No Longer Escaping (ABO) - Chapter 46

“Everyone, please quiet down! Listen to me!”

The noisy crowd had the pharmacy blocked, and the elderly owner had to shout for a long time before everyone calmed down.

“Your medicine was useless for my wife!”

“You’re heartless! Selling fake medicine!”

“Give us an explanation!”

“Call the officials! Arrest this fake medicine seller!”

“Damn it! Give us a refund!”

After a moment of quiet, the crowd started shouting again, one after another.

Their anger grew.

The owner looked at the scene, his face pale with fear.

The pharmacy entrance was completely blocked by the crowd, and they kept pushing their way in.

Yang Lulong and Wan Niang stood in the distance, looking at the street filled with people who were there to protest.

It seemed like there was no shortage of them participating.

They weren’t just there to settle scores; they wanted to find out what had happened and find a solution.

But looking at the angry crowd, it was impossible to find out the reason anytime soon.

Yang Lulong stretched her neck from behind the crowd, looking for a way to get to the pharmacy.

The street was impossible to go through, so they had to find another way.

The pharmacy’s roof was right next to the tavern’s second floor, and with the protruding balcony and corridor, it would be easy to jump onto the roof.

She immediately took Wan Niang’s hand and walked toward the tavern’s entrance.

“Where are we going?”

Wan Niang asked, confused by Yang Lulong’s sudden action.

“I know how to get into the pharmacy.”

Yang Lulong walked in front, pushing through the crowded people as she went.

Her hand was tightly holding Wan Niang’s.

She led Wan Niang all the way to the second floor of the tavern.

Wan Niang saw Yang Lulong lift her long leg and step over the railing and immediately stopped her.

“What are you doing?!”

“We’ll drop down from here, then go in through their backyard.”

Not only did Yang Lulong not stop, but she also put her other leg over.

She grabbed the railing with both hands, turned around, and prepared to jump down.

The two places were very close, just a step away.

“Wait!” Wan Niang quickly stopped her.

“If we wait for the crowd to disperse, it’ll be dark. This is faster.”

“It’s so dangerous. If you’re not careful, I won’t take care of you every day if you’re stuck in bed.”

“It’s fine.”

As she spoke, Yang Lulong took a step and landed on the roof.

“See, it’s fine.”

She waved at Wan Niang, telling her to come over.

“No!” Wan Niang grabbed the railing and stood her ground, not moving.

She looked at Yang Lulong on the roof, urging her to come over, her eyebrows furrowed.

She was very reluctant.

“I don’t even know what to ask them. If you don’t come over, wouldn’t I be doing this for nothing?”

Wan Niang heard her words and wavered for a moment, but when she looked down, she shook her head hard.

“I’m not going!”

“Then what do you want me to ask them? I’ll go ask for you. You wait here.”

Yang Lulong saw that she wouldn’t come over no matter what and said helplessly.

Wan Niang looked at her, hesitating for a long time.

Finally, she sighed and lifted her leg over the railing.

After both her legs were over, Wan Niang stared straight ahead, not daring to look down.

She took a deep breath.

“I’ll catch you. It’s fine.”

Yang Lulong held her arms out, ready to catch her at any moment.

Wan Niang didn’t move for a while, so Yang Lulong continued to encourage her.

“Just take one step, and you’ll be over. I’ll catch you. You’ll be okay.”

Wan Niang looked at her, the veins on the hand gripping the railing behind her were bulging.

She closed her eyes, took one last deep breath, lifted her leg, and took a big step.

She landed in a warm embrace.

“I said I’d catch you.”

She opened her eyes and saw Yang Lulong’s smiling face.

She mumbled shyly, “Let’s keep going…”

The two of them separated.

They continued to walk, one in front of the other.

Yang Lulong held her hand tightly.

They walked on the roof, the tiles crunching under their feet.

Luckily, the crowd below was making more noise, so they weren’t discovered.

Using the wall, they dropped into the pharmacy’s backyard.

The yard was filled with many herbs that were drying in the sun.

No one was there to watch them.

They were probably all at the front dealing with the angry public.

They hadn’t even reached the door to find the pharmacy staff when they were discovered.

“Who are you?!”

A young girl who looked like she hadn’t reached the age of fifteen yet shouted at them.

“We’re here to see the owner.”

Wan Niang went forward and spoke to her calmly, a smile on her face to show they meant no harm.

“…”

The wary girl pursed her lips and sized them up.

Then she looked at Yang Lulong beside her.

“You’re not allowed to move around. Don’t touch anything.”

She warned them.

She glanced at them one last time and then turned and shouted into the house, “Master!”

A middle-aged man walked out.

He had a long beard but didn’t look very old, maybe a few years older than Uncle Zhang.

His forehead was covered in sweat.

His face looked very bad.

It seemed like this ‘disaster’ had taken a toll on him.

“What’s wrong?”

He was about to question his young apprentice when he saw two strangers in front of him.

“Who are you?”

“We want to ask you, what’s going on with that medicine?”

Hearing this question again, the man sighed deeply.

“I don’t know either. It’s always been the same as before.

