3, There Must Be A Bottom Line in Being a Person
The grace of saving a life is a separate matter; one must still take responsibility for what they should.
Take the cost of the medicine, for instance.
“Hmm…”
Doctor Wang stroked his beard.
He got his medicinal materials from the mountains, which he prepared and dried himself, so he didn’t need any capital.
If the young girl hadn’t been saved, his loss would not have been significant. However, now that she had been saved, he was due the cost of the medicine and the consultation fee, which would also benefit his reputation.
“Originally, the medicine you needed to recover would have cost at least five taels of silver, but after taking your pulse now, I’ve found you’re recovering very swiftly. Two taels of silver will suffice!”
How much was two taels of silver? Xie Zhinuan didn’t understand.
But she was as poor as a church mouse now, without a penny to her name.
Her space had plenty of gold, silver, and jewelry, which she wouldn’t use unless absolutely necessary.
One must have integrity!
“Doctor, I don’t have a single wen of money on me now. Give me some time, I’m fairly good at cooking. I’ll sell some food to pay for the medicine. Would that be alright?” she asked.
“Of course, that’s fine!”
Doctor Wang said with a smile.
Two taels of silver was no small sum.
Though he didn’t know how long it would take the young girl to repay the silver, the fact that she showed willingness to do so certainly warranted respect.
He went to the courtyard afterward and spoke to Old Man Yuan, “This young girl must have encountered trouble, which is why she ended up in the river. Now that you have saved her, she claims to have forgotten everything. Old buddy, doing good will bring good fortune. Take her in!”
Old Man Yuan took a couple of puffs of his pipe before speaking solemnly, “My wife has discussed this matter with me. My eldest son and second son are in the county town and scarcely return once a year. I’ve made several trips to the county town, each time nearly losing my life. It’s just us two old folks in this old house, and we don’t worry about food. If she wishes to stay, she can. Feeding another mouth for a couple of years before arranging a marriage for her, treating her like a granddaughter; I think your eldest grandson is quite suitable!”
Doctor Wang thought for a moment.
That was indeed the case.
The young girl seemed quite clever, and his eldest grandson was a better physician than he was and well-educated too. In the future, if fortune permitted, he might even go to the capital…
“It’s all about fate, let’s see how fate decides!” Doctor Wang said, laughing.
If the two of them took a liking to one another, then such a match would be welcomed.
The Yuan Family’s two sons had opened shops in the county town and were among the wealthiest families there. All three of their daughters had married well in the county town.
Xie Zhinuan settled down comfortably in the Yuan Family’s home. She wore clothes sent back from the county town by Old Master Yuan’s granddaughter for the rural relatives, which Old Ni’s wife thought were of such fine material that she was reluctant to give them away.
But they fit Xie Zhinuan just right.
During her recovery, she also moved around the yard, and as the bruises on her face faded, her petite and pretty face was revealed, causing Old Ni’s wife to be stunned by her beauty and to constantly praise her for her looks.
Xie Zhinuan had also figured out what was in her space. She had tried several times to take things out and put things in, finding that even fish taken out were still lively and jumping.
She had also come to accept the fact that her soul had transmigrated.
She learned from Old Man Yuan that this was Xiaohe Village, not far from the town. The old man had two sons and three daughters, with the sons doing business in the county and the daughters married there. He had thought about living with them to enjoy a comfortable life and had tried three times, but each time he fell ill and was close to death, so he never dared to move there permanently.
He chose to settle down peacefully in Xiaohe Village, buying thirty acres of land. Behind it, he tidied up a small hill to plant fruit trees. When the fruit was ready, he would have someone take it to the county town for his children.
The old couple had no shortage of silver or food.
The fields and orchards were tended by hired help, and they just raised a few chickens and grew some vegetables, which was also why they were willing to take in Xie Zhinuan.
“Grandma!” Xie Zhinuan called out.
Old Ni’s wife was sewing and working on shoving soles for her two sons.
Chapter 5