After Er Dan returned to the village, the villagers all came to visit. Just as the saying goes, "Neighbours are better than distant relatives." Everyone saw that Er Dan hadn't shown any improvement after returning from the hospital, so they asked Er Dan's family, "His illness hasn't improved, so why was he brought back from the hospital?"
When they asked this, Er Dan's family had to tell them that Xiaofan said it's not an illness, it's the harm caused by evil spirits, otherwise how could the hospital not identify the problem? Moreover, Xiaofan mentioned that his master, Xu Lin, would soon come back to expel the evil. It wasn't necessary to waste money in the hospital.
When I was young and read about feudal superstitions in textbooks, I hated the witches and charlatans. The textbooks also recounted cases where people's insistence on feudal superstition delayed treatment and led to death. At that time, I despised those who played the part of gods and ghosts, but now, as an adult and a university graduate who returned to my hometown, I found myself doing things that I had previously thought only foolish people would do.
Er Dan's family explained to the villagers what I and my so-called master Xu Lin had said. The villagers believed this because they had seen Third Grandfather present on Er Dan's body, and they also believed in me, as I had challenged Third Grandfather's magic at the time and put an end to it, preventing him from taking over Er Dan's body.
However, not everyone could believe in feudal superstition. For instance, before experiencing all of this firsthand, neither I nor Lin Sanshui would believe such matters. Whenever we saw someone inviting a Feng Shui master, we'd scoff at it. "Although this village is poor and backward, there are still people here with insight."
Lin Xiaoqiang, also previously mentioned, is a village "barefoot doctor" I encountered when I returned from the town hospital and saw him administering treatment for the comatose Er Dan. He has had experiences living in the countryside and should be familiar with the concept of a barefoot doctor. They're not licensed medical professionals, and they might have studied nursing or learned from self-study, perhaps even self-learned about Chinese herbal medicine. There are those who practice medicine without a license, and may even have self-studied "Compendium of Materia Medica" to dare treat patients. For the existence of these individuals, many people hold mixed feelings. They sometimes delay the treatment of patients, but then, who wouldn't avail of them when someone has a common cold or fever? In rural areas, who would go to the hospital for such ailments? Those with sufficient funds and leisure, are, in layman's terms, fussy.
Lin Xiaoqiang is different. He didn't have a nursing background, nor was he self-taught, but he married the daughter of a village doctor and learned some traditional Chinese medicine from his late father-in-law. There's a notion of inherent talent in the world. This person actually self-studied Chinese medicine, acupuncture. He isn't considered a miracle worker but has occasionally administered treatments that ended in death. If one is not proficient in Chinese medicine, then one could easily end up causing deaths recklessly. Gradually, no one dared to seek his acupuncture or herbal remedies.
By the time Lin Xiaoqiang realized that he was really not cut out for the times, the entire medical system had undergone changes. Those miracle-working pills, western medicine, were truly wondrous. In rural areas, drugs like "An Mian Jin" that numb the nerves can almost cure all ills. Consequently, Lin Xiaoqiang's distinctiveness lay in the fact that he was a self-taught expert in medication instructions. He would first look at the medication's instructions to see what illness it treated, and then when someone presented with the corresponding illness, he'd administer the medicine. In doing so, he unexpectedly gained a reputation as a renowned miracle worker.
I say all of this to demonstrate that when Er Dan's family and the villagers claimed it was me and my so-called master Xu Lin who had instructed them to bring Er Dan back from the hospital and prepare to ward off evil spirits, Lin Xiaoqiang could not tolerate this any longer. He couldn't bear to see a university graduate once respected as his potential successor indulge in such depravity.
At the Lin house, he took up a stick to beat me, declaring, "Xiaofan, tell your uncle, in which book you read from cover to cover that one should seek a shaman instead of a doctor when someone is unwell? Did your teacher not teach you that this is feudal superstition? After all these years of studying, you've wasted your time and learned nothing?"
"You've delayed Er Dan's treatment! You are a murderer!" He chased after me with the stick, proclaiming that no one should stop him, and that he intended to deal a fatal blow to this unworthy descendant of the Lin family.
Furthermore, there were quite a few people in the village who supported his actions. Even in getting beaten, I couldn't defend myself. The wind and water talk, it's inexplicable - you can believe it, but you'd be ridiculous to argue with someone about it. The mainstream now is scientific development.
I was feeling so aggrieved. Saving Er Dan was already risky and uncertain. Now I had Lin Xiaoqiang, representing the scientific faction, coming out to attack me. The fact is, in the minds of many, I certainly deserved to be beaten.
