Maomao from The Apothecary Diaries had a tough life with no positive maternal figure to look to. Her mother, Fengxian, was abusive. Her sickness also caused Maomao to become the caretaker at an early age. The abuse caused her to be more reserved. However, through The Apothecary Diaries, she starts opening up more and trusts people.

Lihua was the first person Maomao cured upon her arrival at the palace. When her son was dying, they were clueless about the cause until Maomao’s medical knowledge helped her identify it. While her son did pass away, she was saved by the apothecary later on. Lihua faced a wake-up call at that point and started paying attention to Maomao’s medical opinion.

Maomao heals a sick Lihua in The Apothecary Diaries. [Credit: Toho]

This led to the duo harboring respect for one another. She starts becoming more affectionate towards the apothecary. What’s noticeable,...