It was a false alarm; the foreign doctor agreed to make a house call after all.

  Xue Xunlong felt that his undershirt was drenched with cold sweat, this reckless and audacious young outsider really had guts, speaking while facing the muzzle of a gun without even batting an eyelid, if it were him, he would have knelt down to beg for mercy long ago.

  Bao Qing and Xiao Shun exchanged a glance, both filled with admiration. Guo Er's eyes even welled up with tears.

  Two foreigners exchanged their overcoats and leather hats, Sean simply asked about the patient's condition and prepared a medical kit. Reginaud took out his pocket watch and said: "It's so late, it's not possible to call a car, who can help us call a rickshaw?"

  Xue Xunlong was secretly worried, at this time on a day like today, even the rickshaw pullers who usually worked late had stopped working. Where could he find a rickshaw to go? Just as he was at a loss for what to do, Xiao En said: "I have a carriage here, but there's no one to pull it."

  "I'm here!" Baoqing finally found an opportunity to stand out and raised his hand high.

  They pulled the rickshaw out of the upside-down house, and the two foreigners got on. The group rushed along the empty street, with Xiao Shunzi and Guo'er running in front with lanterns, Baoqing pulling the rickshaw behind them, and Xue Junzhang and Chen Zikun bringing up the rear. As they ran, mist rose from their heads. They encountered two groups of patrolmen on the road, but when they saw that it was a foreign doctor making a house call, no one dared to block their way. They arrived at Dazayuan without any obstacles.

  Two foreigners were clearly underestimating the poor environment of the big courtyard and the living conditions of China's lower class. They bowed their heads, covering their noses with gloved hands, and entered the patient's room, driving out all the onlookers, "Everyone get out! The patient needs fresh air!"

  Seeing the two foreigners with high noses coming in, Xing Er burst into tears and leaned against her mother's ear, who had already fainted, saying: "Mother, brother has invited foreign doctors, you will be saved."

  "It's saved, it's saved." The neighbors whispered joyfully to each other.

  Sean made a simple diagnosis and determined it was acute appendicitis. "The condition is very serious, not a moment can be delayed, surgery is needed immediately." Sean opened the medical box, which was full of surgical instruments and injectable drugs, he prepared the scalpel, hemostatic forceps, anesthetic, iodine and thread, several neighbors' aunties boiled hot water and brought it in.

  The onlookers were chased away, Dr. Xiao En put on a mask and wore rubber gloves for surgery, administered chloroform anesthesia to the patient, and while the person was dizzy, the doctor prepared to make an incision.

  "Reginauld, I need two assistants," Shawn said.

  "At your service, Dr. Stanley," Reginald replied.

  "And you, stay and help me." Xiao Yun pointed at Chen Zikun.

  "What?!" Chen Zikong was somewhat flustered. Climbing walls and riding horses to shoot guns were his expertise, but assisting an external surgeon was not something he had experience with.

  "I need someone who is brave and meticulous, who can look down the barrel of a gun and see that there's no bullet in the chamber. Of course, that would be the most suitable person." Shawn said, seeing Chen Zikun hadn't moved, he added: "Do you have a more suitable candidate to recommend?"

  Chen Zikun suddenly woke up, apart from himself, no one else was suitable. The neighbors in the big courtyard didn't even need to be mentioned. Xue Xun was old and dim-eyed, Bao Qing was clumsy, Xiao Shunzi was timid, and Hua'er and Guo'er siblings were even less capable. Where's the reason for letting children watch a doctor perform surgery on their own mother? It seemed that only this outsider was the most suitable.

  "Alright, I'm here." He washed his hands in hot water and stood beside Shawn with the surgical instruments.

  The surgery went very smoothly, Dr. Sean Stanley is an excellent surgeon, his technique with the scalpel far surpasses his skill with a revolver, and for something like appendicitis it's not even worth mentioning.

  An hour later, Dr. Stanley emerged from the house with a blood-stained rubber apron and handed a green ceramic basin to Sheriff Xue who was guarding the door: "This is the thing that nearly took the lady's life."

  In the green ceramic basin was a lump of swollen, blood-stained flesh. Xue Xunlong let out a startled yelp and nearly dropped the basin. Xing Er rushed over, tugging on the doctor's apron strings, asking: "Doctor, is my mother better?"

  "It's all right for the time being, pay attention to cleanliness and don't let the wound get infected. The stitches will be removed after a week. The patient has been suffering from long-term fatigue, needs nutrition and rest, only then can they recover their health."

  The neighbors gathered at the door, whispering and praising one after another.

  Xing'er's younger brother entered the house and saw his mother lying on the kang, although her face was paler than before, but fortunately the root of the disease had been eliminated, and this life was saved.

  "Thank you, doctor!" Xing'er led her little brother to kneel down to the foreigner, but was stopped by Leijinuo: "No need for that, treating illnesses and saving lives is a doctor's duty."

  "Come out for a moment." Sean Stanley beckoned to Chen Zikun, calling him into the outer room, where he took out a note and wrote a few lines.

  "Night emergency fee is 5 yuan, surgery fee is 30 yuan, medicine fee is 15 yuan, total is 50 yuan. Will you pay by cash or check?"

  Chen Zikun slapped the canvas bag directly on the table, and the silver coins inside clanged loudly. He took out the big silver coins and neatly stacked them into five piles, with ten coins in each pile. The shiny Yuan Shikai coins sparkled brightly, dazzling everyone's eyes. The neighbors were all stunned, thinking that fifty big silver coins was a price that could support a small family for a year!

