After submitting her application, Chu Xia was assigned to an assistance area the next day.
Together with Feng Xiaoyuan, they were sent to a county further south from the southern outskirts of the capital city. Chu Xia felt that Director Lin might have taken care of her because compared to other areas, this county was relatively close to the affiliated hospital of the research institute.
If she had been assigned to a suburban county in another direction, the distance from the research institute would have been much farther.
Feng Xiaoyuan was especially happy, running into Chu Xia's clinic with medical records in hand: "Senior sister! Let's go somewhere! With senior sister around, I'm completely at ease now!"
Chu Xia nodded and wrote down the things she needed to bring for her outreach in a notebook.
Medicinal herbs, medications, and some medical equipment that could be brought. It would be troublesome to come back for them later.
"Sister, are you not happy?"
"I am," Chu Xia finally looked up at her. "But I think, Xiaoyuan, you should start preparing. We'll be leaving tomorrow."
"Yes, yes, yes! I also need to bid farewell to Dr. Bai."
Feng Xiaoyuan ran off again, and Chu Xia shook her head. If Feng Xiaoyuan wanted to become an independent and capable doctor, she would need to work on her somewhat impulsive nature.
However, Chu Xia currently felt that her current state was quite good—carefree, and simple things brought her a lot of joy.
The next day, Chu Xia, with her suitcase, was getting ready to go to the hospital, and Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an were there to see her off.
"I'm leaving."
Chu Xia stood at the doorway, looking at the two of them. The reluctant emotions gradually spread in her heart, and suddenly, her steps towards the outside couldn't move.
Cen Zhengnian stepped forward, his slender fingers buttoning up her coat and adjusting the collar of her sweater.
"Don't worry, I will take care of An'an. Once you settle down, An'an and I will find time to visit you."
When working in the county, there were times when they needed to go to the countryside. They didn't know when they would come back, and there was hardly any time to go home.
Chu Xia released her suitcase, raised her hand, and hugged Cen Zhengnian, softly acknowledging with a "Hmm."
After letting go of him, she looked at Cen Huai'an, extending her hands towards him, "An'an."
Cen Huai'an walked over, his expression also tinged with sadness.
Mom will be away for a long time to provide medical assistance, and apart from the time when Mom took the college entrance exam, he had never been separated from her for such a long time.
Cen Huai'an lowered his head, forcefully hugging Chu Xia, burying his head on her shoulder, his voice muffled: "Mom."
Chu Xia patted his back, "If there's anything, tell your dad. Mom will miss you."
Then Chu Xia let him go, suppressing the tingling sensation in her nose, and forced a smile as she waved to Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an."I'm leaving, don't accompany me!"
Chu Xia didn't let Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an accompany her to the hospital. She was afraid that she would cry on the way.
Sitting on the bus from the hospital to the county below, Chu Xia had her medical kit on her lap, her eyes gazing outside the window. Her emotions hadn't completely recovered from the parting.
Feng Xiaoyuan happily boarded the bus with her luggage, and upon seeing Chu Xia, she excitedly waved at her, "Senior sister! I'm here!"
Most of the doctors on the bus maintained a calm demeanor, some showing reluctance, possibly forced to come by the director.
However, Feng Xiaoyuan's face was particularly lively, like a colorful bird suddenly landing in a dull world.
Chu Xia watched her approach cheerfully, and the lingering emotions from their farewell moments ago were diluted.
Feng Xiaoyuan sat beside Chu Xia, patting her own chest, saying, "Fortunately, fortunately. I was worried I'd arrive late and someone would already be sitting next to you, senior sister."
Chu Xia glanced at her, "In the Traditional Chinese Medicine clinic, it's just the two of us. Who else would sit beside me?"
Both Chu Xia and Feng Xiaoyuan had only been at the hospital for a little over half a year, and they weren't very familiar with the other doctors.
Feng Xiaoyuan laughed a couple of times, "True, true."
With Feng Xiaoyuan around, Chu Xia's environment became lively. She couldn't stop talking—sometimes asking if Chu Xia wanted to eat this, then if she wanted to eat that, and then mentioning that two people had arrived outside.
"A man with a child! Wow! That man looks even more handsome than Dr. Bai!"
Two people?
Chu Xia suddenly widened her eyes, immediately turning to look out the window. She saw Cen Zhengnian standing by the roadside outside the bus, wearing a black windbreaker with his hands in his pockets. He was wearing the deep blue shirt she had picked out for him.
