Chapter 147: Treating Ziling

Led by Ziling, the group arrived at Ziling's home—a nameless little fishing village.

Although Ziling was blind, she was very familiar with the way home.

Ziling returned home, and her father was also resting at home recently due to the high tide.

Seeing Ziling return with five men, her father asked:

"Ziling, who are these gentlemen?"

Ziling replied:

"Father, I was just bullied by the creek. Thanks to these big brothers for stepping in to save me, otherwise, Father, you might not have been able to see me anymore!"

"Ah!"

Her father was greatly alarmed, then fell to his knees with a thud in front of Duan Fengyun and the others, saying:

"Many thanks to you heroes for saving my little daughter's life.

My daughter is a pitiful person; her mother passed away from illness when she was young. After her mother died, she became ill from longing and actually cried until she went blind.

This old man and Ziling, father and daughter, depend on each other for survival. If she were to meet with any accident, what meaning would there be for me to live in this world!"

Even though Duan Fengyun had seen the original story, actually coming into contact with Ziling's life story still made him feel heartache for this pitiful woman.

Not to mention Bu Jingyun and the others; although they had lost their parents since they were young and grew up in the World Sect.

But their childhood days were free from worry about food and clothing, so one could imagine how difficult it was for a fisherman to survive while raising a blind daughter.

The group hurriedly helped Ziling's father up, and Duan Fengyun said while helping him:

"Seeing injustice on the road and drawing a sword to help is something we should do.

Uncle, you don't need to be so polite!"

Ziling did not make a sound, smiling as she walked into the kitchen; she had said she would treat the group, so she had to go to the kitchen to start cooking.

Seeing this, Duan Fengyun hurriedly ran to the kitchen to stop Ziling, telling her to go back and rest.

Ziling returned to the living room feeling embarrassed and said:

"This big brother is truly polite, even fighting to do the cooking for me.

It's just that I can't do anything, and I don't even know how to thank you all!"

Qin Shuang smiled and said:

"Miss Ziling, it's no trouble.

My Junior Brother Duan is famous for loving to cook, so you can just rest assured and leave the kitchen to him."

After hearing Qin Shuang's words, Ziling remembered that she didn't even know the names of the group, so she asked:

"May I ask for the honorable names of you big brothers?"

Qin Shuang said:

"My name is Qin Shuang, the one who saved you is my Junior Brother Bu Jingyun, this is Junior Brother Nie Feng, and the one in the kitchen is Junior Brother Duan Fengyun.

This little fellow is Long Er, Junior Brother Duan's godson."

Nie Feng, Bu Jingyun, and Long Er each greeted Ziling, allowing her to distinguish their identities.

At this time, Duan Fengyun in the kitchen was at a loss, because the kitchen in Ziling's home was truly too simple.

The seasonings were only the basics: salt, sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar, and the ingredients were all fish.

Since that was the case, Duan Fengyun decided to make an all-fish feast.

Soon, steamed fish, sweet and sour fish, and fried fish were served on the table.

After Ziling and her father tasted a bite, they praised the food while also feeling very embarrassed.

They had clearly invited others to their home as guests, yet there were no real dishes to serve.

Then, Ziling's father brought out the Nü'er Hong he had treasured for a long time.

Duan Fengyun and the others felt even more heartbroken, because this was the kind of wine they would not usually drink.

But in order to save face for Ziling's family, even Duan Fengyun, who never drank Nü'er Hong, bit the bullet and drank a few cups.

After the wine, Duan Fengyun asked Ziling's father:

"Uncle Zi, have you not taken Ziling to see a doctor for her eyes?

Logically speaking, Ziling's eyes should be curable."

The previously tipsy father suddenly became quiet, and Ziling also sat silently to the side.

Ziling's father looked at

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Ziling said with a face full of guilt:

"How could I not have looked?

It's just that the doctor said the cost for Ziling's eye ailment would be very high, and I truly do not have that much money to treat her eye ailment.

I have truly let Ziling down; she has suffered so much following me."

Having finished speaking, the strong-willed father actually began to choke up, and Ziling hurriedly comforted him.

Ziling knew her father's hardships, so she did not blame him.

Looking at this pitiful father and daughter, all five of them, including Duan Fengyun, wanted to extend a helping hand.

So Duan Fengyun spoke up:

"Uncle Zi, go and bring that doctor here.

We will pay for the money to treat Ziling's eye ailment!"

Ziling and her father hurriedly waved their hands, and Ziling said:

"Big Brother Duan, no.

We are just chance acquaintances, and you have already saved my life; there is no need to spend more money on me."

"I have already grown accustomed to a world of darkness; there is really no need for this."

Duan Fengyun smiled and said:

"Miss Ziling, this is really nothing!

We recently came into a bit of money, and since we few have no particular hobbies, this money would just sit on us unspent.

It is better to spend it on someone who truly needs it; don't you want to see this beautiful and colorful world?"

Seeing that things had reached this point, the father and daughter, having no way to repay them, knelt directly on the ground to thank the group.

Duan Fengyun helped the father up and told him to hurry and go fetch a doctor.

Meanwhile, Duan Fengyun told Ziling to rest at home in peace, and the group cleaned up the table and kitchen completely.

Soon, the father returned with a doctor, and upon seeing the well-dressed Duan Fengyun and his three companions, the doctor immediately knew there was a big fish to catch on this trip.

