Chapter 134 The True Identity

Village Chief Zhao's house was not far from Zhao Dongkui's home.

It was only about a four- or five-minute walk.

This was even taking into account Li Weiwei in her wheelchair.

Otherwise, it would take at most two minutes to walk there.

What surprised Liu Xing was that although Village Chief Zhao's house was made of mud bricks and was quite dilapidated, it was far more popular than his newly opened shoe store. At this very moment, the main entrance was packed with people, and a long queue had formed by the side door on the right.

Ding Lan, who had tagged along to watch the commotion, was quite shocked at this sight: "Liu Xing, what on earth is this Xie Zhongquan's background? Why are so many people coming to him for medical treatment in just a few days?"

Usually, only highly respected veteran doctors in the city would command such a bustling crowd at their doorsteps. Yet here, at the unassuming mud-brick house in Old House Village, such a scene was completely unexpected.

Li Dawei and Li Weiwei were also somewhat surprised, but they didn't say much.

Seeing that Xie Zhongquan couldn't be reached for the moment, Liu Xing helplessly answered Ding Lan's question: "Elder Sister, the reason for this scene isn't actually because Old Xie's medical skills are unimaginably brilliant, but rather because many rural villagers have ailments. Normally, they just drag themselves along without money, unwilling to go to the hospital even until death. Now that there is an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor like Old Xie helping to treat patients for free, they naturally won't miss this opportunity."

"If it weren't for the fact that Old Xie's reputation hasn't spread widely yet, I'm afraid the entire perimeter of Village Chief Zhao's house would be surrounded by people lining up for treatment," Liu Xing added after a brief pause.

This was no idle talk, but the unvarnished truth.

Take his own father previously: with such a severe foot injury, he still dragged himself along at home, refusing to see a doctor.

The root cause was simply a lack of money, fearing that seeking medical help would ultimately drag the whole family down.

In the countryside, this was truly a tragedy, and city dwellers could never truly comprehend the underlying sorrow.

Hearing this, Ding Lan suddenly understood: "Put that way, this Old Xie really is a living bodhisattva saving the world. But what do we do now? With so many people, we can't even see him!"

"Could you please help watch Weiwei? I'll go inside and ask about the situation," Li Dawei said with an awkward smile, then pushed through the queue and walked straight up to the main entrance.

He had intended to use money to pave the way and buy the first spot in line.

Who would have expected that before he could even stand firm, he was shoved aside by a barefooted farmer: "Go on, go on, go on! I've been waiting in line for an hour, what gives you the right to cut in?"

"Exactly, exactly! My old man is waiting for Old Xie to write a prescription and get the medicine to save his life!" shouted an elderly woman with deep dissatisfaction, casting a side-eye at Li Dawei as she finished speaking.

The others in line immediately began to chime in with reproaches, each voice harsher than the last.

Faced with this standoff, Li Dawei had no choice but to slink back to Li Weiwei's side with a look of frustration on his face.

After all, he truly hadn't expected to receive such treatment right at the doorstep of Village Chief Zhao's house.

Seeing this, Ding Lan couldn't help but chuckle. Noticing that Li Dawei's face was as dark as death, she quickly turned her gaze away.

Liu Xing didn't bother paying attention to Li Dawei's expression; if there was reason to smile, he would. Seeing that Lan兰 was currently coming out carrying a medicine jar, he hurried forward to meet her.

"Brother Liu Xing!" Upon seeing Liu Xing, Lan兰 was overjoyed, a sweet smile blooming on her delicate face.

This left Li Dawei somewhat surprised, though he remained silent.

"You've been doing pretty well lately, haven't you?" Liu Xing reached out and stroked Lan兰's pretty head. "Where is your grandfather? I'm looking for him about something."

"He's inside taking people's pulses and treating illnesses," Lan兰 said with a smile, placing the medicine jar beneath the eaves. "If you're looking for him, just go right on in. Grandfather said so himself: his door is always open for you."

"Is that so?" Hearing this, Liu Xing felt deeply comforted.

Li Dawei, on the other hand, felt a tinge of jealousy.

What kind of nonsense was this?

He was a dignified factory director, yet his treatment turned out to be inferior to that of a rural cowherd.

Ding Lan smiled at Li Dawei's expression, stepped forward, and waved to greet Lan兰: "You must be Lan兰, right? My, what a pretty girl."

"Thank you, older sister. Who are you...?" Lan兰 scratched her head in puzzlement.

"My older sister, Ding Lan. She came here this time because she fell ill, so she's come to see your grandfather," Liu Xing explained, pointing at Li Weiwei as he noticed many surrounding villagers watching them.

