Chapter 23 The Laziest Man in the Countryside
"Hurry! It's time to serve tea to our parents."
Ji Huaizhi and Li Zhenzhu were surrounded and stepped forward. Ji Mei and Ji Tao each brought a cup of tea and said in unison, "Mom and Dad, please have some tea."
"well."
Ji Hong and Wang Xiuju laughed heartily. After finishing their tea, they took out a red envelope they had prepared in advance: "Here, this is a red envelope for Pearl to change her address."
"If you live a good life from now on, we parents will be at ease." Ji Hong spoke in a somewhat official tone, but his eyes clearly showed his happiness.
Li Decai and He Xianglan secretly wiped away their tears, feeling that seeing their daughter get married had fulfilled their wish.
Unexpectedly, Ji Huaizhi pulled Pearl over.
Ji Mei and Ji Tao brought over two more cups of tea. Pearl hadn't expected that she would be serving tea to her parents.
"Since I call you Master, I should offer you a cup of tea today." Ji Huaizhi gently touched the pearl.
"Master, mistress, please have some tea."
"Master, mistress, please have some tea." Li Zhenzhu followed suit.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she bowed her head; she was overjoyed.
At that moment, she felt a part of her heart sink into it, and from then on, that place held the name Ji Huaizhi.
On the first day of their marriage, the new bride did not do any housework.
Wang Xiuju boiled an egg for Li Zhenzhu to nourish her body; all three of her sisters-in-law used to have one.
After marrying into the family, Li Zhenzhu was initially not used to it, but overall, life was much more comfortable than when she was at the educated youth settlement.
On her first day back at work after the wedding, Ji Hong arranged an easy job for her, having her work with his sister-in-law.
Every day after get off work, Ji Huaizhi would bring Li Zhenzhu a small gift, and occasionally he would bring back some delicious food for everyone to eat together.
It can be said that the children in the family and Li Zhenzhu look forward to Ji Huaizhi getting off work the most.
Moreover, Ji Huaizhi never forgot his parents in the cowshed.
He would send over any good food he could find. Because of his master-disciple relationship, Ji Huaizhi's act of sending gifts was perfectly legitimate, and everyone would praise him for being loyal and not caring about their status.
They would never have imagined that they were his parents-in-law.
During dinner, Ji Huaizhi said, "I'll probably be back very late tomorrow. A doctor from the provincial capital came to the hospital to give us a training course so we can learn more. So you don't need to wait for me tomorrow."
"A doctor from the provincial capital? Isn't Dr. Li a doctor from the provincial capital? They wouldn't know each other, would they?" Ji Lao Er said casually.
Ji Laosan was speechless: "Even a county town is so big, let alone a provincial capital. How could it be such a coincidence?"
“However…” Ji Laosan looked at Ji Huaizhi: “Don’t you think the things you’ve learned are a bit too mixed up? You’ve learned on your own, plus what Dr. Li taught you, plus what you learned at the hospital, and now there’s a doctor from the provincial capital. Aren’t you sure you won’t go astray?”
Wang Xiuju threw a chopstick at him, and Ji Hong gave him a look.
"You're a father now, and you still talk so rudely!" Wang Xiuju said to him.
None of them are easy to deal with.
“I’m only thinking of him. He said he’s already treating patients. I’m just wondering, if you were sick, would you dare let your youngest son treat you?” Ji Laosan said, shrinking back a little.
Wang Xiuju hesitated; she really didn't dare.
Ji Huaizhi rolled his eyes: "I don't want to treat you either. I've treated so many people, have you ever seen me kill anyone with my medical skills?"
Everyone couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Li Zhenzhu couldn't help but speak up for her husband: "Actually, Huaizhi is doing quite well now. Last time I had a cold, he prescribed medicine for me, and it worked."
“And I…” He quickly stopped himself, “And Uncle Li from the cowshed said that Huaizhi is very talented.”
Ji Huaizhi raised an eyebrow: "Did you hear that? I was born a divine doctor."
Everyone laughed at his words.
Ji Hong instructed: "If you don't understand, remember to ask someone for help. Don't prescribe medicine for people without proper knowledge."
"I see."
~
This was Huang Jie's first time visiting such a rudimentary hospital, which was actually more like a health clinic in the provincial capital.
Many of the doctors here are only half-baked. He had seen the prescriptions written by these doctors and was alarmed by some of the medications they prescribed.
That's utterly reckless.
Seeing the hospital director and president humbly seeking his advice, he felt a pang of sadness.
Given the current level of expertise, some barefoot doctors are only literate and lack basic medical knowledge and disinfection skills, leaving him unsure of where to begin.
It's because we're too backward.
Ji Huaizhi caught his attention while he was observing these doctors at the hospital.
He observed that Huang Jie saw him treating patients rather hastily, yet he could quickly describe the patient's symptoms and, judging from the patient's reaction, he guessed that he was right.
