Previous
Fiction Page
Next
Font Size:
Zhao Xiaohua gazed at the smile on Su Zhi’s face, finding it irritatingly bright. She wished she could scratch Su Zhi’s increasingly fair face.
She thought of Su Zhi as her jinx. It was because of her that Shen Zi’an now had a wife. If it weren’t for Su Zhi, Zhao Xiaohua could have married Shen Zi’an and lived a prosperous life. Now, she could only hope to become a concubine. Perhaps this situation could be her chance, as the Shen family seemed pressured to agree to this matter. However, she didn’t expect Su Zhi to intervene. Hearing Su Zhi’s question, she felt like crying.
“Second Brother…”
Calling out to Zhao Daliang, she could only seek help from the smartest person in the family. She genuinely did not want to take that medicine. She had heard the distressing cries of the chickens earlier. If she consumed it, it would surely be extremely painful. Moreover, it would be a great humiliation to her reputation.
Zhao Daliang witnessed the three individuals in pain return to normal after taking the medicine, and he saw the remarkable transformation in the three chickens. Impressed by Su Zhi’s abilities, he started feeling anxious, worrying that his sister might face embarrassment, realizing that whether she took the medicine or not, no advantage could be gained.
Aunt Li stood in front of the bed, stating, “I won’t agree to giving our Xiaohua that medicine. What if it worsens her condition? Chickens are chickens, she is a human. Don’t think you can deceive us with this.”
Li Zheng intervened, “People have already taken this medicine. What do you mean by deception? You all agreed before. Move aside and let Xiaohua take the medicine. If it relieves her pain, clears her name, isn’t that good? Step aside.”
Others chimed in, urging aunt Li to step aside and not cause trouble. Witnessing the miraculous effects of Su Zhi’s medicine further solidified their belief in her. They trusted that Su Zhi’s medicine would prove whether Zhao Xiaohua was saying the truth. Everyone was eager to see the outcome.
Li Zheng handed the small bottle to Wang shi, instructing, “You feed Xiaohua.”
Wang Shi took the small bottle and poured out the last pill, smelling the faint bitter fragrance. Keeping a straight face, she addressed Zhao Xiaohua, “Xiaohua, I will feed you this medicine. Trust me. If you’re still in pain, once you take this pill, the pain will vanish. Aunt Li, please step aside. Let me feed Xiaohua.”
Aunt Li was reluctant to move. However, Shugen’s Wife and Li Qing’s Wife, who had arrived early, approached and gently guided her aside. They were supportive of Su Zhi. Knowing that the Zhao family had previously tried to deceive Su Zhi regarding Tiedan’s incident and might be attempting to manipulate the Shen family now, they held a strong dislike for the Zhao family.
Despite Aunt Li’s protests, she was eventually pulled aside, feeling hopeless. She feared her daughter’s reputation would be irreparably damaged this time.
Zhao Dazhu and his wife had already retreated to the side.
At this moment, Zhao Daliang made up his mind. He was determined not to let Xiaohua take the medicine. If she experienced severe pain after taking it, it would be disastrous. Refusing to let her consume it, he stood in front of Wang Shi, grabbed Xiaohua’s hand, and asked, “Xiaohua, are you still in discomfort? If you’re feeling better now, speak up. We shouldn’t risk taking the medicine if you’re feeling better already.”
Feeling her brother’s grip, Zhao Xiaohua immediately understood his intention. Not wanting to take the medicine, she quickly moved towards the bed, using her hand to shield her mouth and exclaimed, “I’m not in pain anymore, I won’t take it, I won’t!”
Wang Shi insisted, “Weren’t you feeling dizzy and unwell just now? Taking the medicine will make you feel better and prove your innocence.”
Zhao Xiaohua promptly responded, “I had a headache earlier, but now I’m fine. Please remove that medicine, taking it now will definitely cause pain! My innocence will be lost. I was in pain before, but I’m truly not in pain now.”
Li Qing’s Wife sarcastically remarked, “Your headache disappeared too quickly. Moments ago, you claimed to be in pain. Why did the pain vanish so suddenly? Were you deceiving us?”
Zhao Dazhu’s wife interjected, “Li Qing’s wife, your accusation is unfair. How could this be a deception? Xiaohua had a headache earlier, and now, after all this commotion, it subsided suddenly. It’s a natural response.”
Zhao Dazhu chimed in, “You applied that ointment to her earlier; maybe that’s why she’s not in pain anymore.”
“Yes, Xiaohua said she’s not in pain, so she’s not in pain.”
Aunt Li managed to free herself from Li Qing’s Wife and Shugen’s Wife, rushing to the bedside. She was genuinely concerned about her daughter potentially being fed the medicine.
Zhao Daliang remarked, “Look, my sister is not experiencing a headache now. If she takes the medicine, she will definitely feel pain. Shouldn’t we spare her that suffering? Those unaware might think she was lying earlier. We must protect my sister’s reputation.”
