Chapter 14 Embracing Life
In the blink of an eye, Li Sanniang immediately stood behind the young man, bent down, inserted her hand under his armpit, and squeezed it tightly. She clenched one fist and wrapped the other hand around it, pressing hard between the young man's navel and sternum with both fists. After three or four such impacts, the young man suddenly coughed up a foreign object.
The piece of candy that had been choking him was coughed out of the young man's throat in a downward-opening parabola, landing with a crisp sound on the spotless bluestone floor of Xiang Gui Ji.
The crisis was finally over, and the little boy, whose face was dripping with saliva, coughed up the candy and burst into tears.
It's truly astonishing how terrifyingly high-pitched screams of young boys whose voices haven't yet changed can be. They're incredibly shrill, especially after experiencing such a horrific airway obstruction. The little boy cried hysterically, trying to release his inner terror and horror.
The well-dressed woman immediately went over and hugged her beloved child, whom she had lost and found again, and burst into tears along with him.
Even the old woman, the shopkeeper, and the young waiter next to them were in tears; it really was a close call.
The feeling of surviving a disaster after the initial shock and fear is so powerful that it brings tears to one's eyes.
In this scene, not only Li San Niang, who was saving people, but even Li Da Sao, who was watching with a heavy heart, wiped away the hot tears streaming down her face with the handkerchief she carried with her.
Before transmigrating, Li San Niang was an obstetrician and gynecologist. Although she knew the Heimlich maneuver, which is known in modern times as the "Heimlich maneuver" to relieve airway obstruction and prevent people from breathing on their own, she mainly treated gynecological diseases and delivered babies. She never had any patients who required her to take action.
This unexpected application to a little baby from a different time and space made Li San Niang understand why her professor had said that the first aid method invented by the American was really amazing and that everyone should know it so that they could save themselves and others in case of an accident.
At this moment, Li Sanniang had a vague idea in her mind: should she write down all the first aid methods she remembered, compile them into a book, and spread them widely so that the people of this Tang Dynasty would have more solutions and more hope?
Actually, the principle behind this method is very simple. To give an analogy, a person's lungs are like an inflatable balloon, and the trachea is like the balloon's mouth. When this mouth is blocked by a foreign object, you can simply squeeze the balloon to make the air rise, and use this force to push the foreign object out of the mouth, thus clearing the airway.
Looking at the weeping mother and son, Sister-in-law Li said to Li San Niang in a choked voice, "San Niang, you have done a great deed today. When we get back, I must tell Father and Mother what just happened. I was really scared. This boy is about the same age as Dewdrop. Luckily, he met you."
Before Li San Niang could reply to Li Da Sao, the shopkeeper, who was very perceptive, came over and bowed to Li San Niang, bowing three times before stopping.
“What you say is true, madam. We were truly fortunate to have your quick thinking just now! Zhao Sheng thanks you for your help! I’ll take charge. Today, both of you will be free of charge for your purchases at my Xiang Gui Ji restaurant. I’ll also give you a Xiang Gui Ji Perfect Ten.”
Businessmen need to be quick-witted. If this young man gets into trouble in this pastry shop today, he won't be able to continue as the shopkeeper, and the century-old Xiang Gui Ji brand might disappear completely.
Li San Niang's intervention can truly be said to have saved the old shopkeeper's job and career, as well as the possibility of Xiang Gui Ji brand continuing to flourish and expand beyond Chang'an. There's also the shop's "parking" system for children and the option to sample food, which must be age-restricted!
"Shopkeeper, how can I accept this? I can't accept a reward without merit. I did help because I felt sorry for the young man. Every family has children. I can't accept your thanks."
"How could my wife have done nothing wrong? This young man is still crying loudly here, isn't that all thanks to my wife? If my wife doesn't accept this courtesy, does that mean she looks down on my Xiang Gui Ji?"
Li San Niang was at a loss for words after being swayed by the eloquent shopkeeper, and seeing the shopkeeper's feigned anger, she felt utterly helpless.
Even Sister-in-law Li was dumbfounded, never expecting the shopkeeper to be so generous, seemingly about to bleed a lot.
However, it must be said that the atmosphere of the Tang Dynasty at this time was not only inclusive of all things, but also very upright!
I wouldn't say that people would pick up lost items on the road or leave their doors unlocked at night, but it's true that if you called out on the road, a brave man would come forward to inquire. The local customs are simple and honest.
Before Li San Niang could figure out how to reply to the shopkeeper, the rescued woman, her face streaked with tears, came over with her young man, who was also crying loudly but whose nose, eyes, and saliva were everywhere. She bowed three times, her voice filled with relief and the joy of having her son back. She was so grateful that she was almost incoherent, saying, "Thank you, madam. If it weren't for your quick thinking today, I don't know what would have happened to my son. Thank you so much, madam. You have done me and my son a great favor. Thank you, madam."
Looking at her wife's still nasal voice and hearing the words of gratitude throughout, Li Sanniang instantly understood the bittersweet feeling she had when the head of thoracic surgery visited him years ago at the hospital, only to be greeted by a rural couple who brought him a sack of peanuts they had grown themselves as a thank-you gift.
