Chapter 2.2 Broken Bridge in Hangzhou, Bai &Xu fell in love at first sight
After releasing the white snake, Xu Xian went to Changsheng's house as usual to check on his wife's pulse. Lady Yu lay motionless on the bed with her eyes closed. Changsheng was leaning beside the bed, watching Xu Xian eagerly.
Shaking his head in frustration, Xu Xian said, "Alas, sister-in-law's illness is peculiar. This is already the twelfth prescription I've tried, but there's still no improvement."
Pouting, Changsheng said, "It would be great if the immortal sister came. She must have a solution."
Xu Xian patted his head and advised, "Silly child! Have you never heard of her in the apricot groves of Jiangnan? She may be avoiding us by hiding, and it's hard to say if she will dare to come if we invite her."
"Who says I won't dare to come!" Suddenly, someone spoke outside the door.
Hearing the voice, Xu Xian turned around and saw Bai Suzhen behind him. He was startled and asked, "How did you get in? Changsheng, don't you usually lock the door?"
Bai Suzhen's eyes flickered and she retorted, "Uh, it was obviously when Doctor Xu came that he forgot to close the door. How can you blame a child like that?"
Responding to Changsheng's hopeful eyes, Bai Suzhen took out the bottle of antidote from her pocket and showed it to him.
"Changsheng, this is a miraculous medicine. I'll feed it to your mother immediately."
Xu Xian was anxious to snatch the medicine from Bai Suzhen's hand and asked, "What is this medicine made of? You can't give it to someone randomly!"
Bai Suzhen shrank her hand behind her back and chuckled, "I won't tell you."
Xu Xian wanted to snatch the medicine from Bai Suzhen, but he found that Changsheng had an extra bottle of medicine in his hand, which he was feeding to Lady Yu.
"Changsheng, don't act recklessly! You!" Xu Xian said.
Bai Suzhen spread her hands and looked mischievous and proud as she glanced at Xu Xian.
Xu Xian didn't have time to argue with Bai Suzhen. He hurried to check Lady Yu's pulse, but she slowly opened her eyes and whispered, "Changsheng..."
Changsheng rushed up excitedly and said, "Mother, you're awake!"
Xu Xian looked at Lady Yu, who had just awakened, with astonishment. He couldn't believe that her pulse, which was just chaotic and disordered, had become gentle and strong. How could this be possible?
Changsheng helped Lady Yu sit up, and she looked at Xu Xian and said, "Doctor Xu, thank you for saving my life."
However, Changsheng said, "Mother, it was this immortal sister who cured you."
Hearing this, Xu Xian blushed and Bai Suzhen chuckled.
Mischievously, she winked and said, "Thanks to Doctor Xu for using precious medicinal materials to cure the patient's root cause. My medicine was able to take effect immediately."
Xu Xian, who was standing beside her, was surprised to hear this. He looked at her deeply and blushed, saying, "Xu Xian is ashamed."
Lady Yu asked, "Who is this young lady?"
Bai Suzhen explained, "My surname is Bai, and I am Changsheng's friend."
Lady Yu forced herself to sit up and thanked Bai Suzhen, saying, "So it was Miss Bai who saved my life. Thank you for your miraculous healing."
Bai Suzhen quickly helped her up and said, "You're too kind."
Madam Yu said enthusiastically, "It's getting late, why don't you stay and have a meal before you leave?"
Changsheng shouted happily, "Yes, let's stay and have a meal together, Uncle Xu and Sister Bai!"
Madam Yu tried to get up, but stumbled and almost fell due to her recent recovery. Xu Xian said, "Please rest, I'll prepare the meal."
Madam Yu refused, "How can I let my guests work? I..."
Bai Suzhen continued to persuade Xu Xian, "Madam Yu, please rest, I will help him."
Bai Suzhen followed Xu Xian into the kitchen and saw him chopping vegetables with skill. She was amazed and asked, "You know how to cook? I thought gentlemen stay away from the kitchen."
