The carefree life of Yang Shuisheng, the village miracle doctor

After leaving the mountains, Yang Shuisheng told Yu Qianwei to go to his house and hide while he waited for news.

With a flushed face, Yu Qianwei wrapped herself in the coat Yang Shuisheng had given her and lowered her head, sneaking into Yang Shuisheng's dilapidated house like a thief.

Yang Shuisheng dared not delay, carrying a basket full of herbs on his back, and hurried toward Wang Laosi's house.

He was concerned about Erwa's condition. Although it had stabilized for the time being, he couldn't do without medication.

When he returned to Wang Laosi's house, there were fewer people in the courtyard than before, but there were still a few relatives and neighbors waiting. They all gathered around when they saw Yang Shuisheng return.

"Cadre Yang is back!"

"Have you collected the herbs?"

"Erwa seems to be feeling better; the convulsions have stopped, but he still has a fever."

Yang Shuisheng nodded without saying much and went straight into the main room.

The second child on the bed had calmed down, seemingly exhausted from crying and now that the toxins were under control, and was fast asleep. But his little face was still red and his breathing was a little heavy.

"Officer Yang, you're finally back! The medicine..." Old Wang greeted him, his face a mixture of anticipation and nervousness.

"I've gathered them." Yang Shuisheng put down his basket and began taking out the herbs.

He worked quickly and efficiently, sorting the items while explaining them clearly and quickly.

"Take two to three qian of each of these herbs." He picked up Lobelia chinensis, Paris polyphylla, and Hedyotis diffusa. "Use three bowls of water to boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until reduced to one bowl. Let it cool to a warm temperature and give it to the child to drink. It's for detoxification. Give it twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening."

He then picked up honeysuckle, forsythia, and rehmannia root...

"Cook these together, but in smaller quantities. They are mainly for clearing heat, cooling the blood, and calming the nerves."

Finally, there are dandelions and violets.

"As for these two ingredients, mash them up as finely as possible, wrap them in a clean cloth, and apply them around the wound to reduce swelling and detoxify."

"Change it when it gets too dry, or change it when you feel the child is in a lot of pain, understand?"

He spoke quickly but clearly, explaining the purpose, dosage, and usage of each medicine in detail.

Wang Laosi, his wife, and a literate relative all listened attentively, nodding repeatedly.

"I've got it! I've got it! Thank you so much, Officer Yang."

"You are truly our second child's savior." Wang Laosi's wife wiped away her tears and thanked him repeatedly, as if her earlier doubts had long been forgotten.

"Officer Yang, how much will the consultation and medicine costs in total?" Old Wang rubbed his hands together gratefully and said, "Just name a number, and we'll try our best to contribute."

Yang Shuisheng looked at Wang Laosi. His family was doing alright. Wang Laosi himself was a proper farmer in the village, and his family's conditions were considered average in the village.

He glanced again at the neighbors who hadn't yet dispersed.

If I don't accept it myself, then everyone will think about getting something for free in the future, which won't do.

After a moment's thought, he said, "I'll give you five yuan in total, including the consultation fee, the cost of the medicine, and the hard work of me going into the mountains to collect herbs."

"Five yuan?" Before Wang Laosi could speak, the grateful smile on his wife's face froze instantly, then her expression fell, and a clear reluctance flashed in her eyes. "Officer Yang, this...this costs five yuan? Isn't that a bit too much?"

"These herbs all grow in the mountains, right? They're not worth much. You only had a few acupuncture treatments and made the trip; two yuan should be enough, right?"

Her words immediately caused the atmosphere in the main room to become tense again.

The neighbors who hadn't left yet exchanged glances. Some thought Wang Laosi's wife was stingy, while others nodded in agreement, thinking that Yang Shuisheng's asking price was a bit too high.

After all, we're all farmers, and five yuan isn't easy to earn.

"Sister-in-law, what are you saying?"

Yang Shuisheng frowned immediately. He looked at Wang Laosi's wife, his eyes turning cold: "These herbs can be found in the mountains, but do you recognize them? Do you know where to collect them? Do you know how to use them?"

"If I go to the town pharmacy to get all these medicines for you, you won't even be able to leave the house if it costs less than ten yuan."

"This doesn't even include the fact that I used acupuncture to drain the toxins from your son's blood in time, stabilizing his condition."

