Chapter 85 I Can Make Medicinal Cuisine!

"That's right." Xiaocui took over the conversation, looking at Ye Wushang. The disgust that once lingered between her brows had long since vanished, replaced now with a difficult-to-express admiration. "If it hadn't been for Mr. Ye, the young master wouldn't have survived. Now, he's slowly recovering. He is a great benefactor of the Huang family."

"Last time, he asked Miss to help him find some medicinal herbs, but since there were some flaws, she asked me to go ahead and discuss it with Mr. Ye."

"I ended up at the Guanghui Building, and happened to witness those two women entangling with Mr. Ye. I noticed that Zheng Yiren was acting suspiciously, so I intended to film her and give the footage to Miss for analysis. Who would have thought, a chance action led to unexpected results—I managed to capture evidence of her framing Mr. Ye."

Having finished, she cast Huang Pianruo a reassuring look.

On the surface, Huang Pianruo kept her composure, but inside she applauded Xiaocui’s quick wit. Thank goodness she knew how to cover up a lie, or if Ye Wushang discovered she’d deliberately sent people to tail him, both of them would have lost face.

"So that's how it was." An Lan let out a long breath. For a moment just now, she had truly thought Ye Wushang had a close connection with the other party.

So it turned out Ye Wushang was treating someone’s illness, and the other was simply repaying the favor. There was nothing more between them. Still, Huang Pianruo was outstanding in every respect—a dangerous signal for herself.

"Wushang, why didn’t you tell me you were treating the young master of the Huang family?"

She instinctively looped her arm through Ye Wushang’s, trying to assert her claim, but Ye Wushang slipped away and said casually, "It's nothing special, just a treatment. No need to make it public."

"By the way, Miss Huang, you mentioned earlier that the medicinal herbs you found for me had flaws. What did you mean by that?"

"Xiaocui," Huang Pianruo called softly. Xiaocui promptly handed a small box to Ye Wushang. "Mr. Ye, this is the premium Langya grass you asked for."

"Unfortunately, all that’s left are the seeds, and even those I had to ask my master for. The seeds are fragile and very few in number. To grow them, you’ll need to cultivate them with great care."

He took the box and opened it. Inside were indeed the finest Langya grass seeds: tiny, like grains, with soil around them already showing signs of disintegration. Though the seeds' vitality was weak and they would be difficult to cultivate, the abundant spiritual energy emanating from them was like a spring, making Ye Wushang feel refreshed and invigorated.

In his opinion, as long as he had the seeds, he could work wonders. At most, the cultivation process and timing would be more complex.

"No problem, I’ll try cultivating them when I get back." Ye Wushang tucked the box away. It felt just right in his hand. Though the spiritual energy was rich, there were many impurities—originating from the soil—that would be hard to remove directly. He’d have to try at home. If he could separate them, all the better; if not, he’d have to consult her master.

"Miss Huang, you first gave me Langya grass, and now the seeds of the premium variety. I cannot thank you enough. In the future, if you ever need my help with anything—"

"I'm afraid there really is something," Xiaocui interjected with a smile before he could finish. "As everyone knows, my Miss is a medicine enthusiast, deeply passionate about the study of medicine and pathologies. Mr. Ye, your medical skills are extraordinary, and your understanding of medicinal herbs is unique. I wonder, could you take my Miss as your apprentice?"

"Xiaocui..." Huang Pianruo nudged her, embarrassed.

Xiaocui, however, was unfazed. "Miss, that’s what Mr. Ye just said himself."

Ye Wushang looked a little awkward. He hadn’t wanted to become entangled in worldly affairs, yet troubles kept finding him. The situation with An Lan still wasn’t resolved, the Pei family father and son were eyeing him like tigers, and now Huang Pianruo wanted to become his disciple. If he agreed, he’d hardly have any personal time left.

"Mr. Ye, would you consider taking me as your apprentice?" Huang Pianruo’s cheeks reddened as she spoke with sincerity. "I truly love medicine and am deeply interested in all fields of traditional medicine. Of all the doctors I’ve met, you are the most skilled. If I could learn from you, I believe it would mean a great deal for my personal growth..."

