Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Wen Xinya accompanied Grampy into the living room of Mo’s bungalow. The ancient-style decorated bungalow was filled with antiques. The furniture and shelves were made with Phoebe Zhennan wood, and these shelves had numerous valuable antiques and ancient jades on display. There was an agarwood tea table on one side. On the tea table was an exquisite Ruku porcelain tea set. It was as clear as a piece of crystal jade.
On the wall was an eye-catching piece of an ancient antique painting by the famous painter of the Ming Dynasty, Dong Qichang. It was named “Snowy Guan Mountain”. In this painting, the mountains were magnificent and had a three-dimensional effect. It also had a deep and borderless forest. The brush strokes were thick and powerful, commanding a sense of strength and authority.
There was a traditional Chinese chess set beside the windows. The chess board was made with purple rosewood, with black and white pieces of chess seeds made of jade that glowed with purity under the warm sunlight.
Wen Xinya took a deep breath. The Mo Family was considered an affluent family, and they valued good virtues and were uncorrupted. Though they possessed a good amount of valuables and antiques, they appreciated the traditional values rather than the monetary values.
Mr. Du sat beside the tea table on a chair made with Phoebe Zhennan wood. As he started brewing tea, the room was instantly filled with fragrance from the tea leaves.
Old Master Mo walked over with Wen Xinya and introduced. “Xinya, this is Du Shinan. You may call him Grandpa Du. He is an influential figure in the world of Traditional Chinese Medicine.” He then turned over and introduced Wen Xinya to Du Shinan. “This is my granddaughter, Wen Xinya.”
“Grandpa Du, nice to meet you!” Du Shinan seemed to be older than Grampy by a few years, with grey hair and a long beard. Indeed, he seemed to be very knowledgeable and looked like someone of high and influential status. She had a positive feeling about the relationship between the two elders.
Grampy did the same thing in her previous life. He had also invited the highly-respected Old Doctor Du to check on Wen Xinya’s health by taking her pulse diagnostically the very next day after her arrival in the Mo Family.
Du Shinan looked at Wen Xinya from head to toe. She looked beautifully plain and innocent. She had a tall and slim figure, with long, thin limbs like the branches of a tree. Elegant yet enchanting. She wore a long white dress with silver flowers scattered all across, colorful and brilliant.
Her plain and innocent look matched her bright dress, which beautifully contrasted her temperament.
Du Shinan carefully placed the purple teapot on the table. “She has the good qualities of a Mo Family’s offspring,” he commented while stroking the beard below his chin, nodding his head with satisfaction.
Du Shinan was reminded of Wen Ruya, whom he thought did not possess any good virtues.
Wen Xinya was happy to receive such comments. This was a good affirmation for her. In her previous life, Old Doctor Du only checked her pulse diagnostically but did not say anything.
Old Master Mo pulled Wen Xinya to the Phoebe Zhennan wooden chairs beside the tea table. “Old Du, you’re early today,” he said.
Du Shinan took a quick glance at him. “You called me early in the morning and asked me to come over to check your granddaughter’s pulse. You’ve expected me to come early, didn’t you?” he said while using the first brew of hot tea to rinse the Ruku porcelain teacups with a pair of wooden tweezers.
Cough, cough! Old Master Mo pretended to cough as he felt embarrassed by his remark.
Wen Xinya thought it was funny, but she put up a serious expression and observed closely what Grandpa Du was doing. She thought Country Z’s tea ceremony was profound and was very interested.
Du Shinan noticed her interest and how focused she was. He then intentionally slowed down.
It was his smooth actions that captured Wen Xinya’s attention. She was amazed by his skilled and natural moves like the flow of water. Compared to other countries, Country Z’s sequential tea ceremony steps represented purity, simplicity, elegance, and grace. Tea ceremony also emphasized its formality and embodied the meaning of religion and health, but lacked spirituality.
Du Shinan placed the brewed teapot in front of Wen Xinya as he looked at Old Master Mo with envy. “She is an intelligent child.”
“Of course. She is my granddaughter.” Old Master Mo had underestimated her intelligence and determination, thus he was seriously reconsidering her earlier request to learn about music and chess from him now.
