Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Ding Family Siblings
272 Ding Family siblings
"Although it can be used as a ’food’ to stave off hunger for refugees, our bodies simply cannot digest and absorb it once we eat it."
"Moreover, the intolerable side effects mean that what cannot be absorbed also cannot be expelled from the body. This leads to unbearable bloating and starvation, ultimately causing one to die from overeating."
After Zhao Zhitong finished speaking, Sun Daqing and his friends were left gobsmacked.
A moment later, Sun Daqing and Sun Daji couldn’t help but express their admiration, "Little cousin, you know so much!"
Sun Youwei took the opportunity to chime in, "It’s because your little cousin loves to read books. The more you read, the more knowledgeable and well-cultured you become. Unlike you guys, a bunch of naughty monkeys who never read, that’s why you don’t know anything."
As he spoke, he also patted Sun Daji’s forehead.
Sun Daji clutched his head, feeling wronged and muttering in his mind, You didn’t know either.
Seeing his older brother get slapped on the head, Sun Daqing subconsciously covered his own head and chuckled, "From now on, we’ll definitely read more books, HEH HEH."
The other young ones nodded their heads in agreement.
Sun Youwei didn’t really believe that these rascals would actually read any books. He then looked at Zhao Zhitong with pride. Their family’s only capable child is her, he thought.
At this time, the medicine prepared by Sun Xiaoyu and Sun Xiaoxue was ready. They went to the kitchen to get a bowl and, after filling it with the medicine, brought it over.
"Little cousin, the medicine is ready," they said, about to hand it to Zhao Zhitong.
"Let me, so you don’t get burned." Sun Youwei quickly stepped forward, took the bowl, and spooned the medicine into the young beggar’s mouth one spoonful at a time.
After finishing the bowl, the young beggar slowly woke up. When he opened his eyes and saw a few unfamiliar faces, he couldn’t help but feel slightly confused.
"You all..."
Sun Daqing excitedly rushed forward and said, "You’re finally awake! My little cousin saved you! If not, you would have been killed by the Guan Yin Soil."
Following Sun Daqing’s gesture, the beggar saw a girl around eight or nine years old wearing a red embroidered satin blouse and a white skirt underneath.
She gave him a bright smile, as radiant as the sun, pure and beautiful. It made him, covered in filth, feel ashamed of his appearance.
After a long pause, he finally reacted, struggling to stand up from the ground and courteously bowed to Zhao Zhitong, "My name is Ding Chenguang. Thank you, young lady, for saving me. I am eternally grateful but have nothing to offer in return."
Sun Daqing grinned foolishly and waved his hand, "No problem, no problem. My little cousin is a physician. Our grandfather always says, ’A doctor’s heart should be concerned with the joys and sorrows of a thousand families, and caring for the people with warmth and compassion.’ Healing and saving lives is a doctor’s duty."
After completing his recital, Sun Daqing looked at Zhao Zhitong with a smug expression, as if seeking her praise, "Isn’t that right, little cousin?"
Sun Youwei slapped him and pushed him aside, "You sure know a lot; you remember these words clearly enough."
Sun Daqing held his head and cried out, "Of course! Grandpa always says this. It’s hard not to remember."
Zhao Zhitong glanced at her second cousin and smiled, then told Ding Chenguang, "My cousin is right. No need to thank me; it was just a small act of kindness."
"Yes, yes." However, Ding Chenguang insisted on being polite, "I will never forget your kindness in saving my life!"
At this moment, Sun Youwei asked, "My friend, judging by your behavior, you don’t seem like an ordinary person. How did you fall to such a low state that you had to eat Guan Yin Soil to survive?"
Ding Chenguang sighed. "It’s a long story."
Sun Xiaoyu and Sun Xiaoxue brewed tea with boiled water and placed it on the stone table in the courtyard. Sun Youwei then invited him to sit down.
Only then did he begin to recount his story.
As it turned out, his hometown was Bozhou Lixin County. Although not wealthy, his family was well-fed and clothed, living a happy and fulfilling life together.
