The carefree life of Yang Shuisheng, the village miracle doctor

When Zhao Hu heard Yang Shuisheng say "consolidate, consolidate," and felt the sharp pain in his wrist, he suddenly remembered the terrible state of his face when Yang Shuisheng beat him up last time.

Especially with the rumors circulating these past few days about the close relationship between Yang Shuisheng and Brother Kun in town, his arrogance immediately deflated by more than half.

"Brother Shuisheng, look at you, you've misunderstood."

The fierceness on his face instantly turned into forced embarrassment, and his tone softened.

"I really didn't mean to make things difficult for Yulan. I just saw that Yulan is having a hard time on her own and wanted to give her a chance to earn money."

"Cooking for the brothers who go into the mountains to search for people, two meals a day, easy work and you get paid—where else can you find such a good deal?"

"Besides, it doesn't matter who I hire, and I don't need to pay that much. I'm genuinely trying to help Yulan."

He spoke as if he were some kind and righteous person.

"Help her?"

Yang Shuisheng released his grip, but his eyes remained icy: "That depends on whether she's willing or not. You can't force a relationship; don't you understand that?"

"I refuse!" Liu Yulan immediately stepped out from behind Yang Shuisheng, her eyes resolute and her voice filled with anger. "Zhao Hu, I appreciate your kindness, but I won't earn this money, and I won't cook this meal. Go find someone else."

Of all the people in the village, this guy was the one he hated the most. Just looking at him made him sick, let alone cooking at his house.

Zhao Hu glanced at Yang Shuisheng's icy expression, then at Liu Yulan's resolute attitude, and knew that today's matter was completely hopeless.

"Alright, alright."

He rubbed his still aching wrist, rolled his eyes, and sighed with feigned helplessness: "Since Yulan doesn't want to, then forget it."

"I, Zhao Hu, am not one to force people to do things against their will. As for Aunt Sun, how about the fifty yuan I gave you before... do you want to give it back to me? I'll find someone else."

Upon hearing that she wanted a refund, Granny Sun's face immediately fell, and she grumbled reluctantly, "The money's already been paid, there's no reason to give it back!"

"It's her business if that little bitch doesn't go, what does it have to do with me?"

Yang Shuisheng's gaze shifted to Granny Sun's mean and greedy face, his voice laced with sarcasm: "Granny Sun, have you forgotten everything I said last time?"

"I've said it before, if you dare to bully Sister-in-law Yulan again within a month, or force her to do something she doesn't want to do, you'll bear the consequences."

"What, you've already ignored it after just a few days?"

"Or do you think that what I, Yang Shuisheng, say is just nonsense?"

Granny Sun felt uneasy under Yang Shuisheng's cold gaze, and she also thought of Yang Shuisheng's current prestige in the village and his connections in the town.

No matter how unwilling she was, she didn't dare to argue. Reluctantly, she took out the fifty yuan from her pocket and slapped it hard into Zhao Hu's hand, muttering, "Take it, take it. What bad luck, all my words were wasted."

Zhao Hu took the money, feeling angry but not daring to lash out. He turned to leave.

"Wait a minute," Yang Shuisheng called out to him again.

Zhao Hu's heart skipped a beat. He turned around stiffly, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace: "Brother Shui... Brother Shuisheng, is there anything else?"

Yang Shuisheng asked with a seemingly casual expression, "You just said it was for the brothers who went into the mountains to search for people?"

"Who are you looking for? How many people are there in total? How many days will it take?"

Although Zhao Hu was puzzled as to why Yang Shuisheng asked this, he still answered honestly: "It's to help some people from other places find jobs. I don't know the specifics. I've arranged a total of ten people so far, just enough for one table of food, and I only cook two meals a day, breakfast and dinner."

"The timeframe is short, three to five days at most, and probably no more than ten days at most. The work isn't tiring, really."

Fearing Yang Shuisheng wouldn't believe him, he even looked at Liu Yulan and added, "Yulan, if you think the money is too little, I'll add another fifty to make it a hundred yuan."

"Just for cooking these few days, one hundred yuan!"

"This price is enough to hire a master chef in town, what do you think?"

Yang Shuisheng quickly made a mental calculation.

Ten people went into the mountains to look for someone; this must be what Zhao Hu promised those three city folks yesterday.

Let Liu Yulan cook for them; maybe she can hear some rumors, find out the origins and purposes of those people, and see if they are really looking for Lin Wan, and who they are.

This is better than him asking around blindly.

He glanced at Liu Yulan, who still looked resistant, and then said to Zhao Hu, "Wait a moment."

After saying that, he took Liu Yulan's arm and walked behind the woodpile in the corner of the yard, avoiding Zhao Hu and Granny Sun who was craning her neck to listen.

"Sister-in-law Yulan," Yang Shuisheng said quickly in a low voice, "I think you should consider this job."

Liu Yulan looked at him in surprise, her eyes full of confusion: "Shuisheng, how could you... know that Zhao Hu had bad intentions, and I..."

"I know Zhao Hu is a scoundrel," Yang Shuisheng interrupted her, his voice even lower, "but this hundred yuan is quite a lot, just for cooking for a few days, and I need your help with something."

"Help?" Liu Yulan was taken aback.

Money doesn't matter, but helping Yang Shuisheng would make her more interested.

"Hmm." Yang Shuisheng nodded, his expression serious. "When you go to cook for them, keep your ears open and listen to what the people eating are talking about."

"Especially note who they're looking for in the mountains, their background, and if there's anything particularly noteworthy, let me know later."

Liu Yulan was a smart woman and immediately understood what Yang Shuisheng meant.

Looking at Yang Shuisheng's solemn expression, and thinking of his constant protection and help to her, her resistance slowly disappeared, replaced by a feeling of being trusted and needed by him.

"I see."

She bit her lip and nodded slightly: "If it's to get information for you, I'll go."

"I'm so sorry to have troubled you, Sister-in-law Yulan!"

"Be careful, watch out for Zhao Hu, and call me anytime if anything happens."

Yang Shuisheng felt relieved and whispered his instructions.

After discussing it, the two walked back to the center of the courtyard.

Yang Shuisheng said to Zhao Hu, who looked expectant, "Okay, Sister Yulan will take this job."

"real?"

Upon seeing Liu Yulan nod in agreement, Zhao Hu was overjoyed: "That's great, Yulan! Don't worry, you won't be shortchanged on your wages."

"However, there are a few things I need to clarify." Yang Shuisheng changed the subject. "First, the cooking will be done at Sister Yulan's own home. Once it's done, you can have someone come and pick it up. Sister Yulan won't go anywhere else."

"Secondly, this hundred yuan is for Sister Yulan's wages and has nothing to do with anyone else."

"Settle the accounts for each day's work, or settle them all at once at the end. The money must be given to Sister Yulan, understand?"

"Understood, understood! We'll do it here, and all the money will go to Yulan." Zhao Hu readily agreed, as long as Liu Yulan was willing to do it, everything else was negotiable.

"No way!" Granny Sun shrieked, jumping up and down. "Why can't I have the money? I'm her mother-in-law, she should give me the money she earns."

"Besides, if she goes to cook for Zhao Hu, who will cook for me? What will I eat?"

Why should I give it to you?

Yang Shuisheng looked at her coldly: "This money is Sister Yulan's hard-earned money, it belongs to her, what's it to you?"

"As for your meals..." he scoffed, "You have hands and feet, can't you cook for yourself if you want to eat?"

"Or will you starve to death without Sister Yulan?"

"You...you..." Granny Sun was so choked up that her face turned red, and she pointed at Yang Shui, too angry to speak.