Uncle Chen had no idea Lin Feng considered him practically a neighbor. As soon as he opened the courtyard gate, he ushered Lin Feng and Xu Lin inside.
The courtyard was kept very clean, with a small vegetable patch enclosed by a fence.
As it was late autumn, nothing much remained in the vegetable patch; only spinach and radishes had yet to wither.
“Old woman, come quick! See who’s here to visit you!”
Uncle Chen pushed open the bedroom door. Inside, Aunt Chen was propped up in bed, receiving an IV drip.
Her face was gaunt and listless, indicating a serious illness.
“Linlin, why are you here?”
Upon seeing Xu Lin, Aunt Chen’s spirits seemed to lift slightly.
“Auntie, please don’t move around too much. Just rest,”
Seeing Aunt Chen’s discomfort, Xu Lin quickly stepped forward and took her hand.
“Alas, your aunt is getting old, her body is failing. Please, sit down.”
Aunt Chen sighed, acknowledging her declining health, and invited Xu Lin to sit beside her.
“Auntie, please don’t say that. Medicine is very advanced now, you’ll be fine.”
“And don’t worry about the treatment costs. I’m here for that.”
Xu Lin reassured her.
“Silly child, I appreciate your kindness, but I have liver cancer, late stage.”
“Your Uncle Chen hates to see me suffer, so he’s been saving up to pay for chemotherapy. But you know how it is, it’s a waste of money and doesn’t really help.”
“I’ve lived this long, I’m not afraid of dying.”
“If it weren’t for worrying about your Uncle Chen being alone, I’d have found a tree and hanged myself to escape this suffering,”
Aunt Chen said, as if joking.
But both Xu Lin and Lin Feng could tell she was serious.
Liver cancer was so agonizing, it made life worse than death. Most people with such a diagnosis would contemplate suicide.
The most critical point was that this cancer was incurable; all that was left was to wait for death.
“What nonsense are you spouting, you old fool?”
“Money can be earned again, but a person, once gone, is truly gone.”
“Don’t worry, we have the money for your treatment. Don’t speak such rubbish again.”
Uncle Chen chided, but his cloudy eyes were a little moist.
He and Aunt Chen had weathered decades of storms together, and had long considered each other the most important person in their lives.
Even if it meant losing everything, he would never stand by and watch Aunt Chen leave.
If that day truly came, he himself had no intention of living on.
Seeing the way the elderly couple cared for each other, Xu Lin felt a pang in her heart.
She suddenly turned her gaze to Lin Feng and asked, “Mr. Lin, do you have a way to treat Auntie’s illness? Even to alleviate some of her pain?”
“I do, but I’ll need quiet. You and Uncle Chen, please step outside. I’ll give Auntie acupuncture.”
Lin Feng spoke, pulling a packet of disposable silver needles from his pocket.
“Will this work? Can acupuncture treat cancer?”
Uncle Chen looked surprised. He had been seeking medical advice for over a year for his wife’s illness, and the only answer he received was chemotherapy.
He had also consulted Chinese medicine practitioners, but none had been effective.
“Yes, Uncle Chen. You can trust me,”
Lin Feng said with a smile, patting Uncle Chen’s hand.
For some reason, Uncle Chen nodded as if compelled. Lin Feng’s gaze inspired a strange sense of trust in him.
“Alright, then we’ll have to trouble you. I’ll go make dinner. Auntie is in your hands now.”
Uncle Chen clasped Lin Feng’s hand, his eyes still glistening.
“Uncle Chen, I’ll help you with the cooking.”
Xu Lin also tactfully left, leaving Lin Feng and Aunt Chen alone for the treatment.
Aunt Chen looked at the unfamiliar young man. Though she didn’t know who Lin Feng was, she quietly cooperated with him.
Lin Feng wasted no time. He guided the needles with his qi, injecting his internal energy into the silver needles, which then emitted a humming sound.
Immediately, he inserted the needles into Aunt Chen’s acupoints.
As the needles were inserted one by one, Aunt Chen distinctly felt her physical pain lessening.
Her gaze towards Lin Feng shifted from initial apprehension to shock.
Outside, Xu Lin helped Uncle Chen with the firewood for cooking, her eyes involuntarily drifting towards Lin Feng and Aunt Chen inside the room.
