"You brat, what’s it to you? I, this old woman, said you can’t enter this door, then you absolutely can’t. Even the King of Heaven can’t change that." Old Mrs. Mu said harshly.
This brat, always causing trouble. Last ti, the half tael of silver for dicine almost cut her heart in half, and now she wants to drain the Old Mu Family dry with dical expenses? No way.
Old Mrs. Mu was fuming, shoving Lu Yuanfeng while getting ready to close the door.
Such a domineering attitude angered Lu Yuanfeng. "Mu Family, aren’t you going to care about the life in front of you?"
"Aunt Mu, Shuang is still your granddaughter, how can you say that?"
Zhao Yun, who had just rushed back from the fields, couldn’t even catch his breath before joining the crowd outside Old Mu Family’s yard. Hearing Old Mrs. Mu’s words, he spoke impartially without any hesitation.
"Indeed, Aunt Mu, this girl Shuang is not the sa as before, now she even greets us. Such a sensible girl, if she’s driven out now, she might really lose her life."
Even those watching the drama understood so logic and started advising Old Mrs. Mu.
"Pah, you’re all talking without pain in your waist. Who’s paying for the silver for the treatnt? Your family? Or your family?" Old Mrs. Mu pointed her finger at Zhao Yun and Aunt Liang, making Aunt Liang too scared to even breathe heavily.
Mu Shuangshuang knew deep down that the old woman wouldn’t part with money, she had anticipated this reaction. So she opened her eyes weakly and looked at Old Mrs. Mu.
"Grandma, Shuangshuang hurts... save Shuangshuang... I don’t want to die..."
Mu Shuangshuang tried to express more pain to make Old Mrs. Mu less biased, though she knew it wouldn’t be of much use.
"What are you all standing there for? Quickly go and get the doctor." Zhao Yun shouted at the crowd, but everyone seed rooted to the spot and dared not go.
They rembered Old Mrs. Mu’s words. Having a kind heart was one thing, but having to pay for the dical expenses—the idea was unfathomable to them all.
"If you’re not going, I will!" Zhao Yun stomped his foot hard, angrily exclaiming.
"Aunt Xiao Yun, let go instead. Please look after Shuangshuang."
Lu Yuanfeng stepped forward, unable to enter Old Mu Family’s place, so he placed Shuangshuang by the courtyard wall, asking Zhao Yun to care for her, while he set off to find Zhang Huai Shu as agreed.
"You go, you pay the silver, our family won’t take care of this brat." Old Mrs. Mu scoffed, clarifying to Lu Yuanfeng beforehand that she wouldn’t cover these dical expenses.
"Shuangshuang is a Mu, Mu Family!" Lu Yuanfeng said, disregarding Old Mrs. Mu, and quickly ran towards Zhang Huai Shu’s ho.
Old Mrs. Mu understood Lu Yuanfeng’s words—this brat didn’t want to pay the dical expenses, intending to swindle their Old Mu Family!
"You brat, with no conscience, trying to cheat our Old Mu Family’s silver, you wretched debt collector..."
Alone on the spot, she was jumping and cursing like a clown.
Such a commotion reached the laborers in the fields, prompting several from the Old Mu Family to rush ho "eagerly."
Mu Dashan seed like a lost soul, rushing madly ho, not bothering to pick up a basket he knocked over. Nobody blad Mu Dashan; after such an incident, who could remain calm?
Who knew, it was Mu Family’s Mu Danian blabbering nonsense, "Third Brother too, it’s just a boar bite, not like he got devoured, causing such a fuss; who’s he trying to scare?"
Mr. Mu was already upset; with Shuang this injured, they’d have to spend money on the doctor again. He hadn’t gathered the eldest’s money, where would there be extra to treat Shuang? Hearing Mu Danian, Mr. Mu sharply reprimanded him.
"You beast, you’ve been eating dung, babbling so much nonsense, now get back to harvest rice."
Mr. Mu was truly angry; usually preferring reason but rarely resorting to direct insults. Realizing his mistake, Mu Danian apologized quickly.
"Dad, I know I’m wrong, just got carried away. We haven’t settled Big Brother’s money, now Shuang being bitten might cost more silver."
Mu Danian’s words only increased Mr. Mu’s irritation, leaving him without anyone to discuss with.
He had left the fourth in the field, the second hadn’t returned from relieving himself, leaving him only with the fifth who was more trouble than help.
The few hurriedly returned to Old Mu’s house; Lu Yuanfeng had already fetched Zhang Huai Shu, who reluctantly checked Mu Shuangshuang by the roadside, with villagers gathering to see how this Old Mu Family’s tale would unfold.
Due to prior incidents, Zhang Huai Shu had a poor impression of Old Mu Family, but he put more effort into examining Shuangshuang since Lu Family’s lad, Lu Yuanfeng, requested.
"This girl was bitten by a boar, injuring her organs but not life-threatening. However, she needs daily dicine, oral dication, and rest for a period."
Mu Dashan returned ho just in ti to hear Zhang Huai Shu’s words, and kneeling before Zhang Huai Shu’s feet, pleaded, "Uncle Zhang, please, save our Shuangshuang, prescribe the dicine, prescribe it..."
Mu Dashan appeared pale seeing his bloodied daughter; yet he knew he couldn’t fall, his daughter needed healing and dicine.
"Third son, why are you back here? Not working in the fields? Your rice isn’t harvested, get back and work! Do you think dicine cos for free? buy the dicine, what will we eat and wear? Eat dirt, go naked?"
Old Mrs. Mu’s voice was filled with authority; to her, she was in control of this household.
Mu Dashan suddenly felt sorrowful, watching his mother—a woman barely fifty, yet with no concern for his daughter, only calculative.
"Uncle Zhang, can you lend the dicine? I’ll work hard for you to repay it bit by bit. I know you have three acres lying unused, I’ll go tonight and finish the work..." Mu Dashan’s eyes were red, his once upright back now hunched terribly.
Mu Shuangshuang felt heavy-hearted, knowing lying was wrong, yet if she didn’t reveal Old Mrs. Mu’s true nature, her father might be exploited by Old Mu Family till death.
She sched today, hoping during property divisions, it wouldn’t burden the third branch.
"This ti the dicine is expensive; one dicine patch costs one tael, with twenty needed continuously. Are you sure you want to borrow it?" Zhang Huai Shu spoke to Mu Dashan in the tone he’d use with other patient’s families.
His words made onlookers gasp collectively.
Twenty taels: impossible to repay in a lifeti. Can Dashan manage?
Old Mrs. Mu’s face turned sour instantly, ready to snatch a broom off the ground to beat senseless Zhang Huai Shu, but Mu Dashan spoke first.
"As long as we can save Shuangshuang, I’m willing for anything."
"Heavens, you’re crazy, crazy, truly crazy..." Old Mrs. Mu jumped in place, pointing at Mu Dashan’s neck, spitting as she cursed.
"Mother, this silver will be covered by our third branch, no need for you to worry!"
User Comments
0 comments from readers