Chapter 24: Leaving a Lingering Affliction

“Where am I?”

Old Zhao woke up and asked in a daze, looking at the people surrounding him.

“Old Zhao, don't you remember? You fell into the water and almost drowned! We’re the ones who saved you!”

“That’s right, we heard your cries, and by the time we arrived, you were almost completely submerged!”

“If it weren't for the Great Physician's superb medical skills, you’d be off to see your old man by now!”

“How did you fall in? Did a fish pull you down?”

Amidst the chatter of the villagers, Old Zhao finally began to recall what had happened.

Then, he jolted awake. “That’s right, the fish! Where is my fishing rod?”

“We were thinking about that rod. When we pulled you out, you were clutching it for dear life. We thought it was too much trouble, so we tossed it by the riverbank,” a villager replied.

“Oh heavens, how could you just throw my rod away? Where did you throw it?” Old Zhao grew anxious.

This time, the villager took offense. “What are you saying, Old Zhao? We saved you out of the goodness of our hearts, and instead of a single word of thanks, you’re blaming us?”

“Exactly! If I’d known, I wouldn't have bothered saving you. You should have just drowned!”

“Ungrateful! We went into the river to save you and even exerted so much effort to carry you here to the Great Physician!”

The other villagers expressed their dissatisfaction as well.

“I... I didn't mean it like that... I was just worried about the rod. I worked so hard to make it. Please don't take it personally. Thank you all for saving me.”

Realizing he was in the wrong, Old Zhao hurriedly offered his thanks.

The villagers were hard-hearted but soft-spirited; seeing him apologize, their expressions softened slightly.

“Alright, stop worrying about that broken rod. Just tell us how you fell in. I remember you never used to go into the river before,” one said.

“I... I jumped in myself.” Old Zhao’s lips twitched before he finally confessed honestly.

“You jumped in yourself?!” a villager said in disbelief. “Didn't you know you couldn't swim? How did you dare jump into the river?”

“How was I supposed to know the water was that deep? I thought it would only reach my thighs at most,” Old Zhao defended himself.

“Then why did you jump in?”

“That... that was...” Old Zhao hesitated for a moment before saying, “It was an accident. A fish yanked the rod away, and in a moment of heat, I wanted to grab it back, so I just jumped straight in.”

Not far away, Lu Qing: “...”

*So that was it.*

When Wang Da'an was telling the story earlier, Lu Qing had already guessed that Old Zhao had fallen in while trying to snatch back his rod.

He had seen this happen many times in his past life.

Even he had once done something similar.

He just hadn't expected Old Zhao to be so reckless, especially since he didn't even know how to swim.

“You... you fool!”

The other villagers were stunned that Old Zhao had nearly lost his life for such a reason.

“What value is that broken rod worth? You could just go up the mountain, chop a piece of bamboo, and make another one. You almost threw your life away for that? Has your brain been replaced by a pig's?”

A villager who was on good terms with Old Zhao immediately began to scold him.

Old Zhao didn't dare speak.

He dared not mention that his jump wasn't just about the rod; it was more because it was a rare chance to catch a big fish—the kind that could easily drag a rod away. He couldn't bear to let it go.

The two large fish Lu Qing had caught yesterday had made him incredibly envious.

How many meals could fish that big provide? Since he finally had a chance to catch a big one, how could he let it slip?

However, this incident also confirmed for him that there were indeed big fish in that spot.

Next time, as long as he was careful, he would surely catch one!

The villagers were unaware of Old Zhao's thoughts; otherwise, he would have certainly received another round of scolding.

At that moment, Old Zhao tried to sit up, only to find his body limp and powerless. His head felt heavy and dizzy, and he couldn't move much.

He was instantly alarmed. “Great Physician, what's wrong with me? Why can't I move?”

The Great Physician sighed. “You were soaked in the water for too long, allowing the cold to enter your body. You also swallowed a lot of river water, which damaged your spleen and stomach, and you held your breath for a long time. Although I have expelled the dirty water from your body and brought you back to consciousness, your body has sustained damage.”

“Then what should I do? Great Physician, please save me! Save me!”

Hearing this, Old Zhao was terrified and began to plead desperately.

The thought of catching big fish had long since vanished.

“Don't be so restless. I am a doctor; naturally, I will treat you,” the physician soothed him. “However, you are getting on in years, and recovery will not be easy. You must rest quietly for a period of time.”

“Will I be able to walk again in the future?” Old Zhao asked hopefully.

“Walking will naturally be no problem. As for how much you can recover, it depends on how well you rest,” the physician said.

“As long as I can walk, that's fine.” Old Zhao felt a slight sense of relief.

He was truly afraid that he might become paralyzed from now on.

“Where is my father? Where is my father?”

Just as Old Zhao breathed a sigh of relief, a commotion broke out outside the courtyard, followed by a group of people rushing in.

Leading them were two young men, a woman, and an elderly lady.

Behind them were other villagers who had rushed over after hearing the news.

“Father!”

The older young man ran over immediately upon seeing the lying Old Zhao.

“I heard Dashan shouting that you fell into the water and were being brought to the Great Physician. What on earth happened?”

It turned out that when Wang Da'an and the others brought Old Zhao over, they had sent someone to notify Old Zhao's family.

“I... I'm fine now,” Old Zhao said, looking at his son with a sense of guilt.

“What do you mean 'fine'?” a villager nearby interrupted. “A-Ming, your father went fishing alone, jumped into the river himself, and almost died...”

The villager then recounted the entire incident in detail.

As soon as the story was finished, the elderly lady—Old Zhao's wife—burst into tears and curses.

“You heavens-sent fool! I told you not to go fishing for those fish, but you insisted! You don't even know how to swim, so what were you doing by the river? Why did you jump in? Do you want to die and take me with you?!”

Old Zhao's son, Zhao Ming, also looked grim.

But as a son, he couldn't bring himself to scold his father harshly.

He could only persuade him: “Father, how about we just don't go fishing anymore? We aren't lacking fish to eat at home. Why push yourself so hard?”

His second son added, “That's right, Father. If you want to eat something in the future, just tell us. No matter how much effort it takes, I'll get it for you. Don't do anything so dangerous again.”

“I won't go. I won't go anymore,” Old Zhao promised, his face flushing red from the scolding of his wife and sons.

“Don't worry, A-Ming. Even if your father wants to go fishing again, he won't be able to,” a villager added. “The Great Physician said that because your father was soaked so heavily, he has developed an underlying ailment. If he doesn't rest properly during this time, even walking might become difficult in the future.”

“What?!”

Old Zhao's family was struck with horror.