Courtyard House: A Prosperous and Joyful Life

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"What's going on?" "Why can't I feel anything?" "Am I paralyzed?" Jia Zhangshi had watched a lot of TV dramas, and the thought of those tragic scenes of paralyzed people in the dramas terrified her. She let out a pig-like scream.

The people in the courtyard had just lain down, their blankets barely warm, when the scream startled them so much they jumped out of bed and ran over. Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu were also terrified and rushed into Jia Zhangshi's room.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Qin Huairu asked anxiously. Sha Zhu also shouted, "What happened? Has that thief come back again?"

As soon as the two entered the room, an indescribable stench assaulted their senses, almost making them vomit up their leftovers. Sha Zhu sensed something was wrong and quickly pulled the light cord. The light came on, and the two glanced at the bed, immediately feeling nauseous.

Qin Huairu's heart skipped a beat: "Mom, what happened?"

Madam Jia knew perfectly well that her serious illness was definitely caused by Sha Zhu's big-headed shoe! Thinking of this, she hated Sha Zhu so much that her teeth itched, and she lay on the bed glaring at him.

Sha Zhu was completely bewildered, utterly clueless. He wondered what was wrong with the old woman, why she was glaring at him so fiercely. Had she lost her mind too?

At that moment, the neighbors in the courtyard also rushed over after hearing the noise. "What happened?" "Who was screaming just now?" "What happened?" Twenty or thirty people rushed into the house, but after just one glance at the horrific scene, they covered their noses and retreated as if they had seen a ghost.

"Holy crap! Jia Zhangshi is in big trouble this time!" "You bet! This illness is probably going to be difficult to treat!" "It could even lead to paralysis! If she's really paralyzed, she won't be able to live a normal life. She'll be bedridden, unable to even take care of herself!"

Yi Zhonghai rushed over as well. Although Qin Huairu's family was riddled with problems, he was now in the same boat as them, and he had to step in to handle the situation. Old Yi, suppressing his nausea, entered the house and yelled at Sha Zhu and Huairu, "Sha Zhu, Huairu, what are you two standing there for! Quickly help Jia Zhangshi up and take her to the hospital!"

To be honest, Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu really didn't want to touch that stench, but they couldn't count on their neighbors in the courtyard to do this dirty and tiring work. The two had no choice but to hold their breath, bite the bullet, and step forward, preparing to work together to lift Jia Zhangshi up.

At this moment, Jia Zhangshi stared intently at Sha Zhu and squeezed out through gritted teeth, "Sha Zhu, carry me to the hospital!"

Sha Zhu's face turned green upon hearing this. This old woman was covered in a foul stench, and she wanted him to carry her? That was utterly disgusting! Besides, don't let Jia Zhangshi's age fool you; she was always well-fed and weighed at least a hundred pounds. Carrying such a heavy load all the way to the hospital would be a nightmare, even for someone as strong as an ox.

"No way! I can't carry you with your weight," Sha Zhu quickly declined. "How about this? I'll help you onto the bicycle and push you to the hospital, that'll be much faster!"

Those around them nodded in agreement. It was just torture to carry someone who smelled so bad. It would be much better to carry them on a bicycle, which would save time and effort.

But Jia Zhangshi was currently seething with resentment towards Sha Zhu and was looking for an outlet for it, so she wasn't about to let this opportunity to torment him slip by. She glared fiercely at Sha Zhu and started acting like a rogue: "I don't care! I don't want the bicycle, I want you to carry me! You decide!"

Upon hearing this, those around her couldn't stand it anymore and accused her of being unreasonable. Yi Zhonghai also stepped in to calm things down: "Mrs. Jia, stop making a scene! In your current condition, having someone carry your back is just a disservice to you! You're so old, yet you're making things so difficult for the younger generation. Don't you want someone to take care of you in your old age?"

Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui also chimed in to persuade her, but Jia Zhangshi simply closed her eyes and pretended to be dead, determined to make Sha Zhu carry her.

Qin Huairu was truly anxious. Jia Zhangshi's condition looked dire; getting her to the hospital sooner might offer a chance of survival. If she were left paralyzed, who would care for this elderly woman? She reached out and tugged at Shazhu's sleeve, lowering her voice to plead, "Old people get stubborn with age, Shazhu, just bear with it this once!"

Well, Qin Huairu has spoken, so what can Sha Zhu say? He's still hoping that Qin Huairu will give him a big, healthy son in the future, so he absolutely can't upset her at this juncture.

