"Look at you, so opportunistic. When you need her, you praise Qian to the skies. When you don’t, you say she’s flighty. When you think your sister-in-law is nice, you go all out buying things and even ask to help you choose..."
"Don’t bla . I just vented a bit out of urgency. I wouldn’t really do anything to her. I still buy whatever needs to be bought, right? Even though I also don’t understand why won need so many bags..."
The sister-in-law glanced at him. "What do you know! Buying bags is instinctual for won! In primitive societies, won gathered food carrying baskets, so our love for bags is instinctual. Suppressing instincts is a source of familial pain!"
"...Why does this sound so much like what sister-in-law would say?"
"Nonsense! Qian is aweso. Ever since she joined us, my mood has been so much better. Whenever I’m troubled, I go to her! Look at how naturally I’m buying bags now!" The sister-in-law likes Qian.
"Honey... It’s only fair to say, didn’t you also buy quite a few bags before? How co you praise sister-in-law and not , the one earning money?"
"Although I used to buy bags, I did it in pain. Every purchase was with penitence, wondering why I was so wasteful? Why did I want new models even though I had bags? Later, Qian enlightened , and I understood it’s instinctual for won. Suppressing instincts is bad! n have heroic dreams; won want bags. It’s instinctual! Now, every ti I buy a bag, I do so happily!"
...The brother was speechless. So, all along, they spent money, just that before it hurt, and now it feels good? Sister-in-law’s brainwashing is indeed sothing... But this ti, a thank you is in order for sister-in-law, and as for bags, let’s just go with these won’s instincts.
For the first ti, Qian handled a case by leaking a client’s secret, but she felt completely at ease.
To deal with those trying to trick soone into marriage, it must be done this way; moreover, it involves the Yu Family’s interests, and Qian wouldn’t back down.
The brother kept thanking Qian over the phone afterward, and Qian calmly accepted the compensation he offered. She was always on point, doing what needed to be done, and taking what was needed without pretension.
Not only did the brother call; two days later, Mr. Yu also called Qian, highly praising her performance upon learning of the matter.
Of course, Mr. Yu’s stance was different from the business-minded brother. Mr. Yu simply found deception in marriage wrong and supported Qian’s righteous revelation. Qian feigned a bit of inner struggle, using her position as a psychologist, saying how leaking patient’s secrets was hard to bear...
Mr. Yu imdiately stood from a moral standpoint and earnestly lectured Qian on ethics, advising her not to worry about rigid rules—for justice, so matters are worth compromising.
The new house wasn’t ready yet, so Qian was temporarily living with Liui. When Minglang ca to find Qian, he saw his wife holding a very familiar purple clay teapot, focused on the items on the table.
"Where did the painting co from? Oh, bamboo by Zheng Banqiao! Is it authentic?" Minglang recognized it imdiately and reached out to touch it, only to have his hand slapped away by Qian.
"Don’t dirty our daughter’s dowry."
"Where’s our daughter?" Seeing how this little miser treasured it, Minglang guessed this not-too-large painting must be authentic, giving it his attention.
His wife loved those antique curios, but she was stingy and reluctant to buy. Typically, she’d extort when diagnosing patients. Even his brother-in-law wasn’t spared. But everyone willingly gave things to Qian as she solved matters money couldn’t buy.
"This was sent by the family of the girl we helped to our dad, who then had it sent to , saying they’re very appreciative of my dical ethics. They praised our family upbringing, and the old man was delighted. Not only did he give the painting to learn this steadfast bamboo, becoming a physician with integrity, but he also rewarded with a teapot to cultivate my interests and comfort my wounded heart."
Minglang understood. This was the fiancé’s family, who intended to deceive, sending a gift after Qian and he managed the situation together, hinting the girl’s family reconciled with his dad, praising Qian along the way.
The old man enjoys hearing praises about his family’s virtue, so he’d definitely be pleased hearing such assurances. However—
"Why were you wounded?"
Minglang genuinely couldn’t see where his wife was hurt.
After revealing the truth, the brother thanked her with bags and gifts, the old man praised her, the girl’s family appreciated her. She was profiting imnsely, so where was the damage?
Qian theatrically held her chest, "As a physician, how can I leak a patient’s information? It violates dical ethics! Yet my conscience couldn’t let watch an innocent girl being tricked into marriage. My heart endured imnse tornt. Am I still a qualified physician? Wouldn’t my little heart hurt doing this?"
Minglang, with a shake of his head, "Honey, your acting may fool the old man just because he likes you now. He’d barely buy into this five-cent performance, but please don’t try to fool . Your acting is so fake; should I even be praising you?"
Qian gave a knowing snort, "Yu Xiaoqiang, quit the sarcasm. Let ask you, am I, in your mind, a woman who only knows money? Do you think I do these things just for the benefits?"
"No, my wife has a kind heart. Even if there’s no money or benefits, you wouldn’t ignore this matter."
Minglang was sincere in his words.
His beloved Qian mostly loved money because those seeking her help had it and didn’t care about spending. It’s like with Narcissists; buying an LV bag is like buying an ice cream for normal families. They wouldn’t mind paying more. Actually, over the years, his wife took many cases like Weiwei’s that not only didn’t make money but cost her money and emotions.
"I think my wife is like the bamboo in Mr. Zheng’s paintings—upright with a fighting spirit, embodying minor worldly greed but also the great righteousness of a physician. It’s wonderful."
Such praises delighted Qian, who grew fonder of the tea and painting the more she looked. An original is undeniably different from a fake. Just looking at Mr. Zheng’s stroke work and layout could enamor even non-art lovers.
"Honey, what spirit do you feel from this painting?" Minglang wrapped his arms around Qian from behind, resting his head on her shoulder in admiration.
"Thirty years of painting bamboo branches, writing during the day, contemplating at night. Naturally, Mr. Zheng’s painting incites many insights."
"Speak plainly."
"The size is a bit small, so the auction price might be slightly lower. But it could rise to over ten million in the future; let’s keep it for our daughter’s dowry."
"Haha!" Indeed, his wife is just as charmingly shrewd and adorable.
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