Chapter 51 : Cold Palace

This dementia is the most troublesome thing. It’s hard to figure out why it happens, and even harder to understand how to treat it. Even doctors are at a loss and saying nonsense.

The two elder doctors had already spoken with Mother Xiao and learned the full story, including how Xiao Hechuan had become mentally impaired.

His condition came on suddenly, caused by an external blow. Though the wound has healed, the case is very difficult to handle.

After a discussion, the two doctors decided to try acupuncture on Xiao Hechuan first, hoping to stimulate his brain.

When Xiao Hechuan heard he was going to be pricked with needles again, he was completely unwilling.

“No! I don’t want needles!”

He let go of Jiang Sui’s hand and covered his head. Just thinking about the sensation of the needle made him refuse flat-out.

Mother Xiao tried to coax him, but it was no use. She could only look helplessly at the two doctors.

Seeing this, Jiang Sui stepped forward, pried Xiao Hechuan’s hands away, and pretended to be angry.

“Hechuan, if you don’t listen to the doctors, I won’t pay attention to you anymore. Go play by yourself.”

Xiao Hechuan saw that her face was filled with genuine anger, it didn’t seem like she was bluffing so he hesitated.

When he still didn’t move, Jiang Sui turned around as if to leave.

She had barely taken two steps when her hand was grabbed tightly, just as she expected.

Seeing that she was really upset, Xiao Hechuan quickly tugged her hand and tried to soothe her.

“Okay, fine, I’ll let them give me the injection. Don’t leave, okay, wife?”

His tone and expression were full of grievance. His once-charming peach blossom eyes now looked like pitiful puppy eyes, so innocent it made people want to ruffle his hair.

Jiang Sui knew from the moment she made her move that she had the upper hand. One trick, and he gave in. Even Mother Xiao couldn’t help but admire her.

This is what they call “every pot has its lid.” She felt more and more that Jiang Sui wasn’t just a lucky star for the Xiao family, but also for Xiao Hechuan himself.

She was now more effective than even his mother.

In the end, Xiao Hechuan sat down obediently and let the two doctors perform acupuncture on him.

Meanwhile, the doctor checked Zhou. After feeling her pulse, he asked her to open her mouth and stick out her tongue. He examined her carefully, frowning as he did so.

Then he asked Zhou a few more questions. Although they were a bit personal, he was a specialist and had to inquire.

“Mrs. Zhou, is your menstrual cycle regular? Do you experience abdominal cramps and chills when it comes?”

Zhou answered truthfully: “Sometimes it comes a few days early, sometimes a few days late. It usually lasts six or seven days. On the second or third day, my lower abdomen hurts a lot. Even in the hottest summer, I feel cold all over and can’t touch cold water. I get very weak and have to rest in bed.”

Zhou fell ill for a few days every month. She couldn’t work and had to stay in her room, pale and exhausted.

After hearing her response, the doctor had a rough idea of the issue. He then asked: “Mrs. Zhou, did you ever have a serious illness due to cold exposure when you were young or in recent years? Were you treated properly and on time?”

Zhou thought carefully. She had caught colds in recent years, but nothing serious, she’d recover after two bowls of ginger water. It wasn’t a big deal. However, she did recall an incident when she was nine years old…

So she answered honestly: “When I was nine years old, I went to the well to fetch water and accidentally fell in. It was the coldest time of year, and I was in the water for about a quarter of an hour. By the time the adults pulled me out, I was so cold I had lost all feeling, numb and dazed. After I got home, I fell seriously ill and nearly died. My parents quickly found a doctor who prescribed some medicine. I survived after taking it, but I was in a coma for several months before I fully recovered.”

“That’s it. That accident is the root of your illness.”

After hearing this explanation, her husband finally understood the reason behind her difficulty getting pregnant.

When Mother Xiao and Zhou heard this, they exchanged a glance. Mother Xiao quickly asked: “Sir, what do you mean?”

The gentleman sighed and patiently explained: “I looked at Madam Zhou’s tongue and could tell she has a lot of internal cold and dampness. I suspect she’s suffering from uterine coldness. It’s almost certainly related to her falling into the well as a child. Although she was treated in time, the aftercare wasn’t sufficient. Her body simply healed on its own over time but that’s not enough. This kind of condition can linger silently.”

“Women must not be exposed to cold lightly. If cold air invades the uterus and causes uterine coldness, it becomes difficult to conceive. Even if you’re lucky enough to get pregnant, it’s hard to carry the baby to term.”

After hearing this, Zhou was so frightened her face turned pale and tears began to fall uncontrollably.

That last sentence especially made her feel a chill deep in her bones.

“Sir, what should I do? You have to help me. If a woman can’t bear children for her husband’s family, it’s one of the seven grounds for divorce!”

Zhou held firmly to traditional beliefs. From a young age, she’d been taught that men were the center of a woman’s life. Giving birth and continuing the family line was her greatest duty.

One of the seven grounds for divorce was indeed infertility, a woman who couldn’t bear children could be dismissed by her husband’s family.

If a woman was cast aside for being barren, remarrying would be incredibly difficult. On top of that, she’d be the target of public criticism and endless gossip.

In her panic, Zhou dropped to her knees in front of the doctor.

The gentleman was startled and quickly reached out to help her up.

Seeing this, Mother Xiao was also at a loss. Her second daughter-in-law was clearly someone who couldn’t handle hardship and was easily overwhelmed.

“Second daughter-in-law, the doctor didn’t say it can’t be cured. Why are you like this?” Mother Xiao stepped in to help her up.

By now, Zhou was already sobbing.

Her own family had always favored boys over girls. She had a twin brother, and though the Zhou family wasn’t as extreme as others, she’d always been treated unequally as the younger sister.

If Xiao Mian decided he didn’t want her anymore just because she couldn’t have children, she was sure her sister-in-law wouldn’t take her back either, especially with her sharp temperament. Then what would she do?

“Don’t be afraid. Mom already said this, whether or not you can have children, you’re still the daughter-in-law of the Xiao family. We would never abandon you. Come on, get up.”

As a woman herself, and having lived with Zhou for several years, Mother Xiao understood all too well what was going through her heart, her fear that if the Xiao family rejected her, her birth family wouldn’t protect her either. That was why she was so desperate to have a child, to secure her place by Xiao Mian’s side.

But the Xiao family was not a cruel one. How could they be so heartless?

“Madam Zhou, you’re making this difficult for me. I never said your illness couldn’t be cured, you have to listen to me!” Mr. Qin, the physician, was clearly exasperated.

Zhou finally stopped crying, though she was still sniffling.

“Sir, please tell me how to treat this illness.”

She wiped away her tears, and hope slowly returned to her face.