Cen Huai'an stood beside him, wearing the uniform of the affiliated junior high school and carrying a backpack on his shoulder.
Chu Xia was both surprised and delighted, pushing open the window and waving at them, "An'an! Zhengnian!"
Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an responded to her, and a smile appeared on Chu Xia's face as she stood up from her seat and walked towards the exit.
At this moment, a doctor approached; he was the leader of their outreach program and was about to call the roll.
Chu Xia quickly walked up to him, swiftly saying, "My name is Luo Chu Xia."
Then, like a gust of wind, she ran down, heading straight for Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an. The joy on her face was undeniable as she exclaimed, "How did you know I was on this bus?"
"I asked the old man guarding the hospital entrance."
The old man at the hospital entrance knew the most. Chu Xia's smile widened even more as she held onto Cen Huai'an with one hand and Cen Zhengnian with the other, talking non-stop and unwilling to let go of the two.
Meanwhile, the leader on the bus, who was about to call the roll, was completely bewildered by Chu Xia's actions. It wasn't until he saw Chu Xia run towards Cen Zhengnian that he understood, shaking his head and continuing with the roll call while holding the list.
Once everyone was confirmed present, the leader opened the window and shouted at Chu Xia, "Luo Chuxia, let's go!"
The smile on Chu Xia's face froze for a moment. She slowly let go of Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an.
"Go."
Cen Zhengnian ruffled her hair.
Chu Xia, taking one step and looking back three times, reluctantly boarded the bus, the sense of parting welling up again.
The leader on the bus shouted again, and Chu Xia couldn't keep everyone waiting for her. She quickened her pace, got on the bus, sat in her seat, and continued to watch Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an outside the window.
"Go back!" Chu Xia shouted loudly, pressing her hands against the window, addressing the two.
Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an didn't move, watching the bus start up, drive away, their gaze still fixed on the direction of Chu Xia's seat.
Chu Xia continued to look back at the father and son through the window until the bus made a turn, and they were no longer visible to each other. It was only then that Chu Xia sat upright, and her whole demeanor became more subdued.
Feng Xiaoyuan turned her head, continuously watching Chu Xia. The curiosity in her eyes couldn't be hidden, and she appeared to have something to ask Chu Xia.
However, Chu Xia remained immersed in her own emotions, unaware of Feng Xiaoyuan's hesitations to speak.
It wasn't until Chu Xia composed herself, transforming back into the calm and gentle Chu Xia during consultations, that Feng Xiaoyuan boldly approached. With wide eyes, she asked, "Senior sister, was that really your husband and son just now?"
Chu Xia nodded, "Yes."
Feng Xiaoyuan exclaimed, "Wow! Senior sister, you really keep it low-key! Your husband and son are both outstanding. You're my role model from now on!"
Chu Xia replied, "I'd prefer if you see me as a role model for my medical skills."
"Same, same," Feng Xiaoyuan said with a cheerful smile, tilting her head.
After nearly two hours of driving from the affiliated hospital, they finally arrived in the county where Chu Xia and her team were providing medical assistance.
The buildings here were very old, surrounded by low, thatched houses. The entrance gate of the county hospital was even more run-down, with visible signs of damage, likely caused by a sharp object.
"Could this be from that previous period when it was attacked?"
Feng Xiaoyuan stared at the gate, wide-eyed, expressing her disbelief.
"It's possible," commented another doctor.
At this moment, someone from the hospital came out, wearing the same white coat as Chu Xia's team, moving quickly with an anxious expression.
"Are you doctors from the affiliated hospital of the research institute?"
The leader of the team nodded, "Yes, we..."
"Stop talking, come with me!"
The hospital staff grabbed the leader and rushed into the hospital, the leader reluctantly following, anxiously shouting, "Hey, hey, hey! My luggage!"
"Lives are at stake, and you're still worried about luggage!"
Left behind, Chu Xia and her team exchanged glances, blinking with equally perplexed expressions on their faces.
Chu Xia, carrying her luggage, ran towards the hospital, calling, "Xiaoyuan, hurry up!"
The other doctors quickly followed, and the ones at the back carried the leader's luggage inside together.
The doctor who had just rushed in must have said something to the hospital staff, as Chu Xia and her team were immediately taken by a nurse to the emergency room upon entering.
"Hurry, hurry, fortunately, you arrived in time. We have a group of people with severe external injuries that we can't handle."
