Where are you from?
Minnie froze. Where exactly was that place?
Sanruwi was waiting for her answer, and Jax watched quietly beside him.
"Our place is very far away."
That said nothing clear. Sanruwi was about to tease her, but then Jax said, "Is it the land where thorn fruit grows? I heard from Kai that Yue Kingdom's thorn fruit is also brought from outside. It is very hot there, with high mountains and many poisons. Traveling is not easy. Although there is trade with Yue Kingdom, the amount is small." Even so, Jax still found it strange. Kai said the people there were dark-skinned because of the heat, but Minnie did not look like that at all.
Minnie did not deny it.
Sanruwi thought for a moment and asked, "Then how did you get here?"
Minnie smiled bitterly. I want to know too.
"I just went out to have fun. I was lazy to go out before because..." She finally finished an eight-year medical course and thought working would be hard with little rest. So she wanted to enjoy herself before starting work. "And then I came here."
Although Minnie was vague, Sanruwi and Jax understood. A spoiled girl who never traveled left home alone, got lost, and ended up at Phoenix Mountain. It was lucky she had no accidents on the way. Who knew what could happen in such a far and dangerous place.
"What will you do about going home?" Jax asked.
"Now it seems I cannot go back, but I will not give up. I will find a way home," Minnie said firmly.
"I will ask Kai to find out. Maybe some merchant caravan will go your way," Jax kindly suggested.
Minnie smiled, "Thank you." Though it might not help, meeting someone as kind as Jax was her luck. Otherwise, she would struggle here.
"If someone there has the same condition as Boss Hayes's wife, how would you handle it?" Sanruwi asked.
"You mean after eating thorn fruit and getting too much internal heat? If thorn fruit is eaten too much, eating some mangosteen can help."
"Mangosteen?" Sanruwi frowned.
Jax was curious: "Is it also a strange-looking fruit like thorn fruit?"
"Not at all. It's round, about this big," Minnie gestured with her hand. "The skin is thick and can be peeled by hand. Inside, the fruit is in segments like an orange, but it's snow white, clean and shiny, very pretty. The flesh is soft, tender, and very sweet." She swallowed hard while talking. Though she could eat some durian, mangosteen was her favorite.
"The world is really full of wonders," Jax said.
"If she can eat anything at all, what's the problem?" Sanruwi was a bit impatient. He thought Minnie had some good idea, but it was useless.
Minnie sighed. "Actually, for someone like Boss Hayes's wife..." She hesitated to say "wife" but finally did. "Such cases are not hard to handle where I come from."
Sanruwi's eyes sharpened as he looked at her.
"Just insert a stomach tube. Even if she is unconscious, she can still get the daily nutrition needed to keep her metabolism going."
Sanruwi had never heard some of these terms but understood what Minnie meant.
"Stomach tube?"
"A tube that can be put in through the nose or mouth into the stomach. Food is made into liquid and poured in through the tube."
Jax frowned. "Is there really such a thing? Wouldn't that be very uncomfortable?"
"It's uncomfortable, but it can save lives."
Sanruwi was silent for a long time. Then he asked, "How do you make this stomach tube?"
"In my place, it's made of rubber. Rubber is soft and elastic and can be used for many things."
"Rubber?"
"Yes, it comes from trees."
"Trees?" Sanruwi was almost amazed like a parrot.
"Rubber trees. You cut the bark, and white juice flows out. You collect it and process it into rubber."
Sanruwi looked at Jax. "Have you heard of this?"
Jax shook his head. "Never."
"Miss Minnie, it seems your stomach tube idea won't work. Looks like only my method will do," Sanruwi smiled slightly. "Miss Minnie, you still remember what you promised me yesterday, right?"
"I remember," Minnie replied gloomily.
A guest came into the small yard, Rhett, the third leader of Phoenix Mountain.
"Miss Minnie, doctor, young hero Jax," Rhett greeted. Today he wore a bright green robe with a pomegranate flower in his hair, looking quite dashing.
Minnie had never seen a man wear a flower and stared at him a few times.
Rhett noticed her gaze and felt pleased. He thought, how could a grown man lose to that kid Kane?
"Doctor, our mountain patrol brothers met your medicine boy on the road. They are coming now. Should we bring him to you or would you..."
"Bring the person here." Sanruwi interrupted him coldly.
