Chapter 36:

Since this is a private room prepared for esteemed guests, everything inside has been meticulously selected. For example, the dining table is made of Dalbergia odorifera, also known as Huanghuali wood, sourced from Qiongzhou—the best region for Huanghuali. Each Huanghuali table here is crafted from a single, massive piece of wood, large enough to seat ten to fifteen people when fully occupied. The center of the tabletop is intricately carved by master artisans with a scene of mountains encircling a lake, which is filled with melted snowwater specially transported from high-altitude peaks. The lower part of the table is also carved with four golden dragons, encircling the base, creating an overall majestic appearance. The room is filled with the delicate fragrance of Huanghuali—unlike the long-lasting scent of agarwood, it is a natural beauty, fleeting like flowers that bloom and fade, sometimes present, sometimes not, yet impossible to ignore.

As if sensing Bai Zhanghua’s resentment, Bai Jixi lifted the lid of the medicinal soup pot in front of him. Instantly, a rich aroma filled his nostrils and quickly permeated the entire private room, enveloping Bai Jixi and his two companions.

This was a medicinal soup primarily meant for drinking, made with a combination of herbs and black-bone chicken. The herbs included wolfberries, astragalus, fifty-year-old fleeceflower root, century-old ginseng, and others. The medicinal properties of the herbs and the nutritional value of the black-bone chicken melded into the soup, making it imaginably nourishing.

Bai Zhanghua’s mind immediately echoed with the thought, “It smells amazing, I really want to eat it!” If not for his remaining shred of rationality, knowing he couldn’t embarrass himself like this, he might have dug in without hesitation.

Lu Yaoqing smiled lightly, exuding pride as he said, “This is one of the hallmarks of our signature dish—its intense aroma. Of course, it’s not just for show; its taste is equally extraordinary.”

Unbeknownst to anyone, Lu Yaoqing, who appeared so confident, was also inwardly astonished. He hadn’t expected the aroma to be this potent. When testing this medicinal recipe, he had entrusted it entirely to his trusted master chef. Later, he only heard the chef describe the taste, knowing it was delicious, but the aroma wasn’t mentioned. He had assumed it would be similar to other medicinal soups he’d tried before.

But as the host, showing such surprise would make guests doubt his earlier claims. Thus, Lu Yaoqing forced himself to remain composed.

Assaulted by such a rich fragrance, Bai Jixi paused briefly while lifting his spoon, then feigned nonchalance as he served himself a bowl of soup.

The soup was still hot. After scooping it, Bai Jixi blew on it lightly before taking a sip.

“How is it? How is it?” Bai Zhanghua, who had been waiting impatiently, immediately asked as soon as Bai Jixi took a sip.

Setting down his spoon, Bai Jixi replied coolly, “Not bad.”

“Not bad?” Bai Zhanghua was disappointed, losing interest in the other medicinal dishes. He had expected something extraordinary, but it seemed the aroma was just a trick to deceive.

Lu Yaoqing’s heart also skipped a beat, a flicker of panic rising. He hadn’t anticipated that even the signature medicinal dish’s taste wouldn’t win Bai Jixi over.

After his brief comment, Bai Jixi began drinking the soup rapidly, spoonful after spoonful. Despite the speed, his movements remained elegant and refined, a testament to his ingrained manners.

“Damn it, Master, you tricked me!” Bai Jixi’s behavior made it clear to Bai Zhanghua that he’d been fooled. If even the master, who was accustomed to fine delicacies, acted like this, the medicinal soup must be truly exceptional. He immediately grabbed a spoon to serve himself.

Bai Jixi pursed his lips, frowned in displeasure, and shot Bai Zhanghua a disdainful look. Instead of competing with him, he lifted the lids of the other medicinal dishes.

After sampling each one, Bai Jixi quickened his pace with the chopsticks.

Seeing the guests so satisfied, Lu Yaoqing was also pleased. Just by observing the frequency of Bai Jixi’s chopstick movements, he knew the medicinal dishes had won over the lofty head of the Bai family.

For a moment, Lu Yaoqing felt immense gratitude toward Qin Chaoyu, who had provided the medicinal recipes. Without them, his restaurant would never have achieved such success.

