C28 Kid Died

"Sis, thank you, but I can handle it on my own. If I need help, I'll ask. With less housework, just stay home and rest. I've got things to do, so I'll head out now."

Xuanniang quickly declined, not waiting for Fangfang to say more. She grabbed her things and left.

Fangfang watched Xuanniang's swift departure, narrowing her eyes and letting out a huff. "You think you can avoid me like this? Just because you don't want me to follow doesn't mean I won't find a way. You got lucky last time, Xuanniang, but let's see where you run off to this time."

Xuanniang was busy at the free clinic.

As usual, she held a packet of herbs, instructing the patient in front of her.

"Here's your medicine, take it three times a day. Don't worry, it's free of charge."

"Thank you, doctor, you're truly kind. I'll be on my way now, thank you again."

"It's nothing, really. Remember to come back in five days for a follow-up. Next, please."

The next patient was an elderly woman who looked quite frail. Xuanniang was about to check her pulse when suddenly there was a commotion behind her.

A group of people started shouting, "Make way, make way! Please, let the doctor see my child first; he's in a lot of pain."

Two burly men were carrying a woman and a screaming child. The child's face was turning blue and purple from pain, and his body twisted in agony. The woman was crying desperately.

"Johnny, what's wrong? Johnny, tell me where it hurts. Doctor, please, help my child."

As soon as the woman let go, the child fell to the ground and began to writhe. Xuanniang wanted to check on him, but the child was in too much pain to be touched.

The child curled up like a shrimp, clutching his stomach, then rolled over, holding his lower body. It seemed like the pain was moving, and when he covered his groin, his face contorted almost beyond recognition, and he let out a heart-wrenching scream. It was as if the pain was indescribable.

Xuanniang observed closely, suspecting it might be acute inflammation. She couldn't tell if it was his stomach or something else. It was hard to guess.

"Johnny, what's happening? Don't scare me, my child, where does it hurt? Oh my God, doctor, please save my child, what's happening to him?"

The woman knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face, trying to comfort the child. But the child was in too much pain to let anyone touch him. He kept banging his head against the ground, as if trying to knock himself out.

Two strong men, seemingly his relatives, rushed over to help restrain the boy.

Around them, people who had gathered for the free clinic were watching the scene unfold. Some were worried, but most were just curious.

Nearby, Xuanniang asked the woman, "When did his pain start? Was it sudden, or has it been going on for a while?"

Hearing Xuanniang's question, the woman clung to it like a lifeline.

"Doctor, please save my child. It's all my fault. I was with his uncle and younger uncle stacking firewood. The child told me several times that his stomach hurt, but I didn't pay attention. He sometimes has pain, but usually, a nap makes it better. I never expected it to be like today. He started complaining around noon, and now the pain is unbearable. He won't let me see where it hurts, so I have no idea what's wrong.

I'm not a good mother. I can't even take care of my own child. Doctor, please, I'm begging you, help my child. Please, find out where he's hurting."

The woman, already on the ground, now knelt directly in front of Xuanniang, almost as if she were praying to a saint.

Xuanniang furrowed her brow, feeling a bit hesitant. This wasn't the modern era where machines could scan and pinpoint issues. She couldn't determine the problem just by looking, and she couldn't touch the child either. What could she do?

Seeing the boy in pain, Xuanniang couldn't bear it any longer. "Alright, ma'am, I'll do my best. I'm not a miracle worker, and if this isn't my area of expertise, you should find another doctor quickly."

The woman nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, please just take a look."

Two strong men were hovering around the boy, trying to protect his head with their hands. Xuanniang stepped forward and instructed them, "Hold him down for me. I need to feel around to understand the situation."

Upon hearing this, the two men, likely the boy's uncles, quickly restrained him. The boy writhed on the ground in pain.

Xuanniang gently used her fingers to examine the boy and discovered a mass of air forming a large lump that was moving around. No wonder he was in such agony; it was clearly a hernia.

And it was acute. Acute hernia pain could be life-threatening. Given the current treatment options, the best course was acupuncture. A couple of timely needles would bring relief.

Xuanniang wasn't skilled in acupuncture, and she felt a bit troubled. She turned to the woman and said, "Ma'am, you should find someone more qualified. For this kind of condition, you just need a doctor who can perform acupuncture. I'm not skilled in that, and I don't want to disappoint you. Please, take your child to another doctor."

The boy was struggling violently, and the two strong men couldn't hold him down, so he was left rolling on the ground. The woman and the two men heard Xuanniang clearly, but they exchanged worried glances.

"Doctor, I know you must have another way. It's not that I don't want to treat him, but we're really poor. Acupuncture is so expensive, at least ten dollars a session, and we just can't afford it. Please, doctor, everyone says you're a miracle worker. You must have another way, right? Please, save my child, or he'll be in unbearable pain."

Xuanniang frowned at these words. Was money still the issue here? Even if they had to borrow, they needed to get the child treated. Acute hernia pain could be life-threatening! Why was this mother so stubborn?

"Ma'am, it's not that I don't want to help, but I really don't have the skills. If your child continues to suffer like this, it could be as serious as you say. You really should find another doctor. I truly can't treat him; I'm not proficient in acupuncture," Xuanniang said earnestly.

The woman stood there, tears streaming down her face. "Oh, my poor child, I'm not a good mother. I don't have the money to help you. Go on, and when you're gone, I'll join you, and we'll find your father together. I'm truly at a loss; we owe so much. I'm so sorry."