Wang Shi placed the pill back into the bottle and returned it to Su Zhi.
Su Zhi shook the bottle of medicine and said, “Your headache is really gone? Let’s hope it doesn’t return soon.”
Zhao Xiaohua quickly responded, “It’s gone, it’s gone! Please take that medicine away.”
Sun Shi scoffed, “Fourth Sister, this medicine is truly miraculous. Even without consuming it, just one look and the illness vanishes. How about giving it to me? My health isn’t great, but if I keep looking at this medicine, I’m sure I’ll improve.”
Su Zhi admired Sun Shi’s persistence in seeking benefits. Ignoring her request, Su Zhi walked a few steps forward, smiling, and addressed the villagers standing at the door, “Dear villagers, Village Head Li Zheng brought some unwell individuals to try the medicine earlier, but not all is consumed. I have one pill left. This medicine requires a combination of two rare ingredients, which I no longer have. Although this medicine is peculiar, it works wonders for those truly ill. If anyone is feeling unwell, please come and take this pill. If you’re feeling fine, it’s best not to consume it. You all know how unusual this medicine is; taking it without need might lead to unnecessary pain.”
Earlier, Li Zheng had invited several individuals to try the medicine, but only three had taken it, leaving several others regretful as they watched the three who had ingested it stand energetically to the side. Upon hearing that Su Zhi had one more pill, they all rushed forward, expressing their desire to take it.
Su Zhi gave the pill to the person at the front, who joyfully consumed it. Shortly after, they happily thanked Su Zhi, stating that they no longer felt unwell.
The individuals who had missed out on the medicine felt disheartened, still experiencing discomfort.
Su Zhi then retrieved the same medicine that had been given to the chickens earlier to alleviate the pain and offered a pill to each of the remaining individuals, explaining that it could also alleviate their pain. Gratefully, they accepted and consumed the pills, feeling relief shortly after.
With this demonstration of Su Zhi’s medical prowess, everyone, both inside and outside the room, began to regard her with increased respect, recognizing her remarkable skills in the field of medicine.
Su Zhi aimed for precisely this effect. She not only sought fear and flattery through her possession of the Sacred Beast and wealth but also aimed to earn people’s respect and affection. This way, should anyone attempt to slander or scheme against her in the future, she would have the support of others. Success in life doesn’t stem solely from personal greatness but also from gaining the support of others, a lesson Su Zhi had learned from her past experiences.
Shen Youfu, relieved that the situation had turned in their favor, finally relaxed. He said, “Since Xiaohua is fine now, we can rest assured. She was injured here today, so we will cover the medical expenses. However, please leave quickly. It’s more comfortable for her to recuperate at home than here.”
This was essentially asking the guests to leave.
Sun Shi sarcastically remarked, “Exactly, it’s best to leave soon. If she drinks our water later and falls ill, that would be troublesome. It’s not impossible. I was tripped over and accused of knocking Xiaohua down. Fourth Sister merely touched her, yet someone said she was squeezed forcefully. Who knows what else might happen? Our Shen family can’t afford such a big Buddha.”
Many chuckled upon hearing this. They now understood that even though Zhao Xiaohua hadn’t taken the medicine, her earlier claims of discomfort were likely a ruse to extort money from the Shen family.
At this moment, the Zhao family members remained silent. Aunt Li muttered about the Shen family’s cruelty, mentioning Xiaohua’s injury and the need for her to be moved. However, Sun Shi’s response shut her down. Sun Shi suggested, “Does your Xiaohua need assistance getting up? If she can stand, she can go home where it’s more convenient.” Zhao Xiaohua felt embarrassed by Sun Shi’s words and requested Aunt Li to take her home.
Zhao Daliang arranged for a flatbed cart to be brought over by the Shen family. He placed a blanket on it, lifted Zhao Xiaohua onto the cart, and then wheeled her home.
As Zhao Xiaohua observed the villagers watching her, she noticed their disdainful gazes, which made her feel uncomfortable.
In Zhao Xiaohua’s mind, even though her family wasn’t wealthy, she was accustomed to being pampered. She believed it was her destiny to marry into a good family and enjoy a comfortable life. She viewed the rural villagers as beneath her, feeling that even acknowledging them with a glance was generous. She harbored the belief that those who disliked her were simply envious of her good fortune, anticipating a time when they would need to curry favor with her. She saw them as uncouth and unworthy of her attention.
Zhao Xiaohua covered her face with the blanket, only to be overwhelmed by a foul smell that nearly made her gag. She wondered whose blanket it was, finding it so repulsively odorous! The blanket belonged to Shen Ziping’s house, and since Sun Shi had caused this situation, it was only right to use their blanket. Sun Shi scolded them upon learning about this.
Shen Ziju observed the villagers warmly surrounding Su Zhi and felt that she was like a ray of sunshine in the gloomy weather. When Shen Zi’an looked at him, he quickly averted his gaze.
Previous
Fiction Page
Next