Chapter 26:

The impact of the rescue incident was enormous. Every time Qin Chaoyu walked around the school or attended classes, she felt like people were discussing her or secretly taking photos of her.

She genuinely disliked this kind of behavior, but there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t just rush up and tell people to leave her alone.

That wasn’t in line with her personality, nor was it something she could bring herself to do.

So, the only thing she could do was hope that the hype around the incident would fade quickly.

Another weekend arrived, which was also Qin Chaoyu’s routine time to visit Tongrentang for consultations. The only difference this time was that, aside from Tuantuan, the young lady Bai Pengpeng was also tagging along.

Ever since witnessing Qin Chaoyu’s exceptional acupuncture skills, Bai Pengpeng’s admiration for her had grown uncontrollably. This time, she insisted on coming along, even overcoming her habit of sleeping in.

Seeing her determination, Qin Chaoyu simply let her be.

With Bai Pengpeng accompanying her, Qin Chaoyu no longer had to pedal her bicycle laboriously to Tongrentang. Though it was already autumn and the weather wasn’t hot, everyone preferred to take it easy when they could.

Bai Pengpeng summoned her personal driver, who brought over her car—a bright red Lamborghini. Such a flashy color perfectly matched Bai Pengpeng’s personality.

Taking the car keys from the driver, Bai Pengpeng immediately waved him off. “Go on, go on. I’m driving myself this time.”

The driver hesitated. “Young Miss, it’s not that I don’t want to, but the family head has given strict orders not to let you drive.” He was in a tough spot. On his very first day of employment, the butler had made it clear that Bai Pengpeng was not to drive herself—this was a direct order from the family head. How could he dare disobey?

At the mention of her brother, Bai Pengpeng shuddered. *Don’t think about him, don’t think about him—too terrifying. Such a beautiful day shouldn’t be ruined because of him.*

Still, she was a little worried about the consequences if her brother found out. But the thought of finally having a chance to go out with Chaoyu made her grit her teeth. “Enough. I said I’m driving. If you don’t tell anyone, no one will know. Once I’m back, I’ll call you, and you can come pick up the car.”

The driver tried to protest, but Bai Pengpeng cut him off. “Listen to me, and you might keep your job. Disobey me, and you’ll lose it right now.”

*How could I let you ruin my rare chance to spend time alone with Chaoyu?*

Seeing her resolve, the driver had no choice but to comply and leave.

When Qin Chaoyu stepped out of the dormitory, she saw Bai Pengpeng sitting in the convertible—a beauty with a luxury car. The scene was undeniably striking.

Spotting Qin Chaoyu, Bai Pengpeng beamed excitedly and patted the seat beside her. “Chaoyu, come on! I’ll drive you there!”

Qin Chaoyu had only ever seen Bai Pengpeng being chauffeured by her driver. This was the first time she’d seen her behind the wheel, and she couldn’t help but feel a little concerned about her driving skills.

“Relax, relax! I learned to drive ages ago. Even though I only got my license after turning eighteen, I’ve been driving for three or four years now. You can trust my skills,” Bai Pengpeng reassured her, noticing Qin Chaoyu’s doubtful expression.

She wasn’t lying. She’d first gotten behind the wheel at around fifteen, chasing thrills and speed. She’d frequented all the major racing spots in Yuzhou and even participated in racing competitions, winning awards.

But later, her brother—Bai Jixi—deemed it too dangerous and forced her to give up the hobby, even forbidding her from touching a car. Bai Pengpeng was as terrified of her brother as a mouse was of a cat. She wouldn’t dare defy his orders, so she reluctantly abandoned the habit.

With Bai Pengpeng’s reassurance, Qin Chaoyu had no choice but to trust her. After shifting Tuantuan from her shoulder to her arms, she got into the car.

True to her word, Bai Pengpeng drove smoothly the entire way, even deliberately slowing down for Qin Chaoyu’s comfort.

Once they arrived at Tongrentang, Bai Pengpeng parked the car and followed Qin Chaoyu inside.

The place exuded an antique charm that, despite Bai Pengpeng’s extensive experiences, still left her in awe. It carried a sense of historical weight, entirely different from places that merely mimicked classical aesthetics through decor.

