Chapter Eleven

Su Xiaobai gently pushed open the half-closed wooden door. The door was indeed in poor condition, and as it creaked open with an ancient, weathered groan, it seemed to carry the weight of countless years of history.

She carefully stepped over the nearly thirty-centimeter-high threshold and entered the house.

However, what awaited her inside took her by surprise. Despite the dilapidated exterior, there was a small courtyard within, featuring an old, stone well at its center and a locust tree standing nearby—not particularly tall but certainly noticeable.

Wasn't there a saying that locust trees shouldn't be planted at home? It was believed they carried strong yin energy and were often associated with ghosts and spirits. The thought sent a sudden chill down Su Xiaobai's spine. It was the height of summer, yet the moment she stepped into this courtyard, she felt an eerie coldness creeping over her.

The small quadrangle courtyard was not as simple as it appeared. Beyond the well, there was yet another enclosed courtyard, complete with a stone table and stools. Resting on the table was an old black teapot, clearly having seen many years of use.

The place seemed deserted. Su Xiaobai took a careful look around before noticing that one of the inner rooms had a door slightly ajar. A faint herbal fragrance drifted out from within.

Just as she hesitated about whether to go in, a fit of loud, hoarse coughing echoed from inside. Soon, an elderly man, frail and unsteady on his feet, emerged from the dimly lit room.

He appeared to be in his late seventies or early eighties, his sparse, graying hair adding to his aged appearance. Dressed in a gray long robe reminiscent of a bygone era, his face was so deeply wrinkled that his features seemed somewhat blurred. A pair of black-framed glasses rested on his nose, and his slightly hunched posture gave him an odd yet somewhat comical look.

Upon noticing someone standing in the courtyard, the old man seemed momentarily surprised but quickly regained his composure. After scanning Su Xiaobai from head to toe, he turned away and said in a raspy voice, "Come in."

Su Xiaobai immediately understood—this must be the man known online as the master of Chen's Herbal Medicine Shop: Old Doctor Chen, also infamously called Chen the Ghost. A self-taught doctor specializing in unconventional treatments, he was renowned in certain circles for curing rare and difficult diseases.

She followed him inside. The room was dimly lit, with only a single 40-watt bulb hanging from the ceiling, casting a soft, yellowish glow over everything.

The herbal scent grew stronger as she stepped in, and soon she spotted the source—a small stove placed near the doorway, with charcoal burning underneath. A pot of medicinal decoction was simmering atop it, sending waves of thick herbal fragrance into the air.

Old Doctor Chen slowly sat back in his chair, tapped a spot on the wooden table with his fingers, and gestured for Su Xiaobai to sit across from him.

Adjusting his glasses slightly, he finally spoke. "Young lady, what illness brings you here? Looking at your complexion, you don't seem sick at all."

Hearing this, Su Xiaobai quickly smiled. "Ah, Dr. Chen, it's not me who needs medical attention. I heard you specialize in treating rare conditions, so I came to seek your help. The patient… is my husband."

"Then why didn't you bring him along? If he were here in person, I could take his pulse and get a better understanding of his condition." Chen the Ghost frowned, his tone carrying a hint of displeasure.

Su Xiaobai, however, remained unfazed. Instead, she put on a perfectly awkward expression, portraying the look of someone struggling to put things into words with uncanny precision.

"Well... my husband is thin-skinned. No matter what, he refuses to go to a hospital for this kind of issue, let alone come here to see you. I actually snuck over today without telling him."

Chen the Ghost's furrowed brows gradually relaxed. He had already guessed, with about eighty to ninety percent certainty, what the issue was. After giving Su Xiaobai a scrutinizing look, he asked in a deep voice, "How long have you been married?"

"Not long. We just had the wedding yesterday. Before that, we were living separately." Su Xiaobai answered without the slightest hesitation, not even blinking.

"And when did you first notice his problem?"

"Last night. He... didn't finish. It was over in just a few minutes, and after that, nothing. No reaction at all." Su Xiaobai's eyes darted around mischievously, a trace of cunning flashing in them. Had Chen the Ghost been paying closer attention, he might have found it strange—her husband was supposedly suffering from an illness, yet she didn't seem the least bit anxious.

Chen the Ghost nodded thoughtfully and said, "Alright, I understand. I'll prescribe a formula for your husband. Take it back and let him try it. If it doesn't work, bring him over next time."

Just as he was about to fetch the medicine, Su Xiaobai quickly stopped him. Chen the Ghost paused, looking at her curiously. Su Xiaobai hesitated for a moment before speaking with an embarrassed smile.

