The carefree life of Yang Shuisheng, the village miracle doctor

"Mom! I didn't."

"That pancake was something I saved from lunch."

"It's my business who I want to give it to."

Liu Yulan's eyes welled up with tears as her mother-in-law scolded her, and she couldn't help but retort.

"Saved?" Granny Sun's voice became even shriller, her triangular eyes widening. "Fine, I told you you were eating like a cat licking its food, saying you had no appetite."

"So that's why they were saving their own food rations to feed this wild man."

"Liu Yulan, have you no shame?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Shuisheng stopped in his tracks completely.

It turns out that Liu Yulan saved those two pancakes by going hungry herself...

It felt like something had hit him in the heart.

"I work from dawn till dusk every day, doing all the work in the fields and at home."

Liu Yulan was going all out; her chest heaved, and her voice was filled with sobs and long-suppressed grievances.

"I'll save a bite of food for myself and give it to whomever I want."

"Shuisheng used to help me carry water and chop firewood a lot, what's wrong with me giving him some food?"

"Pah! What's wrong? What do you mean, what's wrong?" Granny Sun jumped up and down, cursing, "You traitor!"

"My son has only been gone a few years, and you can't stand the loneliness anymore, so you've started secretly keeping a gigolo?"

"Still this idiot! If word gets out, where will the Sun family put their face?"

"My son spent two thousand yuan, a real dowry, to marry you into our family."

"I never expected to marry such an ungrateful wretch, someone who always sides with outsiders."

"Two thousand yuan as a bride price?" Liu Yulan's tears finally fell, her voice trembling. "Yes, I accepted a bride price when I married into this family."

"But ever since I stepped through this door, have I ever wronged your family?"

"My husband is gone. I'm keeping this house and taking care of you. There's always work to do and I have to put up with all the bad things."

"When have you ever treated me like a human being?"

"In your eyes, I'm not even worth two thousand yuan."

"Snap—"

Granny Sun was struck where it hurt and flew into a rage. She raised her withered hand and slapped Liu Yulan hard across the face in front of Yang Shuisheng.

"You've gone too far! How dare you talk back!"

Liu Yulan's head was knocked to the side by the blow, and several clear finger marks immediately appeared on her fair face.

She covered her face, tears streaming down her cheeks, but gritted her teeth and remained silent.

"Enough!" Yang Shuisheng couldn't stand it anymore, turned around abruptly, and glared at Granny Sun. "You've gone too far."

Granny Sun was taken aback, seemingly not expecting that Yang Shuisheng, who was always dull-witted and never fought back or talked back, would speak up and say such clear words.

"Wow! Did the sun rise in the west today?"

She looked Yang Shuisheng up and down.

"Has the idiot gotten any dumber? He's actually protecting this little vixen now?"

Yang Shuisheng ignored her sarcasm, his gaze sweeping over the slap mark on Liu Yulan's face before turning to Granny Sun.

"Since you look down on Sister-in-law Yulan so much, and think she's a disgrace to your family, why not let her go?"

"According to custom, she has been a widow for your son for more than three years, and she is perfectly entitled to remarry."

"Remarry?" Granny Sun scoffed as if she'd heard the funniest joke, her finger nearly poking Yang Shuisheng's nose. "Remarry whom? Marry a penniless, good-for-nothing idiot like you?"

Keep dreaming!

"She is the wife my son married with real money."

"Born a member of the Sun family, will die a ghost of the Sun family."

"Even though my son is gone, she has to stay in my house obediently, work for me, and take care of me in my old age!"

"Trying to leave? No way!"

Yang Shuisheng finally understood.

This old woman wouldn't let go of Liu Yulan, not because of any sense of face, but purely because she was heartbroken over the dowry money, and also because she treated Liu Yulan as free labor and a punching bag.

He stopped wasting words and calmly looked at Granny Sun, saying, "Your son spent two thousand yuan on the bride price back then, right?"

"So what if it is?" Granny Sun asked, her neck stiff with confusion.

"I'll pay this money on behalf of Sister-in-law Yulan," Yang Shuisheng said, emphasizing each word. "I'll give you two thousand yuan, and she's mine!"

Granny Sun and Liu Yulan were both stunned, staring at Yang Shuisheng as if he were a madman.

"You? Two thousand yuan?"

Granny Sun was the first to react, and an exaggerated sneer appeared on her face.

"Yang Shuisheng, did you not wake up properly last night, or is your stupidity acting up again?"

"Why don't you take a good look at yourself? You can't even afford to cook, let alone make two thousand yuan?"

"You can't even come up with two hundred yuan? Keep dreaming."

Liu Yulan also panicked. Ignoring the pain on her face, she quickly advised Yang Shuisheng, "Shuisheng, don't talk nonsense. That's no small amount."

"I don't need your help, you should go home."

She knew what two thousand yuan meant.

That was the money her deceased husband had saved up over several years by working tirelessly and saving every penny on construction sites in the city.

How could Yang Shuisheng possibly produce it?

Yang Shuisheng's face remained expressionless as he continued to look at Granny Sun.

"I don't have two thousand yuan right now."

"But give me a month."

