Zhu Yanyi nodded. Even if Yan Aohan hadn’t mentioned it, she planned to ask. Although the golden flower beetle was not contagious, once infected, it caused terrible pain and horror for humans.
After Hun Tianhua checked in, Zhu Yanyi came to examine her again. She wrote a new prescription. "This is the medicine to drink after tonight’s treatment. Prepare it in advance, boil it, and keep it warm." She handed the prescription to Hun Junlan.
Hun Junlan took it and went to prepare the herbs.
Zhu Yanyi turned to Hun Tianhua. "Uncle, where did you get the golden flower beetle?"
Hun Tianhua thought for a moment. "I don’t remember. Three months ago, I spent most of my time gathering herbs."
"Gathering herbs wouldn’t cause this. The beetle eggs only hatch if swallowed. So, the eggs must have been in food you ate," Zhu Yanyi said seriously. "Uncle, try to remember if you ate anything special three months ago."
"Food from three months ago?" Hun Tianhua tried to recall. It wasn’t long, but it was hard to remember.
"Three months ago, your uncle went to the next village for a wedding banquet," his wife, Mo Shaoyao, said suddenly.
"I wasn’t the only one drinking," Hun Tianhua said. "Why are the others fine?" He remembered the banquet, but since others were unaffected, it was unlikely he got infected there.
"Did anyone give you something special to eat at the banquet?" Zhu Yanyi tapped Hun Tianhua gently.
Hun Tianhua’s eyes widened. "You remind me. Yes, Hun Guang was there. She greeted me and gave me a piece of roasted meat. It looked good, so I ate it. I remember her wife wanted some too, but she scolded her and drove her away." Hun Tianhua wasn’t foolish. She looked at Zhu Yanyi. "You mean Hun Guang gave me the beetle eggs?"
"I don’t know," Zhu Yanyi smiled slightly. "I can only say it’s possible. If everything else was normal three months ago, but this wasn’t, then it’s likely her."
"But I have no grudge with Hun Guang. Why would he do this? What benefit does he get?" Hun Tianhua frowned.
Zhu Yanyi smiled lightly. "I don’t know either. You can investigate after you recover." However, that person might not still be in the Hun clan, as Yan Aohan would surely investigate first.
Zhu Yanyi told Yan Aohan what she learned. As expected, Yan Aohan immediately sent people to investigate Hun Guang.
That evening, Zhu Yanyi and Yan Aohan ate at a nearby restaurant. They planned to return after treating Hun Tianhua.
There were many restaurants around the Capital Hospital. They chose a clean one. Since it was a small place with no private rooms, they sat by the side. Yan Aohan ordered food, and they waited.
"Ani, how long has it been since we ate out like this?" Yan Aohan asked. They usually ate at nicer places, rarely here. That’s why he felt nostalgic.
Fancy restaurants were nice but lacked this simple, peaceful feeling. However, people are social creatures and cannot always hide away. They needed to go out.
Zhu Yanyi raised her eyebrows, feeling nostalgic too. "It has been a long time. Let’s do this more often in the future."
Zhu Yanyi liked this ordinary life. She felt that staying high above others would lose her common sense. Common sense was important. Without it, how could she treat every patient fairly?
Thinking this, her mind suddenly cleared. Her eyes lit up. "Aohan, what do you think if I continue seeing outpatients?"
"What do you think?" Yan Aohan didn’t want her to be tired, but he respected her decision.
"I think birth is fixed, and fate is in our hands. But illness has no hierarchy. Emperors get sick, and poor people are not rejected. So, my previous way of avoiding outpatient clinics might be wrong. I am a doctor. How can I detach from patients because of my status? That thought is wrong," Zhu Yanyi said seriously.
Yan Aohan smiled. "If you want to see outpatients, I suggest limited appointments. Not for anything else, but if you don’t limit them, you might not even have time to eat with me."
Zhu Yanyi paused, then laughed. "Okay, I’ll do limited appointments. I’ll tell Senior Brother when we return."
Making this decision, she felt her mind relax. Although her internal energy hadn’t reached the mid-stage of Gangjin, it was close.
She looked at Yan Aohan silently. "I realized my previous thinking was flawed. Correcting it changed my mindset."
Yan Aohan sensed her cultivation improving. It wasn’t mid-stage Gangjin yet, but it was near. He smiled. "It seems your breakthrough depends on your understanding and dedication to medicine."
"Maybe. But whether I am a doctor or not doesn’t matter. What matters is that my skills can save lives," Zhu Yanyi said with a smile.
The food arrived, and they began to eat.
Zhu Yanyi served Yan Aohan some tomato and egg stir-fry. "Eat some. This place usually uses Azure Sovereign tomatoes."
Zhu Yanyi took a bite. It tasted like their own produce. "The boss is honest. Using Azure Sovereign tomatoes for stir-fry is expensive."
A table nearby also ordered tomato and egg stir-fry. The person laughed. "This girl is right. The boss is honest, which is why we like eating here."
Zhu Yanyi and Yan Aohan smiled at each other, served each other food, and continued eating.