"Then you can have your friend follow me," Lan兰 said with a smile of understanding, leading the way toward the main gate.

"Alright!" Liu Xing beckoned to Li Dawei and followed closely behind with Ding Lan.

Seeing that Liu Xing had resolved a problem he couldn't handle in just a few words, a depressed Li Dawei pushed Li Weiwei's wheelchair and followed in their wake.

Many villagers watching the scene began to wear hostile expressions.

Just as they were about to scold Li Dawei once more, Lan兰, who was standing at the entrance, turned back: "What are you all staring at? Liu Xing is my older brother. His friends are my friends, and also my grandfather's friends. If anyone is unsatisfied, you can leave. If anyone tries to cause trouble at the door, I'll make sure my grandfather refuses to treat you later."

These words carried absolute deterrence.

The previously noisy and bustling entrance instantly fell into absolute silence, where the drop of a pin could be heard.

Satisfied with this effect, Lan兰 pulled Liu Xing inside the house.

Ding Lan smiled and hurried along behind them.

Breaking out in a cold sweat, Li Dawei hurriedly pushed Li Weiwei's wheelchair to keep pace.

Only now did he realize that this kid Liu Xing was popular everywhere he went, possessing a charm far superior to his own.

Under Lan兰's guidance, the group soon arrived at a side room on the eastern side.

Inside the side room, Chinese herbal medicines were piled everywhere—on tables, on the bed, and on the floor—with some untreated herbs heaped together.

Xie Zhongquan was currently sitting by the window, taking the pulse of a woman nearing fifty. Stroking his beard in contemplation, he reached for a writing brush and began to write a prescription once he reached a diagnosis.

Lan兰 made a shushing gesture and obediently stood aside to wait.

Liu Xing looked at the handwriting on the prescription. Seeing the bold, vigorous strokes executed with the force of iron and silver hooks, he couldn't help but be stunned.

Even the worldly Li Dawei was startled by Xie Zhongquan's exceptional brushmanship.

However, he kept his astonishment off his face, maintaining a deliberately calm expression as he watched.

A moment later, Xie Zhongquan finished the prescription. After carefully reviewing it, he handed it to the elderly woman: "Your condition is caused by coldness and kidney deficiency. Take my prescription to a large pharmacy to get your medicine; the doctors there will recognize the dosage and contraindications from my handwriting. There's no use in me explaining it to you now, because you wouldn't understand anyway."

"Alright! Alright!" The elderly woman took the prescription, her eyes creasing into happy smiles: "How much is the total, please?"

"I've only written a prescription for you, how could I possibly charge money? Off you go!" Xie Zhongquan stroked his beard and smiled.

"Thank you so much then." The elderly woman bowed to Xie Zhongquan, leaned on her cane, and turned to leave.

Seeing this, a middle-aged villager waiting in line at the entrance wanted to sit before Xie Zhongquan for a consultation, but was stopped by the doctor: "Could you please step outside for a moment? My friends have arrived; I will examine you shortly."

"Alright! Alright!" Though the middle-aged villager had reservations, he ultimately agreed, retreating from the side room to wait quietly outside.

Xie Zhongquan turned his gaze to Liu Xing, a smile on his face: "Isn't today the grand opening of your shoe store? How do you have the time to visit this old bag of bones?"

"Well, she had a relapse of her illness over at my place earlier, almost scaring people to death, so I brought her over to have it checked out," Liu Xing said, gesturing toward Li Weiwei.

"Oh?" Xie Zhongquan glanced at Li Weiwei, then furrowed his brow and stroked his beard: "Come closer, let me check your pulse."

"Yes," Li Weiwei nodded repeatedly.

Hearing this, Li Dawei hurriedly pushed Li Weiwei's wheelchair right up to Xie Zhongquan.

"Eh? Your condition..." Xie Zhongquan, who had reached out to take Li Weiwei's pulse, suddenly widened his eyes: "No! Your condition isn't a new affliction, but rather the sequela of a high fever you suffered when you were six years old. Furthermore, half an hour ago, you managed to stand up on your own—am I right or wrong?"

"Yes, yes!" Seeing how formidable Xie Zhongquan was, Li Weiwei nodded frantically.

Li Dawei was equally dumbfounded, because everything Xie Zhongquan said was completely accurate; it was simply terrifying.

Moreover, he knew for a fact that Xie Zhongquan had not asked anyone else.

After all, very few people knew what had happened earlier, and it was impossible for word to have reached Xie Zhongquan's ears this quickly.

Under these circumstances, Xie Zhongquan's ability to divine things like a god through the traditional Chinese medicine practices of looking, listening, asking, and feeling the pulse completely overturned his understanding of traditional medicine.

