The next morning.
The streets were bustling with people coming and going.
Yu Xie stepped out of a house, his expression slightly serious.
This morning, he had already visited many places—both public hospitals in Fontaine and private clinics.
You could say that he had visited every notable doctor, famous or obscure, in Fontaine.
But upon hearing Yu Xie describe the symptoms, all the doctors had troubled expressions.
A rare disease, with no known cure.
Would Uncle Callas really only have five years to live?
Yu Xie knew that his own time was even more limited. In times like these, he should probably be more concerned about himself, but he just couldn't put Uncle Callas' matter out of his mind.
Uncle Callas was the first person he had met when his life began.
It was Uncle Callas who had brought him to Poisson Village, where he met Navia and Clorinde.
So, he couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
"Do I have to go to Liyue to find Baizhu?" Yu Xie looked up at the deep blue sky, thinking to himself.
There was still more than enough time to make a trip to Liyue.
"I'll go see him," Yu Xie thought, turning to head back to his residence to pack his things.
Just then, a man with green hair, wearing glasses and with a white snake coiled around his shoulder, brushed past him.
Yu Xie stopped in his tracks and turned around.
Fate was truly a mysterious thing.
"Baizhu!" Yu Xie called out.
The green-haired man stopped and turned towards the voice.
"You know me?"
"I do. Doctor Baizhu, may I speak with you somewhere more private?"
The two made their way to Café Lutece.
Yu Xie sat across from Baizhu, with a cup of the café's newest drink in front of Baizhu, and a cup of coffee with three parts sugar in front of Yu Xie.
"I see. You came to Fontaine to study its medical practices. Sorry to interrupt your studies," Yu Xie said.
"No problem. As a doctor, if there's a patient in need of my help, I should naturally lend a hand," Baizhu smiled and replied. "However, based on your description, Mr. Callas' condition is indeed rare. A complete cure will likely be difficult."
The other doctors Yu Xie had seen today, after hearing his description, had mostly said "it can't be done" rather than "difficult."
"Baizhu, curing such a disease might not just be difficult, right?" The one who spoke these words was the white snake coiled around Baizhu's shoulder, named Changsheng.
Hearing Changsheng's words, Yu Xie fell into a brief silence.
If he remembered correctly, Baizhu had signed some kind of contract with Changsheng, allowing him to use certain secret methods.
The secret technique could cure all diseases, but the cost was the practitioner's vitality.
In simple terms, it was a "life-for-life" technique, where one could trade their own life to save another's.
If Baizhu intended to use this method to treat Uncle Callas, Yu Xie would not agree.
"Doctor Baizhu, do you already have a way to cure that disease?"
"I do have a method, but I may need to discuss it with my friend here," Baizhu turned his head to look at Changsheng.
Baizhu's reaction made Yu Xie certain.
It seemed that Uncle Callas' illness would be difficult to treat through normal means, and even Baizhu could only think of using that secret technique.
"Doctor Baizhu..." Yu Xie stood up, but before he could finish what he wanted to say, he froze in place, like a statue.
It seemed like he suddenly understood why his life had only sixty days left.
"What's wrong?" Seeing that Yu Xie seemed a little off, Baizhu asked.
"Doctor Baizhu, the method of exchanging vitality for vitality... is that the solution you've come up with?" After a moment of contemplation, Yu Xie spoke.
Upon hearing this, both Baizhu and Changsheng fell silent for a moment.
Such a secret technique should not be known in Fontaine.
"There's no need to be surprised," Yu Xie said, "I'm from Liyue. I've heard of your medical feats, Doctor Baizhu, and I've also heard the legend, the legend of the contract."
Yu Xie paused. "Judging by your reactions, the legend must be real."
Baizhu and Changsheng exchanged a glance before carefully observing Yu Xie in front of them.
From Yu Xie, they felt no malice.
"Mr. Yu Xie, is Mr. Callas important to you?" After a long silence, Baizhu finally spoke.
"Very important. He's my family," Yu Xie affirmed.
A beloved family member falls ill, but there's nothing you can do to cure them. In the end, you can only stay by their sickbed, helplessly watching them pass away, leaving nothing but sorrow.
Baizhu had been a doctor for many years, and he had seen this scene countless times.
But even after all these years, he still couldn't get used to it.
"Why don't you take me to see Mr. Callas' condition first? After that, we can discuss the next steps," Baizhu smiled.
"Alright, this way please."
.....
Poisson Village
"Dad, aren't we going fishing today?"
"We're not going. No fish today."
"But you were so confident yesterday."
"Yesterday was yesterday. Today is today."
"Then don't just stay in your study. The doctor said you need to move around."
"Wait a minute, let me finish handling what's on my hands."
Callas sat behind the desk, deeply focused on handling matters related to the Spina di Rosula. The society had declined, no longer what it once was, and with his limited time left, he couldn't help but worry.
He understood that the burden on his shoulders would eventually fall onto Navia's, but for now, he could still manage.
"I've already gone through those matters; there's no rush. Let's take a walk first, and I'll handle everything later," Navia said, walking up to the desk.
"You're right, but..."
"No buts. The doctor said some light activity will do you good," Navia insisted, staring at Callas as if she were slightly "angry."
Callas couldn't resist his only daughter.
He sighed in resignation and stood up.
"Alright, I'll listen to you. Let's go out for a bit."
Leaving his work behind, Callas finally stepped outside.
But as soon as he reached the eaves outside the door, he ran into Yu Xie, who was returning with a strange man with a snake coiled around his shoulder.
"Yu Xie, this is…" Navia sized up Baizhu, and was notably surprised by the snake coiled around his shoulder.
"Let me introduce you. This is Dr. Baizhu, a doctor from Liyue," Yu Xie said. "I just met Dr. Baizhu in Fontaine, and I invited him to come check on Uncle's condition."
"Greetings," Baizhu smiled and greeted Callas and Navia. "Yu Xie has told me about Mr. Callas' condition, but it's always more accurate to observe it in person."
Callas gave Baizhu a careful glance.
With his sharp eye for people, Callas immediately sensed that this Dr. Baizhu was not your typical doctor.
"If that's the case, I'll trouble you, Dr. Baizhu," Callas said.
A moment later.
Baizhu and Callas entered the house to focus on diagnosing the illness, while Yu Xie and Navia stayed outside.
"Yu Xie, I've heard of a Clinic in Liyue Harbor called 'Bubu Pharmacy.' It's run by a very skilled doctor named Dr. Baizhu. Is it him?" Navia couldn't help but ask.
"That's right, it's him," Yu Xie nodded, his eyes carrying a hint of complexity.
[Remaining Life: 68 Days]
End of chapter
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