"Please be sure to leave your name and address, madam. My Qian family will definitely come to your door to express our gratitude for your great kindness today."
Li San Niang was finding it hard to keep up with this commotion. Why were they already asking for her name and address, as if they were heading home?
“Madam Qian, there’s no need for such formalities. I am the third daughter of Li Hualin, the resident physician at Bencaotang. I just happened to be there when this happened. My father is a resident physician, so I’ve known a bit about medicine since I was little. When faced with such an emergency, I will do my best. There’s really no need for you to come and thank me. I already know your intentions, Madam Qian.”
Li San Niang waved her hands repeatedly, saying that with great power comes great responsibility.
Although taking action involves risk, not taking action might lead to a lifetime of regret.
This is why, in many emergencies, there are always people who step forward. With great power comes great responsibility. When I have the ability to help others, I will do my best!
The lessons Li San Niang learned in modern times—"saving lives and healing the wounded, regardless of hardship"—have influenced her entire life, and even time travel cannot change them.
Because he had done what he was supposed to do and did not feel the need for special thanks, he felt embarrassed that Lady Su wanted to come and express her gratitude, and tried his best to decline.
Sister-in-law Li couldn't stand it any longer and bowed, saying, "Madam Qian, I am Third Sister's sister-in-law. My Third Sister is currently living in Bencao Hall. Madam Qian can come anytime she wants."
After exchanging a few more polite words, Madam Qian, holding the young man tightly, left with the old woman. She had also ordered a lot of pastries, which the shopkeeper said would be delivered to their door.
Finally, not wanting to be too polite, Manager Zhao not only waived the money for the pastries that Sister-in-law Li and Third Sister Li bought, but also gave them a perfect gift box, which contained ten kinds of exquisite and delicious pastries and candies from top to bottom in an exquisitely carved box.
Manager Zhao also offered a door-to-door delivery service, calling a donkey cart from the street corner and having the young shop assistant accompany him back to the Li family.
On the donkey cart, Li Sanniang looked at the pile of pastries that hadn't cost a single copper coin and felt happy, but she couldn't bear to think about the fate of the old woman who hadn't taken good care of her husband.
Rationally, Li San Niang knew that this was the old woman's fault for not doing her job properly, and she also understood that if she hadn't intervened today, the young man might have really suffocated, and killing the old woman would have been pointless.
Alas, even in modern times, the mortality rate for children under five still exists, let alone now.
There are all sorts of situations, including man-made disasters, accidents, and natural disasters; there are always some things that are beyond human control.
After such a delay, by the time they returned to the Li family home, it was already dusk. The golden and reddish sunset was breathtakingly beautiful. Just as Li San Niang was about to stop and admire this beautiful natural phenomenon for a while, Lu Zhu'er, led by Li Si Lang, struggled to step over the threshold and walked towards Li San Niang.
Before Dewdrop even got close, she heard a whimpering sound behind her. It turned out that the little mongrel that she had bought for ten copper coins couldn't get over the high threshold and couldn't catch up with its young master, so it was whimpering in circles in a panic.
Although Li Silang was straightforward, he didn't have the perverse pleasure of watching the little dog run around aimlessly. He simply grabbed the little yellow dog by the scruff of its neck, lifted it over the threshold, and put it down, letting the little thing go chase after the dewdrop.
Li San Niang picked up Lu Zhu'er, pointed to the sunset on the horizon and asked Lu Zhu'er to look at it. Then she pointed to a strangely shaped cloud and asked Lu Zhu'er if it looked like a little yellow dog.
Dewdrop looked closely at the cloud, then looked down at the dog, and stared at her mother with her round eyes, saying, "Mother, I think it might look somewhat like it."
Looking at her adorable little darling, Li San Niang couldn't stop loving her. If it weren't for the fact that they were at the door, she would have loved to immediately kiss the top of the darling's head.
"Don't tease her. She's a mother now, but she still has the temperament of a little child."
While calling Li Silang to call Li Dalang and the others to come out and help move the pastries, Sister-in-law Li expressed her "dissatisfaction" with Li Sanniang's bullying of the little boy.
Taking Mengdaidai from Li San Niang's hands, she patted Luzhu'er's little pigtails and said, "Luzhu'er, ignore your naughty mother and come with your aunt. Your aunt will give you some sweet pastries."
With that, he picked up Dewdrop and walked back.
Li San Niang was laughing heartily on the side. After she had laughed enough, she picked up the still-running Little Yellow by the scruff of its neck and took it home.
When the whole family was eating by the moonlight and the dim lanterns, Li's mother asked why they came back so late from shopping. She said something had happened on the way. She also asked why they bought so many kapok flowers, pastries, and that expensive ten-layer carved gift box. It was from the Xiang Gui Ji brand. Did the two sisters-in-law use their own savings to make up for it?
Only then did Sister-in-law Li have the opportunity to recount the thrilling scene that had unfolded at Xiang Gui Ji that afternoon.
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