Well Water

Zhang Cai said, "It's definitely not ginseng. I only saw that thing once in a medical hall when I was young. Ever since I came to Guo Village, I haven't had the chance to see it again."

Everyone became even more puzzled. What could it be? They all ate from the same pot daily, eating simple farm food, nothing special at all.

The crowd was utterly bewildered.

Seeing that it was getting late, Zhang Cai and Guo Sufi, tired from a day of hard work, were exhausted. Only then did everyone disperse.

Zhang Xiaohua tiptoed back to his maternal grandmother's small hut. His grandmother was already sound asleep. Although she still coughed softly from time to time, she was tired and slept very deeply, not noticing Xiaohua entering the room. Zhang Xiaohua burrowed into his own quilt, listening to his grandmother's suppressed coughs and intermittent breaths. His heart ached, and he couldn't help but think of how good his grandmother had been to him. Every little detail since he could remember flashed through his mind. Normally, he didn't feel he had such deep affection for his grandmother, but now, he found his mind deeply etched with memories of her, so many, so detailed, not a single bit could be forgotten.

As he thought, Zhang Xiaohua began to cry. Tears streamed down his face and onto the pillow. Gradually, he fell asleep, and Zhang Xiaohua's shimmering dream arrived as expected.

In his dream, Zhang Xiaohua felt as if he were living in a world that breathed and flickered rhythmically. His breathing, his body, everything about him also flickered along with this rhythm, unconsciously pulsing and gradually merging into one with this world.

The next morning, as the first ray of sunlight shone into his grandmother's small hut, Zhang Xiaohua opened his eyes on time. The same flicker flashed through his eyes and disappeared.

The first thing Zhang Xiaohua did after opening his eyes was to listen for his grandmother's voice. However, there was no coughing or breathing. He quickly got up but found that his grandmother was not in the room. When he got out of bed and walked outside, he saw his grandmother sitting on a chair in the courtyard. The morning wind was still very cold, blowing her white hair, which danced in the sunlight. Zhang Xiaohua's eyes blurred again.

He hurried over and said to his grandmother, "Grandmother, please go back inside. The morning wind is very cold, and your health is not good. Please don't come out in the mornings anymore."

His grandmother's hand fumbled until it found Zhang Xiaohua's head. She stroked it lovingly and said, "Xiaohua, I'm old and don't sleep much. I couldn't sleep, so I came out for some fresh air. I'll go back now, alright?"

Zhang Xiaohua didn't say anything, just silently helped his grandmother back into the warm hut.

Emerging from the hut, Zhang Xiaohua looked at the rising sun on the horizon. He suddenly remembered what had happened a few days ago and made the same biting motion towards the sun. As expected, he felt a stream of warmth enter his throat. Zhang Xiaohua was stunned. Was it not his imagination? His eyes darted around. Could this be "Heavenly Dog Eats the Sun"? Was he a heavenly dog? After pondering for a while, he couldn't figure it out, so he shook his head, stopped thinking about it, and decided to do this every morning to see what happened.

After a simple breakfast, Zhang Xiaohua was supposed to go to the slope to fetch spring water as usual.

Just as Zhang Xiaohua was about to go out, Liu Qian, who was clearing the dishes, called out, "I know what Grandmother ate."

Everyone was stunned. Zhang Cai asked puzzledly, "What did Grandmother eat?"

Liu Qian smiled and said, "Yesterday, didn't the doctor say something about Grandmother eating ginseng?"

Zhang Cai suddenly realized. Zhang Xiaolong said anxiously, "Hurry up and tell us, what exactly did Grandmother eat?" Zhang Xiaohua also stopped in his tracks.

Liu Qian said mysteriously, "It should be what Grandmother drank."

"Drank?" Hearing the word "drank," Zhang Xiaolong's eyes turned to Zhang Xiaohua, as if he understood something.

Zhang Xiaohu hadn't finished eating yet. He looked blankly at the thin porridge in his bowl and said dazedly, "This? Ginseng? That's unlikely."

Seeing everyone's confusion, Liu Qian explained, "Everyone, think about it. Last night, we thought for a long time and couldn't figure out anything special, right? But the doctor said she ate something recently. The well water on the slope was only occasionally drunk before. Since I came, this well water has been consumed in large quantities, especially Grandmother. She only recently started liking tea made with well water! The well water we use for cooking also started recently! Looking at the timeline, only this well water fits the condition."

Guo Sufi patted her head and said, "That's right. Yesterday, we were only thinking about eating, not drinking. What Liu Qian said is absolutely correct."

Zhang Cai, however, said, "I believe that ginseng can nourish my mother's body, but this water, no matter how good, is just water. Can it be taken as medicine?" he asked Liu Qian doubtfully.

Liu Qian didn't know how to answer. She said, "Uncle, I don't know about that. How about we take a pot of water to the medical hall in town and have them examine it?"

