Chapter 135: “treating The Foot”
“Look, the mosquito repellent herbal medicine Fourth Brother gave!” Lin Zhao waved the leaves in her hand. “He said to put them in little cloth bags to ward off mosquitoes. I plan to make several and give one to each person who attracts mosquitoes.”
Gu Chenghuai nodded. “That’s fine.”
“Fourth Brother now only has pig raising and fieldwork to do, nothing else. I feel like this way, his medical skill won’t improve much. I plan to find some medical books for him. What do you think?” Lin Zhao asked with a smile.
Gu Chenghuai’s cold eyes paused slightly. “Medical books?”
His voice was calm. “They’re hard to find now.”
“I’m not in a hurry. Later, I can go to the acquisition station from time to time to try my luck. It’s even better if I find a bargain, but it doesn’t matter if I don’t.” Lin Zhao was very laid-back, not insisting.
Gu Chenghuai knew he couldn’t stop her, so he didn’t. He just said, “Be careful.”
“Mm.”
The husband and wife arrived at the Gu Family home. The people listening to the radio had dispersed. A group of little friends were playing at the door, running around from time to time, their shouts able to flip the roof.
Their energy was very vigorous.
Yu Bao saw his dad and mom and said to his little friends, “My dad and mom are back. I have to go home to bathe and sleep. We’ll play tomorrow.”
After speaking, he led his younger brother and sister toward Lin Zhao.
“Mom, did you go up the mountain?” Yu Bao’s clear eyes were full of suspicion.
Lin Zhao denied it. “No, I just wandered around the foot of the mountain.”
Yu Bao’s face was full of disbelief.
But he had no evidence.
He wanted to say something more, but Lin Zhao wiped the sweat from the foreheads of the four cubs. “You ran and got all sweaty. You stink!”
The little friends’ attention was diverted. They stepped back half a step, shyly picking at their hands, and said softly, “I won’t stink after bathing.”
Lin Zhao took the children home and stood in the yard, saying, “Yu Bao, Heng Bao, Qian Bao, have your dad bathe you. I’ll bathe Yao Bao.”
Heng Bao was unhappy and grabbed her clothes hem, his face full of displeasure. “No, I want Mom to bathe me.”
He resentfully glanced at Gu Chenghuai. “Dad has so much strength, my skin is almost scrubbed off a layer. Mom, control me and let Dad bathe my sister.”
“Gu Chenghuai, teach your son!” Lin Zhao dropped the words, picked up Yao Bao, and went back inside the room.
There was only one shared bathroom at home, so she took her daughter back to the room to bathe.
Heng Bao feared his dad would scrub too hard in a hurry and quickly tried to run, but Gu Chenghuai picked him up by the waist and lightly patted his buttocks.
“Spoiled.” The man’s brows furrowed tightly.
Heng Bao’s body stiffened like a stick, full of defiance. “I’m not spoiled. I’m a real man. I’m not spoiled!”
He repeated it several times.
Before Gu Chenghuai could answer, the little friend bristled like an angry cat and shouted loudly, “You hit my butt! Even my mom hasn’t hit my butt!!”
“I’m telling my mom!” Heng Bao glared puffily at his biological father, facing the room where the third branch lived, and shouted, “Mom, save me! Your cub got his butt hit by a bad guy.”
Inside the room, Yao Bao pulled Lin Zhao’s hand and wanted to go out. “Brother, Brother…”
“Your brother is just playing around. Mom will bathe you. After bathing, it’s time to sleep.” Lin Zhao coaxed softly.
Yu Bao and Heng Bao didn’t get scrubbed when bathing, just rinsed with water. She had even seen black streaks of bath mud on them. Let Gu Commander scrub them.
Yao Bao yawned and stopped fussing. She opened her arms to let Mom undress her.
“Good baby.” Lin Zhao praised.
The little dumpling showed a cute and milky smile, hugged Mom and rubbed against her, extremely happy.
In the yard, Heng Bao’s loud voice didn’t call Mom but called Grandpa, Grandmother, and Tie Chui and them.