He couldn't resist stepping forward.
"My right hand is very numb, and it hurts at night. Sometimes I can't clench my fist. Is my hand going to break?"
Ji Huaizhi looked at it and squeezed it again, then asked again about when the pain had lasted: "You've been doing too much work. If you don't work, it probably won't hurt."
"That won't do. How can you not work?"
"What will I eat if I don't work? Doctor, I'm in so much pain, I even wake up in the middle of the night. Please prescribe some painkillers for me."
"The medicine isn't working for you. You've hurt your hand from doing too much work. Try not to use your right hand when you work in the future. Move around more after you've done work. Apply a hot towel to your hand before going to bed at night and massage it yourself. That should help relieve the pain."
The man seemed dissatisfied with the result, but not prescribing the medicine saved him money. As he got up, he muttered:
"This doctor is useless; he won't even prescribe any medicine for me."
Ji Huaizhi: "...Uncle, you're being too loud."
"Doctor, my throat hurts so much, and I have phlegm, ouch~" the woman said, unable to hold back a cough.
Ji Huaizhi remained expressionless: "Are there any other symptoms?"
"Give me some cold medicine. It's like this every year. My head also hurts a bit. My husband always says I'm too precious to go to the hospital for even the slightest illness. Of course I need to come see him when I'm not feeling well, right? Last night when I had a fever, blah blah blah..."
Ji Huaizhi skillfully finished taking notes: "You had a fever last night, a sore throat with phlegm and bad breath, and there was blood in your phlegm. Your headache was probably due to a stuffy nose. You should also have some discomfort in your ears and eyes these past two days."
"Oh my, doctor, how did you know? My husband says I'm faking it, that I feel uncomfortable all over, but I'm definitely not faking it."
Ji Huaizhi ignored her chatter: "Pharyngitis accompanied by rhinitis can cause conjunctivitis and otitis media. Eat more houttuynia cordata to reduce inflammation, eat less spicy food and avoid spicy food. Take the prescribed medicine on time."
"Houttuynia cordata? I like to eat it, but my man doesn't. But you said to avoid spicy food, so I think if it's not spicy, it's not spicy, right?"
Ji Huaizhi suddenly looked up: "The most important thing is to speak less."
The woman was stunned for a moment before Ji Huaizhi called her out.
Turning to Huang Jie, who had been staring intently, she asked, "How much longer are you going to watch?"
"I'm sorry, but I see a shadow of someone I used to know in you," Huang Jie said casually, adjusting his glasses.
Ji Huaizhi twitched his lips. So his father-in-law's little apprentice is going for an artistic style?
There were no more patients at this time; the people who came here were all people with minor ailments. Huang Jie suddenly wanted to talk to him, but when he looked down, he saw a yellowed notebook and suddenly froze.
"Your notebook!" Huang Jie reached out to take it.
But to his surprise, Ji Huaizhi took it first: "This is my secret manual, you can't look at it."
Huang Jie frowned, his gaze shifted, and his tone hardened: "Where did you get this notebook?"
Ji Huaizhi: "Given to me by someone else."
"Who gave it to you?"
No comment.
Huang Jie took a deep breath: "Where are you from? Show me that notebook in your hand, and I can give you money."
Ji Huaizhi looked up: "You're quite perceptive, knowing that you can't just read a secret manual for free." He took out his notebook and continued, "I don't want any money, you can treat me to a meal."
Huang Jie raised his hand and looked at the watch on his wrist: "Okay, I'll go get the meal tickets."
Ji Huaizhi: "I'm going to eat at a state-run restaurant. I want to try something different today."
The two sat facing each other in the restaurant. Ji Huaizhi had his notebook next to him, and Huang Jie looked at it again and again: "Are you from Huoshaofangzi Village?"
"I've never been to the countryside before. Could you take me to your house? And we can also take a walk around your village."
Thinking of something, he adjusted his glasses and added, "I'll bring food; I won't come empty-handed."
Ji Huaizhi raised an eyebrow: "Who are you looking for in the village?"
Huang Jie composed himself and became serious.
Ji Huaizhi waved the notebook in his hand: "You're looking for the people from the cowshed?"
Just then, the waiter called out from the window, "Hey! You with glasses! Your food is ready. Come and get it yourself. Do you want me to bring it to you?"
Huang Jie got up to fetch the food.
He couldn't carry it all by himself, so Ji Huaizhi stepped forward to help.
Huang Jie glanced at the money in his pocket and sighed, "You ordered too much."
"My wife likes to eat this, so I'm packing some for her to take home." He was deliberately trying to rip him off.
He packed some braised pork and braised pork intestines into a lunchbox, along with some other dishes. When Huang Jie saw this, he pursed his lips, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes: "Can you tell me now?"
He regarded Ji Huaizhi as a petty person who loved to take advantage of others.
