Page 126

Lin Yongcheng knelt down in a daze beside his grandfather, his hands still tightly clutching at his pants. All he wanted was to make the situation sound dire so that his grandfather would quickly think of a way to save his brother. But how, how did it come to this—with his grandfather collapsing?

"Wretched child!" Lin Jiazhong kicked his eldest son aside and also quickly knelt down beside Lin Jianling, alternately calling out in urgent tones and stimulating the philtrum. Despite his efforts, Lin Jianling had no response other than his body still twitching.

Lin Yuan watched the scene from nearby, the familiarity striking her with déjà vu. In her past life, an elderly chef in the kitchen had suddenly suffered a stroke and fallen, just like this.

The crowd in the courtyard had yet to disperse when the old village head saw Lin Jianling’s state and sensed something was amiss. He promptly urged a few lithe men of the village to fetch a doctor from the city.

Both Lady Ma, sobbing hysterically over her son a moment ago, and Li Feng’e looked at each other and read the same word in each other’s eyes: death.

Lin Jiaxin originally felt sorry for his nephew when he heard Lin Yongcheng speak of his brother being thrown into prison, but seeing his own father suddenly fall to the ground, life hanging in the balance, his eyes instantly reddened.

Lady Liu understood that although her husband had severed ties with his parents, he still couldn’t bear to let them go.

She hurriedly urged Lin Changqing to carry her husband over for a look.

Lin Yuan also followed behind her father, but before she could get close, she was driven back by Lin Jiazhong’s arm: "You little disaster star! Broom star! Get out! It’s all because of you! It’s all because of you! Stay away from me!"

After berating Lin Yuan, he turned his fury onto Lin Jiaxin as well: "Lin Jiaxin, you unfilial son! Are you happy now? Now our father’s fate is uncertain, and my son has been thrown into jail! If something happens to father today, I will fight you to the death!"

Seeing his elder brother’s bloodshot eyes, Lin Jiaxin grew anxious, "What are you saying at a time like this? Go find a doctor quickly! Don’t you know many people in town?

Yes, the doctor from Shande Hall, didn’t you say you were well-acquainted with him?

Hurry, prepare the cart and take father to town! "

If it hadn’t been for his leg inconvenience, he would have taken him there himself already!

Lin Yuan had intended to snap back, but seeing her father in such dire urgency, she swallowed her words. Hearing them discuss preparing a cart to take Lin Jianling to town, she hurriedly exclaimed, "Don’t move him!"

"Don’t move him!"

Almost simultaneously, Lao Fan’s voice carried over. Looking up, they saw Lao Fan rushing over with his medical kit.

Lady Yang continued to slap her husband’s face, only to be pushed aside by Lao Fan.

Just as Lin Jiazhong was about to scold him, he heard Lin Jiaxin exclaim with joy, "Yes, the old gentleman!

You are the Divine Doctor, please, you must save my father!

Even if I have to be a bull or a horse in return, I will definitely repay your great kindness! "

Given the urgency, there was no time to sterilize the silver needles.

As Lao Fan took out silver needles to puncture Lin Jianling’s acupoints, he scolded without even lifting his head, "Your father? He doesn’t even want you, yet you’re still keen to work for him like a bull or a horse! Utterly pathetic!"

Hearing these words, Lin Jiaxin fell silent, tears swirling in his eyes.

After Lao Fan inserted another needle, he began to scold Lin Jiazhong, "And as for you, you’re even more shameless!

Your father is clearly stricken with a stroke because of your son’s doing, yet you have the audacity to bite back, blaming others for your misfortune!

You must be the fool here. They’ve severed ties with you, how can they curse you?

If there truly is a curse, it must have come from your son!

Or perhaps it’s the combined curse of both your sons! "

Lin Jiazhong wanted to retort subconsciously, but found he could not; after all, his father’s life was in Lao Fan’s hands. Moreover, it was true that Lin Jianling had fainted only after hearing the news of his grandson being imprisoned.

Meanwhile, Lin Yuan stealthily poked Lao Fan’s back and secretly gave him a thumbs-up.

Lao Fan hummed arrogantly, the upturned white beard betraying his pleasure at the moment, no wonder that brat always loved to curse; cursing someone out did indeed feel damn good.

Lin Jiazhong was scolded into silence, Lady Ma, preoccupied with her own son, had nothing to say, and Li Feng’e’s eyes whirled around as she asked ingratiatingly, "Divine Doctor, my dad, what exactly is his ailment? Did he really have a stroke?"

He had just said it was a stroke, what if he became paralyzed? Better off dead than that!

Lin Yuan saw right through Li Feng’e’s scheming mind and gave her a dismissive glance.

Lady Yang’s ears also perked up nervously, if it really were a stroke, then she would have to spend the rest of her life on the kang bed; how could she, an old woman, take care of him?

After inserting the final needle, Lao Fan wiped his hands and then said, "Stroke, being alive is already good fortune, if he wakes up and can speak, it indicates that the situation is not too bad, but if he can’t talk, hmph."

They all understood the unsaid words; if unable to speak, he would end up lying on the kang until his dying day.

Lady Ma and Li Feng’e exchanged glances, both praying that the old man wouldn’t truly end up paralyzed; they did not fancy caring for a paralytic every day!

Lin Wei supported her mother as they sat on a small stool nearby, watching closely; Xiao Linshuang didn’t feel much affection for this grandfather who had never spoken to her since she was little and never bothered about her.

Yet, she stood behind Lao Fan, watching him intently as he administered the needles.

The moment Lao Fan turned around, he saw Xiao Linshuang’s bright eyes scanning over the patient, and his heart swelled with fondness, although his mouth remained as venomous as ever, "What are you staring at, brat! You can’t even understand what you see!"

Xiao Linshuang lifted her sparkling eyes, about to crack a smile, but seeing her parents’ worried expressions, she smartly held it back and tugged at Lao Fan’s sleeve to speak privately, "You’re amazing! He was like that, yet you can actually save him!"

"How do you know he can live? What if he doesn’t make it?" Lao Fan asked with interest.

Xiao Linshuang glanced at Lin Jianling again and said proudly, "Just now his face was all pale, now it’s turned red, and not only that, his face stopped twitching, and even his eyeballs moved a few times.

Doesn’t that mean he’s alive? You really are amazing, even better than the town doctors!

No wonder my dad calls you a Divine Doctor!

How about I call you Grandpa God Doctor from now on? "

Lao Fan finally couldn’t suppress a laugh, indeed, he had not misjudged her; although this little girl was small, she was clever and sharp, certainly a promising seed if nurtured well.

But his way of expressing admiration was rather unconventional, as he slapped the top of Xiao Linshuang’s head, "Youngster, who’s your grandpa? Your grandpa is lying on the ground there!"

"He won’t let me call him grandpa."

Xiao Linshuang, who had never been patted on the head before, looked wronged as she rubbed it, pouted, and harrumphed, running to seek comfort in her mother’s arms. Although Lao Fan seemed fierce towards her elder sister at their first meeting, through several interactions, Xiao Linshuang had figured out that the old man might look imposing and difficult to get along with, but in fact, he had a very kind heart, so as long as he wasn’t mean to her elder sister, she was very fond of this peculiar old man.

Lin Jianling did eventually awaken, but he couldn’t speak and not only that, he couldn’t move half of his body, just as Lao Fan had said—that he had indeed suffered a stroke.