After finishing breakfast, Lin Fan got busy.
He worked all morning before finally having some free time.
"Dr. Lin, here are the chickens you wanted."
A burly man walked in, carrying two old hens.
"Thank you, Brother Zhang," Lin Fan said gratefully.
The two old hens were heavy, weighing at least fifteen or sixteen jin.
He nodded with satisfaction.
"Brother Zhang, how much do I owe you?" Lin Fan asked.
"No, no," Zhang Kui waved his hands repeatedly. "They're from my own farm, no need for money."
"Everyone has to eat to live," Lin Fan walked behind the counter and got some money.
"Dr. Lin, you're insulting me," Zhang Kui said sternly. "Going to a big hospital for my condition would cost tens of thousands, and you only charged me five hundred yuan. What's a few chickens compared to that?"
"I'm leaving. If you like my chickens, I have more at home. I'll raise more next year." With that, Zhang Kui turned and left.
"Brother Zhang..." Lin Fan called out a few times, but couldn't stop him.
"If this continues, I'll soon be seen as someone taking handouts."
Lin Fan really wanted to tell everyone that he was rich, very rich, but he felt that saying so wouldn't change anything. The villagers would still behave as they always did.
Give and take, an inch for a mile.
Lin Fan earned the respect of the villagers with his actions.
"Cluck, cluck." The two old hens, unaware of their impending doom, curiously looked around.
The box containing the蛊 worms (gu worms) swayed from side to side, making rattling noises.
"Cluck, cluck." The two old hens seemed to sense danger, flapping their wings and struggling to escape Lin Fan's grasp.
"It can't be helped, someone has to eat them," Lin Fan walked into the room and opened the box.
Buzz!
The army of gu worms, having been cooped up for too long, flew out like an explosion upon seeing the light, circling around Lin Fan.
With Lin Fan's permission, they eagerly rushed towards the two old hens on the ground.
"Cluck, cluck..."
The chickens' clucks quickly disappeared.
On the ground were two dense black masses; all the gu worms were on the old hens, feasting.
In less than five minutes, nothing remained on the ground but chicken feathers.
The still hungry gu worms were licking the chicken blood on the ground.
If an outsider had witnessed this scene, they would have fainted on the spot.
"Go back!" Lin Fan gestured towards the box.
Buzz, buzz, buzz...
The gu worm army, still unsatisfied, circled Lin Fan once before returning to the box.
"This won't do. People come and go at the clinic, and if someone sees this, it'll be trouble."
Lin Fan sighed and cleaned up the chicken feathers on the ground.
After that, Lin Fan slung his medical bag over his shoulder and left the clinic.
It had been a while since he last visited Jiang Hu Xue.
At half past eleven in the morning, the cafeteria of Hope Primary School was bustling with activity.
The children's mouths were still busy even while they ate.
They gestured and chattered happily with their friends, erupting in joyful laughter from time to time.
Lin Fan, carrying his medicine bag, passed by and glanced behind the serving window.
The person serving food had been replaced by an old auntie, who was sitting on a stool cracking melon seeds.
Lin Fan scanned the area but didn't see Wan Ling.
With so many children, it was normal not to find someone immediately.
Amidst the children's laughter, Lin Fan walked with light steps towards the teachers' dormitory.
Jiang Hu Xue should be in her dormitory at this time.
Lin Fan's thoughts drifted to her intellectual and pure demeanor, and he couldn't help but feel a longing.
"I won't chat with you anymore, I'm going to wash the dishes."
Lin Fan had just reached the door, before he could even knock, the door suddenly opened, and a woman rushed out, bumping into him.
"Ouch!"
The young female teacher looked up and saw a handsome man standing in front of her.
"Are you Dr. Lin from Luofeng Village?"
The teachers at Hope Primary School had a deep impression of Lin Fan.
He had caused quite a stir before by pointing out Director Hu's kidney deficiency.
"Xiao Fan, you're here!" Jiang Hu Xue ran out excitedly, her beautiful eyes sparkling.
"I came to see you," Lin Fan said, then felt a warmth on his instep. Looking down, he saw a rice bowl with hot soup had landed on his foot.
It was the rice bowl that the young female teacher had dropped, and it had landed precisely on his right foot.
"I'll pick it up for you," Lin Fan bent down.
"No, no, I'll do it myself." The female teacher with twin ponytails eagerly moved to pick it up.
Thud!
Their heads collided.
Lin Fan felt nothing.
The young female teacher, however, grimaced, looking on the verge of tears.
"Liu Na, are you alright?" Jiang Hu Xue quickly helped Liu Na up, then shot Lin Fan a playfully chiding look.
Lin Fan inwardly chuckled. She bumped into him herself, why blame me?
"I'm fine," Liu Na shook her head. In reality, she was quite hurt, with a red mark on her forehead from the collision.
Lin Fan gave an awkward smile, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
"It's okay, I'm not that delicate," Liu Na said.
"I have some liniment, it'll be fine after a massage," Lin Fan opened his medicine bag.
"No need," Liu Na waved her hand. "I'll go wash the dishes first, this small injury is nothing."
Just as Lin Fan took out the liniment, he saw Liu Na walking away.
He watched her retreating figure, wondering. This young girl had such a cheerful personality, completely different from Jiang Hu Xue. He hadn't expected the two of them to get along.
"Look at you, causing trouble as soon as you arrive." Jiang Hu Xue rolled her eyes dramatically, but the joy in the depths of her eyes was undeniable.
"I didn't know there was someone else in your dormitory."
The two of them walked into the room and closed the door.
Jiang Hu Xue's pretty face flushed, appearing shy and demure.
"I was on a house call a few days ago and didn't come to see you. I'm sorry." Lin Fan put down his medicine bag and sat on a chair.
"Where did you go for your house call? And for so long?" Jiang Hu Xue pouted playfully, "Did you go abroad? Don't make excuses for yourself."
"How did you know I went abroad?" Lin Fan leaned back on the chair, looking at her with a triumphant air.
Jiang Hu Xue froze, incredulous, "You really went abroad?"
"Of course," Lin Fan took out a small wallet covered in leopard print. "Here, a gift I brought for you."
Jiang Hu Xue took the wallet and examined it repeatedly, touching its unusual texture. "Is it real leopard print!" she exclaimed in surprise.
"What else could it be? Brought it back from Thailand," Lin Fan said earnestly.
Jiang Hu Xue was very pleased but pretended to be angry, pouting, "Hmph, it's not pretty at all. Your taste is bad."
"If you don't like it, then give it back to me. I'll give it to someone else," Lin Fan reached out to take it back.
"You dare!" Jiang Hu Xue quickly hid her hands behind her back, looking adorably like a little woman.
Lin Fan stood up, his gaze intense.
"You, what do you want to do?" Jiang Hu Xue suddenly thought of something, her pretty face instantly flushing to her neck. Like a startled rabbit, she retreated backward.