Chapter 13: Hand Treatment
It was not far from the town to the village, about six to seven miles. Su Cheng sprained his ankle. Even though he said that they could walk, Su Xiaoxiao still went to hire an ox cart.
It was from the neighboring village. Old Li was not around today.
The family of three sat on the ox cart. Su Xiaoxiao suddenly asked, "Who is Fifth Master?"
When they were fighting with that group of people just now, she heard someone shout, "Su, aren't you afraid of offending Fifth Master by doing this? Brother Dao is Fifth Master's man!"
"That's right. Who's Fifth Master?" Su Ergou was also curious.
Su Cheng said nonchalantly, "I'm from the underworld and have some small influence in the city. I've interacted with them in my early years."
"Sounds impressive," Su Xiaoxiao said.
Su Cheng said, "Don't listen to Zhang Dao's nonsense. He's not in Fifth Master's league!"
"What if he did know Fifth Master?" Su Ergou asked.
Su Cheng snorted. "So be it! We'll cross that bridge when we come to it! He's been beaten up like that. No matter what, he'll have to lie in bed and recuperate for a few months! By the time he complains, it'll be too late!"
Su Ergou said weakly, "What if it's not too late?"
Su Cheng slapped his forehead. "Whose side are you on!"
Su Ergou felt wronged.
The ox cart driver sent the Su family of three to the vicinity of Xinghua Village. Before leaving, Su Xiaoxiao instructed him, "Please tell He Tongsheng's family that I don't care if he comes or his family. In short, once the three days are up, there will be blood if there's no money!"
The man drove away, shaking with fear.
Su Ergou gave Su Xiaoxiao a thumbs up. His sister had an aura!
"However, Sister, he doesn't seem to be from He Tongsheng's village. He's from Willow Village in the east."
Su Xiaoxiao was speechless.
… .
When the three of them entered the village, the three little children were like three little chicks waiting to be fed. They flapped their little arms back and looked at the village road.
Seeing them, the three little ones ran over.
"Dahu, Xiaohu, Erhu!"
Su Ergou's eyes lit up. He took the three little ones—one on his shoulder and two in his arms.
The three little ones with dark faces were quiet.
Little Wu timidly walked up to Su Xiaoxiao and whispered, "They… they came here to wait…"
The wind at the village entrance was strong and cold.
She was afraid that Fatty Su would blame her for not taking good care of the children.
"Thank you for today." Xiaoxiao didn't think that Little Wu had done anything wrong. "They didn't cause trouble for you, right?"
Little Wu hesitated for a moment. "They didn't disturb me."
It was just that they made half the children in the village cry…
Su Xiaoxiao smiled. "I knew it. They're very obedient."
Little Wu braced herself. "… Yes, your sons are very easy to take care of."
Su Xiaoxiao was about to explain that they weren't her sons but decided to let it rest. When Wei Ting recovered, he would leave with the children.
"Take these snacks back."
Su Xiaoxiao bought a few boxes of snacks from town. Of course, they weren't from Jin Ji.
Little Wu didn't want it.
"Take it!"
Su Xiaoxiao said fiercely.
Little Wu accepted it with trepidation. "If… if there's nothing else. I'll leave first."
Su Xiaoxiao looked at her fleeing back and thought, Look at how scared she is.
"She's also pitiful." Su Cheng sighed. It was rare that he wasn't stingy.
Little Wu married Liu Shan's eldest son, Liu Ping. Liu Ping's mother had a difficult labor when she gave birth to him. Later on, Liu Shan married a second wife, Big Wu.
Although they had the same surname, Little Wu was not related to the Big Wu.
Big Wu gave birth to a son and a daughter. The daughter got married, and the son was Niu Dan's father.
Big Wu only doted on her biological son. In addition, Little Wu only had two daughters, so Liu Shan was even more biased towards Big Wu.
Liu Ping and Little Wu worked hard in town, while the other daughter worked hard at home.
… .
