"No trouble, no trouble." Upon hearing Gu He agree to her request, the Little Fairy Doctor was overjoyed and responded in a charming voice.
For her, simply having the opportunity to get closer to the alchemist before her was already immensely satisfying. If he were willing to offer her a few lessons, it would be an even greater fortune.
Unbeknownst to her, Gu He harbored similar thoughts. The only reason he hadn't immediately accepted the Little Fairy Doctor as his disciple was that he wanted to take some time to get to know her better.
After all, the two had never met before, and it would be presumptuous to rashly propose taking her as an apprentice. If she refused, he would lose face.
To successfully bring the Little Fairy Doctor into his fold, Gu He didn't mind taking things slow.
At the very least, he wanted her to lower her guard and genuinely accept him. Once they had built some rapport and she had a better understanding of him, the matter of accepting her as an apprentice would naturally fall into place.
Seeing how approachable Gu He was, the Little Fairy Doctor gradually grew bolder and began asking him a few questions. Gu He didn't mind the interruption and maintained a warm smile as he answered each of her queries one by one.
"Tap, tap, tap!"
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside the door. Gu He turned his gaze and saw a middle-aged man in a blue robe slowly entering the room.
Upon seeing the man, the Little Fairy Doctor frowned slightly, clearly displeased that he had interrupted her time alone with Gu He.
"This must be... the honorable alchemist," the middle-aged man said respectfully as soon as he entered, his eyes fixed on Gu He.
"And you are?" Gu He asked, slightly surprised and somewhat dissatisfied with the man's sudden appearance.
'Who is this guy? I was having a pleasant conversation with the Little Fairy Doctor. Why did he barge in?'
"Hehe, my surname is Yao. I am the owner of Ten Thousand Medicines House. I heard that the esteemed alchemist had arrived, so I came to pay my respects," the middle-aged man said, his posture humble and his tone flattering.
'The owner of Ten Thousand Medicines House?' Gu He's interest was piqued. He seemed to recall such a character from the original story.
"Mr. Yao, what brings you here?" the Little Fairy Doctor asked, worried that the man might upset Gu He.
"Little Fairy Doctor, how could you not inform me that the esteemed alchemist has graced our Ten Thousand Medicines House?" Mr. Yao chided gently before turning back to Gu He with an ingratiating smile.
"Master Alchemist, you must be weary from your journey to Qingshan Town. I have prepared a banquet in your honor. I hope you will join us for a drink or two."
Gu He felt a twinge of disgust at Mr. Yao's excessive flattery, but he didn't want to reject the man outright.
"The banquet won't be necessary. I will be staying in Qingshan Town for a while, so please help me find a clean and quiet place to stay. Also, my surname is Gu. You may address me as Mr. Gu."
Hearing Gu He's words, Mr. Yao hadn't yet responded, but the Little Fairy Doctor's eyes lit up. She quickly suggested, "Mr. Yao, don't you have a few upper rooms in your courtyard? Why not prepare one for Mr. Gu?"
"Ah..." Mr. Yao was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered. "Yes, of course! Mr. Gu, you are welcome to stay in my courtyard. The environment there is serene, and I assure you, you won't be disturbed."
Mr. Yao wasn't foolish. If the alchemist stayed in his home, the news would spread, and no one in Qingshan Town would dare to provoke him.
After all, no one could afford to incur the wrath of a second-rank alchemist—not even the powerful Wolf Head Mercenary Group.
"Very well, I shall stay in your courtyard for a few days," Gu He said after a moment of hesitation, nodding in agreement.
He recalled that, in the original story, the Little Fairy Doctor lived in the backyard of this "Mr. Yao." Staying under the same roof as her would be advantageous for his plans.
The Little Fairy Doctor was equally thrilled when she heard Gu He agree. Living in the same courtyard as Mr. Gu would surely provide ample opportunities to interact with him in the future.
A short while later, Gu He followed Mr. Yao and the Little Fairy Doctor through several streets until they arrived at a manor.
The estate was quite impressive, with over a dozen guards stationed at the gate, a testament to Ten Thousand Medicines House's influence in Qingshan Town.
After entering the manor, Mr. Yao led Gu He to a quiet and well-appointed room.
"My lord, please take a look at this room. Does it meet your expectations?" Mr. Yao asked with a smile.
"It's quite suitable. I'll take this one," Gu He replied after a brief glance, nodding in approval.
The Little Fairy Doctor, who had been following behind, looked around the room, her beautiful eyes sparkling with joy. Gu He's room wasn't far from hers, and hers was the only path to his. It seemed as though fate itself was on her side.
"I'll go and prepare some daily necessities for you, my lord," Mr. Yao said, his face beaming with satisfaction as he excused himself.
"Sir, my room is quite close to yours. If you plan to go up the mountain to gather herbs, feel free to call on me anytime," the Little Fairy Doctor said, her eyes shining as she stepped forward to offer her assistance.
"Of course," Gu He replied with a gentle smile.
"Then I'll take my leave for now." The Little Fairy Doctor hesitated for a moment, deciding it would be better to wait until they were better acquainted before asking him about the art of pill refinement.
After all, it was only their first meeting, and asking too many questions might risk annoying him.
As she left, Gu He watched her retreating figure, a slight smile playing on his lips.
'It seems the Little Fairy Doctor has taken a liking to me. Perhaps, once we've grown closer, she won't refuse if I offer to take her as my apprentice.'
And so, Gu He officially settled into Qingshan Town.
…
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