Li Yue Shu was completely unaware of the events happening at the Li manor.
After Steward Li's last visit, the villagers no longer pointed fingers at Li Yue Shu. Some women even started visiting Mother Mo proactively.
Li Yue Shu observed all of this silently.
With the restaurant matters temporarily settled, she spent most of her time at home, but she still visited Heng De Pharmacy occasionally.
Unlike other establishments, the pharmacy did not close for the New Year.
So, Li Yue Shu would sometimes help out at the pharmacy and pick up Shen Tan and the others on her way home.
One day, as soon as Li Yue Shu arrived at the pharmacy, she saw a woman pushing a man in a wheelchair.
It was Mr. and Mrs. Sun Ming Da.
Seeing the wheelchair, people looked with curiosity but didn't crowd around.
After Li Yue Shu had given the blueprints for the wheelchair to the carpenter's shop, the novel invention quickly spread throughout the town.
The carpenter's shop made a good profit and even sent Li Yue Shu some gifts.
Seeing that they were not overly precious items, Li Yue Shu accepted them and thoughtfully mentioned the importance of branding.
After all, wheelchairs were not an exceptionally rare item, and with the skilled artisans of this world, they could easily be replicated.
To make the business sustainable, it needed a unique brand that people would think of first when buying a wheelchair.
The carpenter's shop was grateful to Li Yue Shu. When selling wheelchairs, they specifically advertised that they were designed by Madam Shen of Liu Xian Restaurant, inadvertently giving the yet-to-open restaurant some free publicity.
Because Li Yue Shu was in a corner sorting medicinal herbs, Mrs. Zhou did not see her.
She took out a prescription from her pocket and handed it to the pharmacy assistant, "Please help me get two doses of medicine according to this prescription."
This was Li Yue Shu's first time seeing Sun Ming Da. He was an ordinary village hunter, with large bones, but due to lack of sunlight and malnutrition, he looked very thin.
Li Yue Shu thought for a moment and then walked over, "Sister-in-law Sun, we meet again."
Seeing Li Yue Shu, Mrs. Zhou was startled but quickly regained her composure.
This was their pharmacy, so it was normal to encounter her.
She had intended to pretend not to see her, but remembering that her husband was using a wheelchair that she had gifted, she turned back and gave a perfunctory "Mm" in response.
Li Yue Shu did not mind her attitude and continued to smile, "Sister-in-law, have you considered what I said, and plan to have it checked for Brother Sun?"
"Then let's go to a private room. I'll examine Brother Sun. If it can be cured, it's best to treat it as soon as possible."
Mrs. Zhou was taken aback.
She had come to get medicine for her father and to take Ming Da out for some air. When had she ever said she wanted to have his legs checked!
"Sister-in-law, let me examine Brother Sun. If he truly cannot stand up again, I want to design a new wheelchair for him, one that he can push himself even on the uneven roads in the village."
Previously, due to time constraints, the blueprint she drew was for a very basic wheelchair, which could not be folded or self-propelled.
If Sun Ming Da could not stand up, a better wheelchair would be more convenient for both him and Mrs. Zhou.
Mrs. Zhou frowned and was about to refuse without thinking, but Sun Ming Da spoke first, "Is there really a wheelchair I can push myself? Does that mean I won't need anyone to accompany me wherever I want to go from now on?"
He looked at Li Yue Shu with hopeful eyes, a flicker of light in their depths.
Having to rely on Shan'er for everything and becoming her burden had always been his greatest source of helplessness.
If he could help Shan'er, he wouldn't mind shamelessly causing trouble at Old Man Shen's house again.
Li Yue Shu saw the urgency in his eyes and nodded affirmatively, "If you truly need a new wheelchair, as long as your hands are functional, you can complete tasks like using the toilet or bathing by yourself."
She did not mention that this was under the premise that his legs could not recover, as she had not personally examined Sun Ming Da's legs yet. Giving false hope and then facing disappointment would be even more hurtful.
However, these words had already given Sun Ming Da a glimmer of hope.
"Alright, I'll go to the private room with you for an examination!"
Then, he looked up at Mrs. Zhou, a hint of pleading in his eyes, "Shan'er..."
This was the first time since his legs were broken that he had not followed Mrs. Zhou's opinion.
How could Mrs. Zhou not know why he agreed to the examination!
What Ming Da wanted was not whether he could stand up after the examination, but the self-propelled wheelchair that Li Yue Shu had promised.
They had seen too many doctors, and all of them had said that his legs would never be able to stand again.
Therefore, in Mrs. Zhou's opinion, the examination was just reopening old wounds and causing them more pain.
But looking into Ming Da's eyes, she found herself unable to utter the refusal and could only nod in agreement.
Li Yue Shu could feel Mrs. Zhou's increased hostility, but she paid it no mind and led the two into the private room.
She rolled up Sun Ming Da's trouser legs, revealing his legs, which had clearly atrophied.
Li Yue Shu pressed down with her hand and looked up, "Do you feel anything?"
Sun Ming Da shook his head, his face devoid of emotion.
Li Yue Shu pressed in a few more places, but Sun Ming Da still felt nothing.
Seeing this, Li Yue Shu got up, took out a silver needle kit from the shelf, and opened it.
Upon seeing this, Sun Ming Da's expression did not change, as if he was already accustomed to these procedures.
On the other hand, Mrs. Zhou's brows were furrowed, and her grip on the wheelchair tightened unconsciously.
Although she already knew the outcome, deep down, she still held a sliver of hope.
Li Yue Shu did not notice the couple's reactions and directly picked up a silver needle, inserting it into one of the points.
Then, she looked up at Sun Ming Da, "Do you feel anything?"
This time, Sun Ming Da didn't move, his eyes wide open, staring blankly.
Li Yue Shu guessed something and asked again, "Does it hurt?"
Sun Ming Da seemed to finally snap back to reality and nodded stiffly, "Yes... a slight prickling pain, but I don't know if it's an illusion."
Having long lost hope, he didn't know if the pain he suddenly felt in his leg was real.
Li Yue Shu was patient and inserted the needle into another spot, "How about now?"
This time, Sun Ming Da paid close attention and nodded almost instantly, "I feel it, it really... it really hurts!"
He suddenly became agitated, his entire body trembling.
Mrs. Zhou's eyes widened as well, as if she were hallucinating.
Li Yue Shu tried a few more spots, some with sensation, some without.
Having a general understanding, she withdrew the silver needles.
Mrs. Zhou couldn't help but ask, "How is it? Can it be cured?"
Li Yue Shu was very frank, "Having sensation of pain proves that the nerves in your legs are not completely dead, but whether you can stand up requires further examination."
"Then let's continue the examination," Sun Ming Da said eagerly, "No matter what kind of examination, I'm willing to try!"
Li Yue Shu understood their feelings and said without preamble, "The subsequent examinations are somewhat complex, and I need an absolutely quiet environment."
As she said this, she glanced pointedly at Mrs. Zhou.