Yi Zhonghai Still Has Follow-Up

Jia Zhangshi tossed and turned.

The more she tossed, the emptier her stomach felt.

Angrily, she got up and saw Bang Geng sitting in the room, wiping away tears.

"Oh, my good grandson, why are you crying?"

Bang Geng wiped his tears and said aggrievedly, "Lin Guo and the other four eat well every day, but I can't. I can't beat them in a fight, and even Uncle Silly's teaching is useless. I'm not as strong as them!"

"They eat, you eat too. Our Bang Geng must eat fine grains!"

Bang Geng pouted, "They won't let me eat, and they hit me!"

"Good grandson, I didn't tell you to eat at the Lin family's house. Let's go eat at Uncle Silly's. Whatever good food he has, just take it directly!"

Bang Geng nodded, "Then... then I'll go check Uncle Silly's cellar now!"

"Go ahead, bring it back for your aunt to cook!"

Silly Zhu had gone to the steel rolling mill's cafeteria. It was Sunday and he was off, but some workers were hosting a banquet there.

As the head chef, he didn't have fixed days off.

The door to their home had never been locked, and neither had the cellar.

Bang Geng skillfully made his way to the cellar.

Even though he was only five years old, he was very decisive when it came to taking things.

In the blink of an eye, he came out carrying two large cabbages.

"Auntie, hold these first. I'll go to Uncle Silly's room to get lard residue, and you can stew the cabbage for us."

Qin Jingru was a little worried.

"Auntie, if we just take it like this, will Silly Zhu be angry?"

Jia Zhangshi sneered, "Taking his things means we think highly of him. If Dongxu wasn't injured, he wouldn't even have the chance to give it to us!"

Qin Jingru slowly nodded, "Oh... so that's the kind of person Silly Zhu is..."

"Hmph, otherwise why would they call him Silly Zhu!"

Jia Zhangshi said this out loud.

But in her heart, she thought: This Silly Zhu has ill intentions. He keeps calling my daughter-in-law 'Sister Qin' every day. If Dongxu hadn't said he was a fool, I would have scolded him so hard he wouldn't be able to lift his head!

Qin Jingru stewed a pot of cabbage with the lard residue.

Although it couldn't compare to the meals at Lin Zhen's house, at least there was some meat.

Jia Zhangshi scooped a small basin of cornmeal porridge to eat with it.

She ate more than Qin Jingru, Bang Geng, and Xiao Dang combined.

After eating, she lay down on the kang.

"I have to go to the hospital to take over the night shift. Bang Geng, you go out and play, don't disturb my sleep."

Qin Jingru looked at the table full of bowls and chopsticks, frowned, and glanced at Jia Zhangshi.

She thought to herself: I came here to help them look after the children.

I'm not a maid, and you're going to sleep without even helping to clean up.

Seeing this, I can tell my sister's life isn't much better!

In the evening.

The courtyard became lively.

Jia Zhangshi went to the hospital to relieve Qin Huairu.

Silly Zhu also returned from the cafeteria with a lunchbox.

Xu Damao, uncharacteristically, bought 30 eggs and brought them to the Jia family's house.

Qin Huairu exclaimed in surprise, "Oh! Xu Damao, what is this for? You've touched me so much."

Xu Damao's eyes kept glancing into the house at Qin Jingru, and he said with a smile, "Sister Qin, what are you saying? We're all neighbors, I'll help if I can."

"Ah, Jingru, have you eaten dinner yet?"

As soon as Qin Jingru saw Xu Damao, she remembered the scene in the morning when Lin Zhen had scared her into calling him grandpa.

She covered her mouth and chuckled, "Not yet!"

Xu Damao thought she was shy upon seeing him and said happily, "Why don't you come to my place for dinner? Sister Qin, let's all go to my place."

Silly Zhu walked up from behind and quietly went behind Xu Damao.

Suddenly, he shouted, "I'm going too!!!"

"Oh my goodness!"

Xu Damao's legs went weak from the fright. He turned around and saw Silly Zhu, and was so angry he started to curse.

"Silly Zhu, are you out of your damn mind?"

"Who are you calling names? You looking for a fight?"

"I'm talking to you! Stop jumping around. Didn't you see I was talking with Sister Jingru?"

