Chapter 34.1
“The drawer handle is loose.” Lu Yao pushed the stool aside and squatted behind the counter, busy working.
There was an abacus on the counter. Yu Le’s hands itched, and he fiddled with the beads, making them clack, “You can even do this?”
Lu Yao: “This is simpler than fixing locks.”
Yu Le stared for a while and suddenly had a thought, “Hey, Lu Yao, what kind of soldier were you in the army?”
Lu Yao paused his actions and responded vaguely, “Why do you ask?”
Yu Le sighed: “You’re so versatile. What kind of soldier could train someone as capable as you?”
Lu Yao, smiled, “These are just everyday skills that all soldiers need. It doesn’t matter what type of soldier they are.”
Yu Le: “Really? So, how many years did you serve?”
Lu Yao: “Seven years.”
Yu Le: “That long?”
Lu Yao: “Not long.”
Yu Le: “Then why did you retire?”
Lu Yao didn’t answer this question. He placed the old handle he had taken off on the counter. “Throw it in the trash can.”
The trash can was on the right side of the counter. Yu Le flicked it with his fingertip, and it landed perfectly in the can.
Next to the low table was Grandpa Lu’s bamboo basket, which was now empty. Xiao Song had done most of the selling, carrying the bamboo crafts to the ice jelly stand every day and promoting them vigorously.
Yu Le wanted to ask if they needed to restock, but coincidentally, Lu Qin came over with a new basket of various handmade trinkets.
When Lu Yao saw the items, his first question was, “Did your grandfather make these?”
“No.” Lu Qin scratched his head, “I made them. They aren’t as good-looking as what my grandfather makes. Mainly, my grandmother has been feeling under the weather these days and doesn’t want to go out. My grandfather has to stay by her side to take care of her.”
Actually, Grandpa Lu was getting old, and this kind of bedside care should have fallen to Lu Qin. However, Grandma Lu couldn’t bear to be apart from Grandpa Lu, and she would get anxious if she didn’t see him for even a moment.
Lu Yao asked another question, “Is it a cold or heatstroke?”
“Cold,” Lu Qin confirmed, “It should be wind-heat, but don’t worry. Besides some dizziness and coughing, there aren’t other symptoms.”
Old people are most afraid of illness and falling. A small problem can quickly become a big one if not attended to, and regret comes too late.
Lu Yao was concerned. When Lu Qin left, he took Yu Le with him to visit.
The interior structure of old-style wooden houses is similar. Like Lu Yao’s inn, you have to go through the yard to get upstairs.
Yu Le and Lu Yao followed Lu Qin upstairs to the room where the elderly were staying. The room was not very cluttered but was clean and tidy. The windows facing the street were open to let in fresh air.
The bed was an old wooden one with a white mosquito net, giving the room and its furnishings a unique sense of nostalgia.
Grandma Lu was lying on the bed with her eyes gently closed, while Grandpa Lu sat on a small stool by the bed, holding his withered hands tightly together.
Lu Yao approached the bed and whispered, “Grandpa Lu.”
Grandpa Lu, who had been dozing, opened his eyes upon hearing the voice, “Oh, Little Lu, you’re here.”
After saying this, he realized something and turned to look for Lu Qin, disapprovingly saying, “Ah Qin, why did you bring Little Lu up here? Your grandmother is sick; we shouldn’t let others catch the illness.”
“It’s okay. I heard that Grandma Lu was ill and came to check on her,” Lu Yao said, giving Yu Le’s hand a reassuring squeeze and indicating for him to stay put. He then stepped closer, “Are you sure it’s just a cold?”
Grandpa Lu: “Yes, a cold. She coughs from time to time and feels a bit dazed.”
Lu Yao bent over to observe Grandma Lu’s complexion, “Does she have a fever?”
Lu Qin shook his head, “No.”
Grandpa Lu corrected him, “She had a slight fever last night when I checked, but it was better in the morning.”
Lu Yao thought for a moment and straightened up, “My suggestion is to go to the hospital for a check-up—”
“I’m not going,” Grandma Lu’s sensitivity to the word “hospital” made her open her eyes and grip Grandpa Lu’s hand, “No, Ah Xi, not to the hospital.”
“Alright, alright.” Grandpa Lu hurriedly reassured her, “No hospital, no hospital.”
After Grandma Lu was finally calmed down and her eyes closed again, Lu Yao gave Lu Qin a meaningful glance before they left the room and came to the hallway.
