【Author’s Note: Some readers suggested I use brackets for inner thoughts, so from this chapter onward, inner thoughts will no longer be enclosed in quotation marks.】
Both Liu Ai and Da Niu, who had been sitting in stunned silence, were completely dumbfounded.
This was gangrene, a condition that was considered a death sentence once contracted.
The old physician down the mountain had merely glanced at it, shook his head, and waved them off, telling them to prepare for the worst. He had explicitly said it was incurable.
The couple had long since given up hope.
But now, this young girl they had just rescued was confidently claiming something unbelievable.
She said she could cure it?
Cure the child they cherished more than anything else in the world?
Tears streamed down Liu Ai’s face as she immediately tried to kneel before her, but Zhou Shengsheng swiftly caught her. “Auntie, don’t kneel! Wait, you’re actually believing me so easily?”
Da Niu, who had been sitting, also approached and was pulled down by Liu Ai to kneel as well.
“Miss, I believe you! I believe you wouldn’t lie to us in such a situation. Please save our child. He’s our only son…”
Da Niu, never expecting that the girl they had taken in could actually save his child, kowtowed to Zhou Shengsheng.
A man’s knees are worth gold, but above all, he was a desperate father.
Unable to bear seeing them like this, Zhou Shengsheng had to usher them out, creating a suitable environment for the treatment. Of course, the main reason was that there were some things they couldn’t see.
Back when Zhou Shengsheng had been diligently playing her role as the original character, she had earned some reward points. She was just a palace maid, not a protagonist, and had no need to exchange for anything, so she had saved up those points.
Now, they finally had a use.
“Pang, do you have any ointment or something that can cure gangrene?”
Pang flew out of her hair, yawning and squinting at the boy on the bed.
[If this were in your era, Shengsheng, it would require surgery.]
Zhou Shengsheng panicked. “What? What do I do now? I already promised Auntie.”
Pang wagged a chubby, furry finger. [Note, I said ‘in your era.’ But in the interstellar age, this is just a minor ailment. I can exchange for interstellar medicine.]
Suddenly, Zhou Shengsheng realized something.
“Wait, Pang, does this mean I’ve actually got some overpowered cheat code for a grand female lead story?”
Pang: …
[Nuclear weapons, atomic bombs, and other anachronistic weapons are not allowed.]
“Fine, then I’ll exchange for interstellar medicine that can cure him.” Walking over, Zhou Shengsheng touched the boy’s pale face, his skin burning with fever.
It was clear the child was on the brink.
[Alright, host, please check your inventory~] With that, a syringe containing a faint, glowing liquid appeared.
After carefully reading the instructions, Zhou Shengsheng injected the liquid into the most severely affected area of the boy’s body.
True to its origin from a distant, highly advanced era, the medicine worked immediately. The gangrenous tissue visibly receded, the necrotic flesh quickly sloughed off, and though it was a bit gross, fresh pink skin soon grew in its place.
Thankfully, she had sent the couple out beforehand. If they had seen this, they would have fainted on the spot.
Even so, when the couple saw their son, now completely healed as if he had never had gangrene, they were utterly stunned, looking at Zhou Shengsheng as if she were a living deity.
Amid their overwhelming gratitude, she barely managed to escape.
Goodness, she couldn’t use this ability carelessly in the future. If the wrong people saw it, her life would be in danger.
Once the couple had calmed down and realized this wasn’t a dream, Liu Ai’s expression turned odd.
If Miss Shengsheng was so capable, why hadn’t she treated her own husband, who was covered in wounds?
She knew a physician couldn’t treat themselves, but couldn’t she treat her husband?
If Zhou Shengsheng had heard her thoughts, she would have sneered in response.
Why should she?
She hadn’t even forgiven Ming Siran for those fourteen slaps. Leaving him to be eaten by wolves would have been mercy. Treat him?
Who would treat him?
Her? Treat Ming Siran?
He probably wouldn’t dare to dream of such a thing.
---Ah, here’s a dividing line---
Back in the small room, Ming Siran was still unconscious.
He hadn’t moved an inch, still covered by the floral quilt Liu Ai had sewn for him. His pale, handsome face was devoid of color, and if not for his faint breathing, he would have looked like a corpse.
Although she had helped cure Liu Ai and Da Niu’s son, she still needed to repay their kindness.
Taking off her shoes, Zhou Shengsheng climbed onto the bed and carefully lifted Ming Siran’s quilt. His wounds had already been treated, but to avoid revealing his identity, she hadn’t changed his clothes.
Feeling around his waist, Zhou Shengsheng sighed softly.
Such a big emperor, and he didn’t even carry a jade pendant when he went out?
After thoroughly searching him and finding nothing of value, her gaze fell on his slender neck. An idea sparked in her mind, and she slowly reached out.
Just as her fingertips brushed his skin, a strong, slender hand suddenly gripped her wrist.
Zhou Shengsheng’s eyes met a pair of dark, deep ones.
Glancing at her position, practically lying on top of him, Zhou Shengsheng gave an awkward smile. Before she could explain, the man beneath her asked in a hoarse voice, “Who are you?”
Though his dark eyes still carried their usual intensity, the confusion in them betrayed his current state.
Zhou Shengsheng was stunned.
This wasn’t in the original plot, but she realized what she had triggered.
Without hesitation, Zhou Shengsheng put on a pitiful expression and tearfully cried, “My son, you’re finally awake! Your mother was so worried!”
Ming Siran: “…”
After a long pause, a look of helplessness crossed Ming Siran’s face as he softly said, “Miss, although I can’t remember anything right now, I’m not stupid. You’re far too young to be my mother.”
Quickly scrambling off him, Zhou Shengsheng rubbed her nose.
Alright, so it was just amnesia, not the “turns into an idiot” trope.
“Fine, how much do you remember?” Zhou Shengsheng asked.
[Let’s see how much you remember, and then I’ll make up my identity. Haha, you won’t know anyway.]
Ming Siran’s already muddled mind was momentarily baffled.
Why could he hear her voice in his head when she hadn’t spoken?
After a moment of thought, Ming Siran lowered his eyes and said weakly, “I don’t remember anything.”
Honestly, the pitiful expression on Ming Siran’s face was so out of character that Zhou Shengsheng almost felt like vomiting.
Hearing her thoughts, Ming Siran: “…”
“Alright, since you don’t remember anything, I can’t lie to you, can I?” Zhou Shengsheng sighed, as if lamenting the situation. Sitting on a small stool by the wooden bed, she propped her chin on her hand and looked at Ming Siran with feigned concern. “Actually, you’re my servant. You were injured while protecting me from bandits. I saved you, and that’s why you’re still alive.”
She was about to add that she didn’t expect him to repay her with his life, just to let her boss him around, when footsteps sounded outside the door.
After a few knocks, someone pushed the door open.
Liu Ai’s surprised voice came from behind her.
“Oh, Miss Shengsheng, your husband’s awake!”
Then, a thoughtful gaze settled on Zhou Shengsheng.
