Chapter 022: The Art of Healing Through Food

"You're remarkable too!" Seeing that he truly dared to catch it, Hu Cheng'an couldn't help but break into a delighted smile.

Hu Ying'er sighed, took her brother's hand, and carefully washed it in the copper basin, reminding him as she scrubbed, "You must wash properly before eating, or you'll upset your stomach, understood?"

"Alright," Hu Cheng'an replied absent-mindedly, his gaze drifting constantly toward Xue Rui.

"Go and fetch me a piece of cotton thread," Xue Rui instructed Xiao Cui, holding the black cicada by its wings.

When Xiao Cui brought the thread, Xue Rui murmured an apology, then bound the cicada's legs and tied it to the door latch.

"Now you can rest easy, cousin," he said.

After washing his hands, Hu Cheng'an saw the black cicada fluttering helplessly by the door, and his face lit up with joy. "Wonderful, wonderful! Now it can't escape again."

Once Xue Rui was seated again, Hu Zhong looked fondly at his grandchildren and addressed him, "These two siblings are unfortunate souls. They lost their father young, and their mother died from worry over Cheng'an's illness. If one day I am no longer here, I'll need you and your father to look after them. Otherwise, I won't rest easy in my grave."

"Grandmaster, you can rest assured. With me around, neither brother nor sister will suffer bullying," Xue Rui promised solemnly.

Hu Ying'er, however, looked displeased, grumbling, "Why speak of such things, Grandfather? You're going to live a long life. Besides, with me here, there's no need for others to take care of us."

"Are you planning never to marry, then?" Hu Zhong scolded sternly.

"If I don't marry, then so be it! I don't care for such things," Hu Ying'er retorted, turning away in a huff.

"You..." Hu Zhong puffed his beard and glared, ready to scold her further.

Seeing the tension rise between grandfather and granddaughter, Xue Rui quickly interjected, "Grandmaster, these autumn crabs look plump and delicious. Are they the season's first catch?"

"Indeed, they were just brought from the estate. Your visit is timely; you'll enjoy a feast today," Hu Zhong replied, seizing the opportunity to change the subject and chat with Xue Rui instead.

Hu Zhong hailed from Lakejian and had loved shrimp and crab since childhood, speaking of seafood with expertise. Xue Rui, in his previous life, had also been fond of culinary arts and was well-versed in preparing all kinds of aquatic delicacies. The two generations conversed happily.

"Grandfather, when will we eat? I'm starving," Hu Cheng'an complained after waiting patiently for so long.

"Oh, look at me, rambling on and on. I suppose Rui must be hungry too. Let's start eating," Hu Zhong said, ending the conversation and instructing the maids to serve Xue Rui and Hu Cheng'an.

The chef at the Hu residence was skilled; the fish, shrimp, and crab were all fresh, prepared simply yet yielding exquisite flavors.

"Ha, usually I drink alone, and even the best wine tastes bland. Since Rui is here today, why not accompany me for a few cups?" Hu Zhong suggested as the hot dishes arrived after the seafood.

"Grandmaster's wish is my command, though my tolerance is poor," Xue Rui replied. Rarely did Hu Zhong seem so pleased, and Xue Rui, though inexperienced with wine, didn't want to spoil the mood, but he made his limits clear.

"No matter, I won't force you. Drink as you wish," Hu Zhong said, waving the maid to pour Xue Rui some wine.

The Hu family was not ordinary, and their wine was no common homemade brew, but the famous Shandong Autumn Dew White. This wine was blended with fruit juice or flower essence, giving it a subtle fragrance and a hint of sweetness, lingering pleasantly on the palate.

With company, the drinking was lively. The old and the young exchanged toasts, making the siblings mere spectators.

After several rounds of wine and five flavors of dishes, Hu Zhong ordered the table cleared and invited Xue Rui to the side hall for tea and to sober up.

Barely had they taken a sip when Hu Cheng'an burst in, looking eagerly at Xue Rui. "Can you catch cicadas? Come with me; there are plenty on the elm trees by the stables."

"Um..." Xue Rui glanced instinctively at Hu Zhong.

Hu Zhong smiled wryly, "He's been cooped up in the house for days, with no playmates, and he's itching for fun. Though there are plenty of maids, they're timid and dull, not to his liking. He's taken a shine to you. If you have time, accompany him."

"Brother's wish is my command," Xue Rui agreed. After all, Grandmaster had gone to great lengths to support the Xue family; he could hardly be ungrateful. Even if it meant braving fire and water, he would go along.

This accompaniment lasted half an hour. Xue Rui didn't know where Hu Cheng'an found all his energy—he himself felt exhausted, while the boy remained as lively as ever, making Xue Rui long to escape.

As dusk approached, Xue Rui worried about leaving the city in time and went to take his leave of Hu Zhong.

Hu Cheng'an, having finally found a companion, was reluctant to let Xue Rui go. Hu Ying'er persuaded him, and Xue Rui promised to return the next day, so Cheng'an reluctantly said farewell.

He had been welcomed by a maid, but now he left escorted by the young lady.

Xue Rui walked ahead, Hu Ying'er following behind, with silence between them.

When they reached the ornate archway, Xue Rui stopped, turning to speak.

Unexpectedly, Hu Ying'er couldn't halt in time, nearly colliding with him.

She steadied herself and quickly stepped back, annoyed. "I'm your teacher; show some respect."

"In the study, you're my teacher, but not here," Xue Rui clarified, then continued, "Please don't misunderstand, cousin. I only wanted to discuss Grandmaster's illness; just now was unintentional."

"You're not a physician. How could you know how to treat illness?" Hu Ying'er relaxed, but eyed him doubtfully.

"My mother told me that Grandmaster's attacks usually involve joint swelling and pain. Isn't that so?" Xue Rui mused.

"That's right. Grandfather's 'hot rheumatism' has plagued him for over ten years. When it flares up, the joints below both knees become unbearably painful, making movement difficult," Hu Ying'er admitted.

"Then I'm not mistaken. It's a hard illness to cure, but with some dietary caution—avoiding animal organs, seafood, and alcohol—the symptoms should ease considerably," Xue Rui said.

He had pondered this during the meal: Hu Zhong's ailment affected his lower limb joints, and he frequently ate fish and shrimp. It reminded Xue Rui of modern gout, at least in terms of symptoms.

Most likely, this 'hot rheumatism' was actually gout.

Modern medicine shows that gout is closely linked to purine metabolism disorders or high uric acid. The usual treatment is dietary control to reduce uric acid in the body. Following Xue Rui's dietary advice should relieve the pain.

"Where did you read that in medical books?" Hu Ying'er was still skeptical.

She had attended her grandfather for years, scouring countless medical texts, and could prescribe medicine herself, yet she'd never heard of dietary therapy.

But seeing Xue Rui's confidence, she couldn't help but be curious.

Xue Rui had no book to show, so he acted mysterious, "That's a secret. Just try it. Adjusting diet is easier than medicine, and there's no harm in it. It might even yield unexpected results. Farewell."

With that, he strode off under Hu Ying'er's thoughtful gaze.