After processing the memories, Shen Meng lay in silence, noticing that her mother’s sobbing had stopped, likely because she thought Shen Meng had fallen asleep again. Soon, Shen Fugui returned with an old man in tow. Wang Guizhi, seeing the doctor had arrived, quickly moved aside to give him room.

“Please, take a look,” Wang Guizhi said, her voice trembling. “My Meng only woke up for a moment before fainting again. Oh, heavens! If anything happens to her, I don’t want to live either!” She broke into fresh tears.

“Now, now, no need to cry so much,” Shen Fugui consoled her, visibly anxious. “The doctor is here; let’s wait and see.”

The doctor, Lu Zhanghong, was a trusted barefoot doctor in the surrounding villages. A former army man, he commanded respect among the local villagers. He moved to the bedside to examine Shen Meng, only for her to suddenly open her eyes, startling even him. He cleared his throat, then leaned in to inspect the wound on her forehead. The cut had been treated with cobwebs and ashes—a local method for stopping bleeding but not at all hygienic.

He pulled out a saline solution he had brought with him. “Hold her head steady over the edge of the bed,” he instructed Wang Guizhi. Pouring some saline onto a wad of cotton, he prepared to clean the wound.

Shen Meng, seeing that the doctor intended to clean her wound without any anesthesia, panicked and tried to hold him back. But as soon as the saline hit her skin, a jolt of sharp pain shot through her.

“Ah! Ugh…!”

The sensation was excruciating! Shen Meng clung to Wang Guizhi’s arm, her whole body shaking from the pain, nearly knocking Wang Guizhi over in the process.

“Ouch! Dr. Lu, a little warning would’ve helped! I almost didn’t hold her!” Wang Guizhi exclaimed.

“Couldn’t warn her, ma’am. If she knew, she might have bolted the moment I started.”

Shen Meng: “…”

Strangely, that logic made sense.

After thoroughly cleaning the wound, Dr. Lu applied medicine and wrapped it with gauze.

He was a doctor recognized by the commune and could get some medicine from the county hospital, but not much. Every time he prescribed, he would consider carefully. This time, he prescribed six tablets for Shen Meng at once, a favor due to his respect for Lu Zhenping.

“There’s nothing too serious here. The wound looks bad but didn’t damage any bones. She’ll need a solid ten days or so to heal. Give her one tablet now and another before bed tonight. Watch for any fever; if it spikes, cool her down, and if it doesn’t go down, call me.”

“Thank you, Dr. Lu. Really, you’ve been a lifesaver today,” Shen Fugui said, fumbling through his pockets for some money to pay. He and his wife had come out in a hurry and didn’t bring anything with them.

Dr. Lu noticed and looked down in mild disapproval. “Seven cents altogether. The saline was the most expensive; the powders and tablets are extra. If you can’t pay now, it’s alright to settle up later.”

Just as Wang Guizhi and Shen Fugui were about to thank him, Shen Meng spoke up from the bed, “Wait, Mom, please open my cabinet drawer. Inside the black pouch, there’s some loose change please give it to Doctor Lu for me.”

Dr. Lu accepted the payment, though his expression was grim. Lu Zhenping was a good man, it was infuriating to see him end up with a woman who had the looks but little else to offer. This woman, he thought, had all the charm and none of the character, treating the children poorly. Without him and other neighbors watching over them, those kids would be miserable.

As he turned to leave, Shen Meng called out, “Dr. Lu, one more thing. If my mother-in-law asks, could you mention that my injuries are quite serious? Please say I’ll need at least half a year to recover and won’t be able to work.”

Dr. Lu: “…”

Ah, he thought to himself, no surprise there. She was planning to milk this injury to laze around, and heaven knows how she’d make those kids her servants during this time!

Turning back to her, he said, “ Zhenping’s wife, I shouldn’t interfere, but Zhenping and I grew up together, and those kids are pitiful enough. Couldn’t you try to treat them a little better?”

He didn’t dare say much more, fearing she’d retaliate even worse when no one was around. No matter what, Shen Meng was still their mother, and he was an outsider with limited authority.

“Dr. Lu, please, call me Meng, and I assure you I’ve had a change of heart after this incident. From now on, I’ll treat Mingyang and the others kindly. You have my word. You can check up on us whenever you like.”

Dr. Lu looked at her, a bit thrown off. She really did seem different, as though something about her had changed. He left without responding, still unsure if he believed her.

Outside, he found Liu Sanjin and Zhou Jiaojiao waiting anxiously, clearly worried about the diagnosis.

“Dr. Lu, how’s our daughter-in-law?” asked Liu Sanjin, looking both tense and concerned.

Dr. Lu almost assured her that Shen Meng was alright but then recalled her plea. For the sake of the kids, he believed her once.

“Aunt Liu, I’m afraid the news isn’t good. If I hadn’t arrived, she might not have made it. I cleaned her wound and prescribed medication, but her recovery is now up to fate. Even in the best case, she won’t be able to get back on her feet for at least a year or so.”

With that, he picked up his bag and left. Liu Sanjin and Zhou Jiaojiao’s faces turned pale. They’d assured the neighbors she’d be fine, but if Shen Meng didn’t recover—or worse, didn’t survive—it would be clear they’d neglected her on purpose.

How could they hold their heads up in Lu Village after that?

Liu Sanjin yanked Zhou Jiaojiao, who was supporting her, gripping her arm fiercely as she scolded sharply, “You short-sighted fool! You’re the one who said she was fine, didn’t you? Now you’re about to ruin the Lu family’s good name! I’ll have my son divorce you.”

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Hey everyone! Let me know what you think of the translation and if you’re enjoying the story. Your comments motivate me to work even harder! 😁