Chapter 38: Unbelievably Smart
She carefully identified the roots, stems, and leaves of the herbs, noting which were useful and which were poisonous.
She committed everything to memory with a diligence no one else could match, and thin calluses gradually formed on her small hands.
Because Ling Anxun’s injuries were far more severe than Yang Dapeng’s.
It wasn’t just a bone fracture. He also suffered from damaged tendons and meridians, compounded by the relapse of old injuries.
Shanshan didn’t dare to use potent remedies, fearing she might do more harm than good.
She could only treat him gradually, using a combination of gentle, nourishing remedies to slowly disperse the stagnation and clear his meridians.
And what was the result?
After taking the medicine she prescribed and following an exercise regimen, Yang Dapeng was back on his feet, as lively as ever.
Yet Ling Anxun remained in bed, his leg showing no signs of improvement whatsoever.
Shanshan crouched by the bed, her small hand resting on his knee. Her gaze was downcast, and she didn’t say a word.
Ding Qin fought the urge to ask several times.
’That herb is all dusty and gray, so unassuming. Can it really cure him?’
Yet Yang Dapeng’s recovery didn’t seem to be an act.
Doubt lingered in Ding Qin’s heart.
Yang Dapeng couldn’t quite explain it himself.
He would just point to his leg, his voice exceptionally firm.
"Auntie, I’m uneducated and not good with words. But this leg of mine, it’s truly healed! Just look at me. I can walk steadily, and there’s no hesitation when I squat down or stand up. Before, whenever it was damp and rainy, the pain would keep me up all night. Now, there’s not even a hint of it."
He paused for a moment before adding,
"Look at me, and then look at Shanshan. You can’t go wrong trusting her."
Having lived with her son for a while, Ding Qin knew all about Yang Dapeng’s situation.
She knew his leg injury wasn’t a recent thing.
But now, it was as if he had a new leg. He could even carry buckets of water back and forth.
But she was an educated woman.
’A three-year-old healing injuries?’
She inwardly shook her head; it felt like something out of a fairy tale.
’Maybe Yang Dapeng just got lucky?’
’Maybe the herb just happened to clear out some of the dampness from his system.’
’Was it the clear weather that really did the trick, or the fact that he hadn’t been doing heavy labor lately?’
The more Ding Qin thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
But she kept these thoughts to herself.
She watched her son sitting by the stove, his eyes shining brightly.
She was afraid that a single word from her might extinguish the faint glimmer of hope in his heart.
That evening, Shanshan emerged from the woods, covered in mud.
By that time, the adults had all gone home to prepare their evening meals.
The path was empty save for a few children running wild; there wasn’t another adult in sight.
Zhang Yunhua was already waiting for her at the doorway.
The moment Shanshan appeared, Zhang Yunhua rushed over, took the little satchel from her, and hefted it in her hand.
"Wow! You gathered this much today?"
Her voice was a mixture of surprise and heartfelt concern.
"This should be enough for three or four batches of medicine. You must be exhausted, our little Shanshan. Look at your little face, all flushed and your forehead covered in sweat."
"Shanshan isn’t tired."
The little girl looked up, her voice clear and bright.
"Uncle Ling’s leg hurts really badly, so he needs to take more medicine. Shanshan has to gather them quickly, or Uncle will be in pain."
Shanshan’s little face scrunched up, filled with concern.
Seeing this, Zhang Yunhua felt a pang in her heart, and her eyes began to well up.
She gently stroked Shanshan’s head and wiped the smudges of dirt from her face.
When Shanshan turned to run next door, Zhang Yunhua quickly reached out to stop her.
"Don’t be in such a rush, you silly girl. I just finished making dinner. Eat something warm and change into some clean clothes before you go. You’ll catch a cold if you run around on an empty stomach."
While coaxing Shanshan to eat, Zhang Yunhua used the time to wash the Dragon Beard Grass.
She spread them out on a bamboo tray to dry, then packed them into a newly-sewn cloth bag.
But after she finished eating, Shanshan didn’t rush off. Instead, she stared at the new bag for a long time.
