73.073 Old Ideas
After staying at the guesthouse for seven days, today was the last time to get acupuncture. On the way there, Su Yu asked her father, "Did the acupuncture feel effective?"
"Yes, the first time I got the needle in, I felt like ants were biting me, and I felt uncomfortable all over. I kept wanting to pull the needle out and rub it against the wall because it was so itchy, even my bones were itchy." Old Su recalled with a bitter face, his right hand unconsciously scratching his chest. That numb and itchy feeling felt like it was planted in his flesh, and just thinking about it made him uncomfortable.
"And now? It doesn't itch anymore?"
"It's still itchy, but not as uncomfortable as before. It feels like there's water in my throat, unlike before when my throat would become dry after just a few words, like I'd swallowed a mouthful of sand." Old Su's wrinkled face relaxed a little. Having coughed for many years, he knew his body's condition best, and even the slightest relief was something to be happy about.
When they arrived at the old doctor's house, he was sterilizing the needles. When he saw them arrive, he looked up and waited for Old Man Su to take off his clothes before deftly inserting the needles. As he inserted the needles, he said, "You don't need to come back after today's treatment. I'll get some medicine for your father later. You two go back and take good care of him."
"Don't we need to do it for a few more days? My dad just said he's feeling much better these past few days," Su Yu said.
"No need, acupuncture isn't something that's better the longer it lasts." After the acupuncture was finished, he put his hands in his pockets and walked to the backyard, instructing Su Yu who followed him: "There will be a period of relapse in the next two or three days, which is normal. Just let the illness come out. You've also learned how to brew the medicine. When you get back, make sure he drinks it on time. He needs to avoid certain foods, such as foods that are considered 'heating' or raw and cold, and he shouldn't touch tobacco or alcohol anymore."
“Okay, but you should repeat it to him later. He’s stubborn, and he might find my instructions too long-winded, but he’ll definitely remember yours.” Su Yu spoke from the doorway, without stepping into the room where the medicinal herbs were stored.
The old doctor chuckled. This father and daughter were quite interesting. The old man had clearly been in charge for a long time, habitually giving orders. When he spoke to his son-in-law, it was always things like "I want to do this" and "You want to do that," not a discussion at all, but a direct instruction on what he wanted. This was a habit left over from years of managing his children and being the head of the household. However, he was a bit timid when speaking to his daughter. He would ask for her opinion, discussing things like when to leave and what to do. If he said something wrong and got scolded, he wouldn't argue back, as if afraid of losing the argument, and would simply ignore her. Afterwards, he would give her a cold shoulder, but it was just for show; a few kind words from his daughter would immediately smooth things over.
"Are you the only one in your family? Don't you have any siblings?" He was a little puzzled and suddenly became curious about other people's family affairs.
“I have five siblings, and I’m the youngest. I’ve had the best life. I’m the one who brought my father to see the doctor.” Su Yu understood his doubts. In the days when the elderly lived with their sons, if a daughter and son-in-law brought their father to see the doctor, people would generally assume that the family had no sons.
"Then your father is very lucky. I think your husband treats him well, which is rare." This old man's son probably isn't very good. If the son were filial, the son-in-law wouldn't have come along.
"Here, I've prepared the herbs, you can pack them up." He handed a stack of yellow paper bags to Su Yu, pointed to the herbs in the small scale and told her to pack them up and seal them. "One bag of herbs can be boiled for three times. You have to control the heat well; the fire can't go out and the water can't stagnate."
The pile of more than ninety bags of medicinal herbs was as tall as a thigh, filling an entire sack. It was fortunate that Ning Jin came along, otherwise she would have been carrying the sack and wouldn't have been able to look after the old man when boarding the train.
"Brother, when you get back, take your medicine properly, go out for walks more often, don't stay indoors in the sun, and also watch your diet. No more smoking or drinking. Your stomach isn't good, so eat less spicy, cold, and raw food, or better yet, avoid it altogether. Try not to get angry." The old doctor repeated the instructions to Su Yu as he finished the acupuncture. "Also, after the acupuncture stops, there's a phase where the illness rises, so it's normal to feel unwell, cough a lot, and have a poor appetite. Just take your medicine on time, and you'll feel much better in two or three days."
