A husband found in the village? I bought a regent for a penny!

Gu Xixi hadn't spoken yet.

He Jinglan exclaimed in surprise, "Master Liu? The new one? Isn't your village school teacher... Chen Fang?"

At this moment, she must not blurt out Mu Nanzhao's real name, nor should she show that she knew Mu Nanzhao before.

Stone gnawed on a piece of rabbit meat, his cheeks bulging as he nodded, "Yes, Master Liu came the day before yesterday."

"Sister Xixi, don't you know? That's my fault, I forgot to tell you."

Gu Xixi smiled and said, "It's nothing. No wonder I didn't see you when I went out this morning."

It turns out that a new village schoolteacher has been hired and gone to the school.

Gu Xixi pondered, losing her appetite somewhat.

Huachidu Village has been unable to find a schoolteacher for so many years, so this Mr. Liu probably didn't volunteer himself.

Such a big thing, but Lao Qian didn't mention it when she came back yesterday, which means that Lao Qian didn't bring it up.

So……

Gu Xixi looked at Shi Tou, "What did Teacher Liu say to everyone at the village school?"

There must be an explanation for why he came to our village to be a schoolteacher.

Shi Tou raised his head and said indistinctly, "He was recommended by Mr. Chen. Mr. Chen was visiting friends and traveling, and was delayed on the way. He was afraid that his return date would be uncertain, so he specially asked Master Liu to teach in his place."

Aunt Zhang and the old doctor both confirmed that this was indeed the case.

Because Master Liu brought Chen Fang's handwritten book, after reading it, Old Qian immediately agreed to teach on Master Liu's behalf. He even took Master Liu to every home with schoolchildren to introduce the book.

Gu Xixi was stunned. So she was the only one who didn't know?

And that kid, Stone! Couldn't he have explained the whole story from the beginning?!

He Jinglan also showed a look of realization, thinking to herself, "So it was someone Mu Nanzhao himself had dispatched, who dared to openly take Mu Nanzhao's position."

Shi Tou swallowed the meat in his mouth and grinned, "Master Liu said he's only temporarily in charge."

"Everyone knows that 'temporary' means 'temporary'. When Mr. Chen returns, he will definitely continue to teach us."

Gu Xixi and He Jinglan exchanged a glance.

Later?

After the war, will Mu Nanzhao return to Huachidu Village? Even if he does, how long will he stay?

He Jinglan asked Shi Tou with a smile, "Have you and your classmates ever discussed whether Mr. Liu or Mr. Chen is better?"

Whom do you prefer to study with?

Without hesitation, Shi Tou replied decisively, "Of course it's Mr. Chen."

He Jinglan couldn't help but think to herself, "Mu Nanzhao, that dark, scheming, aloof, and infuriating guy, must be so strict as to be almost perverted when he becomes a teacher."

He Jinglan was genuinely curious and asked, "Why? Do you really like this Mr. Chen?"

This time, Shi Tou put down his chopsticks, thought hard for a moment, and said, "Hmm..."

"Maybe she's developed feelings for him? Or maybe she just finds him more pleasing to the eye?"

"Perhaps he's younger and better looking than Master Liu."

Stone shook his head in confusion and sighed, "Sigh, I can't explain it."

He Jinglan was also puzzled. Are all children these days so complicated and hard to understand?

When Gu Xixi heard the children's choices, she suddenly couldn't bear to look directly into the stone's eyes.

She picked some vegetables for Shi Tou, saying, "Don't just eat meat; having some vegetables with it is good for your health."

Although Shi Tou loves to eat meat, he is not picky about food. When Gu Xixi puts food on his plate, he accepts it all.

After dinner, He Jinglan and Shi Tou played with spinning tops in the yard.

The spinning top was a Western Region product brought by Anqing. It was about the size of a man's palm, with three-colored glittering paper pasted on the side, making it colorful when it spun.

He Jinglan cheered, stomped her feet, and jumped around like two children with Shi Tou.

Gu Xixi stood under the eaves watching, a smile creeping onto her face. "You two, don't fight over it. Take turns playing."

He Jinglan turned around and waved, "Xixi, come play with us! Let's have a competition and see who can make their spinning top spin the longest!"

Gu Xixi said, "I won't go, I'm going to my master's."

"I have something I'd like to ask him for advice."

In the backyard, before Gu Xixi even opened the door, she could smell the strong medicinal odor inside.

"Master, I'm coming in."

The old doctor was kneading pills. He was very particular about cleanliness when preparing medicine, and a piece of fine cotton cloth covered his mouth and nose.

"This is the recipe for labor-inducing and life-saving pills, a honey-water pill. Can you take a look and tell me what you think?"

Gu Xixi sat down opposite him and looked at the pills on the plate by the light of the oil lamp.

"It is jet black in color, firm in texture, smooth and shiny on the outside, round and basically the same size, and of standard weight."

"According to the medicine-preparation principles you taught me, they are all good pills."

The old doctor chuckled, "Yesterday at dinner, I heard you mention encountering a woman in difficult childbirth, such an emergency."

"I came up with this recipe and prepared it today."

Gu Xixi asked in surprise, "Is this the medicine you prescribed for the dependents' village?"

The old doctor nodded. "Those families of the Northwest Army, they sacrificed themselves to protect the country. They gave birth during wartime but could not go out to see a doctor. We should prepare some emergency life-saving medicine."

Gu Xixi twitched her nose and sniffed lightly, "Such a strong ginseng smell."

"Master, these medicines must have cost you a lot of your savings, right?"

The old doctor chuckled, "You clever little girl, nothing escapes your nose!"

Gu Xixi said playfully, "Master's nose is the most sensitive; I've only learned about 20-30% of it."

Gu Xixi washed her hands, covered her face with a towel, and watched the old doctor's movements as she learned to make the pills together.

“Master, there’s something I didn’t finish telling you yesterday.”

Her tone was calm, but it revealed a hint of guilt that was not easily detected.

The old doctor didn't think much of it. "If you haven't finished speaking, then continue."

Gu Xixi stared at the pills in her hand, "That woman in difficult labor, I not only gave her emergency treatment, gave her sugar water, and directed the delivery, I also..."

“I also gave her acupuncture.”

The old doctor suddenly raised his head, and his long-blind eyes suddenly shone brightly.

"What did you say?"

"Master, I was wrong!" Gu Xixi admitted her mistake with a bitter face.

“I remember you said that according to the rules of the sect, one must not practice medicine without the master’s approval.”

"To avoid being a half-baked doctor who ends up harming people instead of saving them, thus tarnishing the reputation of doctors."

"Besides...besides, I originally vowed not to study medicine, but only pharmacology, so I'm not a doctor at all..."

Her voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, until finally she fell completely silent.

The old doctor faced Gu Xixi and remained silent for a moment.

Gu Xixi's heart pounded. Could she be expelled from the sect?

Suddenly, I heard someone running over, their footsteps hurried, and soon there was a knocking on the door.

"Sister Xixi! We have a guest!"

Gu Xixi glanced at the old doctor and answered the door helplessly, "Who is it? My master is teaching me, I can't leave."

Shi Tou pushed open the door, leaned in, and said, "Master Liu said that Mr. Chen asked him to teach at the village school, and he must greet Sister Xi Xi in person."

Gu Xixi asked helplessly, "Why did he greet me?"

The steamer on the small stove hissed with steam.

The old doctor finally spoke, "You go first, and don't neglect the visiting doctor."