The villagers spoke one after another:
“My family agrees.”
“My family also agrees.”
“My family agrees too.”
Everyone expressed their approval. The villagers’ care deeply moved Liu Qingyan.
Soon, the two younger children carried out their belongings.
Erhu held two old, worn-out quilts, while Third Girl carried a few pieces of ragged clothing.
When everyone saw how little the children had, they couldn’t help but curse Old Madam Liu inwardly, thinking she was truly heartless, and they all worried about how these three children would survive in the future.
People wanted to help move things, but there was really nothing to carry.
Old Lady Li said, “Daya, let them help you clean up the straw hut and repair the roof a bit. That house hasn’t been lived in for a long time and is full of dust. You’re badly injured—come to my house first. Let Doctor Song treat your wound there.”
Supported by Old Lady Li and her eldest daughter-in-law, Bai Cuilian, Liu Qingyan kept thanking them repeatedly.
The village chief led a group of villagers to help clean and repair the house, while the village chief’s wife took Liu Qingyan to their home.
Doctor Song also hurried along, deeply worried. Daya’s wound needed urgent treatment. Several women also followed the village chief’s wife to their home.
Erhu went with the villagers to fix the house, already acting like a little man. Everyone was helping rebuild their home, and he felt deeply grateful, remembering everyone’s kindness in his heart.
Their mother had taught them since childhood that a drop of kindness should be repaid with a fountain of gratitude.
He and his sister were still young and could not do heavy work, so they fetched water from neighbors for the helpers to drink.
With many hands working, the straw hut was repaired in just half a day.
Some villagers brought wood, some brought straw, some brought homemade stools, and others brought door panels.
In short, everyone contributed whatever they could so the house could at least be livable for now.
The inside was also cleaned. Apart from a broken wooden bed, there was nothing else—no water jar, no buckets, no pots or bowls, no tables or stools.
Zhang’s second sister-in-law brought a rough ceramic bowl and a bamboo ladle.
Aunt Li brought several pairs of bamboo chopsticks.
Elder Li brought a chipped clay jar that could be used to store water.
Uncle Wang brought a small clay stove and a pot.
Brother Zhao’s family brought a small table and a few stools. Though rough, they were practical.
Aunt Chen brought a small knife to use as a kitchen knife.
Everyone contributed whatever they had to help the three siblings of the Liu family.
Erhu and Third Girl kept thanking everyone, their hearts warm. Only now did they realize that beyond the Liu family household, there were many people who cared about them.
Meanwhile, Doctor Song cleaned Liu Qingyan’s wound and discovered it was quite deep and she had lost a lot of blood.
“Daya, I’ll apply medicine and bandage you first. I’ll come back in two days to change the dressing.
The wound is deep—you’ll need a long time to recover. Your qi and blood are severely depleted and cannot be restored in a short time.
Originally, you should eat nourishing food to recover, but your situation doesn’t really allow it. Sigh… I’ll prescribe you two doses of blood-nourishing medicine. Take it slowly and recover over time.”
“Thank you, Doctor Song. How much do I owe for consultation and medicine?”
“I gathered the herbs myself from the mountains, even some ginseng roots added in. These are what you need most right now. Strong tonics and blood-nourishing medicine—all home-collected. Just one tael of silver is enough.
But you don’t need to pay now. You’ve just started living on your own—pay whenever you have money in the future.”
Doctor Song was around fifty years old, kind-faced and gentle. He had moved to the village later in life.
It was said that his wife had passed away and he never remarried. He had no children and lived alone.
His medical skills were quite good, and villagers often came to him for treatment. He charged very little and never overcharged anyone. He lived quietly in the countryside, only treating villagers.
People from nearby villages also came to him, but townspeople and county residents looked down on rural “barefoot doctors,” so few outsiders sought his help.
Liu Qingyan was about to bow again in thanks, but he stopped her.
“Doctor Song, I will never forget your kindness in treating me and helping us sever ties so quickly. I will repay you in the future.”
She knew very well that medicinal herbs containing ginseng were expensive, especially in ancient times when wild mountain ginseng was used. Blood-nourishing medicines were also costly.
Doctor Song only symbolically charged a small fee; in a town pharmacy, it would have cost much more.
She deeply remembered this kindness.
When Old Lady Li heard the medicine only cost one tael, she immediately realized that the old doctor was helping the children sever ties as quickly as possible.
“Doctor Song, we truly have to thank you today. If you hadn’t said the medicine cost twenty taels, that Old Madam Liu would never have agreed to sever ties with Daya and the others.”
“It’s nothing, sister-in-law. These three children have it hard. If I can help, I will.”
After sending Doctor Song off, Bai Cuilian helped Liu Qingyan lie down. She could barely walk a few steps without feeling dizzy, so she had to rest.
Old Lady Li said, “Cuilian, make more food tonight. Let Daya and the three children eat at our house.”
Bai Cuilian, also kind-hearted, quickly replied, “Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll make more.”
Liu Qingyan knew they had nothing at home and could not refuse politely anymore. She said, “Thank you, Grandma Li. Thank you, Auntie. I’ve troubled you all.”
Old Lady Li replied, “Tiezhu, go call your Erhu brother and Third Sister over for dinner.”
“Okay, Grandma!” Tiezhu said, running off in a flash.
The village chief’s family was very kind. Soon, Erhu and Third Girl arrived.
The first thing they did was check on their sister.
“Big sister, how is your injury?”
“Does your head still hurt? Are you dizzy?”
“I’m fine now. I’m much better. I’ll recover in a few days. Is everything ready at the house?”
“It’s all done, sister. We can move in tonight.”
After a few words, Tiezhu came over and shouted, “Big sister Daya, Erhu brother, Third Sister, dinner’s ready!”
Erhu and Third Girl quickly went to help their sister.
At that moment, Bai Cuilian came over and said, “Daya, can you walk? Should I bring the food over so you can eat in bed?”
“I can walk, Auntie. It’s fine.”
On the table was a basin of steamed corn buns, pickled vegetables, wild vegetable soup, and even steamed egg custard.
This was already very good food. Ordinary families usually ate wild vegetable porridge; corn buns were something many could not afford.
Old Lady Li even scooped egg custard into the siblings’ bowls, telling them to nourish themselves well.
The three siblings had not eaten corn buns in a long time, let alone precious eggs. Their eyes filled with tears of gratitude.
Their own grandmother and paternal relatives abused them daily, yet a village family with no blood relation treated them so kindly.