re-stack the walls, hanging up calligraphy and paintings. The newly made medicine cabinet was placed back in position. By combining the two adjacent rooms, one side was used for dispensing medicine and the other for seeing patients, turning the previously cramped space into something much more spacious.
Ah Cheng, standing on a stool, hung up the freshly rewritten "Renxin Medical Hall" sign, and also found the most conspicuous place to hang the embroidered banner that Pei Yunshu had sent before. Yin Zheng, having bought fireworks from Official Lane, noticed someone standing in front of Renxin Medical Hall the moment she returned.
A young woman dressed in an aqua-green Luo skirt, with bright and charming eyes, was looking up at the newly replaced signboard.
Yin Zheng, with fireworks in hand, approached and asked, "Miss, are you here to see a doctor?"
The woman turned her head and upon seeing Yin Zheng said, "May I ask, is Doctor Lu here?"
Before Yin Zheng could reply, Lu Tong walked out of the shop and called out "Danqing."
Lin Danqing turned around and, with a smile, said to Lu Tong, "This place is really hard to find. I thought I had gone the wrong way."
Lu Tong set down the medicine jar and seeing Yin Zheng’s puzzled expression, took it upon himself to explain, "This is Doctor Lin from the Medical Officer Institute."
"Oh!" Yin Zheng suddenly understood: "So she’s a friend of the miss from the Medical Officer Institute."
The three of them walked into the shop together. Inside, Du Changqing and others were checking the drawers of the new medicine cabinet. They were momentarily taken aback when they saw Lu Tong leading in a beautiful girl, but Yin Zheng quickly explained, "This is Doctor Lin, the miss’s friend from the Medical Officer Institute. She specifically came to visit the miss!"
"Medical Officer?"
Du Changqing’s eyes lit up, and his attitude immediately became enthusiastic. He rose and warmly said, "My goodness, Doctor Lin, why didn’t you notify us before coming to our medical hall? It’s so sudden, we haven’t even prepared tea. Ah Cheng—" He smacked Ah Cheng on the head, "Quick, bring some fruit for Doctor Lin to wash, and brew some good tea!"
Ah Cheng touched his head and lifted the felt curtain to go into the courtyard.
Lin Danqing looked around, noting the neatly arranged medicine cabinets and clean tables and chairs; the space was spacious and suitable, and at the entrance stood a lush plum tree providing cool shade, which was very refreshing. She couldn’t help but exclaim, "This medical hall is much more serene than our Medical Officer Institute."
"You flatter us with your words, Doctor Lin. How can a small clinic in a corner ever compare to the Imperial City?" Du Changqing pushed Yin Zheng aside and leaned in closer to ask, "We small household folk don’t understand the big city’s ways. Doctor Lu has been mixing with us for so long he’s lost his polish, and see, not even a year at the Medical Officer Institute and he’s already made a blunder that got him suspended and sent back."
Ah Cheng came out with a tea cup, and Du Changqing took it, considerately handing it to Lin Danqing: "Doctor Lin, from what I see in the Medical Officer Institute, you are much more cheerful and likable than Doctor Lu... Forgive my prying, but may I ask when Doctor Lu can return to the Medical Officer Institute?"
Lin Danqing’s hand holding the tea paused, and her glance towards Lu Tong was filled with difficulty.
Lu Tong said, "Don’t ask anymore, Shopkeeper Du."
"What’s wrong with asking?" Du Changqing was displeased, "Well, if necessary, we’ll apologize, make reparations, or send silver as appropriate!"
Miao Liangfang, sitting in front of the medicine cabinet at the medical hall, disagreed with the statement: "Du Shopkeeper, don’t lead Xiao Lu down the wrong path with your corrupt practices."
"You all think you’re so high and mighty," retorted Du Changqing with a flick of his sleeve, "No wonder you were also kicked out of the Medical Officer Institute!" He then turned and lifted the felt curtain to go inside.
Miao Liangfang: "..."
The older doctor awkwardly pointed inside: "Say two words to him, and he takes offense..."
Lu Tong stayed silent for a moment then said to Lin Danqing, "Don’t take his words to heart, he’s just speaking off the cuff."
Ever since her return to the Medical Officer Institute, for the first few days it was alright, but gradually Du Changqing began to probe indirectly, trying to figure out what had happened that led to her sudden three-month suspension, with an indefinite return date, inevitably arousing suspicion.
Although he didn’t say it aloud, Lu Tong could see that Du Changqing really hoped he could return to the Medical Officer Institute.
Someone who has left West Street truly has no need to come back.
Lin Danqing sighed, "I know he cares." She then lowered her voice, "Actually, I’ve already asked Chief Physician Chang what Envoy Cui really thinks in his heart, but nobody knows."
Lu Tong nodded.
This was as expected.
"I was out doing medical visits today, and after attending to the patients I saw it was still early. I hadn’t seen you for quite some time, so I thought I’d come and see how you are," she said with a smile again. "Seeing that you’re in good spirits reassures me."
After chatting for a bit more and noticing it was getting late, Lin Danqing put down her tea cup and stood up to leave. Just as she got up, the felt curtain of the inner store was opened, and Du Changqing walked out.
The displeasure from earlier had dissipated, and he was once again the picture of warmth and hospitality, quickly stuffing a flowery note into Lin Danqing’s hand: "Doctor Lin, this is for you."