Without a chance to catch their breath, Chu Xia and the team of doctors were brought into the emergency room, where numerous men were lying or sitting, groaning in pain.
Most of them were dressed in black, blue, or gray coarse clothes, with muddy shoes and various injuries all over their bodies.
Chu Xia and her fellow doctors didn't have time to ask what had happened. After washing their hands and disinfecting, they immediately immersed themselves in the emergency wound care and dressing.
Some patients had severe injuries that required surgery, and there was no guarantee that they could be saved.
Chu Xia is not a surgeon now; she and Xiaoyuan are only responsible for helping patients stop bleeding, applying medication, and dressing wounds. If medication doesn't stop the bleeding, they resort to using needles.
The surgeries are performed by the leader who came with them and other Western medicine doctors.
After finally treating all the injuries on the patients, Chu Xia and Feng Xiaoyuan sit exhausted in chairs at the hospital, not wanting to move.
At this moment, a nurse approaches carrying a pot of water and pours it for all the resting doctors, saying, "I'm sorry, our hospital director didn't expect to suddenly encounter such a large-scale casualty situation. Thank you all for joining in to help so promptly."
The leaders are still in the operating room. Chu Xia shakes her head when offered the water, too tired to say much.
The others reassure the nurse, saying it's okay; after all, saving lives is the priority. They came to assist the hospital in treating patients.
Having drunk about half the water in her own bottle, Chu Xia's energy recovers a bit. She overhears Feng Xiaoyuan curiously asking the nurse, "Their injuries seem like they're from a fight? What happened?"
"Two families in two villages were fighting over land, and it escalated to a brawl between the people of the two villages. I don't know who went too far, but it turned into this."
Other nurses are not sure about the details, but they have received orders from the hospital director. Once the doctors from the assisting county hospital are rested, they will be taken to settle in.
The county hospital has its staff dormitory and a family dormitory, but the houses are old, dilapidated, and poorly lit.
Chu Xia and Feng Xiaoyuan share a dormitory with two other doctors, making it a four-person room.
Their room is on the ground floor, and upon entering, a musty smell hits them immediately, causing them to wrinkle their brows.
The concrete floor in the room has large and small damp patches from rising moisture.
Feng Xiaoyuan's face sags, and she reaches out to touch the bunk beds. The wood on the top bunk carries a musty odor.
"How long has it been since anyone lived here? This condition is much worse than our hospital dorms, isn't it?!"
Chu Xia has already placed her luggage in a relatively dry area in the room and looks up to Feng Xiaoyuan, saying, "It's already much better than I imagined. At least it's not a dozen people crammed into one room."
The other two doctors are older than Chu Xia and Feng Xiaoyuan. They seem to have seen everything before and accept the situation calmly.
Chu Xia rolls up her sleeves, grabs a basin, and heads outside to get water, preparing to tidy up the room. She instructs Feng Xiaoyuan, "Stop staring, Xiaoyuan. Sweep the room first; we can't stay here without cleaning it."
Feng Xiaoyuan lowers her eyebrows and sighs, "How do we deal with this musty smell?"
"Open the windows, clean everything, disinfect, and let it gradually dissipate."
The other two doctors join in the effort because a dormitory is shared by multiple people, and without cleaning their beds, it won't be suitable for habitation.
Not only Chu Xia's team but also other assisting doctors are busy cleaning their rooms.
After half a day of hard work, Chu Xia, Feng Xiaoyuan, and their two roommates finally tidy up the dormitory. Fortunately, they brought their own bedding, so they won't have to sleep on bare bed frames.
On the first day in the county town, Chu Xia spent it in such busyness. The musty smell in the room hasn't completely dissipated by bedtime.
Chu Xia hangs medicinal herb packs in the room and by the bedside. She asks Feng Xiaoyuan and the other two roommates if they need any, distributing one to each of them.
With the scent of traditional Chinese medicine, the musty smell in the room seems less pronounced. However, Chu Xia doesn't pay much attention to these details. She's too tired. She lies down and falls asleep directly, sleeping through the night.
The next day, the doctors who came to assist set up their consultation rooms in the county hospital, officially starting their support.
News about doctors from the capital offering free medical assistance at the county hospital also spread to the villages below the county through various channels.
Chu Xia and her team suddenly became busy, with people from the surrounding areas who had previously looked down on the county hospital now all coming in.
