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Jiang Zhi Ning calmly said, “Like I said, I’ve studied medicine under a traditional Chinese medicine master. So when I make a house call, I charge for my services. But if sister-in-law was truly injured because of me, I would, of course, treat you for free.”
Wang Yufen’s face turned pale instantly.
“But since you were clearly faking it, and I came out here for nothing, you’ll still need to pay the consultation fee. Don’t worry, it’s not much — just one yuan.”
Before she even finished speaking, Wang Yufen’s eyes widened. “What? One yuan? Are you robbing me?!”
“If I were robbing you, one yuan wouldn’t cut it. Sister-in-law, just pay up. Otherwise, if I take this to the commander and tell him you faked an illness to extort others, your losses will be far more than one yuan. Don’t you all agree?”
“She’s right,” Liu Zhi Lan said gleefully. “You faked being sick and called her over. And you claimed your back hurt, but now Dr. Zhi Ning treated you and you’re sitting up. We all saw it with our own eyes.”
“Exactly! You sat up right away,” another auntie chimed in, covering her mouth as she laughed.
Wang Yufen’s face turned bright red with anger. “You want me to pay? No way!”
“Sister Zhi Lan, could you please find my husband and ask him to bring the commander here to sort this out?” Jiang Zhi Ning said coolly.
Wang Yufen panicked immediately. She knew the situation was now out of her control.
Gritting her teeth, she growled, “Fine! I’ll pay.”
She shot Jiang Zhi Ning a fierce glare before reluctantly pulling out one yuan.
Jiang Zhi Ning accepted the money and handed both the silver needles and the coin to one of the aunties nearby. “Auntie, could you help divide this one yuan among everyone? Everyone who witnessed this, aside from Auntie Xia, gets a share.”
The onlookers, delighted by the unexpected reward, thanked her enthusiastically: “Thank you, Captain’s wife!”
“My pleasure,” Jiang Zhi Ning replied with a smile, clearly pleased to see both Auntie Xia and Wang Yufen fuming with anger. She left in high spirits.
As they exited the yard, Liu Zhi Lan looked at her with admiration. “Zhi Ning, you’re amazing! That Wang Yufen is the stingiest woman around. Getting money out of her is like pulling teeth!”
“She brought it on herself,” Jiang Zhi Ning said calmly.
“You really know acupuncture?”
Jiang Zhi Ning giggled, “Of course not. I just know a few acupoints. It was all for show.”
Liu Zhi Lan laughed, covering her mouth.
Just then, a panicked voice called out, “Captain’s wife!”
Jiang Zhi Ning stopped and looked at the elderly man running toward her. “Uncle, is something wrong?”
“Quick, go to the school! Something happened to your boy, Song Ye!”
At those words, Jiang Zhi Ning’s heart tightened.
Twenty minutes later, Jiang Zhi Ning rushed into the military district’s school — a place specifically for the children of military families.
She entered the teacher’s office and saw Song Ye standing with his head bowed in front of two furious-looking adults.
“Xiao Ye,” she called.
When Song Ye looked up and saw her, his head drooped even lower.
Jiang Zhi Ning walked over and gently asked the teacher, “Teacher, what happened to our Song Ye?”
The female teacher glanced at her, momentarily surprised by her presence, and then scolded, “Song Ye is just a child, but he had the audacity to hit someone. We asked him to write a self-criticism letter, but he insists he did nothing wrong.”
Jiang Zhi Ning bent down and looked into Song Ye’s eyes. “Tell me what happened.”
As he raised his face, she saw several scratches on his cheeks.
Looking into her gentle eyes, Song Ye’s eyes reddened. “He called me a stray, said no one wanted me, not even my own mom — that I was trash. He kept saying it, so I pushed him, and then he hit me.”
Jiang Zhi Ning’s chest tightened. That scene was all too familiar to her.
Composing herself, she stood up straight and declared, “If that’s the case, then our Song Ye did nothing wrong.”
“What? He hit someone and he’s not wrong?!” the middle-aged woman next to the teacher shouted. “A child hitting people? Is he going to be a thug when he grows up? He must apologize to my son today!”
“Madam Song, children need proper guidance. You can’t excuse violence,” the teacher said.
“So teachers should turn a blind eye when other kids verbally abuse my son?” Jiang Zhi Ning’s gaze turned icy.
“They were just kids joking around. It’s not that serious,” the middle-aged woman said dismissively.
“Then if I said your husband had an illegitimate child outside, you’d be okay with that?” Jiang Zhi Ning retorted.
The woman’s eyes bulged. “What nonsense are you spouting?!”
“Just a joke. What’s the big deal? Isn’t that what you just said?” Jiang Zhi Ning shot back. “If an adult gets angry hearing that, how can a child be expected to take it?”
“You—!” The woman was left speechless. “Still, he used violence. That deserves punishment.”
Jiang Zhi Ning stood in front of Song Ye, spine straight. “My son hit him to stop the verbal abuse and protect himself. If he hadn’t pushed back, would the insults have stopped?”
The teacher was silent.
Song Ye stared at her in a daze. He hadn’t expected her to defend him so fiercely.
“Violence is wrong no matter what,” the woman pressed again.
“You all heard — he pushed once to stop the insults. That’s legally considered self-defense. Afterwards, when your child didn’t back down and escalated, my son naturally had to defend himself again.”
Not wanting to lose face, the woman turned to the teacher. “Teacher, what do you say?”
“Let’s not make it harder for the teacher,” Jiang Zhi Ning said coldly. “My son can apologize — but only after your son apologizes for the verbal abuse.”
“My son has nothing to apologize for!” the woman snapped.
“One kind word can warm a winter’s day, but cruel words cut deeper than a knife. If we take this to the Public Security Bureau, your child’s verbal abuse will be the bigger issue.”
Hearing “Public Security Bureau,” the woman flinched. In this era, going to the authorities over a fight meant serious trouble and public embarrassment.
Noticing the tension, the teacher tried to mediate. “I think Madam Song has a point. It was indeed Xiao Song who started it with the insults. He should apologize first, then Song Ye can apologize for pushing.”
Reluctantly, seeing the teacher agree and facing Jiang Zhi Ning’s unyielding attitude, the woman gave in. “Fine, for the teacher’s sake. Xiao Song.”
The boy, intimidated by Jiang Zhi Ning’s icy stare, nervously said, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said those things.”
Jiang Zhi Ning looked at Song Ye, resting her hand on his head. “Do you accept his apology?”
Song Ye nodded obediently. “I do. I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have pushed you.”
“Teacher, I hope you’ll let the other children know — I’m Song Ye’s mother. If I hear anyone calling my son a stray or saying he’s unwanted again, I won’t be so polite next time,” Jiang Zhi Ning stated, eyes cold.
The teacher nodded awkwardly. “Understood.”
With that, Jiang Zhi Ning took Song Ye’s hand and walked out of the office.
Just outside, they ran into Song Yu Zhou hurrying over.
The warmth of her palm slowly eased the fear in Song Ye’s heart.
Without a word, Jiang Zhi Ning led him to a quiet corner. There, she let go and looked him in the eyes.
Seeing his head bowed, she said firmly, “Song Ye, do you know what you did wrong?”
He nodded.
“What exactly did you do wrong?”
“I shouldn’t have hit someone.”
“Wrong,” she said, placing a hand on his head. “Your mistake was not stopping him from hurting you sooner. You have a mother. You are not a stray.”