Ch60.2 - Because I'm here

Two gold coins, merely for treating an external wound.

Jian Mei and Xiao Ban hadn’t yet processed the price when someone came in and said, “Diya, a nobleman is here for a consultation. He’s injured.”

The healing priest quickly put down the paperwork and replied, “I’ll be right there shortly.”

Jian Mei noticed the priest was about to leave and realized it was already afternoon. They’d already wasted a lot of time just waiting in line, and the trip back after the consultation would take even more time. If they didn’t hurry, they might miss curfew, and the young master might get upset. He quickly called out, “Excuse me, please wait a moment.”

The healing priest stopped in his tracks and turned back, looking puzzled. “What’s the matter?”

“Uh…I mean,” Jian Mei hesitantly pointed to their queue number. “It’s supposed to be our turn, isn’t it? Could you do us a favor and treat us first?”

The healing priest stared at him in surprise, as if he couldn’t believe that Jian Mei had the audacity to ask. “My divine power is limited each day.”

Jian Mei didn’t understand. “So what does that mean?”

“We prioritize based on importance,” the priest explained, pointing outside. “There’s a nobleman out there who needs treatment. I have to check on him first.”

Jian Mei frowned and pointed at Xiaoban. “But what about my friend?”

The healing priest raised his eyebrows. “Is waiting in line that difficult?”

“No,” Jian Mei tried to reason with him and said, “But we’ve been waiting a long time, and we’re in a rush to get back.”

The healing priest laughed mockingly, straightened up, and looked down at Jian Mei. “Do you think your time is more precious than the lord’s?”

Jian Mei was stunned by the sheer absurdity of the healing priest’s reasoning.

At that moment, a man in a silver robe entered and asked impatiently, “Why isn’t it done yet?”

It’s him—the one who injured people while riding the celestial horse.

Jian Mei’s eyes widened in disbelief, but the priest quickly replied, “My lord, EaIbI GbI G YIL rGEQIwEt aIbI, ikE QE’t wJE G rbJiSIh. z’SS EbIGE NJk YQbtE.”

GCJ oNy fy mCJ IfLFJt tOgJ hCDhXLJz IOAmLe, mCJy RNDIJz NI CfI qNpJ AJLL Oy TfNy VJf. dJ NIXJz, “WCe NtJ eOD LOOXfyq Nm oJ LfXJ mCNm?”

“xfU qLAATB dIifUNI dIT AdiTTd MUAd Jfm, iQNId?” XQLJ vTQ qfQJdTB df dIT GIQYB YpQJN fJ dIT gTB. “xfUi PfUJd QJMUiTB IQP. KT MUAd mfsT Uq.”

OAIbNEaQwV jktE aGrrIwIH EJ GSQVw tJ vJQwvQHIwEGSSN.

EIT PLJ QJ dIT AQYaTi ifgT NYLJGTB Ld dIT GIQYB fJ dIT gTB, iLQATB LJ TpTgifm, LJB YLUNITB. “uI? WA dILd Af? W mLA QJ L IUiip LJB BQBJ’d iTLYYp JfdQGT.”

Jian Mei’s eyes widened in disbelief as he cautiously asked, “You…aren’t going to apologize?”

The man in the silver robe stared at Jian Mei, as if he’d just heard the most ridiculous thing. His eyes lingered on Jian Mei’s simple clothes, and he let out a derisive laugh. “Why should I apologize? When you see a celestial horse, you’re supposed to move aside. That’s just common sense.”

“You—” Jian Mei started, but the child on the bed clutched his hand, shaking his head weakly. “Don’t say anymore,” he whispered softly.

Jian Mei fell silent. What he had seen in the mansion was merely a prelude; he had yet to completely understand the rules of this world. Today, he had witnessed so much more, and he couldn’t fully process it yet. He felt out of place, like he didn’t quite belong here.

The man in the silver robe turned to the healing priests and asked, “Can we get started?”

The healing priest nodded and said to the group, “Please leave now. Also, you’ve disrupted my work earlier, so I won’t be assisting you anymore today.”

Jian Mei’s eyes widened in disbelief with how unreasonable this medical clinic was.

Xiao Ban seemed to have expected this. He helped the injured child and tugged Jian Mei along towards the exit. Just as they were leaving, the man in silver robes stopped them. “Wait.”

Jian Mei turned back.

The man in silver robes smiled faintly and asked, “You’re quite interesting. What’s your name?”

