Chapter 41

Lao Langzhong was busy feeding medicine pills, inserting needles, treating wounds, and changing wound medicine.

Gu Xixi helped him take out things from the medicine box, after which she couldn't help much.

She wasn't a doctor; at this distance being too close was actually in the way, so she could only sit by the table and watch silently.

Mu Nan Zhao closed his eyes and lay on the bed, but this time he did not lose consciousness.

Finally Lao Langzhong wrapped gauze around it and wiped away the sweat beading on his forehead.

He glared at Mu Nan Zhao with anger, "Do you know......"

"If the wound keeps tearing open and gets infected, you'll die; even if poison flares up a few more times, even immortals could hardly save you." Mu Nan Zhao responded leisurely, opening his long eyes, smiling with a hint of teasing.

Lao Langzhong was angered, paused, raised his hand pointing at his face, "You're trying to steal my words, right?"

"I see you're still quite strong; if you end up like this again next time, you'd better not come to me for help!"

Gu Xixi hurried forward, "Master, he didn't deliberately make things harder for you; it was all an accident."

"A stone from the mountain smashed down; if it weren't for him, you might only have had time to collect my corpse."

Lao Langzhong was surprised, "How are you? Are you injured anywhere?"

Gu Xixi laughed, "I'm fine. Master, you're worrying needlessly; if I were seriously injured, how could I have escaped your ears and nose just now?"

Lao Langzhong's expression then eased, "When I heard thunder this morning, I had a bad feeling."

"Fortunately you had a scare but no danger; I also managed to pull his life back."

Lao Langzhong immediately continued with concern, "How are those children?"

"All safe." Gu Xixi roughly explained the rescue process.

She glanced at Mu Nan Zhao on the bed; his eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling slightly—he seemed asleep.

So she lowered her voice and said, "Master, you've worked hard; you should rest a bit."

But Lao Langzhong turned and walked toward the door, saying, "It's not yet time to rest."

"Come with me to find some of the medicinal herbs your father stored."

As Lao Langzhong had expected, from that evening onward for the next two or three days he remained busy.

Because of the heavy rain, over ten villagers successively came down with colds.

Lao Langzhong also thereby earned the villagers' recognition, becoming Flower Pool Ford Village's resident healer, though that is a later story.

That afternoon the rain stopped, and at sunset the sky was filled with red clouds.

Qin Dasao carried a basket of eggs, leading the feverish Shitou, when she encountered Lao Qian coughing hard.

The three of them went together to Gu Xixi's home.

Lao Langzhong first took Shitou's pulse, feeling his forehead and neck throat area.

He smiled and said, "It's nothing serious; I'll prescribe a dose, boil four bowls of water down to one bowl, then split it into two portions."

"Give him one portion to drink before sleep, and the other at midnight; that should do it."

Qin Dasao repeatedly thanked him, pressing five-wen cash into Lao Langzhong's palm as consultation fee.

Lao Langzhong did not refuse, accepting it gladly.

Zhang Shen, however, refused to accept the basket of eggs Qin Dasao brought, and they kept pushing it back and forth.

Qin Dasao said, "These eggs are, first, to thank Xixi for her idea that saved my Shitou."

"Second, it's because of our private friendship; she risked an accident to save the children, so I ought to give her something tasty to calm her nerves."

These words were reasonable; Zhang Shen found it hard to refuse further, seeing Xixi also nod, so she took the basket.

"Alright, it's rare to have such sincerity; we won't stand on ceremony then."

"Wait a moment, I'll put the eggs in the kitchen; you can just take the basket back with you."

Meanwhile, Lao Langzhong was still feeling Lao Qian's pulse.

It took longer than the time he had spent diagnosing Shitou.

Lao Qian watched Lao Langzhong, sometimes furrowing his brows, sometimes sighing, his heart rising in anxiety.

"I just got chilled from the rain; it's nothing serious... right?"

Lao Langzhong raised his head, "You have some wind-cold cough; taking medicine for three to five days will clear it up."

Lao Qian had just relaxed when he heard Lao Langzhong shift his tone, "However,"

"Your kidney-yang deficiency is a longstanding issue; ordinarily you should have shown symptoms earlier."

Lao Qian burst into a violent coughing fit, his face flushing red.

Qin Dasao, having been married for many years, may not know medicine, but she caught the two keywords "kidney deficiency."

Not to mention having to save face for the village chief.

Considering Shitou is a child and Xixi is an unmarried young lady, some things are better left unsaid.

Qin Dasao casually pointed to the west side of the courtyard, "Let's talk over there so we don't disturb Lao Langzhong's consultation."

Although Shitou had a fever with a red puffy face, he was energetic, hopping and skipping as he walked.

"Mom, I don't want to drink that bitter herbal soup!"

Qin Dasao's eyebrows furrowed, "Shut up; whether you eat it or not is not up to you!"

Shitou then placed his hope on Gu Xixi, "Aunt Xixi, you said I was brave; I can get better without medicine."

Gu Xixi chuckled, "Ruilin, even the bravest person gets sick; when ill you must obey the healer's words—taking medicine is what gets you better."

Shitou's formal name is Qin Ruilin; this name was given by Qin Dasao asking her natal family's schoolteacher.

And the nickname Shitou comes from the intention of a humble name being easy to raise.

Thus the difference between the two is so great that someone unaware would find it hard to imagine they are the same person.

Qin Dasao looked at her son, "Did you hear that?"

Shitou put on a bitter face and wilted for a moment.

But he quickly turned worry into joy, "What Aunt Xixi said makes sense, I understand it all, I'll obey and take the medicine properly!"

Qin Dasao smiled and said, "Your Aunt Xixi can read and write; what she says makes some sense, something I, as mother, couldn't say."

She looked at the little dog, and a hint of sadness tinged her smile.

If the village had a school, the children wouldn't have to hide in caves to play on rainy days, which almost led to an accident.

Gu Xixi looked at the clever little dog and also felt regret.

At that moment, Zhang Shen came out and returned the basket holding the eggs to Qin Dasao.

Qin Dasao said a couple more words, then took the little dog and took her leave.

Meanwhile, Lao Qian's consultation also came to an end.

However, despite his attempts to conceal it, he actually showed some happiness that was hard to hide.

"Then I'll entrust my body to your care."

"As long as it makes me better, any amount of medical fee is no problem!"

It seems this old doctor possesses some genuine skill, actually hitting the mark on symptoms he found hard to mention.

Most importantly, the old doctor said he could cure it!

Lao Qian almost wanted to run home right away to secretly tell his wife this good news!

The old doctor saw Lao Qian to the door, saying, "Wait two days; I'll have the medicine ready, and I'll have Xixi deliver it to you."

Lao Qian felt embarrassed and didn't dare look at Gu Xixi, "... Alright."

After he left, Gu Xixi asked blankly, "Master, why does Uncle Qian look so strange?"

"He doesn't have a serious illness, does he?"

The old doctor waved his hand, saying, "Whether big or small, it needs treatment."

At the Gu Lao San household, Gu Qingye took down her umbrella from under the eaves and vigorously rubbed off the mud on her feet.

"Father, Mother, I'm back!"

She lifted the door curtain, but inside the main room only Gu Tiezhu was there.

Gu Tiezhu said, "Father and Mother saw the rain had lightened, so they went to visit neighbors."

Gu Qingye glanced at him and casually said, "Brother, why is your hair wet? Did you just go out?"