Otherworldly Space: A Tale of Love and Growth

“Mother, don’t go. I just took a tumble. If I call the doctor, won’t people think I’m pampered?” Song Ci shouted at Old Lady Song, trying to dissuade her.

“What nonsense! How can a few idle words compare to your health?” Old Lady Song ignored Song Ci’s objections. She had just heard him complain about a broken bone, hadn’t she? She insisted on bringing Doctor Wang over.

Doctor Wang was the barefoot doctor of Daping Village. He was the only one in the surrounding villages who knew medicine. It was common to see people from other villages coming to Daping Village for treatment. Usually, the villagers would endure minor ailments like headaches and fevers to save money. They would only go to Doctor Wang for medicine if the illness was severe and couldn’t heal on its own. If the disease was beyond Doctor Wang’s capability, then they would reluctantly head to the county medical hall.

Doctor Wang was proficient in treating common ailments, dislocations, and fractures. However, when it came to more serious conditions like typhoid fever, he was somewhat out of his depth. In everyone’s mind, Doctor Wang was just a decent doctor. Few people realized that his real expertise lay in treating snake venom.

“Ergou, this injury of yours doesn’t look like it’s from a fall,” Doctor Wang said, stroking his graying beard. He used to treat Ergou’s injuries quite often and spoke casually with him.

In the past, Ergou would curse and swear at those he had fought with while being treated, which the doctor didn’t appreciate. This time, Ergou’s silence seemed to confirm the villagers’ talk of his complete transformation.

“Uncle Wang, you’re mistaken. I did fall!” Song Ci insisted stubbornly, with a defiant air.

Song Ci had made up his mind not to admit it. The method was shameless, but it worked. He just wouldn’t admit it, and there was nothing others could do.

“It looks more like you were hit by a heavy object or stepped on by someone.”

“No, it’s from a fall. Uncle Wang, take another look.”

“Are you doubting my medical skills?” Doctor Wang’s beard began to bristle and his eyes widened. His medical skills were ordinary, but he could certainly tell the difference between wounds.

If it were from a fall, why wasn’t your leg broken?

Who falls and ends up with a bruised foot but an ankle that’s perfectly fine?

What are the odds of that happening?

“Uncle Wang, I swear it was a fall,” Song Ci persisted, even as Doctor Wang’s gaze seemed about to burst into flames. Inside, however, Song Ci felt a bit guilty towards the old man who took his job seriously.

Doctor Wang was so angry that he didn’t want to deal with this person anymore. “What on earth is it that you can’t say? For the sake of your own health, you shouldn’t hide your illness.”

Doctor Wang originally wanted to say, “Did you get into a fight again? We all know each other, so there’s no need to hide it. I won’t tell anyone. It won’t ruin the impression of you turning over a new leaf in everyone’s mind.”

But considering that he was a doctor and not related to Song Ergou, it was better to mind his own business. So, Doctor Wang changed his approach.

Seeing Song Ci and Song Ergou bickering, Old Lady Song, after understanding what the argument was about, anxiously said, “Song Ergou, why are you so troublesome? Just tell the doctor the truth. What’s more important than your health? Even if you did get into a fight, I won’t blame you.”

Can a person who doesn’t cause trouble still be Song Ergou? Can he still be her son?

Compared to her own son, Old Lady Song was more inclined to trust Doctor Wang.

“Let the doctor examine you again to see if you have any hidden injuries or if someone has hurt you behind your back.”

Doctor Wang’s mouth twitched. Old Lady Song’s doting on her child had been the same for over a decade.

“Mother, I really just took a tumble. I’m fine. Even without Uncle Wang, I’ll be good as new by tomorrow,” Song Ci said helplessly.

“If your foot isn’t swollen by tomorrow, I’ll change my surname,” Doctor Wang retorted, also getting agitated upon hearing Song Ci’s words.

When treating others, patients usually follow medical advice and describe their symptoms carefully. But with Song Ergou, it seemed like he didn’t want to be treated at all.

Doctor Wang finally understood Song Ci’s thoughts. Wasn’t he just hoping not to be treated?

Song Ci waved his smelly foot in front of Doctor Wang and pointed at it, saying, “Come on, Uncle Wang. It’s not worth getting so upset over this.”

Phew, it was a close call. He almost choked the old man to death.

Then, Old Lady Song added, “Doctor Wang, Ergou is still young and doesn’t know any better. Don’t take it to heart.”

Doctor Wang finally applied a plaster to Song Ci’s foot, told him to rest for a day or two before going back to the fields, and then left, fuming. If he stayed any longer, he might really be driven mad by this mother and son.

In fact, Song Ci’s foot was not seriously injured. It was just bruised from being stepped on hard by Lin Xiaohe. But Doctor Wang felt his medical skills were being questioned, which was why he argued with him for so long.

The next day, Song Ci was hopping around lively, and there was no sign of injury on his foot.

“Could it be that Doctor Wang really is getting old, and his eyes are failing him, unable to accurately diagnose an injury?” Old Lady Song kept muttering to herself. Her son kept saying it was nothing serious, but Doctor Wang insisted there was a problem. What was his motive? Could it be that he was following those unscrupulous doctors who deliberately exaggerated the condition to make more money?

