The carefree life of Yang Shuisheng, the village miracle doctor

Upon hearing this, Yang Shuisheng's heart skipped a beat, and a look of helplessness appeared on his face.

If she had known her husband wasn't home and was often away, she would never have come with him tonight.

In the dead of night, a young woman with only a mentally challenged child is visiting her home alone. She was even seen on her way here. Who knows what nasty things will be said about her in the village tomorrow?

He's just starting to make a name for himself in the village, and he doesn't want to be entangled in these kinds of scandalous rumors.

But since we're already here, turning back now won't make any difference.

Yang Shuisheng had no choice but to suppress his regret, compose himself, and say to Guo Cuihong, "Alright, Sister Cuihong, I'll take a look at Xiaobao first."

He walked to the bedside and gently placed his hand on Xiao Bao's thin wrist.

The pulse was steady, though weaker than that of a typical ten-year-old child, but there was no obvious obstruction, disorder, or pathological qi.

The body's basic functions, such as heartbeat, breathing, and internal organs, seem to be within the normal range, but overall they are weak, like a seedling that is congenitally deficient and grows slowly.

Yang Shuisheng frowned slightly.

With his current level of cultivation and inherited medical skills, he can clearly perceive and deal with external injuries, acute illnesses, organ dysfunction, musculoskeletal problems, and even some evil influences.

However, this congenital intellectual deficiency has its root cause in the brain, which belongs to the most subtle and complex field.

His current level of Qi perception and medical skills is far from sufficient to delve into the brain and investigate and treat congenital defects.

This is like a carpenter who has just learned to use simple tools and is not yet able to carve the most intricate micro-carvings.

He withdrew his hand and sighed inwardly.

The memories we inherit are vast, but mastering and utilizing them requires a gradual approach and the support of our own self-cultivation.

At present, he is indeed powerless to do anything.

"Sister-in-law Cuihong."

Yang Shuisheng turned around, looked at Guo Cuihong who was full of expectation, and spoke in a tone that was as tactful as possible but sincere.

"Xiao Bao seems to be in good health, there's nothing seriously wrong with him."

"But his condition is congenital, and the root of the problem is in his head, which is quite troublesome."

"With my current abilities, I can't cure it directly."

The light in Guo Cuihong's eyes dimmed instantly, her lips trembled, but she still forced herself not to let the tears fall. She should have known this would be the outcome.

Yang Shuisheng changed the subject: "However, I can prescribe some medicines that can calm the nerves, nourish the body, and clear the meridians."

"Catch some for him to eat first, try to regulate his body, and see if it helps."

"At least make him stronger and less prone to illness. This kind of illness can't be rushed; it has to be treated slowly."

"Okay! Okay! Taking medicine is fine too."

Hearing that she could take medicine to treat her condition, a glimmer of hope lit up Guo Cuihong's dim eyes, and she quickly nodded, "Thank you, Brother Shuisheng. It's better to have medicine than to just wait around."

She hurriedly rummaged through the broken cabinet in the main room, found a worn-out pencil and a few scraps of paper that the child had scribbled on, and then brought over the kerosene lamp, carefully placing it on the table next to Yang Shuisheng.

Under the dim light, Yang Shuisheng picked up a pencil, briefly recalled the mild prescriptions passed down in the family for nourishing the mind, calming the nerves, and clearing the brain, and combined them with Xiaobao's weak pulse, he quickly wrote down a prescription.

It contains mostly common medicinal herbs such as angelica, polygala, acorus, jujube seed, and prepared licorice, and the dosage has been adjusted to a mild dose suitable for children.

"Just get the medicine according to this prescription." Yang Shuisheng handed her the paper. "These medicines should be available in the town's pharmacies, and they're not expensive."

"At the current market price, one dose of medicine costs about two or three yuan and can last for a week."

"Grab two portions first, eat them and see."

"If there are no adverse reactions, try taking it for a month and see."

He specifically chose the most affordable and effective formula, instead of prescribing those expensive medicinal herbs.

He knew that Guo Cuihong's family was poor and that the men worked hard to earn money outside the home.

"OK!"

Guo Cuihong took the prescription and examined it carefully, as if it were a treasure. Although she couldn't understand what was written on it, she heard that one dose of medicine cost only two or three yuan and could last for a week, which would only cost twelve yuan a month.

