Chapter 19: Drained Dry

There was no conversation along the way.

The two of them soon returned to the Pharmacy.

After Luo Zijun put down the Medicine Chest, he asked his master again what illness that man was suffering from.

Su Dafang first went to a basin to wash his hands.

Only then did he say slowly, "That man must have encountered a demon and had his kidney essence drained; he likely won't survive past tomorrow."

As soon as these words were spoken, Luo Zijun was immediately startled.

Just as he thought!

Although he had long known that demons existed in this world, he still felt shocked to see the man's condition with his own eyes and hear the name of a demon with his own ears today.

Su Qingling also stopped the sound of her clicking the abacus and turned her head to look over.

Su Dafang sat down at the table, poured a cup of tea, and then continued, "I just felt his kidneys; both of his kidneys are already empty. Combining that with the symptoms the woman described and the spider mark, it must be the work of a demon. I estimate that five days ago, the man went to spend the night at Hanshan Temple, encountered a woman transformed from a demon, and then, unable to restrain himself, was drained dry."

After finishing, he glanced at Luo Zijun and said, "Demons love harming scholars most of all, because scholars possess a type of vital energy that ordinary people do not, which is a great supplement for demons. Moreover, what demons love to transform into most is beautiful women; it is very difficult for ordinary men to restrain themselves."

Luo Zijun hurriedly asked, "Master, if we encounter a demon, what should we do?"

Su Dafang said, "That depends on what kind of demon you encounter. If it is like the demon the man just encountered, you only need to guard your heart and mind and not be tempted, and the other party will be unable to do anything to you. But if you encounter a powerful demon, then you can only pray for your own good fortune."

Luo Zijun thought to himself: The so-called powerful demons are probably like Xiaobai and Xiao Qing.

Just as he was about to ask more, a Young Maid hurried in from the doorway.

"Su Dafu, my mistress's illness has flared up again, please come for a visit."

Su Dafang frowned, put down his teacup, and stood up.

Luo Zijun hurriedly went over to pick up the Medicine Chest, preparing to follow along.

Su Dafang waved his hand and said, "I will go alone this time; it is not a major illness. You stay in the shop and study hard, and strive to get into the Academy next month."

He took the Medicine Chest and added, "Once you have read enough books, you will have talent-Qi to protect your body, and by then, you will naturally not be afraid of demons."

After saying this, he shouldered the Medicine Chest and went out the door with the Young Maid.

"Talent-Qi?"

Luo Zijun was still quite familiar with this term.

"The nine realms of martial power can slaughter dragons, eight dou of talent-Qi can suppress demons!"

It is just that he does not know how much studying one must do to possess "talent-Qi."

"Master seems quite extraordinary; he even knows about these things..."

Just as Luo Zijun was secretly pondering, Su Qingling suddenly asked, "What were that man's symptoms?"

Luo Zijun glanced at her and said, "Focus on learning arithmetic; don't pry into adult matters."

Su Qingling immediately narrowed her eyes.

Luo Zijun had no choice but to say, "Didn't Master just say it? That man was drained dry by a demon."

"How was he drained? What were the symptoms?"

Su Qingling pressed him.

Luo Zijun said, "I don't know how he was drained either. As for the symptoms, Master just said it too; both of the man's kidneys were drained empty. The man's wife said that ever since he returned, he would have dreams every night, dreaming of a beautiful woman in his sleep, and then..."

He recounted the entire situation from the house call earlier.

After listening, Su Qingling frowned slightly: "So that's how it is."

"You understand this illness?"

Luo Zijun asked.

Su Qingling rolled her eyes at him and huffed, "Do you think I only specialize in accounting? I have been going to see patients with Grandfather since I was little; what illness do I not know?"

Luo Zijun's mouth twitched: If you were actually good at accounting, then there would be no one in the world who could account.

"I'm going to study."

He prepared to go inside to read.

Su Qingling suddenly asked, "Do you also want to be drained dry?"

Luo Zijun's footsteps paused, and he turned his head to look at her, saying, "What does Senior Sister mean? I am living perfectly well; how could I possibly want to die?"

Su Qingling huffed, "To die under a pomegranate skirt, even as a ghost one is romantic; aren't all men like that?"

Luo Zijun immediately said, "Senior Sister, I am going to tell Master that you are insulting him, that you are secretly speaking ill of him behind his back."

Su Qingling rolled her eyes: "He isn't a man."

Luo Zijun: "???"

Su Qingling said expressionlessly, "He was castrated long ago; did he never tell you?"

Luo Zijun was shocked: "Really?"

Su Qingling snorted and said, "He's back, so ask him yourself. He loves it when people pester him about his past. If you ask him, not only will he not be angry, he will even boast to you about his former experiences with great pride."

Luo Zijun found it hard to believe.

His own master is actually a eunuch!

Former experiences...

Could it be that Master came from the palace?

