Auntie Li sat on the ground, her dark blue padded jacket covered in dust. Her face was flushed red as she wailed, sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath.
“Tell me! Just where exactly did our Li family offend your Jiang family?!”
All the Jiang family members stood at the doorway.
“Bah!” Xu Huili’s face flushed crimson with anger as she spat on the ground. “Li Cuilan, stop slandering us! When your Dajun was brought over, he was already half-dead looking. Who knows if he already had some sudden illness to begin with? No matter how skilled our Xiaoxiao is, can she be better than hospital equipment? Don’t think I don’t know—you were just too stingy to spend a few yuan! You didn’t take responsibility for your own grandson’s life, and now you want to pin it on our Xiaoxiao? Shameless!”
“Bullshit!” Auntie Li cried. “The neighbors all heard it with their own ears! If Jiang Xiaoxiao hadn’t said Dajun was fine, would I not have gone to the hospital?”
Thinking about her grandson lying in the hospital bed, her swollen walnut-like eyes overflowed with tears again. She threw her head back, kicked both legs, and burst into another fit of wailing.
“Everyone, judge this fairly for me!”
Among the watching crowd was someone from the Grain Bureau’s political department. By coincidence, he had been outside watching when Dajun was first brought to the Jiang house. Unable to stand the Jiang family blindly protecting Jiang Xiaoxiao, he stepped forward.
“Sister-in-law, when Xiaoxiao treated him, plenty of us were there. We all heard her say it was just a minor issue. Look, Xiaoxiao’s young, and she’s only studied medicine for two years. It’s understandable if she couldn’t diagnose properly. But she absolutely shouldn’t have guaranteed to Auntie Li that it was only a small problem and would be cured after taking medicine.”
“She calls herself a doctor in the compound. Patients naturally trust doctors. If any of us got sick, wouldn’t we listen to what a doctor says? Dajun’s condition was delayed, and Xiaoxiao definitely bears a large responsibility. Fortunately, Dajun is out of danger now. Why not let Xiaoxiao come out and apologize sincerely to Auntie Li, and let this matter end here?”
Several others chimed in.
“That’s right. Xiaoxiao’s still young. Just let her apologize.”
“The Jiang family’s protecting her this fiercely—it looks like they’re avoiding responsibility!”
What had originally been impartial words sounded completely different in Xu Huili’s ears. She shrieked in alarm:
“Apologize? What did Xiaoxiao do wrong? She was clearly trying to help from the beginning! We didn’t charge a single cent for those herbal medicines! If something went wrong after they drank them, that’s their own problem!”
If Xiaoxiao admitted fault, wouldn’t that mean admitting she had misdiagnosed the illness?
School enrollment was just around the corner. They absolutely could not let this incident cost Xiaoxiao her admission spot.
“Bah! Forget apologizing—even if she kneels, I won’t accept it!” Auntie Li sprang up from the ground with surprising agility and spat directly into Xu Huili’s face. “If not for Jiang Xiaoxiao, why would my daughter-in-law curse me like this? Now she’s demanding to split the family and forbidding me from ever seeing my grandson again!”
Thinking of this, Auntie Li beat her chest and wailed again.
“My precious grandson! Never being allowed to see him again—isn’t that like carving flesh straight out of my heart?!”
Auntie Li’s son had only gotten his position at the Grain Bureau through his wife’s connections. If he refused to cut ties, his wife threatened divorce, and he would also face punishment at work.
“Ah!”
Usually dignified and well-groomed, Xu Huili now had hair flying wildly in every direction. In the chaos, she suddenly felt something wet on her face. Touching it, she found thick white phlegm with a foul smell.
Her face instantly turned deathly pale.
Like a clay statue collapsing into mud, she crumpled to the ground.
Jiang Qingfeng, who stood nearby, quickly caught her and anxiously pinched her philtrum.
“Mom! Mom!”
Xu Huili slowly regained consciousness, tears trembling in her eyes.
“Qingfeng… these people are all unruly mobs…”
She gasped heavily, clutching his hand tightly.
