Yue Rujing said, "Exactly, she doesn’t have even one patient, so she’s sitting around doing nothing herself. Why does she need an apprentice?"
Jin Zijin always felt uneasy about Youyou facing everything alone.
Running a medical clinic was not easy. When there were no patients, it wasn’t a matter of being too busy, but the mental pressure was something he didn’t want her to bear alone.
He said, "Youyou is new here and not familiar with Lingnan City."
"Oh my goodness!" Yue Rujing made a peculiar face. "Since when did you become such a worrywart, Senior Brother? Even Miss Gu is more decisive than you. She’s already said she doesn’t need your help. If you’re really that worried, I’ll find her an apprentice."
Gu Youyou certainly didn’t want Yue Rujing to find her an apprentice, and she responded angrily, "Go, go, go! All of you, leave! Who asked you to find an apprentice for me?"
She shooed Yue Rujing and Jin Zijin out like she was driving away flies.
The two of them would be better off staying in the military camp; that way, they wouldn’t have time to bother Jin Ziyuan.
She just hoped he would find that important thing quickly and leave even quicker.
Uh, it seemed like she was a bit of a turncoat.
"Sister Youyou, who are you chasing away?" Banxia was busy in the backyard, and when she heard Gu Youyou’s voice raised in the act of driving people away, she hurried out to see.
Gu Youyou said, "It’s nothing, just a beggar."
Banxia thought about how their clinic had not had any business yet, and it made sense to chase away beggars.
But wait, that didn’t seem right... She was sure she’d heard something about an apprentice.
Well, if beggars were coming to apply for the apprenticeship, they should definitely be chased away.
"Ah, I’ve prepared breakfast, where is Big Brother Jin?"
With this reminder from Banxia, Gu Youyou suddenly remembered that Jin Zijin hadn’t eaten yet and she had driven him away.
"Let’s eat. He has gone out for some business."
Today was the second day since Jisheng Hall opened, and it was still quiet and empty. From time to time, passersby pointed at the door and murmured to each other; whatever they said, it wasn’t nice.
Gu Youyou didn’t care at all and enjoyed the peace. She was teaching Banxia how to make some medicinal pills and ointments.
Banxia, however, had a worried look on her face.
"Sister Youyou, we haven’t had a single patient. What should we do?"
Gu Youyou laughed, "That’s good, it means the folks in Lingnan City are all in good health."
Banxia was speechless for a moment, unable to respond.
Did this have anything to do with whether the people of Lingnan City were healthy or not?
As the sunset deepened, the sky slowly darkened, and the streets became bustling with pedestrians. The lights of the night market also gradually lit up, and Jisheng Hall finally welcomed its first patient on the second day of opening.
It was a middle-aged woman with a cloth wrapped around her head. After entering the room, she took the head cloth off.
"Big Sister, what’s making you uncomfortable?"
Gu Youyou took the initiative to inquire.
The woman looked anxious and a bit embarrassed. After much hesitation, she finally lowered her voice and asked, "Do you really treat any kind of illness for free here?"
Gu Youyou pointed to the sign that Banxia was carrying into the room and said, "Of course, I mean what I say."
"That..." She seemed uneasy and uncomfortable, a look Gu Youyou was familiar with. It was the look of someone with an embarrassing secret illness.
Instead of pressuring her, Gu Youyou waited patiently for her to speak on her own.
She understood that mindset all too well; the more you rushed someone like that, the more embarrassed they’d become, and they might get scared off without saying anything.
"Don’t rush, please take a seat first, and take your time. When you’re ready, you can talk."
Gu Youyou directed the woman to a stool reserved for patients and signaled Banxia to bring over a cup of hot water.
Drinking warm water tends to help people relax when they’re feeling tense.
After taking a few sips of hot water, the woman started to speak.