“What’s up, Brother Lu?”
Lu Qin had been uneasy since Lu Yao suggested going to the hospital, “Isn’t my grandmother’s illness just a cold?”
“I’m not a doctor, so I can’t say for sure,” Lu Yao replied, “But elderly people need to be more careful with illnesses. Their resistance is weaker, and complications can arise easily.”
Lu Qin was also worried, “But my grandmother refuses to go to the hospital. I don’t know why; she’s terrified of hospitals and can’t even stand the thought.”
“Don’t rush,” Lu Yao said, “Observe for one more night and see how things look tomorrow.”
Lu Qin nodded with a distressed expression, as he had no other options.
“Thank you for coming to see my grandmother. Sorry for taking up your time.”
“It’s no trouble. It’s the least we could do.”
After leaving Lu Qin’s house, Yu Le, who had been holding his questions, finally dared to ask: “Is Grandma Lu’s condition a bit serious?”
Lu Yao: “I’m not sure, but based on the recurring fever and her overall appearance and condition, I think it might not be just a simple cold.”
Yu Le felt anxious. The environment on the mountain was good, but transportation and infrastructure were major drawbacks.
“Don’t worry too much,” Lu Yao said, seeing Yu Le’s worried face. He pinched his cheek. “It’s also possible that I’m mistaken. It might just be an ordinary cold.”
Yu Le: “If we go to the hospital, should we go to the one I visited last time?”
It’s not that hospitals in the mountains are bad, but the medical equipment is often insufficient, possibly unable to perform a comprehensive check-up.
“If that place can’t diagnose it, we’ll take them to Xuan City,” Lu Yao reassured him, “Don’t worry too much. I’ll be here for everything.”
Having more people is always more interesting. Su Hui stayed at the inn until the evening. A whole day was enough for her to get familiar with everyone at the inn.
Everyone was fine, but she couldn’t understand why the boy named Zhou Fei was always so odd, talking abruptly, sometimes being chatty, and at other times remaining as quiet as a chicken for an entire afternoon.
It was peculiar, but also quite amusing.
Dinner was eaten late. After cleaning up the kitchen, it was getting dark.
As Su Hui was about to say goodbye and head back, Wen Yuan came over holding a checkers set, saying that the night was beautiful, and it would be a waste not to play a few games.
“How long did you nap during the day?” Lu Yao asked casually while tidying up things under the eaves.
“Not much, just three or four hours… Oh!”
Wen Yuan admitted, “Fine, I admit it. I slept too long during the day and can’t sleep at night. Detective Lu, please don’t expose me next time.”
Lu Yao: “Hmm, I’ll try it next time.”
Wen Yuan rolled his eyes.
Checkers, which Yu Le had never seen a month ago, had now become something he was quite skilled at, thanks to Xiao Song and Lu Yao’s training. He might not be an expert, but he was definitely proficient.
He even took on the honorable task of teaching Su Hui, a complete novice.
Zhou Fei, unwilling to watch them silently, went upstairs without saying a word. Interestingly, Chen Fa also went upstairs, despite Wang Wenyan having left.
Downstairs, only Lu Yao, Yu Le, Su Hui, Wang Wenyuan, and Wen Yuan remained, exactly six people.
The evening breeze was cool, with the cicadas’ noisy chirping gone. The fragrance of the locust flowers was carried to everyone’s noses, creating a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere.
Lu Yao turned on the lights in the yard. A few of them gathered under the tree to play a few rounds. Wen Yuan, who started first, succumbed to his craving and was the first to withdraw, heading to the kitchen to cut a plate of watermelon and wash some lychees, eating and watching them play.
Da Huang also came, sitting on the big stone, resting with his paws tucked under him and his tail wagging.
Yu Le moved a small stool over and sat by the stone, with Da Huang occasionally brushing his shoulder with its tail on one side and Lu Yao on the other.
The wind gently swept through in waves, Su Hui brushed the flowers that had fallen on her head and sniffed them. “It smells so good.”
The air was filled with the scent of flowers. Su Hui took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and sighed, “Living here is so comfortable. What should I do? I don’t want to leave.”
Wen Yuan: “Don’t say that. People who just arrive always say that, but after a while, you get used to it, and it feels just average. After all, many basic facilities are lacking; there are no shopping malls or cinemas, and you can’t even buy a pretty dress.”
Su Hui blinked. “I can buy a nice dress and come back.”