An hour later, the table was completely empty—a rare sight at a wealthy person’s dining table.

Bai Jixi stopped eating, thoroughly satisfied. He had to admit that these medicinal dishes had truly won him over.

With a hint of admiration, he looked at Lu Yaoqing and said, “This is excellent. I’ll be back.”

People naturally admire strength. After hearing Bai Jixi’s story, few could resist feeling reverence for him. Such a man was a born leader—even if he fell, he would always rise again with even greater power, achieving ever-higher accomplishments.

Receiving praise from such a person, even the composed Lu Yaoqing struggled to contain his excitement. Taking a deep breath, he said as calmly as possible, “It’s my honor that Master Bai enjoys it. You’re most welcome to visit again.”

Then he presented a pre-prepared membership card. “This is a black-tier membership card. At Benyuan Zhai, it grants you the highest privileges.”

Intrigued, Bai Jixi took it and casually slipped it into his wallet.

Bai Zhanghua watched enviously, also wanting such a card. His eyes gleamed as he grinned and said, “Brother Lu, don’t forget about me. I also love these medicinal dishes.”

Lu Yaoqing laughed brightly. “How could I forget you, Brother Bai? Yours has been prepared as well.”

Once he had his membership card, Bai Zhanghua happily tucked it into his wallet.

“Let’s go.” With the meal finished, there was no reason to stay longer. Bai Jixi stood up and, surprisingly, said to Lu Yaoqing, “Goodbye.”

With the master leaving, Bai Zhanghua also rose.

Lu Yaoqing offered, “Let me see you out.”

Bai Jixi neither agreed nor refused, simply leading the way out of the private room.

After seeing off Bai Jixi and Bai Zhanghua, guests from other private rooms began emerging one after another.

The executives, upon seeing Lu Yaoqing, eagerly crowded around, hoping to establish connections for future dining privileges.

After this meal, everyone realized this medicinal restaurant was destined for success. The taste alone would draw crowds, let alone the noticeable physical changes they felt after just one meal. If such benefits came from a single visit, the long-term advantages of regular dining were unimaginable. Especially after hearing from Lu Yaoqing that this was just one of the signature dishes, the executives grew even more excited at the thought of the others.

But with more customers, securing a meal wouldn’t be easy. As businessmen, they understood the tactics of creating demand. In the future, Benyuan Zhai might limit guests or even restrict the availability of premium medicinal dishes.

Among these middle-aged, balding, potbellied executives, the young and handsome Lu Yaoqing stood out like a crane among chickens. His smile remained gentle and refined as he raised a hand to quiet them. “I’ve already considered your needs. As a junior, I’m truly grateful you took time out of your busy schedules to support Benyuan Zhai. As thanks, I’ve prepared membership cards for you. These will grant dining discounts and priority notifications about new dishes. Oh, and cardholders also enjoy the privilege of advance reservations.”

“Haha, Brother Lu knows how to handle things. Alright, I’ll consider you a friend.” A portly middle-aged man clapped Lu Yaoqing’s shoulder heartily, utterly unfazed by calling a man in his twenties “brother.”

Lu Yaoqing remained unruffled, smiling as he replied, “It’s my honor to be friends with Chairman Lou. I’m flattered by your regard.”

Hearing this, Chairman Lou’s smile deepened.

By the time Lu Yaoqing finished attending to everyone, it was already 3 p.m. Though exhausting, he felt fulfilled—another step closer to controlling his own destiny.

~

Yuzhou University

Qin Chaoyu had been quietly staying on campus these days. After informing Tongrentang and Dr. Li, she stopped going there. Though Dr. Li was regretful, he supported her decision.

This wasn’t due to disillusionment after the Xiong family incident but because she realized it wasn’t ideal to always practice in someone else’s space. To build her reputation, it was necessary to elevate her status appropriately—not just anyone should be treated. Human nature being what it is, if treatment is too easily given, even with excellent skills, patients might not fully trust her.

Of course, she hadn’t abandoned this path entirely. Once her own clinic opened, she would resume practice. She believed that day wouldn’t be long.