Tie Chui had already taken off his pants and was about to get into bed when he heard his good brother’s cry for help and rushed out of the room, shouting nonstop, “Heng Bao, I’m coming! Don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you!”
After bumping into Third Uncle’s calm and unwavering eyes, the little friend slammed on the brakes, like his throat was gripped, unable to speak again.
“Li Bao, quickly help me. Step on my dad’s foot and make him let me down. I don’t want him to bathe me.” Heng Bao struggled and shouted loudly.
Tie Chui didn’t dare.
He didn’t dare approach Third Uncle.
However.
His good brother was asking for help. The righteous little guy couldn’t ignore it.
He clenched his small fist.
Gathered his courage and took a step forward.
His voice trembled as he negotiated with Third Uncle.
“Th-Third Uncle.” He was so nervous he forgot to breathe, his face flushed red. “Heng Bao is afraid of pain. C-can you go lighter?”
Gu Chenghuai: “…”
He hadn’t used force.
In front of him was his trembling nephew. The stern officer helplessly pinched his brow and parted his lips. “…Okay.”
Yu Bao heard his words and quietly let out a breath of relief.
He also thought Dad scrubbing his back hurt a lot, boo hoo.
Qian Bao hadn’t been scrubbed by Dad yet and was quiet and bewildered.
“Go sleep.” Gu Chenghuai said to Tie Chui, then took the three cubs to the bathroom.
He prepared the water.
The man’s gaze swept over his three sons.
“Who first?”
Heng Bao stepped back. “Me last.”
Yu Bao felt he was the elder brother and needed to be brave, to set a good example for his younger brother. “Me first.”
Soon he was stripped naked and tossed into the tub.
Gu Chenghuai started.
He was a soldier and emphasized efficiency in everything. He grabbed his eldest son and scrubbed vigorously.
Yu Bao’s face turned red from the pain, but he bit his lip and didn’t say anything.
“Brother, does it hurt?” Heng Bao asked.
“…N-not, hurt.”
Heng Bao believed it.
When Yu Bao came out of the tub red all over, frowning as he put on his pajamas, Heng Bao felt it burning hot when it was his turn. He dodged Gu Chenghuai’s hand like an eel, yelping nonstop, saying on his mouth, “It hurts! Dad, go lighter! I’m not a cutting board. Your hand is so heavy! Mom doesn’t do this!”
Gu Chenghuai thought he talked too much and stopped, looking at him displeased. “Talks too much.”
“My mom said we should voice our needs!!” Heng Bao was full of displeasure.
“…” He knew he was using his mom to pressure him.
“Still bathing or not?” Gu Chenghuai asked flatly.
He felt taking care of children was the most tiring job in the world, bar none.
“Bathe. Dad, can you go even lighter? It really hurts. You’ve scrubbed my body red!” Heng Bao said. “I bathe every day. There’s no mud on my body. I’m clean!”
“So much fuss!” Gu Chenghuai frowned and grumbled, pulled him over, lightened his movements. “Your brother didn’t say it was heavy.”
Yu Bao: “…”
Heng Bao was unconvinced. “Brother looks like he was boiled in a pot by you!”
“Shut up.” Gu Chenghuai said.
“Mouths are for talking and eating. I’m not mute. Dad, why do you dislike me talking so much? Grandpa even said you’re a gourd who doesn’t talk!” Heng Bao huffed.
He felt his arm burning again and loudly complained, “Dad, your hand got heavy again!”
Gu Chenghuai withdrew his hand. “Fine, bathe yourself.”
Heng Bao backed away, far from Dad. “I’ll bathe myself then.”
Gu Chenghuai ignored the second son and picked up Qian Bao to bathe the youngest cub.
The twins sympathetically looked at their younger brother.
Yu Bao finally couldn’t hold back and said, “Dad, Qian Bao is smaller than us. Use even less strength. Don’t scrub him to tears.”
Qian Bao blinked his long eyelashes, his voice milky and cute. “I won’t cry.”
Gu Chenghuai rubbed his youngest son’s hair top. “Say if it hurts.”
The little dumpling nodded lightly.
The twins, dressed in short sleeves and shorts, gathered around to watch their younger brother.