"A month later, I will put two thousand yuan, not a penny less, in front of you."

"The money's here. Sister Yulan, come with me."

"From this day forward, she will have no further connection with your Sun family."

Granny Sun's eyes darted around, and instead of immediately agreeing, she asked sarcastically, "What if you can't produce it?"

"Who's going to believe you if you just talk the talk?"

"Can't produce it?" Yang Shuisheng asked without hesitation. "If you can't produce it, I, Yang Shuisheng, will work as a laborer for your family for a year for free."

"I'll do all the dirty and hard work, from carrying water and chopping wood to plowing the fields and harvesting grain."

"And you don't have to provide a single meal."

Upon hearing this, Granny Sun was tempted.

Although Yang Shuisheng was simple-minded, he was incredibly strong and could do the work of two people at once.

They're working for free for a year, without even providing meals. It's like a free long-term laborer falling from the sky.

As for spending two thousand yuan a month?

She didn't believe it at all.

If Yang Shuisheng really had that ability, how could he be so poor?

By any measure, she's guaranteed to win this bet.

If we win, we get a year's worth of hard labor for free.

We lost...

Bah, there's no way we can lose.

Assuming we really lose, we can get rid of that treacherous and annoying Liu Yulan, out of sight and out of mind.

"etc!"

Just as she was about to agree, a rough, hoarse voice suddenly broke in.

The group turned to look and saw Zhao Hu pushing his old bicycle, limping as he walked over.

His face still bore the bruises from being brutally beaten with a sack, and his gait was somewhat awkward, but his eyes were fixed fiercely on Yang Shuisheng before glancing at Granny Sun.

"Grandma Sun, you've done something really unfair."

Zhao Hu propped up his bicycle, walked closer, and glanced sideways at Granny Sun.

Didn't I give you three thousand yuan a few days ago?

"It was agreed that Liu Yulan would remarry me and become my wife."

"Why are you making this two-thousand-dollar bet with this idiot again?"

"What, you want to marry the same woman twice and receive two dowries?"

Granny Sun's expression changed; she clearly hadn't expected Zhao Hu to come out at this moment.

She quickly stepped forward, pulled Zhao Hu aside, lowered her voice, and said with a forced smile, "Oh, Hu Zi, how could I say that?"

"I've kept the three thousand yuan you gave me very safe."

"Don't worry, the magnolia is definitely yours."

She glanced at Yang Shuisheng and Liu Yulan standing not far away, lowering her voice even further, with a hint of disdain and calculation.

"My aunt was just playing a trick on that fool by betting with him."

"Look at his pathetic appearance, two thousand a month? Dream on!"

"I just want to make him work for free for a year. After a month, when he can't pay me, he'll obediently come to my house and work like a slave. Then the magnolia will still be yours, right?"

"At that time, we'll gain both people and wealth, what a wonderful thing that would be."

After hearing this, Zhao Hu's anger subsided slightly.

But the look in his eyes as he looked at Yang Shuisheng remained sinister.

He was furious after getting a severe beating from that idiot yesterday, and now he really dislikes Yang Shuisheng.

He thought about it and realized that Granny Sun's words made sense. It wouldn't be bad to make use of this fool for a year for free.

"Okay, Auntie, I'm relieved to hear that."

He nodded and said to Granny Sun, "Then you'd better stick to this matter firmly, don't let this fool renege on his debt later."

"Don't worry, he won't get away," Granny Sun assured her, patting her chest.

After the two finished whispering, Granny Sun turned around, reverting to her mean expression, and shouted at Yang Shuisheng, "You fool, I accept the bet."

"Just one month!"

"A month later, here again, two thousand yuan, not a penny less."

"If you can't come up with the money, you'd better come to my house and be my livestock for a year without having to feed you."

She glared fiercely at Liu Yulan again: "And you, you better behave yourself for the next month."

"If you dare to steal from home again to help outsiders, I'll break your hands."

After saying that, she turned around and went back into the house, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.

"Fool, this isn't over yet. You just wait."

Zhao Hu also pushed his bicycle, and as he passed Yang Shuisheng, he snorted through his nose.

"And Liu Yulan, she'll be my woman sooner or later."

After saying that, he limped away on his bicycle.

Liu Yulan, pale-faced, walked up to Yang Shuisheng, her eyes filled with anxiety and lingering fear.

"Shuisheng, you...you're too impulsive."

"Two thousand yuan! Where are you going to get that from?"

"Zhao Hu will definitely not let you go."

Looking at Liu Yulan's worried face, Yang Shuisheng reached out and gently touched the still-present red mark on her face, his voice softening: "Sister-in-law Yulan, don't be afraid."

"I have a way to handle the money."

"Take good care of yourself this month, and don't argue with that old woman."

He paused, his eyes hardening: "I'll come pick you up in a month."

After saying that, he didn't explain further and turned to stride towards his home.

He had to hurry and grab his machete to head into the mountains.

Time is really running out.

Not only must we gather all the medicinal herbs to regulate our bodies and advance our cultivation, but we must also prevent the impending calamity of killing.

I need to find a way to get two thousand yuan within a month.