  "For a life, I think fifty bucks is a fair price." Shawn Stanley took off his gloves and put the silver dollars into his suitcase.

  These fifty dollars are all the property of Chen Zikun, apart from this, he only has a dagger and a jade pendant left, but he feels that the money is worth spending!

  "Doctor, have a cup of tea before you go." Xue Xunlong politely invited, these two cups of tea were still brought from his home, although not expensive, but at least it's a kind intention.

  "Thank you, no need." The doctor and his friend packed up their things and prepared to leave. Dr. Shawn Stanley handed a business card to Chen Zikun and said, "If the patient shows signs of infection, bring this and come find me."

  "Baoqing, see off the two gentlemen." Xue Xunzhang called out. Baoqing had been waiting outside the door for a long time. The brand new rickshaw was so fascinating that he couldn't bear to part with it - its shiny steel spokes, bright yellow copper horn, trembling bow-shaped frame, new rain-proof canopy, double kerosene lamps, new footrests, and beautifully crafted brass fixtures. If only he could get his hands on such a new-style foreign rickshaw, he would be willing to sacrifice five years of his life for it.

  When Xue Xun called out, Baoqing quickly jumped up to attend to the two foreigners getting into the carriage. As he pulled the carriage, he thought to himself that he would like to volunteer to work at the clinic as a rickshaw boy and earn some extra money. However, the two foreigners on the carriage were chattering non-stop, so he didn't dare to interrupt them.

  However, he did not know that the two foreigners were discussing him, Chen Zikun, and the poor neighbors in Dajiangyuan, whose survival situation at the bottom of Chinese society had a profound impact on them.

  "Sean, your surgical skills are still impeccable. You can operate under such terrible conditions." Reginald praised.

  "Compared to a field hospital, the conditions here are relatively superior, at least without the disturbance of artillery fire. Ah, that boy did have a bit of Robin Hood's flavor, when he interrogated me whether I was going or not, he saw the knife handle in his arms, I guess if I said half a word of refusal, he would have nailed me to the wall of the clinic without hesitation." Shawn Stanley said with great enthusiasm, seemingly thrilled by this exciting experience.

  "Oh? It seems like you have a certain appreciation for him, Shawn."

  "Like you, I have always been fascinated by this ancient and mysterious country. However, after arriving in Beijing from San Francisco, I found that the people here are all numb and apathetic, timid and mean-spirited. But today, the spirit of mutual assistance among these poor people has invigorated me a bit, and that boy showed me a different kind of Chinese person. Ray Kinman, or many others who understand the grassroots, will be helpful for your research."

  "Sean, thank you for your advice. I will consider it carefully. However, the person I am studying now is not a commoner, but an emperor."

  "Oh, Reginald, you accepted their appointment?"

  "Of course, why else would I have come all the way from Weihaiwei? The Presidential Palace has hired me as an English teacher for Emperor Puyi, and the Imperial Household Department has even given me a title of 'lecturer in the imperial study'. I said to myself, Reginald Johnston, why not give it a try? Perhaps this job will be something you'll remember for the rest of your life."

  All the way to the end, Baoqing didn't dare speak. After arriving at the clinic, he carefully helped the two foreigners get out of the car and even helped put the car away. The more refined-looking gentleman handed him a small five-jiao coin as a thank you, and Baoqing was overjoyed - after all, even pulling a rickshaw from Andingmen to Yongdingmen wouldn't earn this much! He hastily bowed: "Thank you, foreign sir."

  "I'm not Mr. Foreigner, I'm Zhuang Shidun, you can call me Mr. Zhuang." The man said so, but Baoqing didn't mind, a foreigner is still a foreigner, no matter what his surname is, he's always the high and mighty foreigner.

  On his way back, Baoqing was extremely excited. A new bicycle cost one hundred big dollars, and he already had five jiao, so the dream of owning a bicycle was one step closer.

  ……

  The next morning, Chen Zikun got up from the kang and prepared to go to Dong'an Market with Xiaoshunzi. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Guoer squatting at the door with her hands in her sleeves, her face frozen red, and a long trail of clear snot hanging from her nose.

  "Sister! Master Chen has gotten up." Guo'er shouted loudly at her own house door as soon as she saw Chen Zikun come out.

  Xing'er pushed open the door and came out with a blush, saying: "Master, we've cooked porridge at home, have some before you go."

  Chen Zikun didn't stand on ceremony, and together with Xiao Shunzi, he drank two big bowls of white porridge at Xing'er's home. Wiping his mouth, he stood up and said: "Is Auntie better now?"

  "After taking the medicine, I fell asleep." Xing Er said, her face suddenly turning red for no reason.

  "Alright, I'm leaving." Chen Zikun picked up his bedding and walked out the door. Xing'er chased after him to the doorway, leaning against the frame, wanting to speak but hesitating, watching as the tall figure gradually disappeared into the distance.

  Chen Zikun and Xiao Shunzi came to Dong'an Market No. 143, but this was not a North-South goods store at all, it was a tinware shop, and the boss's surname was not Chen, but Zhang.

  "You're looking for Chen the shopkeeper? He quit last year and handed over the shop to me." said Old Zhang.

  "Do you know where Mr. Chen is making his fortune now?" asked Xiao Shunzi on behalf of Chen Zikun.

  Boss Zhang shook his head: "I'm afraid it's not going to make a fortune, Chen Zhuang died of illness three months ago, the coffin is still in Biyun Temple, don't know when it will be sent back to Guangdong hometown, alas, dying in a foreign land..."