Chapter 103: A House Call in the Heavy Snow

Gu Jianing went to open the door and saw that it was a young soldier from the military district’s gate guard.

“Sister-in-law, there’s a boy outside from Kaoshan Village named Qin Tian. He says he has something urgent to discuss with you…” The soldier spoke as soon as he saw her.

Qin Tian? Why is he here?

Qin Tian had come by twice before to deliver medicinal herbs, but after the mountain was sealed off by heavy snow, he hadn’t come again. They had agreed he would wait until spring to return.

If he’s come looking for her now, something must have happened.

Gu Jianing had a good impression of the siblings Qin Tian and Qin Qing, especially Qin Tian. Although he was young, he was clearly more mature and steady than his older sister. With their parents gone and a frail grandmother at home, he had taken on the responsibility of supporting the family at such a young age.

Gu Jianing had always liked children, and she couldn’t help but feel even more compassion for those who were sensible and well-behaved.

“Alright, I’ll go see him.”

Thinking that Qin Tian must have an urgent matter, Gu Jianing decided to meet him.

Back inside, as she was getting dressed, Sheng Zexi, who had just finished washing the dishes, came over to ask what was going on.

Gu Jianing explained the situation to him.

“I’ll go with you,” he said.

“Okay.”

The couple walked over and from a distance saw a small figure standing at the military district gate, peering inside from time to time.

It was snowing heavily today. Sheng Zexi, worried that Gu Jianing would get wet, held an umbrella for her and made sure she was bundled up warmly.

But in the midst of the heavy snow, that small figure stood without an umbrella. As Gu Jianing got closer, she saw that his clothes were thin, his cotton jacket both old and patched in many places.

Snow had almost covered the little boy, and his face was red from the cold.

Gu Jianing frowned and whispered something to Sheng Zexi. He glanced at Qin Tian, handed the umbrella to Gu Jianing, and jogged back inside.

“Sister Gu,”

When Gu Jianing walked up to Qin Tian and held the umbrella over his head, Qin Tian’s eyes immediately reddened and his voice choked up.

“Sister Gu, Grandma is very sick. The doctor said he can’t treat her. Sister Gu, please, I’m begging you, please save my grandma…”

Talking about his grandmother’s illness, Qin Tian sobbed uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face.

Gu Jianing stepped forward and gently hugged him, taking out a handkerchief to wipe his tears. She comforted him, “Don’t cry yet. Tell me exactly what happened. Only if you tell me can I know whether I can help.”

With Gu Jianing’s soothing words, Qin Tian calmed down a bit and explained his grandmother’s situation in detail.

The first time Qin Tian and his sister met Gu Jianing at the market, their grandmother was already ill and coughing constantly.

Later, after selling some herbs, Qin Tian finally had enough money to invite the village barefoot doctor to see his grandmother. After taking medicine, her condition improved.

For a while, his grandmother’s health had been stable.

Before the snow sealed off the mountain, Qin Tian had managed to save some money from selling herbs with Gu Jianing’s help and bought some grain. Though it wasn’t much, if they rationed it carefully, they could make it through the harsh winter.

But a few days ago, his grandmother got up early to cook, stood up too quickly, felt dizzy, and collapsed. It was raining heavily at the time, and the sound of the rain drowned out the noise of her fall. Qin Tian and his sister, sleeping in the next room, didn’t hear anything.

By the time Qin Tian found her, his grandmother had been lying on the ground for almost an hour.

He braved the rain to fetch the doctor. With treatment, his grandmother woke up, but she developed a fever that day.

The doctor said it was due to cold entering her body.

Qin Tian spent almost all their money, staying up for two days and nights before his grandmother’s fever finally subsided.

But after that, she started coughing again…

“…Today, Grandma even coughed up blood. She didn’t want my sister and me to see, but I saw it anyway.”

“The village doctor came and said… said Grandma has consumption. He can’t treat it. Maybe only a big hospital in the city could help. Wu wu… Sister Gu, what is consumption? Is it really that hard to cure…”

Gu Jianing frowned. If it really was consumption (tuberculosis), then in this era, it would indeed be difficult to treat.

Could she cure it?

Gu Jianing thought, if she could bind Grandma Qin as her patient, then have the system analyze the illness, and study the treatment, she should be able to cure it.

Qin Tian and his sister had lost their parents and only had their grandmother. If the old lady passed away, the siblings would be left alone, likely to be bullied to death.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go back with you to take a look,” Gu Jianing agreed.

“Thank you, thank you, Sister Gu.”

At that moment, Sheng Zexi returned, holding a thick cotton jacket.

Gu Jianing took it and, before Qin Tian could react, draped it over his shoulders. Qin Tian froze in surprise. “Sister Gu…”

“It’s so cold, and you’re just a child. You need to dress warmly.”

Qin Tian looked at the brand-new cotton jacket on his shoulders, such a stark contrast to his own thin, patched, gray coat.

He hadn’t expected Sister Gu to have her husband bring him a jacket. Qin Tian was deeply moved, tears welling up again.

“Sister Gu, I can’t accept this.” Though poor, Qin Tian wasn’t the type to take advantage of others.

He tried to take it off, but Gu Jianing stopped him. “Don’t take it off, Qin Tian. Think about it—your grandma is sick. If you get sick too, then your sister will be left to manage everything alone. Do you think she can handle it?”

Qin Tian was stunned.

“So, keep it on.”

Qin Tian understood Gu Jianing’s intentions. His eyes filled with gratitude, and he nodded, silently vowing to remember this kindness.

He would repay Sister Gu, no matter what.

Gu Jianing turned and briefly explained what had happened to Sheng Zexi.

Sheng Zexi frowned slightly, then relaxed. “I’ll go borrow a car and drive you both there.”

He wasn’t too keen on Gu Jianing going out in such cold weather, worried she might catch a chill and get sick—especially since she was pregnant.

But since Ningning had already agreed, and knowing her fondness for the Qin siblings, he couldn’t stop her. At least if he drove, they could avoid the cold and snow.

Gu Jianing looked at Sheng Zexi and softly replied, “Mm.” She knew he was always looking out for her in the little details of life.

To be honest, he was even more considerate than her own parents.

When Sheng Zexi brought the car around, everyone got in. Gu Jianing kept looking at him, her gaze so gentle it seemed to melt.

Sheng Zexi’s ears turned a little red. “Why are you looking at me like that?”"