Saving a Life on a Rainy Night

He Zaiming had grown up in the countryside, often working in the fields under rain, so he knew well how cold the rain could be in winter and early spring. But tonight, he felt that all the rain he had ever endured in his life could not compare to the bone-piercing chill of this downpour.

It was already midnight; every household's windows were dark along the way, and not a sliver of moonlight fell from the sky. In the pitch-black night, there was not a single glimmer of light.

He Zaiming and his wife Lu Wen walked the streets holding their child, as if the world held only their family of three, running desperately, searching for a way to survive. No—it wasn't just the three of them.

There was also that thing, unspeakable, of uncertain reality. The night rain mixed with wind blew over them; the umbrella could not shield them from the gusts.

He Zaiming felt a chill wrap around his neck and seep into his heart. 'Is Sanqing Alley this way?' Lu Wen held an umbrella and a flashlight, both hands occupied, looking around but seeing nothing.

He Zaiming took the flashlight from her, raised it to discern the direction, and saw the Jinshi Archway standing at the street intersection to his left. He knew that during the Ming Dynasty, the Zhu Family had produced a first-class Jinshi scholar.

Shining the flashlight on the archway's inscriptions, he confirmed it was indeed the Zhu Family. 'This way.' The child, who had been whimpering softly, suddenly burst into loud cries.

He Zaiming startled and patted its back to soothe it, but to no avail. Lu Wen urged anxiously, 'Cover the child's mouth, don't let it swallow the cold wind and rain.' He Zaiming quickly turned the child's face toward his chest and hurried forward.

A strange thing happened: the moment they stepped inside the archway, the child's cries softened, and He Zaiming felt the cold around his neck dissipate. 'Is anyone there?' 'Is Doctor Zhu home?

We've come to seek medical help.' 'Is anyone home?' It was their first time in Sanqing Alley; they didn't know which house belonged to Doctor Zhu, so they had to knock on doors at random. The first two houses had no answer.

When they knocked on the third, it happened to be Zhu Changfang's home. Zhu Changfang was woken up and nudged the man beside her to go check.

Xu Zhong put on some clothes and opened the door. By then, He Zaiming and his wife, thinking no one was home, had already moved on to knock at the next house.

'What are you doing?' Xu Zhong called out to them. Hearing someone, He Zaiming quickly turned back. 'Excuse me, do you know where Doctor Zhu lives?

My child is seriously ill; we beg Doctor Zhu to see him.' 'If the child is sick, why not go to the County Hospital?' 'We just came from the County Hospital.' Lu Wen was about to reveal their identity, but He Zaiming secretly stopped her. He asked again, 'Do you know Doctor Zhu?' 'Zhu Changming?' 'Yes, yes.' Xu Zhong saw the small child in He Zaiming's arms, crying weakly, and couldn't bear it.

'I'll take you to Doctor Zhu's house.' After waiting a while without seeing her husband return, Zhu Changfang put on clothes and came out. Catching part of the conversation, she went back inside to get an oil-paper umbrella.

Zhu Changfang sized up He Zaiming and his wife's clothing—slightly worn cadre uniforms without a single patch. She stared at them and asked, 'Where are you from?

What are your names?' Lu Wen, now more alert, quickly replied, 'My surname is Lu. Director Li from the County Hospital sent us here.' Zhu Changfang sensed something off but, upon hearing Director Li's name, set it aside for the moment and led them to knock on Zhu Changming's door.

Zhu Changming was roused and opened the door, surprised to see them. 'County Magistrate He, Madam He, what brings you here on this cold, rainy night?' After all the trouble, finally seeing Zhu Changming, Lu Wen anxiously thrust the child toward him.

'Doctor Zhu, my child is dying, please save his life!' Zhu Changfang's breath caught in her throat with anger. She pointed at He Zaiming and snapped, 'So it was your brother-in-law who bragged about wanting our family's house, wasn't it?' Zhu Changfang advanced aggressively, but Xu Zhong pulled her back under the umbrella.

