Chapter 14: Got Smashed

"What happened?!"

"Why are you covered in blood?"

The family, already noisy, immediately exploded.

Originally, when Lin Yuandong and Lin Yuan'nan didn't return by mealtime, everyone was so busy arguing over the ginseng money that they hadn't paid attention to when the two were supposed to be home; they only thought it strange that it was so late.

Now, seeing the blood on Lin Yuan'nan’s forehead and clothes, a sense of foreboding washed over everyone.

Could it be—that someone had died?

Zhou Zhaodi pushed through the crowd, grabbed Lin Yuan'nan by the collar, and asked anxiously, "Husband, are you alright? Why are you covered in blood?"

"Lin Yuan'nan!"

Fang Hongying, who had been feeling uneasy, screamed, "Where is my man? Where is your eldest brother? Where did your eldest brother go?"

The group swarmed forward.

Only Zhang Miao, looking on with schadenfreude, grabbed a handful of melon seeds and leaned against the doorframe to watch the show.

"Eldest Brother... Eldest Brother was working today. Because of a shift change, he was assigned to the logging area. While we were moving things, a pillar fell from the top of the warehouse and hit him." Lin Yuan'nan wiped his forehead. "I dodged quickly and only got grazed, it’s no big deal, but Eldest Brother went straight down."

"What?!"

"He went down?!"

Fang Hongying shrieked, shoved Zhou Zhaodi aside, and pointed at Lin Yuan'nan’s nose. "How come you dodged it and my man didn't? Could it be that you pushed him, Third Brother?"

"Why can't you ever wish your brother well? Do you have to see something happen to him?"

"Sister-in-law." Lin Yuan'nan was stunned by the scolding. He wiped the spit off his face. "You can't say it like that. We’re all brothers; why wouldn't I wish my brother well? Does it mean both of us have to get hurt for it to count?"

The eldest and third brothers did have some friction, but Lin Yuan'nan believed he had never done anything to wrong his eldest brother, Lin Yuandong.

Fang Hongying’s words were a baseless insult to his character.

"Stop that yelling!" Lin Dawei’s vision went dark. Upon hearing his eldest son had been crushed, he nearly lost his breath.

Seeing the house in chaos, as noisy as hundreds of ducks quacking at once, he let out a roar, threw his tobacco leaf on the ground, and spat fiercely.

"Eldest daughter-in-law, go get a set of bedding and a change of clothes for the eldest immediately."

"Lan, go find some money; we’ll need to pay at the clinic in a bit."

"Second daughter-in-law, if the eldest is really in trouble, we’ll have to use your family’s ox cart. The family will pay for the cost!"

"As for the third, you go to the clinic and get your head checked too. Third daughter-in-law..."

Lin Dawei arranged things in an orderly fashion, but paused when he reached Zhou Zhaodi.

Little Ni was a lucky doll sent from heaven to repay their kindness.

With the lucky doll here, perhaps any disaster could be turned into a blessing.

Maybe she could even offer some ideas.

His eyes darted around. "Third daughter-in-law, you carry Little Ni and go to the clinic together. No one in this family is to sit idle. Second son, hurry to the clinic and see how your brother is doing. Stop standing there like a fool!"

"Yes!" The group immediately sprang into action.

At the village clinic, a crowd was gathered, chattering away. Dr. Shen and his two apprentices were running around in a panic.

Lin Yuandong, pale and with blood all over his clothes and neck, lay unconscious on the bed. Blood was oozing from his head; every time they managed to stop it, it would start again, soaking through several layers of gauze.

The women in the room were terrified, looking at each other. Seeing the situation was dire, and since they were only there for minor ailments, they turned and left, deciding to come back another day.

Dr. Shen was busy again. When he finished, he sighed, "The eldest of the Lin family can't stop bleeding. I'm afraid this is going to end badly."

