C21 A Peach Cured Her of Her Bronchitis

Upon hearing there was a secret to be shared, the uncles and aunties clustered around Shen Yong like eager children.

"How did you grow them? Come on, tell us, handsome young man!"

Approaching Shen Yong with a small red cap perched on her head and missing two front teeth, an old lady inquired with curiosity.

"Sister Small Red Hat! Have you ever heard of aerospace technology?" Shen Yong asked with a hint of mystery.

The old lady's heart swelled with happiness when Shen Yong, such a dashing young man, called her sister.

"Handsome young man! Just because I'm older doesn't mean I'm clueless about high-tech stuff! I'm quite the aerospace buff myself!" she declared with pride.

"That's wonderful! Sister Small Red Hat, as an aerospace enthusiast, you must be familiar with space breeding, right?"

Hearing the old lady's passion for aerospace, Shen Yong delved deeper into his explanation. "This peach is a new variety cultivated through space breeding! And guess what? It has a really charming name too! Want to know what it's called?"

"Yes, I do!"

The old lady, captivated by Shen Yong's charm, gazed at him fondly and asked with curiosity, "What's its name?"

"I'll keep you in suspense for a bit longer. I won't tell just yet! First, let's have you try this peach for free! After all, a name is just a name, but the taste is what really counts!"

Shen Yong offered the peach in his left hand to the old lady, saying, "Sister, go ahead and try it—on the house!"

The old lady had been itching to taste the peach Shen Yong held but was too shy to ask.

Now that Shen Yong was offering a taste for free, she was overjoyed, eagerly taking a bite.

Juice dribbled down from the corner of her mouth!

"Slurp!"

She slurped up the juice without thinking.

"So juicy! So sweet!"

She exclaimed, "Could it be called Juicy Sweet Peach?"

"Congratulations! You're absolutely right!"

Shen Yong, thrilled, took the old lady's hand in his, exclaiming, "Sister Small Red Hat, you truly live up to your title as an aerospace enthusiast! You guessed the name in an instant!"

"Hahaha!"

The old lady laughed joyfully, "Juicy Sweet Peach! It's scrumptious! Even without my front teeth, I can still bite into it with ease! Aerospace technology is truly remarkable!"

"You're spot on! That's the tangible benefit aerospace technology brings to the likes of us, the everyday folks! Are you still skeptical about our nation's aerospace tech products?" Shen Yong's face took on a steely edge as he posed the timely question.

"Handsome young man! We didn't realize this was a new variety from outer space. We wronged you; please don't take it personally," the old lady said with warmth in her voice.

"It's all good, Sister Small Red Hat! I'm not offended!" Shen Yong called out joyfully, "Rest assured, everyone, and enjoy the Juicy Sweet Peach without any worries!..."

Just as Shen Yong was about to kick off his sales pitch, a series of harsh coughs cut him off mid-sentence.

"Cough! Cough! Cough!"

Beside the old lady donning the Small Red Hat, a balding old man was coughing violently, gasping for air, and struggling to breathe, looking like he was on the verge of collapsing.

"Brother Liu! Is your bronchitis acting up again? Do you have your medication with you?" the old lady inquired, her face etched with concern.

The old lady and the balding man were neighbors, well-acquainted with each other's ailments, and had come to the market together to shop for groceries.

The balding man shook his head, his face flushed red as he gasped out, "No!"

"No medicine! What are we going to do?!" The old lady's voice was tinged with panic. "Brother Liu! Stay calm! I'm going to call 120 for help!"

Fumbling through her tote bag, she desperately searched for her phone.

"Sister! No need to panic or call 120! Look at the old gentleman's bronchitis symptoms; a bite of this peach will do the trick!" Shen Yong interjected.

"Alright! Eat the peach!"

In the face of urgency, the old lady, overcome with anxiety, didn't stop to question the advice and instinctively trusted it. She promptly placed the Juicy Sweet Peach she had been eating up to Old Man Xie Ding's lips.

Old Man Xie Ding bit into it fiercely, his eyes bulging, then going blank as he stood frozen in place.

"Brother Liu! What's happened to you? You can't scare me like this!"

While patting the old man's back to help him catch his breath, the old lady's voice quivered with anxiety, "Brother Liu! Haven't you always wanted me to be your partner? If you pull through this, I'll agree to be your partner!"

Despite his difficulty breathing, the old man had sharp ears!

Upon hearing the old lady's consent to become his wife, Old Man Xie Ding's heart swelled with joy. Summoning his strength, he let out a vigorous cough.

"Cough! Cough!"

Old Man Xie Ding expelled a mouthful of phlegm—yellow, ancient, and as dark as night!

"Puuu -!"

And with it, he released a mighty, stinking fart!

"Aiya! That's relief! Such relief! Truly, it's the ultimate comfort!"

Old Man Xie Ding took several deep breaths, feeling as if his entire body had been smoothed over by an Areca Qi Circulation Pill. Clutching the old lady's hand in excitement, he exclaimed, "My dear lady in the red cap, I've recovered! I've made it through! Do you truly wish to be my wife?"

The old lady, taken aback, reflected on how Brother Liu, when afflicted with bronchitis, would take his medicine and still struggle for a long time to recuperate.

Why did he recover so swiftly this time without any medication?

Could it be that the Juicy Sweet Peach he ate earlier was actually effective?

With this thought, the old lady didn't rush to respond to Old Man Xie Ding's question. Instead, she shifted her gaze to Shen Yong.

"Young man, can your Juicy Sweet Peach really treat tracheitis?" she inquired.

"Congratulations, Big Sister Small Red Hat! You've hit the nail on the head once again! The juice of the Juicy Sweet Peach can soothe the throat, clear the lungs, dissolve phlegm, and suppress coughs! This gentleman's bronchitis was never too serious; it was merely the prolonged illness and the excessive phlegm in his lungs that caused the blockage," Shen Yong explained. "He's just coughed out the old phlegm and purged his lungs of impurities, essentially giving them a thorough cleanse. There's no risk of a relapse now! And judging by the old gentleman's healthy complexion and robust physique, he's surely destined for a long life. You can rest easy as his wife!"

With that, Shen Yong offered a helping hand that was as natural as the flow of water.

At that moment, the onlookers spontaneously burst into applause, chanting in unison, "Together! Together! Together!..."

Shen Yong had only ever witnessed young boys confessing to girls at school.

He had never seen an elderly man declare his love!

It was incredibly rare!

Suddenly, someone slipped a white cauliflower into the old man's hand.

Grasping the cauliflower, the old man knelt on one knee before the old lady and proclaimed, "Small Red Hat! I love you! My love for you is as pure and unblemished as this cauliflower! Will you let me take care of you for the rest of our days, please?"

The old lady had already said yes, and everyone had heard it. Besides, she genuinely liked this bald old man.

After all, who wouldn't want a companion in their twilight years?

However, Old Man Xie Ting's severe tracheitis had been a significant barrier to deepening their affection.

Now, with Old Man Xie Ding's tracheitis completely healed, the old lady couldn't stop smiling.

She nodded, accepting the cauliflower, "Yes! I will! Now get up, old man!"

But the old man didn't rise immediately. Instead, he pulled out a red jewelry box from his pocket.

Upon opening it, inside lay a diamond ring the size of a soybean—no small expense!

Old Man Xie Ding slipped the ring onto the old lady's finger before he stood up.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!..." the crowd chanted, their voices filled with envy, as they egged them on once more.