Sha Zhu gritted his teeth, pinched his nose to endure the stench, and forcefully pulled Jia Zhangshi onto his back, then strode out. Jia Zhangshi lay on Sha Zhu's broad back, a smug, wicked smile curling at the corner of her mouth.

Qin Huairu quickly went back into the house to search for money and hurriedly followed them to the hospital.

In the courtyard, the neighbors watched their departing figures and immediately began to murmur among themselves. "It's over, Jia Zhangshi is probably going to be in deep trouble this time." "It would be better if she confessed, but if she really becomes paralyzed, that's worse than death! I have a relative who became paralyzed, and now none of her five sons care for her; that's truly tragic!" "Sigh, whatever you get, don't get sick. Jia Zhangshi is going to be seriously injured, even if she doesn't die!" "Exactly! The Jia family has just had too many problems! First a thief broke in, and now she's suddenly seriously ill. When will it end?" "Who says it isn't? First, Bang Geng lost a thousand yuan, then he was swindled out of eight thousand, and now these two things have happened. It's never going to stop!"

Standing in the crowd, listening to the gossip, Yi Zhonghai felt a heavy weight on his heart. The neighbors were right; the Jia family was constantly embroiled in trouble, and relying on them to support him in his old age was probably out of the question.

Wang Jun stood on the periphery of the crowd, observing coldly the whole time. Jia Zhangshi's sudden paralysis of her lower body, coupled with her deep hatred for Sha Zhu, suggested something fishy was going on. However, he couldn't be bothered to investigate further; the Jia family's messy affairs were none of his business. On such a cold day, it was best to go back inside and warm himself under the covers.

In the hospital corridor, after a series of examinations, the doctor called Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu to the ward to explain their conditions. Sha Zhu changed his clothes, but the smell still lingered in his nostrils. It was the middle of the night, and there was nowhere to shower, so he could only endure it.

"Based on the patient's condition, the initial assessment is that the injury was caused by being struck by a heavy object. With surgery and a period of recovery, there is still hope that the patient can stand up again. However, the surgery will be expensive, so you need to be prepared..."

Before he could finish speaking, Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu's faces turned pale. Qin Huairu quickly asked, "Doctor, how much will this surgery... cost approximately?"

The doctor considered for a moment: "Three or four thousand yuan, but the exact amount will be calculated after the surgery."

Three or four thousand!

Both of them turned green. These days, who could just pull out several thousand yuan at once? Qin Huairu subconsciously glanced at Jia Zhangshi in the ward. To be honest, even if she could afford it, spending that money on Jia Zhangshi would still sting. Sha Zhu was equally puzzled. The old lady was so old; was it worth spending several thousand yuan on treatment?

This idea is not surprising. It will still be the same decades from now. When it comes to spending a lot of money to save an elderly person, everyone will think twice.

"Doctor, what if we don't have the surgery?" Sha Zhu asked, forcing himself to speak.

"Without surgery, there's no possibility of recovery; you'll be bedridden. You'll need constant care, and if the nursing care isn't adequate, prolonged bed rest will quickly lead to bedsores and ulcers..."

Before he could finish speaking, the ward erupted in chaos.

Jia Zhangshi was eavesdropping with her ear pressed against the wall, and when she heard the word "paralysis," she immediately lost her composure. Paralysis? That was terrible!

"Shazhu! Qin Huairu! What do you two mean?!" Jia Zhangshi wailed at the top of her lungs, "Are you planning to abandon me and leave me paralyzed in bed to die? You two unfilial wretches! I've worked hard all my life, and this is how you treat me? Don't you have any conscience?!"

His voice was so loud, it was like he had a megaphone; the whole floor could hear him clearly. People in the surrounding wards all poked their heads out, pointing and whispering about Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu.

"Who are they? Even their own mother doesn't care."

"ungrateful."

"you do not say."

Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu were at their wits' end. They didn't have time to talk to the doctor anymore and rushed back to the ward to comfort their mother. Qin Huairu said with a forced smile, "Mom, we'll definitely find a way, don't worry."

Jia Zhangshi rolled her eyes: "Reassured my ass! Just now, Sha Zhu asked the doctor what would happen if he didn't have surgery. Do you think I'm deaf?"

Sha Zhu choked on his words and asked casually, never expecting the old lady to have such sharp ears.

Jia Zhangshi, however, gave him no time to catch his breath, immediately launching into a tirade, a torrent of words like a machine gun: "You heartless ingrates, not one of you is any good, you'll all end up badly..."

This illness was caused by Sha Zhu's actions. When Jia Zhangshi cursed, she was full of confidence, and the more she cursed, the more excited she became, with a strong voice.

