Chapter 57

Since it was a favor from a good friend to buy a piece of Suhua, Dong Bocheng brought the prepared 370,000 yuan to Qian Xiaomi’s Private Kitchen early the next morning, planning to place the medicinal meal order and inquire about Suhua.

Because Treasure Bowl had said she had a stroke of windfall luck, Qian Jianing had been in high spirits all morning, humming little tunes as she tended to all the flowers and plants in the house, then sat under the window with a medical book.

Suddenly, the soft jingle of wind chimes rang out. Qian Jianing looked up in surprise: “A guest at this hour?” She set down the book, walked to the entrance, pulled on a coat from the rack, opened the door, and walked to the front courtyard.

After ringing the doorbell, Dong Bocheng waited quietly outside. About five minutes later, the gate opened from inside, and a small face peeked through the crack. Upon seeing Dong Bocheng, it lit up with a brilliant smile: the man bringing money had arrived!

“Good morning, Mr. Dong!”

Dong Bocheng gave an embarrassed smile. “Sorry to disturb you so early. It’s just that my father asked about the medicinal meal as soon as he got up, so I rushed over with the money to get it ordered.”

As she stepped aside to let him in, Qian Jianing quietly asked Treasure Bowl, “Is this the windfall you mentioned? But he already said yesterday he was ordering the medicinal meal!”

“Nope!” Treasure Bowl stroked his chin, eyeing Dong Bocheng carefully. “But he is the one who brought the windfall.”

Hearing that, Qian Jianing was even more delighted, her smile brightening.

The door to the main dining room was like a boundary line—outside was the roaring winter wind, inside was the warmth of spring. As soon as Dong Bocheng entered, he felt the comforting warmth seep into his whole body. He hung up his coat and hat, then looked around the spotless hall. “I’ve been to plenty of restaurants, both at home and abroad, but I’ve never seen one as consistently clean as this place.”

Qian Jianing poured tea and calmly said nonsense with a straight face. “I’m a neat freak—can’t stand even a speck of dirt in the corners. I find cleaning relaxing. After each business day, I unwind by tidying the place. Once the whole restaurant is neat and clean, I feel great too.”

Dong Bocheng nodded in admiration. “Labor is indeed a great way to relax.” After a few pleasantries, he set the money box on the table. “Here’s 370,000. Apart from a year’s worth of medicinal meals, I’d like you to use the remaining 5,000 as you see fit—whatever the old man can eat: meals, preserved fruits, snacks, or health-boosting fruits and vegetables.”

Qian Jianing loved generous clients like this. No need to pitch—he’d let her handle it however she pleased. After confirming the amount with Treasure Bowl, she closed the box, went into the kitchen, and packed a bag of fruit she’d bought from Xiantao.com—bright red apples and tender pink peaches, all so visually appealing you could almost taste their sweetness.

Dong Bocheng accepted the fruit with a big smile and set it on the table before finally bringing up Suhua. “I wanted to ask, was that guiding herb you used yesterday called Suhua?”

Qian Jianing raised her eyebrows, surprised. “You recognize a herb that’s supposed to be extinct?”

“Well, I didn’t. A friend of mine did—he’s the head of Lehetang.”

“Lehetang?” Qian Jianing was intrigued. “That’s the biggest traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy in Huaguo, right? To be honest, I bought the ingredients for the old man’s medicinal meals from there. Their herbs are better quality than other places.”

“It’s a century-old brand,” Dong Bocheng said. “The Le family has a family medical book that documents Suhua. When he saw the leaf I had yesterday, he was shocked. He asked me to pass on a message—he’s willing to pay 100,000 yuan for one leaf. Would that be acceptable?”

Qian Jianing was inwardly ecstatic. One hundred thousand—this was absolutely her windfall. Suhua might be rare to others, but not to her. She could order it anytime from Xiantao.com—as long as she burned incense worth a thousand yuan, she could get one leaf. Selling it for a hundred thousand was a massive profit.

Suppressing her smile, Qian Jianing replied thoughtfully, “My master did leave me some. Aside from what I use for the old man, I have a bit left. If he wants to buy it, just have him bring the money directly.”

Dong Bocheng pulled out a bulky old cell phone. “I’ll call him now.”

Qian Jianing nodded and headed to the kitchen to prepare the medicinal meal while Dong Bocheng explained the situation to Le Zongxiang. Le Zongxiang said he’d come right away and asked Dong Bocheng to wait. Le Hongbo, the third elder of the Le family, overheard the call and insisted on tagging along with his cane—he wanted to meet this miracle doctor himself.

