Old Man and His Grandson

Inside a temple,

A young aristocratic couple was praying in front of the huge statue of Buddha. The woman was the epitome of beauty, whereas the man was like the perfect husband that every girl wishes for. 

After worshiping for the last time, the young beautiful woman pressed both her palms together and closed her eyes. A stream of tears dropped from her thick crescent eyelashes. The young man had sorrow on his face as well. When he looked aside, the tears on her calm face pained his heart even more.

He saw the Abbot coming and informed her. Both of them got up and greeted him with a deep bow.

Seeing the tears in the young woman's eyes and the young man's ashen face, Abbot said, "Don't worry child, Buddha is watching everything. Keep faith in him."

When they bowed to him before leaving, the monk smiled, "May this spring season bring a new beginning of happiness in your life."

Outside,

While going towards their carriage, they heard passing villagers discussing, "Did you hear? A huge rockfall happened in the northeastern valley!"

Hearing this news, the young woman got pale. The young man quickly held her, "Nuying!" Comforting her patiently, he said, "Don't worry, we are staying here for a few days, till then, it will be cleared and we could visit the valley."

The woman closed her eyes in despair, "Why is Deity being cruel to us," tears started to fall again. The young man hugged her, "Everything will be alright soon." He tried hard to control the lone tear threatening to come from his eyes.

…

"Woahh! Why the world is this beautiful!" Uncle Bong was walking towards the Phyicisian's house. Just then he saw someone, "Ooi, Dihao!"

On the opposite side, a tall muscular young man in his early twenties was passing by carrying a bundle of firewood over his one shoulder and a fruit basket in other hand. All women would greet him with a coquettish smile, as he was the most handsome man of their village.

"Uncle Bong! How are you feeling now? Can you see everything clearly?" Dihao asked with a warm smile.

"Of course!!! My vision is so clear that I can even see Changxi in your eyes" he teased, making Dihao blush. Except for Changxi, the whole village knows that Dihao is sincerely in love with her. He would purposely find ways to talk to her or do errands just to be there for her. But she never talked to him if it wasn't necessary.

"I am going to visit her right now," he added.

Hearing it, Dihao's eyes shone, "Ohh! Let's go then—"

"Why?"

"Aa, coincidently, I was going there as well, to give these fruits to… Changxi," Dihao's ears turned red while talking.

Just then, an old beggar came with his young grandson. "Excuse me, does the Divine Physician live here?" 

"Yes yes, our Changxi live here," Uncle Bong said. He saw the old beggar was with a young man of the same age as Dihao. Though they both were of the same height, he noticed the huge difference in their personalities. Dihao was cheerful, warm, and kind, whereas the young man was depressed and gloomy. His torn clothes, untidy, dirt-covered body, and dull unfocused eyes worsened his appearance.

When they went inside, they saw Master Hong treating the wounded forehead of the man lying on the wooden table, whereas Changxi was trying to diagnose him.

"Oh god!! I can't move my legs!!!! I am going to die!!!" the man cried aloud. Just then, Changxi asked, "You started drinking again?"

"N-No I didn't!!!"

The person who brought him said, "Don't you lie! Changxi, despite your warning, he started drinking again even during the work and collapsed from the tree."

Suddenly, they felt a drop in temperature.

Here, Dihao gulped. Uncle Bong explained to the clueless old beggar, "Ah, before that, there is only one ground rule of Changxi… Never lie to her."

"What if…" when the beggar pondered, Uncle Bong and Dihao eyed them to look back at the situation…

"Stop crying else I will break your every single bone."

Her bone-chilling gaze made the patient quiet. She continued, "It's hip dislocation… hold him tight." The villager and Master Hong followed it obediently.

Changxi then bent his knees in an angular direction with feet resting flat on the surface and started murmuring, "Whistler technique of hip reduction… hold the unaffected opposite knee so that the affected leg will be rested over your forearm… Hold the affected leg ankle and rotate the leg slowly with pressure so that…"

Crack! Crack-crack!

Everyone heard the cracking sound of bones… the patient shrieked in pain.

"Heavens!" the beggar gasped in fright, how such a petite young lady can do this…

Whereas Changxi was completely unbothered. She continued moving his leg slowly in a circular motion and kept the legs straight in resting position, "Done."

The patient then realized that he wasn't feeling pain anymore. When he moved his legs smoothly, he laughed in astonishment.

"Drink again and I will use the cruelest method," Changxi warned him. Picking up her cloth bag and conical hat, she bowed to Master Hong, "I'm going."

Master Hong sighed, "Listen to me. Don't go alone—"

"Where are you going?" Uncle Bong asked. Dihao joined, "Wait, let me come with you."

Changxi declined in her usual cold tone "No need. I am going to visit the valley." "Oh! But we have a patient here," Uncle Bong said. She pointed out, "Master Hong is here."

Just then, the old beggar pleaded, "Goddess Changxi, please save my grandson."

Changxi creased her forehead, 'No matter what, I must leave today. It will be my first death anniversary in a month… I would either see my family visit the temple for mourning or get any funeral news. I needed this month to visit every place. If I help them, my only chance to find out about myself will be gone…'

She looked at the pair in front of her. The old man was begging her with joint palms in utmost pleading. The young man's unfocused eyes had lost the reason for living, just like how she felt when she woke up. If not for Master Hong's help, she wouldn't got to live again.

'Or, should I help him' she contemplated.

Suddenly, in her mind, she heard a loud female scream, followed by a pleading,

'No, I can't die like this. It's unfair! Please, someone save me' She recognized her voice.

"Goddess, please save my grandson"

'Someone… please save me'

Changxi was caught in a huge dilemma. Should she help someone like her, or should help herself first?