Chapter 27: A Stroke of Good Luck, Encountering a Kind Soul

The entire courtyard was instantly drawn to the commotion.

Fang Ning stood up. A young man with an anxious expression stood at the entrance. His eyes were bloodshot, his face drenched in sweat, and his voice was strained to the point of cracking. "Where is Doctor Fang? Where is he?"

"What’s the matter?" Fang Ning asked.

"Please, I beg you, save my son!" The man threw himself to his knees and began kowtowing repeatedly.

Fang Cinian hurried out of the house. "Brother, please get up. What’s going on?"

"My son has had a high fever that won't break. He can't keep anything down. I heard there's a miracle doctor here in Futian Village. Please, save my boy!"

"Where is he?"

"Right outside."

"Bring him in quickly."

The man scrambled up, dashed outside, and returned a moment later carrying a boy of about five. The child’s face was flushed, and his body heat was alarmingly high.

"Bring him inside," Fang Cinian said urgently. "We must bring his fever down immediately. Second brother, go get some hot and cold water!"

"Right away," Fang Wenqin replied, wasting no time.

The child’s parents were frantic with worry. As Fang Cinian began undressing the boy, he spoke to them: "Wait outside. You are in the way here. Don't worry, the child will be fine."

"But shouldn't we keep him bundled to sweat out the fever? Why are you taking his clothes off, Doctor?"

"I'll explain later. Just go outside."

"I know you're worried," Grandmother Fang comforted them, "but trust my son. If he says the child will be fine, he will be. Wait outside and don't disturb him."

The parents cast one last lingering look at their child, then stepped out of the room, tears in their eyes. The once lively courtyard fell silent, everyone fearful that even a whisper might distract Fang Cinian.

Fang Wenqin brought the water. Fang Cinian mixed it to the perfect temperature and began sponging the child down. He repeated this every ten minutes, and after two quarters of an hour, the child’s fever slowly began to subside. By then, Fang Cinian was drenched in sweat. Only then did he proceed to diagnose the boy and write a prescription.

When he finally emerged from the room, the parents rushed to him. "Doctor, how is he?"

"The fever has broken. As long as he takes this medicine regularly, he’ll be back to his energetic self in a few days!"

"Is... is that true? But the other doctors said there was nothing they could do. Even though they prescribed medicine, the fever just wouldn't go down."

"May I see the prescription they gave you?"

The father quickly produced the paper. Fang Cinian frowned as he read it. The previous doctor had misdiagnosed the condition; not only was the medicine ineffective, but it would have actually worsened the boy's state.

"Is there a problem?"

"The prescription is fine for other things, but it wasn't right for your child. It doesn't matter now, though. I've written a new one. Follow this, and the boy will recover quickly."

"Thank you, Doctor!" The couple bowed repeatedly.

"By the way," Fang Cinian added, "if he spikes a fever again tonight, use warm water to wipe his entire body, especially the neck and underarms. If the fever persists, you must bring him back to see me."

"Yes, yes, of course! Doctor, what is the consultation fee?"

"Just pay what you can." Seeing their patched clothes, Fang Cinian knew they were poor and did not try to overcharge them.

The mother had already gone inside to retrieve the boy. The father touched his son's forehead, confirmed the fever had indeed faded, and pulled a small string of coins from his tunic. He looked embarrassed. "Doctor, we... we still need to buy the medicine. Can we pay twenty wen for now? I promise, once I earn more, I will pay the rest."

"Forget it, just go get the medicine for your son first."

"My son! My son!" Just then, an elderly voice called out from the doorway.

The young man beamed. "That's my father! Doctor Fang, we won't have to owe you the fee after all."

An old man entered. "How is my grandson?"

"Father, Doctor Fang is a miracle worker. He’s already brought the fever down."

"Thank heavens! Thank heavens! We’ve had such good luck today to run into such kind people."

Fang Ning looked up at the sound of the voice. *Wait, isn't this the old man who sold us the goslings?*

"Sir, it's you? What a coincidence!" Fang Ning greeted him.

The old man looked over, startled. "Child, you live here?"

"Yes."

"You know each other?" Fang Cinian asked, looking between his daughter and the old man.

Fang Ning laughed. "Father, those goslings that keep yelling at you? I bought them from this gentleman!"

Fang Cinian: "..."

*Daughter, could you at least try to save your father's dignity?*

"Father, you sold the goslings?"

"Yes, yes, this kind child bought them." The old man nodded repeatedly and handed the small amount of silver he had received to his son.

The young man pressed the silver into Fang Cinian’s hand. "Doctor Fang, this is all we have. Please, don't refuse it."

"Just buy the medicine for the child first..." Fang Cinian tried to decline. He wasn't a saint, but seeing the family in such dire straits, he couldn't bring himself to take their money.

"I can't do that. If I set a precedent where everyone uses poverty as an excuse to avoid paying, how will your family eat?" the young man insisted.

Fang Cinian looked at Fang Ning. She understood her father’s heart; he was famously soft-hearted.

"You need the money for the medicine, and the child's health is more important. How about this? We’ve never raised geese before. Could you teach us your techniques? We'll consider it payment for the consultation!" Fang Ning suggested. She had raised pigs and dogs, but never geese.

"Fine. Since you asked, I, Old Pan, will take you up on that offer. But when it comes to raising geese, no one in Shichuan Town is better than me!" Old Man Pan agreed immediately. "Shall we go inside to talk?"

"Let's." Fang Ning invited him in.

Old Man Pan wasn't boasting. He shared many tips on raising geese, and as they talked, he began reminiscing about brewing wine. "My family used to make their living from brewing. But when I was young, I brewed a very potent batch. I didn't expect it to cause a death, and I lost everything I had. My wife forbade me from ever brewing again!"

Fang Ning’s eyes lit up. She just so happened to need high-proof alcohol.

"Old Man Pan, if you were to brew that kind of wine now, could you still do it?"

"Why? Do you want to learn?"

"No, no, that's your livelihood. I wouldn't take that from you. If it's possible, I would just like a few jars of that wine."

"I don't brew anymore. If you want some, you'll have to brew it yourself. I don't mind teaching you," Old Man Pan said. "I’ve learned my lesson from that tragedy. Child, I can teach you, but I don't want you selling it, lest you run into trouble."