Xu Xian replied, "Those who stay away from the kitchen are lazy people, not necessarily gentlemen. Could you please turn up the heat?"
Bai Suzhen asked, "Since you cook, do you also kill animals? Why did you release the white snake?"
Xu Xian was surprised, "How did you know? Oh, you followed me in the dark?"
"I didn't follow you. I just saw you from afar. Is the fire enough?" To change the subject, she began to fan the fire with a fan next to the stove. Unexpectedly, the flames suddenly rose a meter high. Xu Xian quickly protected her and pushed her away, apologizing nervously.
"I'm sorry, it was not intentional. Maybe the firewood was coated with tung oil. Why did it suddenly become so big?"
Bai Suzhen used her power to reduce the fire and asked again, "Why did you release the snake?"
Xu Xian began to stir-fry and explained, "There are many medicines that can replace snake bile. Why harm the white snake? She can feel pain and fear just like any other creature."
Bai Suzhen was moved and said, "Although you have the bad habit of deceiving others, your nature is not bad."
Xu Xian stopped stirring and asked, "What do you mean by deceiving others? I have genuine medical skills. Um... I had to use some tricks to raise funds for Madam Yu's medicine."
Bai Suzhen raised her eyebrows and realized that she had misunderstood him.
Xu Xian coughed and asked, "Please pass me the salt."
Bai Suzhen looked at the large pottery jars in the kitchen and was confused. She thought, 'What does salt look like?' She gritted her teeth and handed a bottle to Xu Xian.
Xu Xian corrected her, "This is five spice powder."
Bai Suzhen was embarrassed and explained, "They all look the same. How can I tell them apart?"
Xu Xian shook his head and put salt in the pot. "The dish is ready. Do you want to try it?"
Bai Suzhen saw him use chopsticks and realized her mistake. She nervously took out a pair of chopsticks and tried to imitate Xu Xian's movements, but failed.
Xu Xian said, "Prepare four sets of tableware and please help me set the table."
Soon, the four of them sat at the table. Madam Yu thanked them again. Xu Xian smiled and said, "Let's eat."
Changsheng cheered, "Mother, can we go to the Lantern Festival on the Yu Street now that you're better? There are so many beautiful lanterns there."
Bai Suzhen asked, "I heard that there will be a moonlit hill and beautiful carriages at the Linan Lantern Festival. Is that true?"
Changsheng nodded, "Yes, it's so beautiful. Would you like to come with us, Sister Bai and Uncle Xu?"
Bai Suzhen looked at Xu Xian and saw him smiling at her warmly. They exchanged a smile.
After dinner, Madam Yu refused to let the two of them help tidy up. Xu Xian and Bai Suzhen left Changsheng's home and walked outside. The warm sun and gentle breeze blew their clothes and ribbons. Xu Xian suddenly realized that perhaps Changsheng calling her a fairy sister was not entirely wrong.
Xu Xian said slowly, "Miss Bai, I promised that if you won, I would accept any punishment. I, Xu Xian, keep my word..."
Bai Suzhen turned her head to look at him. "Doctor Xu, if you hadn't used medicine to save Madam Yu, she wouldn't have waited for me to rescue her. Overall, this bet can only be considered a tie."
Xu Xian bowed respectfully and admitted, "Miss Bai, you are an upright and honest person. I misunderstood you before. That day, when you pretended to be an old man, were you really trying to persuade me to reform?"
Bai Suzhen replied, "Yes, lying is wrong."
Looking at Bai Suzhen's serious expression, Xu Xian nodded with a smile. "I promise you." He looked at Bai Suzhen, and his gaze seemed to burn with an intensity that he never realized before.
Suddenly, Xu Xian remembered something. "By the way, I also want to ask Miss Bai about something. What disease did Madam Yu have, and what medicine did you use?"
Bai Suzhen was stunned for a moment, then turned her eyes and said, "Well... Madam Yu was bitten by a poisonous insect. I used a method of using poison to counteract poison."
At that moment, Xia Qing, who had been wrapped in a blanket and warming herself by the fire, suddenly sneezed.