Su Yanke was utterly confused. Why was the father afraid of his son, not even daring to touch him?
Before Su Yanke could open her mouth to ask, Chen Yonggui started to tell his story on his own. Maybe he was feeling helpless at the moment and wanted to hear Su Yanke's opinion, or perhaps he just needed an audience to pour out his story. Maybe it was a bit of both.
The family Chen Yonggui belonged to was a large one. He was born into a branch of it. One could say he was lucky, or unlucky.
He was quite good at business within the family. So even after his wife, Fang, refused an arranged marriage by the family, he still managed to hold on to some of his own businesses. He just had to give a share of the profits to the family every month.
Originally, Chen Yonggui and his wife were supposed to be a beautiful couple. But everything changed on the day Fang gave birth.
His wife died in childbirth, leaving behind Chen Yonggui and the baby Chen Yongshun. At that time, Chen Yonggui was deeply immersed in the pain of losing his wife. Later, for the sake of Chen Yongshun, he managed to pull himself out of that desperate state.
It seemed that the god of fate had forgotten about Chen Yonggui. Just as he was trying to get his life back on track, another disaster struck his family.
Before he turned three, Chen Yongshun suddenly got a rare disease. Chen Yonggui spent a great deal of energy and money, but there was no improvement.
By the time Chen Yongshun was four, he couldn't get out of bed anymore. His legs had lost all feeling. But Chen Yonggui still refused to give up. Every day, he would buy the tonic herbs recommended by the doctors, hoping that one day his son's legs would regain their sense.
After his wife's death, Chen Yonggui didn't manage his shops, and they were taken over by his peers in the family. So when he was trying to treat his son, there wasn't much money left at home. Buying herbs every day was like pouring money down the drain.
With his few years of education, Chen Yonggui got a job as a bookkeeper in a tavern. Although the pay was not much, it was a source of income to support this broken - down family.
Chen Yonggui had been focusing on his son's physical condition and completely ignored his mental state.
People say that poor children grow up quickly. But who knows how much pressure a sick child has to bear?
While other children were running and playing in the open air, he could only sit alone in a dim room, watching them. What kind of feelings did he have at that time?
Maybe Chen Yongshun wanted to talk to his father, but Chen Yonggui was so busy every day that he had no time to have a heart - to - heart talk with his son. As time went on, Chen Yongshun gradually stopped hoping that someone would talk to him or play with him.
As a result, Chen Yongshun became more and more withdrawn and didn't like to talk. Maybe Chen Yonggui noticed this and asked his son, but by then, Chen Yongshun was no longer the boy who would answer his father immediately. And Chen Yonggui's busy schedule didn't allow him to spend much time with his son.
Hearing this, Su Yanke already guessed the general outcome. She put her hand on Chen Yongshun's wrist, intending to check his physical condition. But at that moment, she was slightly stunned.
It was so thin, incredibly thin!
Su Yanke could hardly believe that such a thin wrist belonged to an almost eight - year - old boy.
It was almost as thin as Xiaobao's!
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... A Shun..."
Chen Yonggui's sobs came intermittently, making Su Yanke feel a bit sad.
"It's okay. He'll feel better after a nap. Do you know why he has become like this?"
Although Su Yanke's voice was soft, it had a soothing effect at this moment. Chen Yonggui was deeply affected. His attention was immediately caught by Su Yanke's words, and he quickly asked.
"Why?"
Chen Yonggui really couldn't understand why Chen Yongshun would think like this. Had he done something wrong?
Su Yanke could hear the confusion in Chen Yonggui's voice and silently sighed in her heart. In fact, there were many such parents. They cared too much about their children's physical health and ignored the most important thing - mental health.
They used the methods they thought were the most effective, arranging everything for their children without asking whether they were willing or not. If the children showed any signs of opposition, they would play the victim, saying that they did it all for the children's good and that the children were so ungrateful.
As time went on, the children knew that they had no choice but to follow their parents' arrangements. Such a life was too much for not only children whose mental development was not yet complete but also for adults.
Su Yanke explained this to Chen Yonggui, but he just stared at her blankly, unable to accept this truth.
"Are you saying that I should listen to A Shun? That's simply unthinkable. What does a child know? Could he have grown up safely without my care?"
"I'm not saying that you should stop caring about him. I'm just suggesting that you consider his opinions and listen to his thoughts."
