The carefree life of Yang Shuisheng, the village miracle doctor

After leaving the stationery store, Yang Shuisheng led Dong Xiaoqiang, who was carrying a bunch of new toys and whose little face was still flushed with excitement, back to Xu Xiuxia's courtyard.

"Mommy! Mommy!"

Dong Xiaoqiang couldn't wait to break free from Yang Shuisheng's hand, grabbed his rifle case, and rushed into the main room, shouting, "Look, my godfather bought me so many good things!"

The room was quiet, with only his voice echoing.

No one responded.

"Mom? Are you home?" Dong Xiaoqiang put down his things, ran into the inner room to look around, and then came out somewhat dejectedly. He said to Yang Shuisheng, who followed him in, "Godfather, Mom isn't home. She's probably at a restaurant."

Yang Shuisheng nodded, thinking to himself that it made sense.

Xu Xiuxia runs the restaurant by herself, and lunchtime is her busiest time, so she probably went over to help out.

He checked the time and realized it was getting late. He should hurry back to Peach Blossom Valley, as there were still a lot of things to deal with, especially the Ganoderma lucidum and his breakthrough.

He crouched down and said to Dong Xiaoqiang, "Xiaoqiang, your mother isn't home. Do you want to wait for her at home, or should I take you to a restaurant to find her?"

"No need, godfather."

Dong Xiaoqiang shook his head sensibly: "I'll be fine at home alone."

"When my mom is busy, I usually stay home alone or go to Aunt Wang's house next door."

"I'll just wait for Mom to come back."

Looking at the little guy's independent yet well-behaved demeanor, Yang Shuisheng felt even more affection for him.

"Okay, then you stay home and don't run around."

He ruffled Dong Xiaoqiang's hair: "Don't open the door to strangers. When your mother comes back, please tell her for your godfather that I'm going back to the village first, and I'll come to see you again in a few days."

Upon hearing that his godfather was leaving, Dong Xiaoqiang's smile immediately faded, his big eyes filled with reluctance. He stepped forward, grabbed Yang Shuisheng's sleeve, and looked up at him expectantly, asking, "Godfather, when...when will you come again? Anytime is fine, even if it's just a few days later!"

That dependent yet expectant look softened Yang Shuisheng's heart.

He thought for a moment and gave a relatively clear promise: "After your godfather finishes some things in the village, it will probably be three or four days, or at most a week, to come see you and your mother, okay?"

"Really? Let's pinky swear!" Dong Xiaoqiang extended his little finger.

"Okay, pinky promise!" Yang Shuisheng smiled and extended his little finger, hooking it with the other's. "Pinky promise, never to change for a hundred years."

"If you change, you're a puppy!" Dong Xiaoqiang added, a smile returning to his face.

After calming the little one down, Yang Shuisheng got up and left Xu Xiuxia's house without further delay.

Instead of leaving town directly, he went to the town's tailor shop first.

When he came over a few days ago, he also ordered two new summer outfits for Liu Yulan. Judging by the days, they should be ready today.

After taking the two sets of new clothes, which were wrapped in cloth and folded neatly, Yang Shuisheng paid the balance and hurried towards Taohua'ao.

It was already afternoon when we returned to Peach Blossom Valley.

Instead of going home first, Yang Shuisheng carried the bag of new clothes and headed straight for Liu Yulan's house.

He needed to deliver the clothes to Liu Yulan first, and also check on her.

Arriving at Liu Yulan's somewhat dilapidated fenced yard, they found the gate wide open.

Unfortunately, as soon as Yang Shuisheng walked in, he saw Liu Yulan's mother-in-law hunched over, laboriously beating a thick old cotton quilt in the yard, dust flying in the sunlight.

Hearing footsteps, Granny Sun turned around and saw Yang Shuisheng. Especially when she saw that he was carrying a bulging bundle wrapped in a floral cloth, disgust and vigilance immediately appeared on her old face. She snorted heavily through her nose, turned her head away, and continued to beat the quilt vigorously, as if the quilt belonged to Yang Shuisheng.

