CHAPTER 54: CHAPTER 54: DISHEARTENED

Just as he was thinking, a sharp pain shot through his leg, then he heard Gu Yunjiao’s voice, "It’s set."

Jiang Youzhi was in such pain that it took him a moment to recover, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Gu Yunjiao putting the splint back on.

Only then did he realize that what she just said was similar to what she told Jiang Erlang that day, "the pig is flying in the sky," which was meant to distract the patient and help him relax completely.

He noticed Gu Yunjiao’s ears were slightly red, and suddenly understood that she was also feeling shy.

However, she kept that shyness buried in her heart.

After all, she was still just a young girl. She hadn’t even entered the bridal chamber when her brother went away; she didn’t even know what a man was like, so how could she not be shy?

He was older and a man, yet he didn’t have her composure.

Gu Yunjiao quickly secured the splint, then put his robe back down and covered Jiang Youzhi with a quilt.

She opened the door, and Mrs. Chen came in from outside, "I’ve put the medicine on the stove, have you looked at Erlang’s leg? Is the bone misaligned?"

Gu Yunjiao nodded, "I’ve set it again."

Mrs. Chen was so relieved that she chanted a Buddhist prayer; if there hadn’t been an in-house doctor, it would have all been over.

Just then, Erlang led Sanya in, and as he came in, he closed the door, looking at Mrs. Chen but hesitating to speak.

Mrs. Chen noticed something was wrong, "What’s the matter?"

Erlang suddenly clenched his fist, "I, I heard Grandpa and Second Uncle and Third Uncle talking."

Mrs. Chen’s face changed, "What did they say?"

Erlang glanced at Jiang Youzhi lying on the bed, who was quietly watching him.

Erlang gritted his teeth and quickly said, "Grandpa said, Third Brother’s leg is ruined, he won’t be able to become an official in the future. Plus, it’ll cost a lot of silver to treat his leg."

"Second Uncle said, damn it, Third Brother, the little brat, shouldn’t have learned to drink, and now it’s all ruined."

"These years, at least dozens of taels were spent on him, all wasted!"

"Third Uncle sighed, saying it will cost even more silver to treat him, the doctor mentioned dozens of taels."

"Second Uncle jumped up and said, no way, the family’s silver can’t be spent on him like this; since the bone is set, it’s done. Why still take medicine?"

"Third Uncle said, if we don’t bring out the silver, Eldest Sister-in-law will surely make a fuss."

"Second Uncle said, let her make a fuss, what are we afraid of."

"He added, I think it would be better to separate Eldest Brother’s family."

"In the future, Third Brother won’t be able to be an official, and Eldest Brother’s family is just a bunch of mouths to feed, separating them would save the family’s expenses."

Mrs. Chen coldly laughed repeatedly, "And what did your grandpa say?"

Erlang said, "Third Uncle said, don’t be in a hurry to separate, what if Third Brother’s leg gets better."

"Grandpa said, we’ll wait two or three months to see about the separation."

Gu Yunjiao looked at Erlang in amazement; the child’s memory was really good, he seemed to have repeated their conversation word for word.

He even mimicked their usual tones perfectly.

Mrs. Chen gritted her teeth, "Is this supposed to be a family?"

She turned to Jiang Youzhi, "To them, we’re not people, just objects, useful ones they keep, useless ones they throw away!"

Jiang Youzhi gave a bitter smile, even though he had always known what kind of faces these family members had, he still couldn’t help feeling disheartened at the moment.

Mrs. Chen raised her head, "Fine, we won’t burden them anymore. I’ll go find Zhao Lizheng to talk about the separation."

Gu Yunjiao almost applauded for Mrs. Chen.

Who would have thought Jiang Youzhi would say, "Mother, it’s not appropriate for you to go, people will criticize."