Even the traditional Chinese medicine clinic where Chu Xia and Feng Xiaoyuan work is filled with patients throughout the day.
Most of the people coming for medical treatment are women and children from the village. They dress modestly and appear reserved when entering the consultation room. Upon seeing Dr. Chu Xia, their eyes convey respect and pleading.
They don't mind Chu Xia's age, nor do they inquire about her medical skills. They only know that these doctors from the capital can provide free medical care for them.
The majority of these women suffer from gynecological issues, while the children may have malnutrition and other symptoms.
Gynecological problems often result from a lack of attention to personal health, combined with inadequate postpartum care and engaging in strenuous activities immediately after childbirth.
It's not an isolated issue affecting only women in this particular region; rather, it's a common problem among rural women.
Of course, there are various other health issues as well. Some complain of breast discomfort, others of stomach or abdominal pain, and there are those suffering from back and leg pain.
For Chu Xia, every day is filled with continuous medical consultations from morning until night. She barely has time to rest, except for meals, water breaks, and bathroom visits. However, she distinctly feels her medical skills improving rapidly.
One day, a woman with a swollen abdomen arrives. The lower half of her body is also swollen, and upon lifting her clothes, her belly appears somewhat translucent.
Chu Xia furrows her brow, observing the patient's complexion. The woman is clearly suffering greatly from this condition, with a dark and yellowish complexion.
The most challenging aspect could be liver cancer, and if ascites (fluid in the abdomen) is associated with liver cancer, it becomes challenging to treat.
The woman was brought by her husband, and both of them wear a desperate expression. Looking at Chu Xia, their eyes seem to grasp at the last straw of hope, adding considerable pressure on Chu Xia.
Chu Xia instructs the woman to place her hand on her pulse pillow and carefully checks it.
"Switch to the other hand."
The woman obediently changes hands and looks at Chu Xia with hope, asking in a weak voice, "Doctor, is there still hope for me?"
After completing the pulse examination, Chu Xia lets out a sigh. It's not liver cancer, which means there is still hope for recovery, but she cannot guarantee the outcome.
"You should be able to feel where it's uncomfortable, right?"
The woman hesitates and nods, "I often feel nauseous and vomit now."
Chu Xia writes a prescription, saying, "It's quite normal; your liver has issues. Fortunately, it's not malignant liver ascites caused by a severe liver disease like liver cancer. It's benign, and currently, it's only in the middle stage, so there's a possibility of recovery. I'll mainly prescribe traditional Chinese medicine for you, and I want to make that clear in advance."
"Just take traditional Chinese medicine; we'll take whatever you prescribe. Doctor, we don't have much money."
Chu Xia replies, "I understand. I'll try not to prescribe expensive medications for you. But you must follow the doctor's advice. If I tell you not to eat something, don't eat it. Take the medicine on time and come back in a week."
Getting medical treatment from Chu Xia and her team is indeed free, but obtaining medications comes with a cost. Otherwise, the hospital's finances won't be sustainable.
Chu Xia hands over the prescription to the two individuals and reminds them three times about what they can and cannot eat before allowing them to leave.
Holding the prescription, the two nod repeatedly, their faces filled with gratitude, as if Chu Xia has already saved their lives.
Suddenly, Chu Xia's mood becomes somewhat heavy. She has never felt the weight of being a doctor so acutely before.
In the blink of an eye, it could be a matter of life and death.
Chu Xia takes a deep breath and looks toward the door, saying, "Next!"
The most challenging case Chu Xia dealt with that day was the patient with mid-stage liver ascites. Her medical records had repeatedly circled her out.
As Chu Xia lay in bed, she pondered, hoping that this patient would heed her advice. Only patients who cooperate with the doctor can recover quickly.
The rural medical outreach clinic is not expected to end anytime soon; initially, they planned for a month. Chu Xia is mentally prepared to stay here for an extended period.
Unlike at the affiliated hospital where there were rest days, there are none during the outreach clinic because of the overwhelming number of people seeking medical attention, including doctors from nearby villages coming to learn.
Chu Xia also has a barefoot doctor from a nearby village who has come over the past few days to observe how she treats patients.
The barefoot doctor is much older than Chu Xia. He tells her, "I never had the opportunity to formally learn medicine from anyone. Back then, we didn't have the conditions. I simply followed a Red Army member hiding in the village, learned some basic bandaging and herbal medicine, read a medical book, and then started treating people."
