Thereafter, as long as Dong Fang Tang was treating his patients, Ruan Xiang Yin would be sitting by the side accompanying him.  Sometimes when Dong Fang Tang is extremely busy, Ruan Xiang Yin would also help him to treat the sick or she would be playing the flute by the side.  Surprisingly, the flute music could help to ease the suffering of sick people.  Both of them would often exchange glances when they thought no one was looking and everyone who saw felt happy to see this happening.

"Third Brother seems to be very happy recently."  Zhang Sheng said after his observation.

The gentle smiles on Third Brother's face were clearly evident and his eyes would always follow Sister Xiang Yin's figure.

"The feeling that Sister Xiang Yin gives people is no longer cold and it feels so much warmer."

Zhang Zhen had secretly snuck into the backyard while Wang Qin was not paying attention.  The two brothers sat in a corner and drank tea while observing the two people.

When the brothers saw the two people who were working together had quickly cleared the backyard of all the patients, the brothers attentively served up refreshments of tea and snacks that were prepared beforehand. 

"Third Brother, Sister Xiang Yin, take a rest and eat something."

The two brothers, each of them pulling one of the two people, led them to a long bench by the side.  While smiling, the brothers encouraged the two people to enjoy the tea and snacks.

"Zhang Zhen, you have secretly snuck over here!  When Wang Qin finds out, you'll be in trouble."  Dong Fang Tang reminded him. 

Shopkeeper Wang Qin is a serious man and the one thing he detests most is lazy people who goof around.  If the person is caught by him, he would not be pardoned.

"I know, I'm going to help at the front right away!"

Zhang Zhen touched his nose and knew Third Brother’s words were indeed true.  In order to avoid having Wang Qin really come to look for him, it is advisable for him to leave first.  Anyway, he had already seen enough.

"Xiang Yin, what are you thinking about?"

He noticed the thoughts of the person beside him had wandered off after drinking her tea, so he asked gently. 

"I was just thinking that since we are treating the people here and most of the time it is free and at the same time, Long Feng Restaurant is also not short of money……why don’t we do more for these people?  We can prepare some Si Shen Tang, Grass tea, Bitter tea, etc.  At least while they are waiting to see the doctor, they can drink a bowl of soup or tea to nourish their body rather than just drinking this kind of tea*."

(Tea here refers to the ordinary tea from dried tea leaves after the leaves are soaked in hot water.)

“Si Shen Tang contains Lotus seeds, Chinese yam, Wolfberries and Barley which can replenish the spleen and strengthen the stomach.  It can treat spleen deficiency, nourish spleen, indigestion and other harmful symptoms.  The soup has good medicinal benefits.

The Grass tea and Bitter tea are beneficial for suppressing fire in the body.  These teas are beneficial for the patients and they can make the choice of the teas for themselves.”

(The soup and tea referred here are prepared by boiling a mixture of herbs over a period of time.)

Anyway, since the Long Feng Restaurant's business is good, so spending this little amount of money will not make any difference. 

As long as the Third Young Master is agreeable, there would not be any problem.  Maybe because Dong Fang Family is well-known as a benevolent family, therefore the business of all the Long Feng Restaurant branches throughout the country is so good that they are able to support the expenses of Dong Fang Tang's free treatment for the sick.

"This is indeed a good idea.  I'll discuss this with Wang Qin later.  It is not early now, we should be going up to the mountains."

Her proposal had caught him by surprise and he felt very happy.  It showed that she had really taken the welfare of the people to heart.

He noticed she was slowly changing bit by bit.  Taking away the teacup from her, his big hands covered her face and his eyes looked intently at her.

"Third Brother, do you want to go up the mountains to gather herbs?  If so, I'll help you get your herb basket!"

After Zhang Sheng heard the two people's conversation, he hurriedly rushed into his room.

After all, Long Feng Restaurant was a place that was doing business and although the backyard was used as a place for people to seek medical consultation, the place was still not big enough.  There was not enough space to keep medicine or to prepare the medicine.

Therefore, Dong Fang Tang would hand over the herbs he gathered from the mountains to a medical hall called 'Ping-An Tang' to process the herbs.  If a poor villager came to look for him, not only would Dong Fang Tang give him free medical advice, he would also instruct Ping-An Tang to give free medicine to the poor villager and the amount owed would be put under Long Feng Restaurant's account.  This act of kindness by giving free medical advice and free medicine made all the people very grateful to him.

