Ye Family's Ancestral Secret Remedy

After finishing Bai Qianshuang’s specially made ultra-sweet, invincible QQ breakfast, Ye Chuan headed straight out for school.

"Ah, Chuan Chuan!" Luo Xi had been waiting outside Ye Chuan’s house early in the morning. The moment she saw him come out, she excitedly rushed over.

"Good morning!"

She seemed to be in a great mood, with a faint smile lingering at the corners of her lips, her eyes curved like crescents.

Ye Chuan was a bit surprised to see Luo Xi standing at his doorstep.

"What are you doing standing here? Why didn’t you come in?"

Luo Xi had a key to his house, so she could have just walked in if she needed anything—no need to wait outside.

Of course, Ye Chuan also had a key to Luo Xi’s place, since he often went over to help out. For convenience, Luo’s mother had given him one.

"I just got here. I figured the timing was about right, so I didn’t go in," Luo Xi said.

Ye Chuan gave an "oh" and pulled out the medicine he had refined the night before from his pocket.

"Here, the Ye Family’s little secret ancestral remedy."

Luo Xi carefully took the medicine and tucked it into her pocket.

Since it was something that actually worked for her mother, she didn’t want to risk losing it due to carelessness. If possible, she’d even consider running home first to store it safely.

"Is this medicine really precious?" Luo Xi asked, feeling like each dose was irreplaceable. She touched the packet in her pocket.

"Should I go home first?"

"It’s fine, not that precious. Just the ingredients are a bit expensive," Ye Chuan chuckled.

"How much?"

Ye Chuan held up one finger. "A neat little hundred million."

Luo Xi rolled her eyes at him in response.

As if remembering something, the girl added, "Chuan Chuan, today my dad’s planning to take my mom for a check-up. He’s a bit worried about your medicine—afraid it might be some kind of strong but high-side-effect drug."

"You’re telling me this secretly? Aren’t you afraid I’ll hold a grudge against your dad?" Seeing Luo Xi so blatantly siding with him, Ye Chuan couldn’t help but tease.

Luo Xi just gave a light humph. "I just don’t think there’s any reason to hide this from you."

Ye Chuan didn’t mind. Given how effective the medicine was, it was perfectly understandable for Luo’s father to be cautious.

"Give me your hand."

"My hand?" Luo Xi was puzzled but still extended her palm. Ye Chuan took it and gave it a squeeze. "Meh, not soft enough."

"Ugh!" Luo Xi raised her other hand to smack him but then noticed a silver bracelet had appeared around her wrist.

"This is…" Luo Xi lifted her arm in surprise, examining the bracelet. The craftsmanship was exquisite, gleaming faintly under the sunlight.

Ye Chuan grinned. "An early birthday gift. Just a random Taobao buy—make do with it."

"You actually got me a birthday gift? Guess you’ve got some conscience left." Luo Xi traced the bracelet with her fingers before huffing, "But you just bought it online? Couldn’t you put in a little more effort?"

"Oh, don’t like it? Give it back."

"No way!" Luo Xi quickly pulled her hand away as Ye Chuan reached for it, clearly fond of the gift.

Last year, Ye Chuan had given her a hair tie—the same one still tied around her ponytail now.

His excuse back then? "Use it till it breaks."

"Let’s go, Miss Luo," Ye Chuan tugged at her ponytail.

"Okay."

---

People’s Hospital.

The sterile white hallway stretched before them as Luo’s father and mother sat in the waiting area, their hearts uneasy.

If the medicine truly worked without major side effects, it would be a godsend.

But if it was just some short-term remedy with severe consequences, that would be disastrous.

"Even if it turns out to be a bad drug, don’t blame Ye Chuan, alright?" Luo’s mother spoke up. After all, the boy had meant well.

Luo’s father nodded. "I know."

Luo’s mother looked at her husband’s weary face, guilt creeping into her voice. "My health has been so poor… You’ve had to work so hard taking care of us both."

"And I can’t even give you a child of your own now."

Luo’s father shook his head. "Even if Xi Xi isn’t my biological daughter, she’s no different to me. I promised I’d take care of you two, and I meant it."

Back then, Luo’s father had fallen for Luo’s mother at first sight—even knowing she was divorced with a daughter, he’d thrown himself into the relationship without hesitation.

Love was beautiful, but life could be cruel.

As Luo’s mother often said, without her as a burden, Luo’s father—with his decent income—could have lived a far more comfortable life.

"Patient Luo Qin, please proceed to Room 11…" The announcement echoed through the hallway.

Soon, it was their turn.

"Let’s go."

"Alright."

Luo’s father had booked an expert consultation—200 yuan a visit. It was one of the reasons his expenses were so high despite earning well.

The doctor recognized them the moment they entered.

"Have a seat. Here for another prescription?"

"No, Doctor. My wife’s condition improved drastically after taking some kind of ancestral remedy," Luo’s father explained.

The doctor’s brow furrowed.

Ancestral remedy?

"Nine out of ten so-called ‘ancestral remedies’ are scams. Don’t get tricked—wasting money on false hope won’t cure anything."

"It’s from our neighbor. They didn’t charge us."

Hearing it was free, the doctor’s tone softened slightly. "Folk remedies lack scientific backing. Traditional medicine works gradually—how could there be an ‘ancestral’ drug with instant effects?"

Luo’s father agreed with the logic. "That’s why we thought we should get her checked."

The doctor hummed, pulling up Luo’s mother’s medical records. As he scanned the test results, his expression shifted.

"Huh?"

"What’s wrong?" Luo’s father tensed at the doctor’s surprise. "Is something off?"

"All her markers have improved significantly." The doctor was genuinely taken aback. "When did she take this medicine? Did she stop the prescriptions I gave?"

"She only took their remedy."

Ninety-nine percent of ancestral remedies were useless.

Had they stumbled upon the real deal?

"What does your neighbor do?" the doctor asked curiously.

"They used to sell fruit. Then… the boy’s parents and grandparents all died in a car accident."

"That’s tragic."

"Yeah…"

After a moment’s thought, the doctor said, "Keep taking their medicine, but come back every three days for tests. If anything seems off, stop immediately."