Chapter 34

The nearby villagers started chatting among themselves.

“Oh wow, looks like that fool Wang Dashazi’s brain really did recover. When did he learn medicine? He just brought someone back to life!”

“That’s right! I heard he even treated his old man’s leg problem. His medical skills are amazing!”

“Tiezhu, my husband is really bad in that… area. He can’t even last a minute. Your auntie is suffering! Do you have a cure for that?”

“Tiezhu, my husband too… Can you come to my house when you have time?”

“Tiezhu, my sow hasn’t been able to get pregnant. Want to come and try?”

Wang Tiezhu’s face darkened. Damn it, what were they taking him for? A breeding pig?

He casually responded to a few of them and didn’t linger, quickly leaving Wang Xue’s house.

—

Nightfall

Wang Tiezhu was inside his personal space, planting wild ginseng and tending to the fruit tree saplings he had bought earlier. He worked tirelessly the whole night and was exhausted. However, after soaking comfortably in the spring water inside his space, all the soreness and fatigue disappeared instantly. He felt energized, as if he could take on the world.

By the time he stepped out of his space, it was already past 10 p.m. His phone, placed by the bedside, was blinking—someone had sent him a message.

Picking it up, he saw that it was from Wang Yu. Before leaving that morning, he had given his number to the twin sisters.

“Tiezhu, do you have time now? Come to the old locust tree at the village entrance.”

The message was sent ten minutes ago.

Wang Tiezhu was puzzled. Why was she calling him out so late at night? Was it to treat Xiaoxue?

Since he couldn’t figure it out, he didn’t bother thinking too much. He replied to the message, put on his clothes and shoes, and stepped out.

A few minutes later, he arrived at the old locust tree at the village entrance. The night was silent, and the surroundings were eerily quiet. A cold wind rustled the leaves above, making a “whoosh, whoosh” sound. It was quite unsettling.

He looked around but didn’t see anyone. Just as he was about to call out—

“Pa!”

A sudden pat on his shoulder from behind made him jump. He quickly turned around and saw Wang Yu standing there.

Letting out a relieved sigh, he said, “Sister Yu, could you walk with a bit more sound? You scared me to death!”

Wang Yu snorted playfully. “You’re a grown man, and you’re scared? I’m just a woman, and I’m not even afraid! I’ve been waiting here forever. What took you so long?”

Wang Tiezhu glanced at her. She was dressed lightly—a short-sleeved top and shorts, with a pair of flip-flops on her feet. The neckline of her top was quite low, revealing a glimpse of smooth, fair skin. His heartbeat unconsciously quickened.

She was a married woman, and compared to her younger sister Xiaoxue, she had a more mature charm.

A wild thought suddenly popped into his head—what if he took both sisters at once? Wouldn’t that be an amazing experience?

“What are you staring at?”

Noticing his gaze, Wang Yu pulled up her neckline slightly and said, “I’m asking you something! Are you zoning out again?”

Wang Tiezhu chuckled awkwardly. “Sister Yu, I just woke up. Why did you call me out here so late? Is Xiaoxue feeling unwell?”

“No,” Wang Yu shook her head. “It’s about me.”

“Oh?”

Wang Tiezhu nodded, waiting for her to continue. However, she seemed hesitant, struggling to speak.

He said, “Sister Yu, just tell me if something’s wrong. We’ve known each other since we were kids. If I can help, I definitely will.”

Wang Yu nodded. “Tiezhu, can you really treat any illness? I never saw you studying medicine before. How did you suddenly become so skilled?”

Wang Tiezhu smiled and made up a story. “Sister Yu, don’t forget, I was a university student. I used to read a lot of medical books in my free time. Even though my brain wasn’t functioning well for a while, I didn’t forget what I learned. I guess you could say I’m self-taught.”

Wang Yu nodded. That explanation made sense. She sighed.

“Tiezhu, you were the first university student from our village. Even better than Xiaoxue. It’s such a pity… What exactly happened in college? Why did you suddenly become… like that?”

Wang Tiezhu shrugged. “It’s all in the past. No use talking about it. I’m doing fine now, haha!”

“Sister Yu, let’s talk about you instead. Are you feeling unwell? I can check for you.”

Seeing that he didn’t want to dwell on the past, Wang Yu didn’t press further. She said, “Tiezhu, my issue… please don’t tell anyone else. That’s why I asked you to come here.”

“Of course. I promise I won’t say a word.”

Wang Yu bit her lip and hesitated before finally speaking.

“You know I got married last year, right? But after more than a year, I still haven’t gotten pregnant. I… I’m worried that there’s something wrong with me. I wanted to ask you to check.”

Wang Tiezhu said, “Sister Yu, having a child is something between you and your husband. It’s not necessarily your problem. Have you two been to the hospital for a check-up?”

Wang Yu nodded. “I went more than once. Everything came back normal. But… my husband refuses to go. You know how men are, always worried about their pride.”

Wang Tiezhu rolled his eyes. “Sister Yu, if your tests are fine, then the problem is probably with him. He should go for a check-up. If there’s an issue, it can be treated. It’s not a big deal.”

Wang Yu shook her head, her eyes slightly red. “Tiezhu, you know my family situation. I come from an ordinary village household. When I married Liu Dajun, it wasn’t really for love. We had no foundation of affection… It was mostly for money.”

“Don’t judge me for being materialistic…”

“I wouldn’t,” Wang Tiezhu shook his head. “It’s normal to want a better life. A girl should choose a husband with good conditions. Why would you marry a poor guy and suffer?”

Wang Yu sighed. “But sometimes, marriage really is about compatibility. The longer I’ve been with Liu Dajun, the more his family treats me like an outsider. Especially now, after a year with no pregnancy, my mother-in-law constantly mocks me. And Liu Dajun… he even started hitting me.”

As she shifted slightly, her neckline revealed a large bruise on her neck.

Wang Tiezhu frowned and pointed at it. “Did that bastard Liu do this?”

Wang Yu nodded.

“That son of a—”

Wang Tiezhu was furious. “What kind of man beats his wife? His own health is probably the issue, and yet he’s taking it out on you. What a joke.

Sister Yu, if I were you, I’d divorce him immediately. If he hits you once, he’ll do it again and again.”

Wang Yu smiled bitterly. “I’ve thought about it before, but it’s not that easy. My father had huge gambling debts. Part of the reason I married Liu Dajun was because we used his family’s bride price to pay them off…”