Chapter 84: Freedom
The cart wheels of the ox cart spun rapidly, carrying the bound Zhang Pandi and the constantly coughing Jia Chunni away from the village, soon disappearing from sight.
Once they were far from the village, Su Yaoguang took out a pill from her pouch and fed it to Jia Chunni.
"Jing’er said that after taking this medicine, you won’t cough anymore. You’ve really suffered these past few days, your throat must feel terrible, right?"
Zhang Zhaodi untied the ropes around Zhang Pandi.
"Earlier, we were worried you wouldn’t be able to pretend to be a madwoman. Today, you really opened our eyes. With your cat-like temper, you dared to do so many crazy things. We’ve gone far now, there’s no need to fear them anymore, rest for a while!" Zhang Zhaodi said. "We’ll have to bind you again when we get close to Anning Village."
Zhang Pandi hugged Zhang Zhaodi’s neck and burst into tears.
At that moment, she was not a mother, but a ’child’ who had been wronged and frightened, shedding all facades when facing her most trusted family.
Jia Chunni also cried while holding Su Yaoguang.
"Cousin, am I dreaming? Have I really left the Jia Family, never to be tortured by them again?"
"It’s not a dream, you are very much awake now. From now on, we won’t suffer that anymore," Su Yaoguang said, patting her back. "Being able to escape the Jia Family successfully is all thanks to your own courage. You overcame the coward within and bravely stood up to fight for your freedom and future. Tonight, we’ll celebrate well."
Zhang Pandi wiped her tears, making her dust-covered face even dirtier.
"Big Sister, you have no idea how hateful they are," Zhang Pandi said angrily. "Chunni was right, they were secretly planning to marry Chunni off to that old bachelor. Moreover, they intended to hire me out as a concubine to bear children for others. They plan to marry someone who can bear a son again and aren’t willing to let me off so easily."
"I wondered how you, with the timidity of a rabbit, managed to come to terms with it all; that earlier rage seemed like you wanted to devour them alive, only to realize it was due to all these provocations."
"Tomorrow, we will go into town to have your divorce document registered with the government," Zhang Zhaodi said. "Then your niece will help you and Chunni earn well, and you two can live good lives together."
Zhang Pandi nodded repeatedly.
The ox cart approached Anning Village, Zhang Zhaodi once again bound Zhang Pandi, while Jia Chunni continued her role as the frail, coughing girl.
"Lady Yaoguang, what’s happened to your second sister and Chunni?"
"Alas, my heartless second brother-in-law! My second sister and Chunni are sick, yet he refused to get them a doctor, wanting them to fall ill and die. I couldn’t bear to see it, so I brought them back. That heartless man wanted to divorce my sister to shirk responsibility, but I wouldn’t allow it and forced him to write the divorce document. Here we are, bringing my sister back to take proper care of her. Men have no conscience, but as the eldest sister, I have to care for my own sister," Zhang Zhaodi said angrily.
"You truly are a kind-hearted eldest sister! It’s fortunate she has you; otherwise, she might not have survived much longer."
"What’s family for if not this? I practically raised my two younger sisters myself. Others may abandon them, but as the eldest sister, I never will."
Soon enough, most of the village had heard of Zhang Pandi’s divorce from Jia Jishui. Meanwhile, news of Jia Jishui abandoning his sick wife and daughter spread too.
Zhang Zhaodi had Zhang Pandi pretend to sleep, not wanting too many curious eyes prying into her life and causing a spectacle at their home. However, Jia Chunni’s persistent coughing along the way had shown everyone her frail state.
Jiang Jing and Zhang Yingdi waited at the door.
"They’re here." Jiang Jing, whose eyesight was sharp, first spotted the shadow of the ox cart.
"I see it too," Zhang Yingdi breathed a sigh of relief. "It seems our plan was a success. I’ll go inform my husband of this good news."
Happily, Zhang Yingdi ran inside to tell her husband, Wang Huanzhi, who was busy with flower paste concoctions in the room, "Husband, big sister and Yaoguang are back, and they’ve brought back second sister and Chunni."
"Are you at ease now?" Wang Huanzhi said with a smile. "Second sister is freed from the Jia Family; hard days are over, and only good days await."
"Yes," Zhang Yingdi nodded repeatedly. "The same goes for us."
Wang Huanzhi’s health was improving. Nowadays, they were also earning money with big sister and Yaoguang, filling their future with hope.
The ox cart drove in.
Jiang Jing closed the gate, cutting off prying eyes outside.
Zhang Zhaodi helped Zhang Pandi inside, while Su Yaoguang assisted Jia Chunni. Once the gate was shut, the eyes from outside were gone, allowing them to relax.
"Hot water is ready. Second Aunt and Cousin have suffered, go take a bath and rest, we’ll call you when the food is ready," Jiang Jing said.
Jia Chunni rolled up her sleeves, "I’ll cook dinner."
"You should clean yourself up first!" Zhang Zhaodi said. "So many people can cook, it’s not just you. You’ll have plenty of chances to show off your cooking skills in the future, there’s no rush right now."
"Listen to your Aunt," Zhang Pandi said. "We look far too disheveled now; let’s bathe first!"
Su Yaoguang brought bathing water to Zhang Pandi and Jia Chunni’s room. She went in and out ten times before they finished their bath.
During the meal, seeing mother and daughter eating ravenously, everyone felt a pang of heartache, making all those questions seem irrelevant—they simply let the two eat quietly.
"For the next few days, you two shouldn’t go out; stay in the room and make things for grooming. Once a few days pass, start appearing gradually and say your conditions have improved. As for who cured you, it will be our Jing’er, promoting our Jing’er’s medical skills."
Jiang Jing’s cheeks reddened, "I’m so young, barely trained in the basics, no wonder they don’t trust me."
"Who says you only know the basics?" Zhang Zhaodi said. "Wasn’t it you who treated me when I had diarrhea a few days ago? And isn’t the improved scar removal cream formula yours? Yesterday, Aunt Wang from the neighboring village came by, said she initially didn’t believe it, so she only bought the sample size, but her daughter’s facial scar actually faded somewhat. Yesterday, she returned and spent quite a bit to buy a large bottle. We just need some more patient trust, which can be cultivated."
"Mother, whether others trust or not doesn’t matter; our Jing’er needn’t be too prominent in the village, otherwise it could affect Uncle Lin’s business. When we move to the city, we’ll set Jing’er up a signboard for her free to see patients," Su Yaoguang said.
Clap! Clap! Clapping came anxiously from outside the door.
"Who is it?" Zhang Zhaodi impatiently opened the gate. "Doctor Lin, what happened?"