Li Jiao immediately perked up and realized what she had done wrong.
Full of remorse, she apologized to Bai Xiao.
"Doctor Bai, I’m truly sorry about earlier. I don’t know what’s been wrong with me these past two days. I was like possessed, just wanting to die, feeling like I was a burden to them, father and daughter. If it hadn’t been for your words just now, like a smack to wake me up, who knows what mess I would have made of this household.
Poor old Zhang and the child have already been worn out because of my illness, and now they have to indulge and pamper me because of my actions. I was ungrateful." After all, Li Jiao was an adult with a certain level of education and could obviously understand the role Bai Xiao had played once she snapped out of it.
"It’s good that you understand. Actually, life is hard for everyone. You have it tough because you’re sick and have to endure, but it’s also hard for the father and daughter. It’s precisely because each person is considerate and makes allowances for the others that led to your outburst today.
Let’s not talk about anything else; as long as you take care of yourself, Director Zhang and the child will also have some peace of mind. I see that your illness should have a solution. If you trust me, find some time, and I’ll come back to give you a few acupuncture sessions. Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture are profound. Our family has passed down this knowledge for generations. I’ve cured someone who was bedridden for over a decade. Unless something unexpected happens, you should be able to recover too.
It’s just quite painful, and you have to persevere." Bai Xiao looked at Li Jiao, thinking of helping Zhang Han.
This child really was too sensible, having to run back and forth several times a day from school to check on her own mother. It’s lucky that the school was close, just a short run away, or else the child would have suffered even more. They say a long illness wears out filial piety, but this child has taken care of her mother for so long already.
I’m a doctor! When I see patients like this, I should reach out and help. It might be a simple effort for me, but for a family, it could mean a world of change.
Whether from the perspective of a doctor’s benevolent heart, or simply from that of genuine kindness, I ought to do this.
As long as Li Jiao isn’t a thoroughly wicked person, I will save her.
Li Jiao was stunned, "There’s really hope for my illness?" It was not disbelief in Bai Xiao, but because of the illness, she had already been bedridden for ten years. She couldn’t count how many doctors she had seen, how much medicine she had taken, all the money flowing out like water to treat her.
Zhang Han’s little head turned to Bai Xiao, "Doctor Bai! Is it really true what you said, that there’s hope for my mom’s illness?"
The expressions of mother and daughter were identical, clearly showing their blood bond.
"I’ve treated someone who was bedridden just like your mom for over a decade, who is now able to stand, walk, run, and jump, doing everything and even driving around doing business," Bai Xiao advertised herself.
Zhang Han immediately became excited. Whether Bai Xiao’s words were true or not, she wanted to give her own mother a chance to try.
As long as there’s a glimmer of hope, who wouldn’t want their own mother lively and spirited?
Li Jiao clenched her teeth, "Doctor Bai! I know everyone has said you’re very skilled, that your acupuncture can replace anesthesia. Just go ahead and perform the acupuncture on me. Whatever happens, it’s like a dying horse being treated as if it were alive. How could it possibly be worse than it is now?"
Bai Xiao smiled, "Then first you need to build up your strength. The acupuncture also requires your body to be strong enough to withstand it; otherwise, I wouldn’t dare perform it on you."
Li Jiao nodded vigorously, and Zhang Han clutched her hand tightly, "Mom, from today onwards, you have to eat well and get strong so Doctor Bai can perform the acupuncture on you."
Mother and daughter nodded.