My delicate husband

"An An, sleep a little longer, it's still early."

"Brother Xiaomo, you forgot that a doctor will come to check your pulse today."

Lan'an quickly finished washing up, and Guoger also got up to help Lan'an light the fire.

Lan Euan steamed the rice. She had a little less rice yesterday, so today she steamed an extra pound, but the number of pancakes remained the same. Today's vegetarian dishes were stir-fried spinach and scrambled eggs with pickled vegetables.

"Anger, eggs are so expensive."

"It's okay, just change the style of the dishes."

Lan An made seaweed and lean meat soup, steamed eggs, and stir-fried yam. Seeing that it was getting late, she hurried to call Zhang Xiaomo to eat.

"Anger, why don't we just eat the boxed lunch? It will save time."

"Brother Xiaomo is not in good health, make him more nutritious food."

After the three of them finished their meal, Uncle Zhang's ox cart also stopped at the gate of the yard. Lan An quickly cleaned up the house and put the prepared food into the ox cart.

"Ang'er, go quickly, I'll look after you at home."

"Auntie Wang, please excuse me."

"Stop being so polite to me."

Lan An hugged Zhang Xiaomo and took Guo Ge'er onto the ox cart. It was a good day today with the sun shining brightly.

When we arrived at the stall, it was surrounded by a lot of people. When they saw Uncle Zhang's ox cart arriving, the crowd tacitly made way for it. A few strong men even helped Lan An carry the food to the stove.

"Please wait a moment, the food will take a while to heat up."

"It's okay, young boss, don't worry. How many servings are you preparing today? Is it more than yesterday?"

"Brother, it's still 60 servings. There will be more the day after tomorrow."

"Okay, your cooking skills are really good, even the chefs in the restaurant can't compare to you."

The food was heated up quickly and Lan Euan started to prepare the rice. Today she prepared a little more rice than yesterday.

"Boss, if you're not full, can you get more rice?"

"I don't have much here. I'll prepare some more tomorrow. Then you can get a serving of rice and half a serving of vegetables for two cents."

"That's great. How much is a portion of this braised dish?"

"Ten cents on its own, eight cents with the lunch box."

"That's a great bargain. A simple meat dish in a restaurant costs sixty or seventy wen, and the more expensive ones cost around a hundred wen."

"This is still a small restaurant. A random meat dish in a big restaurant costs only a hundred coins, and it's not as delicious as what you cook."

"Everyone can come if they like. We should be able to come every day for this month. Starting the day after tomorrow, the quantity will be increased. Then you can order rice or braised meat separately."

"That's good."

Today, they sold even more, and they were all sold out in half an hour. Only a few vegetables were left. Lan Euan distributed them to the surrounding vendors and loaded all the goods onto the ox cart.

"Anger, it's sold out so quickly?"

"Yes, Uncle Zhang, please take me to the market first."

"Okay."

When they arrived at the market, Lan An took the things handed to him by the pork shop owner.

"You have spare ribs here, give me two. Tomorrow I need 20 pounds of pig offal, two pig skins, two pig trotters, and five pounds of meat."

"Okay, okay, sir, don't worry, I will definitely keep it for you."

The pork shop owner agreed with a smile. Lan Euan did not stay for long. He put the things on the ox cart and went to the grocery store.

"Sir, are you here to buy food today?"

"Yes, I've been doing some food business lately. Give me another 20 kilograms of brown rice and kilograms of brown noodles."

The shop owner was a sensible person. He asked Lan'an about the parking spot for the ox cart and said that there would be a special waiter for him to use instead of Lan'an. Lan'an thought about it and agreed.

After buying the things, Lan An didn't stay for long. He asked Uncle Zhang to speed up the ox cart and go home as early as possible.

When they got home, it was past noon. Lan An took the things off the ox cart. Uncle Zhang did not stop and drove the ox cart home.

"Ang'er, you came back so early today. Have you sold all the lunch boxes?"

Aunt Wang was a little surprised. She put down her needlework and hurried over.

"They're all sold out. The county doctor is coming to see me today, so I came back early."

"What time will the doctor come?"

"The end times."

"Okay, I'll go tell the sisters-in-law to come later."

"Row."

