Jiang Chan had just opened her eyes when she heard an imperious voice from outside.
“Money-losing bastard, go bring me the roasted sweet potatoes.”
The words were spoken in a dialect, but strangely, Jiang Chan understood them perfectly.
She immediately rolled out of bed, but a sharp pain shot through her back and waist, nearly making her stumble. Ignoring the pain, she hurried toward the kitchen.
She was still a step too late. A child’s wailing came from the kitchen. Jiang Chan rushed in, her heart tightening at the sight before her.
A thin, small body was curled up on the muddy kitchen floor, smoke rising from her face, the smell of burnt flesh filling the air.
The sound came from that frail little body. Jiang Chan shivered all over and quickly scooped up a ladle of water, pouring it over the child’s face. The little girl kept crying loudly.
Jiang Chan poured several more ladles until the burning charcoal on her face was finally extinguished. She gently washed the child’s face clean, only to see the skin red and raw, covered in blood and burns.
The girl opened her mouth to cry again, and Jiang Chan’s tears fell at once. She stroked the child’s back. “Don’t cry, Xiaohua. Don’t cry. Tears are salty, and they’ll make your face hurt more.”
The child sobbed twice but managed to hold back her tears. Jiang Chan stood up and rummaged through the house until she finally found a small bottle of liquor. She bit back her own tears. “Xiaohua, be brave. Grandma’s going to disinfect it first, then we’ll go see a doctor.”
The boy, startled by Xiaohua’s cries, came running in. Seeing her burned face, he said viciously, “Why should a useless girl see a doctor? Why didn’t you burn to death?”
Anger flared in Jiang Chan’s chest. She wanted to teach him a lesson, but the little girl’s burns were the priority.
Clenching her jaw, she lifted Xiaohua onto her back. “Don’t be afraid, Xiaohua. Grandma’s taking you to the doctor now. If it hurts, just pinch Grandma’s shoulder, and I’ll know.”
She searched the room briefly, grabbed a handful of bills, stuffed them into her pocket, and picked up an ID card and household register. Enduring the pain in her back and waist, Jiang Chan carried Xiaohua out the door.
Outside stretched endless mountains. Even though she had inherited the original host’s memories and knew this was a mountain village, seeing it for herself still made her uneasy. There were only seven or eight households here, all isolated and reachable only by foot. Who could help her get the child to a hospital?
She had barely taken a few steps when she came face-to-face with a short, pockmarked old man. This was the original host’s husband, Zhou Dayou. He carried a hoe over his shoulder, his gaze dark and mean.
At the sight of him, the little girl on Jiang Chan’s back flinched. Jiang Chan patted her leg gently. “Don’t be afraid, Xiaohua. Grandma’s taking you to the doctor.”
The girl went quiet and clung tightly to her, though tears still filled her eyes. Jiang Chan didn’t even look at Zhou Dayou and walked past him.
Zhou Dayou frowned. “It’s mealtime. Where are you taking that useless girl?”
Jiang Chan ignored him, limping away with Xiaohua on her back. When his question went unanswered, Zhou Dayou snorted and went back into the house, his face dark.
Jiang Chan’s whole body ached. Her timing had been terrible. Just two days ago, the original host had been beaten by Zhou Dayou and was still supposed to be bedridden.
Now Jiang Chan had to bear the pain herself. Her back, waist, and legs throbbed so badly that without her strong will, she might have collapsed.
She walked for nearly three hours, her hands stiff from the cold. It was winter, and her thin clothes did little to protect her from the freezing air.
Finally, she made it out of the mountains and found a motorcycle by the roadside. The driver, a man in his forties, looked up. “Going to the Provincial Dermatology Hospital?”
He grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. “Three yuan.”
Without a word, Jiang Chan took out three yuan and handed it over.
On her back, Xiaohua said timidly, “Grandma, that’s a lot of money. Maybe we shouldn’t go.”
Jiang Chan’s heart ached. “Don’t worry, Xiaohua. Grandma has money. Even if it costs everything, Grandma will make sure you’re treated.”
Only then did the man notice the child’s face. Startled, he quickly started the engine. “Auntie, hurry up and get on. The child’s face is badly burned. You have to get her to the hospital fast.”
Even a stranger showed concern for the girl’s injuries, while her own family, the husband and grandson, had been indifferent. The contrast was chilling.
The motorcycle sped along the winding roads, carrying them all the way to the Provincial Dermatology Hospital.
Jiang Chan carried Xiaohua inside and registered her for treatment. The hospital wasn’t crowded, and the doctor examined the burns carefully.
“Her burn is quite severe, and the area is large. She needs to be hospitalized for observation for a while.”
Seeing Jiang Chan’s tense expression, the doctor removed his gloves and explained Xiaohua’s condition.
“It’s fortunate you brought her in quickly and already disinfected the wounds. It looks bad, but it could have been worse.”
“Will it leave scars?” Jiang Chan asked anxiously. That was all she cared about. If a girl’s face was disfigured, how hard would her life be?
“She will have scars,” the doctor said truthfully. “But it depends on her recovery. There’s a skin graft procedure that might help, though it’s expensive.”
He glanced at Jiang Chan’s worn clothes. “To be honest, it costs a lot. You might want to think it over.”
Jiang Chan lowered her eyes. “Doctor, please treat her first. I just want her to recover. We’ll deal with the scars later. She’s in too much pain right now.”
The doctor said, “I’ll arrange a hospital room for her first. A nurse will come give her an IV later. You’ll need to take care of her attentively for the next few days. If she recovers well, she can go home to recuperate after a few days in the hospital.”
Looking at the gruesome wound on the innocent little girl’s face, the doctor shook his head regretfully. If the girl’s face scarred, her life would basically be ruined.
At least the eyes and mouth weren’t burned, only the cheeks. If the mouth had been burned and deformed, even the gods couldn’t help.
Shaking his head, the doctor walked out.
After settling Xiaohua into bed, Jiang Chan sat beside her, finally taking a moment to sort through the original host’s memories.
“Grandma, will I have scars like Grandpa from now on?” Xiaohua suddenly asked timidly. Speaking pulled at the wound on her face, making her grimace in pain.
The question tugged at Jiang Chan’s heart. She gently held the girl’s thin hand. “No, Xiaohua. Your face will heal. Grandma promises, no matter what it takes, I’ll make sure you get better.”
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Thanks for the chapter!