Chapter 7: Becoming a Living Corpse

“There’s nothing seriously wrong; it’s just a case of excessive stress causing him to faint.” After taking Lin Dayou’s pulse, Doctor Yang pulled out silver needles and began to acupuncture specific points on Lin Dayou and Lin Wang’s bodies.

Once a needle was inserted, Lin Dayou slowly opened his eyes and glanced around. Upon seeing Doctor Yang still there, the harsh reality crashed down on him like a nightmare, causing him to weep once more.

“Doctor Yang, your medical skills are remarkable. Is there… is there anything you can do?” Lin Dayou stammered, struggling to find the right words. He was aware that he was asking too much, especially since he had never heard of any doctor performing a craniotomy, except perhaps for deities.

“Ah, Dayou, you must focus on recovering first; your family needs you as their pillar,” Doctor Yang said, feeling a pang of sympathy as he looked at the entire family (besides Lin Wenzheng and Lin Luoning) all lying in bed together.

“Since there’s no one else here, I can tell you about your second son’s condition. I’ll come by every day to provide free treatment.” His implication was clear: he would treat them without charge.

As a physician facing such a grave situation for the first time, he intended to utilize all the medical knowledge he had to see if he could help Lin Dayou’s son recover.

“Thank you, Doctor Yang. Thank you so much…” Lin Dayou expressed his gratitude, trying to get up from the bed in order to bow in thanks. Doctor Yang quickly stopped him.

“Why are you being so dishonest? Did I not tell you to rest properly? What’s all this excitement about? Moreover, I mentioned coming by daily for free treatment, but that doesn’t guarantee I can save your son. That would put me in a tough position.”

Though Doctor Yang’s words were blunt, they held an undeniable truth that left Lin Dayou without a rebuttal.

Feeling utterly defeated by Doctor Yang’s message, Lin Dayou’s spirits sank. The thought that if even Doctor Yang couldn’t save his son sent waves of heartache and uncertainty through him. If not him, then who else could save them?

The village chief, who had stayed behind, was moved by Doctor Yang’s words and felt deep respect for him. Seeing Lin Dayou’s distraught face, the villagers shared a silent understanding and began to step out quietly.

“Brother Zhou, don’t go just yet.” Lin Dayou suddenly called out, as a thought struck him. He hurriedly beckoned the village chief, Zhou Sheng.

“Dayou, do you have any other matters?” Zhou Sheng hesitated. At that moment, he could only think of finances; he felt uneasy at Lin Dayou’s urgent tone.

“I…I want to sever ties with the Lin family,” Lin Dayou declared, his gaze steady as he looked at Zhou Sheng, suggesting he had made a significant decision.

“Sever ties?” Upon hearing it wasn’t about borrowing money, Zhou Sheng felt a wave of relief. However, his brow furrowed again at the mention of cutting ties.

Not only was the village chief surprised, but everyone in the room stared at Lin Dayou, eager to understand his reasoning.

Lin Wang, just regaining her senses, was taken aback by Lin Dayou’s statement, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Head of the family…” she cried out, her voice filled with pain.

Hearing his wife’s voice, Lin Dayou tightly grasped her hand and choked back emotions, “My dear, you’ve endured so much because of me. The children have suffered so much because of me.”

Standing at the door, the village chief realized what was happening; it was clear that the old Lin family had completely disheartened Lin Dayou.

Hearing his father’s decision, Lin Wenzheng’s eyes flickered with a glimmer of joy. If his father severed ties with the old Lin family, he could do anything he wanted without facing any reprimands.

“Have you made your decision?” Zhou Sheng asked, wary that Lin Dayou was merely acting out of temporary frustration.

“Brother Zhou, you’ve seen how filial I’ve been to them, yet this is the outcome I’ve received. I truly don’t want to have any further ties with them,” Lin Dayou said, taking a difficult glance at his wife and children lying on the bed before looking back at Zhou Sheng.

When he spoke, his heart felt utterly indifferent, perhaps having been wounded too deeply by them.

Meanwhile, Lin Luoxi, although awake but not yet opening her eyes, heard this declaration and frowned.

Severing ties? She opened her eyes in confusion only to be struck by a shocking scene.

Heavens, was this a house? The four sides let in drafts, the roof was thatched with straw, and it was so dilapidated it seemed like something from an ancient tribe!

As she surveyed her surroundings, she was appalled to find it horrendously impoverished. Aside from a wooden bed that could barely fit a few people, there was nothing else—not even a mosquito net. It barely qualified as cattle shed.

A musty smell invaded her nostrils. Looking at the place where she lay, she was horrified to discover it was a straw mat, likely damp from the recent rain.

After taking in her surroundings, Lin Luoxi felt as if she had been doused in cold water, and thoughts of wanting to escape crossed her mind.

Her awakening did not attract the attention of those in the room, as everyone remained engrossed in the news of Lin Dayou severing ties.

Zhou Sheng, hearing the despair in Lin Dayou’s voice, no longer insisted on reconciliation. If he were in such a situation, regardless of whether the other party was family, he would be tempted to do something drastic let alone just cutting ties.

“Well, since you’ve made up your mind, I will go right now to call for the clan elders,” Zhou Sheng said without delay, hurrying out.

He wanted to resolve Lin Dayou’s troubles before the evening meal, especially with the ruckus that had surrounded the Lin family earlier that day. The elders were already aware of the situation and sympathized with Lin Dayou’s plight.

However, because Lin Dayou did not formally invite them to intervene, the elders had refrained from meddling in family affairs.

Now that Zhou Sheng was going to inform them of Lin Dayou’s wish to sever ties, they would be more than willing to help him through the process.

Knowing that Lin Dayou couldn’t get out of bed yet, the caring elders from the clan all spontaneously made their way to Lin Dayou’s home.

“Damn that old hag! I said from the very beginning that when she gave birth to him, she should’ve drowned him in a chamber pot!” Old Lady Lin, summoned by the village chief, was outside the house bickering loudly.

“Old man Lin, if you don’t rein in your wife’s tongue, you’d better prepare to kneel at the ancestral hall all night!” an elder waiting at the Lin family’s door snapped at Old Man Lin upon hearing Old Lady Lin’s nonsensical complaints.

“If you don’t shut your mouth, you’ll find yourself kneeling in the ancestral hall tonight, and don’t drag me down with you,” Old Man Lin, who enjoyed playing the bystander role, raised his voice at his wife, deeply frustrated.

The more he listened to Old Lady Lin, the more he agreed that had that unfilial son drowned at birth, there wouldn’t be so many troublesome issues today.