After ending the call, Dong Bocheng walked to the glass window to watch Qian Jianing work. Each ingredient on the counter looked top-tier. Making medicinal meals wasn’t about tossing everything in at once—it required careful timing and temperature control.

After the initial steps, Qian Jianing brought out a few steam pots and placed small tender hens inside. She layered on slices of winter bamboo shoots, bamboo fungus, and shiitake mushrooms, adding only green onion and ginger for freshness. After finishing, she washed her hands and brought out a fruit platter, some snacks, and a pot of tea. “This is a health-boosting fruit. It comes from the same source as the ingredients used for the old man’s medicinal meals. Try it.”

Dong Bocheng had been very curious about the taste—after all, he had just pre-paid for a year of it. He picked up a slice of peach. It was perfectly cut, and he assumed it would be firm—but once it hit his mouth, it was so soft it melted like a cloud, turning into rich, sweet juice with the slightest pressure.

His eyes widened in surprise, and he reached for another slice. “This peach is incredible. Where’s it from?”

Qian Jianing held her teacup and gave a playful smile. “Flower-Fruit Mountain.”

Dong Bocheng thought she was joking and laughed. “Well then, I guess I get to enjoy the Monkey King’s treatment.” After swallowing, he tried a slice of apple—crisp, sweet, juicy, without a hint of sourness. Normally, he wasn’t a big fruit eater. At home, he’d maybe eat a slice or two if a servant brought some. But today, he couldn’t stop—he kept eating slice after slice until the whole platter was gone.

Only after setting down his fork did he realize he’d finished it all by himself. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he bowed slightly to Qian Jianing. “It was just so delicious, I couldn’t help it…”

“No worries, I invited you to eat it.” Qian Jianing smiled. “I’ll go cut more. The pears are great too.” She took the empty plate and soon returned with a fresh platter.

Le Zongxiang turned into the street and soon spotted Dong Bocheng’s car parked by an alley, so he stopped behind it and helped Le Hongbo into the courtyard.

The wind chime rang, and Qian Jianing stood up to look out the window. “Someone’s here! Is that the head of the Le family?”

Dong Bocheng stood too. When he saw Le Hongbo, he quickly opened the door. “Grand-uncle, what are you doing out in this cold?”

“I just wanted to meet this young genius doctor.” Le Hongbo entered, leaning on his cane, and looked at Qian Jianing in surprise. “A real youngster—so young!”

Qian Jianing smiled. “I’m only a freshman in college.”

They all sat down, and Qian Jianing added two teacups. Le Hongbo warmed his hands with the tea and got straight to the point. “I heard you’re willing to part with one piece of Suhua.”

Qian Jianing smiled calmly. “If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t agree. But Lehetang is a century-old Huaguo pharmacy. Building a good relationship with you means easier access to top-quality herbs in the future. So yes, I’ll sell you a piece.”

Le Zongxiang smiled. “Miss Qian is quite straightforward.”

“I’m still a student—I don’t know all those roundabout social games. I just speak plainly.” She stood and nodded at them. “I’ll go get the herb. Gentlemen, please wait a moment.”

In fact, she had Suhua right there in the kitchen. But since they were offering such a high price, she didn’t feel comfortable pulling one out of a drawer—made it seem too cheap.

About ten minutes later, Qian Jianing returned with a delicate box and placed it on the table. Le Zongxiang opened it with trembling hands. Inside was a leaf, vivid green as if freshly picked. He couldn’t help but reach out and touch it. “It really is Suhua.”

Le Hongbo brought it closer to his nose and took a sniff, exclaiming, “It really does smell like snow and ice. I remember reading ‘its scent is like snow’ in a medical book before and couldn’t make sense of it. How can snow have a smell? But seeing Suhua now, I get it. That icy, light scent—there’s nothing else it could be but snow and ice.”

Qian Jianing rested her chin on her palm and looked at them. “This herb works well, but a single leaf won’t do much for treating cancer. Is it really worth spending so much on it?”

Le Zongxiang’s eyes were filled with seriousness. “The value of this herb goes far beyond its medicinal effects. We’ll place it in our family’s herb collection museum and pass it down through generations.”

Qian Jianing nodded knowingly. “If it’s for collection, then it doesn’t matter. This thing won’t rot for a thousand years anyway. As long as you don’t rub it with your hands, it’ll last a few more hundred years easily.”

