Rural Fengliu Village Doctor

Did you walk back?

As Su Chen got closer, he could clearly feel the tension of the woman on the bed.

Fan Tiantian was gripping the bedsheet, her body trembling.

Su Chen had been in prison for two years. In there, people often joked that given the chance, they'd even mess with a female mosquito if it flew by. You can imagine Su Chen's current state.

"Sister-in-law, um..."

He didn't know how to start, so he tiptoed closer and stood straight by the bed.

"No need to say anything, come up."

Her soft voice sounded like a magical spell, making Su Chen's blood boil...

But in the end, Su Chen didn't lift the old, yellowed mosquito net. He couldn't cross that line.

He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.

Because he saw tears falling from Fan Tiantian's eyes.

"Sister-in-law, I'm sorry."

"Xiao Chen, don't feel pressured. If it's you, I'm willing."

Su Chen had just calmed down, but Fan Tiantian's words made his blood boil again.

"Sister-in-law, you don't have to do this. Brother Dali has been injured and amputated for over two years, and you've never left him. There must be a bond stronger than diamonds between you two."

This woman had already endured too much. How could he hurt her more?

"There's no such bond..."

Fan Tiantian couldn't explain. Her father had racked up gambling debts of tens of thousands. If he couldn't repay them, he would have been maimed by the loan sharks.

Her mother then arranged a marriage, hoping to use the bride price to pay off the debt.

Su Dali, a big fool, sold the family's six cows and borrowed another twenty thousand, scraping together fifty thousand to marry Fan Tiantian.

Fifty thousand was what a family of three might earn after two or three years of hard work.

Of course, Fan Tiantian was worth the bride price. She was the most beautiful woman in the nearby villages, without a doubt!

Two years ago, everyone in the surrounding villages and the town envied Su Dali.

Su Dali had saved Fan Tiantian's father, so if she left after Su Dali's accident, she'd be seen as ungrateful. Back in her village, she'd be ostracized and her family shunned.

So her parents had said she must never return to their village, even if it meant dying outside or jumping off a mountain.

Hearing this, Su Chen smiled bitterly. "Sister-in-law, you graduated high school. You could make a living if you worked outside."

"Xiao Chen, your brother helped my family in a time of crisis. How could I abandon him?"

Running away had crossed her mind, but she couldn't overcome the guilt.

"Since your brother's accident, the villagers have gossiped and badmouthed him. Now that you're back, things will be better."

If Su Chen could help her get pregnant and have a child, Su Dali wouldn't only hold his head high but also walk proudly in the village.

Su Chen was shocked. No wonder Su Dali had said he had it figured out.

After all, Fan Tiantian was twenty-eight, and so beautiful. It made sense she would have such thoughts.

"Ahem."

Just as Su Chen was about to say something, Su Dali pushed his wheelchair into the room.

"Xiao Chen, why are you still standing there? Get on with it."

Su Dali was almost in tears. He couldn't bear it, knowing the woman who had been with him for two years was there. He had waited in the yard but heard nothing.

Normally, he didn't sleep in the same room as Fan Tiantian, but sometimes he heard enticing sounds from her room...

"Brother Dali, I walked all the way back from the city prison today. I'm exhausted."

Su Chen shrugged helplessly.

"What? From Nanan City to Shanhai Village, that's almost two hundred kilometers. You walked?"

Su Chen nodded. It was true. He hadn't told anyone about his early release, wanting to surprise his parents.

"My fault. I didn't consider that."

Su Dali thought for a moment and said, "Alright, you go take a bath first, then rest for the night. We'll talk more later."

Soon, under Su Dali's watchful eye, Su Chen finished his bath.

He was only wearing shorts as he lay down next to Fan Tiantian at Su Dali's insistence.

Su Chen had no choice. Su Dali had threatened to make a scene if he didn't comply.

During this time, Fan Tiantian hadn't said a word. Her breathing was light, as if she was asleep, unaware of everything.

After Su Chen lay down, Su Dali wheeled himself back to his room.

Fan Tiantian's body was hot. She was fully awake but didn't want to make things awkward for the three of them, so she stayed silent.

Once Su Dali was back in his room and turned off the lights, she suddenly reached out.

Immediately, Fan Tiantian's face turned crimson, spreading to her ears.

"Heh, you said you were exhausted. You seem just fine now."

Su Chen was startled by the sudden move and quickly pleaded, "Sister-in-law, please, I'm really tired today. Next time, for sure!"

"Hmph, coward!"

Fan Tiantian turned her back to Su Chen.

To be honest, she was very nervous too, but her desire outweighed her fear.

Su Chen restrained himself and eventually fell asleep.

In the morning, Su Dali was sitting in the yard, looking gloomy.

He had gotten up three times last night, but nothing had happened.

As he was thinking of how to encourage Su Chen, the village chief, Li Desheng, hurried into the yard.

"Dali, Yifeng and Old Li are fighting over your three-acre fish pond. You and Tiantian need to go check it out."

"Huh? What's going on?"

Su Dali was confused. Yifeng was Su Chen's father, Su Yifeng.

Since Fan Tiantian couldn't swim and was afraid of water, Su Dali had handed the three-acre fish pond to Su Yifeng. What right did Old Li have to fight over it?

While Li Desheng explained, Su Chen quickly ran out from the inner room, and then Fan Tiantian came out after tidying herself up.

Li Desheng was puzzled.

"Su Chen? Aren't you supposed to be..."

"Uncle Li, I was released early. I didn't get a chance to tell everyone."

"Oh, I see."

Li Desheng was surprised that Su Chen was out of prison and even more surprised he seemed to have come out of Fan Tiantian's room, implying he had stayed the night there.

"Uncle Li, what's going on with my dad and Old Li?"

"Come with me and I'll explain on the way."

Li Desheng led the way out of the yard.

"Xiao Chen, you go ahead. Old Li has been giving your dad trouble for the past two years. Now that you're back, he won't dare bully your father anymore."

"Yes, Brother Dali, wait here for news. I can handle this."

Su Chen quickly followed Li Desheng to the back mountain.

Old Li, whose real name was Li Zhongbao, had been a good friend of Su Yifeng in their youth. But for some reason, they had fallen out and become rivals.

This fight started because Li Zhongbao's fish net had torn, letting many fish escape.

Li Zhongbao's fish pond was next to the one Su Dali had given to Su Yifeng, so he claimed all the fish had swum over there and wanted to take them all back.