Chapter 36: 035: Just a swindler from the picaresque worldi
Translator: 549690339
Upon seeing Doctor Wang’s inquiry, Wang Meifeng immediately asked nervously, “Can this prescription really cure Guobao’s disease?”
Doctor Wang looked at Wang Meifeng, sighed, regretfully shook his head, and said, “The ingredients in this prescription are all very common, mostly for general health maintenance and replenishing vitality. Although they are not harmful to the body, they are not effective for epilepsy.”
Upon hearing this, the color of hope in Wang Meifeng’s eyes dimmed instantly, subsequently, she said, “Doctor Wang, please take another look. Are you sure it’s of no use at all?”
Doctor Wang put the prescription on the table and shook his head again, his eyes full of regret.
“Doctor Wang,” Wang Meifeng held back her tears and croaked, “Could you please look at it again? Maybe you made a mistake earlier! The person who gave me this prescription said that her family has been practicing medicine for generations. She told me that as long as we persistently take this medicine, Guobao’s disease can be completely cured.”
Doctor Wang stroked his beard then opened his mouth, “Generations practicing medicine? 1 think it’s just a quack! You need to understand, Guobao has epilepsy! My great-grandfather was appointed by the emperor for his superior medical skills to be an imperial doctor. Do you know what an imperial doctor is? They treat the emperor! But I have never heard my great-grandfather say that epilepsy can not only be cured but also with such common medicine…”
Pausing here, Doctor Wang continued: “Even my great-grandfather cannot cure epilepsy. He can only control it with medication. How can a countryside doctor have a cure? Isn’t it a joke? It’s simply ridiculous!”
After a snicker, Doctor Wang continued,
“There are a lot of patients waiting outside. If you don’t have any other issues, please go home first. Epilepsy is not a severe illness, just pay more attention to it on a daily basis.”
Not a severe illness? Epilepsy?
Doctor Wang spoke in such a nonchalant manner.
Only Wang Meifeng knew how hard life had been for her son.
Because no one knew when the disease would strike, almost no children wanted to play with her son. Everyone was afraid of being implicated. Moreover, once the epilepsy attacks, it’s terrifying with froth coming out from the mouth and limbs twitching. If not handled properly, one may lose their life, and no schools were willing to admit such students…
She never dared to let Yang Guobao go out alone.
Wang Meifeng took a deep breath, “Okay…I understand. Thank you, Doctor Wang.” she turned around and began walking towards the door. As soon as she left the consultation room, patients who had been waiting in line pushed the door and went in.
Yang Guobao was obediently waiting for Wang Meifeng in the courtyard.
Although many patients were clearly waiting outside the clinic, Yang Guobao’s small figure looked terribly lonely.
As if he was cut off from the world.
Wang Meifeng adjusted her emotions, smiled, and walked over to Yang Guobao, “Guobao, are you hungry? Mom will take you to breakfast.”
“Mom,” Yang Guobao looked up at Wang Meifeng, his innocent eyes dark and deep, “Did Grandpa Wang say that my disease is incurable?” His voice was very calm, as serene as if they are discussing the weather.
Wang Meifeng didn’t expect Yang Guobao to say something like that. She was first stunned, then laughed, “Silly kid, what are you talking about? You’re not sick! You’re healthy.” When an epilepsy attack occurs, the sufferer falls into a brief unconscious state, so the Yang family has always been concealing it from Yang Guobao.
But while she could keep herself quiet, she could not keep others from talking.
There has been much gossip outside.
Although Yang Guobao is young, he is as clear-minded as a mirror.
“Mother,” Yang Guobao continued, “Didn’t Sister Ni Yang give you the prescription? Don’t you believe Sister Ni Yang?”
For a moment, Wang Meifeng didn’t know how to respond to Yang Guobao.
By now, if she still believes in Ni Yang, what would that be other than self-deception?
After all, Dr. Wang is a famed physician.
Ni Yang, on the other hand, is just a young girl.