Now that Suhua was secured, Le Zongxiang readily paid the 100,000 yuan. Qian Jianing, who had tried her best to hold it in, finally couldn’t stop herself from grinning ear to ear. Since arriving in the Imperial Capital, she felt like her luck had skyrocketed—she kept meeting benefactors one after another. After Wang Chenchen’s family held their birthday banquet here, it propelled her private restaurant into high society. Dong Bocheng brought a wave of wealth energy with him. And in just a few days, she’d earned a million yuan—more than she had in several years of running her restaurant.

Le Hongbo carefully examined Suhua for a moment, then gingerly put the box into his pocket. Since he had come to discuss medical practice with Qian Jianing, he posed a few questions and began a discussion.

Le Hongbo came from a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. According to family tradition, he had to start memorizing medical texts at the age of three. Now over ninety, he had spent nine decades immersed in medicine and herbs and was quite confident in his knowledge. Although he knew Qian Jianing had taken over Old Master Dong’s treatment and had seen her prescriptions, deep down he still regarded her as a junior and asked questions with a hint of testing. But as their discussion grew more profound, their roles unconsciously shifted—Le Hongbo began asking Qian Jianing for advice.

Dong Bocheng didn’t understand medicine. To him, their conversation sounded like an alien language. But seeing Le Hongbo’s eyes shining and his flushed, excited face made him trust Qian Jianing’s medical skills even more. With her around, the old master would be fine.

Before they realized it, it was almost eleven. Two waitstaff had just arrived when the bell on the door began to ring repeatedly. Qian Jianing looked up and glanced outside, then stood. “Guests are here.” Seeing that Le Hongbo was about to rise, she quickly pressed his hand down. “I had a great time chatting today. Let me treat the three of you to lunch. You can try my cooking.”

None of the three were the type to stand on ceremony. To them, a meal wasn’t a big deal. Besides, they all appreciated Qian Jianing and wanted to build a connection, so they gladly stayed.

By then, the steam-pot chicken was fully cooked. The chicken’s own juices had blended with the aroma of mushrooms in the pot. The soup was clear and fragrant, rich and delicious.

Li Xiaoyu, wearing heat-resistant gloves, brought the steam-pot chicken to the table where Dong Bocheng and the others were seated. Dong Bocheng lifted the lid, and the aroma immediately wafted out.

“Drink soup before the meal—better than any remedy.” The Le family, known for traditional medicine, emphasized wellness. Dong Bocheng’s family also had the habit of starting meals with soup, so the three of them each cradled half a bowl and savored it slowly.

Qian Jianing used young hens that had just started laying eggs for her steam-pot chicken. The meat wasn’t too fatty or lean, and the broth was neither bland nor greasy—just perfectly savory. After drinking half a bowl, the group felt warm all over, as if the soup had driven out the chill accumulated throughout the winter, leaving them extremely comfortable.

After the soup came the meat. Steamed for over two hours, the chicken was fall-off-the-bone tender. One bite and the freshness was remarkable. The mushrooms had absorbed the chicken flavor, and the bamboo fungus had soaked up the broth, giving it a unique taste.

After the hearty meal, Dong Bocheng hummed a tune as he brought the medicinal dish home. As soon as he walked in, he saw the old master staring at him with a disgruntled expression. “I sent you to get the medicinal meal—where’d you wander off to?”

Dong Bocheng placed the clay pot on the table, set the fruit aside, took off his coat, and walked over. “I didn’t go anywhere. I had to wait for Doctor Qian to finish preparing it before I could bring it back.”

Old Master Dong looked at him suspiciously. “Sounds like you forgot about your own father after having a good meal. Come here—let me smell you…” He grabbed Dong Bocheng’s sweater and sniffed. “Smells like chicken soup.”

Dong Bocheng looked at him helplessly. “After all these years, your nose is still that sharp.” Then he turned to the servant nearby. “Did you prepare the medicine for the old master?”

“It’s ready, but he only had a couple of sips of soup at lunch, so we didn’t dare give him the medicine yet.”

Dong Bocheng turned to look at the old man. “So you were just waiting for this, huh?”

Old Master Dong kicked him off the bed. “Enough nonsense. Go serve your father the medicinal meal.”

Seeing that the old man already looked more spirited after just a few days, Dong Bocheng couldn’t help but glow with happiness. “Alright, I’ll serve the medicinal dish. After that, you’ll take your medicine properly. Once you’re better, we’ll go have Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.”
—

After business hours, Qian Jianing carried the cash box back to the backyard. As soon as she entered, the Treasure Bowl leaped out on its own. “First time earning a million! Not only do you get a deluxe gift pack, but there’s also a lucky draw!”