He seemed like a nice person, but I never expected him to be like this.
This made Huang Jie somewhat frustrated.
“This was given to me by my master,” Ji Huaizhi said this time, “and he told me not to show it to anyone.”
Huang Jie thought to himself that he was no ordinary person. If what he said was true, he should call him senior brother.
Ji Huaizhi picked up a piece of pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean meat and put it in his mouth. It smelled delicious.
"Then you!" Huang Jie's face darkened, but the next second he saw him hand over the notebook: "I'll only let you look at it for half a minute."
Half a minute was enough; Huang Jie just wanted to confirm whether the owner of this notebook was his master.
Seeing the familiar handwriting and medical information inside, I breathed a sigh of relief: "How are they?"
"What do you mean by that?" Ji Huaizhi's words left him speechless.
I've heard people say there's a place where you can get a checkup and feel reassured.
(I arrived at my hometown today. I still need to pay the remaining 1,000 tomorrow. When I got back, my cat's rhinitis flared up and it started sneezing. My nose is so painful and itchy, it's really awful. Will I die if I don't treat my rhinitis? I wish there were no more rhinitis in the world.)
Huang Jie clenched his fist and pursed his lips as he watched him eat, his gaze constantly sizing up Ji Huaizhi.
“Logically speaking, you should call me senior brother,” Huang Jie said formally. “We have the same master.”
Ji Huaizhi, holding his chopsticks, looked at him and said, "You think I'll believe you just because you say so?"
Huang Jie really couldn't do anything with this person. He picked up his chopsticks and started eating first, because if he didn't eat, the other person would eat him all.
After the meal, Ji Huaizhi looked at him.
Huang Jie looked puzzled: "What are you doing? Why aren't you leaving?"
Ji Huaizhi sighed: "You still say we're fellow disciples? How can I believe that?"
Huang Jie opened his mouth, and then heard him continue:
"You're leaving soon, and you're not even going to say what to buy for your master to take back with me? You're really... a blockhead."
Huang Jie then realized what was happening and quickly turned around to go inside. At this time, the state-run restaurant didn't have many dishes left, so Huang Jie bought two jin of meat buns.
When it came time to pay, they didn't realize they didn't have any food coupons left.
Seeing the stern-faced waiter, she said awkwardly, "Wait a moment."
"You're buying steamed buns without ration coupons? You're not trying to freeload, are you?" The saleswoman put her hands on her hips. "Let me tell you, I've seen plenty of people like you. You think being good-looking will put food on the table?"
Hearing the commotion, Ji Huaizhi stepped forward: "What's wrong?"
Huang Jie's face turned bright red. He hadn't expected the people here to be so fierce: "I've run out of food coupons."
Ji Huaizhi took out two grain coupons from his pocket, one for 1 jin and the other for 0.5 jin: "Here you go."
The sales clerk then repackaged it for him, but Ji Huaizhi then said, "Put the bottom layer of buns on me. You just spat your saliva all over it. Who wants to eat your saliva?"
The sales clerk's face darkened again: "Take it or leave it! If you don't want it, fine!"
Ji Huaizhi crossed his arms and said, "What's your name? I didn't want to make things difficult for you because you're just a young girl. Our leader is a director who came from the provincial capital specifically to help people in our poor, remote area."
"After what you just said, if he stops teaching our hospital staff, can you take responsibility?"
"Do you know how long our hospital's doctors have been waiting? Everyone wants to improve their medical skills to benefit the people, but what about you? You just had to offend them!"
"Call your manager here!"
Ji Huaizhi's words turned people's faces pale.
She never expected that the easy-to-bully person was from the provincial capital.
"A director from the provincial capital? So young?" People around looked over.
"It should be. They say he's very young but has exceptional medical skills. I've heard about that too. He came to the rural hospital specifically to train the doctors here."
"That's a good thing. Our local doctors have learned his skills, which will benefit us locals."
The sales clerk carrying the steamed buns panicked: "I didn't mean to... I'm sorry, boss."
Seeing that Ji Huaizhi wanted to find his boss, they quickly put the bottom layer of buns on their plates, and even put two extra on their plates: "I'm sorry, the other two buns are for my apology, don't go to my boss."
Huang Jie noticed that people around him were looking at him, so he hid behind Ji Huaizhi and said, "There are too many people. I want to leave."
Ji Huaizhi: "The person is apologizing to you."
"It's alright, don't do that again..." Huang Jie said, then pulled Ji Huaizhi away.
When people tried to talk to him, he couldn't understand some of the dialect.
Being in an unfamiliar place, I felt a bit flustered.
Seeing how easily he forgave her, the saleswoman secretly vowed to be more polite in the future, lest she accidentally offend an important person.
But to my surprise, the management found out about what happened today and punished the salesperson by making her work in the kitchen.
If you can't even do something this easy, then go do something in the back.
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