Chapter 40

Words : 1240 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Lu Qing's apprenticeship ceremony was not complicated.Doctor Chen was not one to enjoy grandiose displays, preferring simplicity in everything. Thus, Lu Qing simply followed the process: in the presence of witnesses, he paid respects to the ancestral master, kowtowed, served tea, and said, "Master, please have some tea." Doctor Chen sat in the chair, took the tea, sipped it, and the apprenticeship ceremony was complete. "Alright, get up now." After finishing the tea, Doctor Chen addressed Lu Qing. "Yes, Master." Lu Qing stood up, his hands at his sides. Doctor Chen also stood up and bowed to the villagers in the courtyard, saying: "Thank you all for coming to witness this apprenticeship ceremony. Today, I have gained a beloved disciple, and I am overjoyed. My courtyard is small and humble, so I couldn't prepare any food for you. I have only prepared some small gifts for everyone." With that, he took a tray from the table behind him, filled with small cloth bags. "These are medicine pouches I made in my spare time. They have a calming effect and can repel mosquitoes." "If you don't mind, please take one or two home and hang them by your bed. They will keep mosquitoes away for about ten days to half a month." "Is it really that effective?!" The villagers looked at the medicine pouches with delight. This was the most bothersome season for mosquitoes, and if the pouches worked as well as the doctor claimed, they were indeed very tempting. For a moment, the villagers, who initially wanted to be polite, found it hard to refuse. Seeing this, Doctor Chen smiled and said to Lu Qing, "Aqing, distribute these pouches to the villagers." "Yes, Master." Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ NøᴠᴇlFire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality. Lu Qing took the tray and walked to the villagers, distributing the pouches one by one. "Here you go, Grandpa Zhang." The first person Lu Qing handed a pouch to was Grandpa Zhang. "Good child, remember to learn well from Doctor Chen." Grandpa Zhang took the pouch with a gratified expression. "I will, Grandpa Zhang." Lu Qing nodded earnestly. The other villagers, after receiving their pouches and smelling the medicinal fragrance, felt refreshed. Knowing they were good items, they quickly put them away. These were personally made by the doctor, and they might not be available elsewhere, so they had to be well preserved. "Folks, remember to hang the pouches in your rooms after you go home. Otherwise, the medicinal scent will dissipate after half a month, and the pouches will be useless." Seeing some villagers carefully putting the pouches away, Doctor Chen reminded them. Upon hearing this, some villagers gave up the idea of hiding the pouches at home. After witnessing the apprenticeship ceremony, Grandpa Zhang and the others began to leave one by one. Before leaving, Grandpa Zhang pulled Lu Qing aside and reminded him to visit his grandfather and parents' graves and share the good news. Seeing Lu Qing agree seriously, he left the mountain satisfied. When all the villagers had left, Lu Qing still stood in front of the courtyard, watching their figures disappear down the mountain. "Aqing, your grandfather made good friends back then, which is why you have such good neighbors today." Doctor Chen walked up to Lu Qing and looked at the people at the foot of the mountain with admiration. "Master, I never knew these things. My grandfather and parents never mentioned them." Lu Qing said. "This shows that your grandfather was a man of high moral character who did not seek repayment for his good deeds. Unfortunately, I came here too late to meet such a principled scholar." Doctor Chen said with some regret. He had a feeling that if he had come earlier, he might have become good friends with Lu Qing's grandfather. "Master, do you know how my parents died?" Lu Qing suddenly asked. "Because of what Grandpa Zhang said earlier?" "Yes, I always thought my parents died in an accident, but from Grandpa Zhang's words, it seems there's more to it." Lu Qing nodded. In his memories, he always believed his parents died accidentally. Now it seemed it wasn't that simple. Doctor Chen was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't know either. During the time your parents died, I was in the city treating a noble. When I returned, I heard they had drowned, but I never saw their bodies, so I can't be sure." "If you want to know the truth, you might have to ask Grandpa Zhang and the others." Lu Qing remained silent. In his memories, the information was the same: his parents drowned accidentally. When their swollen bodies were brought back, it was so terrifying that he was scared out of his wits. The subsequent events occurred while he was in a daze. Selling the land, preparing the bodies, mourning and keeping vigil, and apparently someone causing trouble. By the time he regained his senses, his parents were already buried. Now that he thought about it, there were many doubts. Unfortunately, during that period, the trauma was too great, and many memories were chaotic, making it hard for Lu Qing to piece things together. "However, I don't recommend you ask Grandpa Zhang and the others for the truth now." Doctor Chen said suddenly, seeing Lu Qing's silent demeanor. "Why, Master?" "If Grandpa Zhang and the others are hiding this from you, it must be for your and XiaoYan's sake. They fear you might do something rash if you know the truth. Do you think Grandpa Zhang would harm you?" Recalling the villagers' attitude towards him and Xiao Yan, Lu Qing shook his head. "Grandpa Zhang would never do such a thing." Most importantly, his abilities had never detected any malicious intent from the villagers. "In that case, you should trust Grandpa Zhang. They haven't told you the truth yet because they think it's not the right time." "So, what you should do now is not seek the truth but learn as much as you can. When you have enough ability, they will naturally tell you the truth." Lu Qing remained silent. In fact, he didn't want the truth to act impulsively. Although he had inherited the original owner's memories, he had no deep feelings for the "parents" he had never met. He was worried that the truth about their death might bring harm to him and Xiao Yan. But as his master said, he was too weak now. Even if he knew the truth, it wouldn't help. So it was better to focus on learning first. "I understand, Master." With this clarity, Lu Qing spoke. Seeing that Lu Qing seemed to have figured it out, Doctor Chen smiled. His disciple was smart; he didn't want him to be consumed by hatred at a young age. That would only twist his mind. So he approved of Grandpa Zhang and the others' approach. Seeing the lingering gloom on Lu Qing's face, Doctor Chen decided to divert his attention. "Aqing, now that you've officially become my disciple, there are some things you should know." Lu Qing looked up. Seeing it was effective, Doctor Chen smiled. He continued, "Aqing, do you know what it takes to be a good doctor?"

Chapter 40

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