Chapter 123: Effect
She rubbed and washed her hands repeatedly several times, not even missing the nail crevices, carefully cleaning them thoroughly.
The two returned one after the other to the low table under the corridor, and Qin Fen and his wife, who couldn’t sit still as if thorns had grown on their buttocks, instinctively jumped up, giving up their grass mats to them.
Understanding their tension and urgency, Su Ning didn’t stand on ceremony either, turned around and pulled Xiao Lian’s hand to let her sit in the brightest spot under the light bulb.
She herself stood by her side, first opened the small box containing the Jade Visage Paste, then used a small knife that had been washed clean and sterilized to gently scrape off a layer of fine powder from the top.
Carefully and slowly applying it to that small hand full of terrifying scars.
As the powder was applied evenly, with the passage of time, those powders miraculously became viscous, then tightly adhered to the skin and penetrated bit by bit.
Under several pairs of incredulous eyes, the blue-green ointment disappeared, and the small piece of scar that had been applied actually left only a shallow trace, and finally was completely eliminated without a single trace.
Touching the small patch of smooth and delicate skin on the back of her hand that was completely different from other places, Xiao Lian couldn’t control her tears, but her eyes were full of excitement and joy.
“Did you see it, his dad?”
“I… I saw it! I saw it, it’s better, really better!”
Xiao Su was truly modest without the slightest exaggeration!
Their little daughter really had hope this time, this ancestral ointment truly had miraculous effects!
“That’s great, sob sob… that’s great!”
“Xiao Su thank you, thank you…”
Qin Fen and his wife, even more excited than Xiao Lian herself, were just short of hugging their heads and crying bitterly, venting the guilt and heartache suppressed in their hearts for many years.
Their little daughter could finally be like a normal girl, no longer needing to worry about scaring others when going out, and could cry loudly or laugh heartily without concern!
They were
Just upon first meeting her, he didn’t hesitate at all, and didn’t even worry that their Qin family might not be able to afford the ointment money. The couple both felt at a loss for how to express their gratitude for this sentiment.
“Sister Su…”
He was really afraid that the family of three would flood his small courtyard with their tears, so Su Ning had to quickly change the topic.
“Xiao Lian, Uncle Qin, Aunt, you all saw that this ointment can indeed remove scars and it takes effect very quickly, but the ointment manufacturing is a bit troublesome, so it takes time…”
“These are no big deal, Xiao Su. You take your time drug manufacturing and we’ll wait patiently without hurry.”
“We’ve waited so many years; we’re not in a hurry for this moment or half a moment.”
She didn’t understand drug manufacturing, but it probably wouldn’t be simple, so how could she be so thoughtless as to urge him.
She wiped her tears and looked at her own daughter with thick maternal radiance, then turned her head and continued, “Xiao Ning, you mustn’t feel any pressure at all!”
Qin Fen also suddenly understood why she had told her daughter that even after treatment, she would need to stay here for half a month. That ointment must be very difficult to make.
Slowly refine it well, slower is better, he can also go back and figure out ways to raise money.
“Yes, yes, yes, haste makes waste with hot tofu. Let’s take it slow!”
……
The next day, the sky was not yet bright.
Excited for the entire night, the Qin Fen couple from several households who didn’t close their eyes all night got up early and got out of bed.
Xiang Fen took down the quilt and bed sheet they had covered themselves with once, washed them clean in the dark, and hung them to dry on the bamboo poles in the outer courtyard used for drying things.
Immediately after, they went to the kitchen and used the ration they brought from home to make breakfast.
Qin Fen wasn’t idle either. He didn’t know much else, but when he was young, he had learned a skill in woodworking.
Last night, he had already noticed that Xiao Su’s home had quite a few leftover wood scraps, which should be the remnants from making things in the courtyard when they had just moved into the new house.
With wood scraps and complete tools, Qin Fen excitedly wanted to use these wood scraps to make more useful things for her.
When Su Ning woke up according to her usual biological clock, she heard the knocking sounds from the courtyard that seemed to be trying their best to control the force but still inevitably transmitted, rubbed her eyes, and fully sobered up.
“Sister Su? You’re awake?”
“Morning, Xiao Lian.”
Xiao Lian, who had already put on her clothes and was preparing to quietly sneak out of the room, looked embarrassedly toward the big bed. Although she couldn’t see clearly, she still smiled at her.
“Good morning, Sister Su.”
He stood up, felt for the pull cord by the door, yanked it hard, and turned on the light bulb.
