"You're late, my young apprentice," Baizhu said without looking up from the herbs he was busy grinding into powder. There was a gentleness in his gaze that contrasted with his strict tone. "You must take your responsibilities seriously. The work we do here is important, and we cannot afford any hazardous mistakes."

Though you had been apprenticing in Bubu Pharmacy for almost a year, the weight of your responsibilities still felt heavy on your shoulders. Doctor Baizhu was a kind and benevolent man, but he was also strict with his teachings, being in the buisness of human lives. You often wondered why he had chosen you, a mediocre scholar at best, to be his apprentice.