Chapter 10: Hua Linglong's Dinner Invitation

  The taxi drove into the most notorious slum in Jiangwan City, where row after row of bungalows had not been renovated for years, and the ground was all uneven land. The driver complained incessantly as he drove in, and after getting out of the car, Chunanduo threw him ten bucks, only then did the driver leave with a smile on his face.

  On the wooden door of Hu Niang's house hung a rusty iron lock. After Hu Niang opened the door, Chu Nan looked around and saw that the not-so-large courtyard had some chili peppers hanging from the eaves, and there were also some large white cabbages drying on the ground. Although the yard was small, it was tidy and clean.

  Perhaps hearing the commotion, all the neighbors nearby rushed over. After seeing Chu Nan next to Hu Ya, an elderly woman asked on the side: "Hu Ya, didn't you go find a divine doctor? How come you brought back a boy?"

  Two women beside him whispered: "This young man is really handsome!"

  "Really? Really?"

  Another young man in his twenties shouted loudly: "Old Lady Wang, what are you all talking about? This is the little divine doctor! I've seen Dr. Chu treat people with my own eyes!"

  "Really? This divine doctor seems even younger than my grandson, it's unbelievable!"

  These neighbors were chattering non-stop, and Hu Niang looked at everyone and said: "Wang Nainai, Liu Yi, Zhang Shu... this is the divine doctor I invited back, who has come especially to treat my father's illness!"

  "That's great, so that means Big Yellow can be saved?" Grandma Wang walked over shakily and grabbed Chu Nan's hand, her emotions somewhat agitated as she said, "Little one, they all say you can cure people's illnesses, you must cure Tiger's father for sure, he's a good man."

  These people may all be poor, but compared to the Zheng family, they made Chu Nan feel what it means to have a human touch. Chu Nan solemnly promised: "Old lady, rest assured, as long as I can do it, I will definitely use my best efforts to save Tiger's father."

  "That's great!" Grandma Wang said excitedly, "If Tiger Niu's family doesn't have enough money, we can all chip in together. The neighbors on the left and right can also contribute a bit, and we'll definitely be able to come up with the money for treatment."

  Others chimed in: "Yes, big brother, just treat the illness, no matter how much money it costs, we'll help out even if we have to sell our pots and pans."

  Chu Nan took a deep breath and looked at Hu Niang: "Take me to see your father."

  "Chu big brother, you and I come."

  Chu Nan entered the house, and what caught his eye was a cooking stove, with split firewood piled up on the ground, and a bucket for pouring dirty water in the corner. The kitchen space was very small, with a small bedroom inside, and another small room beside it. Although it didn't look dirty, it was exceptionally simple.

  Chu Nan followed Hu Niang into one of the bedrooms, accompanied by Wang Nainai and two middle-aged people. The rest stayed in the courtyard waiting for news.

  Inside the bedroom, a simple bed and an old wardrobe were placed. On the bed, a quilt was laid flat with a man in his forties lying on it, his hair half black and half white. As I approached, I saw that this man had closed his eyes tightly, his breathing weak, his complexion slightly pale, and there was a strong smell of Chinese herbal medicine on his body.

  Chu Nan turned his head to look at Hu Yao, whose face was full of anxiety, and asked: "Is your father a traditional Chinese medicine doctor?"

  One of the middle-aged men who followed in sighed and said, "Old Huang is a traditional Chinese medicine doctor passed down from his family. For over ten years, whenever neighbors had minor illnesses or disasters, Old Huang would treat them for free. Our Changmen Street is an impoverished district abandoned by the Jiangwan City government. Old Huang doesn't charge anyone a penny for treatment, yet he lives in such poverty. And in recent years, he's even taken in a wild girl!"

  Tiger girl's eyes were filled with tears, she nodded heavily and then knelt down in front of Chu Nan: "Brother Chu, if you can cure my father, I'll be your servant from now on."

