Chapter Thirty: The Wounds Are Severe

Gu Xiaoyao didn’t want to trouble him any further; after all, it had already been a long journey, and dusk was falling.
“No need, Uncle Bighead. After we finish here, I’ll just rent an ox cart to take us to the foot of Lotus Village Mountain,” she said.
“It’s late now. You should head back to the village; otherwise, the road will be difficult,” he replied.
The journey from town to the base of Lotus Village Mountain was already lengthy, not to mention the climb that awaited them.
Seeing her calm, unwavering expression, Uncle Bighead finally nodded, escorting them to the outside of the clinic before bidding farewell and leading his ox cart out of town.
Li looked at the clinic, now so close, and a sudden anxiety took hold of her. She hesitated, afraid to enter.
“Xiaoyao, I’m scared. What if there really is something wrong with my health?”
She hadn’t been this worried before coming to the clinic, but now that it was right in front of her, panic overwhelmed her.
“There’s nothing to fear, Mother. If there’s something wrong with your health, we’ll treat it. I brought you here precisely for that. Don’t worry, I’m here with you!”
Gu Xiaoyao understood her mother’s concerns. Anyone facing illness and entering a clinic would naturally feel anxious, their minds swirling with unease.
People feared not only for their bodies but also for the cost of treatment.
“That’s right, Mother. Don’t be afraid. Let’s go in and let the doctor take a look,”
Gu Xiaoshu chimed in, encouraging Li not to be frightened.
Seeing her two children comforting her, Li summoned her courage and stepped into the clinic.

The four of them waited inside the clinic for a while before it was Li’s turn.
The doctor took her pulse, asked detailed questions about her condition, wrote a prescription, and then pulled Gu Xiaoyao aside to speak privately.
“Doctor, is my mother’s health not good?”
Noticing the doctor’s grave expression, Gu Xiaoyao stood steady and asked.
“Your mother’s health is indeed poor. I saw many bruises on her wrists, and there must be internal injuries as well.
When I took her pulse just now, I felt things were not right. She needs careful rest and medication.”
The doctor explained Li’s condition clearly. Upon hearing this, Gu Xiaoyao asked him to prescribe the necessary medicine.
Li sat on a stool, anxiously twisting the hem of her clothes, her gaze flitting between Gu Xiaoyao and the doctor.
“Xiaoshu, Son-in-law Chu, do you think I have a serious illness? Why didn’t the doctor say it to my face?”
Gu Xiaoshu was too young to know how to comfort her, but Chu Chengjin reassured her,
“No need to worry, Aunt. The doctor is just explaining what needs to be taken care of to Xiaoyao. If it were something serious, he would have told you already.”
His words could only soothe Li for the moment; anyone else might not be so easily convinced.
Gu Xiaoyao and the doctor returned. Soon, the prescription was written, and Gu Xiaoyao went to collect the medicine.
Watching the clerk wrap the medicine, she asked about the cost and emptied her purse to pay.

“Thank you.”
After thanking the clerk, Gu Xiaoyao took the medicine package and helped Li rise from the stool.
“Mother, I’ve got the medicine. Are you hungry? Let’s go eat something!”
There were fifty copper coins left; she had expected to spend everything she carried.
“Xiaoyao, did the doctor say anything? Is there something wrong with my health?”
Leaning on her daughter, Li stood up and asked.
“No, he just told me what to watch out for when preparing the medicine, and that your injuries need proper care. If you don’t rest well, there may be lasting problems.”
Gu Xiaoyao spoke openly, and Li felt reassured, believing her health would improve with proper nourishment.
“No, no, I’m not hungry! Keep the remaining money.”
At the thought of spending money, Li immediately waved her hand in refusal.
“I’m hungry, and Xiaoshu and Chu Chengjin are too. On our way here, I saw a bun stall—let’s go buy some buns!”
Saving these few coins wouldn’t make their lives much better, and Gu Xiaoyao couldn’t bear hunger; when she was hungry, she felt anxious.