Lu Wen quickly explained, 'My brother did inquire about your house, but he meant no harm. If you're unwilling to sell, we won't force it.' Zhu Changfang sneered, 'Try forcing it, and see if our Zhu Family is afraid of you.' 'Misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding!' He Zaiming broke out in a cold sweat from anxiety.

Houses didn't matter now; the couple only cared about their child. The child was still crying. Lu Wen could no longer hold back her emotions.

Wiping away tears, she pleaded, 'Doctor Zhu, if our family has offended you, I apologize. Please, save my son first! He's burning up and fading fast.' Zhu Changming looked at the tiny child thrust into his arms and couldn't harden his heart.

He felt the child's pulse and asked, 'Did you give him another fever-reducing injection?' 'Yes, but it didn't work. The fever returned tonight, and the doctor gave him acupuncture.' He Zaiming lowered his voice.

'The child stared into the air and cried. Director Li said acupuncture wouldn't help and that only you might give him a chance to live.' Lu Wen added, 'Just now, the child suddenly cried very loudly, but after we entered through the Jinshi Archway, the crying softened.' Hearing this, Zhu Changfang understood: they had just received the protection of the Zhu Family.

She looked at the child coldly, thinking that if they still tried to take advantage of the Zhu Family after this, there would be trouble. 'Doctor Zhu, how should we treat him?' Zhu Changming knew this wasn't just a medical matter.

After a moment's thought, he said, 'Wait at my house first. I'll go ask the eldest young lady.' A doctor's heart is like a parent's, and the Zhu Family, with its Daoist Medical Heritage, emphasized accumulating merit and hidden virtue.

As long as the person wasn't a mortal enemy, they wouldn't refuse to help when begged. The Main Residence of the Zhu Family opened its gates, and lights were lit.

He Zaiming and his wife followed Zhu Changfang inside, passing the screen wall and entering through the hanging-flower gate into a spacious courtyard. Beyond that was the main hall, where guests were received and where the women of the Zhu Family in Sanqing Alley often chatted and laughed.

The Main Residence had been renovated once; the current house dated back to the Ming Dynasty, well-built and well-preserved by descendants. The stone carvings embedded in the brick walls, the Clear Varnish on the doors and windows, the clean bluestone tiles on the floor—everything was in good condition, unlike the dilapidated houses of the County Party Committee Compound.

At this moment, He Zaiming and his wife cared nothing about the Zhu Family's house; they only wanted their son to be safe. Zhu Shian sat lazily on a luohan chair, propping her head with her hand, yawning from drowsiness.

Zhu Fengqin, who had also gotten up, came in wearing a padded jacket. She picked up the thermos, poured half hot water into the leftover cold tea from the day, mixed it into warm water, and handed it to Zhu Shian.

'Drink some water to wake up. They're coming in.' Zhu Shian took the cup, took a sip, and looked up. Behind Zhu Changfang and her husband followed a couple with half-wet shoulders; the man held a child in his arms.

So these were the county magistrate and his wife? Zhu Shian's gaze swept over the magistrate's wife and fixed on He Zaiming's face.

Though haggard, his official fortune area was full and moist, his brows and eyes broad and open—he didn't seem like a narrow-minded person. Examining his whole face, aside from the official fortune area, his overall physiognomy was ordinary.

He had no great luck in his destiny, but there were small fortunes in his current years—a very good face among ordinary people. His nature should be good, likely to receive help from benefactors, and minor obstacles would be easily overcome.

Perhaps the son who was fated to die had been saved because of his connection to the Zhu Family. Cause and effect; it was all his luck.

After reading He Zaiming's face, Zhu Shian didn't think this man would become an enemy of the Zhu Family. While Zhu Shian was sizing up He Zaiming, the couple was also cautiously observing her.

He Zaiming had already learned from Zhu Changfang how his brother-in-law had offended the Zhu Family and how he himself had been implicated. He guessed that the Xu family member who relayed the message, knowing his brother-in-law had a county magistrate brother-in-law, had thrown his weight around and spoken rudely, causing the offense.

