My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 30 Part 4

Seeing You's mother's hysterics, Huang Manjing swiftly pulled Ji Taoyu behind her. "What are you doing?"  

"A physician treats all patients equally. His injuries are severe, and my skills are limited. If I recklessly try to set his bones, I’d only harm him further."  

Ji Taoyu said calmly, "The priority is to find a skilled physician as soon as possible."  

You's mother, regaining some rationality, turned to the You family elders. "Eldest Brother, has the doctor you called for arrived yet?"  

The You clansmen hesitated, but no one spoke up.  

Someone muttered under their breath, "With things so chaotic outside, who dares go into the city to fetch a doctor…"  

"Your own nephew is lying here half-dead, and you’re too cowardly to even call a doctor? Instead, you bring some half-trained village healer, are you trying to kill Lingxiao?"  

You's mother's fury was palpable as she watched the You family prioritized their own safety over her son’s life, she was livid enough to spit blood.  

"Lingxiao is a child of the You clan! If anything happens to him, none of you will benefit from him ever again!"  

The You family, already resentful of You's mother pressuring them to buy a house in the city for You Lingxiao, now snapped back openly in front of outsiders.  

"Lingxiao’s mother, you call us cowards, but we have whole families to feed. If something happens to us, how will they survive? You’ve already squeezed us dry for silver, and now you want us to risk our lives for your son? Isn’t that greedier than us?"  

"Greedy? After mistreating us widow and orphans, then shamelessly clinging to us once Lingxiao succeeded, which of you Isn’t greedy?"  

You's mother wasn't content with just shouting; she jumped up, declaring, "I'll take you all on right now!"

Chaos erupted in the room - shouting, pulling, shoving. Amid the noise, You Lingxiao’s eyes flickered open. Seeing Ji Taoyu by his bedside, for a moment, he thought he had already died.  

He called out weakly, "A-Yu?"  

His words were drowned out by the noise. It wasn't until Ji Taoyu turned and saw him awake that he raised his voice. "Stop fighting! He’s awake!"  

The room fell silent. You's mother rushed to the bed. "Son, you’re finally awake! You scared me to death!"  

Tears streaming down her face, she said, "Your uncles and aunts are heartless, not one of them would even call a doctor for you!"  

The You family, embarrassed, finally relented. The eldest uncle said with a sigh. "Fine, I’ll go."  

"Eldest Brother, take our mule. It’ll be faster."  

Once the two left, You's mother wiped her tears. "Lingxiao, what happened? Was it really bandits?"  

You Lingxiao, still weak, felt some relief seeing he was home. But at the mention of bandits, fear gripped him again.  

"I-I don’t know. I was on my way to pay the remaining sum for the house when I heard shouting. Then everything went black, and I passed out."  

He tried to reach for his money pouch but found his right hand immobile, only searing pain answered his attempt. "My hand!"  

"Lingxiao, don’t move. Wait for your uncle to bring the physician."  

The fifth uncle of the You family checked and frowned. "The silver’s gone."  

"What’s wrong with my hand?!"  

You Lingxiao tried again to move it, but there was no response—only agony. The more he struggled, the more terrified he became. "Mother, my hand!"  

"Lingxiao, calm down. The physician will fix it. You’ll be fine."  

You's mother held him down. "You’ll be fine."  

"My right hand! How will I write?!"  

As You Lingxiao grew frantic, the family rushed to restrain him, fearing he’d fall off the bed.  

Ji Yangzong exchanged a glance with Huang Manjing before stepping forward.  

"Since he’s awake, that’s good. With this incident, the village is in panic. I need to reassure everyone and organize defenses. I’ll take my leave now."  

Surprisingly, at these words, You Lingxiao quieted.  

"A-Yu..."  

The man on the bed called out weakly. "Don’t go. I’m in so much pain."  

Ji Taoyu turned to look at him. Even cleaned of blood, You Lingxiao’s pale, bruised face was pitiful.  

Ji Yangzong tensed, worried that his ger might soften.  

"I’ve left pain-relief ointment made by my grandfather. It’s very effective. Have Sun niangzi apply it, it’ll help."  

"I’m sorry, but my skills aren’t enough to treat your hand."  

Relieved, Ji Yangzong and his wife quickly ushered Ji Taoyu out, ignoring You Lingxiao’s pleas.  

"I was in the city today and saw no bandits."  

Ji Yangzong couldn’t fathom how You Lingxiao had encountered them, let alone been beaten.  

"And no one else mentioned bandits?"  

"Didn’t you hear? He was carrying money to buy a house, a two-courtyard one. That’s no small sum. He must’ve been targeted."  

Huang Manjing shuddered. "Bandits are ruthless, killing and looting without mercy. That he survived at all is heaven’s mercy."  

Ji Yangzong sensed something was off, too many strange things didn't add up. But without proof, he kept his suspicions to himself. 

Seeing You Lingxiao like this, he felt little sympathy - karma repays evil deeds.  

Noticing Ji Taoyu’s silence since leaving the You house, he asked, "Why so quiet? Scared? Or... do you still care for You Erlang?"  

Ji Taoyu shook his head, denying any lingering concern.  

As a scholar, he knew more than anyone that reputation was everything, yet You Lingxiao had still framed him. Once the truth came out, his feelings had died. All that remained was disgust

But the bandit rumors did unsettle him. "You Lingxiao’s hand bones are shattered badly. Even if Grandfather came, it might be beyond saving."  

He could set bones, but not like this. Suggesting another doctor was just giving them false hope.  

The Ji couple's faces fell. Before they could speak, a figure leaning against a tree ahead caught their attention, as if waiting for them.