Chuxia sighed with relief and closed her eyes to continue sleeping.

She felt she had done her best in guiding her junior.

The next day was Sunday.

After breakfast, Chuxia and Feng Xiaoyuan were about to enter the consultation room when Chuxia looked up and saw a large and a small figure standing outside the room, silhouetted against the light, facing her.

Chuxia’s words abruptly stopped. She stood there, blinking hard to make sure she wasn’t mistaken.

A big smile spread across her face. “An’an! Zhengnian!”

“Mom,” Cen Huai’an called, walking towards Chuxia.

Cen Zhengnian smiled warmly at Chuxia and nodded. “Yes, we came to see you.”

Feng Xiaoyuan glanced at Chuxia’s family. Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, she tactfully waved at Chuxia and went into the consultation room.

“When did you arrive? How did you know this is my consultation room?” Chuxia’s voice was filled with excitement.

She had been so busy she had lost track of the days and hadn’t had a break, feeling like time had passed for a long while.

Cen Zhengnian patted Chuxia’s head. “We just arrived.”

Cen Huai’an added, “We asked the nurse and she told us where you were.”

“Have you eaten?” The hospital had a cafeteria.

“We’ve eaten,” Cen Zhengnian replied.

After a few brief exchanges, Chuxia glanced at the time and realized she needed to start her consultations.

“There’s a small resting room in the consultation room. You can wait for me there,” Chuxia said.

She led them inside, where she had already seen some patients arriving.

Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai’an knew Chuxia would be very busy, but they didn’t expect her to be this overwhelmed.

The resting room had no door, only a sky-blue curtain separating it.

Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai’an could see and hear Chuxia’s consultation process through the curtain.

She didn’t even have time to drink water in the morning; patients came one after another.

Chuxia was patient with each one, carefully instructing and advising them.

By the end, her throat was hoarse from talking, and she finally took a sip of water.

Cen Huai’an stood at the door of the resting room, watching Chuxia with concern, his brow furrowed and not relaxing.

“Dad, Mom is working so hard.”

Cen Huai’an even wanted to do something to help Chuxia, but neither he nor his father knew anything about traditional medicine and couldn’t assist her.

Cen Zhengnian’s eyes were also filled with concern, his forehead creased. He sighed internally, “Yes, and your mother is very great.”

Cen Huai’an nodded.

The things his mother did were indeed great, but privately, he just wished she wouldn’t be so exhausted.

At lunchtime, when Chuxia stood up to stretch her arms, she felt the soreness in her back and waist from sitting too long.

“Is something uncomfortable?” Two broad hands suddenly rested on Chuxia’s shoulders and neck, a familiar, gentle male voice coming from behind.

Chuxia relaxed her entire body, letting out a contented “Mm.”

Cen Zhengnian began to massage her shoulders, neck, and back, while An’an took her hand and massaged it.

Chuxia felt so comfortable that she almost wanted to moan.

When she was particularly tired before, she had hoped Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai’an would be there to give her a massage, and now that wish had come true.

Feng Xiaoyuan, sitting at a table across the corridor, saw Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai’an’s actions and Chuxia’s blissful expression.

Her mouth fell open in surprise.

She then showed envy in her eyes, thinking, Senior Sister is so lucky to have such a husband and son!

However, Feng Xiaoyuan only saw how Chuxia’s family interacted in the hospital.

She didn’t know how Chuxia and Cen Huai’an managed when Cen Zhengnian wasn’t home.

Every family is different, and you can’t tell much from the surface.

But it was true that Chuxia was very happy at that moment.

Chuxia only enjoyed the massage for a while before asking Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai’an to stop.

If they didn’t go for lunch soon, the cafeteria’s delicious food would be gone.

During lunch, Chuxia’s colleagues at the hospital also learned that her husband and son had come specifically to see her, and they were very envious.

Chuxia, Feng Xiaoyuan, and the other doctor could all feel the curious glances from the hospital staff.

As a result, they ate faster than usual.

During lunch, Chuxia had some rest time. Normally, she would take a nap in the dormitory.

However, since she couldn’t bring Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai’an to the female dormitory, the three of them returned to the hospital’s break room, which also had beds.

Feng Xiaoyuan rested in the dormitory during lunch.

Chuxia wanted to spend more time chatting with Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai’an, considering the trouble they had gone through to visit her, including the long journey.

But she was so exhausted that as she lay on the small bed in the break room and talked with Cen Zhengnian, her voice gradually became softer until she fell asleep.

Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai’an exchanged glances, stopped talking, and covered Chuxia with a small blanket.

The two of them sat quietly by the bed, not saying a word.

Cen Huai’an took out a book to read, while Cen Zhengnian gazed at Chuxia’s serene sleeping face, his affection for her evident in his eyes.

After seeing Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai’an off in the afternoon, Chuxia felt even more drained after her consultations.