"Oh, thank you, doctor. Before you came, I was prepared to just make do and live one day at a time."
"None of us doctors said your illness was incurable, yet you dared to diagnose yourself. It's a good thing you're not a doctor, or you would have scared countless patients to death." The old doctor said irritably. As doctors, they hate encountering patients who are suicidal and causing trouble. They thought they could live for three to five years, but in less than a year, they scared themselves to death.
Old Su shut his mouth sheepishly. He had thought the doctor was quite easy to talk to before, but he had just muttered a few words and was ridiculed. And it was in front of his son-in-law. He felt a little embarrassed.
"Hey, you, come sit down." The old doctor pointed to the man carrying the sacks, told him to take off his clothes, and beckoned Su Yu over.
"I'll teach you once. Make sure you remember the force, the acupoints, and the joints." He glanced at Su Yu, noticing her excited expression, and slowly explained the location of the acupoints, as well as the changes in force and techniques. He then stood aside and let her try it herself, correcting her slightly before shooing them away.
"Uncle, you are truly a benevolent doctor, with a broad mind, enlightened and kind." Su Yu didn't expect that not only would he allow her to learn from him, but he would also personally teach her. He is such a good person.
"Stop it. You can't just spout nice words without paying. I don't care about empty praise. What matters is the benefits you get in hand. Remember to bring your old man back to give me money in six months." The crackdown on traditional Chinese medicine is severe these days. Otherwise, she could just buy a couple of medical books, memorize the acupoint diagrams, and practice on her own. It's not worth praising him to the skies just because he taught her a massage technique.
"I'll come next spring," Su Yu said with a smile, waving goodbye.
After returning to the guesthouse, the Chinese medicine was left in the room. Su Yu and the other two went to the local supply and marketing cooperative, bought some local specialties, and also bought a canned food. After finishing the canned food, they washed and dried the bottle, poured the Chinese medicine soup they had packed back from the old doctor into the bottle, and after lunch they rushed to the train station. Luckily, they bought train tickets for that night and returned to their small town the next afternoon.
"Mom, you're finally back! Xiaoyuan, Mom and Dad are back!" Ping An saw the three people returning on the street, and without even stopping his bicycle, he threw it on the ground and rushed over.
"You good-for-nothing! Throw your bicycle right onto the ground and break it, then you won't ride it anymore!" Ning Jin shouted at his reckless son who was running over.
"It's not that easy to break." Ping An rubbed his head and snuggled up to his mother with Xiao Yuan. "Mom, we've been waiting for you for days. If you hadn't come back soon, we would have gone to the train station to pick you up."
"Grandpa, are you feeling better?" Xiao Yuan asked, tugging at his mother's sleeve as he turned to ask with concern.
"You'll be better soon. Just take your medicine and you'll live long enough to see you get married." Back in his familiar town, Old Man Su felt a little unsteady on his feet, but walking was much easier. He remembered the familiar little houses, the crooked doorplates, and the leaning trees. He finally didn't have to keep staring at his surroundings anymore, and his mind and eyes felt relaxed.
He thought to himself that old people should travel less; it makes them feel uneasy.
Ningjin tucked the sack into the back of his bicycle and had Ping'an push it ahead. Even that couldn't stop him from turning around and continuing to chatter on about how long the train was and what Jincheng was like...
"Here, these are some snacks for you." As soon as she entered the house, Su Yu handed out the bundle that the two kids had been eyeing the whole way.
"Wow, what's this delicious treat?" Ping An and Xiao Yuan smiled, untied the cloth bag, and started digging at it on the ground.
"Hmph, see? What these two want most is that pile of stuff, not their parents." Ning Jin said sourly, also taking Su Yu into consideration.
"I'm not sure if she missed you, but she definitely missed me. The second thing she thought about was the food I brought." Su Yu stretched and sat down in the chair, glancing at the elderly couple who came into the house. The old lady must have been thinking about the old man; her eyes were fixed on him when she opened the door, and she didn't even respond when Su Yu called for her mother.
