Yang Dajin had patrol duty in the afternoon, so at this time he was resting with his family.
Watching his children shiver from the cold, he noticed that their shoes were completely soaked and their pant legs were wet halfway up.
If this continued, they would certainly come down with a fever or illness.
So he took the family hatchet and chopped some dead branches from nearby trees.
After a great deal of effort, he finally managed to start a small fire.
Yang Dajin brought out the family’s cooking pot and fashioned a simple stand from branches, suspending the pot over the flames.
Then he filled it with snow and began melting it into hot water.
When Song Hongsheng and Song Zixuan arrived, they happened to catch the family dividing up bowls of steaming water.
Song Hongsheng explained why he had come.
“Brother Dajin, Doctor Lu has taken in a patient—a little girl with a serious injury. She urgently needs hot water. Do you think you could…”
As he spoke, he glanced at the steaming pot.
Yang Dajin was naturally generous and straightforward.
“Ah, that’s no big deal.”
“I’ll get you a bowl right away.”
He immediately crouched down, filled a bowl with hot water, and handed it over.
Song Hongsheng started to thank him, but Yang Dajin waved him off.
“Hurry and take it.”
“Saving someone comes first.”
“Just bring the bowl back later.”
Smiling, Song Hongsheng accepted the bowl and left.
Meanwhile, Song Zixuan suddenly bowed deeply toward Yang Dajin.
The gesture startled him so badly that he immediately pulled the boy upright.
“You child!”
“We don’t stand on ceremony like that in our village.”
“Don’t go giving such formal bows in the future.”
Song Zixuan’s little face remained serious.
“The ancients said: one should never forget kindness received.”
“Even a single grain of rice should be remembered with gratitude.”
“Zixuan thanks Uncle Dajin once more.”
Originally, he had not known Yang Dajin’s name.
But after hearing Song Hongsheng address him as “Brother Dajin,” he had figured it out.
Yang Dajin could only wave his hand helplessly.
“No need to be so polite.”
“Hurry back to your mother.”
Only then did Song Zixuan carefully make his way back toward Lu Yao.
After he left, Yang Dajin turned to his wife.
“Doctor Lu’s children really are different.”
“Even their thanks sound refined.”
“We should stay close to their family in the future.”
“Look how quickly she’s taught those children so well.”
His wife silently nodded in agreement.
Once Song Hongsheng returned with the hot water, Lu Yao used a clean white cloth to carefully wash Yao Rong’s wound.
She then applied crushed sanqi herb before beginning to bandage it.
Standing nearby, Fang Lan watched Lu Yao’s movements with admiration.
She had seen doctors treat wounds before.
None of them worked with such confidence and precision.
When Lu Yao finished, she tied the bandage into a neat butterfly knot.
It looked almost like a white ribbon flower resting atop the girl’s head.
Treating the wound was only the first step.
Lu Yao then placed two fingers on Yao Rong’s wrist and began taking her pulse.
She suspected the child suffered from more than simple blood loss.
Otherwise her complexion would not be so poor.
Fang Lan thought the examination was already finished and was about to prepare a gift of thanks.
But seeing Lu Yao continue feeling the girl’s pulse, she dared not interrupt.
Although Lu Yao’s face remained calm, Fang Lan’s anxiety only grew.
Could her daughter have some other hidden illness?
A full quarter of an hour passed before Lu Yao finally released the girl’s wrist.
Standing up, she asked calmly,
“Has this child always suffered from a congenital weakness?”
Fang Lan’s eyes widened.
“Yes! Yes!”
“Doctor Lu truly is miraculous!”
Then she hurriedly explained.
“When I was pregnant with my third son, I damaged my health.”
“The doctor said I would never conceive again.”
“But later I unexpectedly became pregnant with Rong’er.”
“From the moment I conceived her, I was constantly ill.”
“I spent the entire pregnancy trying to preserve the child.”
“After she was born, she was sick almost all the time.”
“The fact that she’s survived to this age is already a blessing.”
“To be honest, she started drinking medicine almost as soon as she started drinking milk.”
