Chapter 11: Picking a Quarrel

Shao Diandian followed her usual routine and went to Wei Ting’s quarters to check on him.

Wei Ting’s low-grade fever had subsided, but the hematoma in his liver had not yet cleared, and he remained extremely weak.

"Take your medicine yourself." Shao Diandian placed two anti-inflammatory tablets and three pills for dissolving hematomas into a bowl and handed it to Wei Ting.

She knew that Wei Ting was fully conscious.

"What kind of medicine are you giving me?" Wei Ting had never seen such unusual medication before.

Shao Diandian chuckled. "Oh my, is becoming my son-in-law not enough? Are you trying to pry into my family’s ancestral secret recipes as well?"

"Who is trying to pry?" Wei Ting turned his head away coldly.

Old Man Shao and Shao Erdan knew nothing about Shao Diandian treating Wei Ting; they assumed he had pulled through thanks to the medicinal powder he had brought with him. Wei Ting, however, assumed that the father and son were aware of Shao Diandian’s treatment. Although he was puzzled that a village girl possessed such medical expertise, he had not yet built enough trust with the family to broach the topic. Thus, Shao Diandian’s secret remained safe. Even if it were revealed, she wasn't worried, as the blind adoration of Old Man Shao and Shao Erdan made it easy for her to convince them of anything. Wei Ting, by contrast, was a more difficult puzzle. She intended to find an opportunity to extract some secrets from him as well.

Since there was meat in the house, Shao Diandian had prepared several pounds of steamed dumplings, a pot of vegetable and pork rib porridge, and roasted a few sweet potatoes for breakfast. Shao Erdan had roasted some last night, and the children seemed to like them. Since the whole family was up, she planned to wait for them to eat together, but after a long wait, no one appeared. Had they gone for a walk outside the village?

"Forget it, I’ll go gather some firewood first."

After serving Wei Ting a bowl of vegetable and pork rib porridge, she took a hemp rope and headed toward the woods behind the mountain. By coincidence, she encountered Mrs. Wu from next door again. Mrs. Wu had also come to gather firewood, but she had tripped, scattering her wood everywhere and getting her foot trapped. It was a fallen tree that even a grown man would struggle to move, let alone the frail Mrs. Wu. She was so anxious and frightened that tears began to stream down her face. Being naturally timid, she dared not call out for help. Shao Diandian didn't know how long she had been trapped, but her helpless appearance was truly pitiable.

Shao Diandian walked over. Seeing her, Mrs. Wu trembled like a startled rabbit. Shao Diandian didn't speak; she simply walked to the other end of the tree.

She planted her feet and used all her strength to lift the end of the tree. This was the manifestation of true power! A delicate young lady weighing only ninety pounds would never have been able to move such a tree. Mrs. Wu quickly pulled her foot free.

*Thump!* The tree fell heavily back to the ground.

"I'm exhausted!" Shao Diandian hadn't even had breakfast yet. She panted, moved in front of Mrs. Wu, and crouched down to check her right foot. "It’s just minor bruising, nothing serious. Can you walk?"

Mrs. Wu nodded timidly and bent down to pick up her firewood. Witnessing her stumbling gait, Shao Diandian sighed, took the initiative to bundle the wood for her, and hoisted it onto her own shoulder.

"Follow me!" Shao Diandian commanded.

Mrs. Wu stared blankly at Shao Diandian, who had snatched her firewood, and dared not defy her order. Shao Diandian left after dropping the firewood at Mrs. Wu’s doorstep.

At the same time, Shao Erdan returned home happily with the three children. "Sister! We're home!" he shouted.

Shao Diandian had just entered the house. "Huh? Why is it just you guys? Where is Father?"

Shao Erdan noticed the firewood at her feet and frowned. "Sister, did you go gather firewood? Leave that kind of work to me; don't go up the mountain."

"I want to lose weight," Shao Diandian said. "You still haven't told me where Father is."

Shao Erdan replied, "Oh, Father was called into town."

At the infirmary.

"Mr. Shao, please come with me." A young man led Shao Kang to a tea room on the second floor. "Brother Dao is waiting for you inside."

Shao Kang looked around and muttered to himself, "Why choose a place like this to drink tea?" The young man smiled but said nothing.

Shao Kang stepped into the room. It was dim, and a pungent scent of medicinal wine and trauma balms hit him. He frowned involuntarily. Zhang Dao sat in a rosewood chair, the dim light perfectly masking the weakness and paleness on his face.

He smiled and said, "Mr. Shao, you really are a busy man. You haven't come to see me in so many years."

Shao Kang laughed heartily and walked over with long strides, about to sit in the chair next to Zhang Dao, but one of Zhang Dao’s henchmen quickly pulled the chair back. Shao Kang narrowed his eyes slightly.

Zhang Dao said sternly, "Don't you know the rules? Hurry up and bring a chair for Mr. Shao!"

"Yes!" The henchman pushed the chair back into place. It was an old street trick—an attempt to intimidate him. Shao Kang sat down calmly and asked with a smile, "Why did you call for me today, brother?"

Zhang Dao chuckled. "Mr. Shao, saying that makes us sound like strangers. Can’t we brothers just chat even if there’s nothing going on?"

"You damn..." Before Shao Kang could finish his profanity, Zhang Dao interrupted him. "Fifth Master sent men to find me a few days ago, asking if I’d like to go to the provincial capital with him."

Fifth Master—a figure even the county magistrate dared not provoke easily. Shao Kang immediately dropped his rough tone and said with a beaming smile, "To have Fifth Master’s favor, brother, your future is limitless."

"This is the man Fifth Master sent," Zhang Dao said, gesturing to the henchman behind him.

"No wonder I felt he was extraordinary," Shao Kang laughed. "Are you here to bid me farewell? Let’s go, I’ll treat you to drinks at Chunfeng Pavilion!"

Zhang Dao suddenly grinned. "No need for drinks. If Mr. Shao really wants to see me off, why not give me a small gift?"

Shao Kang said generously, "What do you want? As long as I have it, I’ll certainly get it for you!"

Zhang Dao smiled. "You have it. It’s at your house."

Shao Kang frowned. "My house?"

Zhang Dao smirked maliciously. "Your precious daughter, Shao Daya."

Shao Diandian finished cleaning up the dishes and went out through the kitchen’s back door. Behind the neighboring kitchen, Mrs. Wu was squatting on the ground shucking corn; it was for the second branch’s Niudan, who had suddenly asked for stir-fried corn with green peppers this morning.

"Why are you always so busy?" Shao Diandian’s voice suddenly rang out, and Mrs. Wu was startled again. *Sigh, she’s too timid. There’s no room to exercise my dark sense of humor.* Even in their last two encounters, Shao Diandian had shown her kindness, but perhaps due to her previous bad reputation, Mrs. Wu was still terrified of her presence.

Shao Diandian picked up a cob of corn and tapped it against her palm. "Mrs. Wu, do me a favor."

Mrs. Wu took a deep breath. *It’s finally here; Fat Shao is going to extort me...*

At the infirmary, after Zhang Dao said those words, Shao Kang’s expression turned icy cold.