Liu Xing smiled silently without interrupting, quietly observing from the side.

After all, Old Xie's extraordinary medical skills were nothing new to him anymore.

"Sigh! You've had a hard life, child!" Xie Zhongquan lowered the hand he was using to take her pulse. "Did your parents come today?"

"He is my father," Li Weiwei said, pointing at Li Dawei.

"Is that so?" Xie Zhongquan's gaze turned stern as he looked at Li Dawei: "What kind of father are you? Why has your daughter's condition become so severe, and only now do you think of seeking treatment?"

"She never had symptoms like today's before! Besides, over the past few years, I've taken Weiwei to all the best hospitals in the country, and the treatments had zero effect. It's not like I ignored her or didn't care as you claim," Li Dawei rushed to explain.

"That's right, Grandpa," Li Weiwei chimed in.

"That's not what I meant. What I mean is, why didn't you frequently take your daughter out for walks, or at least take her out to bask in the sun on weekends? Now that things have reached this point, what good is it coming to me?" Xie Zhongquan's voice deepened, carrying a tone of reprimand.

This made Li Dawei somewhat uneasy: "What do you mean?"

"The blood vessels in her legs have completely blocked. Standing up to walk earlier was definitely the result of some major emotional shock. If she goes back into a wheelchair now, I'm afraid she will never stand up again for the rest of her life," Xie Zhongquan replied with a soft sigh.

"That's impossible." Refusing to believe Xie Zhongquan's words, Li Weiwei used her hands to grip the wheelchair armrests, trying to stand up, but the next second her face turned pale.

For she suddenly realized that she could no longer feel the presence of her legs; standing up was simply out of the question.

"Dad, Dad! What is happening?" Li Weiwei cried out in terror, tears welling up in her eyes.

For her, everything that had happened today was like traveling from hell to heaven, only to plunge right back down from heaven into hell.

Such a drastic drop was simply more than she could accept.

Unable to accept the scene before him either, Li Dawei grabbed Xie Zhongquan in a panic: "How could this be? How could this happen?"

"Don't ask me. If you had truly cared for your daughter and spent more time with her, a scene like this would never have happened. Perhaps after the high fever broke, she might have been able to stand up, but now..." Xie Zhongquan let out a soft sigh, leaving the rest of his words unspoken.

Hearing this, Li Dawei's head buzzed loudly.

He had initially wanted to curse Xie Zhongquan as a quack doctor.

Yet the words stuck in his throat, refusing to come out.

It wasn't out of fear for Xie Zhongquan, but rather because at this very moment, his heart was completely filled with remorse.

Because Xie Zhongquan was right: he genuinely hadn't had the time to accompany Weiwei over the years.

While others took holidays, he worked overtime in the office; while others celebrated festivals, he attended meetings; while others spent the Lunar New Year with family, he sat at banquet tables negotiating orders with clients.

Counting it all up, the days he spent with Weiwei in a year didn't even exceed ten.

And that was just in the last two years.

Going back a few years when the Hengshui Distillery business was booming,

he barely managed to accompany Weiwei even once throughout the entire year.

He had assumed that once the Hengshui Distillery was on the right track, he would have plenty of time for Weiwei.

Who could have imagined that what awaited him now was this devastating news about Weiwei?

"Then what is the point of me making all that money?"

"What good is it for me to hold the position of director at the Hengshui Distillery?"

Thinking of his neglect of Li Weiwei over the years, Li Dawei could no longer hold back his emotions. With a bitter laugh, he burst into tears.

Only now did he realize that using a colleague as a stepping stone to climb to the top all those years ago had actually planted a massive hidden disaster for Weiwei.

Only now did he realize that the retribution for his unscrupulous methods hadn't fallen upon him, but upon his daughter, Li Weiwei.

If life could be replayed, he would never choose to walk that old path again.

However...

His life could not be replayed.

Once a choice was made, he had to bear the consequences.

"Why has it come to this? Why..."

Li Dawei hugged Li Weiwei tightly, weeping like a child.

"Dad!" Li Weiwei cried too, sobbing bitterly.

The sight of the father and daughter holding each other and weeping moved everyone present—Liu Xing, Ding Lan, Xie Zhongquan, and Lan兰 alike.

They say a real man does not shed tears easily, simply because he has not yet reached the depth of sorrow.

Hearing Li Weiwei's diagnosis, Li Dawei was truly heartbroken.

Otherwise, as a dignified factory director, he would never have lost his composure in front of so many people.

