"No need, we’ll be back by lunch. Keep an eye on your sister," Yang Baixiang said affectionately as he stroked Erni’s head. "Go back now, and your eldest sister will bring you something to eat when we return..." He hadn’t eaten dinner last night and didn’t have time for breakfast today either. Despite his hunger, he could only endure it, knowing his mother would never prepare anything for him to eat.
"We better hurry," Yang Peili said, somewhat impatiently.
Yang Baixiang waved to Erni and then climbed onto the mule cart.
Erni could only watch helplessly as the mule cart moved further away.
In the clinic, Yang Ruxin had already packed up. There wasn’t much to pack, just a matter of wrapping up the medicine prescribed by Doctor Wang.
Yang Baixiang carried Xun Hui to the mule cart and to protect against the sun, he handed an umbrella to Yang Ruxin, asking her to hold it up while sitting on the edge of the ox cart.
Yang Peili’s eyes widened at the clinic’s counter, "What? Two taels of silver is not enough?"
"This patient is in a serious condition," Doctor Wang sighed. "We’ve used the most potent medicines, and I’ve also prescribed three days’ worth of tonic soup containing ginseng. How else to keep her strength up? I used ginseng root fibers to keep the cost down. Using whole ginseng slices would have been even more expensive. Besides, not to mention for Li Yi’s sake, I haven’t even charged for the acupuncture..."
Yang Peili let out a heavy breath.
"If it weren’t for the fact you are leaving today, I’d have asked for the fee already... Oh, and that Feng Family woman who was given acupuncture yesterday, she dirtied a bedsheet in the clinic..." Doctor Wang instructed his assistant to hand Yang Peili the soiled bedsheet that Feng Caie had used the day before, "Including the money owed by Xun Hui, the total amount you need to pay is an additional two hundred and twenty-three coins..."
With furrowed brows, Yang Peili remained silent for a long time.
"Father, what’s wrong?" Yang Ruxin walked in. "We should settle the bill quickly so we can go back before the sun gets too high..."
Yang Peili took another heavy breath, realizing there was no point in further arguing and resigned himself to taking out a handful of copper coins to settle the bill. He thought to himself fortunately he brought a tael of silver with him; otherwise, he would have lost face entirely.
"Being a Doctor, though you are going back, I must remind you," Doctor Wang continued. "Xun Hui’s injuries are too serious, she must not stop the medication and must come back regularly for check-ups. At the very least, she needs acupuncture once a month to keep her blood flowing. Otherwise, if it stops, it’ll be even harder to heal..."
"Thank you, Doctor," Yang Ruxin expressed her gratitude, but Yang Peili didn’t say a word and turned to leave.
"Ah, matters of life and death..." Doctor Wang sighed at last. "Such a heartless person is bound to face retribution..."
Yang Peili’s expression turned even uglier, then he left the clinic as if fleeing and continued to wear a grim expression on the way back, looking as if everyone owed him a great deal of silver.
Yang Ruxin didn’t bother to engage with him. Such cold-hearted relatives made her skin crawl.
Silently, they entered the village. Many people they encountered on the road, regardless of their intentions, had to stop and ask a few questions.
Yang Ruxin held Xun Hui, kept her head down, and said nothing. Her mother being unconscious, her sadness was expected.
But Yang Peili had to respond. Already in a foul mood, the villagers’ implicit and explicit criticisms only worsened his temper. His facial expressions became unnatural, and he could do nothing but continually urge the driver to speed up the donkey cart.