Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two: Well Water

Zhang Cai said, "It definitely isn't ginseng. I only saw it once when I was young, in someone's medical hall. Since I came to Guo Village, I haven't had the chance to see it again."

Everyone became even more puzzled. What could it be? They all ate from the same pot, and it was just ordinary peasant food, nothing special at all.

No one could figure it out.

As the hour grew late, Zhang Cai and Guo Sufei, who had been busy all day, were exhausted. Everyone finally dispersed.

Zhang Xiaohua tiptoed back to his grandmother's small house. She was already fast asleep, though she still coughed softly from time to time. Despite her fatigue, she slept deeply and didn't notice Xiaohua entering. Xiaohua slipped into his own bed, listening to his grandmother's suppressed coughs and intermittent breathing. He felt a deep sorrow, remembering all the good things his grandmother had done for him since he could remember. In his daily life, he hadn't realized how much he cared for her, but now, he found that his mind was deeply etched with memories of her, so many and so detailed, impossible to forget.

Thinking about it, Zhang Xiaohua began to cry. His tears flowed down his face and onto the pillow. Gradually, he fell asleep, and his flickering dreams came as expected.

In his dream, Zhang Xiaohua felt as if he was living in a world that breathed and flickered rhythmically. His breath, his body, everything about him flickered in sync with this world, gradually merging into one.

The next morning, as the first ray of sunlight shone into his grandmother's small house, Zhang Xiaohua opened his eyes, and the flicker in his eyes disappeared as usual.

The first thing Zhang Xiaohua did after opening his eyes was to listen for his grandmother's voice. But there was no coughing or breathing. He quickly got up and found that his grandmother wasn't in the room. When he went outside, he saw her sitting in a chair in the yard. The morning wind was still cold, blowing her white hair in the sunlight, blurring his vision.

He ran over and said, "Grandma, you should go back inside. The morning wind is very cold, and your health isn't good. Don't come out in the morning anymore."

Grandma's hand found Zhang Xiaohua's head and lovingly stroked it. "Xiaohua, I'm old and don't sleep much. I couldn't sleep, so I came out for some fresh air. I'll go back now, okay?"

Zhang Xiaohua didn't say anything, just silently helped his grandmother back to the warm little house.

After leaving the house, Zhang Xiaohua looked at the rising sun on the horizon. Suddenly, he remembered what had happened a few days ago. He made the same gesture of biting the sun, and sure enough, he felt a warm current enter his throat again. Zhang Xiaohua was stunned. Was it not just an illusion? His eyes darted around, wondering if this was the "dog eating the sun." Could he have become the dog? After pondering for a while, he still couldn't figure it out, so he shook his head and decided not to think too much about it. He just planned to do this every morning and see what would happen.

After a simple breakfast, Zhang Xiaohua, as usual, went to the hill to fetch spring water.

Just as Zhang Xiaohua was about to leave, Liu Qian, who was clearing the table, called out, "I know what Grandma has been eating."

Everyone was taken aback. Zhang Cai asked, puzzled, "What has Grandma been eating?"

Liu Qian smiled and said, "It was yesterday, when the doctor mentioned Grandma eating ginseng, right?"

Zhang Cai finally understood. Zhang Xiaolong, anxious, said, "Tell us quickly, what has Grandma been eating?" Zhang Xiaohua also stopped in his tracks.

Liu Qian said mysteriously, "I should say, what Grandma has been drinking."

"Drinking?" Zhang Xiaolong's eyes turned to Zhang Xiaohua, as if he understood something.

Zhang Xiaohu, who hadn't finished eating, stared blankly at the porridge in his bowl and said, "This? Ginseng? I don't think so."

Seeing everyone's confusion, Liu Qian explained, "Think about it. Last night, we thought for a long time but couldn't figure out what special thing it could be. But the doctor said it was something she started eating recently. The well water on the hill was only occasionally drunk before. Since I came, the well water has been used in large quantities, especially by Grandma, who has recently started drinking tea made with well water. We've also been using well water for cooking recently. In terms of timing, only the well water fits the criteria."

Guo Sufei patted her head and said, "That's true. Yesterday, we were only thinking about what she ate, not what she drank. Liu Qian is absolutely right."

Zhang Cai, however, said, "I believe ginseng can help my wife, but this water is just water. How can it be a medicine?" He asked Liu Qian doubtfully.

Liu Qian didn't know how to answer and said, "Uncle, I don't know either. Why don't we take a pot of water to the town's medical hall and have them check it?"