Since childhood, he studied and read books. Now, at the age of majority, he had already been named a scholar. His family had high hopes for him to achieve great success and bring honor to their ancestors.
However, destiny didn’t favor him. Last year, in the middle of the year, the village was raided by bandits. His parents were killed, and all the money and food in the house were looted. Only he and his ten-year-old younger sister escaped calamity by hiding in the cellar.
Having no choice, he had to take his young sister, leave their hometown, and beg along the way until they arrived in Anyang County.
And that’s how today’s incident occurred.
Speaking of his younger sister, Ding Chenguang stood up again and bowed to Zhao Zhitong. "I apologize for being abrupt, but I beg you, young lady, to save my poor younger sister. She, too, has consumed Guan Yin Soil."
Zhao Zhitong asked, "Where is your younger sister?"
Ding Chenguang replied, "My younger sister is in a ruined temple east of the city. She’s probably still waiting for me to bring back food I’ve begged for. I am useless as an older brother."
At these words, Ding Chenguang seemed somewhat disheartened.
Zhao Zhitong didn’t comfort him, only saying, "Take me to find your younger sister then."
Hearing Zhao Zhitong’s agreement, Ding Chenguang’s face filled with gratitude. "Thank you so much."
Then he said, "There’s no need for you to trouble yourself by going to the ruined temple. I’ll go and bring my younger sister here."
As he was about to leave, Sun Youwei, seeing his thin and frail figure, asked Sun Daji to go with him.
In no time, the two returned, with Ding Chenguang carrying a frail young girl on his back.
He put the young girl down. Zhao Zhitong, looking past the dirt on her face, could roughly make out the girl’s features.
She and Ding Chenguang had some resemblance, particularly the pair of phoenix eyes they both shared.
The young girl was also extremely weak and emaciated, but still conscious, although she could barely stand.
Zhao Zhitong walked forward, squatted down, and examined the little girl.
The little girl hadn’t consumed much Guan Yin Soil. Her current weakness was mostly due to prolonged hunger; she was already experiencing low blood sugar.
After the examination, Zhao Zhitong prescribed medicine to induce vomiting, allowing her to expel the Guan Yin Soil in her stomach.
Afterward, she gave her a bowl of sugar water to drink.
Zhao Zhitong said, "Alright. She’ll be fine after she takes the decocted medicine and gets some good rest."
"That’s wonderful! Thank you, young lady, for saving me and my sister," Ding Chenguang expressed his gratitude once again.
Zhao Zhitong didn’t think much of it. As a physician, she couldn’t just turn her back on those in need.
So she spread her little hands and smiled, "Mr. Ding, you’ve thanked me seven or eight times already."
Ding Chenguang smiled sheepishly. "It’s mainly because I have nothing to my name right now and truly don’t know how to properly express my gratitude for your lifesaving grace."
He then cupped his hands, bowed deeply, and said, "Great kindness cannot be repaid with mere thanks. I will always remember this favor from you, young lady."
These were again words of heartfelt appreciation. Afterward, Sun Youwei inquired about his future plans.
Ding Chenguang sighed and said, "I’ve been studying since I was a child, aspiring to cultivate myself, manage my family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world. After ten years of arduous study, I only hope that one day I can enter the high halls of government, realize my ambitions, and serve the people."
"Therefore, I plan to go to the capital to take the imperial examination and seek a future for myself."
As he spoke these words, Ding Chenguang unconsciously straightened his posture, his conviction seemingly coming from deep within his heart.
Sun Youwei wasn’t much of a scholar, but his admiration for them was deeply ingrained.
After all, in his mind, the saying always held true: "All pursuits are lowly, only studying is noble."
After listening to Ding Chenguang’s speech, Sun Youwei repeatedly said, "Good! Good! Good!"
Then, as the conversation turned to the travel expenses for going to the capital for the examination, Sun Youwei glanced at Zhao Zhitong and said, "You’re a scholar. As for the travel expenses, we’ll help you figure something out. How much do you need?"