This was their first brief separation after their wedding.
Cheng You felt reluctant, even thinking he didn't need to make her work so hard.
But Qi Chengyan had his own pride, and all she needed to do was respect his pride and wait for him to bring her glory.
"No matter what, safety comes first. We don't necessarily have to climb higher. Any honor or status is not as important as your safety in my eyes."
Qi Chengyan smiled and gently stroked her head.
"Pack your things, and we'll go register at the school."
Cheng You's school did not allow students to live off-campus. However, due to her special circumstances, after coordinating with Professor Zhao and submitting an application, she was granted permission for off-campus housing.
Zhongyi University was affiliated with the Ministry of Health and was one of the earliest established traditional Chinese medicine institutions in the country, with a considerable scale.
At least, before coming here, Cheng You had never seen a school larger than this.
People brushed shoulders and bustled past.
Cheng You followed Qi Chengyan and successfully found the main hub of the academy.
Their outstanding appearances drew many sideways glances.
The person attending to her asked, "Is this your brother?"
Cheng You shook her head, "No, he's my husband."
The person's visible disappointment was palpable; an early marriage, but they looked so well-matched.
"Here are your dormitory and key. Go ahead."
Since Cheng You was the first batch of students at Zhongyi University in ten years, the receptionists were newly hired faculty.
After finding her dormitory, Cheng You claimed a bed.
Although she wouldn't be staying here at night, it would be convenient for occasional naps.
After packing her belongings, her dorm mates had not yet arrived.
Cheng You said, "Let's head back first."
Since she didn't have to participate in military training, staying here would be a waste of time.
Qi Chengyan nodded, "We'll take you on a tour of the campus while we're at it."
Not participating in military training had its drawbacks; Cheng You wouldn't be able to integrate with her classmates beforehand.
By the time formal classes began, she would likely still feel like a freshman.
The two walked hand-in-hand across the campus, stopping and starting, unlike the people around them who hurried along.
"We have our meal tickets now, why don't we eat here before heading back?"
It was a good opportunity to experience the campus atmosphere.
Thinking about their impending separation tomorrow, Qi Chengyan naturally agreed.
The couple almost became a scenic sight on campus, yet they were completely unaware of it.
After dinner, they leisurely returned home.
Upon reaching their doorstep, they discovered that Qi Ning was already waiting there early.
Her brows were furrowed tightly, her eyes filled with accusations directed at Cheng You.
"Where have you two been? I've been waiting for ages!"
Cheng You blinked in surprise, "Didn't I tell you? Today is my first day of school."
Qi Ning uttered an "Oh," genuinely having forgotten, and assumed Cheng You had deliberately stood her up.
She followed Cheng You inside, feeling a slight sense of familiarity with the courtyard house.
After all, she had lived in this area when she was a child.
"This is my pharmacy. Later, you'll come with me to buy medicinal ingredients, and I'll teach you how to identify them first."
Qi Ning looked around the simple room with a hint of disdain.
"This can be a pharmacy? Cheng You, did you really open a shop? You're not tricking me, are you!"
She doubted anyone would come to buy medicine from such a pharmacy.
Cheng You chuckled, "Why would I trick you? In our village, going to the health clinic takes too much time and money. We mostly relied on barefoot doctors for treatment. The medicinal ingredients for healing were gathered from the mountains by me and my master."
"Ah? Can that really cure illnesses?"
Qi Ning had always received Western medical treatment since she was a child.
She always felt that those old TCM doctors were like charlatans.
Cheng You snorted, "Haven't you heard the saying, 'If the land has a hundred herbs, it depends on finding them; local remedies can treat major illnesses, and herbal medicine is highly effective.' I'll take you to the village sometime, and you'll see if it can cure illnesses. I even dug up ginseng."
Qi Ning's interest piqued as soon as she heard "ginseng."
"Where?"
"I made it into ginseng pills and sold them."
Qi Ning asked curiously, "I heard ginseng can bring the dead back to life. Is that true?"
Cheng You rolled her eyes, "It just replenishes vital energy; it's not that exaggerated. I also planted ginseng in the small courtyard; do you want to see it?"
"Okay!"
Cheng You directly abandoned Qi Chengyan and took the foolish Qi Ning to the courtyard.
Looking at the ginseng in the flowerpot, Qi Ning's disappointment was palpable.
"This is it?" It wasn't what she had imagined.
"What are you looking at? I've been cultivating it for two years, specially transported from Wujing Village. The shipping cost alone was a hundred yuan."
"How much!" Qi Ning was dumbfounded.
"A hundred."
"You spent a hundred yuan on this flimsy thing? Sister-in-law, you're too extravagant."
She glanced at Qi Chengyan and noticed he looked completely accustomed to it.
Qi Ning suddenly wondered how wealthy Yan Ge must be, with no job and no income, to spend a hundred yuan without hesitation!
Qi Chengyan, sensing her thoughts, explained, "It has nothing to do with me; your sister-in-law earned the money herself."
Qi Ning almost dropped her jaw, feeling like she had discovered a new continent.
"Sister-in-law, how much salary will you give me?"
Cheng You pondered for a moment, "I think we can discuss this later. I need to see your performance, but rest assured, the salary here won't be low. Oh, right, have you broken up with Yuan He yet?"
"We have, but he's like sticky candy, always following me."
Qi Ning was utterly annoyed by him, and he kept insisting he would divorce Jiang Wanrou.
What did their divorce have to do with her?
"It's good that you've come to your senses. Yuan He is a sycophant. He can abandon Jiang Wanrou today, and he can abandon you for profit tomorrow."
Qi Ning lifted her chin, "I won't give him the chance to abandon me; I'm the one who will abandon him."
This was also something Cheng You appreciated about her.
Despite her simple mind, she had basic moral principles.
"Alright, let's go out and buy medicinal ingredients. Today, you need to memorize the characteristics and pharmacological knowledge of ten herbs."
Qi Chengyan naturally followed along to do the heavy lifting.
Watching the chattering Qi Ning monopolize Cheng You, he felt, for the first time, that his sister was quite noisy.
Yan City had a large market for medicinal ingredient procurement, primarily supplying pharmacies.
Purchasing in bulk required proof of professional qualification.
Cheng You carefully selected ingredients, explaining to Qi Ning as she picked.
Qi Ning listened, utterly bewildered. She had doubted Cheng You's professionalism when she first saw the pharmacy.
But now, hearing her speak, her image suddenly became more impressive.
After leaving the medicinal ingredient market, Qi Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sister-in-law, which do you think is more powerful, Chinese medicine or Western medicine?"
Cheng You smiled, "Promoting Chinese medicine isn't about fighting for superiority, but about advancing the integration of Chinese and Western medicine."
Of course, she was merely a pharmacist and did not practice medicine.
"Let's hurry back."