It is said that a hundred days are required to mend bones and muscles, and this statement is absolutely true. In fact, considering the extent of Liu Xiaoyan's foot injury just now, it would typically take at least ten or eight days of rest to recover properly.
However, after Lin Yu's massage, it miraculously doesn't hurt at all anymore. No wonder Liu Xiaoyan was so surprised by this turn of events.
"A miraculous healer? I've just met an old orthopedic doctor while wandering outside, learned a thing or two from him, just to make it easier for myself in case of accidental injuries. Nowadays, everything is expensive. Can't afford to live; housing prices are soaring, can't afford to die; burial plots are exorbitant. Medical treatment is beyond reach; a thousand for a cold in the hospital. I'm just a penniless guy, so I have to take care of myself when I'm sick. That's self-reliance, self-sufficiency," Lin Yu chuckled.
"Oh, so you've composed a catchy little rhyme, with a harmonious cadence. But be cautious not to grumble too much; we should believe in the government and the party," Liu Xiaoyan teased, amused.
"You, little rascal, are quite witty. Alright then, go back. We'll go out for a meal another day and catch up. But it's on you; I'm genuinely broke now," Lin Yu patted her head playfully.
"Xiaoyan, did I upset you?" Lin Yu was puzzled for a moment when Liu Xiaoyan, without a smile, covered her face and looked at him with a touch of anxiety through her fingers.
"Why would I be upset?" Lin Yu asked, perplexed.
"It's just when I tried to dissuade Grandpa Lin from hitting you earlier. I mentioned that these years haven't been easy for you... Xiaoyan, please don't be angry with me. I didn't mean to look down on you or deliberately say that. I just wanted Grandpa Lin to treat you better and not hit you..." Liu Xiaoyan cautiously explained, her demeanor gentle and submissive, akin to a dutiful young wife trying not to offend her highly patriarchal husband.
"Nonsense, am I that petty? Moreover, it's true that I haven't been doing well recently: no house, no land. I used to be a prodigal, these are all facts. Why would I be upset?" Lin Yu shook his head, smiling, and reached out to pat her head affectionately once more.
"Let me emphasize this once more: stop patting my head. I'm not a child anymore. Hmm, if you're not upset, that's good. I know, Big Brother Yu, you're not that kind of person. Well, I'm off now. I'll treat you to a meal another day, as a welcome gesture," Liu Xiaoyan cheerfully said before swiftly running off.
"Hey, don't run with your face covered. Be careful not to trip again," Lin Yu joked, watching her slender figure disappear into the distance.
"Annoying," Liu Xiaoyan's voice, a mix of teasing and reproach, echoed faintly in the morning breeze, stirring ripples in Lin Yu's heart over and over again.
Stretching lazily and glancing at the sky, he smiled to himself and murmured, "The feeling of coming home is truly wonderful."
Stretching his body, he picked up his worn military shoulder bag and headed upstairs. The prospect of being able to see his affectionate grandmother and spend the rest of his life with her and his grandfather, the only close relatives left, filled him with an indescribable warmth and happiness.
Grandpa Lin's home was on the third floor. Upon arriving at the door, which was slightly ajar, Lin Yu gently pushed it open and called out, "Grandma, it's me, Xiaoyu. I'm back..."
A mix of joy and sorrow resounded from within the house, "Xiaoyu, my dear grandson, you're back, you're finally back! Good child, come over, let Grandma have a look at you."
"I'm here, Grandma." Seeing the familiar furnishings in the room and hearing Grandma's affectionate but sorrowful voice, tears streamed down Lin Yu's eyes. In just three steps, he threw himself onto the bed beside her.
Looking up, he saw Grandma lying on the bed, unable to sit up now. Her eyes were unable to see anything, anxiously searching everywhere but finding nothing.
When she finally held Lin Yu's hand, relief washed over her, and tears clouded her eyes. "Child, my good child, you're finally back. Grandma missed you so much, really missed you... My precious, come here, let Grandma feel you. Oh, you've grown so big already, your parents in heaven must be happy to see how much you've grown..."
Seeing Grandma, who was now blind and bedridden, Lin Yu's heart ached intensely. He held her hand tightly. "Grandma, I'm back. I swear I won't leave again. I'll always stay by your side. I'll cure your illness and make sure you experience the true joy of family. I swear, I swear, I swear..."
Kneeling by the bedside, tears flowed down his cheeks. At that moment, he realized that the closest and dearest people in this world are always the blood relatives connected by flesh and blood.
"Xiaoyu, it's good you're back. Spend some time talking to Grandma; I'll prepare breakfast. What do you want to eat? Grandpa will go buy it for you now." Lin Grandpa's eyes reddened too, but he was tough and hardly ever shed tears.
"No, Grandpa, you stay. From now on, I won't let you serve me. Your grandson has grown up. I'll take care of you both. I want you to enjoy everything that elderly people should have at this age." Lin Yu wiped his tears and stood up. However, Lin Grandpa firmly held him back, saying softly, "Son, spending time talking to your Grandma is the best way to take care of us. Let me go and buy breakfast; consider it my morning exercise. Don't argue with me; accompany this old lady for a while."
Glancing at Grandma with sympathy, Lin Grandpa continued in a whisper, "Since you left, this old lady has been bedridden. She could move a bit a few years back, but in recent years, she can't move at all. And she's also lost her sight. If she hadn't been waiting for you to come back, she might not have made it till now. And thanks to Xiaoyan in these years, if it weren't for her help, I'm afraid I, this old man, would have worn myself out long ago. She's a good girl."
With a nod, "Fine, Grandpa, you go. I'll stay here and keep Grandma company."
As Lin Grandpa left, and Grandma kept speaking emotionally, Lin Yu quietly sat by the bedside, chatting about family matters. Meanwhile, a faint, misty colored light started to shimmer from his hand. It followed the meridians in Grandma's arm and flowed upward throughout her body. At that moment, Grandma was enveloped in a
vibrant, indescribable sacred aura...