Time Travel: The Best Doctor in Ancient Times

Chapter 346: Chapter 221: This Love Can Wait Chapter 346: Chapter 221: This Love Can Wait The free clinic was the busiest. Having had a quick lunch, Gu Changsheng resumed his bustling activities.

By the Mao Hour at dusk, Gu Changsheng was so exhausted that he had no choice but to ask Uncle Song to close the eight large doors of the medical hall.

“My dear, you have been working tirelessly from dawn to dusk. You must be utterly exhausted, please go back and have some food and rest,” Uncle Song said as he put away the ledger, looking at Gu Changsheng with a face full of sympathy.

“Are there still many people who didn’t get a chance to attend the free clinic?” Gu Changsheng leaned on the consultation desk with one hand and massaged his temples with a weary face, a hint of compassion in his eyes.

Uncle Song pondered for a moment before honestly responding, “Indeed, there are many who did not get a chance… But my dear, you have done what you could; just today, the value of the medicine given out was worth over five thousand taels…”

“Affected by poverty and weakness, the suffering is neither few nor evenly distributed; I can never be the god who saves all sentient beings…” Gu Changsheng sighed softly and shook his head helplessly.

Two days of free clinic a month cost ten thousand taels of resources–his limit. After all, he was only human, not a god!

“My dear, your kindness is enough; it’s better not to worry,” seeing her like this and remembering the late Old Grand Master, Uncle Song couldn’t help shaking his head and sighing too.

Oh, his dear wife! Sharp-tongued but soft-hearted, she spoke of the physician’s path as ruthless, yet she possessed a compassionate heart dedicated to saving others. Who else in the world could offer such a free clinic like her?

Righteousness is seen by the benevolent and wisdom by the wise; it all depends on whether people can see it clearly or not.

“Dear, go back to the inner yard and get changed and have a meal. Xiao Leizi has already gone back to prepare,” Uncle Song, seeing her so tired, persuaded her again with a heart full of pity.

“Ah… Go back? Has Prince Bao left yet?” When Gu Changsheng thought of Zhou Zongbao, her complexion turned even worse.

“Not yet, His Highness Prince Mu is with him…” Uncle Song shook his head helplessly and informed her truthfully.

“Ah!” Gu Changsheng immediately held her head in pain and cried out.

What should I do?

Han Qiu, that unreliable, had hidden himself well, but she, Gu Changsheng, had nowhere to hide!

She truly did not want to face Zhou Zongbao, that lovestruck playboy, because she was utterly at a loss!

“I also want to hide in the mountains…” Gu Changsheng muttered to herself while holding her head, then made up her mind and slammed the consultation desk as she stood up, declaring resolutely, “Damn it, let’s do it! No money, and Han Qiu won’t give any. I am a dead pig not afraid of scalding water–let it be whatever!”

Uncle Song watched his lady utter such a statement and then strode towards the inner yard with great righteousness, making him touch his nose and muse, “Why is coming back to her own home like heading to the execution ground? I thought that Prince Bao seemed rather approachable…”

Gu Changsheng didn’t hear this; had she heard it, she would surely drag Uncle Song to passionately tell him, “Uncle Song, you’re totally overthinking it!”

Because as soon as Gu Changsheng stepped into the inner yard, before she could even get around the intricately connected corridors, the very approachable Zhou Zongbao caught her right in the act.

“Young Master has been waiting for you until the flowers have wilted. Where’s my Xiao Qiu? Where have you hidden her? Speak now!” Zhou Zongbao spread his limbs wide across the corridor, blocking Gu Changsheng’s path.

Gu Changsheng looked at Zhou Mu, who was helplessly following behind him, and the two exchanged a glance, sharing a bitter smile.

“I don’t know if the flowers have wilted, but I know if you keep blocking me and don’t let me go back to wash and eat, I will definitely wilt before the flowers!” Gu Changsheng shrugged her shoulders solemnly at Zhou Zongbao, “You should know, if I starve to death, there will be no proof of death, then what’s the use of your questioning!”