Having practiced for decades, he had professional ethics and a sharp eye. He knew that if the bleeding wouldn't stop, they had to get to the town clinic, but it was uncertain if the man could even survive the trip.

"Eldest son!"

"Husband!"

The Lin family swarmed in.

They threw themselves onto the bedside, some crying, some cursing, and some just watching the spectacle.

"Dr. Shen, how is my eldest son?" Lin Dawei asked with a worried face. "Why won't that blood stop?"

The sight of his head covered in blood was terrifying.

Dr. Shen shook his head, first stopping Lin Dawei from rolling a cigarette with his trembling hands, then said, "The bleeding won't stop. He needs to be sent to the town clinic. However, judging by the amount of blood loss, it's uncertain if he can even make it there."

"Why is it uncertain?" Fang Hongying rushed over, grabbing Dr. Shen’s sleeve and shaking him. "You’re the one he was brought to, so you must cure him! Otherwise, my family will call the police and have the comrades take you away to eat government food!"

"What?!"

Dr. Shen looked panicked. "Sister, you can't just say things like that. In this condition, even a god would find it hard to treat!"

"No, you must have a way, you must be hiding it!" Fang Hongying shoved him aside and started rummaging through the clinic. "Are you hiding the good medicine and not giving it to my man? Don't let me find it!"

"Otherwise, I’ll make sure you go eat government food!"

"Enough!" Lin Dawei’s face was completely lost.

"Eldest daughter-in-law, what kind of behavior is this!" He roared, grabbed Fang Hongying—who was sitting on the floor, slapping her thighs and throwing a tantrum because she couldn't find the medicine—and slapped the back of her head. "Stop crying! Aren't you ashamed!"

Afterward, Lin Dawei discussed solutions with Dr. Shen.

Wang Cuilan stared at Lin Yuandong with a pained expression. "How did this happen?"

Beside them, Lin Yuan'nan, who had already been bandaged, said, "Eldest Brother and Liu Lao'er were in front lifting things. That Liu Lao'er said to put it on the other side, so they walked over, and then Eldest Brother got hit."

"Liu Lao'er?!" Wang Cuilan’s voice rose. "It’s him again!"

"What?" Lin Yuan'nan looked confused. "What do you mean 'again'?"

"Nothing." Wang Cuilan shook her head violently. This was just a guess; she couldn't go around saying things like that.

[Mom, walk closer, let me see Big Uncle.]

A milky, childish voice rang out, followed by Zhou Zhaodi’s soft response.

Wang Cuilan’s eyes lit up.

That’s right, they had a fairy from heaven in their family!

"Third daughter-in-law, come here, come to Mom!"

Zhou Zhaodi responded and quickly walked to the bedside with Lin Xiangrong in her arms, intentionally positioning her so that her big eyes could see the unconscious Lin Yuandong.

There was a spot on the top of Lin Yuandong’s head that kept bleeding. His face grew paler with the blood loss. The wound had only been treated with medicine, and the surrounding hair had been shaved off, leaving the wound clearly visible to Lin Xiangrong.

With her extensive experience in treating wounds, Lin Xiangrong knew exactly what was going on at a glance.

Lin Xiangrong calmed down. [Mom, the medicine is wrong. First, use disinfectant, then the hemostatic powder, and finally apply an ointment that helps platelet coagulation. Wrap it in gauze, and he’ll be fine.]

After carefully explaining the procedure and the medication, and nagging for a bit, Lin Xiangrong finally closed her mouth.

[Last time, it was Liu Lao'er who tripped Big Uncle. This time, he intentionally made Big Uncle stand under the broken pillar. If he hadn't pulled the pillar hard beforehand, Big Uncle wouldn't have been hit.]

[Liu Lao'er is truly vicious.]

[If the treatment is fast, Big Uncle will be fine. He just lost a lot of blood and needs to rest more.]

Wang Cuilan’s face turned from green to purple, then purple to black, changing colors several times in a few seconds, as colorful as a painter's palette.