The two women were at their wits' end. They knew Jia Zhangshi's power all too well; she could go on a tirade all day without even drinking water. If they let her keep up this fuss, where would they put their faces? They wouldn't be able to show their faces in public anymore.

"No, no, no! Please don't scold me!" Sha Zhu quickly surrendered. "I'll do it! I'll have the surgery! Please don't worry!"

Qin Huairu nodded hurriedly, "Mom, don't worry, I'll definitely make it for you."

After winning this battle, Jia Zhangshi hurled insults for a while to satisfy her urge to vent before finally calming down, completely satisfied.

Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu exchanged a bitter glance. The surgery was scheduled, but what about the money? Three or four thousand yuan—who were they going to borrow it from?

The first person that popped into Sha Zhu's mind was Yi Zhonghai. The two were very close, so who else could he turn to at this critical moment? Besides, Yi Zhonghai was an eighth-grade fitter with such a high salary, he must have savings, and three or four thousand yuan wouldn't be a problem for him.

"I'll borrow from Uncle Yi tomorrow; he definitely has money." Sha Zhu gritted his teeth.

Qin Huairu nodded; this was the only option for now.

Early the next morning, Sha Zhu returned to the courtyard house and blocked Yi Zhonghai's way.

"Uncle Yi, I've come to borrow money from you. The doctor said the surgery will cost three or four thousand, and Huai Ru and I really can't afford it. We have no choice but to ask you for help."

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai gasped. He was mentally prepared; Sha Zhu would definitely come to borrow money, but asking for three or four thousand right off the bat was outrageous! After being swindled out of four thousand by Bang Geng, he had been on high alert, clutching every penny tightly. Now, Sha Zhu was asking for three or four thousand—who wouldn't feel the pinch?

But refusing to lend even a penny is not an option, otherwise it would offend people terribly, and they would be relying on Sha Zhu to support them in their old age.

"Silly Zhu, I don't have much money left either. I really can't come up with three or four thousand." Yi Zhonghai sighed. "How about this, I'll lend you a thousand, and you can figure out the rest yourself."

Sha Zhu panicked: "Grandpa, the surgery will cost three thousand four hundred! Your one thousand isn't even enough to fill a gap between my teeth! Please be generous and lend me three thousand five hundred, that'll just cover the surgery fee, I promise I'll pay you back!"

Yi Zhonghai nearly fainted. How could someone be so generous with money? When would he ever pay back the money he lent to Sha Zhu?

He glared at Sha Zhu: "Just a thousand, want it or not? If not, I'll keep it for my retirement."

In the end, Sha Zhu left Yi Zhonghai's house with a thousand yuan in his pocket, looking worried. He was still short two or three thousand yuan; where was he going to get it?

Just as he was worrying, Banggeng wobbled back on his bicycle. He had heard about Jia Zhangshi's hospitalization and looked completely unimpressed.

"What era are we living in? Surgery for a simple illness? Those are quacks, all they know is how to rip people off!" Banggeng scoffed, then patted his chest confidently, "Silly Dad, leave this to me! I'll use qigong to cure Grandma, I guarantee it'll be a cure!"

"What? Qigong can cure diseases? Is that reliable?"

Sha Zhu looked suspicious. Although qigong was all the rage these days, and newspapers often touted its healing properties, he still had his doubts.

Banggeng, however, patted his chest confidently: "Silly Dad! More and more people are using qigong to cure illnesses these days! Didn't you see what the newspapers said? A person who was completely paralyzed was treated by a qigong master and was able to stand up in three days, just like nothing had happened!"

Sha Zhu was stunned: "Really?"

"Of course it's true! My master is an incredible Qigong master. I personally witnessed him cure a patient with a headache on the spot. He's amazing!"

Bang Geng had already paid 200 yuan as an apprentice and become an intermediate-level student, receiving the master's "true teachings." He was utterly devoted to qigong. After practicing for a few days, he felt that he was at least a minor qigong master. When he heard that Jia Zhangshi was ill, he was not worried at all; on the contrary, he felt that his opportunity to show off his skills had come.

"Silly Dad, let's go! We need to go to the hospital right now, I'll get Grandma treated immediately!"

Seeing his posture, Sha Zhu thought it wouldn't hurt to give it a try; what if it really worked?

"Alright, come with me."

The two rode their bicycles one after the other and arrived at the hospital in no time.

Madam Jia never had a kind look on Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu, but her wrinkles would light up with a smile whenever she saw Bang Geng. Bang Geng was the only son of the Jia family, and the old lady doted on this grandson. Even in her illness, she couldn't bear to show him any displeasure.

