The carefree life of Yang Shuisheng, the village miracle doctor

"I am the village doctor of Taohua'ao. This child is Xiaobao, the son of a widow in our village."

"His mother is frantic at home right now," Yang Shuisheng said irritably, but his tone was no longer as cold as before.

"Oh dear! This is truly a misunderstanding, a huge misunderstanding." Upon hearing this, the man's face showed a relieved expression, but also a hint of apology. He waved his hands repeatedly, "Comrade, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"I really didn't know he was from Taohua'ao. I thought he was just some wild kid who ran away from some nearby mountain valley."

"Look at the mess this has made. I really meant well but ended up making things worse."

Looking at the man's honest yet frustrated expression, Yang Shuisheng's doubts lessened a bit.

But his gaze shifted and landed on the little girl with pigtails who had been watching them the whole time.

The little girl was about five or six years old. She had dark skin, but big, bright eyes. She sat close to Xiao Bao the whole time.

"And whose child is this?" Yang Shuisheng pointed at the little girl, his gaze sharpening again as he looked at the man. "Did she also come back with you on her own?"

His words were a test.

If this little girl was also abducted, then this man is definitely suspicious.

However, the next second, something unexpected happened to Yang Shuisheng.

The little girl blinked her big eyes, then suddenly jumped off the stool, ran to the shirtless man, reached out her little hand, tugged at his trouser leg, looked up at him, and called out in a clear, childish voice, "Daddy!"

father?

Yang Shuisheng was stunned, his eyes widening slightly as he looked at the little girl affectionately tugging at the man's trouser leg, then at the man who looked completely at ease and even reached out to pat the little girl's head. He was momentarily speechless.

Is this little girl the man's daughter? His biological daughter?

"Oh, this is my daughter, her name is Yaya."

Seeing Yang Shuisheng's surprised expression, the man gave a slightly proud, simple smile, picked up the little girl, and said to Yang Shuisheng, "She's five years old this year, and very mischievous."

"See? I didn't lie to you, did I?"

"I just felt sorry for Xiaobao being all alone, so I thought I'd bring him back to keep my daughter company and let her play for a while. I'm really not a bad person."

He held his daughter in his arms, and the natural affection between father and daughter was unmistakable.

Ya Ya nestled obediently in her father's arms, her big eyes curiously observing Yang Shuisheng.

As Yang Shuisheng watched this scene, the last bit of doubt and wariness in his heart finally dissipated completely.

It seems I really misunderstood.

This man was an ordinary farmer who lived deep in the mountains, was rather rough around the edges, but was not a bad person at heart.

Xiao Bao came along on his own because he was playing, and they even gave him food and drinks and let my daughter play with him. Although the way they handled it was inappropriate—they didn't send him back in time or find out the truth—they really didn't have any malicious intent.

"Um... um, big brother."

He touched his nose somewhat awkwardly, and his tone softened: "I'm sorry, I was in a hurry just now and misunderstood you."

"My name is Yang Shuisheng, and I am the village doctor of Taohua'ao. Thank you for taking care of Xiaobao."

"It's alright, it's alright!"

Seeing Yang Shuisheng apologize, the man felt embarrassed and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "It's good that you've explained yourself. It's also my fault for not thinking things through. I should have sent the child back sooner."

"My name is Liu Dashan, and I live in these mountains."

"Dr. Yang, right? Please sit down, please sit down, rest your feet."

The misunderstanding was cleared up, and the atmosphere immediately eased.

Only then did Yang Shuisheng have the mind to carefully examine the dilapidated main room. Although the house was bare, it was still relatively clean.

"Brother Liu, I won't drink the water."

He looked at the still bewildered little baby in his arms, who seemed unaware of the terrible trouble he had caused, and then at the setting sun outside, his mind preoccupied with Guo Cuihong's anxious wait at home.

"It's getting late, I need to hurry and take Xiaobao home. His mother is waiting at home, she must be very worried." Yang Shuisheng said, bending down to pick up Xiaobao.

Xiao Bao twisted his body, looking at Ya Ya who was being held by Liu Dashan with some reluctance, and whispered, "Uncle, I...I want to play with Ya Ya a little longer."

"Still want to play?"

Yang Shuisheng was both amused and exasperated. He gently patted the boy's bottom and said, "Your mother is almost frantic with worry. Come home with me quickly. Ya Ya lives here. You can come visit again another time."

Liu Dashan put his daughter down and said to Yaya, "Yaya, say goodbye to Brother Xiaobao, he should go home now."

Although Ya Ya was a little reluctant to part, she still obediently waved her little hand and said, "Goodbye, Brother Xiao Bao."

"Brother Liu, thank you so much for today."

Yang Shuisheng picked up Xiaobao and nodded to Liu Dashan: "Xiaobao has caused you trouble, so we'll be going now."

"Okay, be careful on the road." Liu Dashan escorted Yang Shuisheng to the gate of the courtyard and kindly pointed out a shortcut back to Taohua'ao.

