Old Mother Lin sat slumped limply in the chair, saliva pooling at her mouth, unable to utter a single word. Terror and panic gripped her heart, yet she couldn’t even move a finger; she could only stare fixedly at her eldest son, pleading for him to save her life.
“What did you do to my mother?!” Lin Da roared, grabbing the doctor by the collar as if he were ready to trade lives.
Lin Yu reached out and pinned his arm down. “Calm down.”
But Lin Da acted as if he had gone mad, cursing him: “She was fine when she came in! You must have done this on purpose! To avoid spending money on her, you paralyzed her!”
The villagers who had come along couldn’t stand to watch this anymore. They chimed in one after another: “Lin Da, you can’t just spout nonsense. We’ve all seen how filial Lin Er is.”
“Auntie fell ill at your house. Instead of blaming yourself, you blame your brother? There’s no logic in that.”
“Have a conscience, man. Lin Er is far more willing to spend money than you are.”
Fury simmered inside Lin Da, but he had no rebuttal. No one but him knew that Old Mother Lin had originally been faking it—who could have guessed it would turn into a real emergency so suddenly? He suspected the Second Brother was behind it but had zero proof, so he could only bluster: “Who else could it be? He’s the one who angered Mother into this state!”
Lin Yu stopped the villagers from arguing on his behalf and spoke up: “Mother is still sick. Now is not the time for this. Doctor, please, examine her carefully. As long as you can save my mother’s life, I don’t care how much it costs.”
The doctor, having just been grabbed by the throat, had an impression of Lin Da that had hit rock bottom. He coughed, saying coldly, “If it weren’t for the fact that this younger brother is so filial, I wouldn’t bother with you at all, given how you bark and bite like a mad dog.”
Lin Yu spoke soft, placating words: “He’s just seen Mother fall ill and lost his head in his anxiety. Please, Doctor, don’t take it to heart.”
The doctor snorted coldly and resumed his examination of Old Mother Lin.
Old Mother Lin tried her hardest to open her mouth to speak, but she could only emit fragmented ah-ah sounds while drool leaked from the corner of her lips. Lin Yu patiently took out a handkerchief and wiped it away for her, his actions making Lin Da look even more deranged and unfilial by comparison.
The doctor nodded inwardly. Lin Yu is someone who truly knows how to care for people, he thought. It’s rare to see a man so meticulous.
Little did he know that in her mind, Old Mother Lin was cursing frantically. She cursed Lin Yu as a “jinx” who had broken her healthy body. She had clearly been faking—how did she suddenly become truly sick? It had to be that Lin Yu’s fate was clashing with hers! If she could speak, she would have pointed at his nose and screamed.
After a moment, the doctor knit his brows. “This old woman suffered much in her youth, and she didn’t recover well after childbirth. Now that she’s aged, her ailments have come knocking.”
“But Mother has always been quite sturdy,” Lin Yu noted. “Better than others her age in the village.”
The doctor asked, “Does she usually eat a lot without gaining weight? Is she quick-tempered and fond of cursing people?”
Before Lin Yu could answer, the young men who came along nodded repeatedly. “That’s exactly it! Sixth Aunt’s cursing is fierce—the whole neighborhood can hear her.”
The doctor sighed. “That explains it. This is a stroke brought on by accumulated physical decline, emotional instability, and an irregular diet.”
“A stroke?”
Strokes were a common ailment for the elderly in the countryside. The people present looked at each other; no one was surprised.
Old Mother Lin’s mouth was useless, but her mind was still sharp. Hearing the word “stroke,” she was terrified. She wanted to scream for her eldest son to come over, but she found her body completely out of her control. Panic and dread flooded her entire being.
Lin Yu asked in a heavy voice, “Can it be cured?”
“It doesn’t look good.” The doctor glanced at the two brothers. With elderly stroke patients, the length of their survival usually depended on the filial piety of their children. “A stroke can be major or minor. The old lady’s current situation is quite grim.”
Lin Da was still reeling from the shock. He couldn’t believe his mother had truly suffered a stroke. How could she be fine one moment and paralyzed the next? He completely ignored his mother’s pleading gaze.
He stared at Lin Yu and the doctor, shouting, “Are you two in cahoots to scam me? My mother was fine! Get up, Mother!” He actually reached out to yank at her.
“Stop him!” the doctor yelled. “Moving a stroke patient like that can kill them!”
The surrounding neighbors pinned Lin Da down. He struggled wildly. “You’re all trying to kill my mother! Mother, say something!”
Lin Yu narrowed his eyes, stepped forward, and delivered two sharp slaps to Lin Da’s face. “I think you’re the one trying to kill her!”
“Lin Er! You dare hit me?!” Lin Da was stunned into a daze.
Lin Yu sneered. “I’m hitting you exactly because of that! When Mother fell ill at home, you didn’t seek a doctor; instead, you came to my house to cause trouble. When I wanted to bring her to the county seat, you tried to stall. And now you’re slandering the doctor!”
“Lin Da, is it because Mother lived with you after the family split? Are you afraid that if she’s paralyzed, you’ll have to serve her for years, so you’re trying to drag her to her death right now?”
The onlookers had a sudden realization. They all felt this was the truth and began to condemn Lin Da.
Lin Da roared, “You’re full of lies! You’re all working together to kill my mother!”
