Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Gu Qingyu’s complexion was a bit sallow, and he didn’t look well. Even after eating and taking his medicine, his spirits were low, so he could only stay at the Dragon King Temple to rest.

When Wang Yuan saw Gu Qingyu like this, and heard Sun Haoran’s diagnosis, she became even more certain that Gu Qingyu was truly seriously ill.

Her heart leaped with joy. She would write a letter when she got back that night, and when the postman next came to the village to deliver mail, she could send it out.

In the afternoon, Hua Yusen and Yang Guanghui stayed near the Dragon King Temple, clearing away the surrounding mud and protecting Gu Qingyu at the same time.

Zhao Nuanyue, on the other hand, took her younger brother and sister to turn in mountain delicacies to the village. They were still a few catties short, so they needed to go back to the mountain to find more and complete their task for the day.

With the Little Red Carp guiding them, they could always find plenty of mountain delicacies and also gather many wild fruits. Zhao Nuanyue brought some back, but stored most of them in a cave.

Zhao Nuanyue was especially looking forward to the Little Red Carp creating a Space Artifact. She could put all this food and these supplies inside a Space Ring for emergencies.

However, the Little Red Carp kept saying she was still gathering materials and couldn’t craft it yet, so Zhao Nuanyue could only wait.

While busy with her work, Zhao Nuanyue still made time every day to memorize the Tangtou Song that Sun Haoran had written out from memory, as well as various formulas and the medicinal properties of each herb.

Hua Yusen even managed to get several medical books for Zhao Nuanyue through the organization. Although they were old and battered, Sun Haoran inspected them and confirmed they were excellent.

Therefore, Zhao Nuanyue had to memorize a large amount of medical knowledge every day, and she was incredibly diligent and serious about it. She saw medicine as a skill for her future survival, a way to support her family.

Zhao Nuan Yang, on the other hand, was engrossed in drawing. He often discussed it with He Qiang and was making rapid progress. As for the Little Red Carp, she was free and unfettered, thinking that the human world was quite fun.

By late autumn, the public grain quotas of salted fish, mountain delicacies, and other goods had been handed over. The village had a surplus, so Miao Cunzheng and Dong Sanshu sold it all to the store, exchanging it for a lot of money and ration tickets to be distributed to the villagers at the end of the year.

Nianqiao Village was very peaceful. Wang Dadan and Li Siming were being especially well-behaved, not daring to cause any trouble, kept firmly in check by Miao Cunzheng and Li Guihua.

Meanwhile, Gu Qingyu’s health was deteriorating day by day. Wang Yuan would often make food and deliver it to the elderly people living in the back. At the same time, she had already written two letters to Jincheng City, reporting on Gu Qingyu’s condition.

Seeing this, Zhao Nuanyue stopped holding back. When she made delicious food, she would also give a portion to the elders, which meant she no longer had to go cook for them every night.

Faced with Gu Qingyu’s worsening condition, Miao Cunzheng and Director Li were very anxious.

”Jianguo’s mother,” Miao Dahai said with a sigh, taking a puff from his long-stemmed pipe, ”Jianguo wrote to us before, asking us to take care of Gu Qingyu and ensure his safety. But his health is getting worse and worse. I went to see him today; he’s sallow and emaciated. We can’t let this continue.”

They had planned for every contingency, but they never expected Gu Qingyu’s own body to fail. Even though they had lightened his workload, it couldn’t reverse the decline in his health.

Li Guihua listened, pondered for a moment, and then asked, ”Why don’t we send him to the county town to see a doctor? We can’t just watch him die!”

It wasn’t just about failing to fulfill their son’s request; they felt they couldn’t just let Gu Qingyu die like this.

If someone were to settle scores after the fact, wouldn’t they be in trouble? Perhaps their son, with his job at the work unit, would also suffer because of it.

Miao Cunzheng nodded. ”Alright. I’ll go talk to Mr. Hua. Tomorrow, he can bring Gu Qingyu, and we’ll all take him to the county hospital to get checked out.”

”Yes, let’s do that. No matter what, we’ll do our best. Then we’ll have a clear conscience,” Li Guihua said, settling the matter.

Afterward, Miao Cunzheng found Hua Yusen and told him the news about taking Gu Qingyu to the hospital.

Hua Yusen was taken aback for a moment, but this was good. The news of Elder Gu’s illness could spread more quickly this way.

”Uncle Miao Zhi, you are truly a kind man,” Hua Yusen said with praise. ”I’ll tell Uncle Gu in a bit. We’ll head to the county town first thing tomorrow morning.”

”It’s not about being kind. We just can’t stand by and watch someone die. After all, even Sun’s medical skills aren’t working, so our only choice is to go to the county town,” said Uncle Miao. ”Hopefully, they can find the cause of his illness there.”

”Let’s hope so,” Hua Yusen said, nodding as he watched Miao Cunzheng leave.

After Uncle Miao had left, Hua Yusen went to see Gu Qingyu in person.

When Gu Qingyu heard what Hua Yusen had to say, he agreed to go to the county town for a check-up.

”Elder Gu, the curtain has been raised,” Hua Yusen said softly. ”You’ve been put through a lot during this time. If you feel any discomfort, please tell me immediately.”

”Hehe, Younger Brother Sun’s medical skills are indeed excellent. I may look very weak, but I don’t actually feel any discomfort or pain,” Gu Qingyu replied. ”So don’t you worry. There’s still a month and a half until the New Year. I believe we’ll be able to leave this place very soon.”

”That’s good. Those people have probably already received reports about your physical condition, but they still don’t quite believe it. Once we go to the county town, get you admitted to the hospital, and run some tests, they will let down their guard,” Hua Yusen said solemnly. ”That’s why this trip to the county town is crucial.”

”Mm, yes. We have to make them think I don’t have long to live. That’s the only way they’ll let me leave this place,” Gu Qingyu said with a bitter smile. A helpless glint flickered in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a look of determination.

No matter how bitter, how tiring, or how dangerous it was, Gu Qingyu was not afraid. He had to see this through to the end.

The next morning, Zhao Nuanyue watched as Hua Yusen carried Gu Qingyu on his back and climbed onto the ox-cart. Miao Dahai drove the cart to take them to the county town.

Sun Haoran was also very eager to know what was really wrong with Gu Qingyu, so after asking Miao Dahai for permission, he went along with them to the county town.

The weather was cold and the sky was gray, looking as if it was about to snow.

The villagers were holed up in their homes for the winter, and the volunteers at the Dragon King Temple were also huddled inside the main hall, warming themselves by the fire. Zhao Nuanyue called Old Madam Qian, Old Sir Qian, and He Qiang to the front hall to warm up by the fire as well.

Everyone was worried about Gu Qingyu, so no one was laughing or talking loudly. Old Madam Qian was doing needlework, and Yang Guanghui was reading a book.

Seeing that Zhao Nuanyue and Zhao Nuan Yang were studying high school books, Old Madam Qian would even explain physics to them sometimes.

Yang Guanghui was surprised and asked, ”Nuanyue, what made you decide to study high school books?”

Zhao Nuanyue handed the book to her younger brother, telling him to keep reading, and then replied in a low voice, ”Nuanyang and I came here right after we finished junior high. Our education level is very low, so we wanted to study more. I found some textbooks to bring back with me when I went home last year. You, Li Qiong, and Wang Yuan all graduated from high school. You’re educated people!”