Aunt Wang left after she finished speaking. Lan An put the food into the kitchen and soaked all the plates in wood ash water and pancreas water. Of course, Lan An secretly put pig offal and other things into the space to prevent the smell from being too strong.

While it was still early, Lan An and Guo Ge'er hurried to clean the house. Zhang Xiaomo had fallen asleep and had not woken up yet. Lan An put the small box for collecting money on the desk and waited for Zhang Xiaomo to wake up. Then they counted the money together. Although the money was not much, it was very happy to count it with Zhang Xiaomo.

Before the end of the hour, Lan An heard the sound of horse hooves. Lan An hurried to the gate of the courtyard to see if the doctor had arrived. Sure enough, the carriage stopped at the gate of Lan An's courtyard. Lan An quickly asked Guo Ge'er to wake up Zhang Xiaomo.

"Young Master, I'm half an hour early, so it won't matter."

"It doesn't matter, but I'm sorry to bother you."

"It's out of the way."

Doctor Zhu looked around. Although the house was a little shabby, it was very clean and full of the atmosphere of life. Doctor Zhu was a little surprised and couldn't help but look up to Lan An. Although he came from a poor family, he had an extraordinary temperament and was neither humble nor arrogant. This was not the aura that a farmer's boy could have.

"Doctor, my husband has just woken up and is not feeling well. Please follow me into the inner room."

"Nothing, please lead the way, young master."

Lan An and Doctor Zhu walked in front, and the little boy followed behind with the medicine box in his arms.

After entering the room, Lan An quickly took a chair and placed it next to the bed to make it easier for Doctor Zhu to see patients. Zhang Xiaomo was not feeling well after being woken up by Guo Ge'er, and he felt better after seeing Lan An.

"Brother Xiaomo, this is Doctor Zhu from Chunqiu Hall."

"Doctor Zhu, I'm in trouble."

Doctor Zhu sat in front of the bed and gently asked Zhang Xiaomo about his symptoms. Zhang Xiaomo was pale, breathing weakly, and looked very frail.

Doctor Zhu stretched out three fingers and placed them on Zhang Xiaomo's wrist. He concentrated and took her pulse carefully. After a moment, he frowned and asked softly:

"Did you go to Chunqiu Hall two years ago? At that time, a thin old man with gray hair and a long gray beard helped you take your pulse and adjust it."

"Well, my father took me there."

"That's right. That was my senior brother. He mentioned it to me. Alas, God is jealous of talented people. It was a great regret for him that he couldn't completely cure you. Since then, he has studied with me a lot."

"My brother is a kind-hearted doctor. If it weren't for him, I would have died long ago."

"I just took your pulse. Your physical condition has improved, and your spirits and energy are good. However, you must have experienced a high fever some time ago, and you were on the verge of life and death. You are also a tough person. Most people can't handle it."

"Doctor Zhu, my husband's condition can be cured."

"You are so lucky, kid. I see your brother really cares about you and takes good care of you."

"My husband really took good care of me."

"You know that the toxins in your body have not been completely eliminated."

"Boy knows."

"You have long suffered from chest tightness, shortness of breath, fatigue, cold limbs, intermittent coughing, and severe hemoptysis. This is because your meridians are too blocked and your Qi and blood are insufficient. Treatment is not easy.

"Boy understands."

"Don't be discouraged, there are still treatments available."

"Doctor Zhu, please speak frankly."

"I have a treatment plan that can remove all toxins from your body and then use acupuncture to open up all your tendons and meridians. Of course, it will require a long period of warming and nourishing with medicine. I can guarantee that you will be no different from an ordinary person in the future. However, you must avoid being exposed to colds, and you must not do heavy work. Remember not to be too happy or too sad."

Lan An knew that what he heard was no different from that of an ordinary person. Since it could be treated and there was hope, he had to seize this opportunity and not miss it. Zhang Xiaomo was far less optimistic than Lan An. He knew that the cost of treatment was too high and that many scarce drugs were needed. He didn't want Lan An to be in danger for him.

"Doctor Zhu, just tell us straight away. We will treat you regardless of the cost."

"You are quite arrogant, young master, but I like people like you who are straightforward."

"An An, don't be anxious."

