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Su Zhi and her companions had no idea there was someone hiding behind the large stone. They had all been concerned about Liang Fu, and when Sun Shi suddenly jumped out and shouted, they were all startled. The little maid even screamed in surprise.
Qian Guang, noticing that Liang Fu was not frightened into another bout of chest pain, frowned at Sun Shi. He thought to himself, isn’t this the Third Daughter-in-law of Shen Ziju, the one who, during the Rain Festival, kept boasting about her son and had her son take the place of the boy with a stomachache on the flower carraige? If it weren’t for the fact that she was Shen Ziju and Shen Zi’an’s sister-in-law, he would really have been angry. He despised people eavesdropping behind his back the most. Clearly, their entire conversation had been overheard by this woman.
Su Zhi was also extremely angry. Her usually pleasant and gentle face had now hardened.
“Third Sister-in-law, what are you doing here? We were having a conversation, and you were sneaking around hiding there. Don’t you know that eavesdropping on others is extremely rude?”
Sun Shi saw that Qian Guang, Liang Fu, and the little maid were all glaring at her. She thought that her sudden appearance might have been a bit abrupt. However, with Su Zhi’s reprimand, she felt it was no big deal. That stubborn, defiant attitude she was known for resurfaced.
“Fourth Sister-in-law, how can you say that to me? I am your sister-in-law. In your house, why would I need to sneak around? I just walked over and said what I did directly. If you didn’t notice me, how can you blame me? I wasn’t eavesdropping on your conversation; I was openly listening.”
Sun Shi spoke boldly, thinking that since everyone had their backs to her, no one could tell if she had just arrived or had been there for a while.
Su Zhi was infuriated by her blatant lie, thinking how exasperating her Third Sister-in-law could be. How could she be so shameless?
“Third Aunt is lying! She came out from behind that big stone just now. We saw her!”
A clear, crisp child’s voice said. It was Yueyue, who had run over from the other side. Her little face was covered in sweat and dirt, making her look like a little mud cat. She immediately rushed to Su Zhi’s side, stretching out her small hand to tug on Su Zhi’s clothes while making faces at Sun Shi.
Sun Shi panicked upon hearing this and said, “Yueyue, you mustn’t lie. I didn’t come out from behind that big stone. You were so far away, how could you see clearly? Little children who lie will get sores on their mouths and won’t look nice.”
Su Zhi frowned and said, “Third Sister-in-law, how can you scare the child like that? I believe Yueyue wouldn’t lie.”
Xiaori said, “That’s right, Yueyue isn’t lying. She really did come out from behind the big stone just now.”
Xinger nodded in agreement beside him.
Sun Shi, feeling the glares from everyone, pursed her lips and said, “I took a shortcut past the stone. They’re so small, they must have thought I came out from behind it and was hiding there. This is just a misunderstanding. Oh, come on, why are you all fussing over such a trivial matter? Master Qian, don’t you want Miss Liang to get better? I just mentioned that my Fourth Sister-in-law is a divine healer.”
Su Zhi was fuming with anger at Sun Shi. She thought to herself how truly detestable this woman was. She vowed to remember this and planned to deal with her once the guests had left.
Sun Shi felt a chill as Su Zhi’s gaze cut through her like a knife. She was genuinely a bit afraid, but then she thought, she hadn’t done anything wrong this time, so there wasn’t much Su Zhi could do to her. Hmph, she was determined to gain some benefits from this situation. If she couldn’t get what she wanted, she’d at least make Su Zhi and Shen Zi’an uncomfortable. She was extremely envious of the couple’s good fortune and relished the idea of subtly causing them trouble.
“Oh, Fourth Sister-in-law is a divine healer?” Qian Guang asked, somewhat surprised. His attention shifted slightly away from the two small wolves, Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai. He had been thinking how much these little dogs resembled wolves. He quite liked them, but didn’t believe they were actual wolves because white wolves were exceedingly rare, considered sacred beasts. He doubted such a creature would live among humans. But as soon as he heard Sun Shi mention that Su Zhi was a divine healer again, his attention was diverted.