Guo Sufei said, "Yes, good idea. Let's have Xiaohu take a pot to town and have the doctor check it."

Zhang Xiaohu said excitedly, "Okay, I'll finish my meal and get ready. My injuries are almost healed, so a trip to town won't be a problem."

Zhang Xiaohua also said, "I'll go fetch the water. I want to go to town with Second Brother."

Saying that, he was about to run to the hill.

At that moment, Zhang Cai said, "No, absolutely not!"

Everyone was stunned again. Guo Sufei asked, "What do you mean, husband? Why can't Xiaohu go?"

Zhang Cai, seeing everyone's confusion, said with a bitter smile, "Have you forgotten about Mr. Wu from the neighboring village?"

Liu Qian and Zhang Xiaohua suddenly understood, while the others were still puzzled. Zhang Xiaohu asked, "Father, we know about Mr. Wu. He was killed by bandits because he dug up a treasure."

Zhang Cai said, "Is our well water a treasure?"

Zhang Xiaohu said, "We don't know, that's why we want the town doctor to check it."

Zhang Cai followed up, "What if it is?"

Zhang Xiaohu was speechless and didn't know how to respond.

Seeing everyone still confused, Liu Qian explained, "Uncle means this: if the well water is a treasure and the town doctor finds out, it would be a big deal. A well full of ginseng is much more valuable than Mr. Wu's box of jewels. If the bandits find out, they'll come to kill and steal the water. And the well is not in our yard but on the hill, so we can't claim it as ours. If everyone finds out, they'll all come to fetch water. What do we do then? If they all take it, what will Grandma drink? The worst-case scenario is that someone powerful will take over, and no one will be able to get any water."

Everyone finally understood.

Zhang Xiaolong asked, "If we don't let the doctor check, we won't know if the well water is helping Grandma."

Liu Qian smiled and said, "Let's not even consider whether the doctor will check it or if they can figure it out. Even if the well water isn't helpful, we won't lose anything by drinking it and using it for cooking."

Then, Liu Qian said seriously, "If the water is helpful, we might not be able to drink it anymore, and Grandma won't be able to drink it either. It could even put us in danger."

Guo Sufei quickly said, "Liu Qian is right. We can't go to town to see the doctor. And everyone must keep the well water a secret. Don't tell anyone."

Everyone nodded.

Zhang Xiaohua, while fetching water, shook his head and muttered to himself, "In this world, people are no longer trustworthy. You have to protect yourself first. It's hard to be a person."

From that day on, Zhang Xiaohua fetched an extra trip of water from the hill every day. All the water used at home, for drinking, cooking, and washing, was replaced with well water, and they no longer used the river water from the village.

It seemed everyone was hoping for a miracle to happen to Grandma.

Grandma's body remained weak, and her coughing didn't seem to have improved.

However, Zhang Cai, Zhang Xiaolong, and Zhang Xiaohu's injuries were healing rapidly day by day. Especially Zhang Xiaolong, when he went to the veterinarian Old Chen for a follow-up, Old Chen almost couldn't believe his eyes. He examined and touched the wound repeatedly, and finally, he had to admit that Zhang Xiaolong was more than halfway healed, and the broken bones were almost fully recovered. Ignoring Guo Sufei's grateful thanks, Old Chen hurriedly sent them away and ran into his pharmacy, carefully storing the medicine he had prepared and used only once for Zhang Xiaolong. He was secretly pleased, thinking, "Who says I can only be a veterinarian? This is my first time making medicine, and it has such an effect. Maybe I have the potential to be a great doctor. I should change my profession and open a clinic in the bustling part of Luzhen. With this miraculous medicine, I'll make a fortune."

Leaving Old Chen's daydreams aside, the Zhang family was delighted to see Zhang Xiaolong's rapid recovery. They knew it was thanks to the well water. When Grandma learned that her grandson's arm was fully healed, she was overjoyed, her face beaming like a chrysanthemum, and her coughing eased. The family was filled with laughter and joy.

As for Liu Qian, she didn't know what she was feeling. When she first saw Zhang Xiaolong without a splint, she was extremely surprised and happy, but soon, a wave of disappointment washed over her. She tried to avoid this feeling and deny her thoughts, but she knew she really liked this family and Zhang Xiaolong. She didn't want to leave, even though her own home was good. She asked herself, "Is my own home not good?" The answer was no. She liked her own home, but the feeling here was different. What was the difference?

Maybe it was Zhang Xiaolong.

But now that Zhang Xiaolong was healed, what reason did she have to stay?