CHAPTER 58: CHAPTER 58: HALF A CORNBREAD

Jiang Xiaoxiao closed the doors and windows, drew the curtains, and then gently lifted the old lady’s clothes.

Even such a small action made the old lady whimper in pain.

"Xiao Xiao, don’t fuss over me. Grandma, it’s my time. I know this is... my parents coming to take me."

Jiang Xiaoxiao grinned, showing her teeth.

"Grandma, you’re so funny. You haven’t even seen me get married and have children, and you’re ready to leave me on my own? When I was little, you always said you’d help me with my kids once I got married and had them. Now you’re leaving me to go by yourself?

That won’t do. A promise is a promise. If you don’t keep your word, I’ll go with you. I’m curious to see what great-grandma and great-grandpa look like too."

Just a glance showed that the blisters on the old lady’s chest and ribs had dried, crusted over, and fallen off, leaving some dark spots.

Her hand gently touched the old lady, who immediately had a strong reaction, painfully shouting, "Don’t touch... don’t touch!"

The old lady, usually so strong-willed, was in tears from the pain.

"Grandma, I’ve just learned something that might be exactly what you need for your shingles."

Before she finished speaking, she had already placed two bamboo sticks on each side of the old lady’s foot at the Yanglingquan points.

Just a moment ago, the old lady had her fists clenched tightly, but they suddenly relaxed.

"Grandma, how does it feel?"

The old lady opened her eyes and said with indescribable joy.

"You girl, what did you just use on Grandma? These two needles and I feel like all the pain in my body is gone."

Jiang Xiaoxiao beamed as she raised the bamboo needles for Grandma to see.

"Grandma, this is our Chinese acupuncture. Isn’t it amazing? You have a condition that simple medication can cure. And I’ve got a special prescription for you. We don’t even need to go to the hospital; I guarantee a few doses and you’ll be better."

Indeed, this shingles, to put it simply, is like a herpes zoster. It’s akin to various spasmodic pains involving the skin’s meridians.

Not that she cured herpes zoster!

Could these two needles instantly heal the old lady?

Just that these two needles could relieve the old lady’s pain, as anyone suffering from any ailment is tense.

The point she chose to needle is known for its relaxation properties.

She immediately wrote a prescription: 10 grams of Bupleurum, 20 grams of White Peony Root, 10 grams of Bitter Orange, 10 grams of raw Licorice, 50 grams of whole Trichosanthes, 10 grams of Safflower.

These six medications were taught by an old Chinese medicine practitioner she met in the countryside, dedicated to treating herpes zoster with miraculous effects.

For treating herpes zoster, there are, to put it bluntly, three methods: detoxifying, alleviating depression, and promoting blood circulation.

These three methods must be used in conjunction, none can be missing.

Raw Licorice in this formula can detoxify, and combined with some external fresh purslane, the detoxifying effect would probably be even faster.

Bupleurum and Bitter Orange can alleviate depression; these two can regulate the body’s energy.

White Peony Root and Safflower, relieves urgency and promote blood flow, which naturally resolves wind.

The whole Trichosanthes is essentially the guide drug in this formula.

All in all, a complex formula specifically for treating herpes zoster.

The old lady felt lightened, and after taking the medication.

Indeed, after two doses, by the next day.

The pain had lessened, and she could even get out of bed and walk around. She even had two big bowls of corn porridge.

The mourning setup in the courtyard had long been dismantled.

However, there were still many visitors coming and going these past few days.

The villagers heard about it.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Xiao’s two doses of medicine had cured the old lady.

They could visibly see the old lady getting out of bed.

If this isn’t getting better, then what is?

Fan Jianfeng and Fan Jianguo finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The two brothers had been worried sick these days.

Their emotions were like a rollercoaster ride.

Knowing the old lady couldn’t be cured, they had thoughts of despair.

During preparations for the end, Fan Jianfeng’s heart ached.

They practically had no income at home.

And now, even more debts were impending.

These days, because of the old lady, how much work in the fields have they delayed?

It’s all money.

His own wife, on the other hand, was constantly breaking dishes in frustration.

The main issue was that so many people came back all of a sudden, eating and drinking. Every bit adds up as a burden.

The little grain they had stored couldn’t withstand so many mouths.

Farmers’ lives aren’t easy!

So today, at mealtime, just a pot of thin porridge.

Jiang Xiaoxiao glanced at it; the broth was so thin you could see your reflection in it.

A few days ago, at least it could still be called porridge; today it’s practically just water.

Her older aunt was always like this.

As stingy as a needle’s eye. If you ask her to spend, she’ll be there with her complaints.

"Eat, eat, eat, always just eating, not working. This house will be eaten bare by you."

Old Aunt Wu Jin’ai snapped a chopstick down onto her little grandson’s hand.

Her eldest brother was the oldest, and people of that era married young, so now his son was already grown.

Despite her eldest brother being in his 40s.

He already had a four-year-old grandson.

What would a child know? Seeing the thin broth, he naturally reached for the cornbread, but was hit by Grandma, and immediately began to cry. Watching her son being hit, the daughter-in-law felt deeply pained.

Mother-in-law was always domineering at home, and nobody could talk her down. The problem was, she usually doted on her little grandson. Who would have thought she would lash out at a little child today?

"Mom! Da Niu is just a child, why are you hitting him? He’s been hungry all day, and you’re not letting him have any food?"

She hugged her son, soothing his tiny hand with love.

Actually, Old Aunt Wu Jin’ai was just venting indirectly, but her hand did go a bit too heavy.

She felt heartache for her grandson too.

With the child crying like this, Wu Jin’ai felt more and more regret.

But being confronted by her daughter-in-law in front of everyone, she felt uncomfortable and embarrassed.

"Why is he hungry? He’s not a starving ghost reborn. All he knows is to eat all day. What’s wrong with me hitting him? Didn’t he see so many elders sitting here? It’s not his turn to be grabbing at things. If he eats, what will these elders eat, air? Does he know how much food we have in the house?"

Wu Jin’ai was angered to the point of letting everything spill out.

The old lady still had half a cornbread in her hand and immediately got up.

In daily life, Grandpa and Grandma had always lived with the eldest son, willing to be patient with the eldest daughter-in-law, but that was the civil approach.

Now, in front of her granddaughter and younger son, the eldest daughter-in-law’s behavior was crossing a line.

The old lady also understood that this was because the younger son and granddaughter had brought many people back in recent days, and with so many mouths eating idly, harmony was disrupted.

She sighed.

Beckoned to the child.

"Da Niu, come to great-grandma, come! Great-grandma has cornbread, we won’t bother with that merciless grandma. Here, great-grandma’s cornbread for you to eat."

The old lady reached out with a trembling hand, palm holding half a cornbread.