Yang Shuisheng was already used to the old woman's attitude and was too lazy to argue with her. He pretended not to see her and walked straight towards the main room.

He knew that Liu Yulan was most likely inside the house at this moment.

Sure enough, Liu Yulan was mending an old garment in the main room when she heard footsteps. She looked up and her eyes lit up instantly when she saw Yang Shuisheng. Two blushes appeared on her face, and she quickly put down her work and stood up, awkwardly wiping her hands. "Shui...Shuisheng, you've come?"

"Yes, Sister Yulan, I brought you something." Yang Shuisheng walked over and handed her the cloth bag in his hand.

Liu Yulan took it with a puzzled look. It felt heavy in her hand and had the unique smell of new fabric.

She opened the cloth bag and saw two sets of new clothes inside, made of very nice-looking fabric, with colors and patterns just what she liked.

"This...this is new clothes?"

"For me?"

She froze, looking at the clothes and then at Yang Shuisheng, her face filled with unbelievable surprise, but then unease and heartache welled up inside her: "How much money did this cost! It's such a waste. I have clothes to wear, I don't need such nice ones."

"What's the waste?" Yang Shuisheng smiled, his tone relaxed. "It's just two sets of clothes, how much could they be worth?"

"You're always so busy, you should wear something new."

"Don't worry, when I'm better off, I'll continue to buy you more and better clothes, not just clothes, but also shoes, necklaces, earrings and the like."

His words carried a hint of a joke, but also a sincere promise.

He remembered Liu Yulan's kindness to him and wanted her to have a better life.

Liu Yulan felt a sweet warmth in her heart, a mixture of shyness and joy. Holding the new clothes, she lovingly stroked the smooth fabric, her face flushing even more. She whispered, "Don't waste money. Your thoughtfulness makes me very happy."

As the two were talking, the light at the entrance to the main room suddenly dimmed.

"Come on! Sweet talk, you're just trying to fool me."

Granny Sun stood at the door with a gloomy old face, her old eyes fixed on the new clothes in Liu Yulan's arms. She then glared at Yang Shuisheng and let out a disdainful sneer.

"Buy more and better? You?"

"It's just that a penniless peasant had a stroke of good luck for a short time."

"If my Yulan were to remarry, she would have to marry someone like Zhao Hu."

"Zhao Hu is the real success in our village. He has connections in town and makes a lot of money. Who do you think you are? You dare to talk big here?"

She got uglier and uglier as she spoke, pointing at Yang Shuisheng and almost spitting out saliva: "Let me tell you, Yang Shuisheng, stop trying to fool people with this stuff."

"Don't try to ruin my magnolia's life. And let me remind you, there aren't many days left until the month we agreed on."

"If you can't come up with two thousand yuan by then, forget about coming to see Yulan, you won't even get a second glance at her."

"I'm telling you this now, when the time comes, I mean it."

Her words were so vicious and cruel that they frightened Liu Yulan so much that her face turned pale and her hands, which were holding the new clothes, trembled. She wanted to say something, but she dared not speak because of her mother-in-law's fierce glare.

The smile on Yang Shuisheng's face slowly faded, and his eyes turned cold.

Looking at the repulsive old woman, his disgust reached its peak.

But he didn't react. He just gave Granny Sun a deep look. His gaze was calm, but it made Granny Sun feel a sudden unease.

"Grandma Sun, the clothes were a gift from me to Sister Yulan. She can accept them if she wants, or dispose of them as she pleases."

"As for the rest..."

Yang Shuisheng paused, his tone unhurried yet carrying an inexplicable pressure.

"The time hasn't come yet. When the time comes, I will have the money ready, so you don't need to keep worrying about it."

"Sister-in-law Yulan, please put the clothes away. I'm going back now."

After saying that, he stopped looking at Granny Sun's face, which had turned pale with anger, nodded to Liu Yulan, turned around, and left Liu Yulan's house without looking back.

Behind them came Granny Sun's suppressed curses and Liu Yulan's tearful pleading.

Yang Shuisheng pretended not to hear and walked steadily toward his home.

Two thousand yuan? And Zhao Hu?

Heh... He'd like to see who looks down on whom when the time comes.