"If I hadn't acted quickly, it's uncertain whether the child would have survived by the time you got him to town."

He paused, then countered, "Or are you saying that in your eyes, Erwa's life isn't even worth five yuan for medical expenses?"

"I...I didn't mean that..." Wang Laosi's wife blushed and paled as he spoke, and she still tried to argue, "I just think we're all from the same village, and you're the village doctor, so it's enough to help out by taking care of patients and charging a small fee."

"Shut up!" Wang Laosi, who had been silent until now, suddenly exploded. He turned around abruptly and yelled at his wife, his face flushed red, "You spendthrift woman, you're all talk and no action, what do you know!"

"Brother Shuisheng, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"

After yelling at his wife, he quickly turned to Yang Shuisheng, his face full of apology and shame, and bowed repeatedly: "Please don't take her seriously, she's just a woman who doesn't know any better."

"Five yuan! It's due! It must be paid!"

"You saved my second child, so we should give you at least five yuan, or even ten or twenty yuan."

Without looking at his wife's unpleasant expression, he turned and went into the inner room. After rummaging around for a while, he came out with a crumpled five-yuan bill and respectfully handed it to Yang Shuisheng with both hands: "Brother Shuisheng, please keep this. Thank you so much for today."

"I, Wang Laosi, will remember this kindness for the rest of my life!"

Looking at Wang Laosi's sincere yet somewhat fearful eyes, Yang Shuisheng's displeasure subsided somewhat.

He took the five yuan without saying anything more, just nodded: "Give the child his medicine on time, observe him carefully, and call me anytime if anything seems wrong."

"I have something to do, so I'll be leaving now."

"Oh! Okay! Take care!" Old Wang hurriedly escorted him to the courtyard gate.

After Yang Shuisheng's figure disappeared around the corner of the village road, Wang Laosi's wife spat on the ground and complained to the neighbors who had not yet dispersed, "Look at how capable he is. All he knows is how to give a few acupuncture needles and recognize a few herbs."

"They're asking for five yuan right off the bat! That's outrageous!"

"We're all from the same village, and you're charging so much money for a simple favor? Aren't you afraid people will laugh at us?"

The more she talked, the more convinced she became of herself. Looking around at the people, she said, "Don't you all agree? This village doctor really thinks he's a doctor from the town?"

"Exactly, five yuan is enough to buy a lot of meat."

Several women who were close to her or who also thought Yang Shuisheng was young and unreliable whispered a few words in agreement.

"Young people only care about money."

"Maybe those medicines aren't even worth anything, it's just a hoax."

Wang Laosi was so angry that the veins on his forehead throbbed as he listened to his wife and the gossipy women talking.

"You don't know anything!"

He turned around abruptly, glared at his wife, and said gruffly, "All you ever think about is saving a few cents! Don't you even consider what would have happened to Erwa if it weren't for Cadre Yang today?"

He pointed to his son, who was unconscious on the bed, his voice trembling with emotion: "Is it too late to get him to town? What if he gets poisoned on the way?"

"Even if it's delivered, registration, doctor's visit, injection, and medicine all cost money, don't they?"

"What about the round-trip transportation costs? What about the wasted time? Add it all up, and you think five yuan is enough? Dream on!"

He glanced at the people who echoed him and raised his voice: "Brother Shuisheng only charges five yuan, not a penny more. He earns his living through his skills."

"They saved my second child's life and even went all the way to the mountains to pick herbs for us, sorting them out clearly and telling us how to use them."

"Is this effort and hard work worth five dollars?"

"Speak from your own conscience!"

His words were so forceful that they left his wife and the gossiping women speechless.

Upon closer reflection, it does seem to make sense.

Sending it to town myself would be risky, not to mention whether I'd make it in time, it would probably cost more than five yuan, and I'd be taking a huge risk.

Wang Laosi snorted, ignored them, and turned to go back into the house to take care of his son.

The remaining people in the courtyard looked at each other, muttered a few words, and then dispersed.

But the news that Yang Shuisheng charged five yuan for treating patients spread like wildfire throughout Taohua'ao.

Some people think it's expensive, while others think it's worth it. For the first time, Yang Shuisheng's reputation as a village doctor has been established in the village with tangible results.