Yi Zhonghai Had More to Come

Jia Zhangshi tossed and turned.

The more she tossed, the emptier her stomach felt.

Too angry to sleep, she sat up and saw Bang Geng sitting in the room, wiping away tears.

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

Wiping his tears, Bang Geng said aggrievedly, "The four of them eat good food every day, but I don't get any. I can't beat them in fights, and even Silly Uncle teaching me doesn't help. I'm not as strong as them!"

"If they eat, then you eat too. Our Bang Geng deserves refined grain too!"

Bang Geng pouted. "But they won't let me eat, and they even hit me!"

"Good grandson, I didn't tell you to eat at Lin Jia's home. Go eat at Silly Zhu's home. Whatever good food he has, just take it!"

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

"Go on. Bring it back and let your little aunt cook it!"

Silly Zhu had gone to the rolling mill cafeteria. It was Sunday, his day off, but some workers were hosting a banquet in the cafeteria.

As the head cook, he did not have fixed days off.

His door had never been locked, nor had the vegetable cellar.

Bang Geng made his way to the vegetable cellar like he knew it by heart.

Though he was only five years old, he did not hesitate at all when taking things.

In the blink of an eye, he carried out two big cabbages.

"Little Aunt, hold these first. I'm going to Silly Uncle's room to get some pork cracklings. Cook cabbage stew for us."

Qin Jingru was a little worried.

"Auntie, if we just take things like this, won't Silly Zhu get angry?"

Jia Zhangshi sneered. "Taking his things is giving him face. If Dongxu hadn't gotten hurt, he wouldn't even have the chance to give us anything!"

Qin Jingru slowly nodded. "Oh... so Silly Zhu is that kind of person..."

"Hmph, otherwise why would he be called Silly Zhu?"

That was what Jia Zhangshi said aloud.

But she thought, That Silly Zhu has bad intentions. He calls my daughter-in-law Sister Qin every day. If Dongxu hadn't said he was a sucker, I'd have cursed him until he couldn't lift his head!

Qin Jingru stewed a pot of cabbage with pork cracklings.

It could not compare with Lin Zhen's family's meals, but at least there was some meat in it.

Jia Zhangshi soaked cornbread and wolfed down a small basinful.

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

After eating, she flopped onto the kang bed.

"I have to go keep watch at the hospital tonight. Bang Geng, go outside and play. Don't disturb my sleep."

Looking at the table full of bowls and chopsticks, Qin Jingru frowned and shot Jia Zhangshi a glance.

She thought, I came here to help you look after the children.

I'm not a maid. You don't even help clean up before going to sleep.

No wonder my sister's life must not be much better!

That evening.

The courtyard became lively.

Jia Zhangshi went to the hospital to relieve Qin Huairu.

Silly Zhu also returned from the cafeteria carrying lunch boxes.

In a rare move, Xu Damao bought thirty eggs and brought them to the Jia family.

Qin Huairu said in surprise, "Oh! Xu Damao, what are you doing? I'm so touched."

Xu Damao kept looking toward Qin Jingru inside the room, his face piled with smiles. "Sister Qin, listen to you. We're neighbors. Of course I'll help if I can."

"Hey, Jingru, have you had dinner yet?"

The moment Qin Jingru saw Xu Damao, she remembered how Lin Zhen had frightened him into calling him Grandpa that morning.

Covering her mouth, she giggled. "Not yet!"

Xu Damao thought she was shy because she had seen him, and said happily, "Come eat dinner at my place. Sister Qin, come on, all of you come to my house."

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

Then he suddenly shouted, "I'm coming too!!!"

"Oh, heavens!"

Xu Damao's legs went weak from fright. When he turned and saw it was Silly Zhu, he cursed furiously.

"Silly Zhu, are you fucking brain-dead?"

"Who are you talking about? Looking for a beating?"

"I'm talking about you. Stop startling people like that. Can't you see I'm talking to little sister Jingru?"

"Fight! Silly Zhu! Xu Damao! Stop running your mouths and throw hands!"