A university graduate who believes in superstition to such an extent, not only does he believe in it, but also causes the loss of lives due to his ignorance. Isn't he worthy of a beating?
In the blink of an eye, I was beaten black and blue. That was a miserable situation. In the end, it was Grandpa Seven who came out to stop it. He personally stood surety for me, which saved me. At this point, I was already quite disheveled. Country life is such that it doesn't mean that Lin Xiaoqiang is particularly fierce. It's just that everyone's concern for Er Dan made it understandable.
This is fine, as long as Er Dan can wake up, it's worth enduring any criticism. This is how I comfort myself.
Lin Xiaoqiang also stopped hitting me, and I was ready to go home. But if you think things are over here, that would be too naive. Just when things were basically over, Lin Xiaoyao came after hearing the news.
Seeing my swollen face, she directly rushed into a nearby house, grabbed a kitchen knife, and charged toward Lin Xiaoqiang.
At that moment, she was like a lioness, fierce to a degree beyond that of a tiger. Everyone could see the madness and murderous intent of Lin Xiaoyao, but no one dared to stop her.
At first, Lin Xiaoqiang pinched his waist and said, "Xiaoyao! I'm your uncle Xiaoqiang!"
But looking up and seeing Lin Xiaoyao charging with the kitchen knife, he turned around and ran without showing any mercy, not seeming to be bluffing.
Seeing Lin Xiaoyao's frenzied figure, I seemed to see scenes from over a decade ago.
Back then, as a child, I couldn't win against Lin Er Dan in a fight.
Back then, Lin Xiaoyao chased Lin Er Dan all the way through the back hills with a stick, just like she was cutting down Lin Xiaoqiang today.
It was the day when even Wu Miaoke couldn't stop Lin Xiaoyao, but I just patted her head and ruffled her hair. I softly called her name, Xiaoyao.
She calmed down.
After Lin Xiaoqiang was chased and hacked by Lin Xiaoyao with a kitchen knife, he basically didn't appear before me. But his persistence was evident to all. He even secretly incited the public and those who believed in his medical skills to persuade Bai Zhenzhu to believe in science, and to send Lin Er Dan to a hospital in Luoyang for treatment. I have nothing to say about this.
I don't resent Lin Xiaoqiang's slander and disgust towards me at all, because I understand his actions. If I were in his shoes, I would do the same, or even more extreme. Because the person in danger now is my best brother Lin Er Dan, I cannot joke about his life. I admit, I am currently very conflicted internally, and I repeatedly seek confirmation from Second Uncle because of my mistrust.
"Second Uncle, do you really have a way?" I asked him.
"No," he said.
"Then if we don't take care of Er Dan and let him go to the hospital to be saved by proper medical treatment, is it possible to save him?" I asked.
"A body without a soul is just a walking corpse. Even if he survives, from a medical perspective, it is like an alive but vegetative state." Second Uncle replied.
I clicked my tongue. This is really the most damn difficult problem. I can withstand any pressure and choose to keep Lin Er Dan at Lin Manor and not go to the hospital, making Bai Zhenzhu and his family believe in this so-called superstition. But, if Second Uncle really can't save him, no matter how good my side sounds, the failure on the night of the seventh day will be the day I, Lin Xiaofan, lose face and have no face to see the people of Jiangdong. I actually don't like this feeling, the feeling of tying my fate to someone else. I still prefer to control my own fate.
Some things are better left unsaid to the villagers. I am on tenterhooks, and Second Uncle still seems unconcerned about the potential problems. I can't sit around anymore, so I went directly to Lin Er Dan's house, taking the risk of doing this and needing to make things clear to them.
Arriving at Lin Er Dan's house, seeing the busy figure of Bai Zhenzhu, I almost didn't recognize her. In just a few days, Bai Zhenzhu had lost so much weight that I even doubted whether Lin Er Dan would dare to recognize his wife when he woke up.
There is an ancient poem that says "you can tell the strength of a horse from a long journey, and true feelings can only be seen through trials." I used to feel that the union of Lin Er Dan and Bai Zhenzhu was ridiculous. Bai Zhenzhu was simply not worthy of my good brother Lin Er Dan. But now I feel that some feelings can't be judged solely by appearance. Since Lin Er Dan's accident, all of Bai Zhenzhu's actions have been enough to make everyone feel ashamed.
"Xiaofan is here?" Bai Zhenzhu saw me and greeted me to sit down, pouring tea.
I saw that her eyes were full of bloodshot lines, and said, "Sister-in-law, you don't need to work so hard. Er Dan will be okay."
