"Go to sleep." Jie Jingchen didn’t offer any more explanation, simply rolling over onto his side.
Qin i didn’t think much of it, closing her eyes to sleep.
The next day, Qin i was up early, decocting dicine in the kitchen for Jie Jingchen and Jie Jingshan. She didn’t know how to start the fire, so Jie Jingchen had done it for her; her only job was to watch it.
Those with jobs went to work and those with classes went to school. Even Jie Jingjue had left for work. Shen Qing, however, hadn’t gone in and now ca into the kitchen.
"Fourth Sister-in-law," Shen Qing called out.
Qin i froze, surprised to see Shen Qing still at ho. "Third Sister-in-law."
"Jing Si said Jing Qi needs to have her dicinal bath today, so I took a half-day off," Shen Qing said, her tone neither warm nor cold.
"She needs acupuncture in addition to the dicinal bath," Qin i said.
Shen Qing arched an eyebrow, her voice cool. "Doesn’t she get acupuncture every day?"
Qin i hesitated for a mont, looking at Shen Qing before saying, "She does get it every day. But today is different. It’s going to hurt."
’I forgot to tell my mother-in-law last night,’ she thought. ’I was going to tell her this morning, but she left for work before I even got up. That patient from yesterday must be soone important.’
Shen Qing didn’t ask any more questions, simply doing whatever Qin i told her to do.
The water in the pot ca to a boil. Qin i added more dicinal herbs and let them simr for about ten minutes. Then, the water was ladled into a bucket, and Shen Qing carried it to Jie Jingshan’s room.
Once the first batch of dicine was ready, Qin i poured it into a bowl, added two more bowls of water to the pot to continue brewing, and called out loudly, "Jie Jingchen!"
Jie Jingchen was outside directing the construction crew. When he heard Qin i call his na, he ca into the kitchen.
"Ti for your dicine." Qin i handed him the bowl.
Jie Jingchen took the bowl, tilted his head back, and downed it in one gulp. He set the empty bowl down and turned to leave.
Qin i carried a bowl of dicine to Jie Jingshan’s room. "Jing Qi, drink your dicine first."
Jie Jingshan took it, asking in confusion, "Fourth Sister-in-law, aren’t I supposed to take the dicinal bath first and then drink the dicine?"
"Today’s different." Qin i dipped her hand into the bath to test the water. It was scalding. She tossed another herbal packet into the tub. Noticing Jie Jingshan staring blankly at the bowl of dicine, she said, "Jing Qi, you’re so strong. You can do this."
Jie Jingshan looked up at Qin i and tried to offer a reassuring smile, but what ca out was a grimace uglier than a sob.
Having already experienced the agony, this ti she truly didn’t have the courage to say the words, ’I’m not afraid of the pain.’
"Jing Qi, this is the second ti, and it’s also the last ti. After today, you’ll be able to try moving a little," Qin i said encouragingly.
Jie Jingshan summoned her courage, took a deep breath, and drank every last drop of the dicine. "I’m ready, Fourth Sister-in-law."
"Amazing." Qin i gave Jing Qi a thumbs-up.
"So after today, Jing Qi’s legs will be cured?" Shen Qing asked, a hint of excitent in her voice. She looked down at Jing Qi’s legs, finding it all incredible.
"Not that fast. She’ll just be able to move them," Qin i said. Thinking of the dicine still simring on the small stove, she grabbed the empty bowl and ran to the kitchen. She returned a mont later.
Together, she and Shen Qing managed to get Jing Qi into the bathtub. Qin i asked Shen Qing to keep an eye on Jing Qi while she went back to the kitchen.
Timing it just right, Qin i returned to Jing Qi’s room, closing the door and bolting it. The two won worked together to move Jing Qi onto the bed. Shen Qing started to help Jing Qi dress, but Qin i stopped her as she reached for her pants.
Qin i found a bedsheet and had Shen Qing tear it into strips. Though Shen Qing didn’t understand, she did as she was told without question. It wasn’t until she saw Qin i using the cloth strips to bind Jie Jingshan that she couldn’t hold her tongue any longer.
Shen Qing’s brow twitched, a sharp light hidden in her eyes. "Is all this really necessary?"
"Third Sister-in-law, I know your heart aches for Jing Qi, but please believe , this is absolutely necessary." Qin i didn’t stop what she was doing.
"Third Sister-in-law, don’t worry. Fourth Sister-in-law would never hurt ." Jie Jingshan’s trust in Qin i was absolute. Lying on the bed, she obediently allowed Qin i to bind her. The last ti, she had endured the excruciating pain through sheer willpower alone. This ti, she had no such confidence and was willing to be restrained.