Her jet-black long hair was scattered loosely, she was wearing a plaid cotton sleep dress, and her face under the light bulb, glowing with a soft sheen, still carried the lazy expression of just having woken up.
Xiao Lian stared blankly at her profile, subconsciously raising her hand to cover her own chest.
Why, being a girl herself, did her heart beat so fast upon seeing Sister Su like this?
“What’s wrong? Did you not sleep well?”
“No, none.”
Xiao Lian shyly lowered her eyes. Sister Su’s big bed was very soft, and there was a faint scent inside and outside the room that was like flower fragrance mixed with fruit fragrance, very pleasant. She had slept very well last night and hadn’t even had a single dream.
After changing clothes and combing her hair, Su Ning took the inexplicably shy Xiao Lian out of the room.
The kitchen lights were brightly lit, and bursts of food aroma wafted from inside. Qin Fen was shirtless, busy sweating profusely under the bright light shining through the wide-open kitchen door.
On the nearby open ground were four or five three-legged round low stools, and beside the rocking chair under the grape vines was a swing that she had always wanted but hadn’t found time to make.
This swing wasn’t the ordinary plank-seat type but a finely crafted double chair style with a backrest.
“Uncle Qin, did you make all this?”
“Yes, Xiao Su, take a look and see if you like it. If you don’t, I’ll dismantle it and remake it, don’t waste your materials!”
“How could it, it’s so nice how could it be a waste. Uncle Qin, your woodworking is really great, especially this swing frame. You’re amazing to think of making this style!”
“Hahaha, as long as you like it, that’s fine!”
Wiping the sweat beads about to drip onto his eyelids with his shoulder, Qin Fen listened to her praise with a genuinely delighted and proud expression.
His woodworking skills—if he wasn’t bragging—without the brigade forcing him to be this thankless brigade leader, there wouldn’t be any business left for carpenter Qin!
As for this swing, wasn’t it because of those naughty children in the brigade who had fallen off the bare-plank swing and knocked out two front teeth, more than one or two of them.
So he thought, Xiao Su being a grown-up, swinging harder than those naughty children would be even less safe, so he simply made one with a backrest so it couldn’t flip out no matter how hard it swung!
“There’s still a bit left, Xiao Su take a look and see if you want anything else, whatever you’re short of, while Uncle is here I’ll make it all for you.”
“Then…”
Su Ning knew he wanted to express his gratitude this way, she understood very well and didn’t plan to stop this emotional outlet.
So she gave him a mischievous smile and said without politeness, “Then could I trouble Uncle Qin to make me a flower stand too?”
“Hey, no problem, small matter!”
Sure enough, hearing her make an unreserved request made the smile on Qin Fen’s face even brighter as he energetically prepared to get busy.
“Xiao Su, Xiao Lian, her dad, we’ll do it later. Breakfast is ready, let’s eat first!”
……
The sky had just brightened, and breakfast was already finished.
After chatting with them in the courtyard for a bit, Su Ning glanced at her watch. “Uncle Qin, Aunt, you and Xiao Lian just make yourselves at home, I’ll go to work first, and start today’s treatment when I get back after work.”
“Perfect, we’ll head out together.”
Having just privately told his daughter, and she had no opinion, Qin Fen prepared to go back to Duyan Brigade with his wife first.
First, he had too much money on him, which was brigade public funds that needed to be handed over to the accountant as soon as possible. If it got lost or short, it’d be disastrous!
Second, since they’d seen the ointment’s effect, during this treatment time they couldn’t shamelessly have all three of them stay at Xiao Su’s home, and besides, they needed to go home and gather the medicine money first.
Third, he was after all a brigade leader, and there were many big and small matters in the village. Even if he wanted to stay the whole time, it wasn’t practical.
So after discussing and asking their daughter, the couple went out with her to catch the earliest bus back.
“This, can Xiao Lian stay home alone?”
Hearing both of them were going back, Su Ning worried Xiao Lian would be scared alone at home.
Unfamiliar place, and nothing to pass the time…
“Sister Su, isn’t there still Little Round Circle? I often stay home by myself, don’t worry, I’m not scared or bored.”
With her parents both reassured and even persuading her along with Su Ning, she said no more and went out with Qin Fen and his wife.
Finished coding early today, oh yeah, time for a good nap. Thanks everyone’s votes, whispering: those with votes don’t be stingy, especially monthly votes, wuwuwu, at this rate this month it’ll be porridge, mushroom pear stew…