“Yes, my Fourth Sister-in-law is renowned for her medical skills,” Sun Shi reiterated, seizing the opportunity to steer the conversation in her favor. She glanced at Su Zhi, who was seething with barely contained anger, and couldn’t help but feel a perverse satisfaction.
Seeing that Qian Guang was finally interested, Sun Shi eagerly nodded and said, “Yes, my Fourth Sister-in-law is indeed a great divine healer. She once had a severe illness, and her whole body was covered in sores. But look at her now; her skin is as smooth as a freshly peeled egg. And my Fifth Brother-in-law, he had a serious head injury with a gash as long as a finger. The doctor said it would leave a scar, but once my Fourth Sister-in-law treated him, it healed in just a few days. Can you see any sign of injury on his head now? No, right? Her medicine is truly miraculous. And let me tell you, my Fourth Sister-in-law can make a remarkable kind of medicine. It can make a person who feels no pain ache all over, or it can make a person who is in pain feel no pain at all.”
Sun Shi rambled on, praising Su Zhi extravagantly, with every other word being about her “Fourth Sister-in-law” and her being a “divine healer.” Anyone listening might think that Sun Shi had a wonderful relationship with Su Zhi and admired her deeply.
Su Zhi looked at Sun Shi but didn’t stop her. She knew this matter couldn’t be kept secret and had never intended to hide it. Being skilled in medicine was a good thing, providing her with more leverage for survival. She had even thought about using her medical skills to attract wealthy patrons, ensuring her safety and stability in a world with clear social hierarchies. After all, wanting to be a leisurely village woman while running various profitable businesses required some dependable support; otherwise, it was too risky. However, she disliked how Sun Shi was loudly proclaiming it. She didn’t like the feeling of being manipulated.
Especially now, Su Zhi felt reluctant to treat Liang Fu. Being announced by Sun Shi right after Liang Fu had a bout of illness made her feel even more manipulated. This situation intensified her dissatisfaction with Sun Shi. Su Zhi thought to herself that she hadn’t been strict enough with her Third Sister-in-law before. It seemed that people like her needed to be firmly refused entry in the future. However, she needed to find sufficient reasons for this, as in their village, where harmony within the family was highly valued, preventing her sister-in-law from visiting would lead to gossip and criticism.
Su Zhi kept thinking about how to prevent Sun Shi from coming to her house in the future. She needed to find a good solution, as she was truly fed up with her Third Sister-in-law.
However, now wasn’t the time to dwell on this because, as soon as Sun Shi spoke, Qian Guang and Liang Fu both looked at her with questioning eyes.
“Sister Zhao, can you really treat illnesses?” Liang Fu asked. She was only slightly surprised and then quickly composed herself. Su Zhi could cook delicious dishes that no one else could, make beautiful dolls she had never seen before, and was extraordinarily clever and skillful. Liang Fu wouldn’t be surprised if Su Zhi could treat illnesses as well. No matter what remarkable skill Su Zhi might possess, Liang Fu would believe it. But she still asked because Su Zhi hadn’t mentioned anything about treating her illness earlier.
Su Zhi smiled gently, “Yes, I do have some medical knowledge. I didn’t mention it earlier because I wanted to see if your condition would improve on its own. Sometimes, it’s best to observe first.”
Qian Guang, intrigued, said, “Miss Su, could you perhaps take a look at Miss Liang’s condition now? We would be immensely grateful for your help.”
Seeing their sincere expressions, Su Zhi nodded. “Alright, I’ll take a look. But I must warn you, my methods may be different from what you’re used to.”
Liang Fu nodded in agreement. “I trust you, Sister Zhao. Please, do whatever you think is best.”
With that, Su Zhi began her examination, putting aside her thoughts about Sun Shi for the time being.
Liang Fu felt a twinge of displeasure, thinking that if Su Zhi could treat illnesses, why hadn’t she offered to help her earlier? Did she want to see her suffer from the pain? However, this thought quickly faded. Su Zhi had told her that emotional healing was necessary, which was a valid prescription. The more she thought about it, the more she admired Su Zhi.