Qin i felt a wave of relief. This kind of trust—placing one’s life in another’s hands—was imnse pressure, but also deeply comforting. She not only bound Jie Jingshan’s upper body but also secured her to the bed itself. Then, she placed a towel in Jing Shan’s mouth. Last ti, it had been a rolling pin, but it was too hard; Qin i had been worried about her breaking a tooth. This ti, she used a towel.
Shen Qing pressed her lips together and said nothing, taking a step back. A flicker of pity crossed her cool gaze.
"Jing Qi, I’m starting the needles now." Qin i gave Jie Jingshan a few seconds to brace herself. At a signal from Jie Jingshan’s eyes, Qin i inserted the first needle.
A muffled groan of pain escaped from between Jie Jingshan’s towel-clenched teeth. Standing to the side, Shen Qing could almost physically feel Jie Jingshan’s agony.
’She’s not afraid of pain,’ Shen Qing knew. ’For her to be in this much agony from just the first needle... how excruciating must it be!’
Qin i’s expression was one of intense concentration. No matter what agony Jing Qi was enduring, the hand placing the needles moved without the slightest hesitation.
Seeing Jing Qi tornted by the excruciating pain, Shen Qing was deeply moved. She sat on the edge of the bed, wiping the sweat from Jing Qi’s brow. With every needle Qin i placed, the pain intensified. While her legs remained immobile, Jing Qi’s bound upper body began to tremble uncontrollably.
Shen Qing’s heart ached. Her eyes reddened as she gripped Jing Qi’s hand.
Jing Qi latched onto Shen Qing’s hand, gripping it like a lifeline. She squeezed with all her might, her nails digging into Shen Qing’s flesh. Shen Qing didn’t cry out, nor did she pull her hand away.
The muffled cries of pain were audible even to the workn in the back, who all turned to look at Jie Jingchen.
"Jing Si," one of the workn finally ventured. "Aren’t you going to go check on her?"
"It’s fine. My wife is treating Jing Qi’s legs," Jie Jingchen said, appearing perfectly composed. His deep voice betrayed no emotion, but the hand holding the architectural drawings trembled slightly.
’Jing Qi made it through last ti,’ he thought. ’She can make it through this ti, too.’
’Healing her legs was never going to be easy. There’s no success without sacrifice.’
The workn said no more. Everyone in the neighborhood knew that the Fourth Wife of Jing was treating Jing Qi’s legs. So people were even placing bets on it—so betting she could cure them, others betting she couldn’t.
"Master Li, you all carry on. I’m going to boil so water for you." Jie Jingchen turned and walked away before he even finished speaking.
"He’s not going to boil us water. He’s obviously worried about his sister," Master Liu remarked, glancing at his own full water canteen. He hadn’t even had a single sip.
"The Jie Family isn’t short on money. Over the years, trying to cure Jing Qi’s legs, what thod haven’t they tried? What folk redy haven’t they used? Nothing has had the slightest effect," Master Li sighed.
"The best doctors at the hospital couldn’t do a thing. It’d be a miracle if so young woman who knows a little traditional Chinese dicine could," Master Niu added with a sigh.
"If she were an old, experienced traditional doctor, there might be a sliver of hope. But a young girl? Not a chance." Master Liu, standing behind Jing Qi’s room, pointed to the wall and whispered, "Just listen to that. Does that sound like they’re treating her legs? Sounds more like they’re slaughtering a pig for New Year’s."
"All right, that’s enough talk. Let’s get back to work," Master Li urged.
Jie Jingchen paid them well, so they put their backs into the work.
The weather wasn’t hot, yet Jing Qi was drenched in sweat. Qin i’s back was soaked through, and beads of perspiration dotted Shen Qing’s brow.
Jing Qi endured the agony, her gaze losing focus. Both her will and her body were on the brink of collapse.
"Jing Qi!" Shen Qing saw blood trickle from the corner of Jing Qi’s mouth. Her pupils constricted, her eyes filled with terror, and she cried out in a panic, "Qin i!"
At the sight, Qin i’s heart seized. Her expression froze for an instant before she quickly forced herself to remain composed, though a flicker of unease betrayed her in her eyes.
’I’ve never felt this kind of pain, but I know it’s agonizing, almost beyond what a person can physically endure.’
’If Jing Qi can’t withstand the pain of this treatnt... if she actually dies from the pain... it will be all my fault.’
Outside the door, hearing Shen Qing’s panicked cry, Jie Jingchen could no longer stay calm. A single, cold word escaped his lips: "Qin i."
’The door is bolted.’ He couldn’t get in. He fought to suppress the urge to kick it down.
"Shut up!" Qin i snapped, her eyes flashing with a fierce light. After a mont’s hesitation, the words tumbled out of her in a rush. "I’m already distracted, and now you’re interfering! Jie Jingchen, you need to be perfectly clear about this: if I misplace a single needle, the best-case scenario is that we lose all our progress. The worst-case scenario is that today becos the anniversary of Jing Qi’s death."
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