She's skilled in medicine, martial arts, and even understands animal language—the abandoned dau

The next day, Shen Man woke up early. When she got up, she was surprised to find that her wound really didn't hurt anymore.

After having breakfast, Xu Jing handed a bamboo basket to Shen Man, then picked up a cane and prepared to set off for Yuanbao Mountain to find the black fern.

Xu Jing's home is actually located at the foot of Yuanbao Mountain.

"The fern prefers to grow in cool, damp places, and is usually more common in the shady areas of mountains."

As Xu Jing walked, he explained the growth habits of the black fern to Shen Man. He walked with steady steps, his cane occasionally tapping the ground, his eyes searching the surrounding mountains and forests.

Shen Man listened attentively, nodding occasionally, and memorized every word Xu Jing said.

The two trekked through the forest for a long time, the fallen leaves and branches crunching under their feet. In the quiet atmosphere, only the sound of their footsteps and the occasional chirping of birds could be heard.

Finally, in a valley near a stream, they found a large black fern.

The fern's leaves are slender and emerald green, swaying gently in the breeze like a green ocean. The leaves grow in a staggered pattern, their tender foliage seemingly telling a story of vitality and hope.

"Finally found!"

Shen Man exclaimed excitedly, her voice filled with joy. Her face flushed slightly with excitement, and her eyes sparkled. As she spoke, she quickly walked towards the black fern.

"Be careful, there are many wild animals in these mountains!" Xu Jing immediately warned her upon seeing this.

"Don't worry, doctor, I'll be careful." In the blink of an eye, she was already standing in front of the black fern.

She crouched down, her slender fingers gently parting the surrounding weeds, searching for the roots of the fern, intending to uproot the whole plant and take it all home.

However, when her hand touched the roots of the fern, a white blob suddenly entered her field of vision, startling her.

Shen Man was startled and quickly stopped what she was doing, standing up and fixing her gaze on that spot.

The white thing seemed startled by Shen Man's overreaction, wriggling frantically under the ferns before darting out like an arrow.

Shen Man then realized that the creature standing in front of her was a small, exquisite white fox with pure white fur.

Its bright eyes darted around, warily surveying its surroundings, while its bushy tail swayed uneasily behind it, as if protesting the sudden disturbance.

A strange sense of warmth welled up in Shen Man's heart, and she couldn't help but whisper, "Little fox, what are you doing here?"

The fox seemed to whimper twice: "This is my home, where else would I be if not here?"

"Ah, you actually live under this fern? I'm sorry, little fox, I have to take it away. My mother is sick and needs it to cure her!"

Upon hearing Shen Man's words, the little fox sighed softly, a hint of helplessness appearing in its eyes. "In that case, I will have no home."

Seeing this, Shen Man thought it was very cute, so she reached out her hand to touch it.

The little fox didn't dodge; instead, it took a few steps forward and gently sniffed Shen Man's fingers with the tip of its nose.

A gentle smile appeared on Shen Man's face. She gently stroked the fox's head, feeling its soft fur. "Little fox, I like you so much. Will you come home with me?"

Hearing Shen Man's voice, Xu Jing turned around and saw this scene. He frowned slightly and said, "Miss Ding, this beast is of unknown origin. It's best not to provoke it."

Shen Man shook her head and said, "Miracle Doctor, I don't think it means any harm. I want to take it home."

Seeing that she had made up her mind, Xu Jing said nothing more.

"Wait here for me a moment, I'll pick the fern and then take you home!" Shen Man put the little white fox down and went to pick the fern.

After placing the harvested ferns into the bamboo basket, she carefully picked up the fox again.

The little fox nestled obediently in her arms without struggling at all.

"Since you're willing to come home with me, I'll give you a name. Your fur is as white as snow, without a single blemish, so I'll call you Snow Shadow!"

The little fox snuggled against Shen Man's arms after hearing her words, whimpered softly, and expressed its acceptance of its name.

Having gathered the black ferns, Shen Man and Xu Jing returned the way they came. Desperate to save her mother, Shen Man bid farewell to Xu Jing after descending the mountain, preparing to take Xueying home.

Considering her injuries, Xu Jing ordered his servants to bring a carriage to take her home.

Shen Man did not refuse, thanked him, and then got into the carriage.

When the carriage arrived at Qiufeng Town, Shen Man got off and told the servant that she had her own horse and there was no need for him to see her off any further.

Next, she went to Yu's Medical Clinic and told Doctor Yu and the others that she had found the fern, so that they wouldn't worry about her.

Afterwards, she took the other medicines with her, rode Wanfeng back to Xiaoyao Village.

After returning home, Shen Man first put Xueying down, and then quickly cleaned the black fern, preparing to brew an antidote for her mother.

Xueying curiously looked around the room, tapping its little paws lightly on the ground and sniffing at each spot, as if familiarizing itself with the new environment.

Since Shen Man left yesterday, Lanxiang has been in a coma. Despite her own poor health, Granny Fang has stayed by her side.

Seeing her mother lose weight in just a few days, Shen Man felt heartbroken.

She suppressed her grief and anxiety as she carefully prepared the detoxifying medicine at the stove.

Xueying seemed to sense the heavy atmosphere in the room, so she stopped jumping around and quietly lay down at Shen Man's feet, occasionally looking up at her.

The medicinal soup simmered gently in the pot, releasing a fragrant aroma.

Shen Man kept her eyes glued to the heat, rhythmically fanning herself with a fan, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

An hour later, the medicinal soup was ready.

Shen Man carefully ladled out the medicine and brought it to Lanxiang's bedside. She gently helped Lanxiang sit up, letting her lean against her, and then fed her the medicine spoonful by spoonful.

Xueying watched quietly from the side, her eyes sparkling with a lively light.

After giving her the medicine, Shen Man stayed by Lanxiang's bedside, staring intently at her face, hoping to see a sign of improvement.

However, as time passed, Lanxiang remained fast asleep.

Shen Man gently held her mother's hand and murmured, "Mother, you must get better. Your daughter can't live without you."

While waiting for her mother to wake up, Shen Man was not idle.

She began to manage the affairs of the brocade weaving workshop, discussing new brocade patterns and improvements to the techniques with the workshop's managers. Xueying followed behind her like a little follower, watching her busy figure.

A day passed, and Lanxiang still showed no signs of waking up. Although Shen Man was worried, she knew that her mother's body needed time to recover. She continued to patiently care for Lanxiang, feeding her medicine and wiping her body on time.

That evening, Shen Man sat wearily on the edge of the bed, her eyes bloodshot. But she dared not fall asleep, constantly watching Lanxiang's condition.

Shen Man was awakened by a slight noise. To her delight, she noticed that Lanxiang's fingers had twitched slightly. She exclaimed excitedly, "Mother, Mother, you're awake!"