“You!” Zhou Zongbao choked, his face turning even more anxious, “How could you do this? You promised me at noon that once you’re done, you’d tell me where Xiao Qiu is!”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t tell you, but haven’t I told you I’m not done yet?” Gu Changsheng spread her hands and continued walking forward, casually brushing past Zhou Zongbao to clear the way, “Xiao Leizi’s mother once said something that resonated deeply with me: eating is paramount, even the Emperor comes second. Damn, in front of a starving ghost, no one stops me!”

Zhou Zongbao, brushed aside, went round twice before stabilizing and, supporting himself on the gallery, pointed aggrievedly at the disappearing figure of Gu Changsheng at the end of the corridor, and complained bitterly to Zhou Mu, “This Mother Tigress! This Mother Tigress is definitely doing this on purpose! Little Wood, what were you thinking? How could you fancy such a lawless, shameless woman! Is she a reincarnation of a starving ghost? Is she a Yuan Bao? Could someone die just because they missed a meal?”

“Cough, cough!” Zhou Mu covered his mouth and looked down embarrassingly, his voice tinged with helpless indulgence, “Once she’s eaten, she might explain to you.”

“Wait for her to eat? Is she a pig?” Zhou Zongbao glared at Zhou Mu in frustration, then angrily chased after Gu Changsheng, muttering as he went, “Why burn so much money, building such a huge mansion! Just my luck, I could get lost!”

The fact proved that Zhou Zongbao, who never got lost in the mountains and forests as long as he held a geomancy map, unmistakably got lost in Gu Changsheng’s new mansion surrounded by pavilions and towers.

After circling dozens of corridors, passing an artificial lake, and crossing the martial arts training ground, Zhou Zongbao, exhausted, stopped in the vegetable garden that Gu Changsheng had set aside for Dong Lei.

“Gu, Chang, sheng!” Zhou Zongbao sat down with a thud in the vegetable patch, impulsively pulled up a carrot, and bit into it fiercely.

After changing her clothes, Gu Changsheng sat at the dining table, puzzled as she didn’t see Zhou Zongbao following, and looked skeptically at the attentive Zhou Mu who was arranging food for her, “Where is he?”

Could it be that Zhou Zongbao hadn’t hit the wall hard enough to give up on his own?

That made no sense!

“He got lost inside your mansion,” Zhou Mu responded as he picked up some mixed vegetables with his chopsticks and placed them in her bowl.

Hearing this, Gu Changsheng’s eyes widened in disbelief, “Is he a pig?”

“Heh heh!” Zhou Mu paused with his chopsticks in hand, his face creasing into a peculiar smile, “On this point, you really do see eye to eye with the hero Hetian…”

“The same my foot!” Gu Changsheng scooped up a sauce-covered pig’s trotter and gnawed on it fiercely, his words muffled, “Am I a pig? I’m just hungry. I need to eat my fill to have the strength to deal with that Pig Ancestor!”

Zhou Mu shook his head disapprovingly, “Don’t talk, just eat your meal carefully, or you’ll choke.”

“Mm-hm!” Gu Changsheng nodded.

Damn it, he must take advantage of the moment Zhou Zongbao gets lost to eat and drink his fill, lest he wander over later and disturb his meal.

Zhou Zongbao wandered around the splendid Gu Residence for a while and finally found Gu Changsheng’s location, carrying a half-eaten carrot.

Seeing the bite marks on the carrot in his hand, Gu Changsheng looked at Zhou Mu bemused, “I was wrong, he’s not a pig, he’s a rabbit!”

Only rabbits nibble on carrots, this guy is really a rabbit prince!

His eyes were sparkling!

Zhou Mu looked at her helplessly and gestured to Dong Lei to prepare more food.

