Chapter 17: Mother

“Are you hungry?” Su Xiaoxiao asked.

The three little fellows were too excited to go out this morning and did not eat properly at home. They only wanted to come out and play.

The three of them nodded.

Su Xiaoxiao remembered that there was a stall selling dumplings and glutinous rice balls nearby. The couple had been doing this for many years and it had always tasted good. Moreover, it was in the same direction as the clinic.

Su Xiaoxiao brought the three little ones to the stall.

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After breakfast, there were no more customers. The boss was not around, and the lady boss was standing behind the stall wrapping dumplings. There was also a seven-year-old girl helping to pluck vegetables.

She was the first to see the guest. She tugged at the landlady’s clothes. “Mom, there’s a guest.”

The lady boss recognized Su Xiaoxiao. After all, there weren’t many customers who were so fat. She could remember her for a long time.

“Miss, would you have two bowls of rice wine glutinous rice balls and a bowl of spicy soup dumplings today?” she asked pleasantly.

The main dish was huge. She could eat three bowls at a time, and both bowls were sweet. It was no wonder she was fat.

In order to lose weight, Su Xiaoxiao decided to resist the urge to eat. She asked the three little ones, “Do you want to eat dumplings or glutinous rice balls?”

The three of them said nothing.

The lady boss looked down and realized that there were three little balls beside the fat girl.

The little balls were adorable. Their faces were red like three lucky dolls who had walked out of a New Year painting.

The lady boss had never seen such beautiful children and could not help but ask, “Miss, they are…”

Su Xiaoxiao looked at the little girl who was leaning against the lady boss and then at the three envious children. She said seriously, “My sons.”

The three little ones were stunned.

The lady boss was also stunned.

Su Xiaoxiao was too young to be the mother of three children. However, in this chaotic world, there were girls who had married long ago.

The lady boss smiled and said, “Three sons. How lucky.”

Su Xiaoxiao smiled.

Su Xiaoxiao asked the three of them again, “Dumplings, glutinous rice balls, which one do you want to eat?”

The three little ones only said, “Mom.”

She knew this would happen.

Su Xiaoxiao coughed and replied vaguely, “Yes, what do you want to eat?”

The three little eyes were bright.

Su Xiaoxiao turned her face away and muttered softly, “Don’t look at me like that. It’s my first time being a mother… I might not be able to do it well…”

“Eat.”

One of the little beans pointed at the dumplings.

Su Xiaoxiao was surprised. Did he say the second word so quickly?

There was one spiral on his forehead. It was Dahu.

The one with a white headband was Erhu, and the one with a blue headband was Xiaohu.

Er Hu and Xiao Hu asked for glutinous rice balls.

The four of them sat down around the small table and the steaming dumplings and glutinous rice balls were served.

“Mother, eat,” the three of them said.

Su Xiaoxiao said, “You guys eat. I’m not hungry. Be careful.”

The three of them faced the bowl and took small breaths.

Su Xiaoxiao suddenly looked at the three of them and said, “Do you… know your names?”

She wanted to know their real names.

The three of them tilted their heads and thought for a moment before nodding.

Su Xiaoxiao’s eyes lit up. “Then what are your names?”

The three of them held their small chests.

“Dahu.”

“Erhu.”

“Xiaohu.”

Su Xiaoxiao was speechless.

—

After the three of them were full, Su Xiaoxiao brought them to the medical center in town.

The fight yesterday occurred in the back alley, away from the staff of the medical center, so no one knew her.

In order to stabilize Old Father Su’s injuries, acupuncture and herbs were indispensable.

“I want a set of silver needles. Also.” She paused and listed a dozen herbs in one go.

The shopkeeper calculated the amount for her. It was five taels.

After the first purchase, she only had two taels of silver left.

“Can it be cheaper?” Su Xiaoxiao asked.

The shopkeeper smiled faintly. “How much do you want to give?”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “I only have two taels of silver in my hand. If you’re willing… I can exchange my medicine for it to fill the difference.”

The shopkeeper laughed angrily.

How arrogant of a village girl!

She wanted to barter her medicine in exchange.

What medicine? Was it a rotten herb from the countryside?

What did she think of Rongen Hall?

“Rongen Hall is the largest medical center in town. What good medicine do you have? Why would we want something from a village girl? What can you offer!”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “My medicine is very good.”

The shopkeeper mocked, “I think you’re here to cheat me of my medicine. I’ve seen many people like you! Hurry up and leave! Otherwise, I’ll report you to the authorities!”

In the room on the second floor, the young man in embroidered clothes sat on a chair. A doctor from the medical center was checking his left arm.

“The dislocated area is well connected. There won’t be any repercussions.”

The young man in embroidered clothes raised his hand, and the doctor tactfully left.

The guard standing by the window suddenly said, “Young Master, look! It’s that girl from just now!”

The young man turned to look. “It’s her.”

It was just that there were three children beside her.

As the guard gestured, he asked strangely, “Young Master, did she really… reattach your arm just now?”

When Young Master hit the horse, he was in the crowd opposite and did not see it clearly.

The young man in the brocade robe grunted.

The guard said, “Look at her clothes. She’s clearly a village girl. Why does she know this? Could it be that she knows medicine too? Let’s invite her to treat Young Master!”

The young man was silent.

She should know medical skills to reconnect dislocated arms and save a choking child.

But… healing his cousin.

“Cousin’s identity is special. It’s best not to approach someone of unknown origin. It’s better to wait for Doctor Dong of the medical center.”

Doctor Dong had been practicing medicine for many years and was the best candidate to treat his cousin.

—

After Su Xiaoxiao came out of the medical center, she planned to take a look elsewhere. After taking a few steps, she was stopped by a man in his fifties.

The other party’s clothes were no different from ordinary people’s, except that there was a medicinal gourd hanging on his waist.

He was a physician.

The physician smiled and cupped his hands at Su Xiaoxiao, stating his intentions.

Su Xiaoxiao nodded. “So you were in Jin Ji back then… Are you asking me how I saved that child?”

The doctor smiled awkwardly. “I hope you can enlighten me.”

Su Xiaoxiao waved her hand. “Hey, you’re too polite. What guidance? If you want to know, I’ll tell you.”

“Really?” The doctor could not believe that the other party had agreed so easily. This was different from what he had expected!

“You’re a physician, right?” Su Xiaoxiao took out a small porcelain bottle from the basket and smiled. “I have a bottle of golden sore medicine here. Do you want it? I can sell it to you at a cheap price.”

The doctor looked at the small porcelain bottle she took out and asked resentfully, “If I don’t buy your medicine, will you teach me how to save someone from choking?”

“Yes,” Su Xiaoxiao said without thinking. “But aren’t you embarrassed to freeload?”

The doctor was speechless.

The doctor’s lips twitched. He asked with a fake smile, “How much for a bottle?”

Su Xiaoxiao extended her hand. “Since we’re in the same industry, I’ll sell it to you for five taels of silver!”

The doctor was shocked. “Five taels?! Why don’t you rob!”

Su Xiaoxiao looked at the sky and shrugged helplessly. “Then let the other clinics freeload.”

The doctor was speechless again.