Ding Lan felt a stinging sensation in her nose; she really couldn't bear to watch any longer: "I'm heading back first. I'll take the shoes you made for me, and when I have time in the future, I'll bring Niu Lianfang over to find you."

"Alright!" Liu Xing nodded, watching Ding Lan depart.

Recovering his wits by then, Li Dawei stopped crying and pleaded: "Old Xie, I know your medical skills are extraordinary. I beg you, please find a way to save Weiwei!"

With that, he dropped to his knees with a heavy thud.

Xie Zhongquan stroked his beard and shook his head repeatedly: "Things having come to this, why regret the past?"

"I..." Li Dawei stammered, unable to speak.

"Old Xie, if you have a way, please help Weiwei out. She is truly pitiful," Liu Xing chimed in to help.

"I'd love to help too! But look at my setup here..." Xie Zhongquan gestured around the side room. "An environment like this has no medical equipment to speak of, nor any medicines. What do you expect me to do?"

"That's true," Liu Xing smiled awkwardly.

Treating illnesses and saving lives wasn't something that could be done just by wagging one's tongue; it required brilliant medical skills, top-notch hardware facilities, and an ample supply of various medications.

"So you'd better hurry and take your daughter to a major hospital for treatment. Who knows, perhaps a doctor there might be able to cure her." Xie Zhongquan patted Li Dawei on the shoulder, stood up, and led Liu Xing out of the side room.

Seeing this, Lan兰 followed behind them.

Inside the side room.

At this moment, only Li Dawei and Li Weiwei remained.

The father and daughter looked at each other, their sobs gradually subsiding.

Once quietness returned, Li Dawei spoke up: "Weiwei, what do you think we should do now?"

"Of course we go back. I never really held much hope for my legs being cured anyway, so you don't need to blame yourself excessively. Don't forget, the thousands of employees at the Hengshui Distillery are still waiting for you to save them," Li Weiwei softly replied.

These words were clearly meant in reverse.

Hearing them, Li Dawei felt an inexplicable sorrow and an even deeper sense of guilt.

Only now did he realize that his twelve-year-old daughter possessed a remarkably mature mindset, far beyond the reach of her peers.

Of course, this was also connected to his own irresponsibility as a father.

Thinking of this, Li Dawei let out a long sigh: "Weiwei, I've decided. I'm going to resign from my post as director of the Hengshui Distillery and take you to visit famous doctors all across the country, even if it costs us our entire fortune."

"Are you serious?" Fresh tears welled up in the corners of Li Weiwei's eyes.

"Yes. Having lived for the better part of my life, I finally see it clearly now: fame and power are all fleeting clouds, and only the people closest to you truly matter," Li Dawei said with a bitter smile. "It's just a pity that realizing this now is already too late."

"No! It's not too late." Li Weiwei wept.

She cried tears of being deeply moved.

This was completely different in meaning from her previous cries of sorrow.

Li Dawei hugged Li Weiwei, pushed her wheelchair, and walked out of the side room.

Just as he was about to find Xie Zhongquan and Liu Xing to bid farewell, he discovered something incredible.

The open space in front of Village Chief Zhao's house had somehow filled up with various sedan cars.

Judging by the license plates on those cars, the owners clearly possessed extraordinary identities.

"What is going on here?" Li Dawei wondered in puzzlement.

Li Weiwei was also startled; after all, Village Chief Zhao's house was located in an impoverished rural backwater—logically speaking, it was impossible for so many sedan cars to appear here.

Just as he was about to look for Liu Xing to find answers,

he spotted a crowd of strangers gathered together on the grassy field five hundred meters to the right.

And the people surrounded were none other than Xie Zhongquan, Liu Xing, and the pretty young girl Lan兰.

None of that was the main point; the main point was that apart from Liu Xing, everyone else was addressing Xie Zhongquan directly as "Divine Doctor Jiang."

"Why does that nickname sound so familiar to me?" Recovering his wits, Li Dawei scratched his head.

"Dad, have you forgotten? Three years ago, the doctor Uncle Wang introduced to us—wasn't his name Divine Doctor Jiang? You even said that Divine Doctor Jiang was a medical titan in both Hunan and Hubei provinces, and that if we could ever meet him, standing up wouldn't be an issue at all. It's just a pity that his venerable self is like a dragon seeing its head but not its tail, and we never got to meet him that time," Li Weiwei reminded him.

"Then you're saying... could the Xie Zhongquan in front of us be the Divine Doctor Jiang we've been looking for?" Li Dawei looked at Li Weiwei, excitement burning in his eyes.

"How would I know? If you want the answer, why don't you go over and ask?" Li Weiwei teased.

"True!" With a fluttering heart, Li Dawei pushed the wheelchair forward.

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