Su Zhi said, “To say I can treat illnesses is a bit of an exaggeration. I have some basic knowledge, but I’m not particularly skilled.”
Qian Guang responded, “But just now, Third Sister-in-law Shen said you cured both yourself and Brother Ziju, and that you can prescribe medicine. How can you say you’re not skilled?”
When Qian Guang heard Sun Shi say that Su Zhi’s whole body had almost been covered in sores, he found it hard to imagine. To him, Su Zhi’s skin could be described as white as jade and as delicate as silk. Such skin must have been meticulously cared for. How could she have ever been so gravely ill? He couldn’t believe it and felt deep sympathy for Su Zhi, thinking how awful she must have felt back then.
Su Zhi smiled modestly, “It’s true that I have some experience in treating illnesses, but it’s largely thanks to good fortune and the right treatments. My skills are still basic compared to seasoned practitioners.”
Liang Fu, now even more impressed, said, “Sister, please don’t be modest. Your knowledge and skills are already remarkable. Can you tell what is causing my illness?”
Su Zhi nodded thoughtfully. “Let me examine you first. Sometimes, the cause of an illness isn’t immediately apparent and needs careful observation.”
Qian Guang and Liang Fu watched as Su Zhi began her examination, their hopes rising. Su Zhi’s composed and confident demeanor reassured them, making them trust in her abilities despite her humility.
Su Zhi explained, “I once met a skilled old man who taught me a few remedies. I used those remedies to cure my illness and my fifth brother’s injury. Later, because the village doctor was interested in my remedies, I shared some with him. In return, he taught me some basic medical techniques, like pulse diagnosis. So, when I say I only know a little, it’s true. I’m just beginning to learn medicine. Calling me a divine healer is really an exaggeration.”
Liang Fu and Qian Guang nodded, understanding now how Su Zhi had acquired her medical knowledge.
Sun Shi, seeing this, quickly added, “Fourth Sister-in-law, you shouldn’t be too modest. I’m sure you know more than just a few remedies. Why don’t you take a look at Miss Liang? You might be able to help her. It would be a great deed and would bring blessings to you and our Shen family.”
Su Zhi looked at Sun Shi, still feeling the sting of her earlier manipulation but knowing she couldn’t let her emotions affect her decision. She turned to Liang Fu and said, “Alright, I’ll examine her and see if I can help.”
Liang Fu smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Sister. I appreciate it.”
Su Zhi looked at Sun Shi and said, “Third Sister-in-law, if I were a divine healer, why didn’t I help Zhu’er back then? If I had, she wouldn’t have had to step down from her position as Rain Goddess.”
Qian Guang nodded in agreement. “Exactly. If Fourth Sister-in-law Shen were a divine healer, she would have been able to help Sister Shen on that day. She’s so kind-hearted; she couldn’t have ignored her.”
Liang Fu added, “So, Sister Zhao, when you entered the room that day, you were going to help Sister Shen with her illness. It’s a pity you’re not a divine healer. Otherwise, you could have cured her, and Sister Zhao Lianhua wouldn’t have had the chance to…” Liang Fu trailed off, not finishing her sentence.
Sun Shi’s expression faltered as she realized the implications of Su Zhi’s words. She had no response and could only lower her head in silence, feeling the weight of her past actions.
Liang Fu thought about mentioning Zhao Lianhua’s fall from the flower carriage but decided against it. It was a topic people preferred to avoid discussing because it represented ominous signs. After all, the Rain Goddess falling from the flower carriage in the past had brought about natural disasters.
Seeing that Qian Guang and Liang Fu believed Su Zhi wasn’t a divine healer, Sun Shi felt a twinge of dissatisfaction. She hadn’t achieved what she wanted, and Su Zhi hadn’t been put in a difficult position. Moreover, she had offended Su Zhi. She didn’t want to be driven out by Su Zhi and lose her wages. Her mind raced as she tried to come up with another plan.