Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

  “I’ll take you back,” Wang Yao said.

  “No, thanks. I can go back myself.” The old man walked slowly with a stick.

  Wang Yao was worried about him, so he followed the old man until he had arrived at his house The old man’s back looked skinny and weak. He was hunched and shaking. Wang Yao felt sorry for him. The old man’s back was big and strong in his eyes because he was a good father.

  “Where have you been?” Wang Yao heard Wang Zecheng shouting at his father. It was as if he was scolding a naughty child.

  Wang Yao stopped. He wanted to jump over the wall and slap Wang Zecheng’s face. He wanted to question Wang Zecheng about who gave him life and brought him up.

  However, he didn’t do it. He didn’t want to make the old man’s life harder. Wang Yao turned around to walk back. He crossed the stone bridge, walked through the lane, and arrived at home.

  “How come you are back so late?” Zhang Xiuying asked.

  “I just bumped into Uncle Yilong. I took him home,” Wang Yao said.

  “Is he better? I saw him on the street few days ago. He looked really sick. He couldn’t even keep his feet steady,” Zhang Xiuying said.

  “No, his condition is worse,” Wang Yao said.

  “What?” Zhang Xiuying sighed with surprise. Wang Fenghua silently lit a cigarette.

  “I suppose his son hasn’t changed,” Zhang Xiuying said.

  “When I took Uncle Yilong home, I heard him shouting at him like he was a child who made a terrible mistake,” Wang Yao said.

  Meanwhile, Wang Zecheng didn’t feel well.

  “Damn! What’s wrong with my stomach!” Wang Zecheng was on the toilet having a diarrhea. His stomach hurt really bad. It was as if something was stirring inside his stomach.

  What’s wrong with me? I’ve been to the toilet so many times this morning. How come it doesn’t stop by the afternoon.

  Wang Zecheng wiped his bottom and walked out of the bathroom. However, his stomach started to rumble again.

  “Stop it!” He went back to the toilet again.

  He had been to the toilet for more than 10 times in a day. He couldn’t even keep his feet steady. He had to hold onto the wall when walking.

  I have to go to the hospital.

  He spoke briefly to his wife. He then rode his motorbike to the hospital. He was in a hurry. He didn’t want to have a diarrhea on his way to the hospital and soil his pants.

  He didn’t go to Wang Yao’s clinic. He went to the local medical clinic in the village instead. Since Wang Yao had opened a clinic and gained a good reputation, less and less people went to the local medical clinic.

  “Hello, doctor,” Wang Zecheng said.

  “Zecheng, what happened to you? You look so pale,” the local general practitioner said.

  “I have diarrhea. I’ve been to the toilet more than 10 times today,” Wang Zecheng said. Although he was rude to his father, he was quite polite to the other people.

  “It’s that bad? Have you eaten anything you are not supposed to?” the general practitioner asked.

  “No. I just had some noodles in the morning, and some vegetables and a bun for lunch,” Wang Zecheng said.

  “I see. I’ll prescribe you some medication,” the general practitioner said.

  He prescribed some medication to stop the diarrhea and antibiotics. He told Wang Zecheng how to take the medications.

  “Am I going to be OK?” Wang Zecheng asked.

  “Your diarrhea is very serious. I can see you are a bit dehydrated. Take the medication as soon as possible. You’ll be fine as long as you stop having loose bowels. If it doesn’t stop, you have to have an infusion,” the general practitioner said.

  “OK, I see. Thank you,” Wang Zecheng said.

  Wang Zecheng rushed back home. Before he arrived home, he couldn’t control his bowel and soiled his pants.

  “How could you soil your pants as an adult?” His wife complained while washing his pants.

  “Do you think I did this deliberately?” Wang Zecheng grumpily asked.

  His father came out of the room when he heard his son’s voice.

  “Are you still having loose bowels?” the old man asked with a weak voice.

  “I’m fine. Go back to your room,” Wang Zecheng impatiently said.

  “Don’t eat anything you are not supposed to. Have you seen a doctor?” his father asked.

  “Yes. Can you leave me alone?” Wang Zecheng grumpily replied.

  His father sighed and went back to his room.

  “No! I have to go to the toilet!” He put on a pair of clean pants and rushed to the toilet.

  A car arrived in the village at about 3 p.m. It stopped at the west end of the village. A fit and good looking young woman got out of the car and entered Wang Yao’s clinic after knocking on the door.

  “Hello, Dr. Wang, I hope I’m not bothering you,” Chen Ying said with a smile.