Yang Shuisheng, holding Xiaobao's hand, was about to leave Liu Dashan's low courtyard when he suddenly stopped, as if remembering something. He turned back to look at Liu Dashan, who was seeing him off at the door, and casually asked, "By the way, Brother Liu, why do I only see you and Yaya, and not your wife?"

His words were just casual conversation. After all, when you arrive at someone's home and don't see the hostess, it's normal to ask her a question.

The smile on Liu Dashan's face instantly faded, replaced by a deep sorrow.

"The child's mother has always been in poor health."

He rubbed his rough hands together, sighed, and said in a much lower voice, "These past few years have been getting worse and worse; I'm sick all the time."

"She's still lying on the kang (heated brick bed) in the inner room, unable to get up, sigh..."

Yang Shuisheng's heart skipped a beat.

It turned out that his wife was sick. No wonder the house looked so deserted, with only Liu Dashan, a grown man, and a little girl.

"Sick? What's wrong?"

His instincts as a doctor kicked in, and he subconsciously asked, "Is it serious? Have you seen a doctor?"

"I've already seen it, how can I not watch it again?"

Liu Dashan shook his head, his face showing even more distress: "I've been to the town's clinic and the county hospital."

"The doctor in the county said it was mild myocarditis, a heart problem, and insufficient blood supply."

"They prescribed a lot of colorful pills, which were ridiculously expensive. They didn't help much, and I'm still weak. I often feel palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, and blurred vision. I can only lie here and rest."

"The doctor also said that this illness requires rest and recuperation, and whether it can be cured depends on individual fate."

As he spoke, he sighed heavily again, a sigh filled with helplessness and a sense of powerlessness against fate.

For a man living deep in the mountains who makes a living through physical labor, his wife's chronic illness is not only a burden but also a heavy weight on his heart.

Myocarditis? Or is it mild?

Yang Shuisheng frowned slightly.

This disease is indeed troublesome from the perspective of Western medicine, requiring long-term rest and recuperation. Medications mainly control symptoms and are difficult to cure completely.

But what he inherited was traditional Chinese medicine, and not just any ordinary traditional Chinese medicine.

Considering that I had just misunderstood someone as abducting Xiaobao, I felt somewhat guilty.

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Brother Liu, if you trust me, why don't you let me take a look at your wife?"

"Traditional Chinese medicine may have a slightly different approach to treating chronic diseases."

Liu Dashan glanced at Yang Shuisheng, a hint of gratitude flashing in his eyes, but more so a weariness and numbness of hopelessness.

"Dr. Yang, I appreciate your kindness."

He waved his hand and said with a wry smile, "However... we've also tried traditional Chinese medicine."

"Two years ago, I asked someone to invite an old doctor from town to take a look. He prescribed medicine and I drank the bitter medicine for half a year. I spent a lot of money, but I was still the same."

"Later, I also consulted other folk doctors and tried various remedies, but none of them worked."

"This illness... I'm afraid this is my fate."

"Never mind, don't bother."

His words were tinged with despair, clearly indicating that he had lost confidence due to repeated disappointments and felt that Yang Shuisheng, being so young, even if he knew some medical skills, was probably no match for those older doctors.

However, Yang Shuisheng has great confidence in the medical skills he has inherited.

"Brother Liu, you can't say that."

He took half a step forward, looked at Liu Dashan confidently, and said, "Traditional Chinese medicine is profound and extensive, with many schools of thought and countless variations in prescriptions. A slight difference can lead to a huge error."

"Just because the people you consulted before couldn't cure it doesn't mean the disease is incurable."

"Perhaps, their skills are not good enough, they didn't find the root cause of the problem, or the prescription they used was wrong."

He paused, his gaze fixed on the tattered curtain leading to the inner room, and said firmly, "Since we're already here, your sister-in-law is lying inside."

"Let me take a look, check your pulse, ask you a few questions. It won't cost you any money, and it won't take much time."

"What if, I mean just what if, I can see something different?"

"Even if I can't see it, you don't lose anything, right?"

Liu Dashan was stunned by his words and his clear, confident eyes.

He took a closer look at the village doctor, who looked even younger than himself. This persistence and confidence didn't seem like empty talk.

Yeah, it's not like you'll lose a piece of meat just by looking.

What if there really is a turning point?

"Okay! Dr. Yang, then... then I'll trouble you to take a look."

He looked at Yaya in his arms, who was staring at him expectantly, and then thought of his wife on the kang in the inner room, who was getting thinner and thinner and barely breathing. He gritted his teeth and nodded: "Whether it works out or not, I, Liu Dashan, will remember this sentiment."

As he spoke, he led the person into the house, turned to the side and lifted the patched blue cloth curtain, and whispered into the dimly lit room, "My wife, Dr. Yang from Peach Blossom Valley is passing by. He heard you're not feeling well and wanted to come in and take a look at you. Don't be afraid."

As the curtain was lifted, a strong smell of Chinese herbal medicine mixed with the pungent odor of the patient wafted out.