"Ye Ming, what is all this noise?" An old man with a long beard lifted the cloth curtain and stepped out from inside.
The apprentice medicine boy turned to explain, "Master, this young lady wishes to apprentice under you to learn medicine. I told her women cannot practice medicine, and she wasn't pleased."
Doctor He walked around the counter and inquired, "Young lady, what makes you want to study medicine?"
This must be the resident physician of the clinic. Song Jinzhao replied, "When I was young, I read a medical book introducing medicinal herbs, and I've been interested ever since."
"Now, my family has suddenly encountered misfortune, so I thought of finding work to support the household."
Doctor He nodded in understanding. Misfortune? Likely her parents have passed away, otherwise they wouldn't have failed to stop her. Supporting the household suggests there are still young siblings to provide for. A pitiable situation, but...
"Young lady, a physician's apprentice must study at their master's side for decades, living and eating together, unable to return home. For a woman, it is truly inconvenient."
"I presume you still have family at home needing care. An apprentice receives no wages; you could neither support your family nor put food on the table."
"This old man's requirement for taking on apprentices is that they be around eight or nine years old, the most suitable age. Your age is also not appropriate."
Song Jinzhao's gaze fixed on Doctor He, her pupils slightly dilating.
Ten years of unpaid labor, not a single coin earned—even more exploitative than the modern-day black-hearted bosses who demand 24-hour overtime without extra pay.
If one knew nothing, room and board while learning a trade might be barely acceptable. But she merely wanted a reputable affiliation; she couldn't afford to waste ten years, let alone be unable to return home.
At the entrance of the second clinic, an assistant waved to shoo Song Jinzhao away. "Out, out! There's no such thing as a woman treating patients in this world."
At the third, "You can only stay at the shop during the day? Never seen someone begging to be an apprentice with so many demands. If you could become a doctor, I might as well become the Imperial Physician."
Finally, at Yao'an Hall, "A young lady out and about all day, exposing herself to public view... Our Yao'an Hall's reputation is precious. We never hire women."
Song Jinzhao stood on the street. Water had just been splashed near her feet, and rotten vegetable leaves lay soggy and stuck to the ground.
She had thought practicing medicine in ancient times was too simple. Not only was no one willing to take her, but she also couldn't earn money quickly.
"Hunter Liu, wait a moment. I'll go fetch our manager."
Song Jinzhao looked toward the source of the voice. It was a restaurant called Shi You Ji.
A man stood at the entrance, holding two pheasants in one hand and a grey-furred rabbit in the other.
The man was led into the restaurant. When he came out, his hands were empty, and she saw him carefully tucking a heavy-looking money pouch inside his collar.
Song Jinzhao's eyes shifted thoughtfully, and she walked into the restaurant.
"What would you like to order, customer?"
Song Jinzhao asked, "Server, do you buy game here?"
The server looked down, seeing her empty hands with nothing to sell.
"Of course we do. Does your family have game to sell, miss?"
Song Jinzhao shook her head, fabricating a story. "My father is going up the mountain tomorrow. He used to hunt for our own meals, but now he wants to sell. I just don't know what kinds of game you buy here."
The server pointed at the menu on the wall. "Pheasants, wild rabbits—though these are cheap. Last year someone hunted a stag and sold it for a full seventy taels of silver. As long as it's edible, our restaurant wants it."
Song Jinzhao felt a surge of joy inside. When the apocalypse came, she had awakened an ability and joined the base security force, undergoing three full months of special forces training. Although she hadn't killed many mutant beasts, she was confident about hunting in the mountains.
This was a fast way to make money, cash on the same day.
After leaving the restaurant, she first went to a grain shop to buy five catties of rice, then to a cloth merchant to pick out a bolt of soft cotton fabric. After purchasing her goods, she hurried out of the city towards home.
"Elder sister is back!" Hearing footsteps, the two siblings happily ran out to greet her.
Old Lady Song, seeing her return, began to praise, "Your mother raised Shixue to be both capable and clever. Anhao is especially well-behaved in her hands."
