Chapter 32 Put Down That Country Bumpkin, Let Me Do It 8

Chapter 32: Step Aside, Let Me Handle That Country Boy 8

It wasn’t until the afternoon that Gu Xiangdong, legs still weak, returned to the Educated Youth settlement, with twenty yuan Feng Aiguo had stuffed into his pocket.

Feng Aiguo caught a short nap before heading home, feeling refreshed and energized.

When Gu Xiangdong arrived at the Educated Youth point, Yan Bai hadn’t returned yet. Exhausted, he lay down on the *kang* and fell asleep.

Yan Bai was currently at Luo Shuisheng’s home in a remote spot.

Luo Shuisheng’s home was very rundown, with almost no proper furniture. The few chairs and tables were clearly handmade and rough.

But it was neat and clean. Luo Shuisheng’s younger brother, ten years old, was named Shi An, and his younger sister, twelve years old, was called Xiao Tao’er.

When the two arrived home, the younger brother was lying in bed covered with a quilt, while the girl sat beside him, placing a cool towel on his forehead, her face full of anxiety and concern.

The younger brother’s cheeks were flushed red, and he was feverish and out of it. The sister was very polite; seeing her brother bring someone home, she immediately stood up to greet them.

Yan Bai noticed that although the furniture was shabby, their quilts were thick and soft.

The children’s outer clothes were worn and patched, but the small cuffs of their inner garments that showed were made of good-quality material.

“Nine-Tailed Fox, this antagonist is more complex than he seems. His family doesn’t seem to be that poor. Check out his background carefully.”

Nine-Tailed Fox immediately agreed.

“On it.”

Luo Shuisheng placed the package on the *kang*. Yan Bai instructed him,

“Grab me some scissors to open the package. I’ll take a look at your brother first.”

Luo Shuisheng agreed. Yan Bai then ruffled the hair of the well-behaved and sensible sister.

“Don’t worry, your brother will get better soon.”

Xiao Tao’er’s eyes immediately welled up. Over the years, apart from debt collectors, almost no one had come to their house, and few had shown them kindness.

The kind words from the handsome brother in front of her instantly made Xiao Tao’er’s eyes well up.

Yan Bai was a little stunned. Xiao Tao’er was true to her name, looking delicate and pink, but she was also so sensitive she cried easily.

Yan Bai was a bit flustered and immediately scooped up a handful of candy from the nearby bag, stuffing it into her pocket.

“Here, have some candy. By the time you finish this, Shi An will be better.”

Before Xiao Tao’er could refuse, Yan Bai had already walked over to Shi An’s side.

Xiao Tao’er…

Holding the candy, she was at a loss. Yan Bai had already begun seriously taking Shi An’s pulse.

By then, Luo Shuisheng had unwrapped the package and sat quietly on the other side of his brother, watching Yan Bai.

Yan Bai seemed to have a natural knack for diagnosis. After a moment, he’d figured out the cause.

“His persistent fever is caused by both external factors and internal imbalances.”

Yan Bai touched the heated *kang* and asked,

“Has the *kang* been this hot recently?”

Luo Shuisheng was taken aback. Xiao Tao’er explained,

“There’s plenty of firewood at home. Brother said to keep the house warm, so I stoked it a bit more. It’s been this temperature for the past half month.”

Yan Bai realized. He removed the quilt from Shi An and loosened the collar of his clothes to help him breathe more easily.

“He’s suffering from external dryness and heat, possibly caused by the high temperature of the *kang*. Also, when someone has a fever, you need to help them cool down, not wrap them up like this.

In early winter, it’s important to keep warm, but it shouldn’t be too hot when sleeping. Otherwise, the temperature difference is too great, and it’s easy to get sick.”

Xiao Tao’er’s face flushed slightly, and she felt a bit guilty.

“This is all my fault.”

Yan Bai smiled at her.

“It’s not your fault. It’s just a lack of common knowledge. You’ll know better in the future.”

