Siheyuan: I live next door to Xu Damao, my last name is Cao

His brows were tightly furrowed in his bangs, and the frown seemed enough to pinch a fly to death. His eyes were fixed on the puddle of filth on the ground that exuded a disgusting smell. The disgust on his face was beyond words, and his facial features were almost distorted together.

He raised his hand and casually wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead. The sweat slid down his dark and rough cheeks, dripped onto the dusty ground, and disappeared in an instant, just like a glimmer of hope in this chaotic situation, which was fleeting.

Then, he yelled in the yard at the top of his voice, which was as sharp as an old gong: "Hey, don't just stand there like an idiot! Zhuzi, hurry up and get a few more buckets of water, and don't dawdle! Aunt Li, please take some hardworking people to shovel some sand. We have to clean up this yard quickly, otherwise the smell will make it hard for us to breathe, and how can we sleep at night!"

When everyone heard this, it was as if they had received an urgent military order. They did not dare to delay for even a second, and everyone scattered in a hurry, each rushing to their "mission".

For a moment, the sounds of footsteps and voices in the yard intertwined into a chaotic mess, breaking the tense and oppressive atmosphere that was almost solidified.

Some people walked quickly, and the buckets collided with each other, making a "clang clang" sound; some people complained about this trouble in a low voice as they walked, but their hands did not stop moving at all.

Yi Zhonghai sighed slightly, and that sigh was long and heavy, as if carrying a heart full of helplessness and fatigue, it was the helplessness towards human nature and the fatigue towards this chaotic situation.

He casually wiped the sweat from his forehead with the rough back of his hand, which was covered with calluses and blue veins, and every line told of the hardships of life.

He shifted his gaze away from Bang Geng, who was as weak as a candle in the wind, and turned to walk towards Jia Dongxu and Jia Zhangshi.

At this moment, Jia Dongxu was like a wounded beast trapped in a corner. He looked extremely fragile, as if a gust of wind could blow him down.

He held his stomach tightly with both hands, his knuckles turning white from the force, as if he could suppress the twisting pain in this way.

His face was as pale as the first snow in winter, completely bloodless. Beads of sweat the size of beans kept rolling down his forehead, leaving wet marks on his pale cheeks. From time to time, he uttered painful groans, which were weak and desperate, as if he was struggling helplessly in an endless abyss of darkness and could not find any hope of relief.

Jia Zhang stood aside, her eyes dodging in panic, like a frightened bird. Any slight movement would make her terrified.

As soon as Yi Zhonghai's eyes fell on her, her heart suddenly tightened, as if it was grabbed by an invisible and cold iron hand. The pain made her tremble uncontrollably, and her body shrank slightly.

Recalling the painful look on Banggeng's face when he was retching just now, her stomach suddenly churned. A strong feeling of nausea surged into her heart. Her throat tightened and she almost couldn't help vomiting.

She suppressed her discomfort and managed a fake smile that was uglier than crying. The muscles on her face twitched stiffly due to tension and reluctance. The smile was so twisted that it made people feel creepy. Her voice was trembling and flattering, and she asked almost pleadingly: "Zhong Hai, can you please not eat that stuff? I really can't stand the taste. Whenever I think about it..."

After hearing this, Yi Zhonghai's originally slightly tired expression instantly became cold and serious. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle, staring closely at Jia Zhang's eyes. His eyes were so sharp that it seemed as if he could see through her heart and understand her every thought clearly.

Without any hesitation, he shook his head decisively and said, "No! Unless you don't want to live anymore. I'm making it clear, this golden juice is the only way to save you. If you don't drink it, your condition will worsen and even the gods won't be able to save you! I've been practicing medicine for so many years, how can I harm you?"

The tone was as strong as steel and left no room for doubt. Every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting Jia Zhang's heart hard, making her heart sink suddenly as if falling into a bottomless abyss.