Feng Xiaoyuan continued chatting with Chuxia, “Senior Sister, I want to find a husband like yours who knows how to care for his wife, not someone who hits his wife every day!”

Chuxia nodded weakly, with no energy to respond further.

Feng Xiaoyuan didn’t mind, as she only needed someone to listen and agree.

Every week thereafter, Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai’an visited on Sundays, bringing food, drinks, and supplies for Chuxia, and showing her An’an’s exam results.

Cen Zhengnian would always ask Chuxia to check if he had taken good care of An’an.

Feng Xiaoyuan had become numb with envy. Sitting next to Chuxia, she felt it the most.

Every time she saw Chuxia interacting with Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai’an, she felt like an extra stray dog on the roadside, out of place in the consultation room.

In reality, there weren’t any intimate actions, but the warm atmosphere between them was something others couldn’t intrude upon, making it feel desirable to observe.

In the second week, the woman with mid-stage ascites came back with her husband.

Her complexion seemed better than the last time, and her abdomen had reduced in size.

Traditional Chinese medicine takes time to show effects.

Chuxia had told them it would take about three months to see significant improvement, or at least two months.

The couple wasn’t in a hurry; they were willing to wait a year if needed, as long as it could be cured.

Chuxia took the woman’s pulse and confirmed that there was improvement. She smiled and said, “You’re doing very well. Keep it up. I’ll adjust the prescription; take the medicine for another half month and come back for a follow-up.”

The woman had felt better with Chuxia’s medicine, so she was even more trusting now. She thanked Chuxia repeatedly and left with the prescription.

The leaders eventually announced that the free clinic would stay for a month. However, due to the large number of patients and strong requests from the county hospital, Chuxia and her team stayed for another half month.

Most patients had seen considerable improvement during this one and a half months, though some needed more time.

Traveling to the county was already challenging for these patients, not to mention the long journey to the capital.

Since Chuxia wasn’t the only one in this situation, the leaders decided to return to the county every half month to treat the remaining patients.

Doctors couldn’t abandon their patients.

However, Chuxia didn’t expect that the woman with ascites and her husband would come to the affiliated hospital to find her.

By then, the woman’s abdomen had reduced significantly, and her complexion had improved compared to their first visit. The swelling in her face and limbs had also subsided.

When they saw Chuxia, the couple looked at her like a lifesaver and eagerly offered her a sack they were holding.

“This is chicken that we raised ourselves. Dr. Luo, take it home and cook it; it’s delicious.”

“I can’t accept it; the hospital has rules against accepting gifts, and it might affect my work.”

The couple looked anxious. “We… We didn’t know. Dr. Luo, we haven’t delivered it yet, is that alright?”

“It’s fine. Just don’t bring any more in the future. Let me check your condition.”

After taking her pulse, Chuxia’s smile widened even more: “You’re recovering very well. The hope for your complete recovery is right in front of you.”

The woman’s face showed excitement and joy, and her husband was equally happy.

Their simple happiness also lifted Chuxia’s spirits.

Not only the ascites couple but also other patients made special trips to the capital to see Chuxia.

Her consultation room became lively and no longer remained unattended as before.

After Chuxia returned, Cen Zhengnian’s vacation had long ended.

His rest was only half a month, and the research institute wouldn’t allow extended breaks.

Therefore, Cen Zhengnian’s wish to take Chuxia and An’an out for a trip would have to wait for a rest day.

On Sunday, Chuxia, Cen Huai’an, and Cen Zhengnian went to Grandfather Jiang’s house.

She carried a bottle of medicinal wine.

As soon as they entered Grandfather Jiang’s house, they noticed something was off.

Jiang Zhida stood by the slot machine with a pained expression, while opposite him were Aunt Zhou Huaying and her daughter-in-law Bai Han.

“Dazi, you can keep the slot machine at your own home, not at your grandfather’s.”

“Auntie, I put it at Grandfather’s house for Lu Lu and An’an to play with.”

Zhou Huaying said, “Then move it back to your home for them to play with. At Grandfather’s house, Weixian has already picked up bad habits.”

Jiang Zhida looked at Jiang Weixian and then at Zhou Huaying, “It’s only played once a week, and with Grandfather watching, it’s not played for long. The consequences shouldn’t be that severe.”

At this point, Bai Han spoke up.

Her appearance gave a cold impression, and her speech was similarly composed, though she was less arrogant than Zhou Huaying and spoke more methodically.

“If Weixian only played with the slot machine at Grandfather’s house, my mother and I wouldn’t say anything,” Bai Han said with a frown. “But after playing with the slot machine at Grandfather’s house, Weixian now sneaks out every day to play on the street, and to afford it, he lies to me and his father. If the slot machine stays here, he’ll never quit playing games, and Weixian will be ruined.”

Jiang Zhida looked at Jiang Weixian, whose neck shrank in fear from the anger in his eyes.