Chapter 8

The old man opened his eyes, sized Wang Xiaoqiang up, and then instructed him to sit on the small stool by the bed. He touched Wang Xiaoqiang's stomach, but found no issues, and then said, "Put a book under your arm, and I'll take your pulse."

Hearing that he was to have his pulse taken, Wang Xiaoqiang felt a bit nervous, but he still followed the instructions, taking the book "Yin and Yang of the Human Body and the Five Elements" from the table and placing it by the bed, then putting his arm on the book.

Lin Qingshan placed his index finger on Wang Xiaoqiang's pulse, closed his eyes, and carefully took his pulse. After about a minute, he said, "Hmm... Xiaoqiang, something's not right..."

Seeing the old man's surprised and doubtful tone, Wang Xiaoqiang's heart skipped a beat. Just as he was worried that the old man had discovered his secret, Lin Qingshan opened his eyes and looked at Wang Xiaoqiang again, somewhat surprised, "Xiaoqiang, have you been taking any tonics recently?"

"No, Grandpa Qingshan, I don't have the money to buy those..." Wang Xiaoqiang answered truthfully.

"Then you must have been exercising a lot recently," Lin Qingshan guessed, explaining, "Your pulse is deep and strong, and your pulse rate is significantly slower than the average person. This is a sign of a strong body. I've been a doctor all my life and have taken countless pulses, but I've only seen a handful of people with a pulse like yours, and they were either athletes or soldiers..."

Wang Xiaoqiang had always been weak and had often sought treatment from Grandpa Qingshan. Just last month, Wang Xiaoqiang had come to him for a few doses of traditional Chinese medicine due to enteritis. Grandpa Qingshan knew Wang Xiaoqiang's constitution well.

Wang Xiaoqiang's sudden improvement in health both pleased and puzzled Grandpa Qingshan. However, with his vast experience and expertise in pulse diagnosis, he was at the pinnacle of his craft.

"Um... So, does that mean I don't have any illness?" Wang Xiaoqiang asked tentatively.

Grandpa Qingshan pushed Wang Xiaoqiang's arm away, patted his shoulder, and smiled, "Your body is as strong as an ox, how could you have any illness? However, if the symptoms persist, I suggest you go to a big hospital for a check-up."

Hearing this, Wang Xiaoqiang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't have any symptoms; the stomachache was just a pretext to avoid the old man. He was afraid that Lin Qingshan might detect the unknown "object" inside him, but it turned out to be a false alarm.

Wang Xiaoqiang thanked him and, as he put the book back on the table, his eyes inadvertently fell on the title "Yin and Yang of the Human Body and the Five Elements." He felt a sudden urge and raised the book, asking, "Grandpa, can I borrow this book to read?"

"Um, sure, take it!" Lin Qingshan agreed readily. He was near the end of his life, and those books were of no use to him. He wouldn't mind if Wang Xiaoqiang took them all.

Wang Xiaoqiang thanked him and took the book "Yin and Yang of the Human Body and the Five Elements" and walked out. As he was about to leave the house, he heard two women talking in the courtyard:

"Really? Wang Dali hasn't called you in over half a year? How can he be so heartless..." It was Xia Huizhi's voice, filled with surprise.

"Aunt Huizhi, please don't speak so loudly, it's not good if others hear..." It was Liu Juyi's voice, laced with suppression and委屈 (grievance).

Xia Huizhi slightly lowered her voice, "Sigh, I really don't understand. Wang Dali married such a beautiful and virtuous wife, it must be his good fortune from a past life, yet he doesn't know how to cherish her..."

Although their voices were low, Wang Xiaoqiang heard everything. However, he didn't continue eavesdropping and walked out of the house.

"Um... Xiaoqiang is out..." Seeing Wang Xiaoqiang come out, Liu Juyi stood up from the small stool in the courtyard, her expression unnatural, and asked with concern, "Xiaoqiang, what did Grandpa Qingshan say?"

"Grandpa Qingshan said I'm in great health, with no illness at all," Wang Xiaoqiang smiled at Liu Juyi, showing his white teeth, which gleamed even more in the moonlight.

"Um, that's good." Liu Juyi smiled with relief and then turned to pay Xia Huizhi, but Xia Huizhi refused to accept the payment.

After thanking her, the uncle and niece left the Lin family's house together.

Walking home under the moonlight, Liu Juyi was noticeably more reserved compared to the way there. She didn't walk side by side with Wang Xiaoqiang but followed two steps behind. On the contrary, Wang Xiaoqiang, who was not at all restrained, deliberately slowed down to walk alongside Liu Juyi. Halfway through, Wang Xiaoqiang couldn't help but ask, "Sister-in-law, how long has my brother not called you?"

In this high-tech society, communication is extremely advanced. Every household in the village has a landline, and almost every young person has a mobile phone. Wang Xiaoqiang knew that both his brother and sister-in-law had mobile phones and could contact each other at any time. When he heard that his brother had not contacted his sister-in-law for over half a year, he was shocked. He knew that Liu Juyi was being neglected. Moreover, from the conversation between his sister-in-law and Xia Huizhi, he could tell that Liu Juyi was clearly feeling wronged. It wasn't just about not calling; there was likely a rift in their relationship.

Wang Xiaoqiang appeared shy and honest, but he was straightforward and had a stubborn streak.

Seeing his virtuous sister-in-law being wronged, Wang Xiaoqiang couldn't help but ask and intervene.

Wang Xiaoqiang's question made Liu Juyi shudder. She immediately realized that he had overheard her conversation with Xia Huizhi. However, she didn't want Wang Xiaoqiang to know about her and Wang Dali's issues, so she forced a smile, "Xiaoqiang, you don't know your brother. He's even shyer than you when it comes to feelings, and you know he doesn't like making phone calls."

It was true that Wang Dali didn't like making phone calls, but he had called Wang Xiaoqiang twice since he went out to work. In those calls, he talked and laughed, boasting that in half a month, he wouldn't be working on the construction site anymore. He planned to take on his own projects and become his own boss. He even asked if Wang Xiaoqiang had any plans to venture out and offered to help him if he did.

In both calls, Wang Dali only mentioned the two elders and never mentioned his sister-in-law, Liu Juyi. At the time, Wang Xiaoqiang didn't think much of it, assuming they often talked on the phone. Now, he realized something was seriously wrong.

If he could call his brother, why couldn't he call his wife?

Liu Juyi's words couldn't fool Wang Xiaoqiang, but seeing that she was unhappy about the topic, he wisely didn't press further. Instead, he said firmly, "Sister-in-law, don't worry. If my brother dares to mistreat you, I won't let him off."

Hearing this, Liu Juyi shuddered again, feeling warmth in her heart and a lump in her throat. She quickly walked ahead of Wang Xiaoqiang, afraid that he would see the tears in her eyes.

...

There will be another update at midnight. Friends who are up late can check it out.

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