“You must protect your little sister.”
“Mom, don’t worry. As long as I’m here today, nobody’s taking my sister away.” Jiang Qingfeng told Ye Suqin to help Xu Huili back into the room.
He had always felt guilty toward this younger sister who had been lost outside the family since childhood. Now that Jiang Xiaoxiao had caused such a huge disaster, even though he was filled with anger, he could only swallow it down.
Auntie Li didn’t care about any of that. Wiping away her tears, she shouted loudly:
“The Li family, listen up! Even if we have to tie her up today, we’re dragging Jiang Xiaoxiao to the hospital to kneel and kowtow before my daughter-in-law!”
Many of Auntie Li’s relatives from her maiden family had come. Every one of them was broad and burly. Some carried hoes, others shovels, and one even held two pig-slaughtering knives. The entire group radiated murderous intent.
Jiang Qingfeng stood in front of the doorway, arms spread wide as he clung tightly to the gate. Looking at the furious Li family members approaching with shovels and hoes, his legs trembled uncontrollably.
“There… there are laws in North City! If you dare hit people, I’ll report you to the Public Security Bureau and make you rot in prison!”
Eldest Brother Li snorted coldly.
He worked at the state-owned meat processing factory and often joined village slaughter teams during holidays. The two pig-slaughtering knives in his hands came from there.
Perhaps because he slaughtered pigs year-round, he carried a chilling aura of bloodshed. Narrowing his eyes, he spat the toothpick from his mouth right onto Jiang Qingfeng’s face.
“Jiang Qingfeng, every debt has its debtor. Our Li family has only this one precious treasure of a grandson. Jiang Xiaoxiao nearly killed him. Making her kneel and apologize to my nephew’s wife is only right. If you know what’s good for you, get out of the way.”
Jiang Li had been watching from behind for quite some time.
Looking back at the two people who had come with her, Yang Zaohua saw how numerous and fierce the Li family looked. Afraid her old bones would get broken, her tiny eyes darted around before she slipped away faster than a rabbit.
As for Zhou Xueming, he had finally realized Jiang Li had truly diagnosed Dajun correctly back then. Thinking of how he had mocked her earlier for showing off, his face burned with shame.
Seeing him preparing to sneak away, Jiang Li reminded him calmly:
“Remember what you promised.”
Zhou Xueming stiffened at the thought of what he was about to do. After giving two vague hums, the dignified procurement department head hurried home, afraid the Jiang family’s mess would drag him down too.
Once both of them left, Jiang Li planned to continue watching the excitement from the sidelines. With so many people from the Li family here, innocent bystanders might get caught up too.
Better to lie low.
Lying low never went wrong.
Who knew a voice would suddenly call out—
“Well, if it isn’t Little Li!”
Jiang Li froze.
Wait, they noticed her that quickly?
She turned toward the auntie beside her wearing a red scarf and smiled.
“Just got back.”
Red-Scarf Auntie smiled awkwardly too before continuing to watch the commotion. Meanwhile, many people nearby looked at Jiang Li and whispered among themselves.
Helpless, Jiang Li could only step out from the crowd and walk into the courtyard under everyone’s curious stares.
At that moment, Auntie Li was still cursing loudly behind the Li family members. The moment she saw Jiang Li, her swollen walnut-like eyes spilled tears again.
“Little Li, I regret it! Why didn’t I listen to you back then? My poor grandson suffered for nothing!”
Regret filled her heart.
Had she been possessed back then? Why else would she have ignored Jiang Li’s warning and listened to Jiang Xiaoxiao instead?
“How’s the child doing now?” Jiang Li casually asked, recalling the pulse she had taken earlier. If he had been sent to the hospital in time, he should be alright.
“He got there in time. He’s fine now.” Auntie Li wiped away her tears with her sleeve and grabbed Jiang Li’s arm tightly. “Your medical skills are so incredible—you have to help our Dajun recover afterward. Vomiting blood like that damaged his vitality badly. I’m afraid he’ll be left with lingering illness.”