“Chaoyu, what’s been going on with you lately?” Bai Pengpeng gently poked Qin Chaoyu’s arm, asking cautiously. “You haven’t been to Tongrentang these days. Did something happen?”

Since returning that day, Chaoyu’s demeanor had been off. Bai Pengpeng hadn’t dared to ask, afraid of touching a sore spot. She knew how much Chaoyu loved practicing at Tongrentang, so her sudden absence spoke volumes.

Qin Chaoyu smiled. “Nothing’s wrong. I just don’t want to go anymore.”

“What? You don’t want to go?” Bai Pengpeng grabbed Qin Chaoyu’s arm in agitation. “Something must have happened. Don’t worry, you’ve got connections. Tell me, and I’ll help you settle it.”

Amused by Bai Pengpeng’s indignation, Qin Chaoyu patted her head reassuringly. “Relax, no one can bully me.”

Bai Pengpeng felt oddly like she was being soothed the way Chaoyu comforted her pet, Tuantuan. Shaking off the weird feeling, she pressed further, but Chaoyu remained silent. Assuming there were unspeakable reasons, Bai Pengpeng reluctantly dropped the subject.

Qin Chaoyu thought this routine would last until the semester’s end, but the day before Christmas, an unexpected person sought her out.

With Christmas approaching, the campus buzzed with festive cheer. Qin Chaoyu couldn’t understand why a foreign holiday was celebrated so enthusiastically. Weren’t Chinese holidays like Mid-Autumn Festival and Spring Festival just as good, if not better? Yet domestic holidays were neglected while foreign ones thrived. It was both frustrating and amusing.

Annoyed, she decided to avoid the festivities altogether—out of sight, out of mind.

But on Christmas Eve, she received a call from Bai Jixi.

Since he had helped her last time, she couldn’t refuse his request now. Agreeing to meet at a café near campus, Qin Chaoyu left her dorm.

Upon entering the café, she immediately noticed Bai Jixi’s magnetism. Several girls sat at nearby tables, stealing glances and whispering to each other.

As she passed, she caught snippets like “So handsome!” “I want his number.” “I want to date him.” For a moment, she hesitated to approach.

But Bai Jixi gave her no chance to waver. Spotting her, he waved her over.

The moment she sat down, Qin Chaoyu almost heard the sound of shattered hearts around her.

“Order something first. We’ll talk over drinks.” Bai Jixi handed her the menu to choose her preferred drink.

Though unsure when they’d become so familiar, Qin Chaoyu took the menu gracefully.

“A cup of Blue Mountain coffee, please.” Truthfully, Qin Chaoyu wasn’t fond of coffee, finding its taste odd. Given the choice, she preferred tea—fragrant, visually appealing, and lingering on the palate. But in a café, she deferred to the host. Blue Mountain was one of the few coffees she could tolerate.

The server noted her order and left with the menu.

“Alright, I’m here, and I’ve ordered. Now, what did you want to discuss?” Qin Chaoyu spread her hands, genuinely curious. What could prompt Bai Jixi to seek her out? “Just so you know, if it’s something you can’t solve, I might not be able to either.”

Bai Jixi chuckled at her cautiousness. “Don’t worry, this is something you can definitely handle.”

Qin Chaoyu shrugged, unapologetic about setting boundaries.

The coffee arrived quickly.

Stirring it slowly, Qin Chaoyu said, “Alright, now tell me what this is about.”

Her repeated urging frustrated Bai Jixi. Was his company so unbearable she couldn’t wait to leave?

His mood darkened instantly. “I called you here to ask for your help treating a patient.”

Unaware of his shift, Qin Chaoyu found this version of Bai Jixi more normal. Still, it was odd—with his status, why seek out an ungraduated student like her?

She teased, “Master Bai, we’ve only met once. You don’t know me well. As an ungraduated student, do you really believe I can treat this patient?”

“I trust my judgment. Plus, from my sister’s descriptions, I have reason to believe you’re highly skilled. Not everyone can save someone from a near-fatal asthma attack with just a few needles.”

“Fine, since you trust me, I’ll give it a try.” Setting down her coffee, Qin Chaoyu straightened. “Tell me about the patient.”