As soon as she stepped in, Bai Pengpeng was stunned by the crowd. Roughly fifty or sixty people filled the space—thankfully, Tongrentang was spacious enough to accommodate them all.

*Didn’t they say traditional Chinese medicine was declining? That hardly anyone sought TCM treatments anymore? Why are there so many people here?*

The elderly patients lit up at the sight of Qin Chaoyu, eagerly crowding around her.

“Dr. Qin, you’re finally here! I came for my follow-up!”

“Dr. Qin, you’re amazing! My migraines have gotten so much better!”

In the blink of an eye, Qin Chaoyu was surrounded, leaving Bai Pengpeng with nothing to do but sit in the waiting area, sipping tea.

Watching Qin Chaoyu’s smiling face amidst the crowd, Bai Pengpeng thought, *Chaoyu must really love this profession. I bet her dream is to become an outstanding TCM doctor.*

But… what about her?

Bai Pengpeng rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.

Her decision to study TCM had been a fluke. Uninterested in finance or similar fields, she’d randomly filled out her application, agreeing to major adjustments—only to end up in TCM. Since she was already here, she couldn’t be bothered to switch. After all, with her family background, she could afford to coast through life without a care.

That had always been her mindset, and she’d never seen anything wrong with it. Though she feared her brother, she couldn’t deny that his influence allowed her to live so freely. With minimal effort, she could obtain things others had to work tirelessly for. She knew many in her social circle envied or resented her for it. But a life too smooth was… boring.

After pondering for a while without reaching any conclusions, Bai Pengpeng gave up with a sigh and a pat to her head.

*Well, I’m probably just better suited for a life of leisure. It’s not like the Bai family needs my contributions anyway.*

Once Qin Chaoyu immersed herself in her work, she forgot everything else. Tuantuan, accustomed to this, knew its owner’s habits well. As soon as she began consultations, it trotted over to a young apprentice, waiting for him to dote on it.

Perched on the counter, Tuantuan wagged its fluffy tail a few times before happily gnawing on a pine nut the apprentice had specially picked out for it.

Poor Bai Pengpeng, left with no one to talk to, could only watch Qin Chaoyu treat patients.

As she observed, she realized just how skilled Qin Chaoyu was—she could treat a variety of ailments common among the elderly, from rheumatism and migraines to hypertension.

“Excuse me, may I sit here?”

Lu Yaoqing hadn’t visited Tongrentang in a while and was almost unrecognizable to himself. He hadn’t expected such a crowd. After scanning the room, he found only one available seat—right next to Bai Pengpeng. Swallowing his pride, he approached to ask.

*How strange—this is my own place, yet I have to ask permission to sit.*

But he was too excited. The moment he’d taken the prescription Qin Chaoyu provided, he’d handed it over to the pharmacy team. After extensive testing, the results confirmed the formula was not only viable but produced an exceptionally effective medicinal dish. Eager to share the news, he’d rushed over immediately.

Bai Pengpeng glanced at the newcomer and was momentarily stunned.

*No surprise—the word “stunning” isn’t reserved for women alone. Men can be just as striking.*

She nodded indifferently. It wasn’t her place to refuse.

But sitting idle was boring. Finally having someone to chat with, Bai Pengpeng asked, “What’s your name? I’m Bai Pengpeng. Are you here to see Chaoyu?”

Worried he might not know who she meant, she pointed in Qin Chaoyu’s direction and added, “Oh, Chaoyu is that young doctor over there.”

Lu Yaoqing immediately realized this girl must be close to Dr. Qin. Smiling, he replied, “I’m Lu Yaoqing. Yes, I’m here to see Dr. Qin.”

*Lu Yaoqing? The young master of Tongrentang?*

Rumors said Tongrentang was busy expanding into new ventures—something about medicinal cuisine, with quite a bit of fanfare.

But instead of focusing on that, he was here… looking for Chaoyu?

*Could it be that the medicinal cuisine recipe came from Chaoyu?*

Bai Pengpeng was sharp.

Though she had no interest in business, being born into the Bai family meant she had an innate awareness of such matters. She knew enough about Tongrentang—its imperial physician origins, its century-long history.

Since Tongrentang’s main branch was in the capital rather than Yuzhou, her knowledge wasn’t exhaustive. But with Yuzhou chosen as the starting point for their new venture, she’d naturally picked up more details.