Jiang Li smiled faintly and quietly withdrew her hand.
She was lazy.
And she had no interest in treating people who couldn’t tell right from wrong.
Eldest Brother Li, seeing Jiang Qingfeng still blocking the entrance, raised one of the pig-slaughtering knives. Under the reflected light, the sinister blade flashed coldly.
“Move aside and let your sister stay inside. Otherwise I’ll cripple this hand of yours.”
The sharp blade nearly jabbed into Jiang Qingfeng’s eyeball. Terrified, he trembled and instinctively let go.
Like a stone statue, Eldest Brother Li blocked the doorway by himself. Seeing Jiang Qingfeng release the gate, he stepped aside slightly.
“Comrade Jiang, I already heard about everything. This has nothing to do with you. If anyone’s to blame, it’s our Li family for not listening to your advice.”
Jiang Li nodded once and walked into the living room.
After settling her mother-in-law and closing the door, Ye Suqin looked pale with fright at the scene outside.
“Come inside first.”
“Feeling uncomfortable?” Jiang Li examined her complexion before naturally taking Ye Suqin’s wrist to check her pulse.
“A… a little.” Ye Suqin’s stomach kept tightening painfully from time to time, her lower abdomen hardening. She rubbed her belly worriedly. “Things got too chaotic. I’ve felt exhausted all afternoon, and a bit nauseous too.”
“I’ll prescribe two doses of pregnancy-stabilizing herbs later. Have Jiang Qingfeng pick them up from the medicinal company.”
Just as Jiang Li finished speaking, another earth-shaking commotion erupted outside.
Jiang Qingfeng had been pinned tightly against the wall by members of the Li family. Eldest Brother Li led several people into Jiang Xiaoxiao’s room, and before long they dragged her out.
Jiang Xiaoxiao struggled desperately in their grip, tears streaming down her face as she scratched and bit wildly. Seeing no other option, Eldest Brother Li signaled his men, and the two restraining her simply lifted her bodily into the air.
Her legs kicked helplessly in midair as she cried out:
“Big Brother, let me go! I really didn’t do anything wrong! If you want to blame something, blame that Barefoot Doctor Manual! That’s exactly what it said to do—I handled everything correctly!”
Auntie Li didn’t care.
“My grandson vomited blood after taking the medicine you prescribed! I don’t care what excuses you have—you’re going to the hospital right now to kneel and kowtow to my daughter-in-law!”
“Brother! I won’t kneel! I won’t kowtow! Save me!” Jiang Xiaoxiao screamed in terror toward Jiang Qingfeng.
She was supposed to attend medical school in the future. If she really went to the hospital and knelt in apology, how could she ever work afterward?
“The future hospital director’s wife once knelt because she misdiagnosed a patient”—people would laugh at her for the rest of her life!
But Jiang Qingfeng was being held down tightly. No matter how hard he struggled, veins bulging red across his face, he couldn’t move.
“Mom! Mom! Save me!” Jiang Xiaoxiao cried in despair, twisting desperately to look toward the master bedroom.
But the door never opened.
“What are you screaming for? We’re only making you apologize, not killing you!” Eldest Brother Li barked before dragging her out of the courtyard.
Before long, the crowd gradually dispersed, and silence returned to the Jiang household.
Jiang Qingfeng’s padded jacket had been torn with several huge holes, white cotton stuffing scattered across the floor. Sitting in a chair with his hands hanging limply at his sides, he stared blankly ahead as though stunned senseless.
“Qingfeng…” Xu Huili trembled as she pushed open the bedroom door. Sweat drenched her face, strands of hair sticking to her skin. Her eyes looked vacant.
“Quick… go find your father at the bureau. Tell him to think of some way—any way—to protect your sister’s school placement.”
Jiang Xiaoxiao had already been dragged to the hospital to kneel and apologize.
If someone from the compound took this chance to report the matter to the bureau, the Jiang family’s deep roots and broad influence might still be enough to respond in time.