"Mm, I know," she smiled. What I appreciate most about Bai Zhenzhu is her attitude towards life. Before, in the village, she and Lin Xiaoyao were known as the beauties Xi Shi and Diaochan, but Lin Xiaoyao didn't dare to see anyone, while she was naturally carefree. With the current situation at home, other women would have collapsed long ago, crying their eyes out, but she didn't. She could still smile.
I sat there feeling uncomfortable. Should I tell this woman, who is actually not as strong as she appears, the truth? Some things are better left unsaid. On one hand, if I tell her, the impact of Second Uncle's failure on me will be minimal. But on the other hand, I'm afraid I'll completely break her if I tell her the truth.
"Xiaofan, don't worry. No matter what others say to me, whether it's feudal superstition or not, I trust you. Because no matter who wants to harm Er Dan, you won't allow it." She said to me.
"Sister-in-law, I'm not worried about that, I'm..." I didn't know how to say it.
"It's okay, even doctors can make mistakes in saving people. Even if something happens, it's Er Dan's fate, and I have to accept it too." Bai Zhenzhu said, and her eyes started to turn red.
I sighed, feeling defeated by my own shameful thoughts. Have I really begun to think like a deceitful person? What I was worried about, it seemed that these simple people had never thought of doing.
I could only say that the biggest difference between the villagers and outsiders is that they act with conscience and sincerity.
"Ah!!!" Suddenly, a deafening roar that shook the heavens and the earth, I thought to myself, "Oh no! Lin Sanshui was only stopping me, while ignoring his own daughter, Lin Xiaoyao!"
This woman is the one who, with a kitchen knife in hand, chased Lin Xiaoqiang down three major streets. Just now, when she saw me being beaten, she was stunned. But now, she reacted like a wild tiger, leaping onto the coffee table and pouncing on the man who claimed to be a fat master. Children from the mountains are very agile due to their long-term farm work, and the sudden change scared the fat man, and by the time he realized it, it was too late. Lin Xiaoyao had grabbed his entire head of hair.
When women fight, they usually resort to pulling hair, attacking the chest, and biting.
Lin Xiaoyao grabbed his hair and tore it forcefully, scolding, "How dare you hit Xiao Fange!"
The fat man screamed and rolled, but Lin Xiaoyao, as if she had gone mad, refused to let go, only clutching his hair. What was originally a battle between the fat man and me had turned into Lin Xiaoyao standing up for me. In the end, even when both Lin Sanshui and I tried to pull Lin Xiaoyao away from the fat man, we couldn't.
When Wu Miaoke came out of the room, it took the three of us pulling with all our strength to finally drag the frenzied Lin Xiaoyao off the fat man. The fat man, who had just been full of spirit, now looked miserable, with scratch marks all over his face and even a strand of his hair pulled out by Lin Xiaoyao.
"Damn fatso, you better get lost early! The Lin family estate doesn't welcome you. Otherwise, every time I see you, I'll beat you!" Lin Xiaoyao still didn't relent.
"Xiaoyao, don't mess around in front of Mr. Liu!" Lin Sanshui looked at the fat man, trying to hold back his laughter, a big old man being beaten by a little girl was too satisfying and too ridiculous to bear.
But the fat man's next words left all three of us stunned, unable to believe our ears.
The fat man touched the scars on his face, took out a small bronze mirror from his pocket, and then, as if crazed, jumped in place and pointed to his face, shouting at Lin Sanshui, "I say, Chief, you called me to come to help your daughter's face, but do you even look at it? As soon as I arrived, your daughter turned my handsome face into a mess! I can treat others, but who can treat me?!"
Just like that.
All three of us had our mouths wide open. I couldn't believe my ears. This sleazy fat man was actually the one Lin Sanshui had brought in to treat Lin Xiaoyao's face.
Treat Lin Xiaoyao's face? — I had heard of plastic surgery before, but could this really be treated? Could it be that this fat man was a plastic surgeon?
"Uncle Sanshui?" I looked at Lin Sanshui inquiringly.
Lin Sanshui nodded at me, answering the question I clearly wanted to ask.
Our expressions were all very complex and conflicted, especially Lin Xiaoyao. From being angry with the fat man at first, to being surprised and happy, then becoming conflicted and hesitant, and finally putting on an angry face and pointing at the fat man, saying, "Even if I die ugly, I won't let you treat me. Get lost!"
As for me, despite suppressing my own anger, if this was really someone who could treat Lin Xiaoyao's face, being hit by chicken bones was nothing. But after the scene just now, I was hesitating whether to apologize to her.