Most people would be over the moon if a nobleman asked their name as it could open doors to a bright future. If given the chance, one could serve the cleric and have a limitless future ahead. But Jian Mei’s face remained calm and without saying anything, he bowed politely to the man in silver robes and left.

Even the healing priests in the room were a bit surprised.

However, the man in silver robes didn’t seem to be upset. “Bring me their registration information later, I want to take a look.”

The healing priests immediately replied, “Of course.”

This man was from the imperial capital and he came here for an investigation. It was rumored that the crown prince was planning reforms to reduce medical costs and introduce foreign medicines. Therefore, they must treat him with the utmost respect, as he was someone they couldn’t afford to offend.

On the other side.

Jian Mei and Xiao Ban and the others left the hospital.

The child who had fainted earlier softly said, “Sorry for making you spend so much.”

Jian Mei shook his head, “As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters.”

Xiao Ban looked at him and asked, “Meimei, are you still mad?”

Jian Mei pursed his lips together, walked onto the street with his head lowered so his expression couldn’t be seen. “I’m not angry, I just don’t understand some things.”

Xiao Ban thought Jian Mei had changed a lot since eating the poisonous mushrooms. He had changed so much that even Xiao Ban didn’t really recognize him anymore. There didn’t seem to be anything complicated to understand, though.

Jian Mei looked at Xiao Ban and said, “Let’s go to a different clinic.”

“We can’t,” said Xiao Ban. “Xiao Ban said. “There’s only one hospital in this town.”

Jian Mei said with concern, “What about your injury?”

“It’s fine.” Xiao Ban pointed to a small shop by the side of the road. “It’s no big deal. I’ll just grab some red water and disinfect it.”

Jian Mei noticed that the small shop was doing surprisingly well, selling red water and other everyday items. But he knew that red water wasn’t very effective, so he asked, “Are these people unable to get treated at the hospital because of the long wait?”

The child who had fainted earlier explained, “No, the treatment at the clinic is too expensive for most people.”

For some reason, Jian Mei thought of the saying: The world has long been burdened by the high cost of medicine.

Jian Mei remembered following his grandfather around when they had big hospitals to go to, but people preferred visiting their small clinic because it was convenient and efficient. This was especially true for the elderly in the village who couldn’t afford better care due to a lack of financial means. Without his family’s clinic, some of the elderly people might just stay home and take a couple of amoxicillin pills when they fell ill.

In those days, his grandfather was always very busy and tired, and Jian Mei didn’t know where he found his strength and energy to keep going. Then, his grandfather told him, “When you have people or things to protect, you will have strength.”

“Mei.” The child who had fainted earlier looked at Xiao Ban worriedly and asked, “What injuries did Xiao Ban-gege get? Is it serious? Will he die?”

Jian Mei pulled himself from his thoughts, his gaze becoming firmer. He turned his head slightly and smiled softly. “He won’t.”

The child replied, “Huh?”

Jian Mei gently patted his head, his voice sounded gentle but it held conviction. “Because I’m here.”

He had once been unsure of his purpose in this world, uncertain of what he should do or what his goal was. But now, slowly, his thoughts and ideas had started to take shape. Divine power was indeed powerful, but it wasn’t the only means to help others. The medical books he had studied, the knowledge he had accumulated, and every herb he had gathered had now become his source of strength and his weapons to fight against those who wielded power unjustly.

It wasn’t only the respected priests or the nobility who deserve to be treated; it wasn’t just the nobles who deserve to live. Everyone’s life was equal, regardless of their status. Those with divine power may simply be lucky by birth, but that didn’t mean they should always be regarded as superior. And yet, the commoners, the very people who lived in this country, shouldn’t they have had a place to turn to for help when they were injured?

If he weren’t from this planet, he could turn a blind eye;

If his soul weren’t in this body, he could pretend to be ignorant;

If none of this were happening right in front of him, he could just go on living freely.

Since he was young, his elders took care of everything for him. The education he received and the ideals instilled in him made it impossible for him to stand by and do nothing. Even though this world was full of oppressive rules, he couldn’t turn a blind eye when he knew that something could be done.

Although his strength was weak and limited, he knew that he must stand up. Even if he was a mere faint glimmer, a tiny stone in a vast sea, he wanted to make a ripple in this stagnant world. His goal was to protect his friends, and no matter how difficult it’d get, he wouldn’t back down.