Her heart was tense, as she prayed for Lin Feng to successfully cure Auntie’s illness.
Even if the chances were slim, she still hoped Lin Feng could achieve it.
“Linlin, this Mr. Lin is an unusual young man. Uncle Chen can feel his extraordinary nature.”
“It’s not easy for you, a child, to be out there working hard all alone. You can’t always be single.”
“Listen to Uncle, and seize the opportunity if you meet a good man.”
“Your aunt and I have relied on each other for half a lifetime. Though we haven’t enjoyed great wealth, we’ve lived a fulfilling and happy life.”
“No matter how much money you earn, you can’t take it with you when you die.”
“Don’t always rush so much. When it’s time to slow down, you should slow down a bit.”
Uncle Chen said earnestly while cooking.
For someone who had experienced life’s hardships, his insights into life were profound.
From the moment Lin Feng and Xu Lin appeared, he felt that the two were well-matched, with a compatible aura.
But knowing Xu Lin, Uncle Chen truly feared she might miss the right person in her life.
“Uncle Chen, I’m quite happy on my own. Lin Feng and I aren’t that close, it’s not what you think,”
Xu Lin explained with a smile.
“Silly child, your aunt and I weren’t close at first either. I think Mr. Lin is a good person. If you trust Uncle, observe him carefully.”
Uncle Chen smiled and said no more, believing that some things are best left hinted at.
Xu Lin fell silent.
About twenty minutes later, Uncle Chen finished preparing the meal.
Xu Lin helped Uncle Chen set the table, waiting for Lin Feng to finish his treatment.
Xu Lin gazed at the closed bedroom door, still feeling uneasy.
Uncle Chen, however, was more composed, saying with a smile, “Silly child, don’t be so nervous. He can’t make it worse if he can’t fix it.”
“Since you’ve chosen to trust him, you must wait unconditionally.”
“Have some hot water. It’s getting cold, don’t catch a chill.”
Uncle Chen knew Xu Lin was worried about his wife and thoughtfully poured her a cup of hot water.
At that moment, the closed bedroom door slowly opened under Xu Lin’s expectant gaze.
Although Uncle Chen claimed to be unconcerned, when the door opened, he was visibly more tense than anyone else, his eyes wide open, almost bulging out.
To the surprise of both Uncle Chen and Xu Lin, when the door opened, Aunt Chen, who had been unable to even get out of bed, walked out with Lin Feng’s support.
Aunt Chen’s complexion had also improved significantly, and she appeared full of energy, as if she had experienced a return of vigor, looking no different from a healthy person.
“Wife, what is this?”
Uncle Chen walked over excitedly and took Aunt Chen from Lin Feng.
“Old man, I feel like my body is full of strength! My body doesn’t hurt anymore, and I feel so comfortable. I think I’m really cured!”
Aunt Chen said, her eyes welling up with tears.
Upon hearing this, Uncle Chen trembled. Under the watchful eyes of Lin Feng and Xu Lin, he hugged Aunt Chen and wept, covering his face.
“Uncle Chen, you should be happy. Your physical ailment is no longer a major issue. You just need to take a few doses of the medicine from the prescription I’ve written for you.”
“Cancer isn’t terrifying. As long as you have a good mindset, everything will be alright.”
Lin Feng said, casually writing a prescription.
“Thank you, thank you so much!”
Uncle Chen grasped the prescription, wiped his tears, and bowed deeply to Lin Feng.
Aunt Chen was also full of gratitude, thanking him repeatedly.
“You’re welcome. It was just a small effort.”
“Today is a good day. Let’s not be so somber. I’m hungry. Why don’t we eat first?”
Lin Feng lightened the mood. Uncle Chen and Aunt Chen quickly brought the dishes to the table.
Xu Lin looked at the nonchalant Lin Feng, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
At that moment, Lin Feng’s image in her heart grew even taller.
Lin Feng also felt Xu Lin’s favorability towards him increase by ten points, reaching sixty.
“Alright, you don’t have to look at me like that. Uncle and Aunt Chen are good people. I helped out because I could, there’s no need for you to look at me like I’m some kind of monster.”
Lin Feng gazed at Xu Lin, speaking casually.
“Yes, no matter what, thank you. Thank you for giving Uncle and Aunt Chen new hope.”
Xu Lin smiled brightly, a slight mist in her beautiful eyes.