Tang Yichen heard the words and replied immediately, "We have come to buy Xuan Yue Silk from Mu Huai."
Upon hearing this, the person finally looked up and, with vested interest, asked, "Does this mean you know Mu Huai?"
Would we be asking you if we knew them?
Tang Yichen immediately shook his head at the person.
Seeing this, the person’s expression turned listless and he waved them off, saying, "You may leave, I don’t have any Xuan Yue Silk here."
Tang Yichen turned his gaze towards Su Yunling and Gu Zhiqi.
However, both Su Yunling and Gu Zhiqi, one appearing thoughtful as he stared at the person behind the counter, the other speed-reading the labels on the medicine shelves, did not look at Tang Yichen at all.
A brief silence fell over the pharmacy.
Seeing that neither of them was giving him any reaction, Tang Yichen stepped closer to them, "Third Brother, Gu Xiaoxi, give some reaction here."
As Tang Yichen’s words trailed off, Gu Zhiqi made his move.
He took a few steps forward, reached the counter, and reported a string of herb names directly to the person, "60g of Falling Star Grass, 80g of Crisp Tea Flower..."
As soon as Gu Zhiqi opened his mouth, the person leaning on the counter with his chin propped up took up a pen and began to jot down the names and quantities of herbs Gu Zhiqi was reciting.
As he wrote, the person gradually stopped his movements, slowly straightened up, and looked towards Gu Zhiqi, his eyes filling with complexity and inquiry.
After Gu Zhiqi finished listing the herbs, he finally spoke to the person who was writing and drawing at the counter, "I want these herbs."
The person shifted his gaze onto Gu Zhiqi. From the initial complexity, his expression turned into a stunned state, gazing blankly at Gu Zhiqi.
Until Gu Zhiqi fell silent, he still had not recovered his senses and just kept staring blankly at Gu Zhiqi.
"Shopkeeper?" Gu Zhiqi, seeing no movement, inquired out loud.
"Ah?" The person finally came back to his senses, first blankly uttering an "Ah," and then, belatedly responding, "Right."
After responding, he laid out a piece of paper on the counter, and without taking the uncompleted prescription, he went straight to the medicine shelf and began to gather the herbs.
After picking a few herbs, facing the shelf, as if merely asking casually, he inquired, "What... what are you planning to do with these herbs?"
Gu Zhiqi did not answer his question.
While the person continued to pick the herbs, he kept an ear out, waiting for Gu Zhiqi’s reply, but it never came.
Therefore, he stopped his actions, turned around, and asked Gu Zhiqi, "May I ask, what do you plan to do with these herbs you’ve gathered?"
Gu Zhiqi slightly raised his eyebrows and, looking back through the veil, responded to the person, "You have not answered our question. How do you expect me to answer yours?"
Upon hearing this, the person first froze, then smiled knowingly and looked back at Gu Zhiqi, "I am Mu Huai. The person you’re looking for is indeed me. If your answer satisfies me, I might consider selling the Xuan Yue Silk to you."
At this, Tang Yichen blinked, slightly bewildered.
So, what just happened?
He didn’t think he had missed anything, so how had things developed to this point?
How did this person suddenly admit he is Mu Huai?
Mu Huai stared at Gu Zhiqi and asked again, "So, these herbs?"
Gu Zhiqi: "Alchemy, Vermilion Pill."
At this, Mu Huai froze again, standing dumbfounded for a long time without moving.
Taking two steps forward, Mu Huai placed his hands heavily on the counter, looking straight at Gu Zhiqi, he asked, "Are you an Alchemist?"