He examined Ziling's eyes, shook his head, and said:

"If you had sought treatment earlier, it would have been fine, but now the root of the ailment is deep-seated, and it is a bit tricky.

To cure her eyes, it will require quite a bit of money!"

The "tricky" part was a lie; he mainly wanted to extort more money.

If it were truly tricky, Duan Fengyun and his companions might have had to put in some effort.

But for things that could be solved by spending money, it was a piece of cake for the group.

Duan Fengyun took out a banknote, handed it to the doctor, and said:

"This is one hundred taels; there will be more banknotes if she is cured.

But if she is not cured, my sword is not just for show."

Duan Fengyun then gestured with his sword a few times.

The doctor took the banknote with a smile on his face and said:

"Rest assured, heroes, this minor ailment is a simple matter for this old man."

The doctor opened his medical kit, took out a pack of Silver Needles, and inserted them around Ziling's eyes.

He then took out an ointment he claimed was a secret family recipe and applied it to Ziling's eyes.

Ziling kept saying her eyes were itchy, and the doctor informed her:

"This is to activate the vitality of your eyeballs; after repeating this acupuncture and ointment treatment a few times, your eyes will see the light again."

Thinking that she would be able to see the light again, Ziling stopped making a sound and endured it silently.

After applying the ointment for half an hour, the doctor removed it and said:

"That is all for today's treatment; we will continue tomorrow. Within five days, the medicine will surely cure the illness."

After speaking, the doctor began to pack up his medicine box, preparing to leave.

Duan Fengyun grabbed him and said:

"Since that is the case, please stay here for a few days.

Rest assured, I will pay you for the time occupied when the time comes."

Ziling's house had four rooms, so the five of them plus the doctor made six people; they split into groups of three per room and stayed.

Over the next few days, the group supervised the doctor as he treated Ziling.

Under the doctor's treatment, Ziling was finally able to slowly sense light.

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After the final treatment ended, Ziling closed her eyes and then slowly opened them; this time, she could clearly see the world.

Ziling looked at her father; his face was full of wrinkles, and his hair had turned white.

She rushed forward, hugged her father, and wept bitterly:

"Father, I can see things clearly now.

I can see you, Father; you have aged quite a bit."

Seeing his daughter regain her sight, the father was also filled with joy, and the two of them knelt on the ground with a thud.

"Many thanks to the doctor, many thanks to all the heroes."

Duan Fengyun and Qin Shuang helped the father and daughter up and said:

"Uncle Zi, Miss Ziling, we have said it so many times, there is no need to thank us!

As for this doctor, you need not thank him even more; one who takes money must do the job, and since he accepted our money, he should treat Ziling properly."

The doctor hurriedly agreed:

"Yes, yes, yes, this young master is right.

Since this old man accepted your money, I should indeed do the job well.

I wonder, young master, should the final payment be settled now?"

Duan Fengyun directly took out five hundred taels and tossed it to him; the doctor, having received the money, wore a smile on his face. He had originally thought it would only be two hundred taels or so, and he had not expected Duan Fengyun to be so generous.

He bowed and scraped, saying:

"Many thanks, young master, many thanks, young master.

I wish you peace and good health.

This old man will take his leave."

Having received the money, the doctor packed up his medicine box and left in high spirits.

These six hundred taels were enough to cover his family's expenses for a long time.

After seeing the doctor leave, the father asked Duan Fengyun:

"Young Master Duan, I wonder if you would mind my family's situation; I would like to betroth my daughter to you.

My daughter is quite well-behaved, and she is steady and diligent; she is grown now and should find a husband."

"I just don't know if you are willing, Young Master Duan."

Ziling, standing to the side, was blushing deeply and did not speak; it seemed she truly did have feelings for Duan Fengyun.

Indeed, Duan Fengyun gave off a dashing and handsome impression, and he had also helped her heal her eyes.

How could she not be moved by such a wealthy, good-looking, and chivalrous man?

Duan Fengyun shook his head and laughed:

"Uncle Zi, you are joking.

I already have a family; my son is already two years old.

It is just that due to some recent matters, I am temporarily separated from them."

Duan Fengyun was rolling his eyes in his heart; why had this father and daughter of the Zi family taken a liking to him?

Why was he, a scoundrel, so well-liked?

Sigh, this charm of mine has nowhere to rest.

Upon hearing this, Ziling felt a wave of disappointment; she had not expected that Duan Fengyun, being so young, would already have a family.

Afterwards, Father Zi asked Qin Shuang and the other two.

The answers he received were that they were all already married, and the father and daughter of the Zi family were now muttering to themselves:

"How is it that we finally met four good men, and they are all married?"

Duan Fengyun saw through the thoughts of the father and daughter, and he said:

"Uncle Zi, now that Ziling's eyes are healed, I believe Miss Ziling will find her own happiness.

The four of us live lives of licking blood from the blade in the Jianghu; Ziling would not have a good life following us."

Under Duan Fengyun's persuasion, the father and daughter finally gave up.

And Duan Fengyun had also thought it through: as long as Ziling did not follow them, she would not be dragged into their troubles.

After Duan Fengyun gave Father Zi a large sum of money, the group quietly departed.

If they had said goodbye, the father and daughter would likely have knelt down to thank them again.

And the money left behind was enough for the father and daughter to live a happy life.

(End of this chapter)

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