In a subconscious way, he felt that this matter was inseparable from his son. When they were unhappy, she was happy and performed with even more effort.
In Yunshan Town, the Qiu family's medical hall gained a child helper, this child being Lei'er, brought by Madam Shen.
Originally, with an extra pair of hands, Qiu Ze should have been quite pleased. However, the reality was the opposite. Lei'er was different from Chaihu. Qiu Chaihu thought that this was their family's medical hall, and Qiu Ze was his father; he had an obligation to manage the medical hall well and never slacked off.
Lei'er, on the other hand, was there to learn skills, not to work. His mother had instructed him to learn well so that he could open his own medical hall and earn money in the future.
Therefore, every time medicine was dispensed or prepared, a little shadow would follow him. Qiu Ze could still direct him to do lighter tasks, but for more complex or strenuous work, he would find various excuses to refuse.
At first, he had wanted to discipline Lei'er with a stick, but as soon as the stick was raised, the boy would dart away, shouting as he ran, "My stepfather is beating me to death."
Seeing Qiu Ze chasing after him with a stick, everyone believed the boy's words, as they felt that stepparents could not possibly treat a child well.
A few warm-hearted elderly women came forward and subtly said, "Doctor Qiu, he's just a child. If he makes any mistakes, please be more tolerant. This child is also pitiful, having lost his father so early. If your step-father beats him again, how will he live?"
"Exactly. This child is sensible and filial. If he does something wrong, talk it over and teach him patiently," they added.
...
Qiu Ze saw everyone speaking, not to condemn him, but to imply that he was being wronged. It was like biting into a bitter melon with no way to express the pain, which was exactly how he felt at that moment.
This happened three times. The villagers' subtle hints turned into direct accusations that he, as a stepfather, was unqualified and mistreated his stepson. Qiu Ze was so enraged that he trembled, and when he tried to argue, people were more inclined to sympathize with the weaker party.
From then on, Qiu Ze stopped bothering to order him around, treating him as if he didn't exist. He let Lei'er follow him and watch; if he understood, good; if not, so be it. Because Qiu Ze's meticulous guidance was absent, Lei'er actually grasped many things only partially.
If Wu Caiwei were present, she would surely be surprised. In the original owner's memories, Lei'er had also studied medicine with Qiu Ze at this time. Qiu Ze treated him like his own son, teaching him everything he knew, even sidelining his own son, Qiu Chaihu.
Wang Chunyan was very dissatisfied with this, feeling that all the dirty work fell to her son, while Lei'er not only avoided these chores but often accompanied Qiu Ze on house calls, with much of the earned money sent to Madam Shen.
At that time, she had argued and made a scene, but Qiu Ze not only denied it but told her she was overthinking. There was nothing she could do.
She never expected that in this life, without her obstruction, their relationship would have developed to this extent.
At this time, Qiu Chaihu was in the capital with Wu Caiwei, gaining a lot of knowledge. His medical skills were no longer comparable to before. He dared not ask his mother why she knew so much, only feeling fortunate that he had left with her. Otherwise, following an unreliable father would, he knew, lead to no good outcome, and he would be confined to that small town for life.
Qiu Zisu had never dreamed of learning medicine. Since following Wu Caiwei, she had also begun to study. She wanted to be as skilled as her mother, saving lives and receiving respect wherever she went. Even if she encountered a husband like Zhang Ziwei in the future, it wouldn't matter; she knew how to poison.
Zhang Ziwei, who had caused psychological trauma to Qiu Zisu, was not having an easy time either. He didn't know who his family had offended recently, but whenever anyone from his household went out, whether to the outskirts of town or a small alley, they would be ambushed, their heads covered with sacks and beaten.
Although they received treatment at Qiu Ze's medical hall for free due to their good relationship, and the injuries were all superficial, without breaking bones or tendons, having three grown men confined to the house daily meant no work and no income.
Qiu Ze, true to his word as a confidant and brother, knew of his friend's predicament and secretly slipped him money each time.
With the money, Zhang Ziwei still worried. To get food, he had to spend money to buy it. The enemy was in the dark, and he was in the light. What if he were beaten again?
So, they secretly knocked on the neighbor's door and asked the elderly woman next door to buy things for them, giving her a little money each time for her trouble.
Over time, the Zhang family even felt that this life was quite good. Although they couldn't go out, they had food to eat every day without working. The few of them slept until they woke up naturally.
Madam Shen didn't notice at first. After she and Qiu Ze fell out, they became wary of each other. She had no idea how much money Qiu Ze earned each day. However, walls have ears. The events happening at the Zhang family's house were already strange, and the fact that they had money and food without going out spread like wildfire. By the time it reached Madam Shen's ears, she had a brief thought and knew where the money was coming from.
From then on, whenever Qiu Ze went out, he was either followed by Lei'er or Madam Shen. Many times, Qiu Ze wanted to give money to Zhang Ziwei, but Madam Shen watched too closely, leaving him no opportunity.
After a while, the Zhang family's source of money was cut off. They thought that enough time had passed, and perhaps no one was paying attention to them anymore. Zhang Ziwei's elder brother ventured out first to test the waters, wondering if anyone would beat him. To his delight, after a day of running around, he did not encounter that group of people.
For the next few days, he went out as usual and returned home safely.
Although they didn't know who the Zhang family had offended, or what their current situation was, or why people were no longer bothering them, they knew that if they didn't work for a day, they wouldn't have food. They had no choice but to venture out.
Zhang Ziwei was accustomed to slacking off and didn't want to do hard labor. The best way was to find Qiu Ze.
As soon as Qiu Ze saw him, he gestured to Lei'er with his back turned, telling him to wait. Then, using the excuse of needing to use the restroom, he only managed to pass him the money, without even a chance to catch up, before hurrying back.
If Madam Shen found out about this, she would likely go to the Zhang family to demand the money. This would not only embarrass him and cause chaos at home but also provide gossip for the neighborhood.
Looking at the hastily departing Qiu Ze, Zhang Ziwei deeply regretted it. For a little favor from Madam Shen, he had fanned the flames in the incident between Qiu Ze and Wang Chunyan, not only losing his fiancée but also his source of income.
Qiu Ze weighed the money in his hand. Although it wasn't much, it was enough for him to live for a while. He felt a slight sense of pride. Even though Madam Shen guarded him so closely, the money still reached him, didn't it?
In his moment of pride, he failed to notice his surroundings. When the familiar sack was once again thrown over his head, he suddenly remembered his habit of taking shortcuts and entering a small alley.
He expected it to be like the last time, a bout of punches and kicks, suffering some minor injuries. But as he was being beaten, he felt someone's hand reach into his pocket. Zhang Ziwei instinctively clutched his money pouch. This was his sustenance for the coming days. If they took it, what would he eat?