The Abandoned Daughter's Second Chance

Chapter 134: Chapter 124: Guidance from an Expert

Two days later, Eighth Uncle and Eighth Aunt brought Mo Chengfu over. They also brought two chickens, a slab of meat, noodles, and two bags of sweet biscuits. The moment they entered, they made Mo Chengfu kneel and kowtow before Grandpa and Grandma. Eighth Uncle had a long, sharp face, and his lips were always pressed tightly together, giving him a stern and severe appearance. Xiao Man could say she had practically never heard his voice. Seeing Mo Chengfu stop moving after just one kowtow, Eighth Uncle didn’t say a word. He strode forward, grabbed Mo Chengfu’s head, and slammed it against the floor twice with a THUD THUD before letting go and stepping back.

Xiao Man: ...

’Eighth Uncle, that move was so swift and familiar. It’s straight out of a movie, isn’t it? Like that one, *Shanghai Beach*. Isn’t that how the disciples in the Green Gang’s incense halls acted?’

Grandpa said, "We’re all family, there’s no need for this," as he hurried to help Mo Chengfu up.

Eighth Aunt wiped her eyes and said in a choked voice, "Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law, this boy is a shadow of his former self. What are we supposed to do? If we were younger, we could just take care of him, but we’re getting older by the day. If we let him go on like this, when our time comes... we won’t be able to die in peace!"

Grandma took her hand and comforted her. "Heaven never seals all exits. Our children and grandchildren have their own fortunes to live by. Don’t you worry."

Grandpa said to Mo Chengfu, "When I was young, I was even duller than you. I wasn’t a fast learner, but thankfully, diligence makes up for a lack of talent. As for teaching, I’ve never taught anyone before, except for Xiao Man, who has learned a little from me. She’s young and clever, and she’s also received guidance from an expert. We won’t compare ourselves to her. We’ll take it slow, all right?"

Mo Chengfu nodded. Eighth Uncle raised his hand and WHACKED him on the head. "Are you mute? Say something!"

Mo Chengfu said, "Second Uncle, I understand."

"This is Xiao Man." Mo Chengfu usually worked at the factory and wasn’t home often, so Eighth Uncle pointed at Xiao Man, indicating for him to recognize her.

Mo Chengfu looked up, then nodded again. "Little Sister Xiao Man!"

Eighth Uncle WHACKED him on the head again. "Xiao Man is your niece!"

Mo Chengfu rubbed his head. "Oh, Xiao Man is your niece!"

Eighth Uncle: ...

Xiao Man burst out laughing. ’This poor guy really isn’t far from being a complete dolt!’

Eighth Uncle reached into his pockets, pulling two large, bright yellow, fist-sized lemons from each side. The quality was comparable to the premium lemons sold in the supermarkets of a later era. He handed them to Xiao Man.

"Your uncle picked these on the mountain yesterday. I picked them over and over to find the very best-looking ones. They’ve been through a frost, so they’re not sour. Take them and eat them at your leisure."

Xiao Man took them and said with a smile, "Thank you, Eighth Uncle."

Eighth Uncle cracked a smile, which was his version of a grin.

Eighth Aunt came over, took Xiao Man’s hand, and stroked her face, clucking in admiration. "Look at this delicate skin, this pretty little face! You look just like Second Sister-in-law when I first met her. Now *this* is what you call gorgeous, a true beauty! It takes my Second Sister-in-law to raise such a wonderful child! That wasteful woman, Liu Fengying, could never. She’s short-sighted and cruel. A child with her would only suffer and toil. She didn’t even let her learn to read or write. She did it on purpose!"

She then turned to Grandpa and asked, "Second Brother, what was that you said earlier about Xiao Man receiving guidance from an expert?"

Grandpa coughed once and nodded. "I took Xiao Man to the purchasing station in the city and we met a famous doctor who wanted to take her as his apprentice. He gave her a few pointers and told her to slowly learn from him from now on."

"A famous doctor took Xiao Man as an apprentice? Oh my, that’s wonderful! The Mo family’s ancestral graves must be working miracles!"

Eighth Aunt was overjoyed, her eyes growing misty with excitement. "Does that mean Xiao Man can treat people now?"