Wen Xinya looked carefully at the cup of tea. It was brewed with superior Biluo tea leaves, clear as crystal. The tea leaves were nicely spread out. It was a cup of elegantly brewed tea. She took a small sip. It was smooth, and the tea fragrance lingered in her mouth.
Du Shinan put the teacup in his hand on the table. “Girl, show me your tongue,” he said.
Wen Xinya stuck her tongue out obediently.
Du Shinan took a look and said, “Your tongue has some white substances, signifying a weak spleen and liver. Give me your right hand.”
Wen Xinya put out her right hand.
Du Shinan placed his fingers on her wrist. After a while, he said with a slight frown, “Long-term malnutrition has caused your body to become weak. Your body is of a ‘cold’ nature, and your menstrual cycle is irregular. This is a female sickness.”
Old Master Mo’s face turned serious. A weak body could be improved with Chinese medicine. However, a “cold” based body was inborn. Yuqian and Yao-er used to have a similar diagnosis. Thus, they were extremely weak when they conceived, and this was also the main reason that caused them to…
Never did he expect Wen Xinya to inherit this sickness.
Du Shinan saw the worry on Old Master Mo’s face. “Don’t worry. All these years I have worked a great deal on female sickness, and I’ve seen some good results in recent years. Xinya is young. I will give her a few prescriptions that can help her improve her condition. There shouldn’t be any major issues.”
Old Master Mo felt comforted and nodded.
Wen Xinya already knew it, thus she wasn’t surprised. This was what happened in her previous life too. There was still a long way to go for her to get married and give birth. These were of least concern to her as she wanted to achieve other more important goals in her life.
Du Shinan knew that Wen Xinya understood that her condition could be improved over time with the help of Chinese medicine. He turned to Old Master Mo and said, “Look at you. You’re already at such an old age, yet a young little girl sees things more thoroughly than you.”
Old Master Mo sighed. “We’ll always be more concerned and worried as we grow older. How can that be compared to the youngsters who have higher ambitions?”
Du Shinan sighed too.
“Grandpa Du, can you teach me some knowledge about Chinese medicine?” Wen Xinya asked with a smile.
Old Master Mo was baffled. He didn’t know whether to react with a smile or with anger. Other than the courses for Secondary Three level in school, music, and chess, she had requested to learn about Chinese medicine now. Did she really think she had three heads and six arms? Moreover, it was Du Shinan she was asking to. He wasn’t someone who taught easily. Wen Xinya was really being frank and outspoken.
Du Shinan looked at the unhappy Old Master Mo, laughing in his heart. “Can you tell me why do you want to learn about Chinese medicine?”
Wen Xinya answered with confidence, “There’s no limit to learning. I should try to acquire more knowledge while I’m still young.”
“Do you know how many students I have?”
Wen Xinya raised her nose bridge and replied, “My intention is not to be a female expert in the medical world. I just want to learn some basic knowledge which could be useful in the future.”
Her real intention of learning the basics of Chinese medicine was to be able to help Grampy in improving his health.
Du Shinan was taken aback. He had a positive impression of this intelligent young girl, and since she was also the granddaughter of his good friend, he initially thought to agree to take her as his student if she sincerely wanted to learn about Chinese medicine. Who would have expected that Wen Xinya actually had no intention to formally become his apprentice, but only wanted to acquire some basic knowledge?
Old Master Mo looked at the sour-faced Du Shinan as if he was being rejected. He couldn’t help himself and burst out laughing. “So, are you willing to teach her?”
This young girl knew her limits. There was nothing wrong acquiring some basic Chinese medicine knowledge.
Du Shinan had mixed feelings of love and hate towards this pair of Grampy and granddaughter. “Come to my medical hall every Sunday at 8 o’clock in the morning,” he said.
Wen Xinya was elated. “Thank you, Grandpa Du!”
“Don’t thank me too early. Even though you are just learning some simple basic knowledge, I expect you to put in hard work and effort.” Du Shinan reminded.
“I know, Grandpa Du! I will not become a disgrace to your good reputation.” Wen Xinya promised.