  Chu Nan helped Hu Niang up and asked in confusion: "Isn't he your biological father?"

  Hu Niang glanced at Ah Die, who was unconscious, and said: "I was picked up by Ah Die, I've been following Ah Die since I was eight years old, and I've been by Ah Die's side for four years now. In these few years, whenever Ah Die treated patients, I would help out on the side, sometimes we'd even go to the mountains together to dig up herbs. Ah Die said that sooner or later he'll cure my amnesia and let me return to my family, but actually, I'd rather stay by Ah Die's side forever, it may be tough, but I'm not tired!"

  Chu Nan gave a sympathetic glance at the poor little girl, then moved a stool to sit down and began to take Huang Lao's pulse. Next, she pried open Huang Lao's mouth for an examination, even leaning in to take a sniff. This was the so-called "looking, smelling, asking, and feeling" of traditional Chinese medicine. As for asking questions, Chu Nan didn't need to ask anymore, having already gotten a sense of things from their previous conversation.

  Chu Nan started opening his medical box and took out the golden needles. Upon seeing these golden needles, Hu Diao's eyes lit up. She had heard her father say before that only a true master of traditional Chinese medicine could use acupuncture to cure illnesses. It seemed that Master's illness now had some hope.

  Chu Nan glanced at Hu Yao and asked, "Is there licorice?"

  "Yes."

  "Alright, you go decoct a pack of licorice root now and bring it to me after it's done."

  Hudie responded with a sound, turned around and left. Chunan looked at one of the middle-aged men and said: "You help me lift up Huang Lao Ge, I will give him acupuncture."

  Hudie left the room, grabbed the licorice root and put it in a medicine pot, starting to decoct medicine for her father in the kitchen. During this time, neighbors kept coming in from outside to ask about the progress, Hudie shook her head indicating she didn't know.

  Hu Niang thought to herself: "A few days ago, I sent my old father to the hospital and spent all our savings. The hospital even refused to admit him in the end, saying that we should prepare for his funeral. If Chu Da Ge really cures my father, our family will be left with nothing. I must keep my promise and sell myself to Chu Da Ge, becoming a slave or servant to repay his kindness."

  After the licorice was cooked, Hu Duan filled it into a bowl, placed the scalding medicine bowl on a wet towel, put the medicine bowl in a tray, and carefully carried the tray into the house.

  Hudie walked into the house and found that Chunan was almost soaked from head to toe, while her father had already woken up.

  Hutou's excited hands almost dropped the bowl of medicine, tears were about to fall, and she shouted: "Father, you woke up!"

  Huang Lao Die was lying on the bed with his upper body exposed, the blue color on his face seemed to have faded a bit, but his mental state was still not good, looking very weak, and he forced out a faint smile, hoarsely saying: "Yes, Hu Niang, thank you for finding me this benefactor."

  Hudie looked at Chunan, and Chunan hastily said: "Don't be in a hurry to thank me, quickly bring the medicine soup over."

  Hudie put the medicine on the bedside table, Chunan's face was solemn as he looked at everyone, hesitated for a moment, and let out a faint sigh.

  "Huang Lao Die said with difficulty: 'Little divine doctor, just say what you have to say. Is it me...'"

  Chu Nan nodded slightly, Hu Niang's face turned pale, Huang Lao Die was only slightly disappointed, while Wang Nai Nai and the other three people were somewhat anxious and chattered: "Little divine doctor, didn't you already save Huang Lao Ge?"

  "Yes, isn't Old Huang already awake? How can he still..."

  Chu Nan sighed and said with a face full of admiration, "Brother Huang has been treating everyone's illnesses for years, and his home environment isn't very good either. He must have been personally gathering and decocting the medicine, I had already noticed it when I came in just now, Brother Huang's body has accumulated toxins from taking in all sorts of medicinal energies over time, and this toxin has already invaded his internal organs... even if Hua Tuo were alive, it would be a case of treating something that cannot be treated..."

