Chapter 388: 10 Yuan
Chapter 388: Chapter 388: 10 Yuan
"Okay, calm down."
The medical student stepped forward to examine the old man. After checking his pupils, he frowned and said to the man’s daughter, "I suspect he’s in a coma due to a sudden cerebral hemorrhage. You need to get him to a hospital as soon as you get off at the next stop. Otherwise, I’m afraid his condition will only worsen."
"Oh my, could it be from anxiety?" an older woman nearby commented after hearing the medical student. "I just saw the old gentleman looking extremely agitated, trying to gesture something to his daughter. What on earth was it that got him so worked up?"
When she heard her father might have had a sudden cerebral hemorrhage, the man’s daughter started to cry. "My younger sister... she passed away. My brother-in-law sent a letter telling us to come for the funeral. Dad doted on her the most, so I didn’t dare tell him right away. I was going to break it to him gently so he could slowly accept it. But when I went to get some water, he must have seen the letter while looking through our things. He got so agitated... WAHHH... What am I going to do?"
"Oh my," someone urged, "You have to get the conductor to radio the station! The second you pull in, he needs to be rushed to the hospital. You can’t delay with a cerebral hemorrhage, or there’s no telling what might happen."
"There’s no medicine that can treat this on hand," the medical student said, admitting he was out of options. "It’s best not to move him. Turn his head to the side and loosen his collar. Right, does he have any dentures? You should take them out to prevent him from choking."
The passengers were very kind-hearted. As soon as the medical student finished speaking, two people hurried forward to help.
Just then, the train conductor ran over. "We’ve contacted the next station! They’ll be ready to take him straight to the hospital the moment we arrive."
"Thank you, thank you," the old man’s daughter said gratefully.
"COUGH, COUGH!" The words had barely left their mouths when the old man on the floor suddenly started choking. His breathing grew ragged and quick, as if he couldn’t get any air at all.
Seeing his condition, the crowd began to panic.
"Oh my god, is it getting worse?"
"How much longer until we reach the station?"
"What do we do? Isn’t there anyone who can treat him?"
The conductor was frantic. "It’ll be at least another half an hour before we reach the next station!"
The old man’s breathing grew increasingly labored. The medical student was at a complete loss. A chill ran through the hearts of the onlookers. ’It’s over,’ they thought. ’He’s not going to make it in time.’
The old man’s daughter was sobbing hysterically. "Dad! Dad, please, just hold on! We’ll be at the hospital in half an hour. Just hold on a little longer, please! Don’t leave me all alone! My sister’s gone... you’re all I have left!"
Her words made everyone’s eyes sting. The more sentimental among them started crying on the spot.
The old man’s condition was clearly deteriorating; even the color of his face was changing. The crowd gasped. Someone exclaimed in frustration, "Can’t this train go any faster? A man’s life is on the line!"
Su Qing spoke up, addressing the old man’s daughter. "I have a medicinal pill prescribed by a seasoned traditional Chinese doctor. It could alleviate your father’s symptoms. Would you be willing to try it?"
As she spoke, Su Qing moved to kneel beside the old man, silently infusing a trace of green mist into his body. The pill was something she had created herself using her Wood Ability. In truth, with her current Fifth Rank Wood Ability, she could have cured the man completely. But that would be far too sensational. Su Qing had no desire to draw attention or cause trouble for herself. For this pill, she could easily use Mr. Gong as a cover story.
"Oh, come on, little girl. You look like you’re only eighteen or nineteen. Is that pill really going to work? You’d better not make things worse."
Seeing how young Su Qing was, some people were naturally skeptical. They thought she was just trying to be the center of attention.
"Yeah, missy, don’t play games. This is a matter of life and death."
"But maybe the young lady’s medicine really does work."
Some were inclined to believe Su Qing. After all, she had said it was prescribed by a seasoned traditional Chinese doctor.
"That’s right, didn’t she say a traditional doctor made it?"
"Oh, please. Even a traditional doctor has to take a pulse before diagnosing someone. You can’t just hand out medicine blindly. This is just reckless!"
...
For a moment, a cacophony of voices rose from the crowd, a mixture of support and doubt.
Su Qing paid them no mind. She took out a small porcelain vial and simply looked at the old man’s daughter. The decision was hers. If the woman refused, Su Qing certainly wouldn’t press the issue.
Su Qing had spent over a year in this peaceful era, showered with love and care by her new family. While she was no longer as cold and severe as she had been during the apocalypse and was willing to offer kindness, she still respected the paths others chose. If her goodwill was refused, she wasn’t about to force herself to be a hero.
Everyone has their own karma, their own destiny. She would not forcibly intervene to alter it.
"Hey, be careful now," many people still urged, refusing to trust Su Qing. "You don’t want to take something that makes a treatable condition even worse."
The old man’s daughter was beside herself with panic. Staring at the porcelain vial in Su Qing’s hand, she was completely at a loss. The crowd’s chattering buzzed in her ears. She was terrified her father wouldn’t get help in time, but just as terrified that this girl’s medicine would make his condition even worse.
Just then, the medical student checked the old man’s condition again, his expression growing grim. "If he doesn’t get some form of treatment soon, I’m afraid he won’t make it to the next stop."
"Then... Then thank you," the old man’s daughter blurted out to Su Qing, her heart seizing at the medical student’s words. "How much is it? I’ll pay you for the medicine."
"Ten yuan," Su Qing said plainly. ’This medicine of mine can slowly repair the old man’s body. After he gets proper medical treatment, he won’t have any lingering complications. You could say that ten yuan is an incredible bargain.’
"Okay." The woman nodded quickly, pulling ten yuan from her pocket to hand to Su Qing.
"Don’t!" Suddenly, a man pushed his way through the crowd, stopping the woman. "Yuan Fang, are you stupid? You’d give Dad just any random medicine? Ten yuan for a single pill? That’s highway robbery! You’d actually believe a con artist?!"