Chapter 279: “Donkey Dung Pills”
“Old Liu—”
Captain Huang’s expression changed abruptly, and he ran over anxiously to support the man.
Before him, Old Liu had one hand pressed to his forehead and the other on his chest, lips quivering as he let out faint groans. His consciousness was gradually fading, and his forehead was covered with dense beads of sweat.
Ning Xiyue ran over, felt his pulse, and assessed the situation.
Only then did Captain Huang remember that this young girl could not only castrate pigs but was also the barefoot doctor of the Daliu team, greatly respected by everyone. With her here treating Old Liu, he should be fine.
But seeing him lying like this still worried him. He studied Ning Xiyue’s face carefully, but she remained perfectly composed, showing no extra expression—it was impossible to read anything from her.
Without a word, Ning Xiyue began treating Old Liu. She pulled a packet of silver needles from her medical kit. As she prepared to insert one of the thin, long needles into him, Captain Huang’s heart raced. Such a long needle? Is Old Liu really that seriously ill?
He didn’t dare interrupt her, fearing it might cause a mistake. Sweat had already formed on his forehead, and in a small, anxious voice, he asked:
“Doctor Ning, what’s wrong with Old Liu? It’s not too serious, right?”
“It’s neither very serious nor trivial,” Ning Xiyue said calmly, continuing her work. “He’s suffering from low blood sugar combined with high blood pressure. He probably didn’t eat last night or this morning, which triggered the low blood sugar. On top of that, he had some pent-up frustration. When he got angry, his blood pressure rose a bit. Fortunately, it’s not too high. I’ll give him a few needles, and he’ll regain consciousness.”
As she spoke, her hands never stopped. One hand held the needle while the other retrieved a jar of black sesame pills from her bag and handed it to Captain Huang to hold temporarily.
“So Old Liu didn’t eat and got upset, which caused this,” Captain Huang mused, holding the jar.
Perhaps the old man was angry that she hadn’t asked the son of the old veterinarian from the Dahua team to castrate the pigs and had instead invited young Doctor Ning from Daliu.
Because of this, he had refused to eat. When Captain Huang had asked him to go check the chicks earlier, it seemed to anger him even more.
Captain Huang’s expression darkened. This old man was stubborn—getting upset over someone else’s matter and neglecting his own health.
He couldn’t let Old Liu get into trouble; he felt partly responsible.
With that thought, Captain Huang placed the jar on his lap, clasped his hands together earnestly, and looked at Ning Xiyue:
“Doctor Ning, please take care of Old Liu. He still has a little grandson. The two of them are alone, relying on each other. If Old Liu collapses, what will his six-year-old grandson do? I usually have him help raise the chickens, a light job so he can take care of the boy and earn a little. Today, he’s probably upset with me.”
Captain Huang explained the situation patiently.
“To be honest, he wanted me to invite the old veterinarian’s son to castrate the pigs. That veterinarian saved his grandson’s life, but I didn’t want to disturb him for our pigs. So when he saw you today, he pouted and let off steam through his nostrils.”
Ah, so that’s why Old Liu had looked so grumpy at her—he thought she had taken the job from the son of his lifesaver and earned the extra money.
What a selfless, stubborn old man. He had put himself in danger over this. If she and Captain Huang had lingered longer choosing chicks, Old Liu might have collapsed.
Ning Xiyue removed the needle. Slowly, the old man’s eyelids twitched, and his blurred consciousness returned.
“Captain Huang, don’t worry,” she said, gesturing to show him. “See? He’s awake. Not a big deal. There’s no need to let others’ matters affect your health. Worrying too much harms your health, and if you lose your body, you can’t do anything, no matter how important it seems.”
Her words had a double meaning as she glanced at Old Liu, who was moving his eyelids but pretending not to wake.
Understanding, Old Liu awkwardly opened his eyes but didn’t dare meet Ning Xiyue’s gaze.
Captain Huang’s eyes lit up: “Old Liu, you’re awake! Thank goodness! You scared me to death.”