Qian Jianing tossed the cash box aside, kicked off her shoes, and sat on the floor. “Then let’s do it! Gift pack first or lucky draw?”

“Gift pack first.” With a wave of its hand, the Treasure Bowl presented five items before her. “One bottle of Hundred-Flower Honey from the Immortal Realm, one pack of immortal tea, five immortal fruits, five immortal dates, and one pill.”

Qian Jianing’s face lit up with excitement. She stared at the items in awe, not even daring to touch them. “Bowlie, whose treasure vault did you rob? This generosity doesn’t feel like you at all.”

The Treasure Bowl patted its chest and sighed in frustration. “We agreed to this from the beginning. Just take it as a motivational reward.”

Qian Jianing reached for the pill bottle and examined it. “Bowlie, what kind of medicine is this?”

“No idea. Just grabbed it at random. Let me check.” The Treasure Bowl took the bottle, wiped it with its palm, and a few unfamiliar characters appeared. It poured out the pill and handed it to Qian Jianing. “This is a pill refined by the Daoist Master of Medicine. After you take it, not only will you be immune to all poisons, but you’ll also be able to detect any toxic substances within a hundred-meter radius.”

Qian Jianing stared at the little pill in a daze. “So I’ll basically be a human drug-sniffing dog?”

The Treasure Bowl slapped the pill into her mouth. “Stop talking nonsense. It won’t kill you anyway.”

Immortal pills were easy to swallow and didn’t require water. Once the pill entered her stomach, Qian Jianing didn’t feel anything special. Her gaze then shifted to the rest of the items.

“The hundred-flower honey beautifies and maintains youthful skin. Drink this bottle and you’ll still look radiant at sixty, like a blushing maiden. The tea and immortal fruits have health benefits. I’m telling you, these fruits are literally from trees in a celestial abode—not the cheap stuff from online shops. The immortal dates were a gift from the Antarctic Immortal Elder—they ward off illness and prolong life.”

After carefully putting everything away, Qian Jianing looked expectantly at the Treasure Bowl. “Time for the lucky draw!”

The Treasure Bowl weakly waved its hand, and a lottery interface appeared in front of her. Qian Jianing scanned through the prizes. When she spotted one labeled “space accessory,” her eyes lit up. “That one!” She breathed onto her palm for luck and spun the wheel with full force.

One round… two… thirty… fifty…

Finally, the wheel slowed and stopped right on “space accessory.” Qian Jianing jumped three feet off the ground in excitement, shouting with joy.

The Treasure Bowl watched her go wild for a while. When she finally calmed down, it pulled a tiny bead out of its pouch.

Qian Jianing looked at the bead, which was about the size of a pill, and suddenly had a bad feeling. “This accessory isn’t quite what I imagined…”

Seeing her serious expression, the Treasure Bowl quickly clipped the bead onto her bracelet, right next to the plantain fan charm.

Qian Jianing looked at her bracelet, now cluttered with odd trinkets, and couldn’t bear to look at it anymore. “How do I use this thing? Do I need to drip blood on it?”

“No need, I’ve already bound it to you. Just hold it, close your eyes, and think about entering—it’ll work.” As soon as Treasure Bowl saw how eager Qian Jianing looked, it gave a quick “piu” and vanished. “You have fun, I’m going to take a nap!”

Qian Jianing hooked the little bead with her index finger, closed her eyes, and saw a space no larger than a drawer appear before her. The edges of the space were jagged and clearly bore marks of being cut.

“Treasure! Bowl!”

Treasure Bowl, clutching a handful of little beads, giggled from a spot Qian Jianing couldn’t see. “These are enough for dozens of draws. I really am a genius!”
—

After several busy days, the day finally came for Li Wanzhen and the others to arrive in the Imperial Capital. Qian Jianing hung a sign saying she’d be closed for three days, started stewing medicinal soup for Old Master Dong, and headed straight to the train station. Technically, the train should have arrived by 8 a.m., but since it was a slow train, delays were common. Fortunately, Qian Jianing had exchanged for a temperature-regulating cloth from the Treasure Bowl, so even in a not-so-thick overcoat, she wasn’t cold. Among the crowd stomping their feet in cotton-padded jackets, she stood out like a crane among chickens.

She waited outside for more than an hour before spotting Li Wanzhen. She dashed over and hugged her tightly, her face lit up with joy. “Mom!”

Li Wanzhen hadn’t seen Qian Jianing in months and had missed her terribly. She hugged her back, reluctant to let go. “Why are you dressed so lightly? What if you catch a cold?”