Perhaps feeling a bit of cool air and refreshed, Shi An roused from his feverish sleep but was listless. He looked at Yan Bai without speaking.

Yan Bai continued,

“But there’s another reason for Shi An’s illness—internal imbalance. He’s emotionally distressed, meaning he’s feeling down and depressed.

These two factors are causing his recurring fever.

First, we need to bring down his fever, then address the root causes of these two issues. His illness will naturally get better.

I’ll go get some fever-reducing medicine for him first.”

Yan Bai spoke fluently and authoritatively, like an experienced traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, impressing all three of them.

Luo Shuisheng, with a serious expression, asked Shi An,

“What’s making you unhappy?”

Shi An looked at him timidly and whispered,

“Nothing.”

Luo Shuisheng’s expression darkened.

“Tell the truth.”

Shi An’s eyes immediately reddened, but he remained stubbornly silent.

Yan Bai came back just then with the medicine. Seeing this, he said to Luo Shuisheng,

“Go pour a cup of warm water for him to take the medicine.”

Luo Shuisheng did as he was told and stood up to fetch the water. Yan Bai then smiled at Shi An.

“Don’t worry, your fever will go down a lot after taking the medicine, and you’ll recover completely after some recuperation.

You’re just a little kid. What’s bothering you so much?

Tell me secretly, okay? I won’t tell your brother.”

Shi An glanced at Luo Shuisheng, who had gone to the other room to fetch water, before speaking softly,

"The kids in the village all say my brother is an old bachelor who can't afford to get married. Many people in the village get married at eighteen or nineteen, but my brother is already twenty-two, and no one's tried to set him up. I also think he'll end up an old bachelor.

Being an old bachelor is so miserable—it's been worrying me to death. Ugh!"

Luo Shuisheng, eavesdropping outside the door...

Xiao Tao'er by the heated brick bed (kang)...

Yan Bai was also taken aback, never expecting that Shi An had worried himself sick over this.

Yan Bai tried and tried to hold back, but ultimately couldn't contain himself and burst into laughter.

Shi An...

Luo Shuisheng at the doorway was mortified, too ashamed to enter, and turned to squat down by the doorway instead.

Xiao Tao'er also walked over to the two of them, frowning as she asked Shi An,

"Will Brother really become an old bachelor? Like Old Bachelor Zhao in the village, whose clothes are so dirty they shine?"

Yan Bai was absolutely tickled by the two children, laughing until tears streamed down his face. Once he finally caught his breath, he said,

"You two worry too much! Whether your brother has a wife or not—what does it have to do with you?

Besides, not having a wife has its perks. I don't plan on finding one either, and it doesn't keep me from living a good life!"

Though Yan Bai secretly had his eye on the antagonist's body, he also knew that in this relatively traditional world, even if he eventually got what he wanted, the two of them couldn't legally marry. On paper, they'd be single forever.

Xiao Tao'er's eyes lit up, feeling suddenly enlightened,

"I think the happiest person in the whole village is Old Bachelor Zhao. He's always smiling and cheerful. Maybe there are advantages to being alone.

It's just that his clothes are dirty, but I can help Big Brother wash them."

Shi An was also somewhat persuaded,

"Come on, Big Brother still washes the bigger clothes himself, and he does it cleaner than you."

Yan Bai smiled warmly at Shi An, who now looked much more spirited,

"Feeling a bit better now, aren't you? Don't worry about your brother anymore. Take your medicine first."

Finally mustering the courage to return to the doorway and eavesdrop again, Luo Shuisheng entered the room at just the right moment with the water and handed it to Shi An.

Shi An still seemed a little timid as he looked at him. Taking the cup, he spoke up proactively, trying to please him,

"Big Brother, what was bothering me is over now. I'll get better soon after taking the medicine. Don't worry so much."

Luo Shuisheng glanced at him, his expression complicated, but in the end, he said nothing.