"Manman, what are we doing at the teahouse?"
"To take a break, have a cup of tea, and eat so snacks. I felt uneasy this morning and didn’t eat well," replied Lian Manman.
"Oh," Wu Lang was sowhat at a loss for words.
"This is also the first ti our families visit since becoming in-laws; we can’t let people look down on us," Lian Manman said, "Let’s rest at the teahouse and tidy up a bit."
Wu Lang suddenly realized, thinking to himself that girls really do pay attention to details, sothing he hadn’t considered.
The carriage stopped in front of the Yonghe Teahouse, and Lian Manman jumped down. It was indeed the county town; just by looking at the grand and lavish front of the Yonghe Teahouse, one could tell it was not sothing the teahouses and restaurants in Qingyang Town could compare with.
The waitstaff of the teahouse saw custors arriving and hurriedly ca over to greet them.
"Lead us to a private room," Lian Manman crisply instructed.
The private rooms at the Yonghe Teahouse were also located upstairs. The young servant led the way, and just as they reached the staircase, several guests happened to be coming down. The servant stepped aside to let them pass, and Lian Manman’s group all stopped at the bottom of the stairs.
"Imperial Doctor Shi!" Lian Shouxin looked up, hurriedly rushed forward, and knelt down with a bow.
At that mont, Lian Manman also saw that among the three people coming down was Imperial Doctor Shi.
Lian Shouxin was grateful to Imperial Doctor Shi for saving Lady Zhang’s life, thus preserving his entire family. He had wanted to express his gratitude before, but never had the chance to see Imperial Doctor Shi. Now, suddenly seeing him was like a gift from the heavens. Being a sincere man, he didn’t care that he was in a public place and imdiately prostrated himself with a kowtow.
Imperial Doctor Shi was taken aback and then, upon seeing Lian Manman and her group, his face showed a hint of realization.
"Please get up," Imperial Doctor Shi said.
Lian Shouxin kowtowed three tis before being pulled up by a waiter standing nearby.
"Imperial Doctor Shi," Lian Manman greeted Imperial Doctor Shi, "We are from the Lian Family of Thirty Mile Camp. We owe you a great debt for saving my mother’s life. My father has tried several tis to pay his respects at your residence, but you were never there."
"I rember," Imperial Doctor Shi replied.
Lian Manman slowly stood up, and as her sleeves dropped down, a large red and gold-embossed card slipped out and fell to the ground.
Imperial Doctor Shi’s gaze fell on the card, and he took a step forward.
With a cry of surprise, Lian Manman quickly picked up the card and carefully placed it back into her sleeve.
"Father, let’s invite Imperial Doctor Shi to have so tea," Lian Manman suggested with a smile, "Imperial Doctor Shi, we’ve reserved a private room upstairs."
"Yes, yes, I do hope you will grace us with your presence, Imperial Doctor Shi," Lian Shouxin exclaid, wishing he could enshrine Imperial Doctor Shi right there and then.
Imperial Doctor Shi thought for a mont, then turned to say a few words to the two people with him, and they took their leave first.
"Lead the way," Imperial Doctor Shi instructed the waiter leading Lian Manman upstairs, and then he went ahead to the second floor.
Once settled in the private room, naturally, Imperial Doctor Shi took the seat of honor. Lian Shouxin again tried to kowtow to Imperial Doctor Shi, but was stopped by him.
"What brings you to the city?" Imperial Doctor Shi inquired, "Are you visiting the Wang Family?"
Lian Shouxin didn’t understand why Imperial Doctor Shi would ask such a question.
"Imperial Doctor Shi, we are going to visit the Song Family," Lian Shouxin said earnestly.
Imperial Doctor Shi uttered an "Oh" and his eyes made a turn around Lian Manman.
"Not going to the Wang Family?" There seed to be a hint of disappointnt and... dissatisfaction in his tone.
After finishing, he looked again at Lian Manman.
Even Lian Shouxin noticed that Imperial Doctor Shi seed to have sothing to say to Lian Manman.
"We are indeed going to the Song Family to see Old Madam Shen," Lian Manman chuckled, "Not to hide from you, Imperial Doctor Shi, we ca from the countryside, afraid of the high threshold and that it would be difficult to enter. Ah, Brother Youheng gave us an invitation card, saying it could help us out."
As Lian Manman spoke, she took out the visiting card from Imperial Doctor Wang that she had in her sleeve and waved it around. Imperial Doctor Shi’s gaze stuck to the card and followed it as it moved.
Lian Manman then put the card away again.
"Hmph," Imperial Doctor Shi snorted coldly and turned his eyes away.
At that mont, the server brought over several varieties of tea treats to Lian Manman.
"...Imperial Doctor Wang is truly a kind person, without the slightest pretense, always ready to aid the elderly and the poor. People say that ’a healer has the heart of a parent’, you and Imperial Doctor Wang, both of you are like Bodhisattvas," Lian Shouxin said while urging Imperial Doctor Shi to have so tea treats.
Lady Zhang’s critical condition had only been attended to by Imperial Doctor Shi thanks to Wang Youheng’s involvent. The subtleties were sowhat complex, and since Lian Manman was only guessing, she hadn’t discussed it with Lian Shouxin. Lian Shouxin had always thought that Imperial Doctor Wang and Imperial Doctor Shi were good friends, which is why he praised them both together. This matched his own feelings: Imperial Doctor Shi was the savior of Lady Zhang and, in his eyes, both Imperial Doctor Wang and Wang Youheng were truly good people.
Imperial Doctor Shi snorted, picked up a piece of treat, then put it down again.
"The invitation from that Wang fellow won’t be of much use if you’re going to the Song Family..." Imperial Doctor Shi said, looking at Lian Manman, "I, on the other hand, could be of assistance."
Lian Manman couldn’t tell if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Imperial Doctor Shi’s gaze kept falling on her sleeve.
Lian Manman took out Imperial Doctor Wang’s visiting card again, and Imperial Doctor Shi’s eyes lit up.
Lian Manman then slowly and carefully put the card back into her sleeve.
The light in Imperial Doctor Shi’s eyes dimd.
Lian Manman kept her head down drinking tea; she had roughly guessed what Imperial Doctor Shi was hinting at. But she couldn’t give Imperial Doctor Wang’s card to him.
Imperial Doctor Shi watched Lian Manman, who continued drinking her tea, enjoying the treats.
Imperial Doctor Shi snorted and stood up to take his leave. Everyone hurriedly saw him out, but Lian Manman was a step behind due to her bookkeeping duties. By the ti she got to the entrance of the teahouse, Imperial Doctor Shi had already left, and Lian Shouxin and the others were waiting for her.
"Manman, why does it seem like Imperial Doctor Shi left angry?" Lian Shouxin said with a hint of concern.
"Manman, Imperial Doctor Shi borrowed our carriage," Wu Lang said.
"What?" Lian Manman was shocked. Imperial Doctor Shi didn’t seem like soone who lacked a carriage. Could it be because she refused to give Imperial Doctor Wang’s card to Imperial Doctor Shi, he got angry and this was his way of retaliating? Was borrowing the carriage the only form of retaliation?
"It can’t be!" Lian Manman held her forehead.
***...****
Let’s make pink more powerful! (To be continued. If you like this work, welco to vote for recomndation tickets, monthly tickets at qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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