The doctor wouldn’t have it. He barked, “I have sat in this hall for decades! My medical ethics are praised by all. I’ve never met this young man before, nor do I know your mother. Why would I destroy my own future to harm her?”
The pharmacy assistants and the manager also stepped forward to defend the doctor. “We all trust Doctor Liu’s character. It’s you who probably wants your mother dead.”
“His brother said it just now—he deliberately delayed getting treatment for a stroke. That’s trying to kill her.”
“Now that he’s been caught, he’s lashing out at everyone. How terrifying.”
Lin Da realized things were going south. “Nonsense! You’re all talking nonsense! Mother, wake up! How can you let them wrong your son? Wake up!”
Old Mother Lin’s mouth was crooked and her eyes were slanted. She couldn’t speak a word. No matter how anxious she was, she couldn’t help her favorite son.
Suddenly, Lin Yu stepped between them. With an expression of heartbreaking sorrow, he rebuked, “Mother is already this sick. Stop agitating her! Do you really want her to lose her life before you’re satisfied?”
Lin Da felt his vision go dark. He was lost. How had his mother suddenly had a stroke? He didn’t believe it, but he had no proof.
Lin Yu had already turned back to the doctor. “Please, Doctor, do your utmost.”
The doctor stroked his beard and looked at him with admiration. “Think carefully. Even if a stroke is ‘cured,’ it leaves severe sequelae. She will likely be paralyzed, confined to a bed for eating and relieving herself. It takes a toll on the caregiver.” He had seen much in his time; he knew how exhausting a paralyzed parent could be. No filial son remains at the bedside of a long-term invalid.
Lin Yu didn’t hesitate. “Please, try your best. Even if Mother is paralyzed for the rest of her life, I will take good care of her.”
He turned to look at Old Mother Lin and gave her a tiny, subtle smile. “When I was little, Mother raised me through the mess and the hardship. Now that she is old, I will serve her just the same.”
Old Mother Lin shuddered violently. The doctor, thinking the illness was worsening, quickly brought out his silver needles.
As the needles were applied, she seemed to look a bit better. Her complexion was no longer pale and gray, though her mouth remained crooked and silent.
The villagers praised him: “In the end, it’s Lin Er who is the most filial. He always remembered her when he had good food, and now that she’s sick, she has to rely on him.”
“Sixth Aunt spent her whole life favoring Lin Da, only to have Lin Er take care of her in her old age.”
“I never knew Lin Da was so heartless. He wouldn’t even care for his mother when she’s dying. He was going to watch her perish.”
Hearing their whispers, Lin Da’s entire body went stiff. It was over. Completely over. This stroke had come at the worst possible time. His mother hadn’t been able to say a word to Second Brother. Now, he wouldn’t get a single benefit—instead, he was covered in the “stink” of public shame.
He looked up at Lin Yu, only to find his brother looking at him with a half-smile that didn’t reach his eyes. He felt a sudden jolt of terror, as if he were looking at a vengeful ghost from hell, watching him with ill intent, ready to pounce and take a bite at any moment.
…
The doctor withdrew the needles and sighed. “Her life is saved for now. As for her recovery, we have to wait until she wakes up fully.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” Lin Yu made a deep, formal bow, performing his role to perfection.
The doctor smiled. “You are a filial child. Today, I won’t charge you for the consultation. I’ll prescribe a few doses of medicine for her to take back; it might make her body feel a bit better. There’s no other way for a stroke; you can only nurture her and leave the rest to fate.”
Lin Yu thanked him again. The assistant quickly packed the medicine and asked pointedly toward Lin Da: “Who’s paying for the medicine?”
All eyes fell on Lin Da. His scalp prickled as if a thousand arrows were hitting his back. He had left the house today intending to take advantage of his brother; he didn’t have a single copper coin on him.
In the end, it was Lin Yu who produced the silver. “I’ll do it.”
The assistant handed him the medicine with a smile but said loudly, “Some people aren’t filial themselves and fear their mother becoming a burden, yet they spend all their time blaming their brother. Truly a piece of work.”
The villagers’ looks toward Lin Da were extremely strange. Even if they had left in a hurry, Old Mother Lin was officially under Lin Da’s care and fell ill in his house. He truly had the gall to let his brother pay for everything.
Lin Yu ignored Lin Da’s face and called to the villagers: “Friends, please help me transport my mother back. There will be a reward for everyone later.”
The villagers were more than happy to help. They felt Lin Er was truly a decent man. His previous outburst must have been because he was pushed to the limit. How could such a filial man be a bad person?
“We’re neighbors, it’s only right to help.”
“Sixth Aunt is our elder, too. No need for thanks.”
“Brother Lin, you’ve been wronged this time. Hmph, if Lin Da tries to say anything against you when we get back, we’re all on your side.”
Lin Yu just smiled politely.
On the way back, Old Mother Lin lay on the cart, covered by a cotton quilt that Lin Yu had specially bought for her. Because of this, the villagers thought him even more filial—after all, Lin Da hadn’t even checked if his mother was cold.
Old Mother Lin could only move her eyes. She kept staring at her eldest son, hoping he would come over. But Lin Da was lost in his own world, walking at the very back with his head down, not even offering a hand to push the cart.
The villagers exchanged meaningful glances. They all felt Lin Da was going too far. Soon, they arrived back at Qingshan Village.
Maria Lian On CFRFGC Chapter 104