As she spoke, tears filled her eyes.
The doctors had warned them long ago.
Even if the child survived childhood, she would likely never live past twenty.
But Yao Rong was their only daughter.
How could they abandon her?
All they could do was raise her as best they could and leave the rest to fate.
Now, hearing Lu Yao identify the illness immediately gave Fang Lan a glimmer of hope.
Without hesitation, she dropped to her knees.
“Doctor Lu!”
“Please save my daughter!”
“I’ll give you all our food as payment!”
Nothing made Lu Yao more uncomfortable than people begging her.
She had never been good at handling emotions.
In her previous life, she usually avoided such situations entirely.
Quickly helping Fang Lan back to her feet, Lu Yao spoke as gently as she could.
“Your daughter’s condition can be treated.”
“But it will require long-term care.”
“If properly treated, she can marry, have children, and live a normal lifespan just like anyone else.”
Fang Lan froze.
Then tears began pouring down her face.
“Really?”
“Doctor Lu, really?”
“I’m not dreaming?”
“No matter how many years it takes, we’re willing.”
Her expression then darkened.
“But the cost…”
“We can’t afford it right now.”
Then she hurriedly added,
“But we won’t default on the debt!”
“My husband is a hunter.”
“I have three sons.”
“We’ll do whatever Doctor Lu asks of us.”
She was practically trembling with excitement.
Lu Yao deliberately avoided discussing payment.
She understood the situation everyone faced.
If she demanded fees first, many people would never seek treatment.
But if she accepted no payment at all, people would eventually begin taking her kindness for granted.
So she preferred to leave it to conscience.
Payment wasn’t required to be generous.
But it shouldn’t be completely absent either.
“The compensation can wait.”
“What matters now is her injury.”
“She struck her head.”
“I can’t yet determine whether she suffered a concussion.”
“If she develops dizziness or nausea over the next two days, tell me immediately.”
“Keep the wound dry.”
“And change the dressing every two days.”
Lu Yao felt her tone was already very gentle.
Yet to everyone else, she still sounded serious and distant.
Fang Lan repeatedly thanked her and immediately tried to hand over all of their food.
Seeing the large bundle, Lu Yao guessed it probably contained the family’s entire food supply.
She accepted it without protest.
Opening it, she discovered various kinds of dried meat inside.
There was wild boar.
Roe deer.
Large quantities of rabbit meat.
There even appeared to be a piece of venison.
Without ceremony, Lu Yao grabbed two handfuls for the children to snack on.
Then she tied the bundle shut and handed it back.
“I’ve already taken my fee.”
“You keep the rest.”
Her tone left no room for argument.
Combined with her naturally cool demeanor, Fang Lan instinctively accepted the bundle.
At that moment, Song Qingsong came hurrying over.
Sweat covered his forehead despite the cold.
He stopped before Lu Yao and Song Hongsheng.
“Brother Hongsheng.”
“Doctor Lu.”
“There’s a group of people from Xiaoyang Village looking for this sister-in-law.”
“They claim she’s taken their food.”
“We’ve stopped them outside Songyang Village for now.”
The moment Fang Lan heard this, a terrible feeling rose in her chest.
She immediately turned toward Lu Yao.
“Doctor Lu.”
“Could I trouble you to keep these provisions safe for me?”
“And could Rong’er stay here for a little while?”
“I need to check on my husband and sons.”
“I have a feeling something has happened to them…”
Earlier disturbances from Xiaoyang Village had not gone entirely unnoticed.
Both Lu Yao and Song Hongsheng had heard fragments of discussion among the villagers.
But nobody seemed to know exactly what had occurred.
Since Lu Yao never enjoyed involving herself in other people’s affairs, she hadn’t paid much attention.
Still, Yao Rong was now her patient.
Watching over the girl for a short while was hardly difficult.
After a brief pause, Lu Yao nodded.
Fang Lan immediately shoved the bundle of food into Lu Yao’s hands.
Then she turned and hurried toward Xiaoyang Village.
But the moment she crossed into their territory, a crowd of villagers surrounded her from all sides.