“Help me up,” Old Liu mumbled, struggling to rise. Ning Xiyue pressed him down firmly and said sternly:
“Don’t move around. Don’t want to live? Don’t want to raise your grandson?”
Hearing that, Old Liu stopped struggling and obediently sat on the stool Captain Huang brought him, head lowered, avoiding Ning Xiyue’s gaze.
Ning Xiyue ignored him and took her jar back from Captain Huang. She retrieved five black sesame pills and placed them in front of him.
“Eat these.”
Dizzy and half-blind, Old Liu looked at the dark, round objects in his hand and, thinking they were “donkey dung balls,” hesitated, showing clear disgust.
Captain Huang grabbed the sesame pills from her hand and pressed them into Old Liu’s hand, speaking with a tone of exasperated insistence:
“Old Liu, listen to Doctor Ning. If it weren’t for her, you’d still be unconscious. She’s telling you to eat them, so eat. Don’t resist—if you want to live, take them.”
Old Liu timidly took one pill, closed his eyes, and slowly put it in his mouth.
“They’re medicine, won’t harm you. Eat without worry. These are more expensive than White Rabbit candies—who would waste good stuff on hurting you?”
Ning Xiyue was exasperated at his stubbornness. His hesitant actions made it seem as if she was giving him something harmful.
After letting out a little of her frustration, she continued gently, considering he was her patient:
“You haven’t eaten in a meal or two, your body is undernourished. Feeling dizzy, faint, or nauseous is natural from low blood sugar. Eat some sesame pills to ease the hunger.”
She tasted one herself—it was sweet, not “donkey dung balls.”
“Thank you,” Old Liu muttered, finally understanding her good intentions. He began eating the pills in small bites, finishing three and carefully pocketing the remaining two.
“You’re supposed to eat them, not save them,” Ning Xiyue muttered, pressing her forehead with helplessness.
She had never seen such an obstinate patient. The uncles and aunts from the Daliu team were obedient and easy to treat.
Captain Huang held Old Liu’s hand and coaxed him:
“Old Liu, eat quickly. We’re trying to save you, and you’re ignoring it. Think of your little grandson—if you don’t take care of yourself, what will happen to him? He’s so young.”
Old Liu lifted his head cautiously: “These sesame pills are tasty. I wanted to save some for Maodan. He’s never had White Rabbit candy before, and Doctor Ning said these are even better. I wanted him to try some.”
Hearing this, Ning Xiyue put down her hand from her forehead, reopened the jar, and poured out two pills for him: “Eat these. Don’t faint halfway through.”
“I can’t take them—they’re too precious,” Old Liu stubbornly refused.
“Eat them if I tell you to,” Ning Xiyue snapped, shoving one into his mouth. “Afterwards, you still need to take the blood pressure pills. Don’t collapse again as soon as I leave—it’d be a waste of my effort and medicine.”
Ning Xiyue then pulled out five pea-sized black pills from her bag. These were her own concoction for lowering blood pressure. Many elderly members of the Daliu team had high blood pressure and had seen her for treatment.
She wrapped four in paper, leaving one loose, and put them all in Old Liu’s hand.
“Take one after each meal. Take this one first to lower your blood pressure.”
Captain Huang gestured for him to take it quickly.
With no water, Old Liu chewed and swallowed. After taking the sugar and medicine, his complexion improved, and he regained strength.
Captain Huang breathed a sigh of relief: “Doctor Ning, thank you so much today.”
“Thank you for saving my life, Doctor Ning,” Old Liu said, no longer as stubborn. He bowed slightly in gratitude to Ning Xiyue while she packed her kit, still feeling some guilt. “I’ll find a way to pay for the medicine.”
Despite all the harsh words he had secretly spoken about her earlier, she treated him without holding a grudge, saved him, and even brought sesame pills home for him. He felt guilty.
He patted his empty pocket, unsure what to do, then remembered something in his room and had an idea.
