Chapter 229: "Shuang Mu Lin, My Name Is Lin Yi" (Additional Chapter for Monthly Ticket)

The spiritual spring shouldn’t have any side effects...

With a screeching halt, Jing Shu arrived back at the villa, only to find that her grandmother wasn’t there. After some confusion, she learned that Grandma Jing had fainted in their old home at Building 25.

Ever since the heavy rains started, the whole family had moved to the villa, leaving the first-floor apartment in Building 25 vacant. Grandma Jing would occasionally go back to tidy up, but lately, she had been going almost daily.

When Jing Shu arrived, Grandma Jing was lying on the bed with her eyes closed, her breathing rapid but showing no visible signs of other problems. In the face of such a sudden collapse, especially in the apocalypse, the situation was nerve-wracking.

The windows were wide open to provide fresh air, and the family was gathered around in worry. Jing Shu’s father was sweating profusely, her grandfather was pacing nervously, Wu Youai was on the verge of tears, and her third aunt, Jing Lai, was pale with anxiety. Jing Shu’s father had already called a doctor, who was on the way.

“The doctor said not to move her. We have to keep her still to avoid causing any further harm,” Jing Shu’s father explained.

Jing Shu scanned the room and noticed a stranger—a tall, thin man with glasses, looking quite refined. Frowning, she quickly approached her grandmother, checking her breathing and heartbeat. Grandma Jing’s heart was still beating, and she was breathing, though it was fast.

“She’s alive!” Jing Shu sighed with relief. As long as she was still breathing, Jing Shu could use the spiritual spring water to revive her. Being cautious, she only gave her grandmother a few drops of diluted spiritual spring water.

“Dad, what kind of doctor did you call? Can he be trusted?” Jing Shu asked.

Her father hesitated, clearly unsure. “I don’t know if he’s reliable. He’s a Western doctor stationed in Banana District. He said without proper equipment, it would be hard to diagnose the problem, but he’ll come and take a look. If necessary, we’ll have to take her to Xishan Hospital.”

So, not very reliable.

“It looks like hypotension—low blood pressure—causing dizziness, weakness, and heart palpitations. I recommend adjusting her position and quickly replenishing her blood volume, but you’ll need to figure out the medication yourselves,” the man’s voice was old and raspy but steady, giving off an air of authority and calm.

“You’re wrong! My grandma has high blood pressure!” Wu Youai retorted, her protective instincts kicking in.

The whole family knew Grandma Jing had high blood pressure and had been taking medication for it regularly. Even if her blood pressure dropped, it shouldn’t be so low as to require blood volume replenishment.

High blood pressure seemed more believable, considering she had never had low blood pressure before.

“Who is this man?” Jing Shu asked.

“He’s the one who was talking to Grandma before she collapsed. He says he lives next door. I think he’s trying to harm her,” Wu Youai snapped, like a small cat ready to defend her loved ones. In her life, the two people she cared about most were her mother and her grandmother. Jing Shu was now reluctantly on that list too.

Jing Shu frowned. “What’s your name? How do you know my grandmother and end up chatting with her?”

Now that Jing Shu focused on the man, she realized he always kept his head down, hiding his face in the shadows, making it hard to see his features. His young face didn’t match his old, raspy voice, creating an odd impression. However, his voice inspired an inexplicable sense of trust.

The man smiled faintly, a little helpless, and casually stuffed his hands into his pockets. Leaning against the wall, he replied, “My surname is Lin, spelled with two ‘wood’ characters, Shuang Mu Lin. You can call me Lin Yi. I met your grandmother some days ago. We hit it off and have been chatting ever since. She’s quite lively and full of energy, a real inspiration for someone like me, who feels weighed down by life.”

Jing Shu furrowed her brows. Her grandmother enjoyed chatting with this man? She hadn’t heard anything about it. And why did the name Lin Yi sound so familiar?

However, Jing Shu’s primary concern was her grandmother’s condition, leaving little time to dwell on the name.

“You should reflect on how you’ve left your grandmother alone with no one to talk to. She probably chatted with me because she didn’t want to bother you all,” Lin Yi said matter-of-factly, observing Grandma Jing closely. “I’m not a professional doctor, but I did minor in neurology, which includes blood pressure issues. I have my diploma, so you should trust me instead of wasting time.”

“You’re crazy! Why would we trust someone who might be trying to kill her?” Wu Youai exclaimed.

Lin Yi looked genuinely surprised. “How did you know I’m mentally ill?”

Wu Youai: “...” That just makes him even less trustworthy!

Jing Shu glanced at her watch, then decided to call Niu Mou. “Minister Niu, you mentioned an old Chinese doctor from Mr. Qian’s place last time, right? Yes, I need his help now. Great, thank you. We’ll settle the bill later.”

Without proper equipment, Western medicine was limited.

Soon after, the Western doctor arrived with minimal tools. He immediately measured Grandma Jing’s blood pressure and did a quick examination.

Jing Shu regretted not having bought a home blood pressure monitor earlier. If she had, this might have been avoided.

“Severe low blood pressure,” the doctor confirmed. “Does she have any medical history?”

Jing Shu’s father quickly explained Grandma’s history of high blood pressure.

“Has she been taking her medication as prescribed?” The family nodded. “She’s been taking it properly for years, never missing a dose.”

Shortly after, the old Chinese doctor arrived and checked Grandma Jing’s pulse. His diagnosis matched that of the Western doctor and Lin Yi’s: severe low blood pressure.

Then, a thought struck Jing Shu—Grandma’s low blood pressure must be because of the spiritual spring! It had been nourishing her body, likely healing her high blood pressure over time. But since she was still taking medication for high blood pressure, it had pushed her into hypotension.

That must be it! Everything suddenly made sense. Even Grandpa’s teeth had regrown, so it was logical that Grandma’s blood pressure would have returned to normal, making the medication unnecessary.

Both doctors made adjustments to Grandma’s position to help stabilize her. The Chinese doctor also performed some acupressure and acupuncture treatments. Neither doctor had brought medication, but the Chinese doctor assured them that Grandma would recover soon.

“Do you have anything to help replenish her blood volume?”

Jing Shu nodded. “What about blood mushrooms?”

“Perfect. Go ahead and prepare them.”

The family hurried to cook the blood mushrooms and fed them to Grandma Jing. Jing Shu finally breathed a sigh of relief. It had been a false alarm—her grandmother wasn’t in serious danger after all. The spiritual spring water had caused the issue, but it also provided the solution.

So, Lin Yi hadn’t been responsible for Grandma’s collapse?

Whether it was the effect of the spiritual spring water, the blood mushrooms, or the acupuncture, Grandma Jing finally woke up.