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She couldn’t help but feel her eyes turn red.
Ever since they were sent back from the countryside, their family had been labeled with a bad background, making it inevitable that they would be ostracized everywhere.
The eldest son couldn’t leave the house because of his leg injury, while the second son had a terrible temper—no one dared to say much to him.
As for the youngest daughter, Gu Ningning, she was frail and thin, often bullied by others. But there was nothing they could do about it.
Ningning was sensible. She kept everything to herself, not wanting to make them worry. Gu Zhi felt powerless…
“Ah, it’s Educated Youth Su! Come in, come in, have a seat.”
Gu Zhi knew that Su Niannian had helped her youngest daughter and was deeply grateful. She hurried to pull Su Niannian inside but, noticing her hands were dirty, hesitated halfway. After glancing at them, she lowered her hands and instead made a welcoming gesture.
Su Niannian didn’t mind at all. Without hesitation, she reached out and took Gu Zhi’s hand.
“Mm, alright.” She showed no reservations or disdain, simply holding Gu Zhi’s hand as she stepped inside.
This made Gu Zhi feel a little embarrassed. After inviting Su Niannian into the main room, she quickly poured her a cup of water.
Su Niannian took in her surroundings. The walls, originally white, had turned slightly yellowed with age. Below the waistline, old newspapers were pasted along the lower portion.
Inside the room, there was a large wardrobe and two sizable trunks, all neatly arranged.
Although there weren’t many belongings, there was hardly any dust, making the place look clean and well-kept.
In her past life, when she met Gu Nan again, his parents and elder brother were already gone.
The only one left by Gu Nan’s side was Gu Ningning.
But Gu Ningning had always been in poor health. Later, while studying in the city, she met with an accident and was gone as well.
Thinking about it now, Gu Nan’s fate had truly been filled with misfortune.
However, this time, now that Su Niannian had returned, she was determined to do whatever she could within her power.
She hoped to change the fate of the Gu family.
Just as Su Niannian’s thoughts drifted away, Mother Gu started coughing again.
Gu Ningning immediately poured her a cup of water.
Gu Zhi took a sip, but the coughing didn’t subside.
Su Niannian stepped forward, gently supporting Gu Zhi’s wrist while taking the opportunity to check her pulse.
In her past life, Su Niannian knew that Gu Nan had once taken his mother to the city for a scan, where she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Because of this, she was already mentally prepared.
However, traditional Chinese medicine couldn’t diagnose lung cancer through pulse reading alone.
She wasn’t sure if Gu Zhi’s condition had progressed to that stage yet.
But based on her pulse, it was clearly a severe case of qi stagnation and blood stasis.
“Auntie, do you have phlegm when you cough? Do you sometimes feel short of breath, like you can’t get enough air?” Su Niannian asked gently.
Gu Zhi was surprised—such a young girl actually knew how to check a pulse?
Gu Zhi still nodded. “Yes, there is phlegm, and sometimes I feel like I can’t catch my breath.”
“Does the phlegm contain blood?” Su Niannian continued asking.
Hearing this, Gu Ningning was suddenly startled.
Blood…
If her mother was coughing up blood… Even though Gu Ningning was still young, she knew what that could mean.
Gu Zhi didn’t want Gu Ningning to worry. However, seeing Su Niannian’s calm and mature demeanor, she couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope that her illness might be treatable. So, she answered truthfully, “Yes.”
Gu Ningning felt a tightness in her chest. It seemed that her mother’s illness was more serious than she had imagined.
She clutched the corner of her mother’s clothing, her nose stinging as tears threatened to fall.
However, Su Niannian felt that Gu Zhi’s illness had already progressed significantly.
From both her pulse and her words, it was clear to Su Niannian that this kind and gentle mother-in-law had very little hope left.
If she were in the modern era, perhaps she could still live for another three or four years—after all, medical advancements had come a long way.
But in the present, if she didn’t intervene with treatment, Gu Zhi might only have about half a year left.
Although she didn’t appear to be in critical condition, her body was already hollowed out from the inside.
Even if Su Niannian used every bit of her medical expertise, she could at most prolong her life for five or six years.
If it weren’t already at a late stage, perhaps she could extend it even further.
Five or six years… That was not what Su Niannian wanted to see.
The spatial spiritual spring!
What followed Su Niannian back wasn’t just the medical skills of an ancient healer; it also included the mystical spring water within her space.
Healing… might not be impossible.
Thinking of this, a smile appeared on Su Niannian’s face.
Her eyes lit up. “Auntie, don’t worry. I’ll go to the county tomorrow to get some Chinese medicine for you. You’ll definitely get better.”
“With acupuncture as well, I believe you’ll feel an improvement in just a few months.” Su Niannian’s voice was gentle, each word flowing like ripples on water, subtly soothing the hearts of the mother and daughter.
For some reason, Gu Zhi instinctively trusted the young girl before her.
Her every expression, every word—each one seemed to calm her heart.
“That’s really too kind of you. But… will the treatment be expensive?” Gu Zhi asked hesitantly. She wasn’t unaware of her condition.
Gu Nan had taken her to the city before. Although the doctor hadn’t told her directly, she still remembered the way Gu Nan had walked out of the hospital with red-rimmed eyes.
“It won’t be. It’s just some Chinese medicine—it won’t cost much.” Su Niannian reassured her with a warm smile.
Hearing Su Niannian’s words, Gu Zhi finally felt relieved. If her illness could be treated, she would be able to go back to working in the fields and earning labor points.
That would definitely bring in more than weaving bamboo baskets at home.
With that, Gu Nan wouldn’t have to work so hard, and she could also share some of the burden for the family.
“Niannian, take this money first and see if it’s enough to buy the medicine.” Gu Zhi carefully handed over the crumpled banknotes, a hint of unease in her eyes.
This money was the family’s last savings, originally set aside for Gu Nan’s future marriage. But now that her illness had burdened the whole family, she couldn’t bear to see her children worry any longer.
Su Niannian didn’t take the money right away. Instead, she gently pushed Gu Zhi’s hand back and said in a warm yet firm tone, “Auntie, keep this money to buy something to nourish your body. I have a way to get the medicine—you don’t need to worry about the cost.”
“This is all I have for now. I still need to keep some money for crossing the river, but take this first,” Gu Zhi said, handing over the money.
Su Niannian didn’t accept it immediately and said, “Let’s talk about it after I come back.”
“That won’t do. If you don’t take it, then I won’t accept your treatment.”
“I can’t let you pay for my medicine out of your own pocket.”
“I’m already deeply grateful that you’re willing to help treat me.”
Gu Zhi didn’t withdraw her hand because of Su Niannian’s refusal. Instead, she firmly stuffed the money into Su Niannian’s hands.
Su Niannian thought for a moment, then stuffed two yuan back into Gu Zhi’s hands, keeping only one yuan and sixty-five cents for herself.
“I’ll buy ten days’ worth of medicine first. This amount is enough,” she said.
Gu Zhi wanted to say something, but Su Niannian pouted her lips, making it clear that she wouldn’t take more.
“Really, it won’t cost that much. Traditional medicine isn’t as expensive as you think,” Su Niannian reassured her.
In truth, Gu Zhi knew that traditional medicine could be quite costly. Gu Nan had bought it for her before, and it wasn’t cheap.
If it weren’t for Gu Nan secretly selling game from his hunts, their family would have struggled just to have enough to eat—let alone afford medicine or doctor visits…