Chapter 52: Medicine Cured the Illness

Su Chunfeng and Chen Xian returned home. They hadn’t waited long before Su Cheng arrived back with Chen Yufan and the driver, Xiao Du, whose head was bandaged.

In a hurry, Chen Xian couldn’t be bothered with pointless small talk any longer and immediately stood up to say goodbye. Despite the enthusiastic efforts of Su Cheng and his wife Chen Xiulan to keep him, he was determined to leave. However, this time, his attitude was different from before. In a very warm and sincere manner, he promised he would definitely find time to visit again in the future. But today, he truly had urgent matters to attend to, so he couldn’t stay for lunch.

This decision happened to suit Chen Yufan perfectly.

Chen Yufan, who had been simmering with anger this whole time because his subordinate driver was beaten and he himself had been publicly insulted by that country thug, had worn a stern expression and hadn’t shown a shred of goodwill to his cousin’s family. He absolutely detested the idea of staying for a meal in this poor country relatives’ home. Even if their financial situation seemed decent, he thought they were just uncouth, nouveau riche bumpkins flashing ill-gotten cash! If not for his father’s strangely friendly enthusiasm towards these poor country relatives – a man who seemed to have developed a longing to return to his roots after retirement – and if not for cousin-in-law Su Cheng willingly footing the medical bills, he swore he would have reported that brat to the police today! How dare they!

Seeing they couldn’t persuade him to stay, Su Cheng and his wife had no choice. The whole family escorted them right out, following the car as it backed out of the long village lane, waving goodbye only once it reached the main road.

Su Chunfeng wore his usual simple, honest face, looking nothing like the fierce and ruthless young man who had beaten Xiao Du.

The car sped swiftly away from Hetang Village.

Inside the car, anger and disgust filled Chen Yufan’s fair and refined face. He fumed, “Crude, barbaric country bumpkins! Truly detestable! Xiao Du, how’s your injury? Is it serious?”

“It’s okay, just a bit painful. Nothing major,” driver Xiao Du answered with a strained smile, looking thoroughly wronged.

“If his father hadn’t proactively paid the medical expenses, if his parents hadn’t apologized sincerely again and again…” Chen Yufan snorted coldly. “I would absolutely have dragged that brat to the police station today! Utter lawlessness! Vile!”

Xiao Du chuckled awkwardly. He’d failed to protect the Township Head and let his boss suffer humiliation. He’d been genuinely worried the Township Head would take it out on him later. He hadn’t expected Mr. Chen not to blame him; in fact, he seemed especially concerned and even wanted to avenge Xiao Du on his behalf!

But the Township Head’s father… didn’t seem too pleased.

Sitting in the back seat beside Chen Yufan, Chen Xian’s face was rigid and pale. He breathed heavily, his chest heaving violently… Suddenly, and very rarely, he couldn’t hold back any longer and slapped his son, Chen Yufan, hard across the face.

Whack!

A sharp, clear sound echoed in the car.

“Dad! Why did you hit me!?” Chen Yufan was stunned. He clutched his cheek, a mixture of shock and anger flooding him—his father had never slapped him, not even when he was a child! Besides, he was in his thirties now, a Township Head, a respectable state official! Whatever the reason, you couldn’t just slap someone like that without an explanation!

And right in front of his subordinate driver…

How was he supposed to save face in front of Xiao Du now?

Xiao Du was terrified. He didn’t dare look in the rearview mirror again. Suppressing the persistent pain in his head, he concentrated on driving as smoothly as possible on the bumpy village dirt road, his mind clouded with anxiety. It’s over, it’s really over today. I was so blind. If the old gentleman blames me for this… later…

Chen Xian glared at his son, forcefully slapped his own thigh, and scolded in a low voice, “You are a Township Head! How can you be so arrogant and look down on others? It’s downright childish, stupid! With such an attitude, how could you ever…” At this point, Chen Xian glanced at driver Xiao Du in the front and swallowed the rest of his words. He said, “This way, you are utterly unworthy of being a Township Head! There’s always someone smarter than you. Don’t always think you’re so incredible! From now on, be polite! Be courteous to these relatives in our hometown! Learn to be humble! Understand that you need to lower your status! Especially your sister Xiulan’s family, and particularly her eldest son Su Chunfeng! You must show them even more respect!”

“Why!?”

Whack!

Another slap landed hard on Chen Yufan’s face. “An official must stay low-profile, be approachable! Have a broad mind! If you don’t even regard your own relatives properly, how would you ever regard the common people?”

Chen Yufan, having received two consecutive slaps, fell silent.

Deep down, however, some understanding seemed to dawn on him. His father’s sudden fierce temper was probably just intense disappointment, trying to jolt him awake. Sigh. This year, to protect the family and salvage his own lifelong reputation, Father was forced to apply for early retirement on medical grounds, leaving the Pingyang City political stage for good. At the same time, Father’s faction was almost completely pushed to the margins of power in Pingyang. Father had already endured immense pressure and helplessness. And now, with little sister suddenly losing her mind and being sent to the mental hospital… how troubled his heart must be, it’s heartbreaking.

Furthermore, his own position as a minor Township Head, having lost its powerful backing…

Meant his current situation was like walking on thin ice. He needed to be far more cautious.

