Chapter 178

Gu Xixi hasn't spoken yet.

He Jinglan first exclaimed in surprise, "Master Liu? Newcomer? Isn't your village schoolmaster... Chen Fang?"

At this moment she absolutely must not blurt out Mu Nan Zhao's given name, nor show that she had known him before.

Shitou gnawed on a piece of rabbit meat, cheeks puffed as he nodded, "Yeah, Master Liu came the day before yesterday."

"Sister Xixi, you didn't know? That's my fault—I forgot to tell you."

Gu Xixi smiled, "No wonder I didn't see you when I went out early this morning."

So there's a new village schoolmaster, and he's gone to the schoolhouse.

Gu Xixi pondered while eating, finding the food tasteless.

Flower Pool Ford Village has been unable to hire a teacher for many years; this Master Liu probably didn't volunteer himself.

And such a big matter—Old Qian saw her return yesterday yet didn't mention it, showing he wasn't the one who arranged it.

So...

Gu Xixi looked at Shitou, "How did Master Liu tell everyone he came to the village school?"

"He must have some reason for coming to our village as a teacher, right?"

Shitou lifted his head, speaking indistinctly, "Shrunk—he was recommended by Master Chen; Master Chen went visiting friends and wandering, got delayed on the road, his return uncertain, so he specially asked Master Liu to stand in and teach."

Aunt Zhang and Old Langzhong both said that indeed was the case.

Because Master Liu brought a handwritten letter from Chen Fang, Old Qian saw it and immediately agreed to let Master Liu substitute as teacher, even personally taking him to every household with school-age children to make introductions.

Gu Xixi listened, stunned—could it really be that only she didn't know?

And this Shitou kid! Couldn't he have explained the whole story from the start?

He Jinglan also wore an expression of sudden realization, thinking, "I wondered who would dare openly snatch Mu Nan Zhao's position; it turns out it's someone he himself dispatched."

Shitou swallowed the meat in his mouth, grinning, "Master Liu said he's only a temporary substitute."

"Everyone knows 'temporary substitute' means just for now; once Master Chen returns, he'll surely keep teaching us."

Gu Xixi and He Jinglan exchanged a glance.

And after that?

After the war ends, will Mu Nan Zhao return to Flower Pool Ford Village? And if he does, how long could he stay?

He Jinglan laughed as she asked Shitou, "Have you and your classmates discussed whether Master Liu or Master Chen is better?"

"Who do you prefer to study with?"

Shitou didn't need to think, answering firmly, "Of course it's Master Chen."

He Jinglan couldn't help but mutter, "That dark, scheming, high‑cold, nasty‑tempered guy Mu Nan Zhao—if he were a teacher, he'd surely be strict to the point of perversion."

He Jinglan was genuinely curious and went on, "Why? Do you really like Master Chen that much?"

This time Shitou put down his chopsticks, thought hard, "Hmm..."

"Maybe we've developed feelings? He just looks more pleasing to the eye?"

"Or maybe he's younger than Master Liu and better‑looking."

Shitou shook his head helplessly, sighed, "Ah, I can't explain it."

He Jinglan was also puzzled—are kids' inner worlds really this complicated nowadays?

Gu Xixi heard the children's choice and suddenly couldn't bear to look Shitou in the eye.

She placed some vegetables on Shitou's plate, "Don't just eat meat; mix in some veggies—it's good for your health."

Although Shitou loves meat, he isn't picky; when Gu Xixi gave him vegetables, he took them all without complaint.

After the meal, He Jinglan and Shitou played with tops in the courtyard.

The top was a Western Region item brought by An Qinghe, about the size of a man's palm, its sides pasted with three‑colored sparkling paper; when it spins, the colors are gorgeous.

He Jinglan cheered, stamping her feet, hopping about; with Shitou she seemed just like a little kid.

Gu Xixi stood under the eaves watching, the corners of her mouth turning up involuntarily, "You two don't fight over it—take turns."

He Jinglan turned and waved, "Xixi, come play with us! Let's have a three‑way contest to see whose top spins the longest!"

Gu Xixi said, "I won't, I need to go see my master."

"I have something I want to ask him."

In the back courtyard, before Gu Xixi even pushed the door, she smelled a strong medicinal odor from inside.

"Master, I'm coming in."

Old Langzhong was pinching medicine pills; he was extremely particular about cleanliness when preparing medicine, covering his mouth and nose with a fine gauze cloth.

"This is a fertility‑preserving pill, made with the honey‑water method; take a look and tell me how it is."

Gu Xixi sat opposite him, using the lamplight to examine the pills in the tray.

"The color is jet black, the texture firm, the coating smooth and glossy, round and uniform in size, the dosage standard."

"According to your medicinal rules, these are all good pills."

Old Langzhong laughed, "Yesterday at dinner I heard you say you encountered a woman in difficult labor—such an urgent situation."

"I thought of this formula and made it today."

Gu Xixi exclaimed in surprise, "Is this the medicine you prepared for the dependents' village?"

Old Langzhong nodded, "Those dependents of the Northwest Army sacrifice themselves for the country; in wartime they give birth but can't go out to see a doctor, so we ought to prepare some emergency lifesaving medicine."

Gu Xixi twitched her nostrils, sniffing lightly, "Strong ginseng scent."

"Master, did these medicines cost you a lot of your savings?"

Old Langzhong laughed, "You crafty little girl—nothing gets past your nose!"

Gu Xixi replied playfully, "Your nose is the most sensitive, Master; I've only learned twenty or thirty percent of it."

Gu Xixi went to wash her hands, put on a face cloth, and while watching Old Langzhong's movements, learned by doing and made pills together with him.

Master, I still haven't finished telling you.

Her tone was calm, yet she betrayed a hint of unease.

The old doctor didn't think much of it: "If you haven't finished, then keep going."

Gu Xixi stared at the pill in her hand. "That woman in difficult labor—I not only gave her emergency treatment, gave her sugar water, and directed the delivery; I also..."

I also gave her acupuncture.

The old doctor suddenly lifted his head, his long-blind eyes flashing with light.

What did you say?

"Master, I was wrong!" Gu Xixi admitted her mistake with a bitter face.

"I remember you said the sect's rules: without the master's inspection and approval, one must not practice medicine privately."

"Otherwise, half-baked skills might fail to save and instead harm, tarnishing a healer's reputation."

"Furthermore, I originally aspired not to study medicine, only to study medicine, so I'm not really a healer..."

Her voice grew softer as she spoke, until she fell completely silent.

The old doctor faced Gu Xixi, momentarily speechless.

Gu Xixi's heart raced—could she be about to be expelled from the sect?

Suddenly, someone came running up with urgent footsteps, and soon there was a knock on the door.

"Sister Xixi! We have guests!"

Gu Xixi glanced at the old doctor, then said helplessly, "Who is it? The master is teaching me—I can't leave."

Shitou pushed the door open, leaned in, and said, "Master Liu, he says Mr. Chen sent him to teach at the village school; he needs to greet Sister Xixi in person."

Gu Xixi sighed, "What kind of greeting does he want?"

The steamer pot on the small wind stove let out a hiss of steam.

The old doctor finally spoke: "Go on ahead—don't neglect the outside teacher."