Chapter 14: Wild Winds at the Coast

When there was truly no other option, she decided to give it a try.

Gu Yi was puzzled, wondering what kind of mysterious illness could be so hidden.

“Come with me!”

Li Jia’s elder sister-in-law led Gu Yi into a room, bringing her to the bedside.

A young woman was lying in bed.

Gu Yi took a closer look. The woman had a healthy complexion, not too thin, and appeared clear-headed, obviously not sick. However, there was a dark circle under her eyes, and a few blood vessels were visible in her eyes.

Had she stayed up late?

“Is this the patient?”

Li Jia’s elder sister-in-law hesitated and stammered, “This illness is hard to show to others, it’s on her chest.”

Gu Yi motioned for her to remove her clothing.

Although the coastal area was known as a wild land, it was far more open compared to big cities like the capital, and women had no problem showing their forearms and calves. However, the chest area was different, and it was still taboo for a strange man to see it.

The young woman looked uncomfortable and nervously clutched her clothes.

Her mother comforted her, “The little doctor is also a young lady, just like you. What are you afraid of? Quickly take off your clothes.”

Reluctantly, the young woman slowly removed her clothing, revealing her chest.

Tiny bumps, as small as ants, had grown on her chest, densely packed and quite shocking. No wonder she was so distressed.

Gu Yi asked gently, “Is it itchy?”

The young woman shyly nodded.

Gu Yi examined the bumps more carefully. “How long have they been there? Have you eaten anything unusual?”

The young woman’s mother answered all the questions.

It was just regular food, things they had eaten without issues in the past.

“Have you encountered anything new?”

Gu Yi suspected it was likely an allergy, though she didn’t know the exact allergen.

Li Jia’s elder sister-in-law pushed her daughter, “Quickly tell the doctor!”

The young woman couldn’t remember.

“Our house is behind the mountain, and she often wanders around there, picking flowers and herbs. Could she have picked up some insects?”

Gu Yi shook her head. While some insects were indeed toxic and could cause small bumps on the skin, it was clear this wasn’t the result of insects. The bumps were too uniform, spreading over a large area.

“I just remembered. I ate some fruit in the mountains, it was very sour and astringent. It was my first time eating it,” the young woman said quietly.

Li Jia’s elder sister-in-law immediately shouted, “You silly girl! I told you to be careful, but you still ate something randomly. Look at all these bumps on you! Who would still want you now!”

She was about to get married, which was one of the reasons why Li Jia’s elder sister-in-law was so anxious.

“It’s fine. Don’t go to the mountains for now, and stop eating and touching strange things. I’ll write a prescription for you. Go to the county and get the medicine, and also apply this ointment. The bumps will disappear quickly.”

Li Jia’s elder sister-in-law nodded repeatedly, “I understand, I won’t let her go anymore.”

The young woman was scared now, as the bumps on her body were extremely itchy.

“Thank you, little doctor!”

Li Jia’s elder sister-in-law expressed her deep gratitude. After seeing the doctor, she felt a little relieved.

Gu Yi blinked, “I’m not a doctor, and I don’t plan to be one. I’m just a small fisherwoman, helping the neighbors when I can.”

Li Jia’s elder sister-in-law smiled more sincerely.

“Little doctor, I don’t have much to offer, just a basket of eggs from our house. Please accept them.”

Gu Yi smiled and took them.

The mother and daughter returned home, unaware that word of Gu Yi’s medical abilities had quietly spread among the women of the village. It was gaining more attention, and now the family was receiving more goodwill and respect.

The next day.

At the coast, Gu Yi was teaching Dalang how to swim.

The siblings were both in the water, not far from the shore.

“Relax, don’t be so stiff.”

Dalang was struggling to stay afloat, fearing he might drown.

“You need to feel the water, follow the current, and go with its flow.”

Gu Yi was teaching him the technique, swimming to the side and letting him practice on his own, observing from a distance.

When Dalang choked on water, she didn’t intervene immediately. She silently counted, and when she saw he couldn’t hold on anymore, she went to pull him out.

The sea could be a treasure, or it could be a demon. If one didn’t understand its dangers or show it respect, it could swallow them at any moment.

After struggling through a few rounds, Dalang gradually grasped the technique.

The two of them returned to shore.

Gu Yi said, “The martial arts Father taught you, you can continue practicing. It will help increase your lung capacity, and you’ll be able to hold your breath longer in the water.”

Dalang was a little discouraged. “The martial arts Father taught me, I’ve already learned, and there are still many other things I haven’t had the chance to practice.”

She comforted him, “It’s important to keep practicing the basics. It’s not enough to just learn them once and stop. You’ll eventually meet even stronger masters, and you won’t regret not practicing the basics.”

Dalang looked at her, his eyes brightening. “You’re right, Sister! I’ll practice diligently every day!”

“Let’s go! Let’s catch some fish!”

Gu Yi made a spear, preparing to catch some fish to make fish balls. She also gathered some kelp and grabbed an octopus and several crabs. The bucket quickly filled up.

They returned home.

It was still bright, and the sea was calm.

Recently, there had been an abundance of crabs, too many to eat.

The siblings returned home with two buckets full of shrimp, crabs, and fish.

Gu Yi first dealt with the dead fish, cleaning them, slicing them, and mashing them into a paste. After adding seasoning, she boiled the mixture in hot water to make fresh, additive-free fish balls and shrimp balls.

At that moment, outside, the rain began to intensify. It sounded like a thousand horses galloping, as the rain pounded on the stone house, the earth, and the sea.

The wind followed, howling like a fierce beast, threatening to devour anyone in its path.

A typhoon was coming.

The weather changed in an instant, catching everyone off guard.