"Dr. Chen, is there something that doesn't need to be brewed like traditional medicine? Maybe something that can be cooked with soup, like medicinal cuisine? My husband is too stubborn and proud. He doesn't even know I came here alone."

Chen the Ghost considered her words and, seeing how earnestly she pleaded, eventually nodded in agreement. However, before he could say anything, she added another request.

"And… is there something fast-acting? Something that works right after eating? I mean... we are newlyweds, after all."

Chen the Ghost shot Su Xiaobai an incredulous glance. He hadn't expected this seemingly elegant young woman to be so bold—she was even more impatient than a man! Her demands were quite a handful. If she had gone to a hospital, no doctor would cater to such specific requests, but things were different here. As long as it didn't harm the body, Chen the Ghost was generally willing to accommodate his customers' more... peculiar needs.

"It's not impossible," he said at last. "I'll prepare a few doses for you. They can be used in soup, but they're very potent. Too much could cause excessive heat in the body. Make sure he avoids overly spicy or greasy food for a while—keep the meals light and simple."

"Oh! Yes, yes, of course! Thank you so much, Dr. Chen!" Su Xiaobai thanked him profusely. After waiting in the room for a short while, Chen the Ghost handed her several packets of herbal medicine wrapped in oil paper. She paid for them and left, her eyes brimming with anticipation.

Chen the Ghost clicked his tongue as he watched her leave, shaking his head in amusement. Young people these days... so impatient.

By the time Su Xiaobai got home, it was only around four or five in the afternoon. She took out the groceries she had picked up from the supermarket—mostly pre-prepared ingredients like sliced meat and ribs. She immediately placed the ribs into a clay pot to simmer, following Chen the Ghost's instructions by adding one packet of herbal medicine.

Just as she was about to put the lid on, a sly smirk curled at the corner of her lips. She reached for another packet, tore it open, and dumped the entire contents into the pot.

Satisfied, she finally covered the lid, letting the soup slowly stew into a delicious, nourishing "Vitality Broth."

It was bound to be an ultimate tonic, a surefire remedy for a man's ailments.

Tying on an apron, Su Xiaobai whipped up a plate of stir-fried chives with eggs and bitter melon beef. Just as she placed the last dish—fish-flavored shredded pork—on the table, Fang Cheng arrived home from work.

This was exactly as Su Xiaobai had planned. Although she and Fang Cheng were newlyweds, he had only taken three days off for their wedding. With a mountain of work waiting for him, they had no plans for a honeymoon. To make it up to her, Fang Cheng would naturally try to come home on time for dinner whenever possible.

This time, she had bet correctly. Fang Cheng had indeed been thinking the same thing—coming home early was the least he could do to compensate her.

As soon as he stepped through the door, the mouthwatering aroma of home-cooked food filled the air. He saw Su Xiaobai setting out two bowls of rice and smiling warmly at him.

"You're back! Let's eat."

"You made all this?"

Su Xiaobai didn't reply, only responding with a gentle smile. For a moment, Fang Cheng felt a surge of emotion—what man wouldn't appreciate a woman cooking for him? At the very least, it showed that she was willing to care for his stomach in an attempt to keep his heart.

She handed him a bowl of soup, with another bowl placed in front of herself.

"This is medicinal cuisine—good for your health. You have a lot of work coming up, right? Don't overwork yourself. This will help keep you in good shape. We've both been too focused on our jobs; we should take better care of ourselves and eat more nourishing food."

After saying this, she scooped up a spoonful of soup and sipped it first, watching him with a smile.

Fang Cheng couldn't help but reach out and brush his fingers through her hair. The silky softness made him hesitate for a moment—had Su Bai ever been this tender and affectionate before?

But the moment of daze quickly passed. Under Su Xiaobai's expectant gaze, he picked up his spoon. The soup had a faint herbal aroma, but the taste wasn't bad. He finished his bowl without hesitation, never noticing the gleam of mischief that flashed in Su Xiaobai's eyes.

Midnight. The moon hung high in the sky.

Though they shared a bed, Fang Cheng and Su Xiaobai were like two strangers lying side by side, lost in their own worlds.

Fang Cheng had only gone to bed in the second half of the night, spending the earlier hours in the study dealing with work while letting Su Xiaobai sleep first. When he finally lay down, Su Xiaobai opened her eyes in the darkness, quietly listening to his steady breathing.

She didn't know how long she had waited, but at last, the moment she had been anticipating arrived.

The man beside her took a sharp breath. His body grew noticeably hotter, the warmth radiating off him even though she hadn't touched him.

His breathing became more and more ragged.

The more labored his breaths became, the wider Su Xiaobai's smirk grew, the amusement in her eyes laced with schadenfreude.