We don’t make this medicine ourselves.

We buy it from the capital and sell it.

I’m just as confused as you are about the problem…”

“Has this kind of problem happened before?” Wan Niang asked him.

“Never.

Only this new batch has a problem.”

As he spoke, he took a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“Where did you get your supply from?”

“The capital, from Liren Hall in the capital.”

“Liren Hall?!”

Wan Niang’s voice suddenly rose several octaves when she heard the name, which made Yang Lulong beside her look at her in surprise.

“Yes, Liren Hall.”

“But Liren Hall wasn’t…”

“The old one was sealed off, but a new one with the same name opened a few years ago.

They make the estrus period pills, and they’re the only ones who sell them.

We honestly don’t know why the medicine turned out this way…”

Wan Niang listened to him, seemingly lost in thought.

After a long time, she came back to her senses and said goodbye to the owner, preparing to leave.

The owner had his apprentice lead them out the back door.

On the way back, Yang Lulong saw Wan Niang’s distracted look and asked her.

“Liren Hall?”

“That was my father’s medical hall…”

“Huh?” Yang Lulong was surprised.

“Then the new one…”

“I don’t know who opened it…”

Wan Niang frowned.

She only knew that the estrus period pills were made by a pharmacist in the capital, but she didn’t know the specifics.

It turned out to be ‘Liren Hall’.

And why would they use her father’s medical hall’s name?

Could it be one of her father’s former students?

Her father had many students, but she didn’t know who it could be.

And after so much time, she had mostly forgotten her impressions of those people.

Using the name of Liren Hall, yet selling such a medicine.

Thinking of this, Wan Niang’s face grew gloomier.

Although she didn’t have strong feelings for her father’s medical hall, it was his life’s work.

The reputation of being the best medical hall in the capital.

“Do you want to go to the capital to investigate?” Yang Lulong suddenly said.

“Huh?” Wan Niang’s thoughts were pulled back by her.

“Go to the capital?”

“It seems like that’s the only place we can find out what happened.”

“But…”

Going to the capital was not a trip of a few days.

Wan Niang was hesitant.

She couldn’t be as decisive as Yang Lulong, who could just leave.

And if she left, what would happen to the people in the village?

“Waiting is just waiting.

And we don’t know when a solution will come.”

“I need to think about it more.

Let’s go back first…”

“Okay.”

While Wan Niang was still thinking, Xiao Wen, Li Cui’er, and the others suddenly came to visit.

After they came back, Yang Lulong told them about what had happened.

They thought that since it concerned Wan Niang, and she definitely wouldn’t want her father’s medical hall’s reputation to be ruined like this, they came to Wan Niang’s house.

Listening to everyone trying to persuade her to go and see what was going on, Wan Niang laughed it off, pulled Yang Lulong, and hid in the house.

“You told them everything?” she asked Yang Lulong.

Seeing that Wan Niang didn’t seem to be in a good mood, Yang Lulong nodded meekly, not daring to speak.

“I said I would think about it, and you went and told them all this…”

As she spoke, she saw Yang Lulong’s wronged expression, like a child who was being scolded.

Her tone softened.

“I know you care about everyone…” Yang Lulong said softly.

“But everyone also has something they want to say to you.”

Wan Niang looked at her.

They were silent for a long time.

Wan Niang sighed deeply and walked out of the house.

Seeing Wan Niang come out, Xiao Wen came forward.

“Wan Niang, you should go.”

“But what about everyone in the village?” Wan Niang asked worriedly.

“We can take care of ourselves.

Don’t you worry, Wan Niang,” Brother Zhang said with a smile, his voice cheerful.

“For so long, you’ve been the one helping everyone.

When people in the village have a problem, you’re the first person they think of and come to for help.

But you also have something you want to do, don’t you?” Sister Fang looked at her, her eyes gentle.

“Just go!

I promise I won’t get hurt during this time!” Li Cui’er said, patting her chest to promise.

“That’s true.

If Li Cui’er doesn’t get hurt, Wan Niang will have half as many problems.”

Xiao Wen joked, which made everyone laugh.

“I won’t get sick either.

I’ll get sick when Auntie Wan comes back…” Xiao Hua’s words made everyone laugh again.

Wan Niang looked at everyone, a smile on her face, but her eyes were teary.

She took a deep breath and said to everyone, “Thank you, everyone… but I…”

“What you care about is what we all care about,” Yang Lulong said, standing beside her and gently stroking her back to comfort her.

Wan Niang looked at her.

“We’ll always be by your side.”

“Thank you, everyone…”

The support and understanding of the villagers moved Wan Niang deeply.

“How about we hold a farewell party for Wan Niang and the others?” Xiao Wen’s loud suggestion made the tears that were about to fall from Wan Niang’s eyes go back in.

A helpless but happy smile replaced them.

“Okay!”

“I’ll slaughter my chicken and add more dishes for everyone!”

“My cured meat is good too!”

Wan Niang watched them happily discuss what to eat.

She turned to look at Yang Lulong and saw that she was also looking at her, with the same happy smile on her face.