Doctor Wang:……

“These past few days, I’ve only caught these two. Tomorrow, when you go to the county town, could you sell them for me?” In the evening, Song Ci brought two wild rabbits to Uncle Song’s house to find Sheng.

Another successful hunt, although not as impressive as the ten game animals in the first seven or eight days, Song Ci and Sheng together managed to catch five, which was definitely worth a trip to the county town.

Without the spiritual spring water, the harvest was instantly halved and halved again.

“Sure, Song Ergou, I know you have trouble walking and need to rest. We’ll definitely take care of these little things for you,” Sheng said with a sly grin.

“Uncle Ergou, take good care of yourself. When Dabao grows up, he’ll help you too,” Song Dabao chimed in. Uncle Ergou had been kind to him, buying him and Erbao candied hawthorn and sweet candy. His uncle had said that Uncle Ergou wasn’t well and couldn’t work, so they should help him more. When he grew up, he would help too.

Daping Village was small, with only four to five hundred people. Any news in a household would spread to half the village within half a day. In the village, the fact that Song Ci had invited a doctor didn’t cause any ripples as he had thought. When Uncle Song’s family heard that the Song family had invited a doctor, they thought something serious had happened. Uncle Song sent Song Tiesheng to check, and it turned out there was no big deal. Since then, Sheng had often teased Song Ci for being more delicate than a young lady.

When they fell, they would just brush off the dust and stand up. Who would have thought that Song Ergou would make such a fuss?

So delicate!

“Then I really have to thank you guys,” Song Ci said sarcastically.

“Uncle Ergou, no need to thank us. You’ve been good to Dabao, and Dabao will be good to you,” Dabao said earnestly, “When Uncle Ergou can’t work, Dabao will take care of you.”

Song Sheng couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Song Ci couldn’t resist kicking him, “I said that’s enough. Be careful with your words in the future and don’t corrupt Dabao as well.”

“Dabao is just fine the way he is,” Sheng said with a wink.

He was fine, Song Ci rolled his eyes. The boy could say sarcastic things so sincerely.

Lin Xiaohe had been practicing with darts for five or six days. His aim was gradually improving, but his strength was still lacking. He had never successfully hit the tree trunk, let alone hit a game animal. Even if he hit it, the lack of strength wouldn’t cause fatal damage, and the animal would still escape.

Today they were hunting rabbits again.

While Lin Xiaohe was practicing shooting at the willow tree, a brown-furred rabbit ran past them. Lin Xiaohe, who had been practicing for a long time, was excited. He had learned darts to catch game, and now was the perfect time to practice.

So he called Song Ci to chase after the rabbit together.

“Song Ergou, you come,” Lin Xiaohe knew his darts were not yet ready for the real thing, so he handed both darts to Song Ci.

Song Ci really wanted to show off in front of Lin Xiaohe and earn some points. However, his own aim wasn’t very good. The rabbit was small and moving. The first time he threw it, he missed. The dart fell about twenty centimeters away from the rabbit’s head, which made Lin Xiaohe exclaim what a pity it was.

The rabbit, startled, naturally ran away.

“Quick, chase it,” Lin Xiaohe pushed Song Ci, showing great enthusiasm.

“Okay,” Song Ci jogged over to pick up the dart and chased after the rabbit. Lin Xiaohe couldn’t run as fast as Song Ci and followed slowly behind.

When they reached a small poplar forest at the foot of the deep mountains, the rabbit ran into the woods and disappeared. It was impossible to tell whether it had hidden in some corner or burrowed into a hole.

“Xiaohe, we can’t find it anymore. Let’s go back,” Song Ci turned to Lin Xiaohe. It would be unsafe to go further in.

“Ergou, let’s look for it a bit more. It must be around here. It couldn’t have gone far,” Lin Xiaohe stared intently at Song Ci.

It was rare for Lin Xiaohe to be so enthusiastic about doing something, and Song Ci naturally didn’t want to disappoint his future young wife. So he turned around to look for the rabbit. After taking a few steps, he fell into a pit with a splash.

Seeing that Song Ci had really fallen into the pit, Lin Xiaohe quickly ran over to check.

Song Ci was squatting in a pit that was about two square meters in size. The height of the pit was just above his chest when he stood. It was an awkward position. To get out, it would take some effort.

There was nothing on the trap to grab onto.

“Xiaohe, there’s a trap here. I can’t get out. Give me a hand,” Song Ci pitifully coaxed Lin Xiaohe, wondering what kind of luck he had today.

Lin Xiaohe coldly glanced at Song Ci’s outstretched hand and shook his head, “No, a gentleman should not touch a lady.”

“Ergou, can you really leave me here in this pit? What if a wild boar comes down from the mountain and charges at me? Would you bear it?”

“The wild boars haven’t come down from the mountains for years because there’s plenty of food in the forest.”

“What if a pack of wolves comes and gnaws on me?”

“There are no wolves here.”

“What if a bear comes?”

“Then you lie in the pit and play dead. I’ve heard that bears have poor eyesight and don’t like to eat dead things. If you lie still, you might just escape.”

“What if I starve to death?”

The more Song Ci listened to Lin Xiaohe’s answers, the more he felt something was off. Had the boy discovered he could get out himself, or…

“I’ll bring you food.”

“Did you know there was a trap here all along and tricked me into jumping in?” Song Ci accused.