Guo Sufi said, "Yes, that's a good idea. Why don't Xiaohu take a pot later and run to town to have the doctor take a look?"

Zhang Xiaohu said excitedly, "Okay, I'll finish my meal and get ready. My injury is almost healed, so running to town is no problem."

Zhang Xiaohua also said, "I'll go fetch water right away. I want to go to town with my second brother too."

After saying that, he prepared to run to the slope.

Just then, Zhang Cai spoke, saying, "No, absolutely not!"

Everyone was stunned again. Guo Sufi said, "Husband, what do you mean? Why won't you let Xiaohu and the others go?"

Seeing everyone's confusion, Zhang Cai smiled wryly and said, "Have you forgotten Mr. Wu from the neighboring village?"

Immediately, Liu Qian and Zhang Xiaohua understood, while the others remained bewildered. Zhang Xiaohu asked curiously, "Father, of course, we know about Mr. Wu. He was killed by mountain bandits because he dug up a treasure."

Zhang Cai said, "Then is our well water a treasure?"

Zhang Xiaohu said, "That's why we want the doctor in town to take a look, isn't it?"

Zhang Cai followed up, "What if it is?"

Zhang Xiaohu was speechless and didn't know how to respond.

Seeing that everyone was still a bit confused, Liu Qian explained, "Uncle means this: if this well water is a treasure, and the doctor in town finds out, it would be a terrible thing. All that ginseng in the well! It's much more precious than Mr. Wu's box of jewels. If the mountain bandits find out, won't they come to kill us and steal the water? Moreover, this well water is not in our yard, but far up on the slope. We can't claim it as ours. If people find out, they'll all come to fetch water. Will we let them or not? If it's all taken, what will Grandmother drink? The worst fear is that it will be monopolized by powerful people, and no one will be able to get any!"

Everyone finally understood.

Zhang Xiaolong asked again, "If we don't let the doctor see it, we won't know if this well water is useful for Grandmother, will we?"

Liu Qian smiled and said, "Let's not even talk about whether the doctor will examine the water we bring or whether they can figure it out. Even if this well water is useless, and we don't know if it's beneficial for Grandmother's health, we won't lose anything. We still have to drink this water and use it for cooking, right?"

Then, Liu Qian said sternly, "If this water is useful, then we might not be able to drink this water anymore, Grandmother won't be able to drink it either, and we might even face death."

Guo Sufi quickly said, "What Liu Qian said is right. We cannot go to town to find a doctor. Moreover, everyone must keep the matter of the well water a secret. Absolutely do not speak of it."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

As Zhang Xiaohua went to fetch water, he shook his head, muttering to himself, "In this world, people's hearts are not what they used to be. You have to protect yourself first in everything you do. Being a person is really difficult."

From that day on, Zhang Xiaohua fetched an extra trip of water from the slope every day. All the water used in the household, for drinking, cooking, washing, etc., was replaced with well water, and the river water from the village edge was no longer used.

It seemed that everyone was hoping for a miracle to happen to his grandmother.

His grandmother's health remained weak, and her cough did not seem to lessen.

However, Zhang Cai, Zhang Xiaolong, and Zhang Xiaohu's injuries healed rapidly day by day. Especially Zhang Xiaolong, when he went to Old Chen, the veterinarian, for the first time to change his dressing, Old Chen almost couldn't believe his eyes. He looked and felt repeatedly, and finally, faced with the facts, he had to believe that Zhang Xiaolong had indeed recovered by more than half, and his broken bones were about to heal. He completely ignored Guo Sufi's joyous and grateful thanks, hurriedly sent them away, and rushed into his pharmacy. He carefully stored the wound medicine he had prepared and had only used once on Zhang Xiaolong, secretly feeling smug. Who said he could only be a veterinarian? This first attempt at preparing wound medicine had such an effect. Did he have the potential to be a divine doctor? It seemed he should change his profession and open a divine doctor's medical hall in a bustling area of Lu Town. With this magical wound medicine, wouldn't he become incredibly rich?

Setting aside the veterinarian Old Chen's wild thoughts, the entire Zhang family was happy to see Zhang Xiaolong's injuries heal so quickly. They increasingly knew it was thanks to the well water. His grandmother was also in an exceptionally good mood upon hearing that her grandson's arm had fully recovered. Her face bloomed like a chrysanthemum, her cough lightened, and the family was filled with joy and laughter.

As for Liu Qian, she herself didn't know how she felt. When she first saw Zhang Xiaolong return without a splint, she was overjoyed and happy with everyone. But after a while, she felt a sense of loss. She tried hard to avoid this emotion and denied her own thoughts, but she knew that she truly liked this family and liked Zhang Xiaolong. She didn't want to leave here and return to her own home. Wasn't her own home good? She asked herself, and the answer was no. She also liked her own home, but the feeling there seemed different from the feeling here. What was the specific difference?

Perhaps it was Zhang Xiaolong himself.

However, Zhang Xiaolong's injuries were healed. What reason did she have to stay here?