The child in the tub was fair and tender, looking plump and nice, like a large glutinous rice dumpling.
Heng Bao sized up his younger brother and, imitating Gu Fu’s relieved and satisfied tone, said, “You’ve gained weight.”
Yu Bao pinched the meat on his own belly, his mouth corners lifting. “We’ve gained weight too.”
“Hehe.” Heng Bao laughed openly and boldly. “Gaining weight is good.”
Gu Chenghuai: “…”
After bathing the four cubs, he sent the children out. The dad himself took a quick combat bath.
Back in the room, the four cubs surrounded Lin Zhao on the big bed, clamoring for their mom to tell a story.
“Mom, I want to sleep with you tonight.” Heng Bao acted spoiled toward Lin Zhao.
Lin Zhao missed the children too and nodded in agreement. “Okay, go get your small pillows and tell your grandparents.”
Yu Bao’s eyes lit up. He pulled Heng Bao off the bed. “We’ll go get them.”
The dragon-phoenix twins wanted to get off the bed too, but Lin Zhao hugged them. “Have your two older brothers get them for you.”
“Right, we’ll get them. Qian Bao, Yao Bao, don’t get down!” Yu Bao said to his younger brother and sister.
Qian Bao curved his eyes. “Thank you, Brother.”
His sister loved imitating her youngest brother and also said thank you.
The twins chuckled and went da-da-da to get the small pillows and small blankets.
That night.
The four cubs slept on the same bed with Dad and Mom. Before falling asleep, they rolled around happily.
Gu Chenghuai saw the children clinging to Lin Zhao, wanting her to tell a story. His cold eyes swept over them, and he said warmly, “Your mom has to go to work tomorrow morning. I’ll tell you.”
The twins didn’t like hearing Dad tell stories. He narrated flatly with no fun at all, didn’t interact with them, insisted they lie straight and proper, and couldn’t even open their eyes. So domineering!
Qian Bao and Yao Bao were young and didn’t have so many demands, especially Qian Bao. He lay especially obediently, small hands on his belly, clear eyes looking at Dad.
Gu Chenghuai raised a brow at the twins. “Any problem?”
Yu Bao and Heng Bao immediately lay flat and pulled the small blanket over their little bellies.
Gu Chenghuai lay on the outermost side, blocking most of the light, and began telling in a lowered voice. “Once upon a time, in a certain small mountain village, there was a boy. He had several brothers and sisters at home…”
Lin Zhao heard this opening and her mouth corners lifted.
Hilarious.
He used to tell her this story. Now telling the children, it was still this story. The cubs’ dad hadn’t improved at all.
He said he couldn’t tell stories, and it was true.
Gu Chenghuai saw his wife’s lip corner curve up, paused his speaking voice, which made Heng Bao open his eyes and eagerly ask, “Then what? What happened after the little boy found the troops?”
“…Close your eyes.” Gu Chenghuai said.
“Oh.” Heng Bao obediently closed his eyes.
The deliberately lowered deep male voice rose again.
Lin Zhao listened to the familiar story and fell asleep.
After his wife and children were asleep, Gu Chenghuai quietly got up, took a bundle of things, and went to the foot of the mountain.
He knocked lightly on the door, one long and two short knocks.
Meng Jiusi was sitting in the yard. Hearing the sound, he opened the door.
He first looked behind Gu Chenghuai. “Zhaozhao didn’t come?”
“She went to sleep first. She has to go to work tomorrow morning.” Gu Chenghuai explained and handed the bundle he brought to Fourth Brother-in-law.
“Fourth Brother, this is what Zhaozhao asked me to bring you.”
“Thanks, for the trouble.” Meng Jiusi sincerely thanked him and took the bundle.
Gu Chenghuai didn’t linger and left first after delivering the things.
Meng Jiusi watched his back leave, bolted the yard door, and limped into the room.
He and Old Master Meng lived in the same room. With the Lin Family’s secret help, there were two wooden beds in the room.
Old Master Meng had already slept once. Hearing the door open, he immediately woke up.
“You’re back.” He said.
Meng Jiusi felt embarrassed. “I woke you.”
