TSWPF -Chapter 115 Saving People

The village head’s eldest son couldn’t help but give a wry smile and shake his head after hearing this. He also wished there were an extra packet of medicine, but unfortunately there wasn’t. Liu Zhimou had only given that much, and he didn’t feel right asking him for more. It was already not easy for Liu Zhimou to think so much of the villagers—how could he make him spend even more?

If the villagers were to pool their own money to buy medicine, that would be a different matter altogether.

After distributing all the medicine to the villagers, he returned home.

As soon as he got back, the village head immediately asked whether all the medicine had been handed out.

“Dad, don’t worry. I’ve distributed all of it and told everyone to decoct it and drink it,” the village head’s eldest son replied as he took off his rain cape and put it away. Then he added, “Some people asked if there was any extra medicine—if there was, they wanted a bit more.”

As soon as he said this, the village head frowned. “You didn’t expose Zhimo, did you?” He knew that Liu Zhimou had given the medicine directly to him precisely to avoid trouble. If his son were to let this slip, Zhimo’s household would never have a peaceful day again.

“No, no…” the eldest son shook his head vigorously. “Without your instructions, I would never reveal this matter.” If he dared to act on his own, his father would beat him to death.

Only then did the village head nod in satisfaction.

What he was most pleased with about his eldest son was this—he listened.

“Dad, if an epidemic really breaks out, I’m afraid this one dose of medicine won’t be very effective. Should you go ask Zhimo for some more?” the eldest son asked cautiously.

No sooner had he finished than the village head scolded him sharply. “Do you think Zhimo’s things just fall from the sky? Huh? You ask whenever you want to ask? He’s willing to give because of the bond of living in the same village. We mustn’t take that kindness for granted.” He was afraid his son would develop such a mindset—that would be a major taboo. “Son, you must remember this: never take other people’s efforts as something you’re entitled to, understand?”

The village head’s eldest son nodded obediently. He knew his father was a wise man. During this escape from disaster, if they hadn’t listened to him, their whole family might not have survived.

It was precisely because of this experience that he now truly admired his father from the bottom of his heart.

Seeing his son agree, the village head finally let out a sigh of relief. After a moment, he sighed again and said that if the rain continued for another couple of days, he would swallow his pride and go ask Zhimo to help the villagers again. If the rain stopped, they would forget about it.

“All right, we’ll do as you say, Dad,” the eldest son replied with a smile.

The village head leaned against the door panel, staring at the torrential rain outside. The worry in his heart made it impossible for him to smile.

He only hoped that Heaven would not be so cruel as to cut off the common people’s way of survival.

Unfortunately, this time Heaven did not hear the people’s pleas. The rain continued, with a tendency to make up for all the rain it had held back before.

Now the village head couldn’t sit still anymore. Ignoring the pouring rain, he grabbed his rain cape and bamboo hat and was about to head out.

“Dad, the rain is coming down so hard—where are you going?” the eldest son hurriedly stopped him and asked anxiously.

The village head looked up at him and said, “I don’t think this rain will stop anytime soon. I want to go ask Zhimo for some more medicine for the villagers to drink.” Precautions still had to be taken—while he was still alive, he truly didn’t want to see the people of this village wiped out.

“Dad, I’ll go!”

“No, I’ll go,” the village head shook his head and refused. He was going to beg for help—he needed to show sincerity.

The eldest son clenched his teeth and told his father to wait a moment; he would go with him.

Only then did the village head nod. Once his son had also put on his rain cape and bamboo hat, the two of them trudged through the mud toward Liu Zhimou’s home, stepping deep then shallow.

But the rain was simply too heavy. They knocked on the door for a long time, yet no one heard them.

It was Ah Huang, with his sharp ears, who caught the faint sound and ran to the study to find Liu Zhimou. Only then did Liu Zhimou come out to open the door.

“Village Head Grandpa, why are you here?” Liu Zhimou asked in surprise when he opened the door and saw the village head and his eldest son. “Quick, come inside!”

He ushered them into the house, led them to the main hall, poured them tea, and only then asked whether they had come to see him about something.

If it weren’t important, the village head wouldn’t have braved such heavy rain to come.

After taking a sip of hot tea and feeling some warmth return to his body, the village head spoke somewhat awkwardly. “Zhimo, is the doctor you mentioned still staying at your place?”

“He is,” Liu Zhimou replied. “Is someone ill? I’ll go ask him to come out.”

“No, no, no—no one is sick,” the village head quickly reached out to stop him. He felt deeply gratified by Liu Zhimou’s warm-heartedness. “I came today to ask if he could prepare another dose of epidemic-preventing medicine for the villagers. It’s just that the cost of the medicine—we may have to repay it later.”