Otherwise, it was just a house purchase—if they didn't agree, that would be the end of it. Before entering, He Zaiming had worried that the young head of the Zhu Family might be impulsive and refuse to save his child.

He had prepared many words of apology and humility. Now seeing her, he knew he had underestimated her. Zhu Shian beckoned, 'Bring the child over.' He Zaiming was about to step forward, but Zhu Changfang stopped him and took the child herself.

The child's face was flushed with fever. Zhu Changfang brought it over. Zhu Shian didn't immediately feel the pulse; instead, she touched the child's eyes, then pulled open its clothes.

She saw a bruise the size of a palm on the child's chest. Lu Wen saw it and was terrified. 'What's that? A bruise? Did a rat bite it?' The dilapidated compound wasn't without vermin, but this bruise wasn't from a rat.

Zhu Shian pressed her index and middle fingers together and gently massaged the child's chest. Under everyone's watch, the bruise, half the size of an adult's palm, simply dissipated.

Zhu Changming stepped forward and asked, 'Need medicine?' 'The fever isn't caused by illness; no medicine needed. Bring your Silver Needle,' Zhu Shian said.

Zhu Changming quickly opened the medical kit he carried and handed over the Silver Needle. 'Sit down and place the child face-down on your lap,' Zhu Shian told Zhu Changfang.

Zhu Changfang sat with the child. Zhu Shian inserted over a dozen Silver Needles into the child's body, from the Dazhui acupoint, the meeting point of all yang meridians, all the way to the Waiguan acupoint—all points for dispersing wind and heat, releasing pathogenic heat from the exterior.

If Zhu Changming had done the needling, he would have used the same points, but his technique wouldn't have been as swift. This was the first time Zhu Changming had seen his eldest niece use Silver Needles.

From her needling technique, he saw traces of her grandfather, but she surpassed him—her master—by a margin. Zhu Changming felt the child's pulse.

The Silver Needles trembled slightly, clearly with qi flowing. No need to ask; the points were exactly right. Zhu Fengqin brought in a charcoal brazier and set it in front of Zhu Changfang.

Lu Wen thanked her gratefully. Zhu Fengqin didn't like this couple, but she couldn't bear to see the child suffer. She set down the brazier and left.

The high fever on the child's face gradually subsided. Even without Zhu Changming's confirmation, He Zaiming and his wife could see it.

Relieved, He Zaiming looked at Zhu Shian, who was yawning on the side, and wanted to strike up a conversation. He sincerely apologized, 'Eldest Miss Zhu, the house matter was all a misunderstanding.

We were wrong. I apologize to you here. Please don't take it to heart.' Zhu Shian's lips curled slightly. 'Your family wants to change houses?' Lu Wen quickly shook her head.

'No, no. The County Party Committee Compound is a bit shabby, but it's livable.' Zhu Shian looked at Lu Wen with a smile.

'If you take the child back to stay there tonight, I guarantee that by tomorrow morning, another bruise will appear on his chest.' Due to the feng shui pattern of Zhen Shan County, the yin qi was heavier than elsewhere, but even so, it couldn't form bruises on a person.

Lu Wen was frightened. Suddenly connecting something, she covered her chest with both hands in terror. 'Could it be... could it be...' Zhu Shian yawned and mustered some energy to say, 'Don't worry.

Sanqing Alley is very clean; no dirty things can enter.' It wasn't a problem with Sanqing Alley. Lu Wen's face turned ashen, and she trembled all over.

He Zaiming quickly held his wife's hand, patting it gently. 'It's okay. It's okay now.' Lu Wen stared blankly at her husband, tears streaming down her face.

She beat him repeatedly, sobbing. Why did they have to come to this wretched place? Why? Their son had almost been killed!

Little Bai hung from the beam, watching the commotion. It flicked its tail. How could there be nothing? Wasn't there a dirty thing in the water vat in the Rear Garden?

Hiss, hiss, hiss.