Afterwards, Su Yu went to the countryside and bought a rooster. That evening, she stir-fried a pot of chicken, cooked peanut porridge, and made cornbread dipped in chicken broth. After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Xiao Yuan whispered, "Mom, it's so much better when you're home. When you're not home, Grandma is reluctant to use oil when she cooks." He and Ping An hadn't had any meat these past few days, just vegetables. When they ran out of vegetables grown in the yard, his grandma even went home and cut a basket of them.
"Here you go, youngest daughter." Old Su took out a roll of money and handed it to his youngest daughter, saying, "The food, lodging, and other necessities for this trip, as well as my medical treatment and medicine, must have cost more than a hundred, but I can only afford a hundred. I want to continue my treatment and also save money for your mother's retirement. I feel bad for you, so you and Xiao Ning can make up for it. From now on, I will send you peanuts, sesame seeds, and other things that your mother and I grow in our private plot every year, and only to you."
“I don’t want it. You and Mom keep it for yourselves. Having money in hand gives you peace of mind. You’re old and can’t earn money anymore, but I can. I’m not in a hurry to use this money, and I don’t need it to get by. Besides, I’m your daughter. You raised me without asking me for any money. My son is all grown up and you’re still worrying about me. You’re my father, so it’s only natural for me to take you to the doctor when you’re sick. If you have to pay for the medical treatment, I’ll feel guilty.” Su Yu patted Xiao Yuan’s head and continued, “My son is still sitting here. If I take your money today, it’s not right for me to not pay for medical treatment when I’m old and sick. But I’m also unwilling to pay for medical treatment. I can’t take this money. I don’t want my child to have to pay for my own medical treatment in the future.”
“That’s different. Xiao Yuan is my son, and you are my daughter. I’ve already divided the house and money among your brother. He’s the one who should be taking care of me from birth to death, but he doesn’t care about me at all. I have no face to take advantage of you.” The old man stood up and placed the money in front of his youngest daughter. “Put it away. Don’t be stubborn. I have five children. It’s my duty to support you. I left all the family property to your brother. Your care and medical treatment are none of your business. He won’t support me now. I can’t demolish and sell the house he built, and I can’t kick him out. I can’t divide my things among you four sisters, so I won’t ask you to support me in my old age. It’s your filial piety that you take me to the doctor and worry about me. I can’t let you take care of everything.” He had no right to ask his four daughters to share the burden, nor could he generously cover all the expenses. He could only let his youngest daughter suffer a little loss.
"Really, no need. Even if you gave me your old house, I wouldn't want it. It's my responsibility as a daughter to raise and care for you. You raised your children to support you in your old age, right? Now you're so clear about how to divide money and such. I'm starting to doubt if I was born to my mother or raised by you two." If the old couple mistreated or abused her, gave their property to their son, and came to her when they were sick, Su Yu would definitely not be happy.
But now it's her own choice to take her father to see a doctor. Although the old couple favored sons over daughters, they hadn't wronged her. They would worry about whichever daughter was having a hard time. Most importantly, the old couple had cut off contact with their son and had their own retirement money. They didn't subsidize their children and grandchildren, so Su Yu didn't covet the money in their hands and felt at ease giving it to them.
Old Man Su was at a loss for words. Why couldn't this child understand what he was saying? He repeated, "You're a daughter, you don't support your parents. If you were my son, I wouldn't give you this money even if you asked me for it today."
Su Yu was also annoyed. This old man was still clinging to his old ideas. She grabbed the money and slammed it in front of him, holding back her anger, and said, "Son, son, son, you can't even count on your son now, and you still think about your son taking care of you in your old age? I may be missing my manhood, but I can take you to see a doctor, feed you, and take care of your affairs after you die. Anyway, you and your son have fallen out, so why not treat me, who is penniless, as half a son and live with me? From now on, you can focus on my family, and I will take care of you in your old age and see you off when you die."
"Nonsense." Old Man Su immediately looked at his son-in-law and explained, "She just made things up on the spot, don't take it seriously. I have a house and land at home, I don't live with you. In the future, I will only handle my funeral arrangements. Rongbing will not take care of it, I will discuss it with my four sisters. I will not rely on her alone."
Ning Jin smiled, bit her lip, and without looking at Su Yu, nodded and said, "I understand."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
