Chapter 25: The Old Doctor's Merit

Ultimately, Old Zhao was carried away by his two sons amidst the scolding of his wife.

Old Doctor Chen applied acupuncture and prescribed some medicine; by the time Old Zhao returned home, his complexion had already improved significantly.

Once Old Zhao's family left, the villagers had no more excitement to watch. Not daring to disturb Old Doctor Chen further, they began to disperse.

"A-Qing, are you coming?" Wang Da'an asked Lu Qing.

"Eh? Lu Qing, why are you here? Xiao Yan is here too?"

It was only then that the other villagers noticed Lu Qing and Xiao Yan standing in the corner.

"I've been here the whole time, it's just that everyone was worried about Uncle Zhao's health just now, so no one noticed me," Lu Qing said with a smile. "Brother Da'an, you guys head back first. I still have some matters I wish to consult Grandpa Chen about."

"Consult?" Only then did Wang Da'an notice the book in Lu Qing's hand, and it suddenly dawned on him. "You're here learning from Old Doctor Chen?"

"Yes, I'm learning a bit about herbal medicine from Grandpa Chen," Lu Qing did not deny it.

As soon as these words were spoken, the villagers were astonished.

Lu Qing was actually held in such high regard by the Old Doctor?

After the initial shock came envy.

The Old Doctor's medical skills were evident to all; he could even bring someone back from the brink of death.

Many had seen how sick Lu Qing had been before, only to be cured by a single dose of the Old Doctor's medicine.

Earlier, when Old Zhao fell into the water, it was heard that his face was ashen and he had stopped breathing.

Then, after the Old Doctor performed a few manipulations, he brought him back to life.

To say his medical skill could bring the dead back to life would not be an exaggeration.

Now that Lu Qing had the honor of studying medicine under the Old Doctor, how could the villagers not be envious?

However, despite their envy, the villagers knew that such things could not be attained through mere jealousy.

Learning medicine was clearly not easy; unless one was exceptionally intelligent, they likely wouldn't even be able to step through the door.

Wasn't it obvious that Lu Qing was holding a book? In their village, the total number of characters known by everyone combined probably wouldn't even fill a single basket.

Only Lu Qing, who had been taught by his grandfather since childhood, could read a few words.

Perhaps this was also why Old Doctor Chen valued him.

Thinking of this, the jealousy of many villagers subsided slightly.

Because they knew that even if such a good opportunity fell into their laps, they wouldn't have the ability to grasp it.

An elderly villager stepped forward and patted Lu Qing on the shoulder.

"Well done, Lu Qing! You must study hard under the Old Doctor and strive to master all his skills!"

The sudden encouragement left Lu Qing somewhat dazed.

He really wanted to say that he was currently only learning a bit of herbal knowledge from Old Doctor Chen.

But looking at the old man's earnest eyes, he could only nod: "I will work hard."

Even after the villagers had all left, Lu Qing still felt somewhat lost.

He had thought that when people saw him studying medicine with the Old Doctor, they would feel envy and jealousy.

But he had seen it just now.

The villagers felt envy and jealousy, but it wasn't as intense as he had imagined.

Instead, alongside that envy and jealousy, they seemed to truly hope he could master the Old Doctor's medical skills.

Lu Qing did not like to guess others' intentions with malice.

But he also knew that the human heart is unpredictable; sometimes, jealousy arises for no apparent reason.

"Are you feeling confused?" Old Doctor Chen came to Lu Qing's side.

"What is?" Lu Qing was puzzled.

"You don't understand why the villagers hope so much that you can learn my medical skills?" Old Doctor Chen smiled.

Lu Qing nodded; he indeed didn't quite understand.

Did the Old Doctor know the reason?

"Lu Qing, do you know how many doctors were in the surrounding villages when I first settled in this village?"

Instead of answering Lu Qing's question directly, the Old Doctor asked a rhetorical one.

Lu Qing shook his head.

When the Old Doctor first arrived in the village, the original owner of this body was still small and had little memory of that time.

"Not a single one," the Old Doctor gave an answer that surprised Lu Qing. "Before I came to this village, there wasn't even one doctor in any of the nearby villages."

"When villagers fell ill, for minor ailments, they would basically just pick some herbs they recognized to boil and drink, or go to a midwife or a shaman for some medicine. For everything else, they basically just had to endure it. Only when they truly couldn't endure it anymore would they go to the city to seek medical help."

"But most major illnesses in this world evolve from minor ones. By the time they can no longer endure it and seek help in the city, it is often already a serious illness."

"Major illnesses are difficult to treat. Even city physicians cannot claim to be certain of curing every disease."

"Furthermore, living in the city is not easy, let alone seeking medical treatment."

"Even if a city physician is confident they can treat it, the exorbitant medical fees are not something ordinary villagers can afford."

"Therefore, for ordinary villagers, a major illness often means their end is near."

"Before I arrived, the number of people who passed away due to illness in the surrounding villages every year was not small."

Lu Qing recalled, and it seemed that in his memory, there were indeed funerals in the village every year before the Old Doctor arrived.

"When I was traveling and arrived here, I saw that many people in the nearby villages were suffering from illnesses with no way to seek help. Unable to bear it, I stayed to try and give these villagers a glimmer of hope."

"I didn't expect that this stay would last for ten long years."

"In these ten years, I cannot say I have saved countless lives, but at the very least, I have ensured that when the villagers here fall ill, they have a place to seek medical help, so that small ailments do not accumulate into major ones."

Lu Qing was shaken to his core.

According to the Old Doctor's words, over these ten years, he truly could be called a guardian of peace, a living Bodhisattva of this land.

"Is that why everyone hopes I can study medicine with you, so that I can treat people in the future?" Lu Qing asked.

"Correct. It is likely that everyone has grown tired of the days when there was no way to seek medical help," the Old Doctor nodded.

"But isn't there still you, Grandpa Chen?"

"But I am already very old," the Old Doctor said.

"Although I rarely walk around the village these days, I occasionally hear people discussing in private: what if I suddenly die one day, where will they go to see a doctor when they are sick?"

Lu Qing: "..."

He thought of the Old Doctor's status as a cultivator.

Those gossiping villagers certainly wouldn't have thought that an old man could possess such keen hearing.

Now, Lu Qing finally understood completely why, despite their envy and jealousy, the villagers still urged him to study hard.

It was because everyone was terrified of the days when there were no doctors.

They feared that if the Old Doctor were ever gone, they would return to the way things used to be.

"Grandpa Chen, are you angry then?" Lu Qing asked.

"What is there to be angry about?" Old Doctor Chen chuckled. "This is merely human nature. Besides, I am indeed very old; half my body is already halfway in the grave."

*But I see that your health is still very good, old sir,* Lu Qing thought to himself.

He remembered the red glow he had once seen emanating from the Old Doctor's body.

"Lu Qing, you are a bright child. Do you understand what everyone meant just now?"

"I understand a little," Lu Qing nodded.

"Then, are you willing to learn medicine from me?"

The Old Doctor suddenly asked.

(End of Chapter)