Hearing this, Liu Zhimou sat back down. “Village Head Grandpa, there’s no need to talk about money. We’re all villagers—if we can help, we should.” He paused. “It’s just that I don’t know whether we still have enough medicine at home. I’ll need to ask him.”

When the village head heard Liu Zhimou agree, he rubbed his hands together in delight. “Then I’ll trouble you to ask the doctor. On behalf of the villagers, I thank you.” He truly hadn’t misjudged this child—his heart was indeed kind.

Liu Zhimou smiled and asked them to wait in the main hall while he went to consult the doctor.

Back in the study, Li Qingling asked him who had come.

“It’s Village Head Grandpa and his eldest son. They came to ask Grandpa to prescribe more medicine for the villagers.”

Upon hearing this, Li Qingling hummed softly. “For Niutou Village to have someone like him is a blessing for the villagers.” She actually held a good impression of the village head.

“Indeed,” Liu Zhimou said, rubbing her head before turning to the old man. “Grandpa, do we still have enough medicine at home to distribute to the villagers?” It would be good for everyone if the villagers stayed healthy.

“It should be enough. I’ll go check.”

Just as the village head and his son were sitting in the main hall, feeling somewhat uneasy, Liu Zhimou came out holding a large bundle of medicine.

He handed it to the village head with a smile. “The villagers are quite fortunate—this time, the medicine is just enough.” Of course, his family had kept some aside for themselves.

The village head stood up excitedly and took the medicine with trembling hands. “Thank you so much—thank you so much!” He dared say that if another household had so much medicine, they might not necessarily be so generous as to contribute it all.

Liu Zhimou’s broad-mindedness was truly a blessing to the village.

“Village Head Grandpa, you’re too polite.”

The village head reached out and patted Liu Zhimou on the shoulder, sighing with emotion. He said that Zhimo’s parents must have accumulated great virtue in a past life to have such a son.

Liu Zhimou merely smiled faintly.

“I need to hurry back to distribute the medicine to the villagers, so I won’t talk more with you now. When things quiet down, we’ll have a good long chat.”

“Alright…”

After seeing the village head and his son off, Liu Zhimou returned inside, his expression tinged with worry.

The moment he stepped into the study, he couldn’t wait to ask the old man how likely it was that an epidemic would actually break out this time.

The old man stroked his beard and frowned. “Based on past patterns, about eighty percent.” That was exactly what worried him.

It seemed that this year Heaven truly didn’t want the common people to live—first drought, then floods, one calamity after another. This time, even the emperor would be getting a headache.

“From the current situation, the flooding shouldn’t be that severe yet, right?” Li Qingling set down the book in her hand and said calmly.

As soon as she spoke, the old man shot her a deeply disdainful look.

“Brat Mo, you should really educate your little fiancée about the state of the country.”

Hearing this, Liu Zhimou clenched his fist, brought it to his mouth, and coughed lightly before answering, “Yes.”

Before Li Qingling could respond, he began explaining the situation of the country to her.

Li Qingling raised an eyebrow at him but listened attentively.

Come to think of it, she had been here for quite some time but really didn’t know much about the country as a whole. Taking this opportunity to learn more wasn’t a bad thing.

After listening carefully, Li Qingling scratched her cheek in embarrassment. By that explanation, she truly had been short-sighted—she had only considered the situation in their village and not what was happening elsewhere.

“In that case, just preventing problems in our village isn’t enough.”

If an epidemic broke out elsewhere, there was a strong chance it would spread here as well.

“We still don’t know what the outside situation is like. For now, let’s stabilize things on our side first,” the old man sighed.

As a doctor, he was deeply worried about what might be happening beyond the village. He only hoped that the worst-case scenario he envisioned would not come to pass.

Li Qingling turned her head and looked deeply at the old man. It was clear that he was very concerned about the outside situation. After thinking for a moment, she asked, “Old man, if an epidemic really does break out outside, would you go help?”

Once an epidemic began, countless common people were bound to suffer.

Hearing this, the old man straightened his back and replied loudly, “Of course! As a doctor, when something like this happens, one must step forward.”

That was the original intention behind his study of medicine.

Although Li Qingling admired him in her heart, her mouth was as sharp as ever, and she habitually teased him. “You really don’t look like someone so noble and upright.”

“Hey, how do you talk, girl? I’ve always been this noble and upright, alright?”

The two of them fell into bickering again. Liu Zhimou and the others were already used to it and calmly went about their own business.

What Li Qingling didn’t expect was that her casual words would become a prophecy.

That very night, someone came running in extreme urgency to ask the old man to go save lives.