When Jia Zhang heard Yi Zhonghai's words, the stiff smile on her face froze instantly, like a flower hit by frost, instantly losing all its vitality.

His eyes were instantly filled with fear and unwillingness, it was the fear of unknown pain and the unwillingness to accept the unfairness of fate.

Her hands subconsciously clutched the corner of her clothes tightly, as if it was her last straw. Her knuckles turned white from the force and the veins on the back of her hands bulged.

My body began to tremble slightly uncontrollably, like a fallen leaf shivering in the cold wind, lonely and helpless.

With a hint of tears in her voice, she pleaded almost desperately: "Zhong Hai, please be kind, that thing is disgusting to look at, and my old bones can't stand it. I have not had an easy life, why did I have to deal with this..."

As she spoke, she turned to look at Jia Dongxu eagerly, like a drowning person seeking a life-saving straw, her eyes full of the desire for him to plead for her.

Jia Dongxu's face was also as pale as paper at this moment. Beads of sweat the size of beans on his forehead kept rolling down like beads that had broken off a string, wetting his collar. The collar was already soaked with sweat and stuck tightly to his neck.

He held his stomach tightly with both hands, as if trying to suppress the pain, but the pain followed him like a shadow, with no sign of abating.

The pain was so severe that he couldn't even straighten his back. His whole body was hunched over like an old tree bent by a storm.

A faint moan came from his mouth, and the sound was weak and helpless, like a lamb that had lost its way in the darkness, unable to find a ray of light, and calling out alone in the wilderness.

Hearing his mother's cry for help, he raised his head with difficulty, his cracked lips trembling slightly, his throat as dry as if rubbed by sandpaper, and finally squeezed out a few words: "Uncle, I... I don't want to drink it either, it's too painful, is there any other way? I'm really afraid of drinking that thing..."

Yi Zhonghai looked at the mother and son, his eyes not wavering at all, like an unshakable mountain, standing firm despite wind and rain.

He said seriously, "I'm telling you, this golden juice is the only thing that can save you now. If you don't drink it, your life will be in danger. Don't think of any other way. As a doctor, I have been doing my best for so many years and have cured so many people. How can I harm you? You have to believe me!"

His tone was firm and powerful, and every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting Jia Zhang and Jia Dongxu's hearts heavily, trying to make them realize the seriousness of the matter, but the mother and son were still immersed in their own fear and resistance.

At this time, the person who fetched water in the yard came back hurriedly, and buckets of clean water were placed heavily aside, splashing some water. The water splashes sparkled with crystal light under the sunlight, but could not dispel the depressing atmosphere.

The people who had been shoveling sand also came back one after another. They skillfully spread the sand evenly on the pool of vomit, trying to cover up the disgusting smell with the rustic scent of the sand.

The busy figures of the crowd shuttled back and forth in the yard, forming a busy and chaotic picture, which was in sharp contrast to the tense and almost frozen atmosphere here.

Some people were whispering about the family's experience, while others were shaking their heads and sighing, feeling helpless about this chaotic situation.

Xu Damao was still standing there, furious, like an angry bull, his eyes were red as if they were about to spit fire.

He used his hands to desperately slap the filth on his body, and the filth gave off an even more pungent smell as he slapped it, like the breath of a demon, making people avoid it.

He yelled at Bang Geng, "You little bastard, this matter is not over yet! When you get better, I will show you how I will deal with you! I, Xu Damao, am not someone you can easily mess with, just wait for me!"

Even though Yi Zhonghai had been pulling him back before, the anger in his heart had not diminished at all. His eyes seemed to be spitting fire. He stared at Bang Geng intently, as if he wanted to eat Bang Geng alive, and he wished he could rush up to him and teach him a lesson immediately.

Banggeng collapsed weakly to the ground, like a wounded little animal, curled up into a ball, without any power to resist.

