Chapter 33: Collusion

Jiang Lanhua pouted and said, "She doesn't even treat me as her sister, so why should I treat her as my younger sister?"

Jiang Feixiang kicked at her playfully, raising his voice, "Lanhua!"

"I grew up with Brother, so why does he side with her? Why not with me?" Jiang Lanhua shouted loudly and ran out.

Jiang Feixiang didn’t chase after her. Instead, he strode over to Jiang Lihua.

The dark-skinned man’s face flushed slightly. "Lihua, sorry to trouble you. Could you... give her some work? You can pay her whatever you want."

Jiang Lihua was troubled. "Let me think about it."

Hearing her reply, Jiang Feixiang didn’t ask further. He thanked her and went off to work.

Jiang Lanhua ran recklessly until she suddenly crashed into Sun’s wife, who was heading out to cut pig grass.

The woman immediately shouted, "Ouch! Who the hell hit me?"

Seeing who it was, she recognized her as the sister of that damned Jiang Lihua.

Without hesitation, she swung the back of her sickle at Jiang Lanhua. "Damn you, just like Jiang Lihua, you deserve to die."

Jiang Lanhua quickly covered her body and backed away until she was out of reach. "What’s the point of hitting me? I’m not close to that damn Jiang Lihua."

Sun’s wife spat at her. "I don’t believe a word you say!"

She still hadn’t forgotten how Jiang Lihua’s damned brother had beaten Yang Wenbin until his face was bruised.

Sun’s wife grabbed Jiang Lanhua by the hair, covered her mouth, and dragged her back home.

If she couldn’t deal with Jiang Lihua, at least punishing her sister would satisfy her.

At home, Sun’s wife threw Jiang Lanhua onto the ground, slammed the door locked with a bang, tied her up with a rope, and went to call her son.

Outside Yang Wenbin’s door, Sun’s wife knocked softly, her tone flattering, "Wenbin, I caught Jiang Lihua’s damned sister. Come vent your anger on her."

After a while, there was a sound inside.

Yang Wenbin opened the door with a dark expression. "Where is she?"

Seeing her son, Sun’s wife immediately smiled brightly and led him over.

In the yard, Yang Wenbin strode up to the dirty, fallen Jiang Lanhua and kicked her hard.

"Ah!"

Jiang Lanhua screamed in pain.

"If you have a grudge against Jiang Lihua, why come beat me?"

Yang Wenbin crouched and grabbed her chin, slapping her face twice.

"Because you’re that wretched woman’s sister!" Jiang Lanhua, mouth full of blood, glared at Yang Wenbin with hateful slanted eyes, spitting blood at him. "If you have guts, go find her. What kind of man hits me from behind?"

Sun’s wife saw her son’s face splattered with blood from Jiang Lanhua’s spit and kicked Jiang Lanhua aside.

Jiang Lanhua looked up; these two were crazy. She didn’t want to be beaten to death.

Her eyes darted, and she shouted loudly, "I hate Jiang Lihua too! Let’s team up and get revenge on her together."

Yang Wenbin was wiping the blood from his face. Hearing her, he looked down at her.

Sun’s wife quickly grabbed his sleeve, urging him not to trust that damned girl.

Yang Wenbin shrugged off Sun’s wife. "I know what I’m doing. Just cook if you’re free."

Sun’s wife timidly went to cook, shooting Jiang Lanhua a fierce glare as she left.

Yang Wenbin said, "Speak. What do you want to do?"

Jiang Lanhua replied softly, "Let go of me first."

Yang Wenbin glanced at the locked door.

Hmph! She couldn’t escape even if left to dry out. Without a word, he came forward and untied her.

Jiang Lanhua stood up and whispered, "I haven’t figured out how to deal with that damned girl yet."

Seeing Yang Wenbin’s fiery eyes, she quickly added, "You’re a scholar, smarter than me. What do you suggest?"

Hearing that, Yang Wenbin folded his hands behind his back and slightly raised his chin.

"For now, I can’t think of a good plan. That damned girl is very cunning. We have to plan carefully."

After discussing for a long time, they finally came up with a good idea.

Yang Wenbin was satisfied as he sent Jiang Lanhua away.

Jiang Lanhua dashed home to wake her mother, who was still dreaming.

Zhou opened her eyes and scolded, "What? Where have you been, you damn girl? Not even cooking the meal."

Jiang Lanhua told her the plan she had discussed with Yang Wenbin.

Zhou’s eyes widened as she looked around cautiously and pulled her close to whisper, "Are you sure this will work?"

"We’ll only know if it does once we try. Mother, just say yes or no."

"Yes, yes, why wouldn’t I say yes?"

With so much money at stake, it would all be hers. Zhou was so excited she even praised Jiang Lanhua, which was rare.

"Lanhua, I thought you were foolish and useless, but you’ve inherited my cleverness after all."

Jiang Lanhua smiled quietly, saying nothing.

Seeing her smile, Zhou inexplicably felt irritated.

"Enough smiling, go cook quickly. I’m starving."

Jiang Lanhua obediently went to cook.

Scholar Li returned from town and brought good news to Jiang Lihua.

He told her to prepare, as starting tomorrow she would apprentice under Doctor Huang at Ji’an Hall in town.

Jiang Lihua was overjoyed. In ancient times, secret family recipes were closely guarded, and medical knowledge was rarely shared, which is why there were so few doctors.

The next morning, Jiang Lihua rose early, prepared gifts, and set off for town.