Chapter 250: A Peculiar Patient

The meal was quite lively, with the Shen Family at the dinner table asking endless questions about the Capital.

It was lively outside, too. Quite a few people even brought their rice bowls right over to the Shen family’s house just to get a look at the motorcycle.

Most of the visitors were young men or little boys.

Of course, there were also some from Grandpa Shen’s generation.

"Your son-in-law’s family must have struck it rich, huh? This motorcycle must have cost several thousand."

Not only was the bike expensive, but more importantly, the permit was incredibly hard to get.

"They did make a small fortune," Grandpa Shen said, taking a puff from his cigarette and trying to look nonchalant. "They ran into a large school of yellow croakers, and they bought this bike to make getting around easier."

"My son-in-law and his family even took a trip to the Capital and watched the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen. Look at the people in this photo—so full of spirit, so handsome."

That’s right. He had specifically brought out the photographs.

Immediately, a crowd of old men and women gathered around.

"What? They went to the Capital?!"

"And there are photos? Quick, let me see!"

"Wow, it’s real. The flag is so bright and colorful."

"So they really do have soldiers raise the flag at Tiananmen Square in the Capital. They look so sharp."

"Your daughter and granddaughter are in the picture, too."

Everyone chattered excitedly, their words ultimately filled with envy.

"Your son-in-law’s family has really made it, going all the way to the Capital."

Someone said sourly, "So how come they didn’t invite you to go with them? What a great opportunity. A real shame."

Grandma Shen rolled her eyes. "We wouldn’t be so shameless as to impose."

Just then, Yun Linhai chimed in, "We’ll go. In the future, when we have the chance, we’ll definitely take you, Mom and Dad."

Instantly, the villagers’ gazes on Yun Linhai and Shen Yunlian turned fervent.

"Yunlian, aren’t your two oldest sons about old enough to be married? What do you think of my second daughter? She’s a hard worker, good at handling everything both inside and outside the home. Why not let her and your eldest get to know each other?"

Shen Yunlian: ...

She barely managed to stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"Heh heh. My two oldest sons are in the army now. They won’t be back for another two years or so. Besides, they’re still young and not thinking about that for now. I’ll ask them what they think when they get back."

"What? Both your oldest sons went to join the army?!"

Shen Yunlian and her husband hadn’t deliberately bragged about it, so very few people in the Shen Family Village actually knew their sons had joined the army.

"Joining the army is great! You can go ahead and consider her. When he gets back, let my daughter and your son meet. What if they hit it off, right?"

At this, the villagers grew even more enthusiastic.

One after another, they eagerly recommended their own daughters. Those who didn’t have a daughter of a suitable age offered to introduce one from a relative’s family.

A fine young man like that was a rare catch; an opportunity not to be missed.

Shen Yunlian: ’Damn this mouth of mine, why did I have to blurt that out?’

Yun Jiao was gloating. ’I have to include this in my next letter to my brothers.’

’Sigh,’ she thought. ’Speaking of them, I miss my big brothers again.’

They didn’t stay in the Shen Family Village for too long and headed back the same day.

The ride back was just as wobbly, and then they actually wiped out.

Fortunately, they wiped out in a dry cornfield.

If it had been a rice paddy, they would’ve been covered in mud from head to toe.

Shen Yunlian couldn’t help but shoot him a glare. "You really need more practice. This whole trip with you has been torture. My butt is completely numb."

Yun Linhai chuckled sheepishly. "My riding skills will be much better next time, I promise."

Yun Jiao brushed the dirt from her clothes.

Once they got the motorcycle back on the main road, the ride became much smoother.

After they got home, the whole family gathered around the motorcycle, their hearts aching for it. They immediately set about wiping it down and washing it.

That evening, Yun Jiao was soaking her feet, sitting on a low stool. "When are we going to buy a boat?"

’I want to go on a big boat.’

Across from her, Yun Xiaowu put his feet in the basin too, and Yun Jiao rested her plump, pale feet on top of his.

"Yeah, when are we actually getting a big boat? We want to go out to sea with you guys, too."

The small wooden boat couldn’t hold many people, but an iron-hulled one should work.

Every time they saw Jiaojiao and their dad come back from the sea with a huge haul, they got an itch to go themselves.

Yun Linhe answered, "I’ve already written to your godfather. We have to wait for his reply."

’Alright, so we still have to wait.’

The next day, Yun Jiao took the gifts she’d bought for her master and made a trip to the county clinic.

"Master, I’m back!"

Elder Xu was in the middle of taking a patient’s pulse. He smiled the moment he heard her voice, even before looking up.

"You’re back. Come over here."

He beckoned her over. Yun Jiao set down the things she was carrying and trotted over to him.

"Master?"

Elder Xu began to explain the patient’s pulse to her. "It’s fine if you don’t understand it yet. For now, you just need to commit it to memory."

Yun Jiao nodded.

After finishing his diagnosis, Elder Xu said to the man, "Your vital energy is agitated and your mind is restless. Young man, what is it that you can’t get over? This is an ailment of the heart. Medicine alone will only treat the symptoms, not the root cause."

The man’s face was a mask of dejection. As he listened, he suddenly started to sob.

Elder Xu: ...

’I haven’t even started your treatment yet.’

"Doctor, my woman cheated on me! She found another man, and she even brought him home while I was at work! Doctor, my heart feels terrible, it’s throbbing with pain. Am I dying?"

Elder Xu: ...

All around them, everyone—whether they were patients themselves or just accompanying friends and family—pricked up their ears.

Yun Jiao stared at the man with wide, expectant eyes. ’Hurry up and tell us the details! What happened?’

Elder Xu cleared his throat. "Since she’s the one at fault, there’s no need to drive yourself into such a state. Just leave her."

"But I can’t leave her!"

The man pounded his chest, wailing as tears and snot streamed down his face.

Yun Jiao discreetly shuffled a little farther away.

’Having such good eyesight is a curse sometimes,’ she thought. ’Ew... so gross.’

"I chased after her for so long before she finally agreed to be with me! To win her over, I took her out for meals, to the movies, I bought her clothes..."

’So, are you upset about losing the person or losing the money?’

"She finally agreed to date me, but it hasn’t even been a month! Today, I forgot something and went back home to get it, and... WAHHH... she had brought a guy home! They were kissing! And that guy was my best friend!"

"HSSSS..."

A collective gasp echoed from the onlookers.

Suddenly, someone stood up and clapped the man on the shoulder. "Seriously, man? You can even put up with that? I gotta hand it to you!"

The man sniffled. "It’s not that... It’s just... I can’t win in a fight against him."

Everyone: ...

He continued to cry, "That ’friend’ of mine is twice my size. I was afraid if I rushed in, they’d team up and beat the crap out of me. Then I’d be even worse off, right? I’d lose my girlfriend *and* get a beating. What a raw deal that would be."

Even Elder Xu couldn’t help the corner of his mouth from twitching.

’He made a good point,’ Elder Xu thought. ’But anyone who could hold back in a situation like that is no ordinary person.’

’Of course, another person might have the strength of mind to bide their time and plan their revenge, but this man... he was just being true to his inner self—a total coward.’

The most ridiculous part was that instead of confronting that cheating pair, he felt so heartbroken that he came to see a doctor.

’What an absolute weirdo.’