Hearing Xu Damao's yelling, he didn't even have the strength to retort, but his eyes revealed a hint of fear, and that fear was like a deep shadow, shrouding his eyes.

His body was still trembling slightly. The painful experience he had just experienced had exhausted all his physical strength and energy. Exhausted, he could only look at everything around him helplessly, his eyes full of confusion and despair, as if he was in a dark abyss, unable to see a glimmer of hope.

After Liu Haizhong finished directing everyone to clean the yard, he put his hands behind his back and walked over with slightly hurried steps.

He looked at Yi Zhonghai and Jia Zhang's mother and son, his brows tightly furrowed into the shape of the Chinese character "川". The wrinkles seemed to be carved into his bones, recording the vicissitudes of life.

His tone was a little tough, as if he was deliberately trying to show off his presence, and he said, "Uncle, we can't let them do whatever they want. They have to drink, otherwise how can the disease be cured? We can't let their momentary willfulness delay the treatment. This is not a trivial matter, it concerns two lives!"

Seeing that her plea was hopeless, Jia Zhang's eyes flashed with a trace of determination. Suddenly, she had an idea and started throwing a tantrum like a shrew.

She sat down heavily on the ground, raising a cloud of dust that flew wildly in the sunlight, as if cheering for her unreasonable behavior.

She kept slapping the ground with her hands, making a "pa pa" sound, and each sound seemed to be venting her dissatisfaction.

She cried out loudly, "I won't live any longer. What kind of world is this? Forcing me to drink that disgusting stuff is better than letting me die! What have I done wrong to deserve this from God!"

Her voice was sharp and piercing, like a sharp blade that cut through the already oppressive atmosphere in the yard, echoing in the yard and attracting the attention of people around her, with various complex looks of surprise, helplessness, disgust, etc.

Some people couldn't help but shake their heads, expressing disgust at her behavior; others whispered and speculated on how things would turn out.

Looking at Jia Zhang's appearance, Yi Zhonghai's patience was gradually exhausted, just like a burned-out candle, with only the last faint light left.

He raised his voice, with a hint of anger and helplessness in it. The anger was like a volcano about to erupt, and the helplessness was like the endless darkness, deep and depressing: "Jia Zhang, stop making trouble here! If you really don't want to drink, it's up to you. If something happens, don't blame me for not reminding you. I have done my best, you can do whatever you want!"

After saying this, he no longer paid attention to Jia Zhang, turned around and took firm steps to get the golden juice. His determined back seemed to tell Jia Zhang that there was no room for negotiation on this matter and everything was a foregone conclusion. However, Jia Zhang was still immersed in his own world and did not realize the seriousness of the matter at all.

After Yi Zhonghai brought the golden juice, the strong stench instantly spread in the air again, like an invisible demon, shrouding the entire yard in its shadow.

The smell was a mixture of the rotten and sour stench of feces and all kinds of indescribable odors, which made people want to vomit.

He raised his chin towards Xu Damao and shouted, "Da Mao, come and help, control Jia Zhangshi, let's feed her the medicine quickly. We can't delay this matter any longer, if we delay any further, she will really lose her life!"

When Xu Damao heard this, he was very unhappy, his face was full of disgust and his brows were twisted into a knot. However, he couldn't openly disobey Yi Zhonghai's opinion, so he could only walk towards Jia Zhang reluctantly. Every step seemed to be filled with lead, heavy and reluctant.

When Jia Zhang saw Xu Damao approaching, her eyes widened and she glared at him fiercely, with a look that seemed to kill people. She shouted at the top of her voice, "Don't come over here! Don't touch me. I would rather die than let you, a scourge, touch me! What are you thinking? You want to see me suffer, right?"

Xu Damao was already furious about this matter, and when he heard Jia Zhang's roar, he just took advantage of the situation and stood still, muttering, "Okay, you can deal with it yourself, I'm too lazy to care. I don't want to get involved in this stinky trouble, whoever wants to care can do it!"