  “Of course not. You are welcome here. I don’t have a patient now,” Wang Yao said with a smile. “You don’t need to bring anything when you visit.”


  “It’s just some local food.” Chen Ying put a big bag on the table.

  “Your brother is still at your place?” Wang Yao asked.

  “No, he’s gone back to the institute,” Chen Ying said.

  “Has he had an episode?” Wang Yao asked.

  “No, but I’ve been really busy. I don’t want to leave him alone in the cottage. Plus, it’s not appropriate to hire someone to keep an eye on him. So, I took him back to the institute,” Chen Ying said.

  “I see. I’ll go see him in a few days. I’ll have a good look at him,” Wang Yao said.

  “Really?” Chen Ying actually came to see Wang Yao for her brother, but she didn’t want to make it to obvious. She just wanted to mention it through casual chat. She didn’t expect Wang Yao to bring it up himself. So, she didn’t need to use any of the speech she had prepared.

  “Of course, I also need to see Wu Tongxing’s father,” Wang Yao said.

  Since he had seen those people and started treatment, he would try his best to cure them.

  “Are you in a hurry to return to Beijing?” Wang Yao asked.

  “No. Why do you ask?” Chen Ying asked.

  “I want to brew a decoction for your brother,” Wang Yao said. “Can you can stay in Lianshan for one more night?”


  “OK,” Chen Ying said. That was exactly what she wanted.

  They chatted for a while. Wang Yao asked about Su Xiaoxue’s condition. He was happy for her after knowing she had recovered well.

  Wang Yao had a visitor while he was chatting with Chen Ying.

  The visitor was about 5 feet 9 inches tall and looked strong. However, he was extremely pale and unsteady.

  “Hello, Wang Yao,” the visitor said with a smile. “Sorry to bother you.”


  It was Wang Zecheng. He had bought two medications from the local medical center and took them right away. However, the medications were not effective. Instead, his diarrhea got worse. He initially was going to go back to the local medical center to have an infusion. Eventually, followed his wife’s advice to see Wang Yao.

  “Please take a seat,” Wang Yao said.

  “No, thanks. I’m fine,” Wang Zecheng said.

  “You are not feeling well?” Wang Yao asked.

  “Yes, you are right. I’ve been having bad diarrhea,” Wang Zecheng said.

  “What happened to your forehead?” Wang Yao asked.

  “I fell and bumped into the door frame,” Wang Zecheng said.

  “What about your face?” Wang Yao pointed at his swollen face.

  “I was hit by the wood when splitting the firewood,” Wang Zecheng said.

  Chen Ying was surprised to hear it. What an unlucky guy!

  “Sorry, I can’t help you. The only person who can help you is yourself,” Wang Yao said.

  “What?” Wang Zecheng was surprised. “Myself? How?”


  “You might not like what I’m about to say. This is your karma,” Wang Yao said.

  “What?”


  Not only was Wang Zecheng surprised by his words but also Chen Ying. She knew Wang Yao was angry at Wang Zecheng. She took a glance at the young man in his 30s and wondered what exactly he did to upset a good-tempered Wang Yao.

  “Can you please make it clear?” Wang Zecheng asked.

  “You don’t know what you have done?” Wang Yao asked.

  “What have I done?” Wang Zecheng was confused.

  “I stole a sheep and two chickens, broke a tire and window……” Wang Zecheng mumbled in a very low voice. However, Wang Yao heard his words clearly since his hearing was much better than most people.

  Gosh, what a load of bad things he has done! I didn’t expect that!

  Chen Ying also heard a bit. He must be one of the loafers in the village.

  “Oh, I didn’t expect you’ve done so many bad things,” Wang Yao said with a smile.

  “What?” Wang Zecheng asked with surprise.

  “Think hard. Have you done anything else? You may pass blood later on,” Wang Yao said.

  “Wait, I have to go to the toilet,” Wang Zecheng said.

  “Turn right after you walk out of the door,” Wang Yao said.

  Wang Zecheng ran toward the toilet and squatted down. He look down and was shocked. He was passing blood. He was still in shock after he got out of the toilet. He looked stupid when he walked into the clinical room.

  “Wang Yao, what is wrong with me?” Wang Zecheng asked.

  “It’s karma, since you’ve done so many bad things,” Wang Yao calmly said. “What you said was not important. Think hard about what else you’ve done.”


  “I really can’t think of what else I’ve done,” Wang Zecheng said.

  “Well, in that case, I can’t do anything to help you,” Wang Yao said.