Chapter 177: Chapter 165: Returning to Wancheng

Back at the Tang Mansion, the staff had already prepared a pot of medicinal broth as Grandpa Tang instructed. The herbs Xiao Man had prescribed the day before could be used to make three separate baths.

Tang Qingshan helped Xiao Man fill a large wooden tub with the herbal bath, and they had Grandma Tang soak in it for half an hour.

Grandpa Tang watched as Grandma Tang soaked in the steaming, dark brown water that gave off the fresh fragrance of herbs. With only her head above the surface, she hummed contentedly. He grew quite envious and couldn’t help but tell Xiao Man that he wanted an herbal bath too. Xiao Man didn’t object and took the pulses of both Grandpa Tang and Dad Tang. She promised to prescribe them a few batches of herbs for their own baths, as well as some pills to help regulate their bodies, saying she would prepare everything that night.

Tang Qingshan volunteered to be her assistant. Unable to refuse, Xiao Man wrote out a list and asked him to find a pharmacy to purchase some herbs and, while he was at it, some porcelain bottles for pills and ointments.

This posed a problem for Tang Qingshan. It was the first day of the Lunar New Year, and nighttime to boot. What pharmacy would possibly be open?

Grandpa Tang reminded him, "Hospitals have Chinese medicine pharmacies."

With this tip, Tang Qingshan headed out to see who he could find.

With Dad Tang no longer watching over her shoulder, Xiao Man quickly retrieved herbs from her space and began her preparations. She planned to first prepare the herbs for Grandma Tang’s oral medication and baths, then prepare the bath herbs for Grandpa Tang, Mr. Gu, and Tang Qingshan.

She would also make a couple of simple pills for now. Later tonight, when she went to her room to sleep, she would enter her space to make more. The small building in her space had a fully equipped apothecary, making it easy to produce pills and ointments.

Seeing that Grandma Tang had soaked long enough, Xiao Man went over to help her out of the tub. She rinsed her off with clean, warm water and helped her get dressed. Afterward, the three of them—grandfather and grandchildren—sat in the living room and chatted for a while. Xiao Man then went to the kitchen to cook some noodles, which the three of them shared. After giving Grandma Tang her medicine, Xiao Man escorted her back to her room to rest. Although she was much better, she was still weak and needed to focus on recuperating.

Tang Qingshan returned just then, carrying two large cardboard boxes of herbs and a dozen porcelain bottles of various sizes. Xiao Man inspected the herbs. Most of the Chinese herbs from this era were still wild-harvested, so their quality and potency were excellent. They could be used in combination with the herbs from her space.

Grandpa Tang also came to watch Xiao Man sort and prepare the herbs. With two looming figures hovering nearby, Xiao Man was speechless. ’How am I supposed to cut corners now?’

In truth, Grandpa Tang and Tang Qingshan felt the same as Grandma Tang, who was lying in her room, unable to sleep soundly. They couldn’t bear for Xiao Man to leave. The girl would be gone tomorrow, and it would likely be some time before they saw her again. They wanted to spend as much time with her as they could, even if it just meant exchanging a few more words.

When she heard Grandpa Tang mention the Gu family’s heirloom martial arts and that the Tang family had also practiced martial arts in the past—their ancestors having passed down a set of Tai Chi Boxing for both fitness and self-defense—an idea sparked in Xiao Man’s mind. She pulled Grandpa Tang and Dad Tang out into the courtyard. Under the light from the living room’s large glass window, she demonstrated a set of the Five Animals Qigong for them.

Tang Qingshan couldn’t see the subtleties, but Grandpa Tang understood at a glance. "Manman, this is clearly Five Animals Qigong," he said, pleasantly surprised. "But why does it look so different when you practice it?"

"This is the authentic Five Animals Qigong passed down from ancient times. I learned it by chance. Grandpa, would you and Dad like to learn? You should give it a try. I heard that even novice Cultivators use it to strengthen their bodies!"

"Yes! Manman, demonstrate it a few more times. Your father and I will give it a try!"