But… why did Father specifically stress sister Chen Xiulan’s family, and moreover, deliberately point out that teenage nephew Su Chunfeng?

And he had to respect them?

Based on what?

Having vented his anger, Chen Xian felt a pang of regret.

He knew perfectly well that slapping his son wasn’t ideal—the man was over thirty, with a family of his own, the Township Head! And right in front of his subordinate. So Chen Xian’s expression softened slightly. He said calmly, “Xiao Du, from now on, mind your image in public too! Getting physical with a mere child? Where’s your self-restraint? Don’t think that just because you drive for the Township Head, you become some bigshot in the countryside!”

“Yes, yes, I will correct myself. I definitely will,” Xiao Du responded immediately, nodding obsequiously, relief washing over him. Working closely with the Township Head for years, he’d gained a degree of worldly insight. From Chen, Sr.’s words, Xiao Du could deduce his job as driver was safe.

The car drove back to Pingyang City. Chen Xian didn’t go to the hospital but went straight home.

When they pulled up at the city committee family residential building, Chen Xian got out and instructed Chen Yufan not to come in, urging him to hurry back to Fengtou Township, Wucheng County instead.

After sending his son away, Chen Xian returned home alone.

The moment he stepped through the door, without even taking off his heavy coat, he rushed into his daughter Chen Yufang’s room. He began ransacking it, searching desperately for those suspicious items Su Chunfeng had mentioned.

The room was quickly turned upside down.

Finally, crammed into the gap between her single bed’s mattress and the headboard, he found a deep brownish-red, reddish-tinged doll—a strangely carved handicraft, only about half a foot tall. It was roughly human-shaped but had three faces on its head, all hideous and frightening. Its right hand held a small wooden mallet, its left hand held a bowl, and its feet stood together, trampling a bizarre flower.

Suspicion already churned within Chen Xian, and now prompted by Su Chunfeng’s warning, the moment he saw this thing, the words “witchcraft” sprang into his mind.

Furious, he hurled the wooden doll heavily onto the floor. It shattered into several pieces.

Suddenly recalling Su Chunfeng’s instructions, Chen Xian hastily grabbed a small bag, squatted down, and gathered every single fragment of the doll, leaving not even a speck of dust behind.

He then searched the entire house again, prying open Chen Yufang’s locked desk drawers, leaving no corner or crevice unchecked. Driven by paranoia, he collected every piece of jade jewelry he could find. He tore through every room in the house.

It wasn’t until dusk that he stopped, sweating profusely, and finally sank onto the sofa to rest.

The entire house was a complete disaster.

He had found three suspicious items in total: the wooden doll, a jade pendant his daughter had bought after the New Year, and a jade bracelet his wife had purchased some time ago.

Both the pendant and the bracelet were quite valuable.

Chen Xian hesitated to throw away the bracelet. Remembering Su Chunfeng’s instructions had only mentioned his daughter Chen Yufang’s recent purchases, he agonized for a long time before deciding to put the bracelet back where he found it.

Just as he was preparing to leave the house to burn the doll fragments and discard the jade pendant, his exhausted wife, Jiang Ruying, returned from the hospital.

Stepping into the house and seeing the chaotic mess, looking as if thieves had ransacked the place, then spotting her husband drenched in sweat yet still wearing his heavy coat while smoking on the sofa, shocked Jiang Ruying—their daughter was still mentally unstable in the hospital! Had the setbacks in his career pushed her husband to the breaking point? Her face filled with worry as she hurried over to him. Afraid to startle him, she spoke softly and cautiously, “Lao Chen, what happened to our home? Was it… was it robbed? Why are you sweating so much? Why are you wearing that heavy coat indoors?”

“Oh.” Chen Xian seemed to snap out of a daze. He shook his head bitterly and said, “It’s nothing. I was looking for some things.”

“What things?”

“Forget it. I’ve already retired. If I haven’t found them by now, it means I won’t.” Chen Xian dismissed it quickly. He stuffed the bag containing the shattered doll and the jade pendant into his coat pocket, stood up, and headed for the door. “Clean up the place. I need to go out for a bit. I’ll be back soon.”

Jiang Ruying looked baffled but didn’t ask anything else. She sighed softly and started tidying the chaotic house.

This has been a bad year… Is our family falling apart? A sudden fear gripped Jiang Ruying’s heart.

…

A month later.

Coinciding with the weekend, Chen Xian, who was now retired and idle, took the bus alone. He then walked a stretch of country path to return once more to his niece Chen Xiulan’s home in Hetang Village.

During his visit, he privately told Su Chunfeng that his daughter Chen Yufang had recovered. She would be able to return to work in a few days.

Su Chunfeng felt neither surprise nor astonishment about this. He had already been certain this would be the outcome.

Moreover, after Chen Xian’s last visit, Su Chunfeng hadn’t actually done anything remotely like “long-distance secret techniques” in Hetang Village that he had boastfully claimed he would use.

It was unnecessary, and frankly, beyond his ability.

Regarding the wooden doll found and Chen Xian’s lingering fear that someone had deliberately harmed Chen Yufang, Su Chunfeng merely smiled and denied it. He reassured Chen Xian there was no need to worry. He advised that as long as he kept a watchful eye on Chen Yufang, ensuring she avoided contact with such items in the future, everything would be fine.

Su Chunfeng offered no further explanation beyond that.