"Fight! Silly Zhu! Xu Damao! Stop yapping and get to it!"

Lin Zhen, never one to miss a spectacle, led his four sons to the central courtyard.

Seeing Lin Zhen, Xu Damao immediately felt a pang of guilt.

He mumbled, "I'm not going to stoop to the level of an idiot. I'm going home to drink by myself!"

"Hey! You coward! Who are you calling names!"

"Whoever it concerns knows!" Xu Damao scurried off towards the back courtyard.

Silly Zhu chuckled, "What a coward!"

First Elder Yi Zhonghai, who hadn't left his house all day, also came out.

However, he had a large canker sore on his lip, about the size of a coin.

He had been stewing in his anger, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt he had been taken advantage of by Lin Zhen.

After being thoroughly tricked, his salary for March, nearly three hundred yuan, was gone.

And the worst part was, he couldn't say anything about it.

The more he thought, the more he couldn't get over it.

In just one day, a large sore had appeared on his lip.

Seeing this, Lin Zhen couldn't help but laugh, "First Elder, did you get into an argument with First Aunt? Why are you so angry?"

Yi Zhonghai waved his hand.

"It's nothing… I just… caught a cold…"

His voice was hoarse.

Lin Zhen chuckled, "A hoarse voice, red eyes, and a sore on your lip – these are symptoms of pent-up internal heat with no outlet, not a cold."

First Aunt, coming out of the house, quickly asked, "Little Lin, can you read medicine?"

"I wouldn't dare say I can, but I studied it in school. First Elder is suffering from suppressed anger, a very common ailment. You need to clear the heat from the heart and liver."

Lin Zhen's medical skills were no joke. He had long since thoroughly studied Chinese and foreign medical texts.

With the Ten Thousand Times Experience Acceleration System, his medical skills had reached the pinnacle attainable by mortals.

Saying he could bring the dead back to life with flesh on their bones might be an exaggeration.

But for common ailments, he could tell the cause with just a glance.

Yi Zhonghai was simply depressed, stifled, and angry, which led to the sore.

The cure was simple, but not treating it wouldn't cause any major harm; it would heal on its own in a few days.

However, First Aunt cared about her husband and had coaxed him into coming out.

Otherwise, he would have stayed inside listening to the radio.

"Little Lin, what kind of medicine do you think should be prescribed?"

"Just grab some laxatives, rhubarb and croton seeds would work."

Rhubarb and croton seeds are indeed laxatives. Rhubarb is cold and bitter, while croton seeds are pungent and warm.

When combined, their opposing properties would neutralize each other, preventing harm to the patient's spleen and stomach.

However, these two herbs aren't specifically for clearing heart heat; they are primarily for clearing the bowels.

Lin Zhen just casually mentioned them to tease Yi Zhonghai.

If he actually took them, they might provide some effect, but they would guaranteed make him so sick he couldn't go to work the next day.

Yi Zhonghai also knew the reputation of these two herbs.

He repeatedly waved his hands, "Don't bother me with that…"

First Aunt said, "Little Lin knows everything. Maybe it'll really work. I'll go to the pharmacy."

Yi Zhonghai impatiently replied, "It's already evening… Why go to the pharmacy now… They're already closed…"

Silly Zhu said, "First Aunt, no need to go to the pharmacy. I have rhubarb and croton seeds at home."

Lin Zhen exclaimed in surprise, "Ah, Silly Zhu? Why do you have rhubarb and croton seeds stored at home?"

Silly Zhu proudly replied, "For doing good deeds! Isn't this what it's for?"

"Uh… you really care about First Elder. We can't compare. First Aunt, don't use too much, that stuff can dehydrate you."

"Don't worry, I know that."

While First Aunt went to boil the medicine, Silly Zhu started egging Bang Geng on to compete with Lin Guo and the Lin family.

Lin Guo said, "Bang Geng, my brother and I accept your challenge!"

Bang Geng was a little nervous. "Let's get this straight first, no punching, only wrestling!"

"Whatever, hurry up!"

"I... I... I choose the Lin family!"

The Lin family's cotton-padded jacket was handed to Lin Zhen after it was taken off.

"Dad, look, has my crucifix chokehold improved!"