Song Shixue lifted her head, her bright eyes gazing up at Song Jinzhao.
"Shixue is truly amazing."
The little girl's mouth curved into a smile upon hearing her elder sister's praise, her heart blooming with joy.
Old Lady Song didn't stay much longer. With many chores at home, she wouldn't have stayed at Song Jinzhao's place all morning if she weren't truly worried.
In the afternoon, after instructing her younger siblings, Song Jinzhao shouldered a bamboo basket, picked up an axe, and headed for the mountains.
The undeveloped mountain forest was densely vegetated, the entire mountain shrouded by tall trees. The temperature dropped rapidly upon entering.
The people of Song Village would dig for wild vegetables at the foot of the mountain and gather firewood on the slopes. They only dared to venture into the outer periphery, never too deep.
There were wild beasts in the mountains; lives had been lost before.
Song Jinzhao used the axe to cut down a slender bamboo, splitting it in half lengthwise. One half became a bow, the other half arrows. She twisted hemp rope into a thin string for the bowstring. A simple bow was now ready.
A sharp 'gah-gah' suddenly erupted from the grass, short and piercing.
A pheasant, startled, flew out from the grass. Its feathers were covered in round spots like black sesame seeds. Its body skimmed close to the grass tips as it flew, wings flapping rapidly with a 'puh-chi, puh-chi' sound.
Song Jinzhao swiftly raised the bow, nocked an arrow, and let it fly. The bamboo arrow struck the pheasant, feathers scattering like blossoms from a heavenly maiden.
The pheasant fell to the ground, not dead, limping on its claws as it tried to escape.
Song Jinzhao ran over and caught it. Her reputation as the base security force's sharpshooter wasn't for nothing—a hundred shots, a hundred hits, never missing the bullseye.
An hour and a half later, the bamboo basket was full, holding two pheasants and three wild rabbits.
It was too late to go to the city now. She planned to go early tomorrow to sell them at the restaurant.
Fortunately, the bamboo arrows weren't sharp enough, only causing minor flesh wounds to wings and legs. They wouldn't die overnight.
Arriving home and seeing the pheasants and rabbits taken out of the basket, Song Qiming and Song Shixue stood dumbfounded.
"Brother, it's meat."
Song Qiming nodded. And so much of it.
He looked up at Song Jinzhao expectantly. "Elder sister, did you catch all these?"
The family hadn't eaten meat for several months, not even tasted an egg.
"Yes. Your elder sister has decided to hunt in the mountains to support you from now on."
Song Jinzhao walked to the water vat to wash her hands and found that the vat, which had only a little water left at the bottom, was now full. "Did you fetch water from the well?"
Song Village had only one well, in the center of the village, nearly a quarter-hour's walk away.
Song Qiming shook his head. "Shixue and I couldn't carry it. It was Uncle who fetched the water."
Song Jinzhao used water to rinse the bloodstains from the bamboo basket. "Did Second Uncle not come?"
Song Qiming: "No."
In the kitchen, Song Shixue crouched on the ground, carefully touching the furry rabbit ears with her hand.
So soft.
Seeing the two children watching the prey while swallowing saliva, Song Jinzhao hesitated for a few moments before saying, "After the seven-day mourning period passes, your elder sister will cook rabbit meat for you."
Song Qiming's eyes widened like obsidian stones washed by a stream, sparkling.
"Elder sister should take these to the city to sell for money. Younger brother is not well and will need to take a lot of medicine later. My sister and I don't like eating meat."
Song Shixue nodded vigorously, her words belying her true feelings. "Right, we don't like meat."
Song Jinzhao shook the water from her hands, bent down, and looked at the two of them. "Your elder sister is very good at catching rabbits. From now on, our family won't lack for meat to eat."
Song Qiming's eyes widened further, asking in disbelief, "Really?"
Song Jinzhao raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Of course. Otherwise, how could I have caught so many right after coming up the mountain?"