"If I follow you up the mountains, I'm afraid I will have another accident, although getting injured in the same place is really a rarity."

Thinking back to the first time she met him and also about the last time she was injured, it gave her a lingering fear.

"Don’t worry.  This time, I will not let you wander too far from my sight."

His black eyes looked warmly into her crystal clear eyes and his big hand lightly touched the place where she was previously injured.  The scar on her forehead was indiscernible by this time.  His gentle voice was full of emotions.

 

Ruan Xiang Yin lifted the corners of her lips and the two people looked gently at each other for a long time.  Neither of them was willing to turn away their gaze until they were interrupted by a delicate voice.

"Doctor Dong Fang……."

Liu Cai Lian was standing in the doorway of the backyard with three maids beside her and there was a look of disappointment on her face.  She looked at the intimacy shared by the two people and momentarily, she could not accept it.

"Miss Liu, why are you here?......"

Dong Fang Tang looked at the person in surprise. 

This girl, Miss Liu had always been very weak, why didn't she rest properly at home but instead had come all the way here?

"Doctor Dong Fang, my health has improved, so I personally made some snacks to thank you."

She took the bamboo basket of snacks from her maid and personally handed it to Dong Fang Tang.  Her eyes involuntarily looked straight at the woman still sitting on the long bench.

"Miss Liu, you are very courteous."

Dong Fang Tang took the basket and thanked her.  Although the snacks she made might not be comparable to those exquisite snacks made by Long Feng Restaurant, the value of it was from the feelings in her heart which could not be bought with money.

"Who is this lady?"  Liu Cai Lian could not help but ask.

"Let me introduce to you, her name is Ruan Xiang Yin."  After saying that, he pulled her up from the long bench and together, they walked towards Liu Cai Lian.  "Xiang Yin, she is the daughter of Magistrate Liu."

When she heard Dong Fang Tang referred to Ruan Xiang Yin by just her name and referred to her politely as Miss Liu and coupled with Dong Fang Tang's pampering behavior towards Ruang Xiang Yin, it was not difficult to see the two of them shared a very deep relationship.  This made her chest suddenly tightened and it made her feel uncomfortable.

"Miss Ruan……."  Liu Cai Lian greeted Xiang Yin.

Ruan Xiang Yin only nodded her head in acknowledgment but did not reply.

A pair of intelligent bright eyes quietly studied the delicate figure in front of her and did not miss the dejected expression on Liu Cai Lian’s face.

"Third Brother, Sister Xiang Yin, I've brought the herb basket!"

Hugging the basket in his arms, Zhang Sheng ran forward breathlessly to stand in front of them.

Dong Fang Tang smiled and patted his head in approval then took the basket from his little arms.

Liu Cai Lian's eyes shifted back and forth between him and Ruan Xiang Yin.  She could not help but ask.  "Doctor Dong Fang, are you going out?"

"That's right!  Miss Liu, I'm sorry, it's not early and we have to go up the mountains to gather herbs."

Dong Fang Tang said apologetically.  He picked up a medicine chisel* and then looked at Ruan Xiang Yin who was standing next to him.

(Medicine chisel is a chisel with a concave metal end to dig up or to loosen the soil.)

"Then I will not hinder you, Doctor Dong Fang.  Have a safe trip."

Liu Cai Lian moved aside for them to pass and with envy, she watched as the two people walked away and it was until her maids urged her that she left with a look of desolation.

 

After the two people left Gangling City, they walked in the direction of Luo Yun Mountains.  All along the way, the scenery was very beautiful, especially when they reached the mountaintop.  The air was not only fresh but the trees also towered high above like clouds.  However, all these were not appreciated by Ruan Xiang Yin.  She did not speak a word until they had reached the mountaintop.  Dong Fang Tang was unable to endure any longer and grasped her hand.

"Xiang Yin, what is the matter?  All the way here, you have a cold expression, what happened?!"

When she was in the backyard of Long Feng Restaurant, there was nothing wrong with her, however, after they left, she behaved differently. 

Is it because she is unwilling to come up to the mountains with him to gather herbs?