Although Lin Xiaoyao said that with her mouth, I still saw the momentary ecstasy on her face when she heard the words "treat face." The reason she said that was because of me.
"Xiaoyao, don't talk nonsense," I scolded her after hearing her say that.
— This was how things were supposed to be handled. Lin Xiaoyao had hit him, but the fat man's initial behavior was indeed despicable. Even if Lin Xiaoyao cursed at him at this moment, it was clear that she was a young girl protecting her lover. This fat man looked to be about the same age as Lin Sanshui, and he didn't need to argue with a little girl. I could apologize later, and everything would be fine. After all, it was just a couple of words.
That's what I thought, but I found that common sense was completely useless when it came to understanding this fat man. When he heard Lin Xiaoyao refuse him, he actually took out his small bronze mirror and ran over to shove it in front of Lin Xiaoyao's face, clicking his tongue and saying, "Little girl, you're sure you don't want it treated? Look at your face like this. Aren't you afraid? I was so scared when I saw you! Don't you think about yourself, even think about your little lover. Even if he dares to want you, don't you feel that you're embarrassing yourself?"
As soon as the fat man spoke, everyone in the room's expressions changed.
If the behavior of throwing chicken bones at me earlier could be attributed to a problematic personality, now his behavior towards Lin Xiaoyao was simply despicable. Sure enough, after hearing this, Lin Xiaoyao's face turned ashen, and she burst into tears almost instantly, turning and running away. It has to be said that this time, the fat man had really hit a raw nerve with the female warrior Lin Xiaoyao.
Lin Xiaoyao ran out crying, and Wu Miaoke, sensing that something was wrong, also ran out. The room was left with just the three of us men, and I clenched and released my fist, feeling at a loss. This sleazy fat man had treated Lin Xiaoyao this way, and I really should have beaten him up. I'm sure Lin Sanshui had the same idea as me.
But he could treat Xiaoyao's face. So, for this reason, we had to endure it.
So the three of us left in the room, each of us with our own thoughts. But I think Lin Sanshui and I probably had the same idea, that if this fat man had real abilities, that would be one thing, but if he was a quack, he'd definitely get his legs broken.
"Why are you all standing there? Am I that scary? Or are you two planning how to deal with me?" the fat man said at this point.
Lin Sanshui forced out a smile from his black face and said, "Mr. Liu, how could that be? The little girl is still young, so I hope you don't mind."
The fat man snorted and continued devouring his chicken leg.
And I and Lin Sanshui sat awkwardly next to him, the feeling was indescribable, until the fat man finished, wiped his oily hands on his clothes, and yawned, "Fatso's tired, I'm going to sleep for a while. You guys can leave."
After speaking, he got up, and went straight into Lin Sanshui and Wu Miaoke's room, even locking the door. I looked at Lin Sanshui, his eyebrows twitched, and Lin Sanshui was also a hot-tempered man, in the countryside, without a fiery temper, you couldn't be the village chief. But at this moment, he was suppressing his anger and said to me in a low voice, "Let's go, Xiaofan, let's talk outside and not disturb Mr. Liu's rest."
Once out of the room, I was still thinking about that sleazy fat man's face, and even imagining what would happen after he entered Wu Miaoke's room, the more I thought about it, the more I burned with anger, feeling like I wanted to catch this fat man right away and light a smudge stick for him. I suppressed my impulse and asked Lin Sanshui, "Uncle Sanshui, who in the world is this fat man named Liu?"
Lin Sanshui's expression was rather complicated, and after hesitating for a while, he said to me, "Xiaofan, believe Uncle, Mr. Liu, even though he has eccentricities, he has a good heart and is definitely an extraordinary person."
"But what about the thing he said about treating Xiaoyao's face? Is he a plastic surgeon?" That was actually what I was most concerned about, because I had researched it before. Lin Xiaoyao's features were delicate and beautiful, and her skin was as fair as Wu Miaoke's, so if not for the piece of black mole-covered white hair on her face, she would definitely be a natural beauty. I wasn't someone who judged others by their appearance, but if she became more beautiful, I would genuinely be happy for her.
Lin Sanshui paused and scratched his head, saying, "I can't believe it either. This guy is not a doctor, he's a feng shui master. I brought him back not because he can treat Xiaoyao, but because he can deal with the ghost in the ancestral hall."
I nodded and asked, "Is this guy also an expert in yin and yang? Have you seen his real ability?"
"Xiaofan, there are things Uncle can't say, but you have to believe me, Uncle is absolutely not foolish." Lin Sanshui said.