Chapter 328: Is My Sister a Fairy?
When Zhang Liliang saw Bai Ruozhu crying, he squatted in the corner and began to cry as well, covering his mouth trying not to let his crying sound be heard. He had suffered silently in these recent days, afraid to worry the mother and daughter. He dared not cry in front of them and had to put on a brave face even when he had cried his fill outside, forced to wear a strained smile when he returned home.
His heart was bitter and suppressed, but upon seeing Bai Ruozhu covering her mouth, stifling her sobs, he felt understood by her. His bottled-up emotions burst all at once.
Bai Ruozhu didn’t cry for long. She wiped away her tears. She was not one to wallow in sorrow. Moreover, she had a more important mission - to exert all efforts to cure Rongrong and her mother, and help them regain their previous happiness.
Zhang Liliang also dried his tears. He felt much lighter, as if all the heaviness and suffocating feelings were drained away.
"Uncle Zhang, if you trust me, please stop looking for other physicians. Allow me to treat Auntie and Rongrong. I promise I will assist their speedy recovery and do my best to eliminate their scars, so they can reclaim their previous appearances." Bai Ruozhu looked to Zhang Liliang. Her tear-stained eyes were shining with determination.
Zhang Liliang had always admired Bai Ruozhu a lot. Hearing her words and seeing the seriousness on her face, finally, he nodded and said, "Alright, I trust you, child."
There was nothing more moving than unconditional trust. Bai Ruozhu sniffed and struggled to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes again, and went to check Rongrong and her mother’s pulses.
Perhaps because they had been previously burned, the moment Bai Ruozhu touched Rongrong’s mother’s wrist, she woke up abruptly. Upon seeing it was Bai Ruozhu, her tension faded, but Bai Ruozhu saw sadness and self-deprecation in her eyes.
Rongrong’s mother was afraid that her present condition would frighten Bai Ruozhu, wasn’t she? Bai Ruozhu thought, feeling a tight knot of emotion in her chest.
"Auntie, be still. From now on, I will treat both you and Rongrong. I’m not claiming to be a divine doctor, but I am confident that I can do much better than any average physicians. I promise, the scars will heal," Bai Ruozhu forced a smile and assured her.
Truthfully, she wasn’t sure if she could entirely eliminate the scars. She had just closely examined Rongrong and her mother’s wounds. The current treatment was apt, but she didn’t know what had been used on them previously, which could have aggravated the injuries.
She figured that when Zhang Liliang arrived the day after the fire incident, people there must have taken it upon themselves to use some traditional remedies on the burnt bodies of Rongrong and her mother.
Rongrong’s mother seemed to trust Bai Ruozhu a lot and nodded affirmatively. "Please focus on Rongrong first, she’s still young. As long as she doesn’t have scars, it’s fine. I’m an old woman, it doesn’t matter to me." Though she said that, her eyes faded again.
Who could say that a woman did not care about her looks? Bai Ruozhu let out a soft sigh, continued to take pulses, and subsequently asked Zhang Liliang for a writing brush and paper to write a prescription.
Zhang Liliang took the prescription and said, "I’ll go get these medicines right away."
Bai Ruozhu glanced around the room, which was noticeably emptier than before, and figured out the current situation of the Zhang Family.
Having a physician make a house visit, especially a long-distance one, the consultation charges must have been pretty high. After that, the medicines, and the pharmaceutical ointment for Rongrong and her mother’s face and body would also not be cheap. It might not have driven the Zhang Family to penury, but it would have likely eaten up most of their savings.
"Uncle Zhang!" Bai Ruozhu called him back, "Go to the Du Family’s pharmacy to get these medicines. Just tell the shopkeeper that it’s for me. Their medicinal materials are of good quality, and mentioning my name will ensure that the best ones are given. This will guarantee the effectiveness of the medicines."
Indeed, the quality of medicinal materials at the Du Family’s pharmacy was commendable, but she essentially wanted to save Zhang Liliang from embarrassment.
Zhang Liliang’s dark face reddened slightly, he nodded and said, "Thank you, Ruozhu. When the money from my business comes in, I’ll pay you back for the medicines."
Bai Ruozhu put on an angry expression, "Uncle Zhang, your words make us sound like strangers. Rongrong is my foster little sister, her mother is also my kin. What’s wrong with me getting medicine for my relatives? Unless, you don’t consider me as part of your family."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Liliang immediately backed away from his offer to repay the debt, but quietly acknowledged their immense kindness.
After Zhang Liliang left, Rongrong woke up. Seeing Bai Ruozhu, she expressed a delighted smile, "Sister Ruozhu, I miss you."
Bai Ruozhu’s nose tingled again, she took a deep breath, caressed Rongrong’s thinning hair, and forced a smile, "Sister missed you too, why don’t I come to visit you every day from now on?"
Rongrong nodded her head joyfully, but it caused the burns on her body to pain her, causing her to wince and hiss.
Bai Ruozhu urgently pulled back the blanket to examine her, only to discover not only were her hands burnt, but her arms and legs were also affected.
When Bai Ruozhu wanted to check on Rongrong’s mother, she adamantly refused, "Mine’s just the same. I’d rather not scare you." Upon saying that, she shot a glance at Rongrong, and self-blamed, "As a mother, I’m useless. I couldn’t protect Rongrong."
"Mother, you were protecting me that you got burned so severely. How could you possibly have failed to protect me?" Upon hearing this, Rongrong burst into tears.
Bai Ruozhu hurriedly said, "Stop crying, both of you. Be careful not to get your tears into the wounds—it’ll only make it worse."
Upon hearing this, both mother and daughter managed to hold back their tears, not crying any further.
Bai Ruozhu took out a silver needle, and told them, "The medicine soup hasn’t arrived yet. I’m sure the pain on your bodies must be unbearable. Let me apply acupuncture to ease the pain temporarily."
Rongrong looked fearfully at the long silver needle, afraid that it piercing into her would be more painful than her burns. She shook her little head, "No need, no need. I’m not in much pain."
Rongrong’s mother, accustomed to a more refined life, chided Rongrong, "Silly girl, acupuncture might look scary with the long needles, but they only pierce into acupuncture points and won’t hurt, the sensation is just slightly numbing."
Bai Ruozhu nodded, "Then, Auntie, I’ll start with you first."
With that, she stopped hesitating, pulled back the blanket, opened up Rongrong’s mother’s clothes, only to get another shock. This time, however, she tried hard not to react—one more surprise would only upset Rongrong’s mother even further.
Bai Ruozhu began to quickly apply the acupuncture. As a result, Rongrong’s mother seemed much more at ease, happily saying to Rongrong, "Mother feels much better, it feels like I could even eat now."
In the past few days, Rongrong’s mother, due to pain, could hardly eat anything, which made Rongrong extremely anxious. Only after hearing what her mother had said did Rongrong take it in fully.
Bai Ruozhu applied acupuncture to Rongrong as well, albeit much more straightforwardly, as Rongrong suffered from fewer burns and hence less pain than her mother.
Having completed all this, Bai Ruozhu put away the silver needle and smilingly said, "Both of you, take a rest. I’ll make something to eat." With that, she briskly walked towards the kitchen.
Just as Bai Ruozhu was stepping into the courtyard, she heard Rongrong’s slightly excited voice from behind, "Mother, it really doesn’t hurt anymore. Sister is so amazing—do you think she’s a fairy sent by the heavens?"