Yi Zhonghai had no choice but to grit his teeth, which made a chattering sound, and his heart was filled with helplessness and anger.

Decided to do it myself.

He held the golden juice carefully and approached Jia Zhang step by step. The golden juice was shaking slightly in the bowl, as if it was trembling for the upcoming conflict.

Just as he reached Jia Zhang's side, before he could stand firmly, Jia Zhang started scratching everywhere with her teeth and claws bared like a mad female beast.

Her nails were long and sharp, leaving trails in the air like sharp claws, ready to attack at any time.

He kept yelling and cursing, "Yi Zhonghai, you are so cruel, you want to kill me! Don't even think about feeding me this disgusting stuff! Are you in cahoots with them, and are you deliberately trying to harm me?"

Yi Zhonghai dodged left and right, nimbly avoiding her attacks, but his sleeve was still scratched by Jia Zhang's nails, and the cut on his sleeve looked like a broken flag.

He almost spilled the gold juice in his hand, and a few drops of it splashed onto the ground, making the stench around even stronger.

The surrounding neighbors were stunned by the chaotic scene.

Aunt Li frowned, her face wrinkled like ravines, and she whispered, "How can Jia Zhangshi be so ignorant? The master is saving her life. Why doesn't she understand? It's really frustrating!"

Zhuzi also shook his head, his head shaking like a rattle, and said, "That's right, if we continue to make trouble like this, what will we do if something really happens? I am a good man, but how come I have to meet such a difficult person!"

Everyone's eyes were focused on this chaotic scene. Some looked worried, while others pointed and talked, expressing their confusion about Jia Zhang's behavior.

Yi Zhonghai took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. His chest heaved violently as if he was struggling with the anger and helplessness in his heart.

He took advantage of a pause in Jia Zhang's movement and took a sudden step forward, trying to grab her arm, which was waving in the air like a wing out of control.

However, Jia Zhang reacted very quickly. She twisted her body and lay down on the ground, kicking her legs wildly, raising all the dust around her. The dust filled the air, making the whole scene even more chaotic.

"I won't drink, I won't drink! You are all bad guys! You ganged up to bully an old woman like me!"

Her cries echoed in the yard. The sound was sharp and piercing, like a sharp blade, piercing everyone's eardrums, causing everyone to frown, and some people even covered their ears, not wanting to listen to her crying anymore.

Seeing this, Liu Haizhong hurried forward to help.

He walked around from behind and tried to hug Jia Zhang to calm her down, his hands stretched out as if to catch a crazy little bird.

Jia Zhang didn't care and bit the arm trapped in the bangs. Her teeth sank deeply into the arm and blood gushed out instantly.

Liu Haizhong felt pain and said "Ouch" before letting go of his hand, with an angry and helpless look on his face: "This Jia Zhang is so outrageous! I was trying to help her out of kindness, how could she do this!"

A row of deep teeth marks was left on his arm, and blood slowly flowed down his arm, dripping onto the ground, mixing with the surrounding dust, forming a strange picture.

Yi Zhonghai looked at Jia Zhang and could no longer suppress the anger in his heart. That anger was like a raging fire that instantly devoured his reason.

"Ms. Jia Zhang, don't refuse my toast and then drink the wine for punishment! If you don't cooperate, I can't save you! Do you think I want to take care of your affairs? If it weren't for the fact that we are in the same courtyard, who would be willing to endure this humiliation!"

However, Jia Zhang turned a deaf ear and continued to make a scene on the ground, waving her hands in the air, splashing some of the gold juice in Yi Zhonghai's hand. The gold juice splashed onto her clothes, making her body covered with the disgusting smell.

Her hair was scattered messily around her face, and she looked crazy, as if possessed by a demon.

In this chaotic scene, she continued to act unreasonably, and everything around her seemed to have nothing to do with her.

She was immersed in her own fear and resistance, unable to extricate herself.

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