Chapter 19

Diarrhea is usually manageable, but a fever that causes convulsions is serious.

Liu Xiaohua was so frightened that her legs felt weak. If she hadn’t been so determined, she might not have made it here.

She was angry at Jiang Xi for marrying Pei Hejun despite his issues and had never shown much interest in the Pei family before. She suspected that Jiang Xi’s actions were motivated by financial gain.

Since the trouble with her brother-in-law, Liu Xiaohua had been focused on the money, and now none of it was coming to her family, which only added to her frustration. Although she and her husband wanted to push Pei Hejun away, they failed.

Now, she was relieved that the Pei family had Jiang Xi.

“Jiang Xi, come out quickly! My son has a fever!” Liu Xiaohua shouted anxiously.

Every minute felt like torture with her son in trouble.

Jiang Xi did not hesitate. As a compassionate doctor, she couldn’t ignore the situation, especially after warning about it earlier. Hearing the loud knocking, she quickly put on her shoes and opened the door.

She ran into Pei’s parents, who were also rushing out.

“I’ll go open the door first,” Pei’s mother said, hurrying over.

Jiang Xi followed closely. When the gate opened, Liu Xiaohua rushed in with her son in her arms, clearly relieved to see Jiang Xi. She quickly handed over her son, saying, “Please, help him! He has a fever and is convulsing!”

Father Pei grabbed a flashlight and turned it on, saying, “Come over here and let Jiang Xi examine him. Don’t be afraid.”

Liu Xiaohua, exhausted from running, almost collapsed, but Pei Deyi caught her and said, “I’ll hold him.”

Holding his son, Pei Deyi felt embarrassed. He had previously ignored Jiang Xi and even refused to lend his parents a cart out of spite. Now, he was seeking her help.

Jiang Xi focused on checking the boy. His lips were cracked, his body was burning, and he was shivering even under a quilt.

The enteritis had worsened due to delayed treatment.

Children often put unclean things in their mouths, leading to gastrointestinal issues if not addressed in time. 

“Jiang Xi, please help him quickly. I should have listened to you earlier. It’s my fault…” Liu Xiaohua, now frantic, began to cry.

Pei’s parents were also anxious but stayed out of the way.

Jiang Xi reassured her, “It’s not serious. Take him to Mom and Dad’s room to lie down. I’ll get the medicine and give him injections to reduce the fever.”

“Okay!” Liu Xiaohua agreed, feeling relieved to follow Jiang Xi’s instructions.

Pei Deyi, though still uncertain, followed Jiang Xi’s directions and placed his son on his parents’ bed.

Jiang Xi quickly prepared the medicine and used a needle she had disinfected earlier. 

Acupuncture needles need proper disinfection. Jiang Xi used a candle for heat and alcohol-soaked cotton balls for cleaning, then carefully inserted the needles at specific points to treat the fever.

Liu Xiaohua watched nervously, unsure of the procedure.

Father Pei’s hands shook with worry, and even the children peered in with fearful expressions. Jiang Xi remained calm, focused on the task at hand. She reassured everyone, “The needle is thin and will target the right points. It’s safe.”

Unexpectedly, Pei Deyi also reached out to help.

Father and son exchanged looks, and Father Pei had a cold expression.

Pei Deyi, confused, asked blankly: “What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with your back?”

Father Pei shrugged off his hand and snorted, not answering. However, Mother Pei took the opportunity to scold her second son, “You idiot, you didn’t even lend your father a cart. He had to move the door all the way back and hurt his back! And now you ask what’s wrong?”

Pei Deyi: “!”

His face turned red with embarrassment as he looked at his father and then at his mother, feeling awkward and unsure of what to do. He had refused to lend the cart out of spite, thinking he could force his father to give in, not realizing he would cause trouble.

Now, thinking about how stubborn he had been earlier and now needing help, Pei Deyi felt uncomfortable all over.

Mother Pei sneered but her expression softened slightly. If her son hadn’t taken it seriously, she might think he was ungrateful. But she still cared a little, though not much.

She had seen this clearly for a long time and felt disappointed but not sad.

After all, they had separated and were no longer a family.

_

After giving the first two needles, Jiang Xi felt confident and then continued with the third and fourth needles, completing a total of six. As she worked, the child, who had been shivering from a high fever, stopped trembling and his breathing steadied.

