Chapter 12: The Budding Phoenix
By midday, the small village market was buzzing with life.
Su Yanyue's modest stall, once just a simple arrangement of herbal bundles and dried goods, now attracted a steady stream of curious villagers. Word had spread quickly about the "new medicine lady" with a graceful smile and miracle hands.
A hunched old woman stepped forward, clutching her lower back. "Miss Su, I heard your balm cured Old Zhang's shoulder overnight…"
Yanyue nodded gently and handed her a small clay pot. "This should help with the pain. Apply it twice daily with warm compresses."
The woman beamed. "You're heaven-sent! Are you sure you're not from a noble family?"
Yanyue only smiled in reply, her expression calm—though those words always struck something inside her.
Not far behind, a couple of local farmers dropped off more game in exchange for her smoked rabbit recipe, while two young girls giggled as they bought her sweet dried fruits, whispering that she looked just like a fairy from an old story.
Behind the stall, Yu Shiming leaned against a wooden post, arms crossed, watching quietly. Though his posture was relaxed, his eyes missed nothing—not the lingering gazes from men who passed by, nor the whispers when Su Yanyue bent over her goods, her slim waist and graceful posture drawing attention.
"Getting popular," he muttered.
Yanyue rolled her eyes. "With old women and children."
"And men with poor judgment," he added dryly, glancing toward the corner where Shen Liye had once again appeared, pretending to browse a book stall.
Yanyue ignored him.
Instead, she gently adjusted a tray of herbal pastes, a small spark of pride flickering in her chest. She'd worked hard to perfect each recipe, foraged at dawn, and crafted them by hand. For once, her hands weren't idle, her mind wasn't wandering, and she had purpose.
"Excuse me—Miss Su?"
A young woman in fine robes stepped forward. Her sleeves were silk, embroidered with soft clouds, and though her manner was polite, her gaze lingered a little too long on Yu Shiming before flicking back to Yanyue.
"My younger brother has had trouble sleeping," the woman explained. "We've tried other doctors… but I heard yours worked wonders."
"I'll prepare something," Yanyue said gently.
The woman smiled sweetly. "You're very skilled. It's surprising someone like you is living in a remote place like this. Are you married?"
Yu Shiming raised an eyebrow.
Yanyue gave a calm, polite laugh. "No, I'm just trying to build something for myself."
"Hmm," the woman said, casting another look at Yu Shiming. "And him? Your… husband?"
Before she could reply, Yu Shiming spoke smoothly, "I'm just the cart-puller."
Yanyue stifled a snort behind her hand.
After the noblewoman left with her purchase, Shen Liye approached once again. "Miss Su, if you ever wish to expand beyond this small village, I have connections in the county town. Merchants, scholars, physicians. With your skills…"
"I'm taking one step at a time," Yanyue replied firmly but kindly. "I want my roots to be strong before I branch out."
Shen Liye nodded, clearly impressed. "Wise words. The phoenix never rushes—she rises when the sky is ready."
From behind, Yu Shiming made a soft tch sound.
"Trouble with your throat?" Yanyue asked innocently.
"Just allergic to flattery," he murmured.
Still, when she turned her head and met his eyes, she saw something different in them—something unspoken. There was pride in his gaze. And something warmer.
Something dangerous.
Because if she kept walking this path, she might grow into something more than a wandering woman with broken memories.
She might truly become a phoenix