Fortune Across the World

Chapter 23: Healing an Arm Injury and Returning Home with Warmth (Part 1)

The doctor snipped off Ding Qiyu's blood-soaked sleeve with scissors and took out a bottle of strong alcohol, warning her, "This will sting a lot, young man. Brace yourself." Without waiting for a response, he poured the alcohol over the wound to disinfect it.

"Hiss!!" A sharp pain surged through Ding Qiyu, who gritted her teeth and clutched the red silk she had just untied, turning her head away to avoid watching the mixture of alcohol and blood trickle down. Cold sweat appeared on her forehead, and the red-clad woman watching couldn't help but clench her fists, her brows knitting in concern.

After disinfecting the wound and applying some styptic powder, the doctor noticed that the powder was being washed away by the blood oozing from the wound. He pondered for a moment and said, "The medicine isn't staying on; we'll need to stitch it up. The wound is long and deep; without stitches, it might keep reopening and could leave a lasting issue."

In agony, Ding Qiyu internally agreed: it definitely needed stitches! That gash was huge! But was there any anesthetic? Nervously, she agreed, hoping for a quick recovery, "Alright, please go ahead..."

The red-clad woman watched anxiously as the doctor treated Ding Qiyu. She remembered the pain of whip injuries from her martial training, but this seemed far more severe than her experience. Watching the wound, she couldn't help but feel increasingly impressed by Ding Qiyu's calmness, possibly amplified by her own guilt.

The doctor brought out a bottle of brown powder, sprinkling it around the wound. As it took effect, Ding Qiyu felt a tingling sensation—likely the anesthetic. However, its effect was minimal, and the pain persisted.

The doctor took a fine needle from his kit, threaded it with special thread, sterilized it over a flame, and began stitching the flesh.

Ding Qiyu gasped sharply but continued to endure, nearly biting through her teeth. Each stitch brought sharp, sustained pain—almost unbearable. It would have been more straightforward to endure a single, sharp cut!

The room was silent; the sound of the needle piercing skin and thread rubbing through flesh was audible. The red-clad woman had already turned her head away, unable to watch. Sweat drenched Ding Qiyu's forehead as she bowed her head, eyes tightly shut. Listening to the needlework, she felt like the doctor was stitching a leather bag... a dark humor that only Ding Qiyu could muster under the circumstances. It reminded her of a time she had a wisdom tooth removed, watching the masked dentist operate as if pulling nails from a wall.

Finally, the stitching was complete, and Ding Qiyu felt utterly exhausted, her clothes soaked with cold sweat. The doctor applied more styptic powder, wrapped the wound in layers of gauze, and secured it with long bandages, creating a sling around Ding Qiyu's neck to support her injured arm. Ding Qiyu grimaced and weakly asked, "Does it have to be in a sling? Can't I just not wear it? I don't want my family to worry..."

Surprised by her consideration, the red-clad woman thought she was quite thoughtful.

The doctor firmly insisted, "You need to keep it supported for a few days. Any strain could reopen the wound and cause bleeding. Also, you'll need to come back daily for dressing changes, and keep the wound dry."

Left with no choice, Ding Qiyu conceded, "Understood, thank you, doctor."

Before Ding Qiyu could react, the red-clad woman had already paid for the medical expenses. As they exited the clinic, she handed Ding Qiyu a ten-liang gold ingot, saying, "I'm truly sorry for today. Please accept this as compensation."

Ding Qiyu, seeing this, thought, Wow, another wealthy lady. She had already paid the medical fees, so Ding Qiyu politely refused, "It was an accident, and you've already covered the medical costs. I can't accept this."