The barefoot doctor sighs deeply, "At that time, I didn't dare treat people. I was uncertain, afraid of causing harm. But when people in the village came begging, and a child's life was at stake, I had no choice but to muster the courage and become a barefoot doctor."
Throughout his life, he has been cautious and resolute. If he couldn't cure someone, he refused to treat them, leading to him witnessing many deaths before him.
"Even though I didn't directly cause their deaths, just the thought that it was my lack of skill preventing me from saving them haunts me every night. It feels like my heart is being bitten by various insects, making it unbearable to sleep!"
"So when I heard that there were doctors from the capital providing free medical services at the county hospital and even teaching other doctors for free, I came to learn. Dr. Luo, you're truly skilled. In these few days of learning from you, I've gained more knowledge than in half of my lifetime treating people!"
The barefoot doctor's dark face lights up with joy, and he looks at Chu Xia's eyes as if they were guiding lights.
Chu Xia waves her hand, saying, "Let's learn from each other. Your experiences in treating and saving lives have taught me a lot too."
In the evening, Chu Xia, dragging her exhausted body, returns to her dorm. After freshening up, she lies down on the bed and closes her eyes. Her hand still touches a photo under her pillow.
"Senior sister." Suddenly, Feng Xiaoyuan pushes the door open and enters, her voice carrying confusion and heaviness.
Chu Xia's drowsiness fades a bit as she opens her eyes and looks in her direction.
"What's wrong?"
"A patient I treated a few days ago came today, carrying a basket of eggs to thank me. When she saw me, she wanted to kneel down, saying I saved her life."
Feng Xiaoyuan is facing such a situation for the first time. During lunchtime, Chu Xia didn't eat with Feng Xiaoyuan, so she didn't witness that scene.
"She waited for me at the hospital the whole morning and finally caught up with me at noon."
Chu Xia looks at her, "Do you now feel like you're carrying a heavy burden? That burden is called a human life."
"Senior sister, how did you know?" Feng Xiaoyuan immediately looks at her with wide-open eyes.
"Because the stages you've been through are the ones I've experienced before. It seems the teacher was right to send you to the county hospital for the medical mission. You're gradually growing. Feeling burdened is normal, but you also need to learn to maintain a calm mindset, or it will affect your ability to treat patients."
Feng Xiaoyuan can't adjust herself as quickly as Chu Xia suggested.
She and Chu Xia sit in the same clinic room. Feng Xiaoyuan prescribes treatment for patients she is confident about. For those she's unsure about, she seeks help from Chu Xia.
After seeing so many patients in the county, she hadn't made any mistakes. She felt pure joy at her progress in medical skills.
However, the behavior of the patient who had recovered today shook Feng Xiaoyuan. She began to ponder on the true value of being a doctor.
This stage brings immense pressure. Seeing Feng Xiaoyuan still frowning and struggling, Chu Xia shared her own experiences when she initially started treating patients.
The other two experienced doctors in the dorm also comforted Feng Xiaoyuan, helping her slowly adjust her mindset and turn pressure into motivation.
Chu Xia heaves a sigh of relief, closes her eyes, and continues to sleep. Dr. Yan asked her to guide her junior, and she feels she has done her best.
The next day is Sunday. After breakfast, Chu Xia and Feng Xiaoyuan prepare to start their clinic. When Chu Xia looks up, she sees two figures standing outside their clinic room, backlit by the light—one adult and one child.
Chu Xia's voice stops abruptly, and she blinks hard, making sure she isn't mistaken. A broad smile immediately lights up her face, "An'an! Zhengnian!"
"Mom." Cen Huai'an calls out and walks toward Chu Xia.
Cen Zhengnian smiles gently at Chu Xia, nodding, "Yes, we've come to see you."
Feng Xiaoyuan glances at the trio of Chu Xia's family, noticing that none of them pays attention to her. With a knowing look, she waves at Chu Xia and enters the clinic room.
"When did you come over? How did you know this was my clinic room?"
Chu Xia's voice is somewhat excited. Due to her busy schedule, she has lost track of the days and hasn't taken any breaks, feeling like it has been many days.
Cen Zhengnian pats Chu Xia's head, "We just arrived."
Cen Huai'an adds, "Asked the nurse sister, and we knew Mom, you were here."
"Have you eaten? There's a canteen in the hospital."
"We already ate."
