Chapter 88: Leng Chen’s Progress

Leng Yun answered first, “Eldest Brother went up the mountain to collect the game.”

“I’ll go find Eldest Brother!” Leng Tian said, immediately rising to his feet upon hearing this.

Wen Nuan Nuan quickly waved her hand to make him sit back down. “There hasn’t been much snow recently. Little Brother said most people from every household are up in the mountains. The mountain we often forage on doesn’t have much game left. Your Eldest Brother goes to more distant peaks every day. If it snows, he should return early. It’s better to wait at home.”

Hearing this, Leng Tian sat back down, his dark eyes sweeping around the circle of people sitting together, his face beaming with joy.

Outside, snowflakes drifted down, while inside, the charcoal fire was ample, making it as comfortable as spring.

Wen Nuan Nuan looked at Leng Tian and then at Leng Chen, commenting, “Eldest Brother has grown sturdy, and Second Brother has grown taller. Are you both settling in well there?”

“I am, Sister-in-law. I’m no good at reading or memorizing texts, but I can remember fist and staff techniques after seeing them just once. I can even break them down and analyze how to counter them. And I can hold a horse stance for over two hours straight from the start!” Leng Tian reported his progress with a carefree grin.

Wen Nuan Nuan nodded with a smile. Eldest Brother had grown quite sturdy over this period. Even though the three children had eaten and lived together before, the other two had grown taller, while Eldest Brother had developed horizontally. It just goes to show that different constitutions absorb nutrients differently. Fortunately, boys don’t pursue thinness or beauty—being sturdy is actually quite good.

As for Eldest Brother, who had developed horizontally, he had been doing heavy labor for years. Basic training like horse stances might be an impossible task for her, but for Eldest Brother, it was effortless. Choosing the right path that suits you is important.

“And you, Second Brother? How are you adapting there? Are the other apprentices bullying you? Is learning new knowledge difficult for you?” Unlike her questions to Leng Tian, Wen Nuan Nuan’s inquiries to Leng Chen were particularly detailed.

Among the three children, Eldest Brother was straightforward. Even if someone made subtle, sarcastic remarks, he wouldn’t pick up on them. You could speak to him directly and plainly.

Little Brother was lively, cheerful, clever, and quick to react. People like him usually avoided being tricked by others, and even if they suffered a loss or felt wronged, they could digest it well without letting it fester.

But Leng Chen was different. He was thoughtful, sensitive, and whatever he said must have been pondered many times in his heart. Even casual remarks would be chewed over and reflected upon repeatedly. Such a child was sensible and considerate but also more fragile, requiring careful care and affection.

Leng Chen thought for a moment and chose to share the less serious matters. “At first, there was some bullying of the newcomer, but I did everything they asked me to do, so there wasn’t much left for them to hassle me about.”

Wen Nuan Nuan’s heart ached upon hearing this, and her brows unconsciously furrowed.

Leng Chen noticed this keenly, a smile appearing on his small face as he assumed a relaxed and cheerful expression. “Sister-in-law, don’t worry. I can handle it. Besides, I passed the old master’s test recently and am now memorizing ‘prescriptions’!”

As he spoke, a hint of pride flashed across Leng Chen’s small face, but he quickly realized this attitude wasn’t good and hurriedly suppressed it.

Wen Nuan Nuan’s lips curved upward. What an adorable child. He was already impressive enough to feel proud and pleased, yet he cautiously tried to hide it. If it were her, she would have wanted to shout it out for everyone around to know.

“Oh? How did our Chen’er pass the old master’s test?” Wen Nuan Nuan teased with a smile.

Even without hearing the details, she could guess it was something like recognizing medicinal herbs or passing an exam.

However, she genuinely wanted to know about Leng Chen’s life at the medicine shop. After all, a child of only nine years old had to live alone away from home, working part-time while studying. Usually, being far apart, she could only prepare food and send it over every few days. Now that he was home, she naturally wanted to communicate through conversation, allowing the child to express his inner thoughts, any grievances, and achievements.

Leng Chen looked at the three pairs of expectant eyes and spoke slowly, “The old gentleman is Shopkeeper Sun’s senior brother. He is highly skilled in medicine. During the day, he sits in the clinic seeing patients. After dark, he drinks tea in the inner hall and then teaches us apprentices medical texts. I really enjoy listening.”

Wen Nuan Nuan, Leng Tian, and Leng Yun listened attentively, even forgetting to eat the snacks and drink the tea.

Leng Chen felt a bit nervous, unsure of where to place his small hands. After composing himself, he continued, “A few nights ago, while he was teaching the medical texts, he suddenly ordered Senior Brother Jin to fetch a handful of astragalus from the medicine cabinet for him to examine. Just as Senior Brother Jin was about to pick up the oil lamp to go look, the old gentleman said, ‘Don’t go.'”

The three of them simultaneously opened their mouths slightly, their eyes filled with urgency as they looked at Leng Chen.

“The old gentleman then asked me to fetch it. I immediately went to the storeroom and brought back a handful of astragalus. The old gentleman was very pleased and said I had passed the test and could start memorizing ‘prescription dispensing.'”

As soon as he finished, Leng Tian couldn’t help but blurt out, “Why? How did you pass the test? What did your Senior Brother Jin do wrong? Why didn’t he let him go fetch it?”

Wen Nuan Nuan was also puzzled. What kind of test was this? She had met that Ah Jin last time, and he seemed quite clever.

The impatient Leng Tian had already voiced the question all three of them wanted to ask, and their eyes grew even more urgent as they looked at Leng Chen.

“The old gentleman said, ‘Learn from this. Leng Chen fetched it without even picking up the lamp.'”

Wen Nuan Nuan suddenly understood. Unlike the exams she had written with pen and paper, this was a unique assessment method in the industry.

Earlier, it was mentioned that Leng Chen had already been memorizing the medicine cabinets—over a hundred of them—and had to do so flawlessly, even memorizing the effects of similar medicines. This test was likely about familiarity with the placement of medicinal herbs in the dark, a fundamental skill for apprentices in a medicine shop.

Sure enough, Leng Chen continued to explain, “We have to memorize the names of hundreds of medicinal herbs one by one, in perfect order, and remember exactly which herb is next to which. Only when we can recite them fluently and, upon seeing a prescription, immediately go straight to the corresponding medicine cabinet, will the old gentleman teach us the next skill.”

And he really wanted to learn the next skill.

Wen Nuan Nuan now deeply realized how difficult it was to study medicine. Just this foundational skill sounded exhausting! Not to mention actually learning and practicing it.

The requirements were so strict.

Recalling how delighted Shopkeeper Sun had been when he learned that Leng Chen could read, Wen Nuan Nuan sighed, “No wonder Shopkeeper Sun said that to become a skilled doctor, one must first learn to read. Without literacy, even if you can memorize, you won’t be able to understand prescriptions.”

Leng Chen nodded seriously in agreement, “Yes, Senior Brother Jin is also working very hard. He was held back by not knowing how to read before, and only started learning after coming to Renxin Hall. He does chores, memorizes medical principles during the day, and studies reading at night. Fortunately, Eldest Brother taught me to read early on, which saved me a lot of time.”

Wen Nuan Nuan did not believe Leng Chen’s progress was merely due to his literacy. He didn’t even have time to chat with Leng Tian when food was delivered, which showed how hard he must have worked to master each new skill. “You’re already amazing! Passing the old gentleman’s assessment in just over two months. By the way, what does ‘issuing orders’ involve?”