https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-25-The-Virtue-of-the-Old-Physician/13688160/
Chapter 24: A Lingering Illness
"Where am I?" Lao Zhao stirred awake, blinking at the faces around him, his voice thick with confusion.
"Lao Zhao, don’t you remember? You fell into the river! You were nearly drowned—we pulled you out!"
"That’s right! We heard your cries and rushed over just in time—you were almost completely submerged!"
"If it weren’t for Chen Laodaifu’s skill, you’d already be joining your old man in the afterlife!"
"How did you even end up in the water? Was it a fish that dragged you under?"
The villagers chattered over one another, their voices a blur of concern and reproach. Gradually, fragments of memory returned to Lao Zhao. Then, a sudden jolt of panic shot through him.
"Right! The fish! Where’s my Fishing Rod?!"
"Still thinking about that Fishing Rod? When we dragged you out, you were clutching it like a lifeline—we thought it was too much trouble, so we just tossed it by the riverbank," one villager grumbled.
"Ah, you what?!" Lao Zhao’s voice rose in alarm. "You threw it away? Where? Where did you leave it?!"
The villager bristled. "What’s this, Lao Zhao? We risked our lives to save you, and now you don’t even say thank you—instead, you’re blaming us?!"
"Exactly! If we’d known you’d react like this, we should’ve just left you in the river!"
"Ungrateful! After all the effort we put into dragging you out and carrying you here to Chen Laodaifu!"
Others chimed in, their tone sharp with indignation.
"Ah… well… I just… I was just worried about my rod," Lao Zhao stammered, realizing he was in the wrong. "It took me ages to make it… I didn’t mean to offend you. Thank you—really, thank you for saving me."
The villagers, though tough in words, were soft-hearted at heart. Seeing Lao Zhao’s genuine apology, their frowns eased.
"Alright, enough about the rod. Focus on yourself. How did you even end up in the water? I remember you never went near the river before."
"I… I jumped in myself," Lao Zhao muttered, his lips trembling slightly before finally admitting it.
"Jumped in?!" someone gasped in disbelief. "You don’t even know how to swim! How could you possibly jump into the river like that?"
"I didn’t know it was so deep! I thought it was only up to my thighs!" Lao Zhao defended himself.
"But why did you jump in at all?"
"That… that is…" Lao Zhao hesitated, then sighed. "I slipped—my Fishing Rod got yanked into the water by a fish. I panicked and just… jumped in after it."
A quiet figure standing nearby—Lu Qing—gave a silent, knowing nod.
So that’s it.
He’d suspected as much when Wang Da An had recounted the story earlier. In his past life, he’d seen this kind of reckless act too many times. Even he had once done something equally foolish.
But he hadn’t expected Lao Zhao—someone who couldn’t swim—to be so reckless.
"You’re a fool!" The villagers were stunned. "That broken Fishing Rod? It’s worth nothing! Just go chop a bamboo stalk from the hillside and make another one! You nearly died for a piece of wood? Did a pig chew your brain?"
A close friend of Lao Zhao’s snapped at him. "You idiot! You’d risk your life over a fishing rod?"
Lao Zhao fell silent. He couldn’t argue. He didn’t dare say the real reason: it wasn’t just the rod he cared about. That fish—big, powerful, the kind that could pull the rod under with ease—it was the first real catch he’d ever seen. And yesterday, Lu Qing had caught two massive fish. The sight had filled Lao Zhao with envy and longing.
He’d never had a chance like that before. How could he let it go?
But this time, the incident had confirmed it: that spot did hold big fish. Next time, if he was careful, he’d definitely catch one.
Of course, the villagers had no idea. If they did, they’d have given him a whole new lecture—this time with fists.
Just then, Lao Zhao tried to sit up—but his body felt weak, numb. His limbs wouldn’t respond, and his head swam with dizziness.
He panicked. "Laodaifu! What’s wrong with me? I can’t move!"
Chen Laodaifu sighed deeply. "You’ve been submerged too long. Cold has entered your body. You drank foul river water—your spleen and stomach are damaged. You even held your breath for far too long. I managed to purge the toxins and bring you back to consciousness, but your body has already suffered lasting harm."
"What do I do? Please, help me! Help me!" Lao Zhao cried, his voice cracking with fear. The thought of catching a big fish had vanished completely.
"Stay calm," Chen Laodaifu said firmly. "I’m a doctor. I’ll treat you. But you’re no longer young. Recovery won’t be quick. You must rest quietly for some time."
"Will I be able to walk again?" Lao Zhao asked, eyes wide with hope.
"Of course you’ll walk. How well you recover depends entirely on how carefully you rest," the old doctor replied.
"At least I can walk," Lao Zhao breathed a sigh of relief. He’d truly feared he’d be paralyzed for life.
"Where’s my father?" he suddenly asked.
Just then, a commotion erupted outside the courtyard. A crowd burst through the gate—two young men, a woman, and an elderly woman in the lead, followed by other villagers who’d come upon hearing the news.
"Dad!" The older son rushed to the bedside.
"I heard Da Shan shouting you’d fallen in the river and were being brought here. What happened?"
It turned out Wang Da An and the others had stopped by Lao Zhao’s home on the way to Chen Laodaifu’s, informing the family.
"I’m fine now," Lao Zhao said, looking at his son with guilt in his eyes.
"Fine?!" someone snapped. "Your father went fishing alone, jumped into the river, and nearly drowned—"
The story was then retold in full.
As soon as the words were spoken, Lao Zhao’s wife—his old wife—burst into tears and began screaming.
"You cursed fool! I told you not to go fishing! You knew you couldn’t swim! Why go near the river? Why throw yourself in? Do you want me to follow you to the grave?!"
Zhao Ming’s expression darkened. As a son, he couldn’t scold his father outright—but he couldn’t stay silent either.
"Dad, maybe we should stop fishing. We don’t need fish. We have enough food. Why risk your life for it?"
The younger son added, "Yeah, Dad. If you want anything, just tell us. No matter how hard it is, I’ll get it for you. Don’t do something this dangerous again."
Lao Zhao, flushed with shame, could only nod. "Fine… I won’t go fishing again. Ever."
"Good," a villager said with a smirk. "Even if he wanted to, he won’t be able to. Chen Laodaifu said the cold water left lasting damage. If he doesn’t rest properly, he might not even walk again."
"What?!" The whole family froze in horror.
(End of Chapter)
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