After exchanging a few words with Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an, Chu Xia glances at the time on her watch. She needs to start seeing patients.
"There's a small rest area inside the clinic; you can rest there and wait for me."
Chu Xia leads them inside. She has already noticed some patients waiting.
Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an know that Chu Xia will be busy, but they didn't expect her to be this busy.
The rest area doesn't have a closed door, and a light blue curtain partially shields the view. Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an can see and hear Chu Xia's consultation process through the curtain.
She hasn't had time to drink water all morning, attending patient after patient. Chu Xia is patient and attentive, offering careful instructions to each patient. Towards the end, her throat becomes a bit hoarse, and only then does she lower her head to take a sip of water.
Cen Huai'an stands at the doorway of the rest area, looking at Chu Xia with heartache. His furrowed brow remains unchanged.
"Dad, Mom works so hard."
Cen Huai'an even wants to do something to help Chu Xia, but whether it's him or his dad, they don't understand anything about traditional Chinese medicine. They can't assist Chu Xia.
Cen Zhengnian's eyes are filled with concern, his brow furrowed. His heart is not much more comfortable than Cen Huai'an's.
He sighs inwardly, "Yes, and your mom is very great."
Cen Huai'an nods. What Mom does is indeed a great thing, but deep down, he only hopes Mom won't be so tired.
At lunchtime, when Chu Xia stands up and stretches her arms, she feels aches and pains in her lower back. These are symptoms of sitting for too long.
"Uncomfortable here?" Two broad hands suddenly descend on Chu Xia's shoulder and neck from behind, and a familiar gentle voice comes from Cen Zhengnian.
Chu Xia's whole body relaxes. She gives a soft "Mm."
Cen Zhengnian starts massaging her shoulders and back, while An'an takes her hand and massages it.
Chu Xia is so comfortable that she feels like humming. Earlier, when she was extremely tired, all she wished for was that Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an could be there to give her a massage. Now, that wish has suddenly come true.
Across the aisle, Feng Xiaoyuan watches the actions of Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an, along with Chu Xia's blissful expression. Her mouth unconsciously opens wide.
Then, envy appears in her eyes. Senior sister has such a husband and son; it's so blissful!
However, Feng Xiaoyuan only sees the present appearance of Chu Xia's family of three in the hospital. She hasn't delved into how Chu Xia and Cen Huai'an's days were when Cen Zhengnian wasn't at home.
So, every family is different, and you can't judge by appearances alone. But at this moment, Chu Xia is indeed very happy.
Chu Xia enjoys the moment for a while, and as soon as her body relaxes, Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an stop.
If they don't go to lunch soon, all the delicious meals at the hospital canteen will be sold out.
During lunch, Chu Xia's colleagues in the hospital also learned that her husband and son had come to see her, and they were very envious.
Chu Xia and her family could feel the gaze of the hospital doctors and nurses. The three of them hastened their meal.
During lunchtime, Chu Xia usually takes a break. Normally, she would go to the dormitory for a short nap. However, since she can't bring Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an to the female dormitory, the three of them went to the hospital's rest area, where there are beds.
Feng Xiaoyuan rested in the dormitory at noon.
Chu Xia originally wanted to chat more with Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an. After all, it was troublesome for them to come all the way here by car.
But she was truly exhausted. Lying on the small bed in the rest area, talking with Cen Zhengnian, her voice gradually became softer, and she eventually fell asleep.
Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an exchanged a glance, stopped talking, and covered Chu Xia with a small blanket.
The two of them silently sat by the bed, not saying a word. Cen Huai'an took out a book to read, while Cen Zhengnian stared at Chu Xia's peacefully sleeping face, overflowing with affection.
After sending away Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an in the afternoon, Chu Xia, after finishing her consultations, felt even more exhausted.
Feng Xiaoyuan was still talking to Chu Xia, "Senior sister, in the future, I want to find a husband like yours, someone who will be kind to his wife. I don't want someone who beats his wife every day!"
Chu Xia nodded in agreement, her strength completely drained. Feng Xiaoyuan didn't mind; what she needed was simply a listener and someone who would support her.
In the following weeks, Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an would visit every Sunday, bringing food, drinks, necessities, and An'an's exam results for Chu Xia to see.
Every time he visited, Cen Zhengnian asked Chu Xia to check whether he had taken good care of An'an.