"No problem." Rhett agreed quickly. He turned to Minnie. "Miss Minnie, Erina was just talking about you. Why don't you go see her?"
"Is Erina all right? Does she have a fever?"
"Erina is fine, she's in good spirits. She just wants to see you." The question was just an excuse. Rhett wanted to invite Minnie out.
Before Minnie could answer, Sanruwi said coolly, "Doctor San will be disappointed. Miss Minnie still has to organize the herbs and prepare soup and medicine for your eldest brother's wife. Doctor San can tell what is important."
Rhett's smile froze for a moment, then he said, "No matter. Miss Minnie, I'll help you organize the herbs."
Sanruwi glanced at Rhett but said nothing. He had promised Jax not to make things hard for Minnie. If Rhett wanted to help, what could he say?
Shuran arrived quickly. Two brothers from Phoenix Mountain came with him. Each held a horse by the reins. Two large wicker boxes were tied on the left and right of the horses' backs.
"Young master, Young Master Jax." Shuran came forward respectfully. He was under seventeen years old, looked ordinary, but was mature for his age. Sanruwi often relied on him.
"Young master, these herbs are prepared as you ordered. Some herbs are short in the town, so I sent the pharmacy to buy them in the neighboring town. It will take a few days. Also, the big bucket you wanted is too large for me to carry alone. I need someone to fetch it from town."
"Hm, got it." Sanruwi nodded. "Hurry up then." He added, "Give me the herb boxes."
Shuran took down the herb boxes from his back and said, "Young master, you should let Shuran stay. How can you be served without anyone? Boss Hayes and Yiying ordered it again and again..."
Sanruwi waved his hand impatiently. "I'm not a child. Can't I take care of myself?"
"Then young master, someone has to do the chores like packing herb boxes, organizing herbs, and boiling medicine."
"Don't worry, someone will." Sanruwi said sharply. "Minnie, go pack these herbs."
Minnie was stunned. "How do I pack them?"
Sanruwi's eye twitched. "Can't you just put them inside the house?"
"Should I put them in my room?"
"Isn't the room next to yours empty? Put them there! Gather the herbs from Phoenix Mountain too, put them all in one place." Sanruwi thought Minnie was so slow. He had to explain everything clearly for her to understand.
Minnie agreed. Of course, she didn't do the heavy work. Rhett took it over eagerly.
Shuran saw Minnie and was almost shocked. The young master was talking to a woman other than the eldest miss and Melonie. And he wasn't telling her to get lost. Could it be... oh, he had to write to the Bai family and report this good news to Yno. The young master could finally get married!
Shuran was excited inside but stayed calm outside. He found a chance and said to Minnie, "Miss Minnie, my young master likes to act stubborn but he has a soft heart. He's really a good person."
"Oh."
"He usually wears white clothes..."
That was obvious, Minnie thought.
"He likes to drink Bi Luo Chun tea. He thinks its scent is just right, not too strong."
Bi Luo Chun, I like that too, Minnie thought.
"He usually prefers mild flavors but likes spicy food. He can only eat spicy once in a while, or else he gets sores at the corners of his mouth."
Minnie thought she should tell the Phoenix Mountain cooks about this.
Shuran kept talking. Minnie listened quietly, still curious. Shuran felt more satisfied.
He said, "Miss Minnie, the young master cares a lot about face. If he offends you, don't take it to heart. But to win the beauty, some effort must be made. Don't worry, I'll help you."
Minnie was puzzled. "What will he help me with? No matter what, it's good to have help."
Before she could thank Shuran, Sanruwi came over with a serious face. "What are you two talking about?"
Shuran bowed his head respectfully. "Young master."
Sanruwi saw Rhett coming closer again and was displeased. He hated women and hated men who tried hard to please them. Rhett, the third leader of Phoenix Mountain, was not in his favor.
"Third Leader, help me with one thing."
"The divine doctor, just say it." Rhett said quickly. Now the biggest person in Phoenix Mountain was this strange divine doctor, not Boss Hayes.
"Please send this medicine boy down the mountain. If something happens to him, many herbs will be lost. Then, your eldest brother's wife..."
Sending someone down the mountain didn't require a person like the third leader. But Sanruwi said it, so how could Rhett refuse? If something happened, he would be in trouble. He left unwillingly.