"Junior Brother, why did you still let them offer incense in front of Father's spirit?" After the Huang Family left, Sun Youwei could no longer hold back and asked.
"Senior Sister, I know, the Huang Family forced Master to his death, it's like a cat crying over a mouse, fake compassion," Lin Miao said. "Moreover, didn't you notice, that Huang Baichuan was deliberately provoking us, he never intended to offer incense for Master, so I just didn't want to follow his wishes."
Sun Youwei was stunned.
She hadn't noticed any of this, nor had she thought so deeply about it.
"We are weak now and cannot compete with them. This is called feigning weakness to the enemy. Master's death will not be settled like this. A gentleman's revenge is never too late, sooner or later, we will make the Huang Family pay!" Lin Miao clenched his fists, his eyes full of sternness and hatred.
When did Junior Brother develop such a strong sense of revenge? But, he's right, lacking strength, we must endure for now...
"Senior Sister, rest assured, I won't act recklessly until I have confidence." He wasn't a rash young man.
Upon hearing this, Sun Youwei was slightly relieved. With her father gone, she, a weak and ill girl, couldn't possibly support this family alone; if it weren't for her junior brother, she would have no idea what to do next.
A man is the pillar of a family; with him around, no one would dare to bully them easily.
"Mrs. Yun, we were fortunate to have you here today, otherwise Senior Sister might have suffered a loss." Lin Miao deeply bowed to Yun.
If Senior Sister's frail body were to clash, it would be a disaster.
In any situation, the priority is to protect living people. Money is external, even the Herbal Hall is not more important than life.
The land is here, can it grow legs and run away?
"Mr. Lin, you're too polite. I watched you and Weiwei grow up together, how could I not help you?" Yun quickly returned the courtesy.
From this incident, Lin Miao seemed to have transformed entirely; this might be what it means to grow up as a man.
"Mrs. Yun, tomorrow morning, Senior Sister and I will bury Master," Lin Miao said. "Master chose a burial site long ago. At that time, I ask for your help to watch over Senior Sister."
"Alright, I'll come early tomorrow." Seeing the rented carriage Lin Miao brought back, Yun understood his intention instantly and nodded in agreement without asking further questions.
Escorting Yun to the outside of the Herbal Hall.
Lin Miao returned home.
"Senior Sister, you must be hungry, I'll cook for you right away." Lin Miao took out the flour and vegetables bought from the carriage.
"Junior Brother, what will we do after tomorrow? Do we really have to give the Herbal Hall to the Huang Family?" Sun Youwei's brows were knit with worry.
"The Herbal Hall is the only thing Master left for us. How could I give it to the Huang Family? In their dreams." Lin Miao said through gritted teeth.
"If we don't give the Herbal Hall to the Huang Family, will they let us go?"
"Senior Sister, look." Lin Miao took out the silver notes and placed them in front of Sun Youwei.
"Silver notes, Junior Brother, where did you get so much money?"
"I pawned the Herbal Hall and Master's 'Doctor' badge to the 'Yuanheng' pawnshop in the county and got 450 taels of silver in total," Lin Miao explained. "After paying the 300 taels to the Huang Family, we still have 150 taels left, which is our future capital."
"What, Junior Brother, you pawned the Herbal Hall and Father's 'Doctor' badge!" Sun Youwei was almost faint with shock; she thought her junior brother had matured overnight, but he did such an 'off-the-wall' thing.
"Senior Sister, if we pay off the Huang Family with the Herbal Hall, we will have nothing left to live on. Now, at least we have 150 taels. With this money, we can go to the provincial city, take the 'Doctor' exam, and if one of us passes, our family will have a bright future. Don't you think so?"
"Alright, I understand if you pawn the Herbal Hall, but why the 'Doctor' badge too? That's the only thing Father left for us." Sun Youwei sighed, slightly blaming him.