Her husband sends her some money back every month; if she's frugal, she can definitely make ends meet.

It's much cheaper than those medicines that cost over ten yuan a box in hospitals and only last for a few days.

"Thank you! Thank you so much, Brother Shuisheng. I'll go to town to get the medicine first thing tomorrow morning."

Seeing how anxious she was, Yang Shuisheng reminded her again: "Sister Cuihong, you don't need to buy too much at once. Just do as I said, take two doses first and see if the child can tolerate it and if it works. If it works, then continue."

"Yes! I've got it." Guo Cuihong nodded repeatedly, her eyes full of gratitude. She quickly folded the prescription carefully, put it in her innermost pocket, and pressed it down with her hand as if afraid of losing it.

"Sister Cuihong, if there's nothing else, I'll head back now."

After finishing his business, Yang Shuisheng got up to leave.

It's really inappropriate for a lone man and woman to stay together for too long.

"I'll take you..." Guo Cuihong quickly stood up as well.

Yang Shuisheng opened the door to the main room, and as soon as he stepped out, his eyes subconsciously swept over the courtyard outside, and he froze instantly!

In the courtyard of the house opposite Guo Cuihong's, a thin old man, wearing an old jacket, was squatting on the threshold of his own yard, puffing on his pipe.

The embers in the pipe flickered brightly in the darkness, making them particularly noticeable.

The old man didn't seem to be asleep either. He was looking around listlessly, his gaze occasionally drifting towards the direction of Guo Cuihong's courtyard gate.

Why are you out smoking a pipe in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?

Yang Shuisheng's heart skipped a beat, and he knew something was wrong.

If he were to swagger out of Guo Cuihong's yard right now, the old man would definitely see him clearly.

Tomorrow morning, the whole village will probably be buzzing with gossip about Yang Shuisheng coming out of Guo Cuihong's house in the middle of the night.

He was stuck in an awkward position, unsure whether to take the step forward or back.

Yang Shuisheng cursed his bad luck inwardly.

"Brother Shuisheng, that's Uncle Shuanzhu from across the street."

Guo Cuihong also saw the old man smoking across the street. Her expression changed slightly, and she quickly tugged at Yang Shuisheng's sleeve, lowering her voice to say, "His wife passed away two years ago. He lives alone, and sometimes when he can't sleep at night, he likes to squat at the door and smoke."

"Why don't you come back and sit for a while, and leave after he finishes his cigarette and goes back inside?"

Helpless, Yang Shuisheng could only retract his foot that had stepped out, gently close the door, and sigh, "Fine, that's the only way."

Back in the dimly lit main room, the atmosphere was even more subtle and awkward than before.

The two stood there, speechless for a moment.

"By the way, you must be hungry by now, right?"

Guo Cuihong rubbed her hands together, glanced nervously outside, then looked at Yang Shuisheng, and suddenly said, "How about I make you some noodles?"

As she spoke, a slightly ingratiating smile appeared on her face, as if she wanted to ease the awkwardness and express her gratitude in this way.

Yang Shuisheng rubbed his stomach. The melon seeds and peanuts he had eaten that night were not enough to keep him full. After all that fuss, he was actually a little hungry now.

He nodded: "Okay, then I'll trouble you, Sister Cuihong."

"No trouble at all! You sit down, it'll be ready soon." Guo Cuihong seemed relieved when she saw him agree, and quickly turned and went into the kitchen next door.

Yang Shuisheng sat on an old stool in the main room and could hear the rustling sounds of fire being lit, water being scooped, and vegetables being chopped coming from the kitchen.

Before long, the aroma of scallions and lard wafted out, making one's stomach rumble.

After a while, Guo Cuihong came out carrying a large, rough porcelain bowl. The bowl contained steaming hot noodles with a clear broth, topped with a golden-brown fried egg and sprinkled with bright green scallions.

"There's nothing fancy at home, so I just made a simple bowl of noodles and cracked an egg. Don't mind it." Guo Cuihong placed the bowl in front of Yang Shuisheng and handed him a pair of clean chopsticks.

"This is already very good, thank you, Sister Cuihong." Yang Shuisheng took the chopsticks, and since he was indeed hungry, he picked up the noodles and started eating.

The noodles are hand-rolled and very chewy. The soup base is simple, but it has a strong aroma of lard and scallions. The poached egg is fried until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Every bite is full of fragrance.

