"Master, why do we need to disinfect?"
"Why would there be an infection?"
"Why..."
"I... I think I heard someone knocking at the door. I'll go check. I'll tell you the rest later!" Mo Lixia cut him off, escaping the barrage of questions.
"Master, why? Why are you leaving?" Mochen scratched his head, looking confused as she hurried to the front yard.
A moment later, Mochen returned from tending to the chicken to find Mo Lixia and A'Mu busy in the pharmacy. "Master, who was at the door?"
"No one," Mo Lixia replied. "I must have misheard."
"What are you doing?"
"I'm trying to formulate an anti-inflammatory decoction that can be injected directly into the veins. It would work much faster. Oh, Mochen, let's butcher that chicken. I need its intestines."
"No! I just saved it!" Mochen protested, shielding the bird. Beside them, A'Mu squeaked in agreement, happily munching on a hundred-year-old ginseng root Lixia had given it.
"Then... maybe we should go to the village later and buy one?"
"But... what if we run into Er Dan?"
Mo Lixia frowned. "Forget it then."
She looked at her homemade IV solution, which she had filtered through gauze multiple times. Finally, she sighed and poured it away. Without modern technology, the purity was too low. Visible particles in the bloodstream could cause a fatal embolism. I'm being too idealistic, she thought.
"Master, look at my handwriting! Is it good?" Mochen ran over with his practice sheet.
"En, you've improved. How many characters did you learn today?"
"Thirteen, Master!"
"Good boy. What do you want for dinner? I'll make it as a reward."
"Really? I want potato pancakes! Right, A'Mu?"
"Squeak!"
Mo Lixia smiled. "You two little gluttons. Go play, dinner will be ready soon."
Dinner was a cozy affair: crispy potato pancakes made with lard and eggs, and a fresh vegetable soup. Mo Lixia made sure to provide plenty of nutrition for Mochen, who was in the middle of a growth spurt. Even A'Mu had put on quite a bit of weight.
Just as they were preparing for bed, a loud shout echoed from the gate. Mo Lixia and Mochen stiffened, thinking it might be Er Dan, but the voice sounded different.
"Who is it?" Mo Lixia called out from behind the gate.
"Doctor Mo, it is Yan Xiuye. Do you remember me?"
Mo Lixia's brow cleared. Lord Yan. "I remember. How is Madam Yan?"
"Thanks to your prescription, my son is nearly a year old now and healthy. I apologize for the late hour, but I have an urgent matter."
Mo Lixia opened the gate. She bowed politely to Yan Xiuye and glanced at the group behind him. It was dark, and she couldn't see their faces clearly.
"Lord Yan, what brings you here?"
"A dear friend of mine has been severely wounded. Please, you must save him."
"Where is he?"
"We brought him with us." Yan Xiuye pointed to a stretcher behind him.
"Bring him in quickly!"
Inside, the light from the candles revealed three middle-aged men in their forties. They were dressed in expensive silks, and their presence made the small living room feel cramped. The man on the stretcher wore purple; he had a deep sword wound dangerously close to his heart.
Mo Lixia stepped forward and performed a quick examination. There's still a chance.
"Li'er... is it really Li'er?"
Mo Lixia was calculating the surgical procedure when a voice above her spoke. She didn't respond at first, as everyone here called her "Miss Xia'er" or "Doctor Xia." No one had used that name since her past life, when her grandparents called her "Li'er."
"Li'er, you are my Li'er, aren't you?"
Mo Lixia looked up. One of the men—not Yan Xiuye—was staring at her with eyes full of shock and intense emotion. He had a noble, chiseled face and a deep, sharp gaze that carried an inherent authority.
Mo Lixia frowned, but before she could speak, another man in water-blue silk stopped him. "Brother Mo, save the patient first. We can ask questions later."
The man in the black silk robe gripped his fists, his eyes bloodshot with suppressed joy. Mo Lixia gave him a confused nod, then turned to Yan Xiuye. "Carry him to the pharmacy."
"At once!" Yan Xiuye signaled his attendants, who moved the stretcher with silent efficiency.
"The rest of you wait outside," Mo Lixia commanded.
"Doctor Mo, we entrust him to you. He is very important to us."
Mo Lixia nodded and shut the pharmacy door.
"Mochen, are you ready?"
"Yes, Master."
Mo Lixia patted his head. "Put on your gear. You are my assistant for this one."
Mochen nodded seriously and put on his sterilized white coat.
Outside, Mo Wushang paced back and forth, unable to sit still.
"Brother Mo, congratulations on finding your daughter," the man in blue silk, Yang Baiwen, smiled. "She looks exactly like Sister-in-law Qingwan when she was young. Who else could she be?"
Mo Wushang stopped pacing. "You see it too, Brother Yang? I pray this is real."
"We'll know soon enough," Yang Baiwen said gently.
Yan Xiuye was puzzled. "Lords, I'm a bit confused."
"Lord Yan, it's a long story," Yang Baiwen explained. "Brother Mo had a daughter who went missing at age eight. She fell from Wuyue Mountain while fleeing from bandits. He's searched for her for years with no luck. We never expected to find her here, looking so much like his wife."
"I see," Yan Xiuye replied. "I know Doctor Mo came to this village around the age of seven or eight and was taken in by Doctor Qian. Her medical skills are famous around here, though she is very selective about her patients."
"Truly?" Mo Wushang's excitement grew. "Then it must be her! Child... I've finally found her. Qingwan will be so happy!"
The formidable man was now spinning in circles like a delighted child.
Just then, the pharmacy door opened. Mo Lixia stepped out, looking exhausted. "Ahem..."
"Doctor Mo! How is he?"