Chapter 46: Chapter 29: Would Rather Be an Ugly Girl

On the way home, Yang Shi wanted to ask Qingmu several times how he and Liu’er had met, but Juhua always changed the subject. Yang Shi was a perceptive woman. She had seen Juhua whisper a few words to Liu’er’s mother, which had shut the woman up completely. Putting two and two together, she guessed the truth of the matter, so she dropped it and didn’t ask again. Still, she couldn’t help but sigh for Liu’er. ’If my son weren’t so kind-hearted, that girl might not have even kept her life today!’

When they got home, Zheng Changhe was lying in bed, staring eagerly at the courtyard gate.

Seeing his wife and two children return, his eyes lit up. He looked them up and down, and only after confirming they had no serious injuries did he ask Yang Shi, “Did you fight?”

It was no wonder he asked. Yang Shi’s hair was a mess, her face was covered in dust, and her clothes were covered in smudges. She clearly looked like she had been in a fight.

Yang Shi snorted, straightening her clothes. “I got into a fight with that woman. Pulled out a clump of her hair!”

Her triumphant yet disgruntled expression made Zheng Changhe chuckle. “Sounds like you didn’t get the worst of it, or you wouldn’t be acting like this!”

Yang Shi’s voice suddenly rose. “Me, get the worst of it? Hmph! When I was out fighting, she was still hiding somewhere doing embroidery! Does she think I’m a pushover?”

At this, even Qingmu and Juhua’s mouths fell open in surprise. ’Is this really our mother…?’

Seeing her son and daughter’s stunned expressions, Yang Shi felt a little embarrassed. She turned to Zheng Changhe and said, “Our Juhua was really something today! She lectured that old hag until she didn’t dare talk back!”

Zheng Changhe was taken aback. He quickly asked Juhua, “Really? Juhua, how did you tell her off?”

Juhua looked at her parents with a helpless expression. “Dad, what are you talking about?” she said softly. “I don’t have that kind of power. She was just worried about her daughter’s reputation, so she didn’t dare make a scene. Anyway, Doctor Qin should be here soon. You need your dressing changed, Dad, so don’t move around!”

Zheng Changhe beamed at his daughter, saying, “Alright! Change the dressing, change the dressing! Where’s Doctor Qin?”

Qingmu looked outside and saw Qin Feng arriving at the courtyard gate. He hurried out to greet him, calling, “Doctor Qin!”

Qin Feng smiled and nodded, following him into the house. Looking at Zheng Changhe, he asked, “Uncle Zheng, are you feeling any better today?”

Zheng Changhe said quickly, “Much better. It doesn’t hurt as much. I’ve really troubled you, Doctor Qin!”

Qin Feng set down his medical case and first checked the wound on Zheng Changhe’s leg. Seeing that it was recovering well, he changed the dressing as usual.

When he was finished, Juhua brought him a steaming cup of water. Two golden, wild chrysanthemums floated in the crude ceramic cup—Juhua had finally convinced her mother to buy a couple of them. The petals were unfurled, looking as natural as if they were blooming in a field.

Qin Feng took the cup and had a sip. The delicate fragrance seemed to seep deep into his soul. He looked at Juhua with admiration and gave her a small smile.

Juhua merely pressed her lips together and turned away—in front of outsiders, she could never bring herself to smile, so she would just purse her lips in response.

Qin Feng found his thoughts turning to the day’s conflict. ’While the trigger might have been Juhua’s marriage prospects and Qingmu’s secret meeting with Liu’er, the real issue was money. If the Zheng Family wasn’t in debt, Liu’er’s mother would never have dared to propose such a match for Juhua.’ He felt a great deal of sympathy for her. He admired her earnest simplicity and the complete transformation she had recently undergone. Because of this, he sincerely hoped she would not have to face similar humiliation again.

Qin Feng sat and chatted with Zheng Changhe for a while. When he saw Yang Shi enter the main room, he stood up to greet her. He hesitated for a moment before saying to the couple, “Uncle Zheng, Aunt Zheng, you don’t need to go out and borrow any silver. I won’t be charging you for the medical fees. Uncle Zheng, please, hear me out!”

He raised a hand to stop Zheng Changhe’s protest and said seriously, “I’ve been wanting to thank Juhua. The method she taught me for saving Little Shitou, and this time, the method for setting a broken bone—both are excellent techniques. For any other established medical family, those would be closely guarded secrets! Even though Juhua mentioned them so casually, I can’t simply accept them without showing my gratitude. Especially the technique to save Little Shitou; in an emergency, that’s a life-saving measure. How can you put a price on a human life?”

Zheng Changhe was delighted to hear this; of course, he was happy when someone praised his daughter! However, he never liked taking advantage of others, so he said, “Well, at least charge us less. We can’t pay you nothing at all. Your fees here on Little Qing Mountain are already low—all us villagers are well aware of that. If you don’t take any payment, how will you make a living?”

Qin Feng laughed. “It’s not like I’m going to starve. If I’m ever truly out of food, I’ll just come to Uncle Zheng’s for a meal. Really, there’s no need to pay. Please, Uncle Zheng, don’t spurn my heartfelt gratitude!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep