The carefree life of Yang Shuisheng, the village miracle doctor

The atmosphere in the room was so awkward it felt like it was about to freeze.

"Um... Sister-in-law Xiaohe, don't think too much about it."

Yang Shuisheng coughed lightly and quickly changed the subject, his tone returning to businesslike: "Go back and do as I said, decoct the medicine and drink it, and don't forget to use the external wash medicine as well."

"Pay attention to hygiene, and wear loose clothing."

"Let's see how it goes in a few days. If it doesn't get better, or if you feel even worse, then come back."

Wu Xiaohe realized that her gaze had been too blatant, and hurriedly lowered her head, replying softly, "Okay, Dr. Yang, I'll remember."

"Alright, go back and take your medicine first." Yang Shuisheng couldn't wait for the other person to leave.

"Oh, right, I haven't paid yet." Wu Xiaohe suddenly remembered and quickly took out an old handkerchief from her pocket. She carefully opened it and found some small bills and cents inside.

She counted out a few bills, hesitated, and asked, "Dr. Yang, how much is the consultation fee and medicine in total?"

Yang Shuisheng waved his hand: "It's not a big problem. I picked the herbs myself. Just give me two yuan, it's just a token."

His fees are indeed very low, mainly because his medical costs are also low. He collects the herbs himself, and the silver needles are a one-time investment.

"Two yuan? That's so cheap?" Upon hearing this, Wu Xiaohe's face lit up with surprise, and her earlier embarrassment and wicked thoughts faded considerably.

"Dr. Yang, you're such a kind person!"

She quickly counted out two one-yuan bills and handed them to Yang Shuisheng, repeatedly expressing her gratitude: "Your medical skills are excellent, your heart is kind, and your fees are so fair. Thank you, thank you so much."

"You're welcome, it's my pleasure." Yang Shuisheng took the money and put it in his pocket. "Sister-in-law Xiaohe, take care."

Wu Xiaohe glanced at Yang Shuisheng again, her eyes still somewhat unfocused, her cheeks slightly flushed, she nodded, turned and walked quickly out, as if she wanted to escape this unsettling place.

Yang Shuisheng breathed a sigh of relief and was about to close the door when Wu Xiaohe, who had already reached the courtyard gate, suddenly stopped, turned around, and called out in a slightly louder voice, "Dr. Yang!"

"Hmm? Is there something else?" Yang Shuisheng's heart skipped a beat.

Wu Xiaohe glanced to the side and said in a low voice, "Um... I killed a chicken today and made soup."

"Later...I'll bring you some later, okay?"

Are you home tonight?

Yang Shuisheng was completely bewildered upon hearing this.

This chicken soup is being delivered; I'm afraid something strange is about to happen.

"No, no!"

He quickly waved his hand to refuse, saying, "Sister-in-law Xiaohe, there's really no need to be so polite."

"You can keep it for yourself; I'll just have something simple to eat tonight."

"It's a gift! You treated me and only charged me so little, what's a bowl of chicken soup?"

"I'll bring it later!" Wu Xiaohe said firmly without waiting for Yang Shuisheng to refuse. After saying that, she turned around and walked away quickly.

Yang Shuisheng watched her walk away and shook his head helplessly.

What kind of nonsense is this?

He closed the door, thinking to himself that he should find something to do tonight, or just pretend he wasn't home.

However, he has more important things to do right now.

He changed his clothes and planned to go check on his two acres of vegetable garden first.

Upon arriving at the field, Yang Shuisheng's eyes lit up.

The bok choy seedlings in the field, nourished by the diluted spirit mist, were growing at an astonishing rate.

It's already much taller than the seedlings planted by other people at the same time. The leaves are thick and lush, green, and have a healthy sheen in the sunlight, which is very pleasing to the eye.

At this rate of growth, they should be ready to sell in about a week, which would be a real source of income.

After inspecting the vegetable garden, Yang Shuisheng felt much more at ease.

He dusted off his hands and prepared to venture deep into the Daliang Mountains to see if he could find some medicinal herbs that would help him break through his cultivation level, and also to sense if there was a place where the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was more abundant.

As soon as he reached the village entrance, he saw Guo Cuihong walking towards him from another road, looking around in a panic, completely unaware of Yang Shuisheng not far away.

"Aunt Cuihong?" Yang Shuisheng called out.

Guo Cuihong didn't react, continuing to walk forward absentmindedly, her eyes vacant.

Yang Shuisheng raised his voice and called out again, "Aunt Cuihong!"

Guo Cuihong suddenly came to her senses, stopped and looked at Yang Shuisheng.

"Aquatic?"

Her face was pale, her eyes were red-rimmed, and her hair was somewhat disheveled. Seeing Yang Shuisheng was like grasping at a lifeline. She rushed over in a few steps, her voice trembling with tears: "Shuisheng, it's so good to see you here! You...you've seen my little baby?"

"Xiao Bao? I don't see him."

Yang Shuisheng was taken aback: "What's wrong, Auntie? What happened to Xiaobao?"

Upon hearing that she hadn't seen him, Guo Cuihong burst into tears, her voice growing even more anxious: "Xiao Bao... Xiao Bao is missing."

"I didn't see him when I woke up this morning. I thought he had gone to someone's house to play again, so I searched the whole village."

"I asked at the house of Aunt Li at the village entrance, the house of Grandma Wang at the village end, and the houses of the children he played with, and they all said they hadn't seen him."

"I've looked everywhere he usually goes, but he's nowhere to be found!"

She became increasingly agitated and incoherent as she spoke: "I went to work in the fields for a while, and when I came back, he was gone."

"This child would never have run this far before."

"Shuisheng, where do you think he could have gone? I hope nothing bad has happened to him... Waaah..."

Yang Shuisheng frowned, feeling that something was amiss, but he still comforted her first, saying, "Auntie, don't panic, don't scare yourself."

"Although Xiaobao has an intellectual disability, he's still a young boy. He probably ran off somewhere playing and lost track of time."

"Maybe it's raiding a bird's nest in some haystack near the village, or picking melons from someone's field?"

Rural children are wild, and it's common for them to run around and play everywhere in the summer.

"No! I've looked everywhere." Guo Cuihong shook her head, crying. "I've looked everywhere I could, and I've asked everyone I could, but they all said they haven't seen it."

"It's almost noon. Even if he's playing around, he should know to go home for lunch."

"Shuisheng, I...I'm so panicked, my right eyelid keeps twitching, he wouldn't...he wouldn't have fallen into the river, or been taken away by the kidnappers, would he? Waaah..."

By the end, Guo Cuihong was sobbing uncontrollably, her body trembling, clearly extremely worried.

Seeing her distraught and nearly broken state, Yang Shuisheng abandoned his initial indifference and became serious.

Guo Cuihong has a gentle nature, but she cherishes her son Xiaobao more than her own life.

The fact that she was so anxious and searched so thoroughly suggests that Xiao Bao might have really run far away or encountered some trouble.

"Auntie, don't cry, crying won't help."

"Okay, I'll help you look!"

"Let's split up and search again carefully," Yang Shuisheng decided immediately.

Guo Cuihong felt as if she had found her anchor, and quickly wiped away her tears: "Okay, okay! Shuisheng, thank you, thank you so much."

The two agreed that Guo Cuihong, who was more familiar with the village and its surroundings, would continue to search carefully in the village and the surrounding fields, ditches, and woods.

Yang Shuisheng, on the other hand, was fast on his feet and familiar with the mountain paths. He was responsible for searching the remote mountain valleys and streamsides that the children might go to.

Regardless of whether they found him or not, everyone should gather at Yang Shuisheng's house two hours later.

Having agreed, the two immediately split up and took action.

Yang Shuisheng dared not delay. He channeled his inner energy and moved with lightning speed, quickly traversing several mountain hollows and streams near the village where people might be hiding, calling out to Xiaobao as he searched.

His five senses are extremely sharp, with hearing and vision far exceeding those of ordinary people. Within a certain range, no slightest movement can escape his notice.

However, after two hours, he searched every possible place nearby but didn't see a single person or find any signs of fighting or dragging.

As the time drew to a close, a shadow fell over Yang Shuisheng's heart.

Where could a child who looks about ten years old but has the mental capacity of a four or five-year-old go?

It's definitely not normal to not see anyone for most of the day.

He didn't linger any longer and immediately returned home.

As soon as I arrived at the gate, I saw Guo Cuihong already waiting there. She was leaning against the door frame, her face even paler than before, and her eyes were swollen like peaches, clearly she had been crying again.

Seeing Yang Shuisheng return alone, the last glimmer of hope in her eyes was extinguished, and she swayed, almost losing her balance.

"Shuisheng...you didn't find him either?" Her voice was hoarse and weak.

Yang Shuisheng shook his head heavily.

Guo Cuihong's last bit of support seemed to collapse instantly. She slid down the door frame and sat on the ground, covering her face with her hands. Suppressed sobs leaked out from between her fingers, and her shoulders trembled violently: "My little treasure, my son... where have you gone?"

"If anything were to happen to you, how would your mother live?"

Yang Shuisheng also felt very uncomfortable.

"Auntie, don't cry, let's think of another way."

He crouched down, intending to help Guo Cuihong up, but then felt it inappropriate, and could only awkwardly comfort her: "Xiao Bao is clever, she'll be alright, maybe..."

"ah--"

"Stop hitting Mother! Stop hitting her!"

Before he could finish speaking, a loud cry suddenly came from the neighbor's house, mixed with a woman's angry shouts and curses.

"You brat! I told you not to run away, I told you not to disobey!"

"Tell me! Who did you go to the fishpond with? Is that a place you could go?"

"Do you know how deep the water is there? It's all mud at the bottom. If you fall in, you'll be dead! I'll beat you to death!"

"Wow--"

"Mom! Please stop hitting me, it hurts! Waaah..."

"It's...it's Er Gou, and Xiao Bao too."

"We just went to watch people fish, we didn't go into the water, we really didn't go into the water!"

The cries of the neighbor's child could be heard clearly.

Yang Shuisheng and Guo Cuihong, who were slumped on the ground, both jolted and looked up at each other, seeing a hint of surprise in each other's eyes!