She pointed at her own mud-stained old satchel.
"Auntie, I still want to use this one."
Her voice was soft, but held a hint of stubbornness.
"This is the satchel Shanshan got, the one Uncle Ling sewed himself. Shanshan can’t bear to part with it."
Zhang Yunhua froze. A lump formed in her throat, and she quickly looked down, pretending to tidy the cloth bag.
Fighting back tears, she nodded and said softly,
"How about I wash it and mend it for you? You can use the new one for now, and I’ll keep the old one safe for you."
Shanshan nodded enthusiastically and skipped off toward the house next door.
Ling Anxun was already waiting for her, seated at the entrance to the main house.
He slowly raised his head at the sound of her footsteps.
When he saw Shanshan gripping the doorframe, huffing with effort as she clambered over the high threshold, a gentle smile spread across his face.
Watching this scene from the side of the kitchen, Ding Qin suddenly felt a lump in her throat.
She saw Ling Anxun reach out and gently brush a stray lock of hair from Shanshan’s forehead.
In that moment, she suddenly felt that the two of them looked just like a real father and daughter.
She discreetly wiped her eyes before walking over with a smile.
"Shanshan, you’re back! You worked so hard today."
The tall man and the little girl crossed the courtyard hand in hand.
Shanshan tilted her little face up and asked earnestly,
"Uncle, does your leg still hurt today?"
Ling Anxun shook his head, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
"It doesn’t hurt. It’s much better."
"You’re lying!"
Shanshan suddenly looked up, her voice rising slightly.
"How could it not hurt? Just yesterday, you were gritting your teeth and had to use the wall for support. Shanshan knows you’re just saying that because you’re afraid I’ll worry."
Ling Anxun gave a wry smile and shook his head helplessly.
"You’re a sharp one, aren’t you?"
Seeing this, Ding Qin quickly had the meal served. As she bustled about, she marveled to herself.
’This child is just so lovable, no matter where she goes.’
’She’s even managed to gradually thaw someone as cold as Ling Anxun.’
So, Shanshan ate a second dinner.
Luckily, she had an iron stomach and could eat as much as she wanted without feeling sick.
Otherwise, she really would have thrown up right then and there.
After dinner, it was time for the medicine.
Shanshan crouched obediently by the medicine brazier, her eyes fixed on the clay pot without blinking.
She didn’t forget to pat the back of Ling Anxun’s hand and say earnestly,
"Uncle, your injury is different from Uncle Dapeng’s. It’s deep in your muscles and bones, so it needs to be nursed back to health slowly. It’s okay that it’s taking longer to heal. Don’t worry. I said I would heal you, and I definitely will."
"Mm, I believe in Shanshan."
Ling Anxun looked down at her, a gentle smile gracing his eyes.
Listening from the doorway, Ding Qin unconsciously wrung the rag in her hands.
’She couldn’t shake the feeling that Ling Anxun was just humoring the little girl.’
But Shanshan heard him and nodded, completely satisfied.
The medicine simmered slowly, the brazier’s fire burned quietly, and a rich, medicinal aroma filled the room.
Ling Anxun casually picked up a book, pointed to a character, and asked softly,
"Do you know this character?"
But as soon as he started teaching her, he was astonished.
The child was unbelievably clever.
He had taught her fewer than ten characters, yet she could not only read them accurately but also extrapolate their meanings.
She could even break down the characters’ radicals with perfect logic.
Her eyes sparkled, and she would clap her hands in delight with every new character she learned.
The atmosphere between the two of them warmed up without them even realizing it.
One day, Ling Zhiyu dropped by for a visit.
As soon as he walked in, he noticed a huge change in Ling Anxun.
He circled the man three times and couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
"Whoa, do I have the wrong person? Did pigs just learn to fly?"
"If I’d known a kid would work such wonders, I would’ve sent eight or ten of them over to pester you. You might’ve cracked a smile ages ago!"
"Do you think every child is as clever and well-behaved as Shanshan?"
Ling Anxun shot back.
His tone was cold, but the hint of a smile still lingered in his eyes.