"Not yet," Grandpa said. "She’s just started. Learning Chinese medicine is very difficult. You can’t amount to anything without at least eight or ten years of study. How could she dare to treat people recklessly before finishing her apprenticeship? If she messes up and hurts someone, her master will punish her!"

"Oh, an eight-to-ten-year apprenticeship? Such strict rules! I’ve heard that only truly renowned doctors are so particular!"

Eighth Aunt’s expression turned serious and earnest. Eighth Uncle stared at Xiao Man, his mouth split into a grin and his eyes shining brightly.

Even Mo Chengfu, who had been lost in his own world, seemed to return to his senses. He took two steps closer to Xiao Man and studied her without blinking.

Xiao Man was speechless and looked at Grandpa. ’What are you playing at? Didn’t you tell me not to be too conspicuous? Now you’ve gone and blabbed about it yourself. Aren’t you afraid people will come knocking on our door asking me to treat their illnesses?’

Grandpa rubbed his nose. ’Ahem! Well, I’ve thought about it. Since you’ve already decided to study medicine, and with Chinese medicine, the older the doctor, the more respected they are... I want people to know from the start that you were accepted by a famous doctor as a child. We’ll build your reputation first without acting rashly. Who can force you to treat patients before your apprenticeship is over? With my Xiao Man’s cleverness, in eight or ten years, you’ll definitely be a great success!’

In less than a few days, the rumor that Xiao Man had been taken as an apprentice by a famous doctor spread like wildfire. Everyone in Gongdao Village, young and old, knew about it.

The gossip was relentless, and it basically boiled down to two narratives. The first was that Xiao Man’s life was a story of bitterness followed by sweetness. No one knew where her birth parents were, and she had been tormented to death’s door by that tigress Liu Fengying since she was a child. Now, she had finally escaped. She was under Grandpa and Grandma’s protection, doted on, spoiled, and showered with love. They sent her to school and even took her to the city to broaden her horizons. In the blink of an eye, the little waif had turned into a young lady, and she was sure to have a bright future.

The second narrative was all about cursing Mo Guoqiang and Liu Fengying for being cruel, vicious, and inhumane. Doesn’t every child come from ten months of hard pregnancy? Since you adopted her, even if you didn’t treasure someone else’s child, you should have at least treated her kindly. After all, your own child is with another family. Someone else is raising her for you, aren’t they?

Besides, Xiao Man is a gentle and good-hearted child. Who did she ever cross? Did she deserve to be abused like that by you?

Now look! Grandpa and Grandma took the child in, and in just six months, they’ve turned her into a top-notch girl who was immediately noticed by a famous doctor and is now set for success! In the future, the old couple will enjoy a life of ease and comfort thanks to her. Imagine how satisfying that will be!

This is what happens when you can’t recognize treasure when you see it. A pair of idiots!

Every word of this gossip reached the ears of Mo Guoqiang and Liu Fengying. The couple was furious, resentful, and a little panicked. ’Didn’t Xiao Man just go to Wancheng for the first time a few days ago? We heard that Qiu Xiaohu’s mom, Wang Guixiang, insisted she come along for company and practically dragged her into the car. When else could she have gone? To be noticed by a famous doctor and taken as an apprentice... could she really be that lucky?’

Mo Guoqiang ground his back teeth and said, "It could be true. The old man has been gathering and selling medicinal herbs since he was young. He’s been dealing with apothecaries for decades, so it’s not a stretch for him to know a few famous doctors... He probably went to the purchasing station in the provincial city to sell herbs, and that damn girl Xiao Man insisted on going, so he took her. You’ve seen it yourself. The old man and old woman dote on her alone. They give her the best food and clothes, let her study instead of working... Now Xiao Man has blossomed into what she is today. She’s much cleverer than before, probably even more so than Xuanxuan. It’s not that surprising that someone took a liking to her..."

"That little country bumpkin, better than my Xuanxuan? Don’t be ridiculous!" Liu Fengying retorted indignantly. After a pause, she added in a panic, "What do we do? That damn girl went to Wancheng. No wonder she knows about Xuanxuan. Could she also know where that couple is?"