161 Doing the Best One Could in Matters of Life and Death

"This is really not my area of expertise. Medical science and the inspection equipment are so advanced these days. Just find a person to help do an ultrasound. Besides this is a modern society, men and women are the same!" Wang Yao said.

"You may think this way, but your granny and grandpa don't think the same!"

Zhang Xiuying was right. Even though nowadays the notion of men and women being equal was advocated, some people in certain locations preferred boys to girls. This was especially so for the elderly old people who especially love grandsons.

"It's alright then. Go ahead and do whatever you wanted to do," Zhang Xiuying waved her hands and said. "Hang on; do you have any herbs that can help boost fetus growth?"

Wang Yao was thoroughly defeated by his mother. His younger aunt was pregnant, and his mother had to make such a big fuss over it.

"Mom, I don't have anything like that. "A pregnant lady usually takes a lot of nourishing items already. It's better not to take too much."

Eventually, Wang Yao decided not to go up the hill before eating. He stayed at home instead, going online to do some research. He had lunch and then went up the hill to prepare the herbs necessary to decoct the Regather soup.

The next day, when Wei Hai saw the Regather soup, he almost snatched it away from Wang Yao's hands and almost drank up the whole thing if not for Wang Yao's words.

"I did say that you need to drink it according to instructions."

Cough, cough, cough! Wei Hai almost choked to death.

"Take two cups of Regather soup in a day and half a cup of Bug Removal soup in a day. Even if you vomit blood or if your feces has blood, do not be afraid."

"Yes, yes, yes." Wei Hai kept nodding his head.

"Rest more, and don't think too much."

"Okay."

As they just stepped out the door, Wang Yao and Wang Mingbao saw a Porsche parked outside the tea leaves shop. Subsequently, a middle-aged woman exuding a charming appearance and personality stepped out.

"Why are you here?" Wei Hai said upon seeing the woman. His expression did not look pleased.

"I'm here to see you. You've seen the doctor?" the woman asked and put down her bag.

"I've seen him," Wei Hai replied.

"What did he say?"

"He prescribed two decoctions."

"What medicine; is it effective?" The woman sat down and took off her shades. She looked to be in her 30's and wore light makeup. She was good-looking, but her expression was anxious.

"It should be effective. You don't have to care about this; go home and look after the kids." Wei Hai appeared a little impatient.

"You don't want me to care about this? You are my husband. Don't carelessly take medicine like last time. Not only is your illness not treated, it actually worsened."

"I told you not to bother about this! Stop being so annoying!" To his wife, Wei Hai did not display the kind of deference and care that he showed to Wang Yao. In fact, he appeared impatient and irked.

"Where's the medicine?" the woman's voice remained gentle.

"Why?"

"I'll take it to the lab to be tested. What if it's harmful?"

"I will know if it harms me or not."

The dialogue did not sound like it was between spouses of over twenty years of relationship, but of two people with conflict.

"I made an appointment with a specialist in Jing City. It's next Wednesday, with Professor Shu from last time. He said that he might have a way to treat you."

"Okay, I know." Wei Hai waved his hands impatiently.

"I'll go now. Don't worry about the business. Meng and Shu are fine, and they miss you."

"Do you think I can see them in this condition?!"

Since he was stricken with this illness that made him look like an opium addict, Wei Hai hardly saw his kids. He was afraid that they would be frightened, and he was also afraid that his illness was contagious and might spread to them.

"I'll leave now. Just give me a call if you have any issues." His wife opened the door and left. She barely stayed for more than ten minutes.

Wei Hai covered his face, tears streaming down. He was afraid of death, afraid of not seeing his kids again, and afraid of seeing his parents heartbroken. Most of all, he really wanted to live on.

In the tea leaves shop, he was a big man, crying without restraint. He did not notice that outside the window, two people happened to peer in and saw him weeping.

"Oh dear, I suddenly think he's very pitiful," Wang Mingbao sighed.

"There are plenty of pitiful people in this world," said Wang Yao calmly.

"Honestly, do you have the confidence to treat him?"

"Frankly, no." Wang Yao's words were calm, even if it concerned matters of life and death.

It was true he had no confidence. Wei Hai had gone to so many big hospitals and saw multiple renowned specialists, whose words were not said lightly. Wang Yao was currently just an amateur. If he were a senior pharmacist, he should be able to treat this illness easily. Unfortunately, he had a long road ahead of him to get to that stage!

"I will try my best."

Since he had promised to treat, he would do his best. Otherwise, he would not be living up to this miraculous gift of medical skills that he had received.

"I have confidence in you," Wang Mingbao said teasingly.

"What?" Wang Yao was stunned.

"Ha, I believe in you, no problem!"

"Let's go."

Wang Yao turned to leave. Wang Mingbao took a glance inside the shop. The man was still quietly weeping like a helpless child.

