The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 106 Became a Crippled Person

Chapter 106: Chapter 106 Became a Crippled Person

Lady Lin saw Wang Laozhu leave before she carefully made her way to the bedside with a tentative smile, looking at Wang Yongfu’s face, not knowing if it was psychological or if the doctor really had a way, but she felt that the complexion of the head of the household seemed to have improved.

She sat down beside the bed, reaching out her hand, only to see Wang Yongfu’s body was full of silver needles, leaving almost no place to touch. She dared not move her hand, just holding it there as the tears started to fall again, "Head of the household, thank goodness you’re alright. If anything had happened to you, leaving me and our son behind, what would we do? I would only be able to dash my head and follow you to the afterlife——"

This was truly what was in Lady Lin’s heart. If something were to really happen to her husband, it wouldn’t just be her, but even her mother-in-law wouldn’t let her off the hook.

She was afraid everyone would blame the death of Wang Yongfu on her, and even now, she was filled with regret, for having been so shallow over such trivial matters, nearly costing her husband’s life.

Wang Yongping originally wanted to say something, opening his mouth, but then felt that as a younger brother-in-law, it wasn’t his place to criticize his sister-in-law. Seeing that his elder brother seemed to have made it through the night, perhaps he would be alright?

Then he heard an alarmed shout from outside, "Doctor, what did you say? My eldest brother had woken up, hadn’t he? Yesterday, you also said, as long as he made it through last night, his life would be spared, right?

Not knowing what Doctor Ma said next, they just heard Wang Laozhu fall silent.

Wang Yongping felt something was wrong and hurried out. In the main hall of the pharmacy, he saw Wang Laozhu squatting on the ground, clutching his head in agony.

"Father, what’s wrong? What happened to big brother?" Wang Yongping felt a surge of panic, and his hand shook as he went to help Wang Laozhu.

Wang Laozhu raised his head, tears streaked down his face, "Laosi! The doctor said your elder brother will never be able to stand again. He is going to be a cripple for the rest of his life!"

"What?" Wang Yongping was stunned.

Stiffly turning his head to look at Doctor Ma, Doctor Ma shook his head, sighed, and walked into the back room, hands behind his back.

"Father, what in the world is going on? Didn’t big brother pull through?" Wang Yongping’s legs went weak and his palms began to sweat.

Then they heard the sorrowful voice of Wang Laozhu, "The doctor said your elder brother injured his back. It’s a miracle that he survived. He’ll have to spend the rest of his life lying in bed..."

By the end of it, he was choking up, unable to speak.

"What? What did you say? Eldest brother can’t stand up anymore?" Old Granny Zhang, who had just entered Apricot Grove Hall following the Jindou Brothers, was hit with this shocking news like a bolt out of the blue!

Hearing this, Jindou and Jinhu dropped their support for Old Granny Zhang and rushed inside.

Old Granny Zhang was caught off guard and almost stumbled. If this had happened any other time, she wouldn’t be herself if she didn’t thrash the little rascal with a broom.

But at this moment, Old Granny Zhang had no thought for that. She stepped forward and grabbed Wang Laozhu’s arm, nervously asking, "Master of the house, did you mishear? If Eldest Brother’s life could be saved, why then can he still not stand up?"

Wang Laozhu saw his wife’s face pale and her trembling hand gripping his arm. His heart was filled with a mixture of sorrow and pain, and he gritted his teeth and nodded, "Wife, the doctor said our Eldest Brother... Eldest Brother’s back is broken. Even if the bones are set back together, he won’t be able to stand up. He will have to spend the rest of his life lying in bed, becoming a... a cripple... Eldest Brother’s life is ruined—"

Wang Laozhu was filled with indescribable regret. Had he known that something would go wrong on the mountain that day, he should have spoken more strictly and explicitly forbidden it. His eldest son, who had always been obedient, would never have been swayed by Lady Lin to go up the mountain to dig wild yams.

It was all his fault, his own greed!

Could this be divine retribution?

Old Granny Zhang stood there dazed for a long while before she fully grasped the situation. Her eldest son had become disabled, and from now on, had to lie in bed, dependent on others for all his needs...

With a loud "woof," Old Granny Zhang jumped three feet high, shoved Wang Laozhu aside, and rushed into the chamber the Jindou Brothers had entered.

In the room, Lady Lin, having heard the terrible news from her son, was shell-shocked.

She had just breathed a sigh of relief that her husband had awakened and his life was spared, but the news that he had become a cripple hit her like a bolt from the blue.

How could this be? Lady Lin couldn’t believe it! The doctors in town must be frauds; she refused to believe it, absolutely refused!

She decided to seek out the doctor for an explanation. How could her husband possibly become a cripple?

Lady Lin, storming out of the side room, collided head-on with Old Granny Zhang.

With a "smack," a loud slap stunned Lady Lin, whose mind was already somewhat unhinged, rendering her momentarily senseless.

Seeing Old Granny Zhang’s ashen face and her murderous stance, Lady Lin’s legs gave way, and she fell to the ground with a thud.

Old Granny Zhang looked around, wanting to find something to use as a weapon. At that moment, she wished she could flay Lady Lin’s skin, eat her flesh, and drink her blood.

She also wished desperately that Lady Lin could take her son’s place in death. If not for this shallow-skinned harbinger of doom, would her eldest son have become a cripple?

Jindou and Jinhoo Brothers rushed out of the side room just in time to see Old Granny Zhang picking up a pestle from the pharmacy, about to smash it down upon Lady Lin’s head.

They broke out in a cold sweat.

"Granny, no—"

"Old woman—"

Seeing the situation go awry, Wang Laozhu, who had followed, was frantic. His wife was seeing red, and although it was fine to vent her anger on Lady Lin, they couldn’t afford another death!

It was Wang Yongping who reacted quickly, snatching the pestle from Old Granny Zhang’s hands.

Lady Lin finally came to her senses, scrambling and rolling behind her son, trembling all over with fear.

Having spent so many years married into the Wang Family, although her mother-in-law had a biting tongue and showed favoritism, she had never actually laid a finger on her, except for yesterday.

Yesterday, Lady Lin had thought that it was just because her mother-in-law was infuriated and also distressed over her son. Feeling guilty, Lady Lin had accepted it.

But today, it seemed the mother-in-law was intent on beating her to death! Lady Lin felt a wave of terror in her heart.

Old Granny Zhang was furious, not only because she was heartbroken for her son, but even more so for the lost silver!

All because of this destructive wife. Because of her, her eldest was now crippled, they had spent the silver for her youngest son’s wedding, and had even put the silver for her daughter’s dowry into it. It wasn’t just her son’s life at stake; this was a matter of Old Granny Zhang’s own survival!

Thinking of the silver, Old Granny Zhang glared fiercely at Lady Lin, vowing to deal with her later.

Her mind worked quickly; if her eldest son was indeed useless, then the silver spent was surely wasted. She needed to guard the remaining silver closely—the entire family depended on it. Without silver, were they to go drink the northwest wind? As head of the household, she had to be fair; the life of the eldest couldn’t outweigh the lives of the others.

Still, she couldn’t be the one to bring this up. She couldn’t let the Jindou Brothers lose heart; they still had to rely on them to earn money to pay back the spent silver.

With the eldest son no longer reliable, the grandsons were nearly grown men; she had to win them over temporarily. Once her hands were free, she would settle the score with Lady Lin and then properly discipline the others.

In the blink of an eye, Old Granny Zhang had thought through all of this.