Lin Zhen loved nothing more than watching trouble escalate, so he brought his four sons to the central courtyard as well.

The moment Xu Damao saw Lin Zhen, his confidence shriveled.

He said weakly, "I'm not lowering myself to a fool's level. I'm going home to drink by myself!"

"Hey! You little bastard, who are you calling that?"

"Whoever it applies to knows!" Xu Damao jogged off toward the rear courtyard.

Silly Zhu chuckled. "What a real little bastard!"

First Elder Yi Zhonghai, who had not gone out all day, came outside at that moment too.

But a huge fever blister had formed on his lip, as big as a one-cent coin.

He had bottled up his anger. The more he thought about it, the more he felt he had suffered a silent loss at Lin Zhen's hands.

He had been thoroughly played, and three months' wages—nearly three hundred yuan—were gone.

Yet he could not say a word about it.

The more he thought about it, the more he could not get over it.

After just one day, a huge blister had appeared on his lip.

Unable to hold back a laugh, Lin Zhen said, "First Elder, did you get into an argument with First Aunt? Why are you so fired up?"

Yi Zhonghai waved his hand.

"It's nothing... I just... caught a chill..."

Even his voice was hoarse.

Lin Zhen snickered. "Hoarse voice, bloodshot eyes, sores on your lips—those are signs of pent-up heart fire with nowhere to vent, not a chill."

First Aunt, who had come out of the house, hurriedly asked, "Xiao Lin, do you know medicine?"

"I wouldn't say I know it. I studied it back in school. First Elder's condition was caused by bottling up anger. It's very common. He needs to purge the heart fire and liver fire."

Lin Zhen's medical skills were no joke. He had long since read medical classics from China and abroad.

The ten-thousandfold acceleration system had brought his medical skill to the pinnacle of what an ordinary person could master.

Saying he could revive the dead and regrow flesh on bones would be an exaggeration.

But for ordinary symptoms, he could tell the cause with one glance.

Yi Zhonghai had simply been so depressed, stifled, and angry that he had broken out in sores.

It was easy to treat, though leaving it untreated would not be much of a problem either. It would heal on its own after a few days.

But First Aunt cared about her husband. After much coaxing and persuasion, she finally got him to come out for a walk.

Otherwise, he would still have been inside listening to the radio.

"Xiao Lin, what medicine should we get?"

"Just get some laxatives. Rhubarb and croton seeds, anything like that."

Rhubarb and croton seeds were indeed laxatives, one bitter and cold, the other pungent and warm.

Used together, their cold and warmth restrained each other, so they would not harm the patient's spleen and stomach.

But those two herbs were not specifically for purging heart fire. They were specifically for purging the bowels.

Lin Zhen had only casually mentioned them to tease Yi Zhonghai.

If Yi Zhonghai really took them, they might have some effect, but they would definitely make him shit so badly he could not go to work tomorrow.

Yi Zhonghai knew the reputation of those two herbs too.

He waved his hands repeatedly. "Stop messing with me..."

First Aunt said, "Xiao Lin knows everything. It might really work. I'll go check the pharmacy."

Yi Zhonghai said impatiently, "It's already evening... why go to a pharmacy... they're off work already..."

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

Lin Zhen asked in surprise, "Hey, Silly Zhu? Why do you keep rhubarb and croton seeds at home?"

Silly Zhu said proudly, "For chivalrous deeds. Isn't this where they come in handy?"

"Uh... you really care about First Elder. We can't compare. First Aunt, don't use too much. That stuff can cause dehydration."

"Don't worry, I know that."

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

Lin Guo said, "Bang Geng, my brother and I will accept any challenge you choose!"

Bang Geng was a little intimidated. "Let's agree first—no punching, only wrestling!"

"Whatever. Hurry up!"

"I... I... I choose Lin Jia!"

Lin Jia took off his padded jacket and handed it to Lin Zhen.

"Dad, see whether my Crucifixion Lock has improved!"