Seeing Zhong Mu starting to groom himself, paying attention to his appearance, and looking expectant, Zuo Meng was even more speechless.
He had only heard that this newcomer had some kind of ambiguous relationship with a strange doctor, but that was all he heard. How could a normal player take the initiative to flirt with a strange person? He must have thought that the strange person was the one who was pursuing the player.
After entering this instance and meeting the person in person... Zuo Meng roughly understood that there was an extraordinary player among the human side.
He'd like to go and see for himself! What kind of strange creature is it! Something a promising young talent would be so eager to discover.
"I don't look like anything strange right now, do I?" Zhong Mu cautiously turned to ask Zuo Meng.
"No, isn't this perfectly normal?" Zuo Meng crossed her arms and scrutinized Zhong Mu with sharp eyes. She watched as this fine young man started acting like a shy young lady as soon as he reached the alleyway, becoming quite concerned about his image.
"That's good then." Zhong Mu nodded in relief, took two steps forward, then suddenly remembered something, sniffed at his sleeve, and muttered, "I just attended a wedding, I wonder if I picked up any strange smells."
He continued walking forward, and Zuo Meng followed behind, not wanting to say anything.
Walking deeper along the muddy path, you'll find a secluded little wooden house on the edge of the village. A small plot of land has been added in front of the house, planted with flowers and plants. A bamboo and wooden fence encloses a small space, and the courtyard is full of life, as peaceful and beautiful as a paradise, making people feel relaxed and happy.
But in front of the house sat a gaunt old man, holding a pipe in one hand and a bamboo pole in the other. The thin bamboo pole was almost lying across the narrow road, blocking people's way.
Sensing the approach of strangers, the old man calmly raised his eyes and glanced at the two of them. Then, he smirked and let out a cold laugh. "You two are perfectly capable of walking and running. What are you doing here? Go back. This is not a place for you."
Although his tone was cold and his attitude was not very good, his words were full of reminders that there was no need to confront him head-on.
Zhong Mu bent down and politely asked, "Hello, I'd like to ask if there's a blind, white-haired doctor living here?"
The old man said coldly, "I won't let you in. You can't see that doctor right now. It's better for you if you can't see him."
Zhong Mu straightened up, somewhat puzzled, staring thoughtfully at the old man who was deliberately trying to stop him.
Zuo Meng, who was watching the show from behind, peeked out.
What happened? Did they get stopped at the door by their in-laws as soon as they arrived? Do you have to bring gifts to visit ghosts now?
Zhong Mu pondered for a moment, then glanced at the clinic before lowering his head again and saying, "I know that the clinic is full of patients from the village right now, and the infection rate is very high. It would be dangerous for someone like me to go in, but I really need to see a doctor. Could you please make way for me?"
The old man stared at Zhong Mu, silently taking a puff of his pipe. "Everyone who comes here is a young person from the village who has been infected. You're perfectly healthy. You went in and came out, and you're bound to get infected. Why are you looking for trouble? Are you out of your mind?"
Zhong Mu said matter-of-factly, "Yes, that's why I'm going in to see a doctor to check my brain."
The old man, pipe in mouth, fell silent at Zhong Mu's words.
He was too lazy to argue with this person who insisted on going in, and since he couldn't persuade him, he gave up. He pulled away the bamboo pole blocking his way and said, "Go ahead and go. Don't blame me if you die in there. That doctor is no pushover."
"Okay!" Zhong Mu's mind automatically filtered out the last sentence, and he hurriedly pulled Zuo Meng along and went over.
Zuo Meng was confused, but she understood what the old man was saying. Judging from the fact that there was a disease in the village that only spread among young people, the village clinic must be full of such patients now. It would be really dangerous for them to go in like this; they would be asking for trouble.
"Is it okay to go in like this? I don't want to get sick," Zuo Meng said nervously.
"It's alright, the doctor is in charge of this particular case of illness." Zhong Mu reassured him for a moment, then stepped into the courtyard with a cheerful expression.
Given the village's setting that diseases are spreading, players will inevitably encounter or contract the disease, thus triggering a side quest upon arriving at this clinic.
Normal players who complete the game will try their best to avoid getting infected when they learn about the disease. Once they avoid it, they will not come to the side quest area and will only carry out the main quest. However, if they accidentally get infected, they will come to this side quest area to collect side quest items.
Zhong Mu was not infected; he came to find the side quest voluntarily, which is an unusual behavior among players.
Even the gatekeeper was puzzled.
In the dilapidated clinic, countless patients with rotting limbs groaned in pain on their beds. The strong smell of medicine permeated the entire clinic, soaking every inch of the wooden planks.
Inside the earthenware pot, black liquid churned and the dregs of the medicine boiled and surged.
The little paper figure sat next to the medicine pot, fanning the fire with a fan, half asleep. The flames flickered around its feet, almost burning its paper feet several times.
In this quiet environment, the curtain of the inner room was suddenly and gently lifted by a fair hand, revealing a clean and handsome face beneath the curtain, with white hair as white as snow hanging down, strands of which clung to the shoulders of a gray-blue long robe.
The little paper figure suddenly woke up and looked in the direction of the figure. "Doctor, what's wrong? Didn't you say you were going to sleep for a while?"
Mu He beckoned to the little paper figure, placed one hand on her chest, and smiled slightly. "Come help me, let's open the door."
"Huh?" The little paper figure got up in confusion and took small, hesitant steps to walk over. "No one knocked? I didn't hear anyone knocking."
Its tiny paper hands helped the doctor, and just as they reached the door, two soft knocks sounded outside.
"Excuse me, is anyone home?"
A familiar voice drifted in, and the wooden door creaked open, letting in the light that filled the dimly lit clinic with the smell of medicine, and also falling on Mu He.
He slowly raised his dull eyes, able to perceive the changes in light and shadow, but unable to see the person in front of him.
Even though he couldn't see, his heart was filled with incredibly intense and surging emotions the moment the door opened. It was restless and difficult to ignore, and the constant flow of emotions made it hard for him not to know who was in front of him.
He stretched his hand out towards the door, and someone immediately took it.
Mu He chuckled, "Here to see a doctor?"
"Um."
Do you know what illness you have?
"lovesickness."
"This illness... I don't know how to treat it."
Zhong Mu's gaze traced his features closely as she said gently, "I know the prescription; I'm here to get the medicine."
He gripped Mu He's hand tightly.
"They've caught them now."