After crying, Wei Hai raised his head, and from his torso, he carefully took out the two bottles of decoction.

This was his lifeline; he must hold onto it tightly!

"Yao, do you have something on your mind?" Zhang Xiuying noticed that her son was in a daze while eating.

"Nothing, just thinking of something," Wang Yao raised his head and smiled. He was thinking about Wei Hai.

He had seen a man cry on television. In reality, it was his first time seeing such a scene, and it had moved him.

"Thinking about my sister-in-law?" Wang Ru smiled and asked.

"No."

"Don't be shy."

Wang Yao did not bother to explain.

In the afternoon, the party secretary, Wang Jianli came to the house with an invitation to his daughter's wedding that month.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you; please come to the wedding banquet."

"Sure."

He also deliberately chatted with Wang Yao.

"See, their daughter is only 23, and she's getting married. Certain people are almost 28 and don't even have a lead. How worrying!" Zhang Xiuying's voice was a bit loud, deliberately meant for someone to hear.

Crunch! Wang Ru ate her apple without paying attention, as though she did not hear her mother's words.

"This child!"

"I'm going out."

"Wait, I'll go with you," Wang Ru said quickly upon hearing Wang Yao's words.

"What do you want to do?" Wang Yao felt a little annoyed.

"I want to go up the hill and learn about herbs from you."

"Why do you want to learn this?"

"It's an interest. Let's go."

Wang Ru was clamorous all the way up the hill.

"Eh, when did you dig up this pool?" Wang Ru was surprised upon seeing the pool at the side of the cottage. The pool had about a fifth of water.

"I dug this recently."

"The herbs I got from you last time, they are pretty effective. My colleague asked me to thank you."

"It's alright. Next time don't promise things like this," Wang Yao said.

"Why?"

"My herbs are not easily grown. Some people want a little today; other people want some tomorrow. Your company has at least 80 to 100 people, my herbs are not enough for you to distribute," said Wang Yao. "Eh, don't go over there." He noticed that Wang Ru was about to wander into the area where he grew the licorice roots. He was afraid that she would do something unusual in the spur of the moment. Hence he stopped her promptly.

"Why?"

"The herbs over there give off an unusual smell that may be poisonous," said Wang Yao.

"Poisonous?!" Wang Ru retreated hastily. "If it's poisonous, why did you plant them?"

"Scorpions and centipedes are poisonous and can be used as medication."

"Why didn't you get poisoned?"

"I won't; I'm careful."

Wang Ru wandered about the hill, at first a little excited, but after a while she got bored.

"Apart from good tea, do you have any other good things here?"

"Sure, I do."

"Like what?"

"The radiant sights and sounds of spring on the hill, fresh air and I have here some scrolls of Taoist scriptures. This is Taoist culture passed down for thousands of generations. Do you want to see?" Wang Yao first pointed outside the cottage, then waved the Taoist scripture in his hands and said to his sister smilingly.

"Eh, I realize that your values and outlook of life have changed after staying on the hill," said Wang Ru.

"You're not aware? This is an elevation of the spirit."

"Elevation, to a deity? How boring, I'm going down the hill."

Wang Ru felt bored and left. She did not stay on the hill for more than half an hour.

"Ah, why is the feeling a little strange on the hill?" After coming down the hill, she turned her head and looked towards the hilltop. While on the hill earlier, she felt very comfortable.

…

"Whew, she's finally gone. I have 20 more days to obtain 30 more people's recognition." Looking at the system's mission completion status panel, he massaged his forehead.

…

In Lianshan County, in a certain residence.

A man was bent over the toilet bowl, vomiting. Blood and undigested food were vomited out.

Whew, whew. The man was panting.

He vomited all that could be vomited from his stomach, and then got up and washed his face. In the mirror, he looked at his pale complexion, his sunken in eyes and himself—all skin and bones.

"I must live on!"

He clenched his fists.

He had drunk half a cup of decoction earlier. Within an hour, he had the earlier reaction to the medication.

Deeply inhaling, he returned to his bedroom and took out the other decoction. He poured two glasses and drank them up. Not long after, his expression relaxed, seemingly feeling more comfortable.

"Sigh…I should have listened to him then!"

Too many people have uttered similar words. Unfortunately, there was no way of turning back the time. There was no such thing as medicine for regrets. Even if Wang Yao became a senior pharmacist, he was unable to decoct such a medicine.

…

Thousands of miles away, in Jing City.

In a quiet courtyard dwelling, there were two silver-haired elders.

"Head, please help me! I can't see Xue carry on like this"

"You are making things difficult for me! Never mind, I will lose my credibility for once. You find a suitable person while I'll have Rou take that person along. However, I have given my promise. Hence we cannot use force. No matter whether we are successful or not, we cannot disrupt that person's life.

"Yes, don't worry!"