“Mother Tigress, where the heck have you hidden Xiao Qiu? Give her back to me already!” Upon seeing Gu Changsheng, Zhou Zongbao immediately lunged over.

Zhou Mu stretched out an arm to block him, Zhou Zongbao glared at Gu Changsheng, flailing the carrot in his hand.

Gu Changsheng leisurely picked up the Glazed Nightlight Cup beside her and sipped some grape wine, “Your Highness Prince Bao, it’s not that I’ve hidden Xiao Qiu, she just doesn’t want to see you.”

At these words, Zhou Zongbao’s face fell, he held his head in despair, and shouted, “You’re lying! I’ve already exonerated the Han Family, why wouldn’t she want to see me?”

“Ah…” Gu Changsheng gazed at the man before her who seemed trapped like a caged animal. The luminescent cup swayed lightly; the dark red wine shimmered, a red glow misting her eyes, “Even if it’s exonerated, Zhou Zongbao, you cannot bring the dead back to life. The entire Han Family perished due to your Zhou Imperial Family’s negligence. How can you expect her to face you?”

“Ah! Xiao Qiu!” Upon hearing this, Zhou Zongbao crouched down in agony, a look of utter defeat on his face.

The hatred of annihilating a clan, he and Xiao Qiu, were they truly destined to become strangers in this life, knowing each other yet bound by hatred, unable to stay together?

“Hetian!” Zhou Mu looked at Zhou Zongbao like this, a trace of pity flashing in his eyes.

Gu Changsheng’s face was expressionless as she set down the Glazed Cup and sat upright on the soft couch, “Zhou Zongbao, you should feel fortunate that she is only avoiding you and has not fled far away.”

“Xiao Qiu is currently in Baili Mountain, she hasn’t left.”

“Really?” Zhou Zongbao looked up incredulously, his face full of joy.

Although he had repeatedly asked Gu Changsheng for her whereabouts, in his heart, he was unsure if Xiao Qiu would still remain…

“Baili Mountain is closed to outsiders for a year. Xiao Qiu avoided you so much that she didn’t even see me off from the residence. Zhou Zongbao, such deep affection, yet such profound hatred, she is still here!” Gu Changsheng shook her head almost imperceptibly, slowly consoling, “The hatred of exterminating a clan runs deep; you must give her some time to come to terms with it.”

“Zhou Zongbao, if you met now, would you force her to cross swords with you?”

“What should I do then?” Zhou Zongbao looked up, bewildered, towards Gu Changsheng.

“It’s only a matter of a year, Zhou Zongbao, such emotions can wait, it all depends on whether you have the perseverance or not…” As Gu Changsheng spoke, she stood up and walked out.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zongbao quickly followed, asking anxiously, “After a year, will Xiao Qiu be willing to see me? Will she forgive me then?”

“I said these emotions can wait, it all depends on the sincerity of your heart. As for the timing, that is up to fate…” As she spoke, Gu Changsheng instructed Uncle Song, who was waiting by the door, “It’s inappropriate for a male guest to stay overnight in the residence, please see them out.”

“Yes!” Uncle Song responded.

Gu Changsheng turned and headed towards her own building.

“A year, I’ve already waited almost a lifetime, why would I care about one more year!” Zhou Zongbao watched as Gu Changsheng disappeared around the corner, his expression resolute.

“His Highness Prince Bao, His Highness Prince Mu requests your leave!” Uncle Song respectfully gestured for them to depart.

“Yikes! I’m not leaving!” Seeing Uncle Song’s outstretched hand, Zhou Zongbao jumped back in alarm.

“Hetian!” Zhou Mu looked at him helplessly, “We truly shouldn’t stay here.”

He needed to consider her reputation, until the day she was willing to marry him…

“No matter! Young Master here will stay put! With Mother Tigress here, Xiao Qiu is here!” Zhou Zongbao clung to the door frame, refusing to let go.

Uncle Song and Zhou Mu exchanged a glance, both showing helplessness on their faces.