They practiced and sparred until, before they knew it, it was the middle of the night. Grandpa Tang had a solid foundation from his youth. Although he was old and slender, his bones were still strong. Dad Tang was clearly no match for his old man, panting and drenched in sweat. Xiao Man was only slightly out of breath and giggled at Dad Tang’s exhausted state.

The three of them returned to their rooms to bathe. Grandpa Tang suddenly remembered that Xiao Man was supposed to be making pills and, worried she would stay up all night, said, "Isn’t your flight tomorrow night? You still have the whole day tomorrow. There’s enough time. Get some rest first!"

Xiao Man agreed, but they didn’t know that Mr. Gu had changed her travel plans. However, since she was planning to make the medicine in her space anyway, it wouldn’t matter; she could finish it all in an hour or two.

「The next morning」

Xiao Man woke up at six and busied herself with her tasks. She filled a cardboard box with a pile of medicinal dregs to show that she had finished her work. Then, she lined up the porcelain bottles of various sizes on the table. Since the bottles were all white and of a uniform style, she had to use a brush pen to label them with numbers to tell them apart.

At seven o’clock, Grandpa and Grandma Tang got up, and Dad Tang came downstairs just as Xiao Man was serving breakfast.

The breakfast spread had both sweet and savory options: sweet rice balls, a favorite in the South; and dumplings, wontons, and small steamed buns, which were popular in the North. There was also a lean pork and mustard green congee made especially for Grandma Tang, along with a few exquisitely prepared, vibrant side dishes that looked absolutely mouth-watering.

Grandpa Tang and Dad Tang had ravenous appetites, as if they’d never been so hungry before. They ate both the Southern and Northern dishes, trying a bit of everything. Even Grandma Tang couldn’t resist. She had a small bowl of congee, then a small bowl of wontons, followed by two sweet rice balls. She was about to reach for a small steamed bun when Grandpa Tang and Dad Tang stopped her in unison.

Grandma Tang looked aggrieved, her eyes turning red. "I can still eat, why won’t you let me? My granddaughter made this for me. After she leaves tomorrow, I won’t be able to have it anymore..."

Xiao Man quickly said, "Grandma, I made plenty of steamed buns, dumplings, and wontons. They’ll keep in this cold weather, so you can have them tomorrow. I also steamed several dozen multi-grain buns. The grains are a blend I mixed myself, so they’re not bad. Grandpa and Dad can steam a few for breakfast. Eating multi-grain foods is good for you!"

Grandpa Tang nodded repeatedly. "Good! My granddaughter made them for me, so of course I’ll eat a lot!"

Tang Qingshan laughed. "It’s a good thing I didn’t leave yesterday. I’m taking half of Grandpa’s multi-grain buns! And I’ll have to freeload off of Grandma’s dumplings and wontons for another meal!"

His words made Grandma Tang laugh as well.

A little after eight o’clock, Mr. Gu called. He said that a farewell banquet had been prepared, and Shaozheng and Shao Jin were on their way to pick them up. Xiao Man’s flight was scheduled to take off at eleven in the morning. She would arrive in Wancheng in the afternoon, stay for one night, and then Zheng Shaolian would escort her home.

When Grandma Tang heard Grandpa Tang relay that the flight was at eleven this morning, she grew anxious. She grabbed Xiao Man’s hand and said with a choked voice, "Didn’t they say ten at night? Why was it moved up so much?"

Grandpa Tang sighed. "Yuan Hua made the change. He was worried about a child traveling alone at night."

Tang Qingshan told Xiao Man to go and pack the medicine for Mr. Gu. He placed a hand on Grandma Tang’s shoulder and comforted her, "Mom, don’t worry. Once I get through this busy period, I’ll personally make a trip there in May at the latest! I guarantee Manman will be back by the time summer vacation starts!"

Grandma Tang glared at him. "Your father promised me he’d have things sorted out by March, and now you’re telling me May, and summer vacation! Are you trying to worry me to death?"

Grandpa Tang said, "We can’t be too hasty with this. We also have to consider the child’s feelings. And what about her Grandpa and Grandma over there? You heard Manman. Without them, there would be no Manman! We can’t just think about ourselves."

"I don’t care. She’s my granddaughter, and I want her back!" Grandma Tang wiped her tears with a handkerchief, though her tone was no longer as firm.

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