"Zhang Xiaomo, how can I not be anxious? Shut up."

"Such a fierce husband is rare. Don't be anxious, young master. The treatment will take a long time and cost a lot of money. There are also some rare herbs that I don't have. Besides, I only have a little over 4% chance of success. Are you sure you want to be treated?"

"Treat him. As long as there's a glimmer of hope, I'll treat him. I'm just concerned about the consequences if I fail."

"No effect."

"That's all right. Go on."

Doctor Zhu thought that he had seen countless people, but this was the first time he met such an imposing young man. There was no doubt that he would be a dragon among men in the future. It was a pity that he was just a young man.

Zhang Xiaomo knew that although Lan An looked soft and sticky, he was actually very stubborn, even paranoid in some aspects. Zhang Xiaomo was determined in his heart that he could not let Lan An endure this. The life they had now was a gift from God, and it was good enough like this. He should not be too greedy.

"I'll be frank. The full treatment will cost about two hundred taels of silver. First, you'll need three courses of medicinal baths, each lasting a month. Each dose of medicine costs 450 wen, so three courses will cost a little over forty taels."

"The medicinal bath cannot be interrupted. Each bath takes 25 minutes. This is just foreplay. There are two more treatments to come."

"One course of treatment is acupuncture, once every seven days, for seven sessions, or 49 days. This acupuncture is also combined with a medicinal bath. The bath lasts for a quarter of an hour. Each set of medicine costs 800 wen, so the total cost is over 70 liang."

"The last course of treatment is warming and nourishing. There are two prescriptions. Prescription one is for 15 days, and each dose costs 380 wen per liang. Prescription two is for three months, and each dose costs 175 wen, for a total of about 40 liang."

"Of course, these are not the key points. I need a ginseng that is over fifty years old, bear gallbladder and deer antler that are over five years old, wild boar tusks and tiger tendons that are over eight years old (these are all made up by the author. We still need to protect wild animals, otherwise there will be real punishment!!!)

These medicinal materials are not available in the pharmacy, so you need to prepare them yourself. Of course, excluding those used in the prescription, I can buy the extra ones at a high price. Don't worry. After the treatment, take your pulse once every six months. If there is no problem with the pulse within five years, there will be no problem in the future.

Of course, if you don't get treatment, I can guarantee you five years to live. Think carefully about this. The treatment process is also very painful and requires perseverance that ordinary people don't have. I want to make it clear first."

"Don't worry, Doctor Zhu, let's start treatment. When is the best time to start treatment?"

"It's cold now, so it's hard to prepare the herbs. Besides, it takes time to prepare the other herbs in the recipe. It's best to start in mid-March.

You don't have to rush. You won't need those medicinal materials for the medicinal bath in the first month, but you will need deer antlers and ginseng later. Bear bile, tiger tendons, and wild boar teeth will be needed for acupuncture.

Ginseng will also be used in the food tonic recipes that follow."

"Okay, thank you, Doctor Zhu. Please prepare the medicine for me. I will go directly to Chunqiu Hall to get the medicine from you in mid-March."

Lan An agreed without hesitation and bowed to Doctor Zhu to express his gratitude.

"Young Master, you have to think clearly. Once the treatment begins, it cannot be interrupted."

"Doctor Zhu, there's no need to persuade me anymore. I think clearly."

Lan An paid the medical fee and asked Guo Ge'er to send Doctor Zhu away.

In the room, the two looked at each other and fell into deep silence. If it was just the treatment costs, Zhang Xiaomo would not be too worried. But thinking of those scarce medicinal materials, Zhang Xiaomo would rather die than be treated. He didn't want An An to risk her life to save him. Besides, there was only a 40% chance of success. The price was too high. In fact, it would be nice to be able to accompany An An for another five years.

Lan An now understood the significance of those random tasks. Why? Was it because they were afraid that he would give up? Now the system had really grasped his weakness. With Zhang Xiaomo's life as bait, he could even build running water, let alone repair a well.

"Brother Xiaomo, it's okay. You take a rest first. I'll take care of things outside and then come back to accompany you."

Lan An came to the yard. The aunts were all doing their own work, and Guo Ge'er was also boiling water. Lan An quickly found a deserted place to take out the pig offal.

