He thought for a moment. “In that case, they can drink herbal tea for colds. Would you like me to write a recipe for that too?”
Nodding eagerly, she looked like a triumphant fox. Amused, He Su Ye hid his laughter and wrote the recipe.
Watching him, Shen Xi Fan couldn’t help but feel a little dazed. Compared to the "extraordinary" men she’d met through matchmaking, why couldn’t someone like He Su Ye—a gentle, kind, and capable man—appear? It made her resent those matchmaking sessions even more.
Blurting out her thoughts, she asked, “Dr. He, is there a medicine to stop my mom from setting me up on blind dates?”
Startled, He Su Ye’s pen slipped, leaving a faint line across the page.
Panicking, she quickly added, “I was just joking! Don’t take it seriously!”
After a moment of thought, he replied earnestly, “Miss Shen, you should try a matchmaking agency. Our hospital doesn’t offer such services—I only treat illnesses, not healthy people.”
* * *
Leaving the hospital, Shen Xi Fan felt a sense of satisfaction. Today’s interaction with the handsome doctor felt like a bonus. She muttered to herself, “Five-Spirit Tea: six grams of tea leaves, ten grams each of Schizonepeta, perilla leaves, and fresh ginger, simmered for fifteen minutes, then sweetened with thirty grams of brown sugar. Drink twice daily. It helps dispel cold, relieve pain, and is great for symptoms like chills, body aches, and no sweating…”
Still grinning, she added, “Five-Spirit Tea—it even has perilla leaves…”
Distracted, she bumped into someone. Looking up, she saw another doctor, not very tall but strikingly unique in appearance—unforgettable.
They both apologized, smiled at each other, and went their separate ways.
* * *
Returning to the hotel, Shen Xi Fan instructed Xu Xiang Ya to take care of Ling Yu Fan before heading home with a bag full of ingredients to “treat” her mother.
Her father was surprised to see her. “Fan Fan, what brings you home?”
“I’m here to save you!” she declared dramatically.
He motioned for silence. “Your mom’s still asleep in the bedroom. She said she felt irritable and sweaty all night and couldn’t sleep well. She only managed to nap this afternoon.”
Nodding, she reassured him, “Dad, you go to the study and get some work done. I’ll make some porridge for her. The doctor gave me a couple of recipes that might help.”
In the kitchen, the aroma of lotus seed and longan porridge filled the air, mingled with the subtle scent of rock sugar. The sweet fragrance spread through the house as Shen Xi Fan stirred the warm, soothing dish.
At the dining table, her father handed her his empty bowl. “Fan Fan, give me another bowl. This is really good.”
She stared at him in disbelief. “Dad, this is for Mom—it’s for menopausal symptoms!”
Laughing, he waved her off. “No problem. Your dad’s not far from that stage himself—just preparing ahead of time!”
Her mother glared at him, prompting him to quickly change his tone. “Fine, fine. I’ll just eat rice instead!”
That evening, Shen Xi Fan returned to the hotel, promising her father she’d stay home for a while after finishing her current workload.
The winter wind was bone-chilling. Shen Xi Fan decided she would start drinking guan zhong and isatis root tea tomorrow to ward off the flu.
The faintly sweet scent of rock sugar clung to her clothes. Unlike the refreshing coolness of licorice, it was warm and lingering, filling her heart with a quiet happiness.
She suddenly thought of He Su Ye’s deep dimple on the right side of his face. His smile reminded her of rock sugar—refreshing in summer, comforting in winter.
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