Qian Jianing cheerfully took the bundle from Li Wanzhen’s hands. “I’m not cold, feel my hand.”

Li Wanzhen touched her hand, felt the warmth, and finally relaxed. “This winter is more pleasant than usual. I remember by this time last year I was already wearing thermal pants, but now even wool ones feel too warm sometimes.”

Qian Jianing glanced at the safety talisman around Li Wanzhen’s neck and smiled. “That means your health’s better this year—you’re more resistant to the cold.” She turned and hugged Qian Jiafeng, who was about her height. “Dad, little bro, was the train ride okay?”

“It was fine!” Qian Guosheng answered with a simple, honest smile. “We brought a big piece of pork head and braised pig knuckle. Even cold, it was tasty. The train sold buns and porridge, so we ate pretty well.”

Chatting, they exited the station. Qian Jianing led them to a bus, and within ten minutes, they got off. A short walk brought them to the mouth of an alley, where she pointed to the first courtyard house. “This is my shop.”

Looking at the sign above the gate, Li Wanzhen beamed with pride. “My daughter’s amazing—she bought a house and opened a shop in the Imperial Capital.”

Pushing open the heavy door, they entered a spacious courtyard. Qian Jiafeng dashed in like a cannonball, spinning around with glee. “Sis, your place is huge!”

Qian Jianing walked over and ruffled his hair. “The front’s the restaurant, we live in the back.”

Through the side gate and along a pebble path, the four reached the rear house. It was midwinter, so there wasn’t much to see in the yard, but the overall layout was grand.

She opened the door, and warm air spilled out. Qian Jianing handed slippers to her parents and cheerfully pulled them inside. “Welcome home.”

Caught off guard, Li Wanzhen stumbled a few steps into the house and hurriedly steadied herself on the shoe cabinet. “The soles are dirty—we’ll mess up the floor.”

After changing into slippers, the three entered the living room, curiously inspecting everything. Even usually rowdy Qian Jiafeng walked more softly. “Sis, your house is really beautiful.”

Qian Jianing brought their suitcases into two side bedrooms, then came out and said, “Mom, go wash your hands and face. I’ll make some wontons to warm you up. After we eat, take a hot shower, then I’ll take you all out to eat.”

Li Wanzhen quickly said, “Our house is a restaurant—why go out? Let me cook for you.”

Qian Jianing stuck her head out and grinned. “I’ve already made a reservation. I’m taking you to eat real Imperial Capital roast duck. Don’t worry, it’s close—we can walk.”

There was a small kitchen in the back. Qian Jianing lifted the damp cloth covering the wontons she’d wrapped that morning and put them in the pot. When she brought the food to the dining room, she found the family sitting on the floor in front of the TV.

“Why not sit on the couch?” she asked while handing out bowls and chopsticks.

“The train was dirty. We’ll wait until after a bath and clean clothes to sit on the couch.” Li Wanzhen came over and ladled wontons into small bowls. The family of four sat together, happily sipping their wonton soup.

“Xiaomi, your house is so well kept. No one back in Zibo City has a place this nice.” Li Wanzhen took a sip of the broth. “This must’ve cost a lot.”

Qian Jianing nodded. “When I bought it, the backyard was abandoned. This house was basically rebuilt. Including the renovations and furnishings, it cost thirty thousand yuan.”

“Thirty thousand!” Li Wanzhen’s eyes widened. “That’s enough for two apartments back in Zibo!”

“That was still a bargain,” Qian Jianing laughed. “If you go by market price, you couldn’t get it for less than fifty thousand.”

Li Wanzhen clicked her tongue in amazement. “The Imperial Capital really is something else—everything’s expensive.”

After the meal, Li Wanzhen went to clean up the dishes. Qian Jianing washed her hands and carefully retrieved three Life Extension Talismans from a locked box, slipping them into her pocket. She entered the kitchen, pulled one out, and naturally pressed it against Li Wanzhen’s back. “Mom, how about I do the dishes?”

She felt a warmth in her palm, and when she pulled her hand back, the talisman had vanished.

Li Wanzhen turned and smiled at her. “No need. After eating, I feel full of energy. You finally get a break—go rest.”

Looking at her mother’s face, Qian Jianing saw that the faint hint of death had disappeared. The signs of violent death had changed too. It was still the same person, the same face—but her forehead looked fuller, her earlobes rounder, and her lips plumper. It was now the face of long life and fortune.

Qian Jianing let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Fate successfully changed.”