"Mmm! Delicious!" Yang Shuisheng praised sincerely. After a few bites, a layer of fine sweat appeared on his forehead. "Sister Cuihong, your cooking skills are really good. This noodle is even more fragrant than the ones in the restaurants in town."

Guo Cuihong was a little embarrassed by his praise, and a faint blush rose on her face, making her look quite charming in the dim light of the kerosene lamp.

"What kind of skill can you have for a bowl of clear soup noodles?"

She stood by the table, wiped her hands on her apron, and whispered, "Eat slowly, don't choke."

As she spoke, she leaned forward slightly, probably because she was busy cooking noodles and felt a bit hot. The top two buttons of her blue cotton jacket had been undone, revealing a large expanse of her snow-white neck and even a glimpse of the edge of her undergarment.

With each breath, her not-so-full but beautifully shaped breasts rose and fell slightly, outlining an alluring curve in the dim light.

As Yang Shuisheng ate his noodles, his gaze inadvertently swept over the dish, and a slight thought crossed his mind. He quickly lowered his head and focused on finishing the noodles in his bowl.

This atmosphere... is getting increasingly strange.

Soon, Yang Shuisheng finished a bowl of noodles and soup, and felt warm all over. Satisfied, he put down the bowl.

Seeing this, Guo Cuihong came forward to clear away the dishes.

Just as she bent down to pick up the bowl and turned to walk towards the kitchen, Yang Shuisheng suddenly noticed that her movement of raising her left arm seemed a little unnatural, and her shoulder shrugged slightly, as if she had pulled something.

"Sister-in-law Cuihong, wait a minute." Yang Shuisheng called out to her.

"What's wrong?" Guo Cuihong stopped and turned around.

"Is your left arm a little uncomfortable?" Yang Shuisheng pointed to her left shoulder. "I saw you holding the bowl earlier, and it seemed a bit awkward."

Guo Cuihong was taken aback for a moment, then her face showed surprise and a hint of embarrassment at being seen through. She put down the bowl, subconsciously touched the area near her left shoulder with her right hand, and stammered, "No...it's nothing serious."

"About two months ago, I slipped and fell while weeding in the field, and I hurt my left arm."

"It hurt a bit at first, but it gradually stopped hurting. It's just that sometimes when I'm working or raising my arm, I feel a bit awkward and can't exert my full strength."

"But you can't see it unless you look closely, and it doesn't affect anything, so I just ignored it."

As she spoke, she tried to move her left arm, and the movement was indeed a bit sluggish, not as flexible as her right arm.

Yang Shuisheng nodded. Having received the inheritance, his eyesight was much sharper than that of ordinary people. He noticed the subtle inconsistency that most people might not have noticed.

This is likely a minor shoulder dislocation or muscle strain caused by a fall. It wasn't corrected at the time and has become a chronic condition. Although it's not serious, it could become more troublesome over time.

"Sister-in-law Cuihong, you fell and your bones or tendons are a little misaligned. It wasn't treated properly in time, and you've developed a minor ailment," Yang Shuisheng explained. "I do know a little bit of bone-setting and massage techniques. If you don't mind, I can help you with that as well."

Upon hearing this, Guo Cuihong's eyes lit up immediately!

Although her arm problem doesn't affect her daily life, it does cause some soreness and discomfort when doing heavy work or on rainy days, which has always been a bit of a worry for her.

Unexpectedly, Yang Shuisheng can not only treat illnesses and prescribe medicine, but also set bones!

"Really? That's wonderful!" Guo Cuihong exclaimed with delight, "Convenient! Of course, convenient, Brother Shuisheng, thank you for your help."

"What do you need me to do? Is it okay to just stand here?"

As she spoke, she turned around, turned her left shoulder toward Yang Shuisheng, and gave him the impression that she was willing to do whatever he wanted.

"Um... Sister Cuihong, when you're doing bone setting and palpation, you have to be able to feel the location of the bones and the direction of the tendons."

Yang Shuisheng touched his nose somewhat awkwardly, coughed, and said, "It's not accurate to feel through clothes. You need to take off the clothes on your left shoulder and arm area."

"Otherwise, I won't be able to find the right spot, I won't be able to apply any force, and I might even hurt you."

"what?"

Guo Cuihong's smile froze instantly, and she stood there dumbfounded.

Take...take off your clothes?

In this main room?

Just the two of them?