The shop assistant's attitude was very good, and he didn't look down on Tao Lengshuang and her son, who were wearing linen jackets. He invited them to sit down first.
Just on these two points, Tao Lengshuang had a very good first impression of this pharmacy. Upon seeing that the pharmacy was clean and hygienic, with everything on display neatly categorized, she was even more satisfied.
"Shop assistant, I want to talk to your owner about buying the pharmacy. May I see your owner?"
The shop assistant looked at her in surprise, then respectfully made a gesture of invitation. "Please follow me."
Tao Lengshuang, holding Xiaofeng, followed the shop assistant to a side room in the backyard to sit.
The shop assistant served good tea and refreshments, asked Tao Lengshuang to wait, and went to fetch the owner.
Seeing that Xiaofeng was a bit reserved, Tao Lengshuang took two pieces of pastry and placed them in his hands. "Xiaofeng, help Mommy taste if they are delicious."
Xiaofeng's eyes lit up. He took a bite, his eyes happily narrowing. "Mommy, they're so yummy, sweet, soft, and fragrant."
"Mommy, you eat," he said, handing a clean pastry to Tao Lengshuang.
Tao Lengshuang thanked him, took a bite of the pastry, and said, "They are indeed good. If Xiaofeng likes them, we'll buy a portion."
Xiaofeng, however, shook his head and said no. "Xiaofeng only needs to eat a little bit."
Tao Lengshuang felt heartbroken by his understanding. She thought that she needed to earn money faster. Once she had enough silver, Xiaofeng wouldn't have to be so thrifty and could eat whatever he wanted.
Before long, Tao Lengshuang saw a thin middle-aged man, who was constantly coughing, being supported by a haggard middle-aged woman as he walked in.
Tao Lengshuang stood up and nodded, saying politely, "I'm here to buy the pharmacy."
The middle-aged man did not show any displeasure or disdain due to the attire of Tao Lengshuang and her son. He sat in a chair and took a big gulp of tea. "Please forgive me, sister. I don't know what's wrong with my body. Alas, it's a pity that I run a pharmacy and yet cannot cure myself."
He had also consulted many doctors, but none could cure him. Perhaps, it was his fate to die.
Tao Lengshuang stated that she was a doctor and, if the owner didn't mind, she could examine him.
The middle-aged man, thinking it was a long shot but perhaps a way to make a deal, asked Tao Lengshuang to examine him.
The middle-aged woman, however, kept wanting to speak but stopped, her gaze towards Tao Lengshuang subtly conveying disdain and contempt.
Tao Lengshuang ignored it. As she took the middle-aged man's pulse, she instructed Xiaofeng and asked him some questions.
Some questions Xiaofeng could answer, while others he couldn't, making him pout in frustration. He even vowed to learn quickly, which made Tao Lengshuang chuckle.
After examining the middle-aged man, Tao Lengshuang found that he wasn't seriously ill. "May I ask, owner, are you troubled by anything?"
The middle-aged man was startled, then quickly understood the cause of his illness and sighed, "It turns out to be caused by excessive worry."
Tao Lengshuang, however, shook her head. "It's not solely due to excessive worry. You had an unhealed cold, coupled with excessive worry and overwork. These three factors have led to your condition not improving."
"Can it be cured?" The middle-aged woman's gaze towards Tao Lengshuang changed. She asked urgently.
Tao Lengshuang replied that it could be cured. She stressed that he needed to rest well, avoid excessive worry, and not overwork himself.
Upon hearing that it could be cured, the middle-aged woman immediately declared that she would not sell the pharmacy and offered to pay Tao Lengshuang to treat her husband.
The middle-aged man frowned and reprimanded her, "How can a person be so insincere? We agreed to sell the pharmacy."
The middle-aged woman rolled her eyes and said coldly, "Don't you think about it? If we sell the pharmacy, how will our family eat and drink? Besides, don't you need money for your treatment?"
"I was thinking of selling the pharmacy to find medical help. Since it can be cured now, why do we still need to sell it?"
The middle-aged man struggled and hesitated. He knew better than anyone that the pharmacy was the foundation of their family's survival. If they sold it, the family would not be able to live.
Tao Lengshuang was not surprised and said calmly, "Since you are not selling the pharmacy, I will treat your illness."
Actually, she had taken a liking to this pharmacy, but unfortunately, they had changed their mind and were unwilling to sell. She couldn't force them.
The middle-aged man was very apologetic and apologized repeatedly.
Tao Lengshuang waved her hand, indicating it was fine. She wrote a prescription for the middle-aged man, explained the precautions, and then received her consultation fee.
However, it was only one tael of silver.
"One tael of silver is enough for you to buy many things," the middle-aged woman said, typical of someone who crosses the bridge and then demolishes it, looking at Tao Lengshuang haughtily.
Tao Lengshuang was amused to the point of laughter. She took the prescription and tore it up, then inserted a needle into the middle-aged man. "I was thinking of earning some consultation fees, but you insisted on putting on airs. So don't blame me for taking action against your husband."
"You low, vile woman, how dare you... Ah!" The middle-aged woman clutched her slapped face, looking at her husband in disbelief. "You, you actually hit me?!"
The middle-aged man coughed for a long time, then pointed at her angrily. "The doctor, despite my ungraciousness, kindly treated me and intended to save my life, yet you did something so shameless and even insulted her."
"Have you forgotten that my grandparents were honest farmers? In your eyes, were they also very lowly?"
Saying this, he coughed violently again.
The middle-aged woman panicked. While patting his back, she begged Tao Lengshuang to treat him.
Tao Lengshuang sat there calmly, letting Xiaofeng eat pastries, showing no intention of paying attention to the middle-aged woman.
Seeing the middle-aged man push his wife away and not let her near, she sneered. His illness was not yet cured, and he was already reneging on the deal. How foolish.
The middle-aged woman regretted her actions. She clasped her hands together and begged Tao Lengshuang to save her husband, even offering double the consultation fee.
"Double the consultation fee, meaning two taels of silver?" Tao Lengshuang asked sarcastically.
The middle-aged woman felt her face burning with pain. She pleaded with Tao Lengshuang, regretting her foolish actions once again.
Tao Lengshuang, in need of money, named her price. "One hundred taels of silver, and I will cure your husband."
The middle-aged woman, though pained, had no choice but to agree. She wished she had remembered that prescription earlier.
After the money was paid, Tao Lengshuang wrote a different prescription, administered acupuncture to the middle-aged man, and then left with Xiaofeng.
"Why did Mommy help that bad person?" Xiaofeng asked indignantly.
Tao Lengshuang stroked his head and chuckled, "He was just a stranger. Why get angry with strangers who are not worth it?"
"Besides, no matter how much he looked down on me, he still had to beg me to treat him, didn't he?"
Xiaofeng thought about it and realized it was true. That person had to beg his mother to treat him and pay so much money.
With that, he wasn't as angry anymore.
"Mommy, what about the pharmacy?"
Tao Lengshuang decided to ask a broker if she could find a suitable pharmacy.
Upon asking the broker, she learned how expensive pharmacies were in the Eastern Capital.