CHAPTER 74: CHAPTER 74: FANNING THE FLAMES OF TROUBLE

The old man cooperated this time. Without her having to say much or seek external help, he voluntarily put his foot into the basin.

Yi Chichi saw this and detoxified the silver needles, then rechecked the old man’s knee before beginning to treat the fluid accumulation.

Everyone watched as she inserted needle after needle with speed and precision, her expression calm, exuding the demeanor of a master. They felt they’d come to the right place this time.

The team leader and the branch secretary didn’t make things difficult for them, and were quite friendly.

The skilled young doctor in the team didn’t look down on them and even provided them treatment. Compared to where their old friends went, they felt they had come to a blessed place.

At this moment, no one knew that Yi Chichi was actually a fake doctor who wasn’t even halfway competent and needed to pick her patients.

They silently watched Yi Chichi treat the old man’s fluid accumulation and then massage the soles of his feet. When the old man let out a painful cry, young Qin Jiu couldn’t hold back.

His big black grape-like eyes brimmed with tears, "Sister, my great-grandfather is hurting. Can you please not hit him?"

He addressed her incorrectly.

By seniority, he should call her grandaunt.

But this wasn’t the right time to mention that.

So, she smiled warmly and said, "I wasn’t using any force."

"Liar, great-grandfather is in pain."

The old man was indeed in real pain, pain like he’d never felt before. He gritted his teeth, "Young comrade, I also think you could go a bit lighter."

This was quite awkward.

Seeing the old lady’s husband looking timid, she feared that he would refuse further treatment for his fluid accumulation. Yi Chichi quickly explained, "I really didn’t use much force. The pain is caused by pressure on the acupuncture points."

She explained in detail why it hurt, then concluded, "Bear through this pain and it will feel much better."

The old man and others were half-convinced. They were unfamiliar with the place and didn’t have much to say.

Mainly out of caution, they decided to wait and see.

As a result, they saw the old man’s face, which was wrinkled like a dried salted vegetable, gradually relax. A sense of ease appeared on his face, as if an invisible hand had smoothed out his wrinkles.

He made a surprised noise and looked at Yi Chichi with amazement. This young comrade had some skill.

The elder noticed his changing expression and asked, "Does it not hurt anymore?"

"Comfortable!"

Forget the pain, he felt relaxed all over, wasn’t cold anymore, and his body was warm.

"Old Song, bear with the pain if it comes again."

Song Yanshan nodded heavily, "I will definitely bear it."

The tone was as firm as his cries were loud when in pain.

It was like a pig being slaughtered, making Yi Chichi hesitant to continue.

"Can you cry out a bit more quietly?"

She stared at Old Song with dead fish eyes as she worked with the needles. Compared to her grandaunt’s husband, this Mr. Song was deeply afraid of pain.

She wondered how he survived being hit and having shrapnel pierce his flesh back in the day.

There were no anesthetics then, and even anti-inflammatory meds were scarce; surgeries often proceeded without anesthesia.

"Lass, it hurts!"

Tearfully, Mr. Song exclaimed. Yi Chichi sighed, "Bear it even if it hurts, unless you want your joints to ache relentlessly, unable to move or walk."

There was no persuading him, so she went straight to threats.

The truth is that people will always choose what benefits them. Compared to endless pain, even a fool knows to choose temporary pain.

"Then, then can I have a piece of wood to bite on?"

Just as Qi Yang came in, carrying the clothes and blankets that Secretary Zhang had cobbled together for them. Hearing this, he placed everything on the kang and handed over a wolveskin jacket.

"Bite on this."

Wood is not for biting; what if a tooth breaks?

It’s already unattractive; losing a tooth would be even worse.

Mr. Song accepted it; as long as he had something to bite on, it was fine.

The pig-like howls of pain ceased, but now there was a person sweating like rain.

The old man looked on with disdain, "All these years, and you’re getting more and more afraid of pain."

Mr. Song rolled his eyes, wanting to say that feeling pain is normal for a living person; only the dead don’t fear it.

But with the wolveskin in his mouth, he dared not loosen his grip, fearing he’d cry out again disgracefully.

So he had to endure the old man’s cold jabs.

The old lady cradled Qin Jiu, watching Yi Chichi intently without blinking. The more she looked, the more familiar this girl seemed.

She frowned in thought but couldn’t recall.

Just then, Qin Jiu called out for water, and she hurriedly raised a teacup to give him a drink.

Time ticked by, and finally, Mr. Song began to feel the pain dissipate, replaced by a warm current.

This warm current flowed from his soles upward, rushing into his internal organs.

His whole body felt light, enveloped in an unprecedented sense of ease.

His face relaxed, and the wolveskin dropped from his mouth.

Yi Chichi swiftly removed the silver needles like lightning and then wiped Mr. Song’s feet dry with a piece of cloth, "Lie on the kang and keep the joints warm."

Her job was done now.

"Rest up. I’ll go check on the medicines."

Before anyone could respond, she got up and left.

Everyone, "..."

"Does Sister dislike us?"

Young Qin Jiu pouted slightly, looking a bit aggrieved.

The old man sighed, "If she dislikes us, it’s understandable."

Nobody wants to be too close to troublemakers; relatives turning against each other, children becoming enemies, teachers and friends betraying each other — it happens all the time.

If even family and friends act this way, it’s not surprising for unrelated people to behave the same.

"Jiujiu, don’t be afraid. Great-grandfather is here, and so is Grandmaster Song."

The five adults would surely protect little Jiujiu, the child.

Successfully comforted, the child forgot something and went back to fetch it. Yi Chichi witnessed this and quietly left.

It wasn’t the right time; they would talk later.

She crouched back down beside the team leader, starting to inquire for news.

"Uncle Captain, what’s the relationship between Secretary Zhang and those people inside?"

The captain turned and looked at her for two seconds, then silently turned his gaze away. "The one with the surname Qin was Zhang Gou Dan’s old superior."

Just as she had guessed.

"What did Secretary Zhang tell you about taking care of them?"

"Follow orders from above."

This meant no excessive care, nor unnecessary trouble — if instructed to submit a review, they submit it; if told to work, they work.

That was good.

For the old man and the others, as long as things weren’t made unnecessarily difficult for them, that was being taken care of.

"Then why did you prepare so many things?"

She feigned ignorance and asked sweetly.

The captain rolled his eyes, "You think we wanted to? But as you can see, they have nothing, and we can’t have people dying on our watch; we’d be held accountable."

Saying this, he started to curse, "Damn Zhang Gou Dan, didn’t prepare anything and just threw them at me."

"Go ask Secretary Zhang for money and cloth tickets for the bedding and clothes."

Yi Chichi feigned belligerence, goading the captain to make trouble.

She then got swatted lightly by the captain.

"You bold girl."

It was done gently, with a hint of affection in the tone. "Stop coming up with harebrained schemes; just mind your own business."

Yi Chichi understood immediately; this was a hint not to get too involved.

"Check if the medicine is done."

The captain changed the subject, and Yi Chichi nodded, sniffing the scent of the medicine. It needed a bit more time.

"Just a little longer!"