Jiang Chan smiled as she watched the siblings grind herbs, then lowered her head to write up a medical case. This was another habit of hers. For every patient she treated, she kept a separate record for later consultation and verification.
It was drizzling today. Early autumn had arrived, and each rainfall brought a deeper chill. Because of the rain, not a single patient had come to the clinic.
Jiang Chan, Dongqing, and Rendong enjoyed the peace. After organizing the case records, she taught them medicine. The two children listened intently, their eyes blinking. Although they did not understand much of it, they remembered what they could first.
Around noon, a carriage stopped outside. Rendong was younger and had long since grown restless. At the sight of it, she immediately jumped up.
“Master, is someone coming for treatment today after all?”
Watching the little monkey-like Rendong, Jiang Chan shook her head. But the sight of the steady Dongqing dispelled her faint frustration.
Although she intended to wait for the Song family to come to her, she genuinely did not know when they would appear. She had already spent more than half a year in Yun City. They certainly could be patient.
Seeing her lost in thought, Dongqing thoughtfully refilled her teacup. Jiang Chan felt warmly pleased and gave the kid an approving look.
Supporting his sister Song Bingqing as they entered, Song Qiyu saw a half-grown child solemnly acting like an elder toward a boy not much younger. He could not help finding it amusing.
Jiang Chan immediately recognized the sickly Song Bingqing. Wasn’t she the female lead from Xianyue’s memories? But the man beside her was not Feng Feiyang. Who was he?
He looked seventeen or eighteen and was carefully dressed. He supported Song Bingqing with great care, suggesting a close relationship.
Looking more carefully, she saw a resemblance, especially in their eyes. Jiang Chan began to have an idea. This was probably Song Bingqing’s older brother, who had died young.
What a pity that such a handsome youth had met an early death. Jiang Chan cast Song Qiyu a sympathetic look, which Song Bingqing, who had been studying her since entering, happened to catch.
She lowered her eyes slightly, suppressing her strange feeling. As far as she knew, this Doctor Xianyue had never met them. Why was she looking at her and her brother that way?
Seeing patients arrive, Dongqing thoughtfully led the two into the inner room. The servants who had accompanied them remained in the main hall.
Jiang Chan washed her hands, picked up her medicine box, and entered. Song Bingqing sat in a large armchair. Although physically frail, she had lost none of her bearing.
Truly worthy of being the female lead, Jiang Chan sighed inwardly.
“May I take your pulse?” She was neither servile nor overbearing. Although Song Qiyu and Song Bingqing had made quite an imposing entrance, she felt no fear.
Song Bingqing covered her lips and coughed softly twice before timidly extending her arm. Song Qiyu watched without looking away as Jiang Chan reached out and placed her fingers directly on Song Bingqing’s wrist.
He was about to lose his temper. Was his sister’s hand something another man could touch so casually? One look from Song Bingqing silenced him, though he kept staring at Jiang Chan, waiting to hear what she would say.
Jiang Chan knew nothing of the silent exchange that had passed between them in those few seconds. She calmed her mind and carefully analyzed Song Bingqing’s pulse.
Xianyue’s memories had told her Song Bingqing was unwell, but she had not known her body was already this weak. It was only early autumn, yet she wore winter clothes and coughed from time to time.
Honestly, living like this must be painful. It was remarkable that she had endured so long and then survived so much longer after falling into the valley. Clearly, her will was extremely strong.
Jiang Chan considered the pulse for quite some time, her fingers still on Song Bingqing’s wrist. Song Qiyu could no longer bear it. Was this ever going to end?
“Doctor Xianyue, can you treat my sister?” he asked darkly, his eyes fixed on Jiang Chan’s hand.
Jiang Chan withdrew her fingers and organized her thoughts. “Your sister was born with a weak constitution. In addition, your mother wasn’t properly cared for during pregnancy, leaving her with a congenital deficiency.”
Hearing the same diagnosis other doctors had given, Song Qiyu huffed. “I’m asking whether you can treat her.”
Diagnosing an illness was nothing remarkable. What mattered was whether it could be cured. Song Qiyu glared. If this kid could not give a satisfactory answer today, he would certainly teach him a lesson.
“It’s troublesome, but with my treatment, she should recover almost completely.” Jiang Chan tapped the table. She already had a general idea, though she would need to work through the details later.
“What did you say? My sister can really be cured?” Song Qiyu’s eyes widened. Even the always composed Song Bingqing could not help growing excited.
“Yes. Fortunately, she was born into a wealthy family like yours and has been sustained by nourishing food and drink. In an ordinary household, ah, it would have been difficult.”
Jiang Chan sighed. No wonder one said Song Bingqing was fortunate. Although her health was poor, her family could afford to seek famous doctors to keep her alive.
“If you entrust her treatment to me, I must see it through from beginning to end. If anyone interferes midway, I will not take over again.” Jiang Chan laid out the unpleasant condition first. This was also a major taboo for physicians.
Nothing troubled a physician more than treating a patient only for the family to bring in another doctor midway. It could easily disrupt the treatment plan and lead to mistakes.
Song Qiyu was about to speak when Song Bingqing raised her hand and spoke for the first time since entering. “Then I’ll entrust my illness to you, Doctor Xianyue. What do we need to prepare?”
She did not know why, but from the moment she saw Jiang Chan, she felt particularly close to her, as though meeting a relative. Although the feeling was inexplicable, she did not find it unpleasant.
She was the youngest in her family, and her poor health meant everyone indulged and accommodated her. She had never known what it felt like to be an older sister. Yet looking at Jiang Chan now, she felt as though she were looking at her own younger sister.
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