Chapter 475: Doctor

As Bai Lingmiao, having finished washing the clothes, carefully walked towards the carriage, she suddenly felt the other end of the bamboo pole in her hand being taken. Looking at the blurry patch of red, she softly said towards the end of the pole, "I can still see, actually, it's just a bit blurry."

The Second God, walking ahead, didn't reply but led the way towards the carriage, holding the bamboo pole. Once at the carriage, Bai Lingmiao, with Li Sui's help, placed the washed clothes on the carriage roof and on the horse's back to dry.

"Li Sui, where's your father?" Bai Lingmiao asked, looking towards a blurry patch of withered yellow, which was Li Sui's straw cloak. After spending so much time together, Bai Lingmiao had become much more accustomed to Li Sui's terrifying appearance. While she couldn't view Li Sui as a daughter like Li Huowang did, she could at least face them with equanimity.

"Father went into the woods ahead," Li Sui, holding a book, replied. "He said he'd be back in an hour."

"Oh, let's start a fire and cook," Bai Lingmiao said, pulling out a fire striker from the carriage and walking towards the firewood. Starting a fire, setting up a pot, and fetching water were tasks Bai Lingmiao had done many times before, but today, something went wrong. By accident, she put her left hand directly into the fire. Although she quickly pulled her hand out, her slender fingers were scalded white and swollen.

The Second God walked over, gently pushed her aside, and began skillfully preparing the meal. Watching the blurry figure busy in front of her, a hint of bitterness appeared on Bai Lingmiao's face. Tears welled up in her eyes, not from pain, but from the frustration of feeling she was about to become a burden.

When she smelled the aroma of the cooking food, Bai Lingmiao gathered her spirits, picked up the bamboo pole, and walked towards the woods ahead. The bamboo pole tapped continuously on the ground, making crisp sounds and guiding Bai Lingmiao's way. Soon, in her blurry world, she saw a splash of red – it was Senior Brother Li's blood-colored Daoist robe.

"Senior Brother Li, dinner's ready!" Bai Lingmiao called out to the red figure from a distance.

Hearing the voice, Li Huowang looked over, a faint smile on his face, and said, "Thanks, Mom."

"Oh, you don't need to thank me," Sun Xiaoqin said, sitting on the stool by the hospital bed and opening the lunchbox she held. The meat dish was braised pork ribs, the vegetable dish was stir-fried water spinach, and the soup was carrot and lamb soup, making for a well-balanced meal.

"Son, I know you don't like carrots, but you can't be picky. You need to eat more carrots to get enough vitamins."

"Mom, I really don't pick at my food anymore," Li Huowang said, opening his mouth and chewing the carrots from the spoon.

"That's a good boy, not being picky. Our son is becoming more sensible," Sun Xiaoqin said, nodding with satisfaction. Li Huowang's stable condition recently had clearly improved her complexion.

"Mom, I forgot to ask earlier, where are you staying? You're not living in this prison too, are you?"

"I originally wanted to buy a folding bed for your dad to stay here with you, but I talked until I was hoarse, and they still refused. Now I have to rent a room nearby."

Hearing this, Li Huowang nodded and said, "That's good, that's good."

"Good? Senior Brother Li, is this really good?" Bai Lingmiao stood before Li Huowang, looking at him sadly. "Why did you lie to me and say you were well? How are you well?" After saying this, Bai Lingmiao sighed softly, her expression dimming. "But how can I blame you? I haven't told you either that my heart isn't at ease."

"Senior Brother Li, don't you think it would be better for us to be apart? But I'm truly worried about you like this."

"I'm fine, I'm perfectly well. You don't need to worry about me. Look, my condition has been much more stable these past month or two."

"Oh, son, you can't say that. While you're much better than before, you're still not completely well. The closer you get to recovery, the more vigilant you need to be."

Li Huowang patiently listened to Sun Xiaoqin's incessant chatter. He cherished this nagging; only after losing it would he realize its preciousness.

"Don't worry, I'll recover someday, someday!" Just as Li Huowang said this, with a clang, the iron door suddenly opened.

Li Huowang looked towards the sound and immediately saw two doctors in white coats entering from outside with three male orderlies. One of the orderlies was pushing a wheelchair. Watching them, Li Huowang's eyes filled with wariness. He tentatively asked, "Miaomiao? Li Sui? Is that you? Please leave for a moment; I'll be right back."

Sun Xiaoqin, very nervous, stood up and blocked Li Huowang. "Hey! Who are you? Who let you in here?"

"Ms. Sun, please don't be nervous. We just want to give your son some rehabilitation training to exercise his muscles. Otherwise, if all his muscles atrophy completely, he'll have to spend the rest of his life in bed."

With that, they began to act. They unfastened Li Huowang's straitjacket, exposing his incredibly pale body to the air. His limbs were noticeably much thinner than before, looking as straight as chopsticks. When the prison guard at the door saw that Li Huowang couldn't even stand, even with the orderlies' support, he let out a sigh of relief. Finally, this martial arts fanatic had calmed down.

"What... what's going on? Why is my son so thin?" Sun Xiaoqin was flustered.

"Ms. Sun, don't worry. This is just normal muscle atrophy from not being exercised for a long time. It can be restored with rehabilitation training. By the way, your son doesn't have any bedsores; you've really taken good care of him."

Hearing this, Sun Xiaoqin finally relaxed. "I know to turn him over every few hours. I learned that from people on Douyin who care for paralyzed elderly."

Under the doctor's direction, the orderlies helped Li Huowang onto the wheelchair and began to push him outside.

"Wait! Where are you taking me? I can't go now!" Li Huowang struggled fiercely but was held down firmly by the orderlies. If he went outside, he had no idea where he would end up on the other side.

A balding middle-aged doctor semi-squatted, looking at Li Huowang with curiosity. "Why can't you go? Can you tell me the reason?"

Li Huowang stared at him and said, "Just wait a bit, a little longer."

"Why not now? Why can't you leave this room specifically when you're lucid? What are you afraid of?"

Hearing the doctor's words, Li Huowang's heart tightened. This person already knew he was lucid at this moment?