Hu Xin and Xiao Dai’s playful tussle soon died down, the arrival of the dishes ordered by Zhang Yang bringing an immediate halt to their antics, both of them fixated on the feast spread across the table.

Shark’s fin, bird’s nest—for Hu Xin and the others, these were delicacies they had only ever heard of in legends, never having seen the genuine article, let alone tasted them.

As the dishes were served, the little hearts of the group couldn't help but quicken their pace.

The two bottles of Longchuan wine were opened by the waiter—two bottles for six people, neither too much nor too little; the girls could drink less, and the boys certainly wouldn't be incapacitated; Zhang Yang and Hu Xin both had respectable tolerances.

Faced with the abundance of delicious food, Hu Xin swallowed hard, and Xiao Dai, momentarily forgetting to settle scores with Hu Xin, stared fixedly at the magnificent spread.

This was their first time entering such a restaurant, and these dishes were sights unseen.

Seeing their expressions, a subtle smile couldn't help but surface again at the corner of Zhang Yang's mouth.

He recalled his own early days entering high-end establishments for meals with superiors—wasn't he just as constrained and nervous? After frequent visits, it eventually became unremarkable.

“Let’s eat first. Even without barbecue, we still have a grand meal!”

Zhang Yang picked up his chopsticks first, saying with a smile. As soon as he moved, Hu Xin was right behind him, fully revealing his nature as an ultimate gourmand. In no time, his plate was piled high, his mouth chewing on several different items simultaneously.

Hu Xin’s ravenous enthusiasm ignited the interest of everyone else; all of them dove into the fray, even Zhang Yang couldn't resist joining the battle, competing with them for the choicest bits.

Their behavior left the surrounding serving staff dumbfounded; patrons dining here were never seen behaving with such abandon.

In less than half an hour, Hu Xin was sprawling back in his chair, belly distended, thoroughly satisfied, his expression one of utter contentment. Even Xiao Dai was leaning back, having consumed a considerable amount herself.

The group ate happily, all prior incidents forgotten. That was the way of youth—acting on instinct, embracing genuine, joyous university life.

When Zhang Yang went to settle the bill, Liang Yan, stationed in the lobby downstairs, immediately applied a ten percent discount, bringing the total to just over two thousand.

Watching Zhang Yang casually pull a stack of bills from his pocket to pay, Liang Yan’s eyes brightened momentarily. She had a keen eye and instantly recognized that the cash in his hand amounted to nearly ten thousand yuan.

She subtly glanced at his other pocket, which was also bulging; she immediately concluded it held another stack of bills, not much smaller than the one in his hand.

This meant Zhang Yang was carrying close to twenty thousand yuan in cash.

In this year of '98, although many rich people existed, few men Zhang Yang's age carried twenty thousand in cash on their person, especially with such nonchalance.

This revelation added another layer of mystery to Zhang Yang in Liang Yan’s estimation, deepening her curiosity.

Little did she know that Zhang Yang's entire liquid asset amounted to precisely those twenty thousand yuan, money he had only just received as a bonus that very day.

As they were leaving after paying, the group ran into Uncle Zhou Yichen and his nephew again. This time, Zhou Yichen lacked his earlier arrogance; he glanced at Zhang Yang’s group and immediately lowered his head.

It was his uncle, Zhou Ming, who smiled and greeted Zhang Yang, even inviting him to visit them sometime.

Their prior haughtiness followed by this sudden deference left Zhang Yang somewhat bewildered, but he didn't dwell on it; he had never taken either of them seriously anyway.

With nothing pressing that afternoon, Zhang Yang recalled Liu Xiaotang’s words and decided to pay a visit to Old Man Liu. The old man had been taking the medicine for several days, and his condition showed improvement; visiting now was essentially a follow-up consultation.

As a doctor, once he undertook a case, he was bound to see the patient through to recovery; monitoring the treatment progress was part of the responsibility. Old Man Liu was currently his patient.

Hu Xin and the others initially wanted to go along, but Zhang Yang persuaded them otherwise. Only Mi Xue accompanied him.

Mi Xue's reason was sound: Old Man Liu was also her landlord now, so she ought to check on him.

Furthermore, Zhang Yang didn't want Mi Xue far from him; she faced a significant, impending crisis within these next few days, the timing unknown.

After purchasing two bags of fruit, Zhang Yang and Mi Xue walked to Old Man Liu’s courtyard—the very place where the former ‘Zhang Yang’ had lived. Zhang Yang felt a sense of familiarity intertwined with strangeness here.

“Little Zhang, you’re here! Quick, quick, come inside!”

Old Man Liu’s door was never locked during the day, allowing easy access for the students renting rooms. He was sitting in his courtyard, and upon seeing Zhang Yang and Mi Xue arrive, he immediately stood up with a smile.

Zhang Yang noticed that the large thermos, which Old Man Liu always kept close at hand, was absent; this confirmed that his diabetes symptoms had indeed shown marked improvement.

“You child, you didn’t have to bring anything!”

Entering the main hall, Old Man Liu glanced at the fruit in Zhang Yang’s hands and offered a gentle rebuke.

“Old Man Liu, it’s fine, this is all low-sugar fruit, perfect for you!”

Zhang Yang smiled faintly, setting the fruit on the table before sitting down next to Mi Xue to observe the old man’s complexion.

Old Man Liu’s face was noticeably better than the last time Zhang Yang had seen him. Zhang Yang nodded silently; his prescription was aimed precisely at the old man's illness, so the therapeutic effect naturally manifested.

“You really are thoughtful, Little Zhang. By the way, that formula of yours is truly excellent. You said it would show results in three days, and it really did—three days! After taking it, I immediately felt much better, and I haven't been drinking nearly as much water these last two days!”

Old Man Liu sat down, putting the matter of the fruit aside, and began excitedly discussing Zhang Yang’s formula.

He had only tried the prescription with a mindset of 'might as well see,' given that he had consumed so much traditional Chinese medicine and seen so many TCM practitioners without finding a cure.

But he never expected the formula to be so effective. Zhang Yang’s initial claim of effects within three days seemed dubious, but after three days passed, he had no choice but to believe. Moreover, he drank far less water these last two days, visited the restroom less often, and felt significantly more energetic overall.

“Then you must continue taking it. I guarantee you’ll return to normal in half a month, and after another half-month of use, you’ll never have to worry about this illness again!”

Zhang Yang grasped Old Man Liu’s hand, saying with a cheerful smile.

As he took the old man’s pulse, he simultaneously felt the rhythm; Old Man Liu was indeed following his instructions regarding the medication, and the body’s progression matched Zhang Yang’s expectations—it would only improve from here.

Having checked the pulse, Zhang Yang was finally completely reassured.

“That’s wonderful news, truly wonderful, Little Zhang. Is this young lady your friend?”

Old Man Liu nodded happily, then looked toward Mi Xue with an expression that held an indescribable warmth, making Mi Xue blush slightly.

“Yes, I mentioned it last time—that two people would be living in your house. This is Mi Xue, the girl I share the rent with!”

Zhang Yang quickly introduced Mi Xue to Old Man Liu. Since Liu was the landlord, he needed to know how many people occupied the property; Old Man Liu had rented that place to Zhang Yang purely out of respect for him previously.

“Good, very good, very good. You two keep living there; I feel secure leaving it in your care!”

Old Man Liu chuckled heartily, continuously looking at Mi Xue, his smile growing brighter. However, the more he stared, the redder Mi Xue became, wanting to explain something but unable to find the words.

…………………… For readers interested, I recommend a fine new book: Cang Ming Zhi Jing (Realm of the Azure Darkness), book number 2425584. Check it out if you are curious! C