Su Yanke had been prepared for this, so she wasn't surprised by Chen Yonggui's misunderstanding. But Uncle Lao Ji didn't know. He felt angry that Su Yanke had kindly given advice to Chen Yongshun but was shouted at in return.
"A Chen! What are you shouting for? Miss A Yan is kindly giving you advice, and this is how you treat her?"
Reminded by Uncle Lao Ji, Chen Yongshun realized his rudeness and quickly apologized to Su Yanke.
Su Yanke didn't mind. She just waved her hand and said it was okay.
Su Yanke thought for a while and said, "Now his body is still very weak and can't stand any more折腾. Once this kind of thing happens, it may happen again. I suggest that if it's not necessary, you should try to talk to him as much as possible. Never leave him alone in the room!"
Su Yanke had given all the necessary reminders, and they already knew the result of their visit. There was no reason for them to stay any longer. Every family has its own hard - to - read scriptures.
Seeing that Su Yanke and the others were about to leave, Chen Yonggui was anxious. At this moment, he was completely at a loss. Su Yanke's appearance was like a last straw for him.
"Miss A Yan! Don't go. I was wrong. Please help me. What should I do to make A Shun better?"
Su Yanke actually had a way, but she was blind at the moment, just like a doctor who wanted to treat a patient but had no tools. She originally planned to go back and wait until her eyes were cured before coming to take a closer look at Chen Yongshun. But hearing Chen Yonggui's desperate plea, she just couldn't move her legs.
Su Yanke pulled the kneeling Chen Yonggui up and held his shoulders. She said seriously, "I have a way to cure his illness, but I'm short of several kinds of herbs. First, you cooperate with me to treat Chen Yongshun's mental problems. Then I'll come to treat his legs. But there's a premise. You have to follow all my instructions. Can you do it?"
Chen Yonggui stared blankly. He was already in a daze when Su Yanke said she could cure his son's legs. He had been seeking medical advice for so many years and was almost in despair. Suddenly seeing hope shocked him greatly.
Su Yanke waited for a while. Seeing that Chen Yonggui didn't respond, she thought he couldn't do it and was about to turn around and leave. Just as her hand left Chen Yonggui's shoulder, he suddenly replied in a very loud voice, "Yes! I can!"
Uncle Lao Ji and the others behind Su Yanke were startled, not to mention Su Yanke who was closest to Chen Yonggui. She swallowed hard and tried to calm her frightened heart.
With Chen Yonggui's cooperation, things would be easier from now on. Su Yanke told Chen Yonggui some things to pay attention to, such as talking to Chen Yongshun more often and sharing even the smallest things with him so that he would know he was needed and not a burden.
Chen Yonggui listened very carefully, as if he was going to memorize every word Su Yanke said.
After Su Yanke finished speaking, she drank a glass of water and asked Chen Yonggui a few questions to see if he had remembered everything. Then she was about to leave.
Before Su Yanke reached the door of the room, she heard Chen Yonggui suddenly say from behind, "Wait... Wait. Can I still join the thing we talked about before? I want to join!"
Su Yanke was a bit surprised. Chen Yonggui explained that his previous job as a bookkeeper was too far from home. Now that A Shun needed someone, and everyone was in the same village, it would be very convenient.
Su Yanke thought about it and thought it made sense. She asked for everyone's opinion. After they all agreed, they set a time to get the work tickets.
On the way back, Su Yanke was thinking about Chen Yongshun's leg problem and didn't say much. Xiaobao looked at the silent Su Yanke and said, "Sister, doesn't Brother Yongshun feel pain?"
Su Yanke was stunned by Xiaobao's question.
"Xiaobao, why do you think so?"
"Because Brother Yongshun had such a big cut just now, but he didn't even frown!"
Su Yanke sighed and stroked Xiaobao's head. "Silly boy, Brother Yongshun is not afraid of pain. There are just things that hurt him more than the wound."
Xiaobao couldn't understand what Su Yanke meant by "things that hurt more." In his world, a wound was the most painful thing.
Everyone was very silent on the way back. Each of them felt a bit depressed about what had happened that day.
But fortunately, things weren't that bad. Everything would get better slowly, right?
Su Yanke got home, had a simple dinner. Winter nights always came early. Su Yanke went back to her room early.
The room smelled of the familiar herbal fragrance, probably because Doctor Liu had come during the day.
Su Yanke suddenly remembered what Xiaobao had said about the strange stone Doctor Liu had. She didn't know what she thought of, but she immediately checked with her inner energy. And at that moment, she was stunned.