"Miss Huang," Ye Wushang interrupted, shaking his head. "Becoming your master is too much; my abilities are merely average. I can't possibly bear such a title. But since you've helped me twice and I felt an instant connection with President Huang, I can offer some advice. If you encounter any difficulties with medicine in the future, feel free to consult me. As long as I know, I’ll tell you everything I can. But as for becoming your master—let’s not go that far, shall we?"

A tactful refusal.

Huang Pianruo naturally caught the implication and, truth be told, felt quite disappointed. She had thought their relationship had advanced enough that he would agree, but who would have guessed...

"Mr. Ye," Xiaocui, stubborn by nature and as close to Huang Pianruo as a sister, was clearly displeased to see her rejected. "That’s not right. My Miss is sincerely asking to be your apprentice, a mark of her respect for you. How can you refuse? Do you know how much she sacrificed to get those premium Langya grass seeds for you? Her master—"

"Ahem," Huang Pianruo coughed, cutting her off and forcing a smile. "Since Mr. Ye has his reservations, I won’t insist. As you said, I’ll come to you for guidance if there’s anything I don’t understand in the future. However, I am still worried that the premium Langya grass might not grow successfully. If any problems arise, please be sure to contact me. My master is an expert in this field and can certainly offer advice."

She knew very well that Ye Wushang was a man of character—once he made up his mind, he was unlikely to change it. She didn't know why he was unwilling, but she believed that where there's a will, there's a way. She had already set her heart on him. No matter how many times he refused, she would not give up. Clearing up this misunderstanding for him was just a small favor. If he ever faced danger again and she could help, perhaps even a stone could be warmed in time.

"Thank you for your understanding, Miss Huang," Ye Wushang replied with a grateful smile.

After a brief exchange, Huang Pianruo left with Xiaocui. In the blink of an eye, only Ye Wushang and An Lan remained in the vast hall.

Suddenly, An Lan’s legs gave way and she collapsed to the floor.

"Lanlan!"

Ye Wushang was alarmed and hurried over to support her. A quick check of her pulse made his brows knot in concern. "Your body seems fine, but your pulse is unstable. It must be due to emotional turmoil. Now that you’ve secured the agency rights, what else is there to worry about?"

"Xu Zifeng," An Lan sighed helplessly. "He’s dead, and now my An family has no master of medicinal cuisine. In two days, there’s a medicinal cuisine competition. With so little time, where am I supposed to find a replacement? As far as I know, the Pei family also hired a master, though not as strong as Xu Zifeng. My family was sure to win before, but now we’re at a complete disadvantage. If we lose, the Pei family will rise to become a financial powerhouse. Given the feud between our families, they’ll definitely crush us!"

She couldn't hide her dejection, sighing incessantly, her face clouded with worry.

For some reason, seeing her like this made Ye Wushang’s heart ache. He actually felt a surge of care and pity for her.

"Lanlan, there are always more solutions than problems. Come, get up and sit down so we can talk." Ye Wushang helped her to a bench.

To him, this was an opportunity! After learning the medicinal cuisine formula earlier, he’d been pondering its two missing ingredients—Hundred-Fold Grass and River-Walker Water. These were the fourth herbal components he was seeking, the main materials for Spring-Heart Sprout. If he could obtain them, his physical recovery would advance even further. He hadn’t known where to start, but with Xu Zifeng’s death, his chance had arrived.

"Ah, what can be done?" An Lan knew he was trying to comfort her, but couldn't shake her gloom. "There were few people who could prepare medicinal cuisine to begin with, and true masters are as rare as phoenix feathers. Xu Zifeng’s murder was really my fault—I didn’t protect him well enough from the Pei family..."

"I’ll do it," Ye Wushang interrupted, sitting down beside her, composed. "I have some insights into this medicinal cuisine formula. I think I can try to match the dishes, create the right formula, and win the competition."

"What?" An Lan looked at him in shock, unable to believe what she was hearing. "Wushang, this is medicinal cuisine, not just regular medicine. It requires not only health benefits, but also delicious taste and nourishment. And most importantly, the missing ingredients must be filled in—you..."

"That’s not a big problem." He didn’t know the missing ingredients, but he could deduce them during the competition itself. Herbs vary in quality and rarity, but their properties are interconnected. He was confident he could handle it.

"I can both prepare the medicinal cuisine and fill in the missing ingredients," Ye Wushang said calmly. "But I have a condition: I need two of the herbs from the formula—Hundred-Fold Grass and River-Walker Water. Is that acceptable?"

...