“Guobao,” Wang Meifeng squatted down, supporting Yang Guobao’s shoulder, gazing at him and saying gently, “It’s not that mom does not believe in Sister Ni Yang, but Sister Ni Yang’s prescription is of no use to you… Trust your mother, mom will definitely make you better, even if it means traveling to the ends of the earth.” By now, Wang Meifeng did not want to continue lying to her child.
Yang Guobao just looked at Wang Meifeng, his round eyes slightly reddening. He croaked, “Mom, 1 want to be like normal children. 1 believe in Sister Ni Yang.”
This was the first time Yang Guobao spoke so directly to Wang Meifeng.
Their words were simple and sincere, but they come from deep within their hearts.
Wang Meifeng couldn’t control her emotions, tears streamed down her face instantly. She hugged Yang Guobao tightly, choked with sobs, “Guobao, I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I’m incapable of giving you a healthy body…”
Yang Guobao blinked his big eyes, very sensible, patting Wang Meifeng’s back, comforting her, “Mum, don’t cry. I’m fine. We should trust Sister Ni Yang once again. I’m not afraid of taking medicine, nor am I afraid of bitterness. 1 will be obedient in the future.”
He was afraid of nothing, except…
…Loneliness and solitude.
He yearned for freedom.
He yearned even more to be like other children, to play freely and make a group of close friends.
Wang Meifeng felt like her heart was about to break, she couldn’t bear to object Yang Guobao. She quickly nodded, “Alright, alright. We will trust Sister Ni Yang once again. 1’11 take you to medicine store now.”
Doctor Wang said that this medicine didn’t have any harm but instead had nourishing health effects.
If her son trusted Ni Yang to this extent, then she couldn’t put out the faint light in his eyes.
“Thank you, mum.” Yang Guobao smiled happily.
He believed that Sister Ni Yang would definitely be able to cure his disease, even if she couldn’t, it wouldn’t matter.
After all, as the saying goes, ‘Gold has impurities, no man is perfect.’
No matter what, he couldn’t bear to let Sister Ni Yang’s efforts go in vain.
Wang Meifeng took Yang Guobao to the traditional Chinese medicine store to get the medicines. She got the medicine for three months directly, three big bags in total, which cost them less than fifty yuan.
No wonder Doctor Wang said these medicines were too common.
Just taking Yang Guobao to the hospital for a check-up costs more than a hundred yuan. How could medicine that costs less than fifty yuan possibly cure epilepsy?
Wang Meifeng sighed deeply.
Once they returned home, she didn’t reveal the truth of the matter to her in-laws and her husband.
Instead, she lied and explained that Dr. Wang had approved of the prescription.
If her in-laws knew that these medicines had no effect, they would definitely prevent Yang Guobao from taking them.
For now, she had to conceal the truth.
“Meifeng, if Guobao’s health improves in three months, we must thank Comrade Ni Yang properly.” said Zhou Suhua, her face beaming with a smile.
Wang Meifeng’s face didn’t express much emotion. As she simmered the herbal decoction, she just nodded gently.
She daren’t imagine what Zhou Suhua’s reaction of disappointment would be once she found out the truth…
However, Yang Guobao was very happy, bouncing around cheerfully and saying, “Grandma, don’t worry. Sister Ni Yang is very amazing, I will definitely get better.”
**
Morning market.
It was already past nine o’clock. Usually, during this time, Ni Yang would have already closed up shop.
However, at this moment, Ni Yang was still busy at her stall. She had prepared two large buckets of pickled cabbage fish soup today, more than five hundred bowls of noodles in total, two hundred bowls more than the day before.
All five tables were filled, and there were even customers still standing in line, waiting.
The air was filled with the sour, spicy, and umami flavors of pickled cabbage fish soup, stimulating everyone’s appetite.
The stall owners nearby, whose businesses were slow, all looked at Ni Yang with envy. The aroma of the pickled cabbage fish was so enticing, and the queue was so long. If it weren’t for the fact that they were in the same line of business, they would have wanted to try a bowl for themselves.
This young girl, though not old in age, was a formidable businesswoman..