A eunuch imperial physician?

Thinking of it this way, Master truly has a great background! No wonder he even knows about things like demons and talent-Qi.

At this moment, Su Qingling added coldly, "You still haven't answered my question."

Luo Zijun thought for a moment and said, "I don't! I am a gentleman; no demon should even think of tempting me!"

Su Qingling said, "What if it were me?"

Luo Zijun: "???"

"Vulgar! How can Senior Sister make such a joke? Be careful, if Master finds out, he'll slap your mouth!"

Luo Zijun ignored her and went inside to read.

A moment later.

He suddenly looked toward the counter and said, "That... Senior Sister, how do you want to suck it?"

Su Qingling was holding a small knife, filing her nails on the counter. Hearing this, she raised the small knife in her hand and said, "First, use a knife to cut out your two kidneys, then place them on the counter, slice them into pieces, and suck them one piece at a time."

!

Luo Zijun: "..."

"Senior Sister, I need to read, don't disturb me."

Luo Zijun continued reading.

This girl is so vicious!

At noon.

He went outside and bought two flatbreads and two bowls of porridge.

After the two of them finished eating, he returned the bowls.

When he returned to the shop, Master Su Dafang had already returned and was washing his hands in a basin.

Luo Zijun hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "Master, I heard that you are a eunuch?"

Su Dafang paused, turned his head to look at him, and said, "What did you say?"

Su Qingling suddenly scolded from behind the counter, "Luo Zijun! You actually cursed my grandfather for being a eunuch!"

Su Dafang immediately darkened his face and walked toward the counter.

Su Qingling immediately handed the feather duster she had prepared into his hand.

Luo Zijun hurriedly said, "Master, it was Senior Sister who said..."

"I never said that."

Su Qingling immediately distanced herself.

Luo Zijun only then realized he had been tricked, turned on his heels and ran toward the inner room, shouting loudly, "Master, it really was Senior Sister who said it! Senior Sister even lied to me, saying that you like people asking you about being castrated..."

"You still dare to talk!"

Su Dafang roared angrily, brandishing the feather duster as he chased after him, lashing out while shouting, "I'll teach you to spout nonsense! I'll teach you to spout nonsense! It's not like you haven't seen me pee standing up; can a eunuch pee standing up?"

Luo Zijun cried out that he was wronged.

The feather duster in Su Dafang's hand whistled through the air, striking him several dozen times before he stopped, panting.

Su Qingling poked her head out at the counter and said, "You unfilial disciple, you even dare to tease your Master. Is it such a big deal that you passed the exam to be a Cultivated Talent? A teacher for a day is a father for life..."

Luo Zijun immediately covered his buttocks and said, "If that's the case, Master is my father, and Senior Sister is Master's granddaughter, wouldn't I be a generation older than Senior Sister? How about we each go by our own terms from now on? I'll call you Senior Sister, and you call me Daddy? Oh no, you call me Uncle?"

Su Qingling immediately said, "Grandfather, hit him in the mouth!"

Su Dafang, panting, walked over and handed the feather duster to her, saying, "I can't do it anymore, you go hit him."

Just as Su Qingling reached out to take it, Su Dafang unexpectedly slapped her hand with a "smack," and then began lashing her arms and shoulders.

Su Qingling dodged behind the counter, crying out, "Grandfather, why are you hitting me?"

"You ask why? I'll teach you to spout nonsense!"

The feather duster in Su Dafang's hand whistled through the air once more.

Luo Zijun felt satisfied watching and hurriedly directed, "Master, hit her little mouth! And her buttocks, her long legs!"

Su Dafang struck a few more times before stopping, turning his head to glare at him, and saying, "Hasn't your brat had enough?"

Luo Zijun immediately shut his mouth.

Su Dafang was truly exhausted now; he sat down on a chair, panting, poured a cup of tea, and scolded the two of them, "Not properly tending the shop or learning skills, all you know is to fight and bicker all day long, playing and acting crazy. If customers see this, what kind of decorum is that?"

Su Qingling rubbed her arm and said nothing.

Luo Zijun went over, picked up a book, and pretended to read.

Su Dafang drank a cup of tea and suddenly asked, "Zijun, didn't you say you were going on a matchmaking date last time? How did it go?"

Luo Zijun said, "It fell through."

Su Dafang said, "How did it fall through? Who didn't like whom?"

Su Qingling scoffed, "Naturally, it was the other party who didn't like him."

Just as they were speaking, an old man came in seeking medical treatment.

Su Dafang clarified the patient's condition, went over to carry his Medicine Chest, and left with the old man. After walking out the door, he turned his head and scolded, "You two, tend the shop properly and stop bickering. If you really like to bicker, Zijun, go live at my house. You can close the door and bicker with Ling'er at home every day, and I won't care about you anymore."

After finishing, he glanced at the two of them once more and left quickly.

(End of chapter)