"Without this 'Doctor' badge, the people at 'Yuanheng' wouldn't accept my pawning of the Herbal Hall. They wouldn't want to offend people for no reason."
"Why is that?" Sun Youwei was puzzled.
Senior Sister was indeed intelligent but had been well protected by Master Sun Simiao from the dirt and grime of the world.
In the future, let him guard this innocence and beauty.
Lin Miao then explained to Sun Youwei the unwritten rules and knowledge about the 'Doctor' badge and the hidden calculations of people's minds.
These were not things Sun Simiao had told Sun Youwei, but had mentioned to the original self, otherwise Lin Miao wouldn't have known.
Master truly cared deeply for his daughter, though the original self was somewhat disappointing...
Understanding the real use of the 'Doctor' badge, Sun Youwei finally comprehended Lin Miao's mindful actions.
"Senior Sister, you keep these silver notes and the pawn tickets."
"Junior Brother, you're now the head of the household, naturally, these should be kept by you. I'm just a girl, it's really not suitable for me." Sun Youwei blushed when she mentioned "head of the household," feeling shy, although they had a marriage agreement, they were not married yet.
"Senior Sister, in our family, men manage external matters and women internal ones; the finances should be managed by you," Lin Miao didn't take them back.
Hearing this, Sun Youwei's face turned even redder; with the silver notes and pawn tickets in hand, she hesitated to take or leave them, she asked: "Junior Brother, since you've pawned the Herbal Hall and we have money now, why didn't you give this money to the Huang Family to resolve the matter earlier?"
"Senior Sister, we shouldn't harm others, but we must be vigilant. If I gave them the money earlier, their scheme to seize the Herbal Hall would fall through. If they had evil intentions at night, you and I might have no way to survive," Lin Miao explained.
For a Herbal Hall, they could kill their own brothers, what would it mean to kill him and his Senior Sister then?
"Ah..." Sun Youwei covered her mouth.
"Senior Sister, the world is harsh, and people's hearts are treacherous. Master didn't tell you these things before because he wished for you to stay away from such filth."
"Did Father really say that?"
"Of course, Master never lies," Lin Miao said earnestly, Master was just a straightforward person, had he understood this principle, how would he have been angered into illness, and eventually lost his life?
No, the original self was ambushed, could it be the same for Master?
Thinking of this, a thought uncontrollably grew in Lin Miao's mind, but he suppressed it, planning to reconsider after Senior Sister was asleep.
"Junior Brother, after we bury Father tomorrow, are we coming back?"
"We won't come back. Tonight, we will pack up, and after burying Master tomorrow morning, we will leave Qingping Town directly!" Lin Miao said. "This place is no longer suitable for us to stay."
"What about the Herbal Hall?"
"The Herbal Hall is mortgaged to 'Yuanheng,' their people will take over soon. According to the mortgage agreement, if we don't redeem it in six months, they have the right to dispose of it, whether to demolish and rebuild or sell it to someone else, we have no right to interfere!"
"Junior Brother, the Herbal Hall is Father's life's work..."
"But we already have no place in Qingping Town." Lin Miao sighed heavily.
He's still an apprentice with no independent medical license. To make a living, he could hunt, farm, or do business, although he could make some chemical inventions, none of these were what Lin Miao wanted.
Qingping Town is too small; he wouldn't settle for the status quo. He had to go out, to see a broader, greater world.
"With Master gone, I have the responsibility and duty to inherit his legacy. I want to go to the Xinglin Institute in the provincial city to take the 'Doctor' exam, so that even if I come back, it will be with honor."
"Junior Brother, with your current level, if you go to the Xinglin Institute to take the 'Doctor' exam, I'm afraid you won't pass." Sun Youwei said worriedly.
"I know, but there are still two months, there's time," Lin Miao smiled confidently.
"But, Junior Brother..."
"Senior Sister, I need to cook now. You're not hungry, but I am."
As a growing boy, Lin Miao naturally eats more than anyone else.