Qin Huairu had cleaned up the filth on Jia Zhangshi's body, but the smell was still lingering. Bang Geng stopped two or three steps away from the bed, wrinkled his nose slightly, and refused to go any further.

He cleared his throat and said loudly, "Grandma! Don't be afraid! I'll use qigong to heal you right now. In three days at most, I guarantee you'll be able to stand up again!"

Jia Zhangshi knew nothing about qigong, but she believed what her grandson said. If Bang Geng said it could cure it, then she'd give it a try.

"Alright, alright, my good grandson, then hurry up and treat me!"

There were a few other patients in the ward. When they heard that Qigong was going to be used to treat the illness, they all looked over as if they were looking at an idiot.

"Qigong can cure diseases? That's impossible."

"Yeah, it just doesn't seem reliable."

"The doctor said this illness requires surgery; qigong can't cure it."

"you do not say."

These days, there are many people who believe in qigong, and many who don't. In this ward, it's clear that most people don't believe, and they're all trying to persuade each other.

"Young man, qigong can't cure illnesses. You should listen to the doctor and have surgery."

"Yes, the root cause of the illness can only be resolved through surgery!"

"Don't do anything reckless."

"It's useless. I practiced qigong for a year, and I still ended up in the hospital. This thing is useless."

"It's fine for improving health, but curing illnesses? That's bullshit. If you're sick, you should just see a doctor."

Bang Geng was feeling confident, but upon hearing this, his face immediately darkened.

"You guys don't know anything!"

"Qigong has a history of thousands of years in our country! Qigong magazines say that qigong is omnipotent, it can strengthen the body, help with weight loss, and even cultivate special abilities! Using it to cure diseases? That's a piece of cake!"

"Back in 1981, our country's qigong performance troupe even went abroad to perform! Foreigners all gave us a thumbs up and praised our qigong as amazing!"

"So, Qigong is a national treasure! You people actually doubt a national treasure? That's going too far!"

Bang's barrage of remarks left everyone in the ward speechless, exchanging bewildered glances, unable to find a response.

Seeing that no one spoke, Banggeng felt a surge of pride. He had learned this set of words from his master, and when he took it out and shook it, it certainly commanded respect.

Even Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu were stunned, realizing that qigong was indeed powerful.

Madam Jia's confidence surged immediately, and she urged, "My dear grandson! Stop talking, stop talking, quickly use your power to heal me!"

Banggeng nodded solemnly.

Just as they were about to begin, the doctor walked in. Upon hearing that this young man wanted to use qigong to cure his illness, his face immediately fell.

The doctor approached the bedside and patiently said to Mrs. Jia, "Grandma, you must trust medicine and trust us doctors. As long as you cooperate with the surgery, the chances of recovery are very high. Whether qigong works or not, nobody can say for sure; please don't risk your health."

The doctor was genuinely trying to persuade her, but Jia Zhangshi wouldn't listen at all. In her view, these doctors only knew how to persuade people to have surgery; they just wanted to make money off the surgery fees!

Jia Zhangshi glared at the doctor and started yelling, "All you do is try to persuade me to have surgery! You want to make money off my surgery fees? Have you no conscience?! I'm telling you, I'm not having surgery! I'm going to use qigong to heal myself! Get out of my way!"

The doctor was so angry that his face turned bright red, and he couldn't speak for a long time.

Banggeng waved his hand impatiently beside him: "Doctor, you can leave now. My grandma doesn't need surgery; I'll treat her with qigong."

The doctor turned to look at Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu: "What about you two? Are you still going to have the surgery?"

The two exchanged a glance, thinking to themselves—let's try the qigong on Bang Geng first, and if it doesn't work, we'll see. Besides, they haven't even raised enough money for the surgery yet, and even if they wanted to do it, they don't have the cash.

Qin Huairu forced herself to speak: "Doctor, let my son try qigong first. If that doesn't work, then we'll consider surgery."

When the doctor saw that the person was so focused on using qigong to cure their illness, why bother trying to dissuade them?

He straightened his face and said seriously, "We can't control the use of qigong to treat illnesses. But if anything goes wrong, the hospital and doctors will not be responsible. Do you understand?"

Banggeng replied impatiently, "Did you hear me?"

Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu nodded in agreement.

The doctor said no more. They'd agreed to it themselves, so let them do whatever they want. The hospital wouldn't take responsibility anyway; they'd just watch the show.

Banggeng took a deep breath, squatted down, assumed a horse stance, and slowly raised his hands—

Get ready to unleash your power!