“I was tired from sleeping and woke up to rest. I’ll sleep more later.” Old Master Meng said with a smile.
“…”
Meng Jiusi sat down and opened the large bundle. First, he saw three red candles. He hesitated a moment, lit one with the kerosene lamp, and blew out the kerosene lamp.
The room suddenly brightened.
Old Master Meng got out of bed, walked over, and sat on another broken wooden stool.
He knew Jiusi was treating his foot tonight. He was old and, starting last year, couldn’t hold needles, so he couldn’t treat his grandson himself. But he had a belly full of theoretical knowledge and could still teach Jiusi.
Meng Jiusi didn’t know Grandpa’s thoughts and took out the things from the bundle one by one.
A small iron pot with a chipped edge.
Two sets of bowls and chopsticks.
A can of malt extract.
Two cans, one meat and one fruit.
Two liang of brown sugar.
Toothbrush, toothpaste, towel, soap.
Two sets of summer change clothes, two pairs of cloth shoes.
Five jin of very finely ground coarse grains, half a can of oil, some seasonings for cooking.
And a stack of newspapers.
Five mung bean cakes.
Old Master Meng looked at the ‘good things’ on the broken-legged wooden table and was very shocked. “So many good things!”
How weren’t they good things?
They lacked nothing in the capital before, but now things had changed completely. They didn’t even have towels to wipe their faces or bodies. They lacked everything.
Meng Jiusi’s eyes were full of tenderness. “Prepared by my sister and my uncle.”
Today during the day, Lin Shichang had also come secretly and brought him some daily necessities.
Old Master Meng was happy for his unfortunate grandson. “Your family is great.”
“Mm, they’re all great.” Meng Jiusi had more to say in front of the grandpa who raised him. “My sister said our family will make thick cotton-padded clothes for us. Grandpa, we don’t have to worry about not surviving this winter anymore.”
Old Master Meng smiled. “Grandpa is benefiting from your light.”
Among his many sons and grandsons, in the end, only this picked-up grandson was the most thoughtful.
“Grandpa, eat mung bean cake.” Meng Jiusi said. “This mung bean cake was made by my uncle through someone. After hearing I was back, he asked Zhaozhao to bring a few for me. Grandpa, Zhaozhao said the mung bean cake is very crumbly and soft. You eat. I’ll go boil water.”
After speaking, he went out to boil water.
The moon hung high. The yard wasn’t dark. He boiled the water, washed his feet clean, put on new cloth shoes, and went back into the room. He first poured half a bowl of water for Grandpa, sat on the edge of his own bed, and began treating his own foot.
Old Master Meng held up the candle to light for his grandson.
“Acupuncture boldly. I’ll speak up if there’s a problem.”
“Okay.” Meng Jiusi trusted him.
Grandpa had studied traditional Chinese medicine since he was sensible, graduated before twenty, practiced medicine for decades, and had a high status in the medical world. Even if he couldn’t acupuncture anymore, his medical experience was a precious treasure.
Under the candlelight, Meng Jiusi’s side profile was serious, his movements crisp and clean as he needled his foot.
The injury on his foot looked serious but was actually much lighter than those people imagined. After a few needles, the toes twisted to an unbelievable angle slowly returned to normal.
Old Master Meng stroked his messy white beard, his turbid eyes full of relief.
“Not bad acupuncture.” He praised aloud.
Meng Jiusi wiped the sweat from his forehead, and the smile on his face was clearly exposed in the candlelight.
“The set of needles Zhaozhao brought is very different.”
Old Master Meng smiled. “Use it well from now on.”
He saw that this needle was very much like that long-lost set.
Meng Jiusi nodded solemnly. “I will.”
Old Master Meng was very gratified. Back then, he took in Jiusi first because he had talent, second because he had an open and kind heart. Now it seemed he hadn’t been wrong.
However.
The Meng Family’s ancestral set of needles, he wondered if his grandson could keep it hidden?
The grandsons he thought of weren’t biological grandsons but Jiusi’s two sons.
If that needle couldn’t be hidden, it meant the Meng Family’s fate with it had ended…
