Chapter 20: Could It Be a Stroke? All the Belongings Have Been Stolen

Upon hearing Old Lady Lin’s anguished scream, Lin Daguan rushed out like the wind.

When he saw his mother collapsed outside the pigsty where they had spent the night, her body convulsing, he hurried over to support her.

Seeing the signs of a possible stroke on Old Lady Lin, Lin Daguan didn’t care that the villagers gathered outside were likely there to gawk at his family’s misfortune; he anxiously called out to them, “Please, please help me call for Doctor Yang…”

Coincidentally, Lin Zhouhua had just returned from the county and also heard Lin Daguan’s cries. He quickly instructed a young man nearby to rush and invite Doctor Yang.

This was a matter of life and death, and despite his disdain for the old Lin family’s antics, Lin Zhouhua still felt it necessary to summon Doctor Yang.

“From the looks of Old Lady Lin, it seems like a stroke!” The villagers surrounding the scene began to speculate as they witnessed Old Lady Lin with her crooked mouth and distorted face lying in Lin Daguan’s arms.

“What do you think happened? How did the old Lin family wake up from the pigsty so early?”

“I don’t know, but it surely must involve someone with a grudge against the Lin family.” Otherwise, who would do something so humiliating?

“Do you think this will kill Lin Dayou…” Someone suggested, questioning Lin Dayou’s role in this.

“Impossible! Did you not see how Lin Dayou was cornered by the old couple yesterday? He didn’t even retaliate. Besides, Doctor Yang said Lin Dayou was weak and had to stay in bed…”

“Plus, the old couple and their eldest son are both tall and strong. Do you really think Lin Dayou could have done this without alerting us?” A neighbor shook his head, dismissing the wild guesses of the villagers.

“That’s true. My dog was barking all night, so it’s likely a thief…”

“Yeah, my dog was barking incessantly too. It scared me! I thought it was something sinister lurking about…”

As the crowd buzzed with speculation, Old Man Lin, who had been inside and thus hadn’t appeared yet, also heard the villagers’ discussions. When he caught wind of Lin Dayou’s name, a sinister glint flashed across his eyes.

“Everyone, step back! Doctor Yang is here…” Just as the villagers were mulling over what had happened to the Lin family, Doctor Yang, who lived next door, was brought over.

“Doctor Yang, please take a look at my mother…” Lin Daguan’s eyes shone with hope upon seeing Doctor Yang. He didn’t even notice that Doctor Yang was still panting from rushing here and immediately urged him to assess Old Lady Lin.

Doctor Yang, having rushed over, was still feeling out of breath, and without even having time to sit down, he was being summoned by Lin Daguan. He couldn’t help but feel a bit displeased.

But as a physician, he set aside his impatience, gestured for his apprentice to follow, and approached Old Lady Lin to take her pulse.

As Doctor Yang got closer, he was almost overwhelmed by the stench of pig droppings emanating from the couple, but he held his composure and focused on checking Old Lady Lin’s condition.

“Your mother is suffering from emotional upheaval, causing a rise in her qi and blood. She just needs to rest. I’ll write a prescription for her…” After observing Old Lady Lin, he took out his needle and provided some acupuncture.

“Thank you, Doctor Yang…” Lin Daguan, knowing the doctor’s skills were impressive, dared not offend him and treated him with utmost respect.

“Lazy woman, why aren’t you quickly helping your mother back inside?” Lin Daguan called to his wife, Lin Xiaowu.

Lin Xiaowu was the niece of Old Lady Lin, and thus, among the two daughters-in-law, Old Lady Lin favored her more, often teasing Lin Wangshi, the other daughter-in-law.

“Hey, I’m coming!” Just as she finished speaking, Lin Xiaowu rushed out, her strong limbs quickly lifting Old Lady Lin onto her back and carrying her toward the room.

After Doctor Yang prescribed medication for Old Lady Lin, he settled down in the courtyard to wait.

Lin Daguan knew this meant a consultation fee was due, so he put on a smile and assured Doctor Yang he would go get the money.

“Wife, hurry and get me the money! Doctor Yang is still waiting outside!” Lin Daguan anxiously called out, extending his hand toward Lin Xiaowu.

“Shouldn’t the money for your mother’s treatment come from your brother? Why are you looking for me? I have none!” Lin Xiaowu seemed to forget that they had severed ties with Lin Dayou’s family the day before, causing quite a scene at Lin Dayou’s house.

“I told you, are you sleeping with your eyes closed? We are officially estranged from the Lin Dayou family, witnessed by the village chief and the clan leader!”

“Don’t bring up the estrangement! As long as your mother is alive, can we really sever blood ties? If you need money, go ask your father or your ungrateful brother!”

Lin Xiaowu was not only lazy but also a greedy woman. Once money entered her pocket, she had no intention of letting it out.

Lin Daguan looked out the window and noticed Doctor Yang and his apprentice showing signs of impatience. His own patience was wearing thin as well.

And with the crowd still gathering to watch, if he couldn’t fetch the money today, wouldn’t others be laughing at him for being unable to provide for his family?

“Get lost!” Lin Xiaowu refused to help; she wouldn’t look for it on her own.

Before, when he wanted some small cash to buy liquor, he had sneakily checked Lin Xiaowu’s hiding spots.

There were only a few places, so Lin Daguan began to turn the house upside down, searching for cash.

“Lin Daguan, have you reached a decision yet? I have urgent business!” Doctor Yang, who had already been waiting a decent while, began to call out impatiently from outside.

Since returning to his hometown to practice medicine, he had learned a key lesson about the local residents.

They remained poor because not only did they love to take advantage, but they also had thick skins when it came to debts…

To live comfortably in the countryside, one had to be thicker-skinned than those who enjoyed taking advantage and evading responsibility.

When Lin Daguan took too long to fetch the money, Doctor Yang began to shout into the room, “Where’s the money? Tell me, where’s the money?”

Inside the room, Lin Daguan was panting heavily and glaring at Lin Xiaowu, frustrated as he still found no cash.

Lin Xiaowu, standing nearby, was on high alert that Lin Daguan would discover her hiding spots. Her anxiety grew as Lin Daguan’s anger seemed to mount.

But the room was small, and after thoroughly searching her hiding places without success, panic began to set in.

Especially when she saw Lin Daguan’s expression as if he wanted to devour her, tears started streaming down her face.

Frantically, she scrambled to her dowry cabinet, searching in a frenzy.

The more she searched, the more unsettled she became. When she realized that the hidden silver had truly vanished, her heart dropped as she turned around, exclaiming, “Husband, the money is gone!”

“Slap!” A loud slap rang out as Lin Daguan struck Lin Xiaowu across the face; a sound so sharp it even drew attention from the onlookers outside.