After arriving home, Su Xiaoxiao sent medicine to Wei Ting as usual.
Perhaps it was because he was shocked by his own appearance, but Wei Ting was much more introverted than two days ago and didn't say a word to Su Xiaoxiao.
She was gleeful to see him in such a depressive state!
Su Xiaoxiao smiled and went to the kitchen to make dinner—fried eggs, scallion fried noodles, and a bowl of cabbage and pork belly.
Hmm… Would they finish it before she was able to cure the meat?
After an intense fight during the day, the three of them had exhausted a lot of stamina and had a huge appetite.
The three little ones were like three squirrels that ate a lot too.
She specially cooked an extra pot of rice, thinking that if she couldn't finish it, she would make clay pot rice tomorrow morning.
Not long after, the pot was empty.
At night, Su Xiaoxiao carried a basin of hot water to Su Cheng.
Su Cheng was lying on the bed, hissing.
It had been a long time since he had fought with someone like this. He felt as though his bones were scattered, especially his right hand and right ankle. One was numb, and the other was in excruciating pain.
"Father, I'm coming in."
Su Cheng ended his gasp in a second and sat up straight.
"You're not asleep yet?" he asked seriously.
"I'll sleep later." She carried the hot water to the bed.
"What?" Father Su sniffed, smelling of Chinese medicine. "Did you buy medicine?"
Of course, she did not buy any medicine. These were the Chinese medicine that she had packed into the first aid kit from the base's pharmacy last time. They had the effect of easing pain, containing inflammation, and promoting blood circulation.
Wei Ting had no use for them for the time being.
Su Xiaoxiao said without changing her expression, "I went to town yesterday and bought some… medicine. Put your feet in and soak them."
Su Cheng waved his hand. "Just give them to my son-in-law. I don't need it."
"Why are you always thinking about him?" Su Xiaoxiao said fiercely. "Just put your feet in!"
Old Father Su obediently placed his feet in the wooden basin.
He had only suffered a sprain in his ankle. It would heal in a few days. The problem was his right hand.
In the Host's memory, Father Su's right hand had an old injury. When it was cold and damp, it would flare up. At best, it would hurt, and at worst, it would be numb.
A traveling physician had come to the village and prescribed a few doses of medicine for Father Su. After taking it, he had not had any relapse for a few years.
Today, he was injured again after fighting Zhang Dao.
If he could not be cured this time, Father Su's right hand would be completely crippled.
Seeing his daughter holding his right hand in a daze, Su Cheng cleared his throat and retracted his hand. "It's fine, it doesn't hurt!"
Su Xiaoxiao said seriously, "I'll think of a way to treat your hand. Before that, don't use too much strength!"
Su Cheng thought that his daughter was going to town to ask a doctor to treat his hand. He said disapprovingly, "It's fine if I say so. Why would you spend so much money?"
He knew very well that his hand could not be treated. Even the traveling physician with brilliant medical skills had only stopped the pain in his right hand, but he had not recovered his original strength.
He would never get better.
… .
After leaving Grandpa Su's house, Su Xiaoxiao went to Su Ergou's house again.
Su Ergou went to the toilet. The three children were standing by the table, standing on their tiptoes and looking at something.
"Do you want some snacks?" Su Xiaoxiao walked over and asked.
The three little ones raised their round heads and blinked as they nodded.
"If you want to eat, say it." Su Xiaoxiao picked up a box of osmanthus cake and squatted down to look at the three of them.
The three of them remained silent.
Su Xiaoxiao: "You can have it if you say so."
Still, no one said anything.
Su Xiaoxiao thought for a moment before taking the osmanthus cake away and bringing a few candied hawthorns from her room.
The three of them were instantly stunned.
Indeed, candied hawthorn was more charming than osmanthus cake.
Su Xiaoxiao coaxed, "Hawthorn… candy."
She wondered if it was too long and difficult and simplified it. "Candy."
The three of them said, "Mother."
Su Xiaoxiao was dumbfounded.