"Angel, what did the doctor say?"

All the aunts were very curious, but they were too embarrassed to ask. After all, seeing Guo Ge'er's red eyes, they knew the result would not be too good. Finally, Aunt Wang spoke first.

"The doctor said it can be cured, but it will cost a lot of money."

"Ang'er, it's okay. As long as you can heal it, that's fine. If you don't have enough money, I'll talk to the village chief and everyone will lend you some."

"Auntie Wang, it's okay. We have to wait until mid-March to start treatment."

"Wait so long?"

"The process is a bit complicated."

"Ang'er, don't worry, you are all blessed."

"Yes, it will be fine."

After Lan An arranged his work, he went to Xiao Mo's room. They needed to have a good talk.

"Brother Xiaomo, I'm here to accompany you."

"An An, let's not get treatment anymore."

During the time when Lan An was away, Zhang Xiaomo thought about it again and finally decided to give up.

"Brother Xiaomo, why give up? Didn't Doctor Zhu say it can be cured? Don't worry about the pain of the treatment, there will be a way."

"An An, it's actually not necessary. Think about it carefully. You need so much money. Don't you still want to build a big house? The money for treatment is enough to build several big houses. I know An An is good at making money and can earn this money, but I don't want you to suffer so much. You also know that I don't have much time left. Won't you accompany me during this last period of time?"

"Zhang Xiaomo, do you know what you are talking about? Are you really clear?"

"An An, you know it's difficult, right? Those rare medicinal herbs may not be found deep in the mountains. I know you will go into the mountains for me, but no man can survive if he goes in. You are just a boy, there is really no need to take such a risk. I know you have a little secret, but I am still worried. My parents have already sacrificed their lives for my illness, and I can't let you sacrifice your life for me again. Besides, Guo Ge'er is still so young, I can just watch him grow up."

"Zhang Xiaomo, you know I only care about you. You said you would be with me forever, how can you not keep your word? Look at Guo Ge'er growing up, what about me? What should I do?"

"An An, you are still young. You are so outstanding. You will definitely meet someone better. You know, I am a person without a future. It's not worth it for me."

"Zhang Xiaomo, you know I only care about you. I don't care about others, I only care about you. If you leave, I will destroy everything you care about. I will kill everyone in this Lotus Village, starting with Guo Ge'er."

"An An, don't say those angry words. I know An An is the most gentle, kind and soft-hearted person."

"Zhang Xiaomo, don't think I'll soften my heart just because you say a few nice words. I didn't say anything angry just now. You know me. I'm a monster, a lunatic. If you're gone, I'll turn this place into a living hell. I mean what I say. You can see if I can do it. If you die, I won't even let your corpse go. Your corpse will accompany me."

Lan An became angrier and angrier as he spoke, his eyes turned bloodshot with anger, and he looked like a madman. A normal person would be scared to see Lan An like this. Zhang Xiaomo just felt distressed, very distressed, but he couldn't be soft-hearted. He knew that Lan An was never a monster, just a little fool who looked fierce.

Lan An could no longer control the darkness in his heart. He pinched his palms, but it didn't hurt at all. No, he couldn't stay in the room. He would hurt Zhang Xiaomo and he would be scared. Lan An looked at Zhang Xiaomo deeply, pushed the door and left.

There are still many people in the yard. Lan An is afraid of hurting the people in the yard. If he kills someone, Zhang Xiaomo will not leave him. But if he really kills someone, Zhang Xiaomo will not let him stay with him anymore.

Lan'an struggled to control his emotions, lowered his head, and left. Guo Ge'er was frightened when he saw Lan'an's gloomy face.

"Anger, where are you going? You're not going to braise meat today?"

"Auntie Wang, stop talking. An Ge'er is in a bad mood. He must have had a fight with his brother."

"They have such a good relationship, how could they quarrel? An Ge'er loves your brother so much."

Lan An left, and the aunts also left after finishing their work. Guo Ge'er packed up his things, cleaned the yard, and waited for An Ge'er to come back. He seemed to have heard them arguing just now, but he didn't dare to enter the room. He couldn't afford to offend Zhang Xiaomo who was angry, and of course, he couldn't afford to offend An Ge'er who was angry even more.