Feng Xiaoyuan had become so envious that she was numb. Sitting beside Chu Xia, she felt it the most. Every time she saw how Chu Xia interacted with Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai'an, she felt like that stray dog on the side of the road, utterly out of place in the consultation room.
In fact, they didn't engage in any intimate actions; it was the kind of cozy atmosphere that others couldn't intrude upon, creating a warm feeling that made people yearn for it.
In the second week, the woman with mid-stage liver ascites came back with her husband. Her complexion didn't look as bad as the last time, and her belly had reduced a bit.
Traditional Chinese medicine takes time to show its effects. Chu Xia had informed them that it might take three months or at least two months to fully recover.
The couple was not in a hurry. As long as they could be cured, they were willing to commit for a year.
Chu Xia took the woman's pulse and confirmed improvement. She smiled, "You're doing well. Keep it up. I'll adjust the prescription, and you can come back for a follow-up in half a month."
The woman, having experienced relief from Chu Xia's medicine, was not as uncomfortable as before. Consequently, they had more faith in Chu Xia now, expressing their gratitude and leaving with the new prescription.
The scheduled time for the free clinic was initially one month.
But due to the overwhelming number of patients and the strong request from the county hospital, Chu Xia and her team stayed for an additional half month.
Most patients had improved significantly during this one-and-a-half-month period. However, some patients required more time for recovery.
Traveling to the county town for treatment was already challenging for these patients, let alone going to the capital for further treatment.
Not only did Chu Xia encounter such situations, so the leaders decided to come to the county every half month thereafter to treat the remaining patients.
Doctors cannot abandon their patients.
However, what Chu Xia did not expect was that the woman with liver ascites and her husband actually came to the affiliated hospital to find her.
At this point, the woman's belly had already decreased significantly, and compared to their first meeting, her overall complexion had improved, and the swelling in her face and limbs had also reduced.
Upon seeing Chu Xia, the couple treated her like a lifesaver. They reached out, took out a sack they were carrying, and wanted to give it to Chu Xia.
"This is a chicken we raised ourselves, Dr. Luo, take it home and stew it, it's really delicious."
"I can't accept it. The hospital has regulations; if I receive gifts, it might affect my job."
The couple looked anxious, "We... we didn't know, Dr. Luo, we haven't given it to anyone yet. Is it okay?"
"It's okay. Just don't send any more in the future. Let me check your condition."
After taking their pulse, Chu Xia's smile grew wider, "You've recovered very well. The hope of your complete recovery is right in front of you."
The woman's face lit up with excitement and happiness, and her husband shared the same joy. The genuine happiness also lifted Chu Xia's spirits.
Not only the couple with liver ascites, but other patients also deliberately traveled to the capital to seek treatment from Chu Xia. Her consultation room became lively, no longer deserted as it used to be.
***
So, Zhengnian's desire to take Chu Xia and An'an out for a trip had to wait for a day off.
On Sunday, Chu Xia, along with Cen Huai'an and Cen Zhengnian, went to visit Grandpa Jiang's house. She carried a bottle of medicated wine with her.
As they entered Grandpa Jiang's house, they noticed that the atmosphere was a bit tense. Jiang Zhida stood with a headache next to the slot machine, facing Second Aunt Zhou Huaying, and her daughter-in-law, Bai Han, who was sitting across from her.
"Dazi, you can place the slot machine in your own home. Don't put it in your grandfather's house."
"Aunt, it's placed in Grandpa's house for Lu Lu, An'an, and the others to play."
Zhou Huaying said, "Then move it back to your house for them to play. Having it at your grandfather's house has influenced everyone's behavior."
Jiang Zhida looked at Jiang Weixian, then turned to Zhou Huaying. "They only play once a week, and Grandpa is watching them. They don't play for too long. The consequences shouldn't be that severe, right?"
At this point, Bai Han spoke. Her appearance exuded a cool and composed demeanor, and her speech reflected the same. However, she lacked Zhou Huaying's arrogance and spoke more logically.
"If Weixian only played the slot machine at Grandpa's house, my mom and I wouldn't say anything," Bai Han said with a furrowed brow. "But after playing the slot machine at Grandpa's house, he has now learned to sneak off to play on the streets every day. When he loses money, he lies to me and his dad to get more money to play. If the slot machine stays here, he'll never quit playing games, and that will ruin him."
Jiang Zhida looked at Jiang Weixian, and the anger in his eyes made him shrink his neck, displaying a fearful expression on his face.