Free Web NovelChapter 638: Chapter 636: Finally Done
"What’s wrong with Mom? She was fine when I left," the boy asked, turning his head in concern.
Song Zijie followed the boy’s gaze and saw a little girl, about eleven or twelve years old, stumbling toward the New Year’s print stall.
She ran up to the boy, panting, and couldn’t help but frown when she saw the pile of New Year’s prints in front of him.
"Brother, how come you haven’t sold a single print? What are we going to do? We’re out of rice at home."
Xi Li looked at the crestfallen boy and the little girl who looked like she was about to cry. Her heart went out to them, and she stepped forward to ask, "How much are your New Year’s prints?"
The boy and his sister looked up in unison at the pretty lady approaching them. The little girl said eagerly, "Ten cents a piece."
"Count how many you have in total. We’ll take all of them," Song Zijie said, crouching down to be at eye level with the boy.
"There are one hundred and forty-five in total. If you take all of them, I’ll give them to you for thirteen yuan," the boy said, his brow unfurrowing.
He thought the man in front of him was very handsome and well-dressed. His smile was as bright as sunshine, like a star in the sky.
The young boy tugged at a patch on his cotton-padded jacket. His voice was a little quiet, and his cheeks were flushed, looking a bit embarrassed.
"One hundred and forty-five prints at ten cents each comes to fourteen-fifty. I’ll give you fifteen yuan. Take it."
The little girl looked at Xi Li with envy. ’This lady is dressed so nicely!’
She was charming and pretty, with smiling eyes, red lips, and pearly teeth. Her smile was like a blossoming flower, and she exuded an air of wealth that filled the girl with envy.
"Miss, that’s not right! If you’re buying all of them, you should get a discount," the boy said, scratching his head with a little chuckle.
"It’s fine. Just consider it your lucky day for meeting a benefactor. As it happens, I was looking for some special New Year’s prints to give as gifts!"
Seeing how kind his fiancée was, Song Zijie certainly wasn’t going to hold her back.
"’Benefactor...’" Hearing that word, the little girl’s eyes instantly lit up.
She nimbly used both hands to help her brother gather the New Year’s prints. "Can we see you again tomorrow?"
’We still have more prints at home,’ she thought. ’It would be great if this kind man bought some more. Then we’d have money to buy medicine for Mom.’
Song Zijie shook his head. "I’m not sure. We’ll be very busy tomorrow and probably won’t have time to wander around."
Despite the little girl’s hopeful gaze, Song Zijie decisively turned her down.
’There are so many pitiful children in the world, and I’m no savior,’ he thought. ’I just help out when I happen to come across someone in need.’
"Mister, you’re so handsome! Even more handsome than my dad!" the little girl exclaimed, her eyes shining as she looked at Song Zijie.
Her voice was sweet and clear. Although her clothes were old and worn, they were washed clean, making one feel an irresistible urge to cherish her.
So Xi Li smiled and teased her, "Is your dad very handsome?"
"Uh-huh! My dad is handsome. He’s the most handsome dad in the whole world."
Xi Li had barely finished speaking when the eleven-year-old girl chimed in.
"My dad isn’t just handsome—he’s also incredibly talented. He’s the one who drew all these New Year’s prints."
The young boy said this, nodding emphatically with a proud expression.
Xi Li couldn’t resist reaching out to pinch the little girl’s soft, rosy cheeks. She grinned and asked, "So tell me, just how handsome is your dad?"
"When Dad was young, he was probably even more handsome than this mister," the little girl said after tilting her head and thinking for a moment.
Xi Li couldn’t help but laugh out loud. ’This little girl is so cute,’ she thought. ’And based on how these two look, their parents must be quite attractive.’
Hearing this, Song Zijie couldn’t help but let the corners of his lips curve up, his smiling eyes filled with amusement.
He lifted his gaze to Xi Li, only to find her sizing him up as well. Their eyes met, and they both froze for a moment before exchanging a smile.
’Their own children would probably be as adorable as this brother and sister when they grew up,’ they both thought at the same time.
Song Zijie kindly added, "You mentioned a sick family member. You can go line up at the First People’s Hospital. There’s a Divine Doctor there today seeing patients."
With that, he took Xi Li’s hand, held the New Year’s prints in his other, and they continued on their way.
The brother and sister bowed toward their departing figures, then took each other’s hands and ran for home.
「As dusk settled」
Su Shuochi drove to the hospital entrance to pick up Gu Jiaojiao, but the line of patients was still very long, so Gu Jiaojiao could only try to work faster.
"Honey, have a bite to eat first," Su Shuochi said, his heart aching as he approached Gu Jiaojiao.
"No, it’s okay. I’ll hurry and finish seeing them, then we can eat at home," Gu Jiaojiao said as she took another patient’s pulse.
She had been taking pulses and writing prescriptions nonstop all day, and the other departments in the hospital were also spinning in circles.
It was ten o’clock at night before she saw the last patient—or rather, the last two patients.
It was the young boy who sold New Year’s prints and his sister. They were pushing a flatbed cart on which lay a pale-faced, middle-aged woman, and sitting on it was a handsome, middle-aged man who was paralyzed from the waist down.
The middle-aged woman’s body was failing due to overwork and malnutrition. Although she looked like she was on death’s door, her condition was actually quite easy to treat.
A single Great Nourishing Pill mixed with spiritual spring water would do the trick.
The handsome, middle-aged man, on the other hand, who looked to be in good health, was the difficult case. He had suffered from polio since childhood.
He had likely been unable to walk properly since he was a child. With Gu Jiaojiao’s abilities, it was possible to help someone who hadn’t walked normally for over thirty years recover.
However, it would require a series of rehabilitation treatments like massage, hot compresses, acupuncture, and tui na to restore motor function to his limbs.
In later generations, a Western medicine would be developed that could nourish nerves and promote the repair of nerve damage.
At the same time, taking some Chinese medicine with properties that invigorate blood circulation, break down stasis, clear the meridians, and support brain function could also significantly help improve his condition.
Either treatment method would require time, so Gu Jiaojiao could only personally instruct Divine Doctor Jiang and have him follow up on the patient’s treatment.
This whole process took another half hour. Seeing the exhaustion on Gu Jiaojiao’s face, Su Shuochi couldn’t help but frown. "Sigh! One more day of this tomorrow."
Hearing this, Gu Jiaojiao’s eyes sparkled as she said, "But the day after tomorrow is New Year’s, right?"
As she spoke, she pulled Su Shuochi toward the exit. "It’s fine! It’s just one more day. If we get a good rest tonight, we can sleep in as late as we want on New Year’s Day."
"But that’s still..." Su Shuochi started to say, but Gu Jiaojiao cut him off. "Hubby, we’re doing a good deed~"
"Alright," Su Shuochi said, his tone a mix of helplessness and adoration.
After another long day for Gu Jiaojiao and another agonizing one for Su Shuochi, the night before New Year’s Eve finally arrived.
"Honey, we can finally sleep in tomorrow," Su Shuochi said, filled with delight.
He dried her hair for her, his gaze filled with fiery passion.
