Chapter 29

Wu Xiaoxiao had been thinking the same thing. She originally thought the place wasn’t far from home and that she could return in two or three days. However, after arriving at the orchard, one thing led to another, and things piled up. She had been busy and only just managed to sort things out.

Refusing Uncle Changfa’s suggestion that she ride a bicycle back, Wu Xiaoxiao happily took the pickled sour apricots her aunt had given her and walked along the field embankment in the morning.

The sun had just risen, and the heat hadn’t set in yet. The breeze gently brushed her face. Wu Xiaoxiao felt light and joyful, running while enjoying the gentle air from the fields. She felt as though she could fly with happiness.

—-

In the distance, some farmers were working in the fields. A swift, blue figure could be seen running on the small road in the fields. Though it was far away and the face couldn’t be seen clearly, the figure still conveyed a sense of youthful energy and happiness.

After running for a long stretch, Wu Xiaoxiao slowed down as she neared the village. She kept walking briskly, still fast but not as much as before.

Having run that long distance, her face wasn’t flushed, and she wasn’t out of breath. However, as she neared the village, she didn’t want to attract too much attention by continuing to run.

Ahead, after crossing the large river, she would reach the village. Wu Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but reflect on the river. She had arrived in this time-space because her original self had argued with Wu Ningfang while crossing the river and fell in. After coming back, she was able to escape the post-apocalyptic world filled with viruses and conflict. Now, she could bring joy and fulfillment to the people around her, including herself. Without that event, she might have perished in the explosion.

So, she couldn’t say for sure whether this river represented misfortune or luck.

As she walked onto the bridge with no fences on either side, Wu Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but look around. Suddenly, her gaze fixed on something in the distance — it looked like someone had collapsed by the riverbank.

Who was it? Her eyesight was far sharper than most, but even from a distance, she could only make out a vague figure. It looked like the person was lying face down on the riverbank in an odd position.

At this hour, most people were either working or at home, and there was no one near the river. If she left the person there, it could be dangerous, especially if they were suffering from a disease.

Thinking this, Wu Xiaoxiao ran over quickly. As she got closer, she saw that it was an elderly man. He was lying in a very uncomfortable position, curled up, with his face down. She could barely detect any movement in his body. She quickly approached and gently turned him over to face upward.

She immediately recognized the elderly man. He was Mr. Lu, the one who had been with Dr. Chen’s grandfather in the cattle shed.

Though she hadn’t seen him often, she had a good impression of Mr. Lu. His grayish-white hair was always neatly combed, and he wore a blue Zhongshan suit, which was slightly faded but always well-kept.

At the moment, Mr. Lu’s face was pale, and there was dirt on his face. When he collapsed, it seemed he had hit a small stone, leaving a small bloodstain on his temple.

“Mr. Lu, Mr. Lu, are you okay?” Wu Xiaoxiao softly called out while using her special ability to scan his body.

Her powers had grown stronger after some training, so now she could try to use her healing ability.

As soon as she delved into Mr. Lu’s body, she immediately felt the chaotic state of his energy. The elderly man’s health had been poor for a while, and although life in the cattle shed had been relatively comfortable, living alone in such conditions had caused him to suffer from hidden injuries.

It seemed that Mr. Lu had collapsed due to a sudden heart attack. This type of condition was dangerous, and if Wu Xiaoxiao hadn’t discovered it in time, Mr. Lu might not have woken up.

While using her powers to help regulate his body, Wu Xiaoxiao checked Mr. Lu’s pockets, as people who suffered from sudden conditions like this usually carried some medicine. Sure enough, she found a small bottle of heart-saving pills. She quickly took one, opened his mouth, and placed the pill under his tongue. After a moment, Mr. Lu slowly opened his eyes.

“Mr. Lu, do you feel better now?” He was clearly still weak, but when he looked at Wu Xiaoxiao, he blinked slowly, showing gratitude.

Wu Xiaoxiao said, “Don’t speak right now. Let me carry you back to rest. You must have had a sudden heart attack, which is dangerous.”

“I’ll take you back, and then we’ll get Dr. Chen to check on you.”

Mr. Lu was tall, and carrying him wasn’t easy for Wu Xiaoxiao. After several attempts to adjust her position, she finally managed to avoid dragging his legs on the ground. She carried him back quickly, and soon reached his home.

When she arrived, she saw Dr. Chen’s grandfather, Mr. Chen, pacing inside. He quickly came over when he saw Wu Xiaoxiao carrying Mr. Lu.

“What happened? Xiaoxiao, what happened to Mr. Lu?” Mr. Chen asked.

Wu Xiaoxiao carefully placed Mr. Lu on his bed, removed his shoes, and put his feet up. She made sure his head was resting on the pillow and gently covered him with a blanket.

While covering him with the blanket, she replied, “Grandpa Chen, I saw Mr. Lu collapsed by the river. Luckily, he had some medicine on him, so I gave him a pill and brought him back. Do we have hot water here? I’ll get some for him to drink. He needs to be careful when getting up, he should sit up slowly, then gently lower his feet, and slowly stand up.”

Mr. Chen was shocked when he heard that Mr. Lu had suffered a heart attack by the river. “Oh my, that’s too dangerous! I’ve been telling him not to go wash clothes by the river. It’s lucky Xiaoxiao passed by, or this old man would’ve been lost right there by the river.”

He quickly went to get some water. “Xiaoxiao, you’ve worked hard. Please sit down and rest.”

Wu Xiaoxiao shook her head. “I don’t need rest. I’ll go find Dr. Chen and have him check Mr. Lu again to see if he needs more medicine.”

“Oh, okay. It seems Chen Si went to Wangzhuang Village today to check the villagers’ health. They’re also promoting schistosomiasis prevention. But Wangzhuang is far away, and Dr. Chen left early this morning, so he should be there by now. It’s too late to catch up with him now.”