Chapter 38 : Avoid

“Baima Town”

As soon as the words “Baima Town” left Xiao Yi’s mouth, the doctor’s face turned even paler. He hurriedly walked out from behind the counter, pushed Xiao Yi out the door, and said

“We won’t go to Baima Town. It’s too far. Go ask someone else!”

Xiao Yi was confused and asked

“Doctor, why won’t you go to Baima Town? I have money and can afford it. This is a matter of life and death, so please, be kind and help me. Come with me!”

Xiao Yi spoke in a pleading tone.

“I said I won’t go, and I’m not the only doctor in the city who can set bones. Go find someone else.” After saying this, the doctor simply turned around and shut the door, as if Xiao Yi were a dangerous person.

Xiao Yi felt it was strange and couldn’t help but curse

“Damn it, I must have taken the wrong medicine today!”

He had no choice but to go to the next pharmacy, but the result was the same. When the doctors heard that he wanted them to set bones, they all reacted as if they had seen a ghost, especially when they heard the words “Baima Town.” They avoided him like he was cursed.

After running around all day, Xiao Yi couldn’t find a single doctor. He was so anxious that sweat was dripping from his forehead. By now, it was almost 3 p.m., and the last carriage was about to leave. With no other options, he had to leave the city and return home to report.

—

Meanwhile, at the Xiao family home, Mother Xiao had been taking care of the second young master all day. He had a recurring fever and woke up several times, but his mind wasn’t clear.

Mother Xiao fed him some rice soup, and his fever subsided again.

As it grew dark, Mother Xiao grew anxious because Xiao Yi hadn’t returned yet. Jiang Sui also had a bad feeling, fearing that Xiao Yi would come back empty-handed.

As expected, Xiao Yi returned alone, looking like a defeated rooster.

After a day of hunger and thirst, he wolfed down his food and then explained what had happened, speaking in a disjointed manner.

The more he spoke, the angrier he became. “What’s going on? Is there a plague god in Baima Town? No one wants to come. That damn Jishantang insisted I was mistaken, saying their second master is fine. To hire an orthopedic doctor costs ten taels of silver, and I didn’t bring enough silver. That’s why this happened.”

After hearing the general situation, Jiang Sui narrowed her eyes and began to think deeply.

It seemed the Second Master’s accident wasn’t accidental. She couldn’t have mistaken it. There was indeed a Second Young Master in Jishantang, which meant the Second Master had offended someone, and someone wanted him dead.

These pharmacies were unwilling to come to Baima Town, they must have been coerced. It seemed that the person behind this was very powerful, and most people were afraid of him.

Jiang Sui couldn’t help but recall all the dramas and novels about family feuds she’d seen. Men usually fought for family wealth. As the second son, there must be an eldest son above him and possibly a third or fourth son below him. Anyway, they were all suspects.

“It seems we’ve been looking in the wrong direction. We are exposed. The second master has made an enemy. Someone wants to harm him. We just happened to run into him, and now we’re involved. The doctors in the pharmacies all said they were unwilling to come to us, they must have been coerced. The power behind this is something we can’t afford to offend. I’m afraid the road to Huaxi County is blocked. Someone doesn’t want him to get well and is stopping him everywhere. We’ll have to think of another way.”

When Mother Xiao heard Jiang Sui’s analysis, which was well-reasoned, she became frightened

“Suisui, if you’re right and the person behind this is so powerful, won’t we be retaliated against if we continue to get involved?”

“Yes, I saw how those doctors turned pale when they heard about coming to Baima Town to set bones, as if they had seen a ghost. If we continue to help him, will the people behind this cause trouble for us?”

“We’re just common folk, how can we fight against such powerful people?” Xiao Yi also began to realize the seriousness of the situation.

But Jiang Sui remained calm. She knew she needed to comfort her family first. Just as she was thinking about how to ease their worries, Xiao Hechuan rushed in, shouting anxiously

“Wife, mother, that person has woken up. Lanlan asked me to tell you.”

When Jiang Sui heard that the person had woken up, she immediately got up and rushed to the room. As long as the person was awake, it would be easy to handle, they would finally know what was going on.

Originally, Xiao Lanlan had come over to check if his fever had returned. She reached out to touch his forehead, and luckily, his temperature was normal.

Then, unexpectedly, he suddenly opened his eyes and woke up.

The second master felt a cool touch on his forehead. He didn’t reject it but rather enjoyed it and gradually opened his eyes.

As soon as his eyes opened, he saw a very beautiful face.

The soft light from the bedside candle reflected on the girl’s face, casting a gentle glow. Her long eyelashes created shadows under her eyes.

It’s said that beauties are best seen by lamplight, and gentlemen are best seen under the moon. In that moment, he felt his heart racing and was stunned.

Xiao Lanlan realized that he was awake, and their eyes met unexpectedly.

The girl, flustered, quickly withdrew her hand, took two steps back, and stammered

“You… you woke up…”

The second master came back to his senses, and the sudden pain throughout his body made his handsome brows furrow. He moaned and gasped slightly, then asked: “Where am I?”

“You fell down the mountain stream and were seriously injured. We rescued you. Wait, I’ll call my family over.”

Xiao Lanlan quickly ran out and saw Xiao Hechuan standing at the door, asking him to go find Mother Xiao and the others.

By the time Jiang Sui and the others rushed over, the man had indeed woken up, but he looked like he was in great pain.

With two broken ribs and a broken leg, how could it not hurt?

“Child, how do you feel? Can you still bear it?” Mother Xiao asked him gently. He was about the same age as her own children, so she felt a certain kindness toward him.

“Madam, did you save me?” the second young master asked in great pain.

“No, it was my youngest son, daughter-in-law, and youngest daughter who saved you. You fell down the mountain stream and were badly injured. They saw you were still breathing, so they brought you back. Are you the second son of Jishantang?” Mother Xiao answered his question simply and then confirmed his identity.

The second master was confused when he heard that she recognized him, but he didn’t remember anyone in the room.

“How did you recognize me, Madam?”

If he asked this, it was almost certain that he was indeed the second son of Jishantang.

At this, Mother Xiao and Jiang Sui exchanged glances before explaining the whole situation in detail, including what Xiao Yi had encountered in the county that day.

After hearing this, the second master’s tense face and cold expression showed how angry he was, and he gritted his teeth.

Then, he slowly began to tell his own story…