  The usually strong Hu Niang finally couldn't hold back her tears and burst into sobs. Huang Lao Ye struggled to stretch out his hand, grasped Hu Niang's small hand, and trembled as he said: "Girl... don't cry... don't cry, from now on you must take good care of yourself."

  Chu Nan also felt a pang of sadness at this scene, but his master had once said that as a doctor, one can only do their best and leave the rest to fate. Even if one is the greatest doctor in the world, they cannot completely change a person's destiny. He had already done his best, so he could only accept it as it was.

  Chu Nan composed himself and said, "Now the only thing I can do is to remove some of the toxins from Huang's body and temporarily protect his heart meridian. This might be able to extend Huang's lifespan by about a month. As for what happens after that, it will be beyond human control."

  When Chu Nan said this, several people including Wang Nainai burst into tears. Huang Lao Ye was lying in bed, but he was the only one who could still laugh. He looked at Chu Nan with shining eyes and a face full of admiration, saying: "The five poisons have invaded my heart and lungs, yet you can still extend my lifespan by a month. You are truly the most formidable divine doctor I have ever seen under the heavens! Little divine doctor, after I die in a month, Hu Diao will no longer have any family members left. She has followed me to gather and decoct medicine for several years and has learned many things. I believe she can be of great help to you. Can I ask you to take her in?"

  Hu Niang knelt down on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably: "Chu Gege, you saved my father's life for a month, I am willing to follow you and be your slave or servant to repay you."

  Chu Nan also pitied this little tigress in his heart, and sighed, saying: "Alright, a month later, you can follow me, but I don't want you to be my slave or servant. I just want to take care of you instead of your father. Your father is a good man, and you are also a good girl."

  Huang Lao Die heard Chu Nan say this, a hint of relief flashed in his eyes, and he quickly opened his mouth to thank him.

  Feeling the melancholy atmosphere, and knowing that there must be many things they wanted to say to each other, Chu Nan didn't want to stay too long either. He said, "I've already helped Huang Ge with acupuncture once, and from now on, just drinking a bowl of well-cooked licorice root every day will do. After a month... Ah, I'll come pick up Hu Niang."

  After finishing speaking, Chu Nan was sent out by Hu Niang and others with tears in their eyes.

  After leaving the Huang's house, Chu Nan hailed a taxi and just as he got in, he received a call from Wu Pei. All he could hear was Wu Pei's tired voice saying: "Big Brother Chu, did you and Hua Linglong's people get into a fight?"

  Chu Nan hummed softly and smiled faintly: "I won't bother them if they don't bother me, unfortunately, they provoked me."

  Wu Pei smiled wryly and said, "It's all my fault for not handling things clearly. Just now, Hua Linglong called me and wanted to invite you and me to attend a dinner party right now. Are you willing to go?"

  Chu Nan had intended to refuse, but thinking that if things got too awkward, it would definitely cause trouble for Wu Bei. Thinking of this icy beauty now being at her wit's end, Chu Nan didn't know why, but couldn't bear to open his mouth to refuse. He could only say: "Alright then, are we going now? Should I go home first or wait somewhere for you?"

  "Why don't you find a place to wait for me, and then I'll come pick you up, we can go together."

  "Alright, it's at the entrance of the restaurant from last time."

  After hanging up the phone, Ling Luo Xi ran down from upstairs with a patter, wearing a cartoon nightgown and pink slippers. Upon seeing Wu Bei, her first sentence was: "Going to attend a dinner party tonight? There must be so many delicious foods, I want to go too."

  Wu Pei was stunned for a moment, then shook her head helplessly and smiled bitterly: "Okay, I'll take you over."

  "Hmph, still thinking of getting together with Chu Gege behind my back? What if that scoundrel takes advantage of him when he's drunk and gets the better of him? That scoundrel would be delighted to take him down! How lovely!" Zero Luo Xi thought to herself, a sly smile spreading across her face like a fox.