"Dong Fang Tang, in the past I didn’t realize that your peach blossom* is blooming so brilliantly.  A good lady had offered herself to you and now another lady name Liu had appeared.  Your luck with women is surely not bad."

(To the Chinese people, peach blossom represents blessings in love and romance.)

It was really difficult for her not to have such negative feelings.  She believes that as long as he is willing, he could definitely enjoy the blessings of a man with several wives.

After hearing her words, Dong Fang Tang heaved a sigh of relief.  His big hands gripped her hands tightly and his black eyes stared intently and gently at her.  He promised her. 

"Three thousand weak waters, I will only take one scoop.*"

(This is actually a declaration of love which means although there is an abundance of water, he will only take one scoop i.e. choosing one among the thousands.)

"Really?"

She pretended she did not care and gave a light humph, then her eyes darted left and right.  She refused to look at him and pretended as if his answer had nothing to do with her.

Upon seeing this, Dong Fang Tang's handsome face displayed his doting love for her and unexpectedly he stretched out his long arms to pull her small body into his embrace.

"Dong Fang Tang, what are you doing?!"

She could not conceal her surprise and she blushed. 

He is a gentleman……..but why did he take the opportunity when there is no one around and do such a lecherous act!

"Xiang Yin, will you trust me?"

The gentle calm voice whispered into her ear.  This man did not say anything more to coax her.  He only said a simple sentence but it was worth a thousand words.

Ruan Xiang Yin sighed lightly in his arms.  She did not expect she would be so deeply affected by this man.

When Dong Fang Tang heard her sigh in his arms, he pulled away from her anxiously.  His black eyes looked worriedly into her clear bright eyes.

"Don’t you trust me?"

"Is it so important that I trust you?"

Even if she already believed in him long before this, she still did not want to give him an answer so quickly.  If she is to answer so easily, it seemed as soon as the answer is given, she would be trapped even deeper.

"Yes, it is very important."

His big hands lightly cupped her delicate tender cheeks while his eyes showed deep affection and he said with gentleness.

"Because you are the only person I want to spend the rest of my life together with."

His frank and blunt words raised strong waves of feelings in her heart and she was shocked from the pretense of coldness she had put up.  Her bright eyes stared at the tenderness reflected in his eyes and knew that her answer would determine their future and she……is willing.

"I trust you."  She murmured.

Like a flower in bloom, her little elegant face raised a beautiful smile which made Dong Fang Tang studied her obsessively. 

It was not just a slight lift of her mouth but a beautiful genuine smile.  For a moment, he could not take his eyes off her, intoxicated with her smile and he was unable to pull himself out of it for a long time.

"This is the first time I see you smile so beautifully."

Hearing those words from him, her laughter like a string of silver bells tingling, flowed from her lips.  The smile on her face deepened and her water eyes sparkled brightly.

Dong Fang Tang who was unable to control himself any longer passionately placed his warm lips on her pink lips that were smiling like flowers.  He used both his arms to hold her delicate body tightly and fiercely to him and eventually only released her when she became breathless.

His black burning eyes gazed intensely at her crimson cheeks and her breathless appearance.

"Are you really Dong Fang Tang?"  She asked as she gasped for breath.

Is this man in front of her, with rays of light flashing brilliantly in his eyes, really the modest and courteous, straightforward and upright gentleman Dong Fang Tang?

In response to her suspicious look, Dong Fang Tang threw back his head and laughed out loud.  In his eyes, there was a look of pampering and his long fingers pushed back the loose tendrils of hair on her face behind her ear.  In a low loving voice, he said. 

"Xiang Yin, I'm not a saint.  When facing the woman I love, there will also be times I can't control myself."

Feeling ashamed, she did not dare to look into his fiery eyes again.  Ruan Xiang Yin cleared her throat and asked uncomfortably.  "Are we still going to pick herbs?"

"Of course!  Only this time, you must not venture far away from me.  The last time you fell down the hill slope, you scared the wits out of me."

Recalling the last time, it still gave his heart a lingering fear and he did not want to go through that again.

"I know."  She responded with a chuckle.

The two people began to look for herbs separately but the distance between them was only a few steps apart.  From time to time, Dong Fang Tang would look back and check on her.