“No! No matter how fast you run, you can’t outrun a horse cart. It takes an hour to reach the county. By then, he’ll already be dead!”

Who said that? So bold.

The village head turned toward the voice.

Of course—it was that troublesome girl from the Lu family!

He didn’t even bother replying and continued directing people to move Lin Zhuang onto the wooden board.

“Little Sis, then what should we do?” Lu Feng asked anxiously.

“Carry him to our house!”

Lu Feng and Lu Yun instantly froze mid-motion.

Lin Zhuang hung in mid-air, bent at an unnatural angle.

Another wave of blood surged from his abdomen.

“I’d rather… die… than go to your house…” Even in his dizzy, fading state, Lin Zhuang still managed to glare at Lu Yun.

This family must be plotting something again—even after his death, they wouldn’t leave him alone.

Were they planning to grind his bones to dust and use him as fertilizer?

“Keep dreaming!” Lu Yun roared, furious.

“Little Sis, let’s just take him to town. Whether he lives or not, that’s his fate.”

Lu Yun didn’t want Lin Zhuang to die either, but he couldn’t let his sister get dragged into trouble over this.

Lu Qingqing turned to Lin Ye, her expression serious:
“Lin Ye, you’re his only family. If we take him to the town now, it’s a death sentence. But if we bring him to our house, there’s still a sliver of hope. It’s your decision.”

Her eyes were clear, her voice firm.

Somehow, the panicked, helpless Lin Ye forgot for a moment who she was, and shouted instinctively:

“I—I want to save my brother! Even if there’s only a sliver of hope, I have to try!”

“Please save my brother! I’m begging you!” She started kowtowing to Lu Qingqing.

This girl must be out of her mind!

The village head shouted again, “Hurry! If you run now, you can still make it to town!”

“Xiao Ye, come wait at Auntie’s house,” Baoshuan’s mother tugged at Lin Ye.

Even though Lu Qingqing had saved her son before, none of the villagers truly believed it.

She didn’t either—she just thought it was luck or maybe Lu Qingqing had scared the kid straight.

Believing Lu Qingqing could save someone?

Might as well believe a pile of dung could turn into golden millet.

At this moment, Father Lu also pulled Lu Qingqing aside, whispering anxiously to her.

“Lu Feng! Lu Yun! What are you still dawdling for?” the village head shouted angrily.

“Not going… I’m not going anywhere…” Lin Zhuang reached weakly for his sister.

“Xiao Ye…”

“Brother! Don’t die, please don’t die! If you die, I don’t want to live either!”

The siblings clutched each other, sobbing.

“Enough! Get them apart! What are you all waiting for?!” the village head barked.

“Village head!” Ding Xiang popped up again.

“Lu Qingqing knows all kinds of strange remedies—she even saved Baoshuan before! If she says bring him to her house, she must have a way! Hurry!”

Of course Ding Xiang had ulterior motives.

But Lu Qingqing ignored her entirely.

“Dad! If the spleen isn’t injured, I’m seventy percent confident I can save him!”

“Fine then!” Father Lu gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

“Xiao Ye! Bring your brother to our house. But let me make this clear—life or death is up to fate. If your brother dies, no one gets to blame my daughter!”

“I agree! I agree! Please save my brother!” Lin Ye nodded desperately.

Lu Qingqing immediately pulled out a silver needle from her pouch, tore open Lin Zhuang’s shirt, and prepared to pierce some acupuncture points to stop the bleeding—

When another voice cut in: “Who let you agree to this?! It’s not your place to make decisions in the Lin family!”

An old man rushed in.

He was a senior member of the Lin clan—Lin Zhuang called him “Uncle.”

At his words, Lu Qingqing instantly withdrew her needle.

This was exactly what Father Lu had feared most—that this would bring trouble to his daughter.

In this era, trained doctors were rare, especially in rural areas.

Folk healers and granny doctors treated people all the time, and the authorities usually turned a blind eye.

But if someone died under your care—and compensation didn’t solve it—the family could report you and the punishment could be severe.

Just like what happened to her mother.

Lu Qingqing wanted to save lives—that was her professional ethic.

But if doing so meant potential legal disaster, then sorry—she wasn’t some saint.

“Even the rain doesn’t water grass without roots.” Even the best medical skill won’t save someone who doesn’t believe in it.

“Take him to Doctor Lu in town! He treated my broken leg last time—quickly!” the old Lin uncle ordered.

Suddenly, Lin Ye snapped.

“Get lost! Get lost! This is my family’s business, none of you have the right to interfere! GET OUT!”

She had seen it.

She had seen the silver needles in Lu Qingqing’s hand.

More complete and well-maintained than even the best doctors in town.

They looked… legit.

“What did you say?! You brat—you trying to get your brother killed?!”

“She’s lost her mind!”

“Uncle Lin, you need to take charge here!”

“Xiao Ye, listen to us, we’re only doing this for your brother’s sake—”

Surrounded and overwhelmed, Lin Ye screamed in collapse: “What are you to us?! When my brother and I were starving, did any of you help? Did we ever eat a grain of your rice? Now you want to act like family?! Get lost! This is our business, not yours! Whether my brother lives or dies—it’s our fate!”

Then she turned to the village head and raised two fingers to the sky.

“Uncle Village Head, please witness this: I, Lin Ye, swear today—we are sending my brother to the Lu family of our own free will. Life and death are up to fate. If my brother dies there, no one has the right to slander the Lu family. Whoever does is rotten to the core!”

At her words, Ding Xiang’s expression soured instantly.

She clicked her tongue and looked away.

Old Lin Uncle huffed and stormed off.

“Don’t say we didn’t try! We’re not responsible!”

The village head threw up his hands helplessly.

“Alright then, take him to the Lu house.”

Lin Zhuang had already passed out. Judging by the state he was in, he had only a little time left.

Lu Qingqing glanced at Lin Ye deeply before resuming her work, quickly inserting needles into several key acupuncture points.

“Big Brother, Second Brother, hurry—carry him to our house.”

Lu Feng and Lu Yun’s eyes lit up and they responded immediately.

No one else may have noticed, but the two of them saw it clearly.

Their little sister’s hands moved like lightning—a flick of her fingers, and the needle sank cleanly into the flesh.

That level of skill… was unbelievable.

The doctors they had seen before took ages just to get one needle in.

Lu Yun was already thinking—if Lin Zhuang survived this, Wouldn’t the whole village line up at their door for treatment?

In a frenzy of movement, Lin Zhuang was carried into the Lu house.

The door slammed shut—cutting off the curious onlookers.

“Second Brother, what are you grinning about?” Lu Feng frowned.

“Ah—nothing. My face feels stiff… just stretching it a little.” Lu Yun grinned again, wider.

He’d just imagined Lin Zhuang kneeling to him in apology.

Lu Qingqing rushed out again—her outer clothes gone, hair tied up with a scarf—looking clean, sharp, and efficient.

“Dad! Boil hot water—one full pot!”

“Big Brother! Here’s a list of herbs I need—check every medicine shop if you have to. And bring back a bottle of strong liquor!”

“Second Brother, come inside and help me!”

With a string of clear instructions, the whole household sprang into action.

Lu Yun followed her into the room and nearly fainted at the sight of Lin Zhuang on the bed.

Dear heavens!

Who the hell had pulled his intestines out?!

He’s done for this time!