His flushed cheeks cooled down a bit.

When she finished and removed the needles, there was a quiet sigh of relief in the room.

Jiang Sanmei blinked, licked her lips with satisfaction, and wanted to ask her elder sister why she stopped.

“Wait half an hour. When the medicine is almost ready, you can remove the needles. Just keep an eye on the time,” Jiang Xi said.

She broke the silence. Liu Xiaohua nodded eagerly: “Okay.”

She ran out to check the clock in the main room.

This clock was bought by Pei Hejun two years ago. She wanted to take it, but Xu Cui also wanted it. The two sides argued, and Pei’s parents were so angry they kept it.

At that moment, the clock struck twelve times.

Jiang Xi yawned sleepily and saw her two younger sisters. She urged them, “What are you doing? Go to bed!”

Jiang Ermei was startled and quickly went back to her room.

Jiang Sanmei’s eyes sparkled: “Sister, your acupuncture skills are amazing. Can I learn from you?”

As Jiang Xi inserted the needles smoothly, Jiang Sanmei was scared but fascinated. She couldn’t describe her feelings, but she was amazed by her sister’s skill.

Jiang Xi was surprised: “Are you sure? It’s very tiring.”

Jiang Sanmei confidently said, “I’m not afraid of being tired!”

Jiang Xi smiled: “Okay, I’ll teach you, as long as you want to learn.”

Jiang Sanmei happily went back to her room. She then overheard the two younger sisters talking secretly.

Jiang Xi also smiled and went outside, seeing Liu Xiaohua still dazed. She reminded her, “Sister-in-law, call me when the time comes. I’ll take a nap first.”

Liu Xiaohua seemed frightened and quickly stepped back, realizing her reaction. She nodded quickly: “Okay, I’ll call you.”

Jiang Xi gave her a puzzled look and went inside.

Liu Xiaohua sighed in relief and patted her chest nervously. Her husband then ran out, wiping sweat from his face and whispering, “Did she go in?”

Liu Xiaohua nodded silently.

Pei Deyi relaxed and muttered, “Do you think this third sister-in-law is quite impressive? The needle was so long, but she inserted it without flinching. My legs nearly gave out from fear she’d pierce the wrong spot… Bah! That’s right…”

Liu Xiaohua agreed, whispering, “I’m a bit scared of her.”

That’s why she instinctively moved away when Jiang Xi approached.

The couple looked at each other, both feeling embarrassed.

It wasn’t that they were timid.

It was genuinely frightening.

Especially since the one being treated was their son.

Liu Xiaohua shuddered, realizing she might have been bold to provoke Jiang Xi earlier.

_

Jiang Xi didn’t know her acupuncture had intimidated Pei Deyi and his wife, who had previously disliked her.

She was extremely sleepy.

Woken up in the middle of a deep sleep, she quickly fell back asleep after a busy day. When she returned to the room, she turned Pei Hejun onto his side, not noticing his eyes were open, and fell asleep again.

After being woken up half an hour later, Jiang Xi yawned and went out to remove the needles.

The needles were removed, and Pei’s mother’s medicine was ready.

Jiang Xi carefully sterilized the needles and put them away, instructing: “After he drinks the medicine, give him a hot bath, and check his temperature regularly. If his temperature rises again, call me. Don’t let him eat tomorrow morning and make sure to wash your hands often.”

Pei Deyi and Liu Xiaohua nodded repeatedly: “Okay, we’ll keep watch.”

Liu Xiaohua looked at her, hesitating to speak.

Jiang Xi asked: “Anything else?”

Liu Xiaohua shook her head quickly: “No, nothing.”

Jiang Xi then looked at Pei’s parents, who were very worried about their grandson Fengshou. She didn’t say much and went back to her room. After all, they were family and would discuss it later.

As soon as she left, Liu Xiaohua touched the corners of her mouth, which had been damaged.

If only she had known Jiang Xi was so skilled, she might not have offended her.

The corner of her mouth, still not fully healed from a previous treatment, might benefit from Jiang Xi’s skills. Although she had offended her, she felt too embarrassed to ask for help. Jiang Xi was different from her in-laws.